Let's chat about newborn dipes

I have about 6 weeks until baby #3 arrives, and I’m starting to think about what kind of cloth diapers I am going to use. When BW was born, he was 9 lbs. and 23 in. Big boy! And I didn’t start cloth diapering him until he was a month old. We didn’t have a baby shower for him until then, and that is when I was gifted with my first cloth diapers. With this baby, I’m not planning on using newborn diapers for very long, but I do want to use them to have experience with them. Newborn diapers are the only thing I do not have personal experience using. While I take great pride in insuring that Green Baby Elephant sells high quality diapers that have been tested on my boys, my sister took over and cloth diapered her newborn boy. She did a great job using different diapers on my nephew, and you can read about her experiences in the archives{May 2011}. My sister also had to put up with me asking her a billion questions so that I could make sure that Green Baby Elephant carries great newborn diapers. And now that it’s my turn to try out newborn diapers, I have lots of ideas of what I’m going to try. Thanks to my sister and her baby, the following brands are all carried  and highly recommended in the Green Baby Elephant shop.

• Thirsties size 1: Duo Wraps, Hemp Prefolds, Stay Dry Inserts, Fab Fitteds, Duo All-In-Ones, & Duo Diapers
• GroVia Newborn All-In-Ones: the new style with hemp & stay dry liners
• BabyKicks OneSize Basic
• FuzziBunz X-Small
• bumGenius Newborn All-In-Ones
• Knickernappies Infant Prefolds {with Snappis & Thirsties Duo Wraps}

And I should also mention that I do feel that newborn diapers have their place. Not everyone makes big babies, and most one size diapers really don’t start to fit until 10 lbs. Even once one size diapers begin to fit, they are rather large and bulky on newborns. Size/bulk is the biggest complaint I get from parents that cloth diaper their newborns with one size diapers. The next most common complaint is leaking from the legs. Often newborns have the skinniest little chicken legs, and it’s difficult to get a good fit with a one size diaper on chicken legged babes. To get a nice trim fit, a newborn diaper is great. They also allow for all of those cute onesies to be worn by your baby, which is nice to not have to go out and get new clothes.

My little chicken legged nephew wearing a GroVia Newborn AIO. <3 him to bits.

If you are concerned about spending money on newborn diapers in addition to a one size stash, I should mention from personal experience that you go through many, many, many diapers that are aren’t even used. My boys were notorious for peeing on diapers before they were even worn. And I can’t even count the number of times a fresh diaper was poo’ed in before even leaving the changing table. Now that I look back, we went through many bags of newborn and size 1 disposable diapers that weren’t worn for more than 2 minutes. And 2 minutes may be an exaggeration. It was probably more like 45 seconds. So, so wasteful on my part {and theirs as well! Little stinkers!}. Because newborn diapers are used for a limited time, the wear and tear on them are minimal. This means that they’ll be in great condition for multiple babies, either your own, nephews, nieces, cousins or to sell to other families.

Tell me what other brands do you think I should try? What brands have you used successfully? Since I may only have a short window of time to use a newborn diaper, I’m looking for suggestions now. I do a lot of research before adding products to Green Baby Elephant, and now is the time for and updated look at different newborn diapers that are available. Let me know either here on the blog or on the Facebook page what you think I should try that could be potentially added to the shop or what brands Green Baby Elephant already carries that you are anxious for me to try. I’ll do my best to accommodate requests, and answer any questions you may have. And be sure to let your expecting friends know about Green Baby Elephant. This is going to be a great time to learn about newborn diapers as I’ll be blogging and documenting my experiences.

BW's 1st CD. It was a one-size GroBaby. He was also a little over 1 month. No chicken legs here! When CW looked at this pic, he told me that BW looks so little with a BIG orange diaper. :)

BabyKicks Love

Today my first born is 4. I can’t believe it. I’ve had this little man come in my life 4 years ago, and I fell madly in love with him at first sight. It’s amazing watching him grow and learn every day. He’s also transformed into an awesome big bro. My heart melts every time I see sweetness between the boys. {I’m so emo today!}

CW wasn’t cloth diapered until after his little brother was born. And honestly, I didn’t even use cloth on him for many months after his brother was born. Part of this was because CW was potty trained a month after BW arrived, but diapers were still used at night. As my supply of paper diapers dwindled, I began to think that maybe I could diaper CW in cloth at night. I did some major research and discovered hemp and more specifically, BabyKicks. I bought a 3g, we gave it a shot, and it worked. He loved it, and I loved it. The exact weight and age {about 2 1/2+ yo} that I started him in the 3g slip my mind, but it was amazing. We didn’t go back to paper, except for a short vacay that you can read out here. Spoiler: DISASTER! I’m also not going to go into a full review of the 3g here. But I do think back fondly of the days when CW fit in his fav dipe. And yes, it was a nightmare when he couldn’t fit in it any longer. He really, really loved that diaper. That night confirmed to me what I already knew. Cloth is way more comfy than paper. Leave it to my little man to speak the words I was waiting to hear.

Holiday Gift Guide

So for this post, I cheated a bit. It's the December GBE Newsletter. For some reason I'm feeling a bit panicky about finding the perfect gift for everyone on my list. So if you're feeling what I'm feeling, here's a few gift ideas for you. I hope you find what you're looking for at Green Baby Elephant!!

