A to Z Challenge: T is for Tiny

T is for Tiny. Tiny diapers! I have discussed what we used for our newborn stage, but I also did a lot of research before making my decisions and I ran across a number of options. Many people recommended prefolds with covers so I bought some of those when Little Lions was having a seconds sale and didn't end up using them. The rest of our newborn stash consisted of fitteds and covers as well as AIOs and a few pockets. I'll begin with the diapers that worked very well for us when W was tiny.

We had our bumGenius AIOs in size x-small and then in size small. These were so easy to use although they took a while to dry.

Our other AIOs were our Lil' Joeys. I liked these very early because they fit so well. They did have limited use and were the first to leak as he grew out of them. Still, they were wonderful for the first few weeks! Like the bumGenius, they took a good amount of time to dry.

We also had one Thirsties Duo Diaper size 1. I loved the gussets on the diaper and the fact that it also had a pocket that I could use to increase the absorbency if needed (similar to the small bumGenius AIOs. We only ever used it as an AIO though it did dry faster than the others due to the pocket.

We also used Kissaluvs size 0 fitteds. These worked great for us and only got put on backwards once!

And the old style Thirsties Fab Fitteds. I definitely liked these because they had aplix instead of snaps!

We covered both of those with Thirsties Duo Wraps size 1 and never had a leak. The Duo Wraps are the got to covers in this house!

We had one small Happy Heiny pocket in black. It was one of just a few pockets that fit when he was a newborn.

We also had two AppleCheeks envelope covers in size 1 that worked well from the beginning. These were an easy to use pocket system so they also dried very quickly! I liked these because we could have used them as extra covers for fitteds as well!

These were some of the diapers I had read about during my research and I will admit that a few, such as the AppleCheeks, were just diapers I bought during a great sale. I got them for half off and it was back at the beginning of my shopping for diapers so I was very excited. Once W was here, I was even more pleased because they worked from very early on and fit him for quite a while.

Here are some of the other diapers I saw recommended as I researched for our stash. Some of them are so adorable and I bet they are very cute in person! Yes, I also have a soft spot for tiny little cloth diapers!

I recently discovered CutiePoops and they are so cute! They offer a newborn size that claims to fit up to 12 pounds. If you want adorable in a tiny diaper, I think CutiePoops is the one!

I recently bought a newborn fitted from Bum Covered Diapers as a gift for a friend. While I haven't had a chance to use it since it isn't for me and I don't have a newborn, it does look like the sizing will be perfect!

I've seen many people recommend Proraps covers for the newborn stage. They are affordable and they come in preemie and newborn sizes!

I recently discovered that Bummis makes a Tini Fit diaper (and they have a red and orange color)! I would be interested to see how these work for a newborn as I know many like the Bummis covers for the newborn stage!

I've also seen many people recommend the Bummis Whisper Wrap covers for the newborn stage and they have some adorable prints!

I know that there are probably a lot of other options when it comes to building a newborn stash, especially if you are willing to look into WAHM products. I know many people debate using disposables until the baby gets big enough for one size diapers but I am personally very glad that we got a newborn stash that allowed me to begin early with W!

A to Z Challenge: H is for Happy Heinys (Stash Review)

Back when I was building our newborn stash, I went on a quest for a black diaper. I don't know why I really wanted one, but I did. I think a post on a message board spurred me along on my quest. Of course, I didn't want to pay between $18 and $25 or anything like that. So, I got lucky when I happened upon a sale that had a few black Happy Heinys pockets in stock in size small.

According the Happy Heinys website, the weight range for the size small is 8-16 pounds. Thinking a pocket wouldn't fit for awhile, I didn't try it on W until he was a little over 3 weeks old. Around that time he weighed just under 9 pounds so he was right in the weight range and our Happy Heinys pocket was one of the first pockets to fit (his AppleCheeks did as well).

In his Happy Heiny pocket size small at 3 weeks, 5 days old.

