Favorite Diapers? (was Which Diapers Are Skinny Through the Crotch? )

[*Jessica*]

Looking around at pictures of babies in cloth online, and looking back at pictures of my youngest son in cloth as a newborn (oldest wasn't in cloth until he was 6 months old or more) all I see is how uncomfortably wide they ALL look through the crotch.  I sold all of my stash after my 5-year-old was out of diapers, so I have to start all over from scratch.  I can sew and will be making some of my own fitteds to use with wool covers, but I will still probably purchase quite a few pockets or AIOs or even fitteds and PUL covers.  I'm not sure what is out there now that wasn't on the market when I last shopped 4 years ago, so I don't yet know what I want. 

So please help me out.  What are the skinniest diapers through the crotch for a newborn?  For older babes?  We'll pretend that price isn't a concern.  If I can't find something super trim and skinny-through-the-crotch for the newborn stage we'll be using disposables for a while, and that is the last thing I want to do.  Thanks!

[cristeen]

The trimmest crotch NB ones ive tried were i believe Apple Cheek. But, the trade-off of that trimness is lack of absorbency. A single pee soaked the diaper, the wool and the blankets. You have to balance the trimness with the absorbancy. And i'll say that the sposies ive used are wider through the crotch than the widest of my dipes.

For larger sizes, the trimmest ive tried is BSRB, which did not work for my skinny legged DS.

And while you might not like the look, its supposedly better for their hip development to have their legs apart more. Thats why babes w hip problems were prescribed double diapering.

[ursaminor]

Swaddlebees have a reputation for being trim in the crotch.  You do sacrifice some absorbency for trimness though.  In my experience some diapers are cut wide between the legs but actually conform comfortably when the child is standing.   I feel like most terry fabrics 'squish' and conform the best. HTH:)

[*Jessica*]

Originally Posted by cristeen 

The trimmest crotch NB ones ive tried were i believe Apple Cheek. But, the trade-off of that trimness is lack of absorbency. A single pee soaked the diaper, the wool and the blankets. You have to balance the trimness with the absorbancy. And i'll say that the sposies ive used are wider through the crotch than the widest of my dipes.

For larger sizes, the trimmest ive tried is BSRB, which did not work for my skinny legged DS.

And while you might not like the look, its supposedly better for their hip development to have their legs apart more. Thats why babes w hip problems were prescribed double diapering.

Really?!  Well, I don't care how it looks, I just think it looks uncomfortable and didn't think it could be good for their little hips.  Glad to hear that I'm wrong.  I'll have to look up the research.  Thanks!  What is a BSRB?  It has been over 3 years since I bought a cloth diaper and so many things have changed with the brands available. 

Originally Posted by ursaminor 

Swaddlebees have a reputation for being trim in the crotch.  You do sacrifice some absorbency for trimness though.  In my experience some diapers are cut wide between the legs but actually conform comfortably when the child is standing.   I feel like most terry fabrics 'squish' and conform the best. HTH:)

Thanks! 

So since I don't really need to worry about how trim in the crotch a diaper is, what would everyone recommend as the best diapering options?  Pockets or AIOs or even fitteds and PUL covers.  I already know exactly what wool covers I will be using.  I'm definitely not doing prefolds.  I tried and tried and could never get the hang of them.  They always leaked poop onto the cover.  I'm too busy with homeschooling to spend hours practicing my prefold-folding skills this time!  lol  (Yes, I tried for hours last time and never could figure it out.)

I prefer snaps, but I like the look of the Soft Bums Echo Organic.  I watched a video of a mom putting one on her 7lb 5-week-old, so it seems like they would fit a newborn decently.  Really, I guess I could just get newborn size fitteds and covers for the beginning since my SIL will give me a family discount.  Then I wouldn't be out too much money on newborn dipes and I could spend most of my money on bigger dipes like the Soft Bums or FB One-Size with organic bamboo inserts from my SIL or Joey-Bunz inserts.  Round it out with homemade fitteds and wool covers and I should be set. 

If I get any PUL covers what does everyone recommend?  I hated the Bummis last time.  They left terrible marks on my boys' legs or were too loose to contain anything.

Thanks!
 

[*Jessica*]

Originally Posted by ursaminor 

Swaddlebees have a reputation for being trim in the crotch.  You do sacrifice some absorbency for trimness though.  In my experience some diapers are cut wide between the legs but actually conform comfortably when the child is standing.   I feel like most terry fabrics 'squish' and conform the best. HTH:)

Oh, I like the look of the Swaddlebees, too!
 

[cristeen]

Well, if you're planning to do wool, that acts as a cover over a fitted. To put it over an AIO or pocket is overkill. They both have PUL outers and dont need a cover. Thats the appeal of them.

For a pocket w natural fibers, the swaddlebees are nice. For a regular pocket, i really like my Rumparooz. Under my wool though, i reach for Little Beetles Hemp or Dream-Eze (this is the bulk of my stash).

During the NB period, id probably go with a NB fitted until the cord falls off. Something like a KL0 or a little joey.