Green Baby Elephant Gift Guide

Green Baby Elephant is the place to shop for all of the little ones on your shopping list. There are much more than cloth diapers to treat your babes & tots to this holiday season. There are even great gifts to pamper the expecting or new mom on your list. Take the time to shop Green Baby Elephant without having to even leave your house. It doesn't get much easier than that. Here are some great gift ideas for the kiddies you love...

New Baby:

• Rock-A-Thigh Baby Socks are super stylish and functional. They help keep baby's legs & feet toasty warm. No more pant legs riding up in the stroller, car seat, or carrier exposing their chunky legs above their socks. These thigh-high socks will protect baby's legs from winter's chill. Even diaper changes will be cozy with their legs covered in the fashionable Rock-A-Thigh Baby Socks.
• Hevea makes natural rubber pacis and an adorable panda teething toy. Hevea pacis are soft and comfortable on baby's face. No hard plastic creating an uncomfortable suction around baby's mouth. And since they are all one piece there's no need to worry about a choking hazard. Hevea's cute panda teether is perfect for little hands and mouths. Different textures on each side will give babies something to gum, gnaw, and bite.
• Eazz Wrap Burp Cloths are much more than just your average burp 'rag'. These high quality, made in the USA, organic cotton/hemp fleece burp cloths are dreamy soft. Use them as changing pads at home or on the go. They also make great lightweight car seat blankets for infants. The looped tag allows for them to be attached to the car seat or stroller with toy rings, so they can be close at hand for whatever use you need.

Toddler:

• Potty training & dress wearing are difficult for toddlers during the cold winter months. Rock-A-Thigh Baby Socks will keep legs cozy this winter. Green Baby Elephant has 'big kid' styles of these fab thigh-high socks for the older kiddo on your list.
• Looking for bath toys to last the test of time? Hevea Pond Bath Toys are just the thing. These all natural rubber bath toys don't have holes in them, so no more moldy bath toys. Each set comes with a fish, frog, and duck. Perfect for kids of all ages!

Expecting/New Mom:

• Pamper the new moms on your list with a set of nursing pads. Choose from Bamboobies, BabyKicks, and FuzziBunz. Whatever you pick will help keep mama dry plus save her money. Complete your gift by picking up a new nursing shirt or cover. She'll be glad you're supporting her decision to breastfeed her baby.
• Cloth diapers. How could they not make the gift list? Let mama see for herself how wonderful modern cloth diapers are. She'll love how easy they are to use and how cute they look on baby. Plus, she'll start to see how much money she can save by using cloth. You can't go wrong by giving her a gift that she'll be able to use over and over again.

The Perfect Cloth Diaper

Is there a perfect diaper? Yes. There is a perfect diaper for your baby and you. There is not a perfect diaper for every baby and for every family. It has taken me a long time to figure that out. I was on a quest for the perfect diaper, and during my search I came to this conclusion. Every review you read and every mom will tell you that ‘X’ is THE BEST diaper ever. And they are right. It is the best diaper ever. Will it be the perfect diaper for you is what you should be asking yourself. Chances are that what I like and consider the best diaper for me and BW may not be the best for your little one. But to be sure I have the best diaper for you and your little one in my shop, I’ve tried out a lot of diapers. And I currently use a lot of diapers. Together, we can find what will work for you and your baby.

First of all, fit plays an important role. Every diaper fits every baby differently. BW is a string bean. He’s been wearing the same size diapers for over almost 18 months now. He has crazy, skinny legs. The rise on his diapers is bikini style, but the fit on his legs is what’s most important. If your baby is a chunky monkey, the size of the diaper may be larger than what you think it should be. Meaning, at 9 months, all the rise snaps may be undone on certain one size diapers, but don’t worry. As your little one grows, he’ll stretch out and you’ll find that you’ll size your diaper down at times. If you’re looking for a good fit and buying before baby is born, look for a diaper that will adjust easily in the waist. Hook & loop diapers are perfect for giving a good adjustable fit every time. If you’re not into hook & loop, FuzziBunz, even with the snaps, gives a great fit, since the waist is adjustable with elastic inside the diaper. GroVia’s OS AIO’s snaps are on a stretchy panel to ensure a more custom fit. Think of what you’re looking for in a diaper for adjustability. There is a diaper that will fit your baby perfectly.

You will also need a diaper that will fit in your lifestyle. Do you mind taking time and folding diapers? If you don’t, then prefolds paired with covers will be perfect. {Bummis, Thirsties} Do you mind taking a sec and stuffing inserts in a diaper? If not, then you’ll find pockets to be a perfect diaper for you. {Thirsties Duo Diaper, FuzziBunz, BabyKicks} Would you like to snap in an insert and reuse a cover? Then, your perfect diaper is an All-in-Two {AI2}. {GroVia OS Shell & Soaker Pads} Or maybe you want the diaper all ready to go. No stuffing, no folding, no snapping. If that’s the case, an All-in-One {AIO} is your perfect diaper. {GroVia AIO} Take the time to assess what you’re looking for in a diaper, and start making your diapering decisions from that point. Don’t overwhelm yourself in the quest for the perfect diaper.