Some things we really like about the Happy Heinys pocket is that it is a pocket and it fit W during his newborn stage. It was nice to have something that dried quickly! I also loved the black color! Check out the Happy Heinys website to see all of the great colors they offer! We also loved the hook and loop on the Happy Heinys and never had a problem with the laundry tabs. Although we never tested it as an overnight diaper, it worked well for us during the day and during naps. We never had a leak.

It wasn't horribly bulky on him, even when he was just a few weeks old. They also do not have leg casings, so it never left a mark on W's legs even as they started to fill out. Ours didn't come with an insert, but that wasn't a big deal as I have a great deal of extra inserts for some reason so I just used those.

We liked our Happy Heinys pocket so much that when I found some on sale a few weeks ago, I went ahead and bought a medium and a large. They did not come with inserts, but were extremely affordable, and we have plenty of inserts. I got a size medium in sage and a large in red. I'm really excited about the red diaper because I have always wanted one. It is too large right now but I look forward to the day that W can wear it!

According to Happy Heinys website, the weight range for the size medium is 14-25 pounds. I believe that W is probably in the 18-20 pound range at this point. Below are photos of him in the medium sage Happy Heinys pocket yesterday at 4 months, 4 days old.

You can see how the there are no leg casings and only the soft fleece of the inner touches his skin! We currently use a Flip stay dry insert and it works very well. We have had no leaks of any kind although we have not tried it overnight.

Overall, we have really liked our Happy Heinys so far. They are not our go-to diaper (those seem to be our BG 3.0s) but they always get the job done when I pull them out of the drawer! In the future, I would love to try one of their one-size diapers, a mini one-size (next baby, obviously!) and also some of their cute prints, especially Glow in the Dark Skulls!

Disclosure: I was not compensated in any way for this review and all opinions are my own. FormulaMom’s full disclosure can be found here.

A to Z Challenge: F is for Fitteds

I never knew the love I would have for fitteds. In preparing a newborn stash for W, I was all gung-ho about prefolds as they sounded like the most economical option. But I picked up some fitteds as I found good sales and read about what other mothers had for their newborn stash. I cannot even begin to tell you how often I saw other mothers mention Kissaluvs Size 0 (KL0) as part of their newborn stash. This alone made me want to have a few! I was lucky to pick up some gently used KL0s from Jillian’s Drawers. (I highly recommend checking out Jillian's Drawers if you're looking for some gently used diapers!) I was also able to get some Thirsties Fab Fitteds as they were put on clearance last year. It is a good thing I got these fitteds because they became our go-to diapers throughout the newborn stage.

We ended up with a total of 7 KL0s (We started with 3 and I ordered 4 more gently used after W was born) and 3 Fab Fitteds size XS. We primarily used Thirsties Duo Wraps in size 1 to cover our fitteds. This was more than enough for our stash as we also had a number of pockets and AIOs that worked for the newborn stage. As I mentioned before, my 2 dozen prefolds never got used as they proved to be too much of a mystery to me during those crazy first two weeks of having my first child!

Moving on from that and getting back to my love of fitteds... I was concerned about the fitteds as they required a cover and I wasn’t sure how J would handle having some diapers that needed covers and some that did not. I was worried W would get put in a fitted without a cover and then everything would be wet. I got over that quickly though as I saw how eager J was to learn which diapers were which and what each one needed. I also got over it when I realized that W would survive if he was in wet clothes. If babies couldn’t survive that then we would have a much smaller population!

We used our KL0s and Fab Fitted XS from the very beginning with W. He did come from the birthing center in a disposable, but we used a combination of cloth and disposables through the first few days and then we were on to full-time cloth. We didn’t have any issues with meconium which was one of my concerns. It washed off just as easily as anything else and didn’t leave any stains behind. Both types of fitteds fit him well from the beginning as well. But we began using the KL0s a few days before the Fab Fitteds because of the snap down for the umbilical cord. Unfortunately I do not have any photos of him just wearing the fitteds.

