Tuesday, February 9, 2010

My Cloth Diaper review

When I change my babies in public, I always seem to hear, " wow, you cloth diaper! That is a lot of work!" or "I was going to cloth diaper but I did know where to start." or "what's your favorite diaper?".

So I figured I would make it easy for you all.

I will rank all of the diapers I have used for you all..

Here is the system I will use:
1-10: 1 being I would not recommend and 10 being HIGHLY recommend

1. Ease of use
2. Durability
3. How it handles the washer/dryer
4. Traveling with Diapers
5. Leak issues
5. Bulkiness
6. Price
Fuzzi Bunz
1. 8 These have snaps which can take a few seconds longer than velcro and are also a pocket diaper which requires pulling out dirty insert and putting in a clean insert (after wash)
2. 8 I will start by saying these hold up VERY WELL. I have had mine in rotation for 5 years straight now and they still work well. The only issue is with the elastic in the legs. Over time it stretches out and needs to be replaced. I will also say that I dont' think this is an issue with the new OS Fuzzi Bunz. They send a replacement set of elastic and it is MUCH MUCH easier to replace.
3. 9 Out of all of my diapers, Fuzzi Bunz have been the easiest to wash. They dry VERY quickly and are easy to line dry in the summer. They seem to wash well because they come apart. I hesitate to rank it a 10 because the inserts can get rather smelly overtime. They require a few extra washes when this happens.
4. 9 I take these everywhere with me. After they are soiled I place them in a wet bag. I just make sure the diaper is "stuffed" before I leave the house. The only yucky part is taking the insert out. I usually wait until I am home but it is an extra step.
5. 10 I have not had any leak issues with these diapers. Seriously! My kids have even been able to use them overnight (with an extra insert). Of course you will get your occasional leak but just be grateful there isn't a gel explosion to clean up as there would be with disposables. Look at the leg in the second picture. They do a great job at fitting snugly so there isn't a side leak or wicking issues.
6. 10 The least bulky of all of my diapers! When they have extra inserts (as the one in the picture has) they can be a little bulky but overall these are great for your moving baby!
7. 8 They can be pricey. Not a pricey as many diapers but for me they are a bit overpriced. The good thing is they are always offering deals.


Overall these are my favorite diaper! They are soft and never really leak! I would highly recommend these to a new mom.

Smartipants
1. 9 These are easier than Fuzzi Bunz because the insert just washes out. You don't ever have to deal with a messy insert. Snaps and stuffing the insert back in are why they didn't get a 10 ( I will add that snapping really isn't that big of a deal. Once you do a few times, you get the hang of it)
2. 10 So far, so good. These seem to have a better elastic leg than other CD's. I have not notice any stretching out in this area and I am no thinking I will. The snaps are held on very well and it doesn't have any pilling issues because the liner isn't made of fleece.
3. 10 Washing is cake with these. As I said before the messy insert just washes right out..no issues. They also dry very quickly and don't seem to hold any "smell".
4. 10 Super easy..just make sure they are stuffed before you leave the house. Throw the messy ones in your wet bag and go. Then just throw it in the washer when you get home.
5. 10 NO LEAK ISSUES. I have forgotten to change Addy before bed and she didn't leak at all. Now this isn't common because even if she were in a disposable, she would leak. You can also put extra inserts in if you wish.
6. 10 not bulky at all. These are good for your moving babies.
7. 10 best deal I have seen (for the quality). Being that they are a one size, you use them until the babies are potty trained.

A very very close second to Fuzzi Bunz. I have a feeling these will exceed Fuzzi Bunz in the near future. The only reason I like FB better is they seem to have a softer liner! I would highly recommend these to any new mom.

Kushies
1. 10 Very very easy to use. Just put them on the baby and velcro them closed as you would a disposable. They are an AIO so no inserts.
2. 7 These do seem to "look there age". There are many holes in near the leg opening and in the lining. Even so, they still don't leak through the holes. The velcro seems to hold up well too. It doesn't roll up as some others do.
3. 8 Easy to wash, hard to dry. These need extra drying time because they are an AIO. I usually have to run the dryer twice or leave them on the line for 2x's as long. I also hate pulling out a wad of velcro mess. The velcro attaches to everything (even with the tabs down) and tangles itself.
4. 10 Easiest to travel with because there are no inserts to deal with. Use them as you would a disposable and throw the messy one in your wet bag.
5. 7 Even with the holes in them, they aren't bad. They do not absorb wetness like some of the other CD and it seems to sit on the babies skin. With my sensitive skin boy, I wasn't able to use these much because he would get a rash. The girls have had no issues but they do need to be changed more often in Kushies.
6. 8 They aren't as trim fitting as some other diaper. I use these before my babies are moving a lot because they are rather bulky between the legs.
7. 8 They are not expensive but you need to buy different sizes for different ages.