What if you like more than one diapering system? I’m going to take a stand here and tell you to pick no more than 2 diapering systems. This is from experience. I have a crazy mish-mosh stash. It’s complicated. At this point, I’ve committed myself to using a variety of diapers for 2 reasons. First, it is because I’ve invested money in them. And secondly, so I know the in’s & outs of each diaper I sell in order to help you, my client. If you’re having an issue with them, which unfortunately may happen, I can help you work it out. Also, if you’re in the decision making process of what diapering system to use, I can help since I know all the pro’s & con’s to that particular system. I’m committed to helping my clients, so I have a lot of different diapers. But for simplicity’s sake, I recommend 1 or 2 systems to be used. Cloth diapers are easy. Don’t make them complicated by having too many different kinds. Instead of pursing ‘THE MOST PERFECT-EST DIAPER EVER IN THE WHOLE ENTIRE UNIVERSE,” find the perfect diaper for you and your baby. You’ll be glad you did.

Hook & Loop Care

It’s no secret that I’m partial to hook & loop/aplix. It’s actually a necessity with my alligator boy. But hook & loop doesn’t hold up to wear and tear like snaps. There are a few things you can do to help keep your hook & loop diapers stay strong. The most important thing you can do is to make sure the hook & loop is firmly put together on the laundry tabs before putting it in your diaper pail. Don’t put it together all wonky-like. Any hook left unattached has the potential to snag on other diapers in the wash, which will then pull apart from the loop. So not only will your hook & loop show wear faster, but they will also “eat” at your other diapers. Making sure the hook is secure on the laundry tab also prevents lint build up. This can be a pain to clean out, and keeps your hook & loop from being very “sticky”.  Another thing you can do to keep your hook & loop from wearing too quickly is to line dry. This keeps it from tumbling and potentially snagging other diapers while in the dryer. Line drying in general will also help in keeping your diapers from wearing too quickly. The lint you clean out from the lint trap is fiber from your clothes. Having a good size stash also keeps your diapers from wearing too quickly. You may only change 8 diapers a day, but constant washing, drying, and wearing is hard on the hook & loop closures and your diapers as well. {Minimum stash size is 24, if you're wondering.} Basic diaper maintenance and care in addition to using the laundry tabs properly will give your hook & loop a longer life. Yay!

Thirsties Duo Wraps, Fitteds, & Diapers have excellent laundry tabs that work well to keep the hook & loop “sticky”. I have Thirsties in rotation that have been used for over a year and still work great. GroVia has laundry tabs plus a loop to tuck the hook part and keep it hooked. This is a major improvement over the older GroBaby shells. I used to use a lingerie bag with my GroBaby shells inside to keep them from attaching to everything else. It made diaper chains obsolete. I highly recommend a lingerie bag if you’re having issues with your hook & loop diapers making diaper chains in the wash. It will help minimize wear and tear on your entire stash. And a lingerie bag is a must when washing your Bummis Swimmi. It’ll keep your suits from catching on the hook & loop. {Learned that lesson the hard way. Bummer.} At this time I don’t have any use for the lingerie bag for my diapers, but I do use it for BW’s bibs. No more snagged shirts & shorts when I do the boys’ laundry. My sister gave me that idea, and I remember she used a bag to wash tiny baby socks to keep the washer from eating them. So many uses for more than your lingerie.



Thirsties Duo Wrap with Aplix



Thirsties Duo Diaper with Aplix



GroVia OS Shell with Hook & Loop



I have little desire to convert to Team Snaps. Hook & loop is the best choice for me. Even though BW tries to take off his diaper when he’s pantless, he’s mischievous busy like that, it makes diaper changes so much easier for me. A little extra effort to make my diapers stand up to constant wear and tear if definitely worth it. And if I’ve totally turned you off to hook & loop, no worries. I agree with you that snaps are awesome. We don’t do naps & nights without them. I may love the ease that hook & loop gives me when changing a diaper, but I’m not a fool to think that BW would never make a poo masterpiece if given the chance. If you’re a snap lover, Thirsties makes their entire line in snaps {the Duo Diaper in snaps is their newest addition}, GroVia Shells, Newborn, and All-In-Ones come in snaps, BabyKicks 3g & Fitteds are only in snaps, and of course the entire FuzziBunz line is snaps. And if you’re a fan of hook & loop, Thirsties entire line and GroVia Shells come in hook & loop. The choice is yours. Feel free to mix and match to suit your diapering needs.

FuzziBunz vs Bedwetting

CW is a bed wetter. It doesn’t bother me. It does bother him. It’s not fun waking up wet in the morning {or even after a nap}. It’s not a great way to start your day {or your afternoon}. He’s now 3 ½ and has outgrown one-size diapers. I panicked when that happened. Luckily, the panic was quickly eased when I remembered that FuzziBunz makes bigger diapers. ~Whew~ I think CW was also relieved that he didn’t have to wear a paper diaper to sleep. {For the record, his fav nighttime diaper was BabyKicks 3g in Poppy. It was double stuffed with 2 hemp inserts, and it's amazing. Then he grew. Darn him.} So FuzziBunz became his new night diaper. And all was well in the land of sleep once his new FB’s arrived. Because he’s older and a heavy wetter, I use the microfiber insert that comes with the FB and a Thirsties Hemp Prefold. It’s bulky, but it works. He’s also able to shimmy out of his diaper in the morning to go to the bathroom. He and I are both so happy that he can sleep comfortably while he’s working on staying dry at night.

