for the motherease, I got a really trim fit by twisting the diaper like you would for a prefold, then folding down the snaps. If anyone has any lurking in their stash I would give it a try, it also ups the absorbancy a bit
Good tip about the motherease! I've never used them before but a friend got me one for the new baby. I'll have to remember that in case we have any problems.
Here's an all in one like that...
http://www.thenaturalbabyco.com/product-list.php?cID=127
Too bad they don't have a fitted like that though...at least not yet. And says 10-35 lbs for sizing so, not for newbies.
Here's some I found on google...
http://www.amazon.com/Babykicks-Organic-Fitted-Diaper-Natural/dp/B0032AMM9C
http://hyenacart.com/TheCoveredCaboose/mt/541/41574/One-Size-Fits-Most-Bamboo-Fitted-Diaper
http://www.diaperware.com/productpage/sugarpeas.htm
But, as you said there's only limited availability except for the babykicks one.
I wish I could be more helpful, but unfortunately, the only experience with that kind of diaper is the MEOS and I didn't like it. :)
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I've had a similar experience. It seems like lots of companies are going out of business and/or the others are super low supply and high demand. My personality will not work with a crazy smattering of various diapers. Unless I can swing a day's worth of one type of fitted I'm just sticking with prefolds.
I wish you could remember what you didn't like about the Kissaluvs. They seem like the highest rated fitted that is reasonably available and reasonably affordable (compared to some of the super hot WAHMs out there).
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I've had a similar experience. It seems like lots of companies are going out of business and/or the others are super low supply and high demand. My personality will not work with a crazy smattering of various diapers. Unless I can swing a day's worth of one type of fitted I'm just sticking with prefolds.
I wish you could remember what you didn't like about the Kissaluvs. They seem like the highest rated fitted that is reasonably available and reasonably affordable (compared to some of the super hot WAHMs out there).
If I knew what I wanted in terms of fitted prints, I wouldn't mind so much getting only a couple at a time. What I really want are Swaddlebees and I can't seem to find more than a couple at various stores. Buying 2 from this store and 2 from that store annoys me.
From what I read on kissaluvs, lots of people don't like them because they aren't very absorbent, yet they're bulky. I've used the kissaluvs doublers and was not terribly impressed. They work but probably just like the fitteds - bulky for what little extra absorbency they provide.
That's one of the reasons I opted for the ME Sandy's rather than Kissaluvs, they seem to do better in comparisons from folks who have used both. They are side-snapping also, though they don't have the umbilical cord snap-down, I hope that won't be an issue. Most of the photos I've seen show them riding down pretty low so I hope they'll be okay...
Alrightie then - perhaps Kissaluvs are out. Bummer! MW, have you considered those Sandy's? I know they're also by ME but they get good reviews.
I'm kind of surprised by how many diapers are bamboo or hemp. It seems like lots of you are fine with those. What are the pros/cons of those two fabrics?
From, admittedly, not all that much research my thoughts on bamboo is that, although made from a natural material, it needs to be so processes in order to make fabric that it's more "semi-natural" and I worry about stink (similar to rayon). I also have a few things made with bamboo that I haven't been happy with. I like the few clothing items that I have made of hemp but, again, I feel like I've read dozens of critiques of hemp that it holds stink more than cotton. GMD has a whole spiel on the advantages of cotton, which I guess influenced me quite a bit as well. I would try hemp before I tried bamboo and it seems I may have to if I want to try fitteds because the selection of fitteds make of cotton seems pretty small.
In the end, I know it's another matter of personal choice. I guess I tend to look to the fabrics that have been used in diapering for many decades and am timid about being an "early adapter" as they say. That said, if something is super widely used I'm not nearly as hesitant and one could make that case for both bamboo and hemp, ha?
A bit pricey and not in great supply but these look nice: http://hyenacart.com/TheCoveredCaboose/mt/541/85396/One-Size-Fits-Most-Hemp-Cotton-Fitted-Diaper
The babykicks organic fitted diapers
I have one swaddlebees I got from a trade and was not impressed personally.
I like hemp. I have like 30 hemp trifold inserts that I got on clearance for $2 a piece! Woohoo! I've used them as doublers and will use them in my newborn and small covers for my new little girl.
I think I read that bamboo is also antifungal/antibacterial like hemp. But, like PP said, it takes more to process it. I have no personal experience with bamboo.
I think there is a concern that wet fabric could cause the cord stump to become infected from staying too wet and also it's best to get newborn covers with the dip to avoid the cover going over the cord stump or scratching/irritating the stump. I think a newborn cover is a good idea at least. If the diaper fits under the cover, the cover should help keep it off the stump. Those are my thoughts anyway. I truthfully have not had the opportunity to cloth diaper a newborn yet. Was going to with my second but ended up living with inlaws in Romania and they had limited washing machine access for me with a really horrible detergent I didn't want to ruin my diapers with.
Dreameze has a side snapping fitted, I've used their AIO and liked the fit and absorbancy. Personally I wouldn't spend that much on a fitted though, I'm not terribly impressed with the life span of fitteds.
Yea, I would be willing to try hemp. I certainly don't consider it a new fabric but it does seem a bit new as far as diapering goes (ie. it wasn't around when my mom was diapering). I do think I'll try the hemp stay-dry liners from GMD and I would like to try hemp fitteds but I don't think I can justify the extra cost.
I found this page of the Diaperpin for pros and cons. It's simple but seems helpful: http://www.diaperpin.com/clothdiapers/article_differentsystems.asp#types_fabric
'course looking at that list makes me want to reconsider trying flats.
