Once you've decided to use cloth diapers, the choices can be overwhelming. I have tried several different kinds of diapers, and I'll tell you what I think of each of them, but there are many other brands, large and small. There are also lots of other choices to make, such as wipes, diaper sprayer (or not), clean diaper storage, dirty diaper storage, detergent, etc.
Starting with diapers, I'll tell you each type I've used and how I feel about them. This may be too much information for many of you, but I have had lots of people ask me these kinds of questions, so I want to get this all down for reference!
~bumGenius 3.0: These are a one-size pocket diaper with aplix tabs and front-rise adjustable snaps for size settings. They make up the vast majority of my diaper stash, although one by one they are getting tucked away into storage for aplix (the generic name for velcro) tab replacement. Some of my 3.0s have good quality aplix and have held up well, and some are wearing out and already unusable. This is an issue that was resolved in the new version of the diapers, below. Overall, though, these have served me very well. The colors are limited but cute, the inserts are very absorbent, and aside from the aplix issues I'm happy with them.
~bumGenius 4.0: I have five of these; four with snap tabs and one with aplix. The aplix on the 4.0 is far superior to the 3.0, and I have been putting it through the wringer, making sure it gets worn and washed every time I wash diapers. It has not shown any signs of wear in 4 months. I have come to like the snaps more than aplix, though, because Emmett can't take them off. He is always trying to take off the aplix diapers, but he can't undo the snaps. The upgrades in this version of the diaper include better aplix, availability of snaps and more generous sizing to fit chunky babies longer.
~Tweedlebugs: This is a one-size sleeve diaper (like the pocket, except open on both ends) with snaps and front-rise adjustable snaps for size settings. I have one of these, which I got free with an order from Kelly's Closet. The diaper seems not quite as high quality as other pocket diapers I have, but it is definitely one of the roomiest diapers and fits Emmett with loads of room to grow, which is great. It has held up well for about 3 months of use so far. I didn't like the size of the inserts that came with it, so I use bumGenius inserts with this diaper, which works well.
~Happy Heinys: This is a one-size pocket diaper with snap tabs and front-rise adjustable snaps for size settings. I have one of these, which I bought to try after reading on some reviews that they run bigger than some other one-size pockets. The sizing is generous and they have loads of cute colors. The snap system is more cumbersome than some, because there are 4 snaps on each tab (a total of 8 to snap every time you put it on). It can be a little annoying, but the benefit is that you can overlap the tabs, making for much greater potential for size adjustment. This diaper fits Emmett well, has held up very well and I'm happy with it.
~Fuzzibunz: These are one-size pocket diapers with snap tabs. The adjustment system on these is very different from all the others; the elastic at the legs and at the waist is adjustable to change the size of the diaper, without any extra folds and snaps in the front. This makes it by far the trimmest diaper Emmett has, and probably my current favorite. I have five of these right now, with two more (won in a giveaway last week!!) on the way. I bought one new, received one as a free diaper with order from Kelly's Closet, and bought three used on a diaper swapping board. The inserts that came with the original are a good fit and very trim, but I don't think they are as absorbent as the other inserts I have. I sometimes use the bumGenius inserts with them, which fit and work well, but aren't quite as trim. I love these diapers but I am not convinced that they'll fit Emmett all the way to potty training. We'll see.
~Babykicks: I have one babykicks one-size pocket diaper with side snap closure and adjustable front-rise snaps for size settings. It has a hemp insert, and it is built well. I haven't been using this diaper very long, but so far, no complaints. I also have one babykicks organic fitted diaper, which requires a cover on top of it. This diaper is absorbent and works very well, but I don't really like it. It's quite bulky on its own, plus it needs a cover on top of it. I don't use it much.
~Thirsties Duo: I have one size 2 Thirsties Duo cover, which I love. It fits snugly without being too tight and the adjustable snaps and snap tabs are good quality. To go with it, I have three sets of Thirsties Duo inserts, which just lay inside the cover and then it gets snapped onto Emmett. The advantage here is quick change by just tossing the inserts into the wetbag and then laying a new insert in the cover and snapping back on. I don't think poop is quite as easy to clean up with these diapers, but still no big deal.
~Flip: I have one Flip cover but no Flip inserts. I use it with the Thirsties inserts and with the occasional prefold. This cover is built exactly like the bumGenius 4.0 diaper (both made by Cotton Babies) except that it is just a shell.
~Econobum: I have one econobum cover and prefold. I rarely use the cover. While it is certainly functional, it is not quite as sturdy or high-quality as the Flip and Thirsties covers, so it tends to sit at the bottom of the pile. I really like the prefold. I do not use it with pins or snappis; I use it just like any other insert. I fold it in thirds and lay it inside the Flip or Thirsties cover. The Econobum prefolds are soft and absorbent and I may look to add to my stash with a few more of these to use with the diaper covers I like.
Well. That was long-winded and over-informative. I intended to include the other things you need (wipes, accessories, etc.) with this post, but I think I've said enough for one day. I'll be back tomorrow's with that stuff and a discussion of how to store and wash diapers.
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