I don’t want moms to feel stressed if their child isn’t potty trained day or night once the One Size diapers have been outgrown. There are options out there. FuzziBunz makes Large {25-45+ lbs} and even X-Large {45+} diapers to accommodate your child’s needs. And like their One Size counterparts, they are trim, absorbent, and have an excellent warranty. I carry the Large in stock, and they are $15.95, which is a great price when you compare the cost of disposable underjams & large nighttime diapers. If you’re interested in X-Large diapers, email me at tonya @ greenbabyelephant dot com and we can discuss placing a special order.

I can’t say enough nice things about CW’s Large FuzziBunz. He really loves them. I’m glad FuzziBunz makes a diaper for older kids dealing with late potty training and bedwetting. Let's not add extra stress to a situation that is already stressful for our kids. Live in the Tucson area and want to see before you buy? Contact me at tonya @ greenbabyelephant dot com and let’s meet. If you’re not in the Tucson area and you have questions, feel free to email me and we can chat about your child’s needs. You’ll save money and your kiddo will sleep in a soft comfy diaper.

Nighttime Diapers

If you’ve been following my blog at all, you know by now that my transition to cloth was slow. And of course I blame this on my inexplicable dislike to change. *ugh* As I moved to cloth from disposables, daytime diapers quickly became easy for me. Nights scared me. {No really, I don’t like the dark. I still require a nightlight. I even take one when I travel.} I was worried about using cloth at night with BW. Finally, when he was about 3 months old I began using cloth at nights. My first system with him consisted of 2 microfiber inserts. It worked wonderfully. {Note to self: Change is good. I seriously need to tattoo this on my forehead.} It worked so wonderfully that I began using cloth on CW at nights. At that point he was 2.5 years, and fully potty trained in the day. It was very reassuring that CW told me that he liked his new cloth diapers better than the paper diapers. It was no big surprise to me. Who’d prefer paper to cloth? But it was so nice to hear it from him. Anyways, both boys were using 2 microfiber inserts. After a few weeks the boys began waking up soaked. No leaks. Just sopping wet. First it was CW. No surprise there since he’s much older, but when BW was soaking wet in the mornings I knew I needed to find something else. Desperate to find something for nights I did some research. The answer I was looking for was hemp!

Both CW & BW wear diapers at night. CW has been potty trained during the days at about 28 months, but he still needs a diaper at nights. He’s now 3.5 years and 38 lbs. Finding a night diaper for him has been challenging. As of right now we’ve been using  FuzziBunz Perfect Size Large with a Thirsties Prefold and the FuzziBunz insert. Is this bulky? Yes! Does it work? Heck yeah it does. He doesn’t mind it, and tells us how comfy it is. I’m hoping it’s not too comfy because I’d love for him to wear his big boy underwear at night. But I know that will come eventually. He’s insanely proud when he has “dry pants” as he calls it. And of course I am too. Before we used FuzziBunz on him at night, we used the BabyKicks 3g with an extra insert. This was amazingly trim. He loved it! And we liked using the 3g on him. I was secretly hoping that the wetness he’d feel in the diaper would wake him, which would lead to quicker night training. It didn’t. Oh well. And he grew out of it. The night he couldn’t fit in it any longer was not pleasant. He carried on about how he wanted his red diaper. It was a sad night in the GBE house. Now he has a new red diapers {with some other colors to mix it up a bit}, and I’m so glad I found one that fits. It’s not easy to find a diaper to fit after the OS diapers are outgrown. {And I will be stocking FuzziBunz Perfect Size Large diapers this month!}

After a lot of trials these are the nighttime diapers I have used or am currently using on BW:

FuzziBunz OS with 2 inserts. {He’s now moved on to hemp.}

FuzziBunz OS with a Thirsties hemp prefold

Thirsties Duo Fitted with a Thirsties Hemp Insert and a Thirsties Duo Wrap

Thirsties Duo Diaper with an additional Thirsties Hemp Insert

So I rotate with whatever is clean at night. The one common denominator is Thirsties hemp for both boys. Honestly, it doesn’t hold tightly to ammonia odors, which can be a problem when using hemp at nights. When using cloth at night, please remember that stash size is so important. Nighttime diapers take a beating with all of the urine they hold. It is essential to not skimp with 1 or 2 night diapers in your rotation. And to help battle the ammonia beast I’ve taken to rinsing the diapers in the toilet briefly before tossing in the pail. No need to even break out the sprayer. Just a swirl and squeeze in the toilet. It has made a huge difference when it comes time to wash!

Everyone swears that they have a super heavy wetter, and you can find all kind of advice online. But here’s the best advice you’ll find anywhere, the key is to find what works best for you. {pssst. It will probably involve hemp.} Just like there is no perfect diaper for all babies, there is no perfect night diaper for all as well. Yes, it may suck the first few times you try a diaper at night and it doesn’t work out. I’m not going to lie about that. But chances are if you include hemp in your nighttime diaper, you won’t have a problem at all. If you already cloth diaper and need a nighttime solution, I’ll be more than happy to work with you to find something for your baby. There’s a good chance we’ll find something that will work with what you already use. If you haven’t started cloth diapering at night, go ahead and give it a try. I’m here to help.  