What is everyone doing for wipes? I'm thinking of doing just those simple baby washcloths. I found a couple at Goodwill and they seem great for getting in all the folds and stuff.
I've got some cheap kissaluvs(I think) $1 wipes - about 20 and then I also have some thirsties wipes that I bought a few years ago that I microfleece I think? My fave of the 2 were the thirsties because the kissaluvs are really rough. I have heard that baby wash cloths are too thin. I don't know though, as I've never tried them. I'd consider using some cheap terry wash cloths to save money though, if I didn't already have what I have. Wipes are really only needed for poo diapers. I never realized that with my first but with my second my older friend told me she never used wipes for pee diapers and so I tried it and it's been just fine.
What is everyone doing for wipes? I'm thinking of doing just those simple baby washcloths. I found a couple at Goodwill and they seem great for getting in all the folds and stuff.
In the last fabric coop I was a part of we worked with one of the only North American based fiber companies that are making Bamboo.. this was a few years ago, so Im not up on what else has happened since then, but at the time alot of the OBV was coming over from china and questionably processed...they detailed their process in depth and I felt really good about the process being both ecologically friendly and sustainable. I bought a metric ton of it because I made and sold diapers for a bit and I still have plenty for this baby, although I did order some chocolate brown and black OBV because Im excited about using it as an inner next to the skin and not worrying about sunning diapers.. :) I live in the Pacific NW and sometimes it's hard to get some time without rain during the winter months that allows sunning without serious planning. I love OBV because it doesnt have the stink issues of hemp, it is uber absorbant and so soft and squishy. I believe it also has some of the same anti fungal properties, but again its been awhile since ive done research so that could be foggy, I do know its much more absorbant hands down. People have stink issues who dont have good washing routines or use bad detergents. IMO. If your diapers smell like ammonia you arent using enough detergent. Alot of people blame detergent build up, but that causes repelling mostly and bubbles in the washer.. not stink. Ive had to strip my hemp once before I got my was routine down and that was it. My diapers smell clean and like the lavender wool balls I use in the dryer. I like to combine hemp and bamboo velour in the diapers I make. Hemp inners because no matter what you do they just dont stay as soft as Id prefer next to babies skin as time goes on and then Bamboo fleece or OBV on the outside layers. Ive done alot of tests and you can also see several others on diaperswappers.. for me Hemp and OBF are the most absorbant and therefore the trimmest. DD was an early crawler and walker and it was important to me that her diapers were trim. When my babe was little someone gave me alot of cotton diapers and that was fine until she was about 4 months old and then there had to be some type of doubler and cotton did not cut it. I had really wanted to repurpose things we had already like flannel sheets and whatnot, but it was just so bulky, especially with any type of wool knit and DD was a petite kiddo with skinny legs. I already change my kiddo alot.. when she was a newborn we went through 15-20 diapers a day. I just dont like to leave them wet and DD was a fast tinkler and it all came out in a stream. She didnt just slowly pee. She peed quickly and so she would soak right through a cotton prefold in a small spot. Velour lets me get away with a little longer between changes because it seems to diffuse the pee more and feels damp after.. the wetness gets trapped in the hemp layer, unlike my prefolds or cotton fitteds which just felt soaked when she tinkled even the smallest bit. The reason there are so few cotton fitteds is because they just dont preform as well and people typically switch to fitteds from prefolds for their ease of use and fit benefits.
Anyway, everyone has their own fluff love so it's great to try a bunch of things about in the beginning and see what works for you instead of investing in one type of diaper. Most diaps keep a decent resale value so you can just sell the things that dont work for you. Kissaluvs are nice for newborns alot of people seem to really dig the fit, they are usually pretty cheap too.. but after that.. meh.. Id never get another Motherease product.
I know bellabottoms makes a onesized fitted that is really reasonably priced in cotton. I bought a few of them when I was preparing to CD. They fit DD quickly but I did need a good OBV/Hemp doubler pretty quick with them.
http://www.bellabottoms.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=21&osCsid=4790e053aabedffa17237c590ca29875
http://www.muttaqinbaby.com/store/index.php?app=ccp0&ns=display&ref=splash
I also really dig mutts and I think everything but the doubler is cotton, but they arent good for chunky thighed babies unless she stopped pulling her elastic so darn tight. They really fit my skinny minny well when she was in the skinny stages, but she had a bit of a chunky period too and they left elastic marks on her little thighs :( so we didnt use them then.
From, admittedly, not all that much research my thoughts on bamboo is that, although made from a natural material, it needs to be so processes in order to make fabric that it's more "semi-natural" and I worry about stink (similar to rayon). I also have a few things made with bamboo that I haven't been happy with. I like the few clothing items that I have made of hemp but, again, I feel like I've read dozens of critiques of hemp that it holds stink more than cotton. GMD has a whole spiel on the advantages of cotton, which I guess influenced me quite a bit as well. I would try hemp before I tried bamboo and it seems I may have to if I want to try fitteds because the selection of fitteds make of cotton seems pretty small.
In the end, I know it's another matter of personal choice. I guess I tend to look to the fabrics that have been used in diapering for many decades and am timid about being an "early adapter" as they say. That said, if something is super widely used I'm not nearly as hesitant and one could make that case for both bamboo and hemp, ha?
Wow, great post, MC!! Very informative. If I decide to go down the fitted route I will consider hemp and even bamboo.
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