Not my favorite but they are still in my rotation. I may recommend these to someone on a budget but overall I do not recommend wasting your money on these.
Prefolds
1. 6 Not that easy to use. It requires a still baby and a patient mommy at times. Snapi's make it easier than the old pinning method but still require work.
2. 10 They hold up great. What's not to hold up about them??
3. 10 THE easiest to wash by far. You just throw them in a dry them. They also line dry nicely...but I do recommend throwing them in the dryer for a few minutes after to "soften them up".
4. 5 Not fun to travel with. They require more time than other CD's so if you are in a hurry, forget it! The also require a cover so you travel with more items (although covers can be reused). The snapi is easier than using pins but still another item to bring.
5. 8 they do absorb well but you can end up with a wet baby if you don't cover them well. It requires some extra checking to make sure all of the prefold is covered before "closing them up". I haven't used prefolds much so for the more experienced CDer this isn't an issue.
6. 5 Very Very bulky. These are great for home. Not good for early walkers because they cannot keep their little fat legs together.
7. 10 The cheapest of them all! Great for those on a budget.

I recommend these for kids who struggle with diaper rash. These let more air in than other CD's and you can leave the cover off for a while if need be.

Gdiapers
1. 8 They require stuffing either a cloth insert or disposable insert before use. Even so, if this is done before hand they are pretty easy to use.
2. 5 I have only had these for 6 months and they look like I have had them for years. The velcro tabs curl up and fray at the ends and the plastic snap in center is beginning to fray as well. The "g" on the back fell off about a month after I had it. I will say this isn't typical. I know people who use these and don't have these issues. I am wondering if it has something to do with the HE washer.
3. 6 The liners need to be taken out to wash and the tabs curl. Even so, they dry super quick.
4. 9 I only use these when I travel because you can use a disposable insert with them. You can reuse the liner and cover (unless they are pooped on) and you don't have to carry much.
5. 6 I have not had luck with these. They leak leak leak. Addy is usually always wet after I use these. I am not sure why but it seems my liners leak?
6. 10 The trimmest diaper by far! Would be great for walkers!!
7. 7 not bad price wise and defiantly cheaper than buying disposables but you still need to buy replacement inserts. If using a cloth insert it can be cheaper.

(this was taken about 3 weeks after I got them)
Overall I do not recommend gDiapers to mom's who CD. I do however recommend them to people who aren't into CDing but are trying to be more "green". The inserts are biodegradable and can be flushed.

Most importantly, please know that cloth diapers selection can be a difficult thing. Try out a bunch of them and decide what is best for you as everyone has a personal preference. Jillian's Drawers offers a cloth diaper tester pack and it seems to be a really good deal. You try them out for $10 and send them back if you don't like them. If you do like them, you get a deal on purchasing them.
There you have it! I love talking about cloth diapering so feel free to ask questions. For you other Cloth Diapering mama's out there, what is your favorite CD?

4 comments:

Hanna said...

Awesome reviews! I am totally linking to this in an upcoming post. ;)

Corrie said...

Hi Kara! It was really informative to read your reviews. I use prefold diapers inside fuzzibunz. I don't put the prefolds inside the pocket, but just lay it on top of the diaper. This was I don't need as many wraps. I find prefolds really easy because I just fold them in thirds and put them in the wrap. How do you use the diapers at night?

Kara said...

night time is totally a tricky thing. It took me a while to really get the nighttime diapering and don't get me wrong, I still use the occasional sposie when we have been nursing/drinking a lot that day. Right now I use two microfiber inserts or a microfiber/hemp inserts in a fuzzibunz or smartipants. Both of these diapers seem to wick moisture away from the skin better than my other cotton diapers. I will say that I prefer a cloth diaper leak to an exploded disposable gel mess so I now don't mind using them overnight!

Leslie said...

Thanks for posting!!