Kissaluvs Size 0 with umblical cord snap down

Thirsties Fab Fitted

According to the Kissaluvs website, the KL0s fit from 5 - 15 lbs. W was born at 7 pounds, 13 ounces so he fell perfectly into that range! Some of the features mentioned by Kissaluvs that I found particulary beneficial in our case were:

* Stretchy elastic and fabrics for a snug fit without binding
* Elastic at leg and back openings to contain messes and floods
* Unique fit with low-rise front and full coverage in back
* The tag goes outside, in the back to avoid irritating delicate skin.

We never had a leak with our KL0s when paired with a Thirsties Dup Wrap size 1. W’s cord was not irritated in any way and once his cord fell off we simply unsnapped the middle snap and the KL0s continued to fit him. Snaps were difficult to master at first but we got them working on the KL0s. Plus, snaps mean no diaper train to worry about in the laundry!

Despite the lack of a diaper train, I already knew that we preferred the aplix that we had on the covers. It was so much easier to get a good fit on our skinny little guy (yes, he was once a skinny mini!).

I also need to mention that while I appreciate that the tag goes on the outside so it doesn’t irritate the baby, it can make for some confusion when you are sleep deprived! Yes, I tried to put the diaper on inside-out a few times! Another drawback is the lack of exciting colors or prints in the KL0s but considering they go under a cover, this isn’t too much of a negative!

After W’s umblical cord fell off, we also started using our Fab Fitteds in XS and the deal was sealed. We are definitely an aplix family at this point! Until W can start taking off his diapers, I think we will continue to lean towards our hook and loop. It was easier to get a good fit back when he was a newborn and it’s even easier now that he’s a chunky 4 month old!

I tracked down the sizing information for the old Fab Fitteds. The weight range for XS is 6-12 pounds and for S it is 12-18 pounds. Once again, based on his weight, W fit right into the weight range for the x-smalls.

As with the KL0s we never had a leak or blowout with our Fab Fitteds until W was too big for them. We had one leak with a Fab Fitted and that’s when I realized it was time to move up to the smalls. By that time though he was also able to fit into our one-size pockets so we didn’t have such a need for the fitteds any longer.

Besides the obvious lack of leaks and the aplix, another thing I loved about our Fab Fitteds were the great, bright colors.. I love all of the colors and am glad the new Duo Fab Fitteds are being made in the bright colors as well. I only purchased boyish or gender neutral colors because I didn’t know I was having a boy yet when I bought them but I love the bright pink and purple too! The Fab Fitteds worked well with the Thirsties Duo Wraps (as one would expect since they are made by the same company) and it was a successful combination for us. The laundry tabs also worked well and we rarely had a laundry diaper chain once we remember to start using the laundry tabs!

Overall, our experience with our fitteds throughout the newborn stage was a positive one. W has been sleeping through the night since he was 6 weeks old and he was still wearing his KL0s and Fab Fitteds at that point. We never had troubles with leaks until he was about 8 weeks old. Then the only leaks with our fitteds and covers were when we used them overnight.

At about 3 months and 1 week, W could still fit into the size small Fab Fitteds and use a Duo Wrap size 1 on the largest setting although it was a tight fit. A Duo Wrap size 2 was a bit big but also worked. The following are some photos of him wearing a size small at 3 months and 1 week.

I did not have the opportunity to try a Fab Fitted Duo with W as a newborn nor did I try any of the old Fab Fitteds in any size larger than the small so I can’t speak as to how they might work. I also have not tried any Kissaluv fitteds beyond the size 0.

I am looking forward to an opportunity I have received to try a Thirsties Duo Fab Fitted in size 2 and a size 2 Duo Wrap with W! We currently have one Duo Wrap size 2 (in blackbird!) that I purchased after he grew out of the biggest setting on his size 1s. We have been using it over a disposable at night for some extra protection in case of a leak. I’m hoping the new Duo Fab Fitted might work as a night time solution since it has a pocket that can be stuffed for additional absorbancy! Stay tuned for that review and also a giveaway featuring a chance to win your own Thirsties Duo Fab Fitted and Duo Wrap Cover!