~~Tonya~~

Try it. You'll like it.

I’m not a huge fan of trying new things. I’m a creature of habit, and I don’t deal well with change. My difficulty with change was made evident when I was switching from disposables to cloth diapers. It took me a long time to do it, and I relied on disposables quite a bit. You can read about my transition to cloth here. But once I made the change, I L.O.V.E.D. it! That’s the funny thing about new things.  I have a difficult time getting myself to try something new, and about 99% of the time I end up happy that I did.

So once I made the switch to use only cloth, I was slammed with about a bazillion different types of cloth diapers. It was so overwhelming to decide what diaper to try next. I was happy with what I was using, but felt the need to try other diapers that I was reading about online. I’ve tried about a quarter of a bazillion brands and types of diapers. So what I sell in my store, are all brands and styles that I have used with much success. I want to be able to know firsthand how well a diaper works before I sell it to another mom. It’s important to me to make sure that other moms have a successful cloth diapering experience.

Why do I sell so many brands and types of diapers? Because every baby is unique, every diaper will fit that baby differently. I want to make sure that I carry a diaper that will work for your little one. So in my experience with trying a quarter of a bazillion diapers, I’ve come up with a rule. Buy 2 of a diaper when trying it out. Why two? For some reason, a brand new diaper always relaxes BW, and a poo is made within minutes. I’m not lying! {I hope BW forgives me when he’s older for always talking about his bowel movements!} So when I change his diaper, I have a second one to use. Two diapers also give you more of a feel of how the diaper works in your stash. You get more use out of them, instead of using it once and waiting a day or two before it can be used again. And after you fall in love with the new diaper, buy more! I really think that simplicity is key when cloth diapering. Stick with a brand/style or two. It does make your life easier when it comes to washing and using them. Or what if you decide it’s not for you? Well, that’s not too difficult either. You’re only stuck with 2 and not a whole stash worth, so trade or sell them. Not much money was invested in the 2 you bought, and it’s time to move on to try a different style.

Still stressed about all the different types of diapers and don’t know where to start? Don’t want to spend a lot of $$ trying out different diapers before building up your stash? Green Baby Elephant can help. Local Tucson Mamas can contact GBE to schedule a private consult or host a diaper party with friends. Being able to see & touch diapers before buying will save you countless hours spent researching online. And it will also save you $$ since you’ll have a much better idea of what you’d like to try, instead of buying diapers sight unseen. And if you don’t have the pleasure of living here in Tucson, I’m still more than happy to help you find a diaper that will work for you and your little one. And remember when trying out a new diaper, always get at least two!





It's always good to have a diaper to match your fave pair of cowboy boots. Or is it a good thing to accessorize a fave diaper with a stylish pair of kicks? Whatever the case, it doesn't hurt to accessorize!

Wash Routines

Different cloth diapers call for different wash routines. I think the best thing for a cloth diapering mom to do is to stick with one or two brands of diapers. Unfortunately, I can’t follow my own advice. Everything I sell, I use. I have a lot of washing instructions to follow! But here’s my secret to keeping it simple…a cold pre-rinse {to rinse out pee & poo}, a warm/warm wash, and a cold rinse at the end. Why a warm wash and not hot? Well, I recently added GroVia AI2’s and AIO’s back to my stash after passing along my old GroBaby and DreamEze diapers. GroVia doesn’t recommend hot washes, so I wash everything in warm. And it works. The majority of my other diapers can be washed in hot, but why do separate loads when warm does the trick? Everything still comes out clean.

My usual wash cycle is as pictured below. The Bulky Cycle & the Sheets cycle uses a lot of water. Mix it up and try to find the cycle that uses the most water. Every now and then I use a cycle with less water to allow the wash plate {at the bottom of the barrel} to “scrub” my diapers. After I do that, I make sure to rinse a couple of extra times since less water is used. My washer seems to be a rarity, a top loading HE. I love it though, especially after it was fixed.

In addition to working out a good wash routine, it is essential to use the right kind of detergent. Most laundry detergents in the grocery store are either too harsh for cloth diapers or contain additives that can harm your diapers. Free & clear soaps, are often free & clear of scents and dyes. Optical brighteners are in a majority of detergents, and these are made to coat fabrics to make them appear whiter or cleaner. So, these will coat your diapers and cause them to repel liquids, which will lead to leaky diapers. Currently, I am using GroVia’s Tiny Bubbles. It’s made for GroVia diapers. When I had GroVia’s out of rotation, I used Rockin’ Green Detergent with much success. Both detergents work well, but to keep my diapers in good condition I make sure to stick with what is recommended by the manufacturer. Recently, Rockin’ Green came out with a Remix formula. I have heard though the Facebook grapevine, that Grovia will be testing Rockin’ Green to see how well it works on their diapers. Many other cloth diaper companies recommend Rockin’ Green. So be sure to follow what is suggested. Green Baby Elephant carries Tiny Bubbles, Rockin’ Green, and Thirsties Pre-Wash and Super Wash.