As for PUL covers, my fave is Imse Vimse, the leg gussets dont leave marks and catch all the poo. They do run big though. My guy didnt fit into a Small until about 3 mos. Allthough my guy is particularly skinny.

If you want something more like a hybrid, i really like pocket fitteds. They have the customizability of a pocket, but without the PUL outer. If you can find some used Swaddlebees, i really like them, but theyre discontinued. Happy Hempy makes one too, that we use exclusively at night. They recently switched from sized w/Aplix to OS w/snaps, which makes me very happy. You can get them w or without the stay-dry inner.

As for wool, during the day we use a lot of Kozy and handknits for cuteness. At night though we use Babyology, which is pretty bulletproof and reasonably priced.

As for the question of snaps vs Aplix, i hate Aplix. It curls, comes undone, catches in the wash, gathers crap, and at 1yr, my guy figured out how to take them off. Snaps all the way for me.

[*Jessica*]

Originally Posted by cristeen 

Well, if you're planning to do wool, that acts as a cover over a fitted. To put it over an AIO or pocket is overkill. They both have PUL outers and dont need a cover. Thats the appeal of them.

For a pocket w natural fibers, the swaddlebees are nice. For a regular pocket, i really like my Rumparooz. Under my wool though, i reach for Little Beetles Hemp or Dream-Eze (this is the bulk of my stash).

During the NB period, id probably go with a NB fitted until the cord falls off. Something like a KL0 or a little joey.

As for PUL covers, my fave is Imse Vimse, the leg gussets dont leave marks and catch all the poo. They do run big though. My guy didnt fit into a Small until about 3 mos. Allthough my guy is particularly skinny.

If you want something more like a hybrid, i really like pocket fitteds. They have the customizability of a pocket, but without the PUL outer. If you can find some used Swaddlebees, i really like them, but theyre discontinued. Happy Hempy makes one too, that we use exclusively at night. They recently switched from sized w/Aplix to OS w/snaps, which makes me very happy. You can get them w or without the stay-dry inner.

As for wool, during the day we use a lot of Kozy and handknits for cuteness. At night though we use Babyology, which is pretty bulletproof and reasonably priced.

As for the question of snaps vs Aplix, i hate Aplix. It curls, comes undone, catches in the wash, gathers crap, and at 1yr, my guy figured out how to take them off. Snaps all the way for me.

Thanks for your thoughts.  I realize I won't need wool covers over the PUL covers or AIOs.  I've cloth diapered two babes already.  I like to use PUL pockets or AIOs for the days we're out all day with the homeschool group because it is always hard to change as often as I do at home.  I had a few compression leaks with the wool as a result of not being able to change often enough, and got sick of having to change babe's whole outfit.  That's supposed to be one of the benefits of cloth, not having to change their clothes with every diaper change!  lol

I'm off to check out some of your recommendations.  Thanks again!
 

[cristeen]

Wool works best as the outer layer. I never put wool under clothes for that exact reason. Soakers/wraps with babylegs or longies both work well to keep baby covered.

[EmTheWife]

On SoftBums - I've been using them for nearly 9 months, and while I really like them, I don't think they're worth the cost!  I was gifted mine from my co-workers, so I didn't pay, but the price has also gone up a lot in the last year.

I also don't like how they work with my crawling and cruising babe as the crotch really bunches up, and then the pee leaks out the sides of the cover.  They are not narrow through the crotch.  OTOH, I have friends who also have SoftBums and crawlers/walkers and have not had problems...so I think it depends on the fit on the babe.

I am changing over to flats and fitteds with wool and PUL covers, and also using my SoftBums covers over the flats.  I've been much happier with these and not having to change clothes with each diaper.

Hope this helps!

[*Jessica*]

Thank you, everyone!  I've been talking to my SIL who owns an online fabric store and cloth diapering business and I think I have a plan. 

I'm going to make some newborn/small wool covers/shorties/pants and some newborn/small PUL covers and about 3 dozen newborn/small fitteds.  I've made pocket fitteds in size medium before, so I think I can manage.  If not, I'll call on my SIL the master sewer for help!  lol  This is one of the pocket fitteds I made when my 5-year-old was a babe (I wish I still had them!):

Then I'll just buy the one-size fitteds my SIL sells if they appear to be a good fit for the baby, plus bigger wool covers, and then all I'll have to make for the bigger sizes is my own PUL covers.  I may buy a couple of Rumparooz, though, because I really like the way they look.  I don't know why I was worrying about pockets or AIOs when throwing a PUL cover over the fitteds I was already planning on using will be a lot more economical. 

Now to start sewing!

[kittywitty]

I have found Dream-eze and Gro-babys to be the only ones that work under "normal" clothes and have a trim crotch.

[mrs.yd]

Firefly diapers were the "skinniest" of all the diapers I've used.

http://www.fireflydiapers.com/organic-cloth-diapers_quick-dry.htm

I've used Loveybum, little beetle, clovers, under the nile, growing greens one size, bella bottoms, bumkins aio, and I think that's it.