You have invested money in your cloth diapers. Make sure to use the correct wash temp and detergent to make them last. I’d hate to see a client buy a stash of diapers and ruin them by using a “bad” detergent or washing improperly.

Since each diaper company has different wash routines, I thought I’d make it easy to find what is recommended in on place. So below are links to each company’s washing instructions.

BabyKicks

Bummis

FuzziBunz

GroVia

Thirsties

If you’ve gone through and read all the different washing instructions, you’ll see there are similarities as well as differences. Some say wash hot or warm, others use vinegar or not use vinegar, and baking soda can or can’t be used. So really, I think pick a brand or two and stick to them. Make cloth diapering simple from wash to wear.

If you’re lucky enough to live in the Tucson area, I’m more than happy to meet with you to help you decide on what cloth diapering brand(s) to use. It’s so much easier to look at the diapers in person before you buy. Not only will you save hours of time researching brands online, you’ll will also be more confident in using cloth diapers. I will work with you {even if you don’t live in Tucson} to find the diapering system(s) that will work best for you and your baby. Spend your diapering budget wisely by scheduling your private consult or diaper party with your mommy friends today!

Newborn Diaper Comparisons

Cloth diapering a newborn is well worth it as Nina pointed out in the previous blog post. I thought I’d get a little more detailed regarding size differences of newborn {NB} diapers compared to one-size {OS} diapers and comparing newborn diapers to each other. OS diapers are often advertised to fit newborn {8 lbs} to potty learning {35-40 lbs}. I have found that this isn’t always the case. It’s not that the diaper companies are misleading; it is just that babies are often born well under that 8 lb mark. Even at 8 lbs often the newborn has teeny tiny chicken legs that can’t quite fill up the leg holes on the smallest setting of OS diapers. Other newborns like BW, a whopper at 9 lbs, probably wouldn’t have had much difficulty filling out the leg holes of an OS diaper at birth. Unfortunately, for him I didn’t discover cloth until he was 1 month old. Think of OS diapers as the One-Size-Fits-All shirts that were popular in the 80s {I’m dating myself here}. Those darn shirts were always so BIG on me. It fit, but thank goodness for leggings and those t-shirt clips to knot it at the side. So, one size may fit all, but the question is how well will it fit. At the newborn stage expect bulk if using OS diapers. Newborn diapers are made to be trim and to fit before OS diapers begin to fit. And if you know you’re going to have an itty-bitty baby, newborn or x-small diapers are the way to go. You’ll definitely get use out of them before the OS diapers fit.

Green Baby Elephant currently carries the following diapers that are highly recommended for newborns: GroVia newborn AIOs, Thirsties {anything in size 1: Duo Diapers, Duo Fitteds, Wraps, prefolds, hemp inserts, and stay-dry inserts}, BabyKicks {3g and the fitted diaper}, and FuzziBunz extra-small diapers.

More formal reviews of each diaper will be written by Nina when she gets a chance. Her sweetie pie is our fashionably hip newborn diaper model. But for now, I thought I’d do some size comparisons for the newborn diapers while we’re waiting for a diaper review.



As you can see, the GroVia NB AIO and the X-Small FuzziBunz are very trim between the legs. I didn't take a side pic of the diapers to show the bulkiness of each one, so you will have to believe me that the GroVia NB AIO and the FuzziBunz X-Small diapers are much trimmer, as in your baby will be able to wear a onesie while wearing either of these cloth diapers. This is because they are not a OS diaper like the BabyKicks and the Thirsties Duo Diaper {Size 1 is pictured, and it is on the smallest rise setting}. When you buy a diaper that is sized, you will get a trimmer fit. This goes for any sized diaper you use.

The BabyKicks 3g and the Thirsties Duo Diaper are going to be slightly more bulky due to the fact that they are being sized down to fit a newborn. The extra material is going to be folded down.  This is going to be true with any OS diaper. The smaller the setting on a OS diaper, the bulkier it will be. As your baby grows, the rise will go up, which will cause the diaper to become trimmer. That being said, it is also nice to have the ability to have a diaper that will grow with your baby like the BabyKicks 3g and the Thirsties Duo systems can.

I mentioned that BW wouldn't have fit in the newborn diapers when he was born, and some of you may make big babies as well. So I want to compare newborn diapers to their OS counterparts.

Here is the GroVia NB AIO next to their OS AIO and their OS AI2 Shell. Both OS diapers are snapped to their smallest setting. And the shell does not have the soaker pad snapped in. It is obvious that both OS diapers will be very bulky compared to the NB AIO. The AIO is much larger than both the NB AIO and the AI2 shell. It will take quite some time for a newborn to grow into it. The shell does get quite small. I used the GroBaby system on BW when he was 1 month, and he was on the medium size snap. {Like I've said before, he was a B.I.G. boy!} I should also mention that the GroVia rise does differ from the GroBaby. The GroVia shell is slightly larger than the GroBaby shell.

Here is the BabyKicks 3g's different rise settings. It has a total of 5 sizes: newborn, small, small-medium, medium, and large. The hemp/cotton insert is very trim, so it keeps this diaper from being very bulky in the smaller sizes. It has a great span of fitting all sizes, especially for a OS diaper! You can read more about the BabyKicks 3g in my review here.

Here is the FuzziBunz OS diaper on its smallest setting compared to the X-Small diaper. The OS does get quite small. It isn't as tiny as the X-Small, but it may be close enough for those that make large babies. But once again, as a OS is sized down, it is bulky. You can read more about my FuzziBunz review here.

Here are all 3 sizes of the Thirsties Duo Diaper {Size 1}. As you can see it gets larger very gradually, so as to fit a newborn of 6 lbs to a 9 month old of 18 lbs. Since the Fitteds and Wraps are from the same Duo system, you can safely assume they have the same sizing as the diapers in the pic. Thirsties has 2 diapers each with 3 size settings. They did this to help cut down on the bulk of the small settings of a OS diaper. The size 2 Duo Diaper was created to make the diaper fit longer than most OS diapers can. You can read more about Thirsties Duo Diapers in my review here.

 

It is personal preference for what kind of diaper and system you decide to use. We will be highlighting all of the diapers that Green Baby Elephant carries, so you can make an informed decision of what you want to use on your baby. And I am more than happy to work with you to find the diapering system that will work for you and your baby! Please, don't hesitate to contact me.

~~Tonya~~ 

P.S. I'm sorry about the sizing of the pictures and the format of my blog. I wanted to make these photos large enough for you to see the differences between the sizes.  {I'm not wearing my contacts as I'm writing this, so I need to see what I'm doing as well!!}

BabyKicks 3g

I came across BabyKicks when I was looking for a nighttime solution for BW.  BabyKicks makes great hemp inserts, and I tried and fell in love with their joey-bunz inserts.  They quickly became a go-to nighttime insert in a pocket diaper, but that is a whole different story that I will come back to in the future.  I just wanted to create a backstory for how I found such a great diaper company. 

So with all my cloth diaper research, I started to read great things about BabyKicks’ redesigned pocket diaper.  It was called the Bumboo pocket and now is known as the 3g.  I had to try it.  The hemp inserts I use are great, so I assumed the 3g had to be awesome.  I was so right!  This is probably one of the thinnest and most absorbent pocket diapers I have come across.  This is due to the joey bunz hemp insert that comes with it.  The first time BW wore a 3g was at a MOPS meeting.  A mommy friend, knowing that I cloth diaper, asked me if I was using a disposable since BW’s rear wasn’t so..uh..large.  I laughed, and immediately pulled down at the back of his pants to show off his new dipe.  She was impressed.  Now, I should mention that I don’t mind a cute, fluffy rear, but I can see how it can be off putting for some. 

Let’s talk about the unique aspects of this diaper.  First off, it’s a one-size diaper.  It seems like every diaper now-a-days is one-sized.  Honestly, most one-sized diapers don’t fit newborns and larger toddlers as they are potty training.  Don’t get me wrong here, I’m not knocking on one-sized diapers.  They are great and have huge money saving capabilities, it’s just that oftentimes they aren’t as one-size fits all for all babies.  With that said, the BabyKicks 3g quite possibly a true one-size diaper.  They have reverse snaps and a unique fold to create a newborn diaper, and with the rise snaps fully undone BabyKicks claims to fit up to 40lbs. 

There are two different types of fleece that make up this diaper.  I never knew that there was different fleece, so when Gina from BabyKicks was explaining it to me, I was amazed and impressed.  The inner fleece, like I mentioned, is absorbent, so the baby will feel wet.  This absorbency is great when using the newborn fold and also comes in handy while potty training since the joey-bunz insert doesn’t have to be used for either stage.  The fleece on the tabs and the leg gussets repel moisture.  Too good to be true?! No way! The super soft fleece gussets don’t leak at all.  This may just be too unbelievable for you, which is fine by me. Buy one ASAP and see for yourself!!

The sizing of this diaper goes from newborn to potty training, literally.  Starting with the unique newborn fold and ending with the great side snaps, which come in handy for your little one to pull up on the diaper similar to that of a training pant.  When used as a training pant, you may also use the 3g without an insert since the inner layer has some absorbency.  This will make them extremely thin! You may also go without an insert at the newborn size since the absorbency of the fleece may be enough for the first few days or so.  Now that’s a trim newborn diaper! The sizes between newborn to toddler are made by using the rise snaps.  There are 3 rise snaps, which is also unusual for a one size diaper.  Often there are 2 rise snaps, to create a total of 3 sizes for a one-size diaper.  The BabyKicks 3g has 5 rise settings! Now that’s just crazy {in a good way}!

Now, you’re probably thinking this diaper is pretty pimp. And you are right.  But before you buy, which I’m sure you’re going to want to since this is an awesome diaper, I want to fully disclose my experience with the 3g.  First, I have N.E.V.E.R. had a leak with this diaper.  I have used it with the one-size insert that comes with it and a second joey-bunz insert in it at night for my 3 year old, CW.  Never a leak!  And I must say, still a very trim night diaper with 2 inserts. I have also used this with BW without a leak.  CW loves this diaper so much, that he refused to believe that he had outgrown it.  One night I tried snapping it on, and no amount of him sucking in his adorable little belly helped.  He is simply too big now. That was a sad night in this house.  Fortunately, he is fully potty trained except for nights, so I don’t have to rely on using this as an everyday diaper.  Another thing that is noticeable in all the comparison pics with my Poppy (red) diaper and the new Azul (blue) diaper is that the inside is pilly.  This is purely aesthetics, and the pilly inside doesn’t take away from any comfort.  Remember that CW would request this diaper every night!  The one-size joey-bunz inserts do shrink.  Any cotton and hemp {this happens to be a blend} will shrink.  The insert fits  great inside the 3g.  An added bonus to the one-size joey-bunz insert is the sewn on lines to help you know where to fold it to correlate with the rise snaps.  Genius. 

The opening of the pocket, which is in the front, is a little small.  This is done for two reasons.  First to keep the diaper looking trim, and second to avoid pulling out the insert through the poo in the back of the diaper.  Luckily, my arms are skinny and I stuff all the pockets in this house.  I can’t imagine having the hubs match up all the pockets and the matching inserts. *Yikes* So problem solved by doing it myself.  Actually, problem solved, by doing all the diaper laundry myself, but that’s a whole other can of worms.

You can try your luck at winning a 3g for your little one by entering a giveaway that is sponsored by Green Baby Elephant at www.ispy4shoppers.blogspot.com.  Contest ends Friday, April 8, 2011. 

 

~~Tonya~~

The Lingo

So I jumped right in with this blog assuming that everyone is familiar with the lingo in the cloth diapering world.  Here I’m going to go back to my teaching roots and define some of the more common cloth diaper terms.  This by no means is a complete list of the vocab you may come across when reading/talking about cloth diapers.  Instead it is a brief list of definitions to familiarize yourself with these words, and I listed the names of the diaper companies that Green Baby Elephant LLC has in stock for each term.  Hopefully this helps in your search to find the right cloth diaper(s) for your baby and you. 

Cloth Diaper Lingo 

Pre-fold diapers are rectangular shaped diapers consisting of cotton or a cotton/hemp blend. They have several layers with more layers in the middle. Pre-folds are often the most economical type of cloth diaper. They can be folded in many different ways.  They must be used with a cover as they are not waterproof.

Brands: Thirsties, BabyKicks

Diaper Covers are used to create a waterproof barrier.  They come in either snaps or hook and loop.  Often they are used with prefolds, inserts or fitted diapers.  Covers are made up of either PUL (polyurethane laminate) or TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane), which is the waterproofing aspect of the cover. Covers may also consist of waterproof nylon, fleece, or wool.  They may be used multiple times or until soiled.

Brands: GroVia, Thirsties

Fitted diapers are diapers that do not have a waterproof outer layer.  They are more contoured, and the elastic is gathered more at the legs and back.  They come in either snaps or hook and loop closures.  Fitted diapers come in cotton, cotton/hemp blends, or cotton/polyester blends.  Often they are used at nights since the whole diaper is absorbent.  A waterproof cover must be used.

 

Thirsties Fab Fitted with Aplix



Brands: Thirsties, BabyKicks

Inserts/Soakers are similar to prefolds, except no folding is necessary.  They can be either cotton, cotton/hemp blend, microfiber, or a stay-dry microfiber.  They fit inside a waterproof cover or inside of a pocket diaper.

Brands: GroVia, Thirsties, BabyKicks

Doublers are used to add extra absorbency without a lot of bulk.  They are added in addition to a soaker or insert.  They may be cotton, cotton/hemp blend, or microfiber.

Brands: GroVia, Thirsties, BabyKicks

Pocket diapers are diapers with a waterproof outer layer and an inner layer that is often fleece or another stay-dry fabric.  The pocket opening can be in the back or front.  Inside the pocket an insert is placed.  Multiple inserts can be used to customize the absorbency needed.  These are like disposable diapers in the sense that once they are used, they must be washed.  Often these are an easy option for husbands, grandparents, and other caretakers.  Closures are either snaps or hook and loop.



FuzziBunz Pocket



Brands: Thirsties, BabyKicks, FuzziBunz

All-In-One (AIO) diapers have the soaker attached to the waterproof cover.  These come with snaps or hook and loop.  Often these are the easiest to use since they do not require any stuffing like pockets or have a learning curve like prefolds do. 

 

GroVia AIO



Brands: GroVia

All-In-Two (AI2) diapers or hybrid diapers consist of a waterproof cover and an insert that can be replaced when soiled.  This insert is either cloth of some sort or disposable.  These are great for travel as washing machines are not always available. 

Brands: GroVia

Liners can either be cloth or paper.  The purpose of liners are to make cleaning up poo easier and/or protecting the cloth diaper from rash cream/ointments.  Cloth liners can be washed and paper liners can be flushed.

Brands: GroVia

Wet Bags/Pail Liners are lined with PUL (polyurethane laminate) to create a waterproof barrier.  Wet bags and pail liners are used to hold dirty diapers.  Wet bags come in many sizes and can be used while away from home to hold used diapers.  Pail liners are used to line a trash can (with a lid).  Both wet bags and pail liners may be washed.  Closured may either be zipper or drawstring. An added bonus: These are great in the summer when swimming to put in wet suits, towels, and clothes or on vacation as a laundry hamper.



FuzziBunz Hanging Pail



Brands: FuzziBunz, GroVia