Disclosure: I was not compensated in any way for this review and all opinions are my own. FormulaMom’s full disclosure can be found here.

Newborn Stash Review: All-in-Ones (AIOs)

Today I begin the Blogging from A to Z April Challenge. The premise of the Blogging From A to Z April Challenge is to post something every day in April except for Sundays. This will result in 26 blog posts--one for each letter of the alphabet. Each day I will theme a post according to a letter of the alphabet. Today is the first day of the challenge so I begin with the letter A.

A: All-in Ones

For anyone who complains about the inconvenience of cloth diapers, there are 3 simple words to solve their problems: All in Ones. I have had some in my stash since we began using cloth when W arrived. Like all diapers, the have their pros and cons, but the major perk of using AIOs is the fact that they are as simple as using disposables! What could be easier than putting the diaper on and taking it off! The only difference in our house is that the diaper goes in the wet bag instead of the trash!

Our newborn stash included 5 bumGenius AIOs size XS and our current stash included 5 bumGenius AIOs size S. They have all been retired now as our little chunky monkey continues to grow like a weed! But overall they were some of our favorite diapers. The XS fit him very early on as a result of his cord falling off within the first week. He was born 7lbs, 13oz and measured 19.5” long at birth to give any idea of his size when he first started wearing the BG AIOs.

Here he is wearing a BG AIO xs in Twilight at 13 days old. At 2 weeks old he was measuring 21.5" long and weighed 8lbs, 9oz.

At 1 month, 2 days old he was still in the XS Clementine.

At 2 months, 1 weeks, and 2 days we were solidly in the smalls but he also began to fit into his BG 3.0 OS as well so we had many more diapers in rotation. Here he is wearing his small in Clementine. At 2 months, 2 weeks, and 4 days W weighed 15lbs, 9oz and was 25.5" long.

Around 3 months, 1 week we retired the size smalls as they were beginning to leak if W was in them for longer than about an hour. It was definitely time to move completely into his 3.0s. The photo below shows him wearing a small when he was 3 months and 1 week.

I got most of our BG AIOs around Earth Day last year as so many sites were having sales. So, I stocked up before I knew if Bum Genius was for us. Luckily, our BGs have proven to be perfect on W as he has become a little chunky monkey.

We never had any leaking except when he needed to move from the XS to the S or when he needed to leave the smalls behind. I loved the aplix because it allowed us to get a good fit when he was a skinny little newborn and when he started to really fill out. I also appreciated how slim and trim they were. They fit well under his clothes when he was smaller and it is one aspect I really miss. He also never had any redness or rash while wearing his BG AIOs which is something I have been concerned about since we started using cloth when he was born.

Another thing I loved about our BG AIOs were the bright colors. Orange happens to be one of my favorite colors so the Clementine color is one of my favorites. We also had BG AIOs in Twilight, Moonbeam, Ribbit, Grasshopper, and White. Although I love prints, they are often hard to come by for boys and the bright BG colors make me very happy. I love when our fluff is cute!

One thing about AIOs that I'm not in love with is the dry time. Since the insert is sewn in, the take a lot longer to dry than pockets with separate inserts. The XS took quite awhile to dry as the insert is completely enclosed. The S size dried a bit quicker because it has a pocket to add additional absorbancy. I would often turn the smalls inside out so they would dry more quickly. Interestingly enough we never had any problems with stinkies with the XS but we did with the S. In fact, they are sitting in the laundry room waiting for me to work on getting the minor stinkies out before getting packed away! Any suggestions about how to best do that are appreciated!

Another major downside to the BG AIOs is that they are no longer being made in any size except for XS. Although we have not tried them in any size bigger than the smalls, I would definitely recommend the XS and S for the first few months. The XS were amazing for us during the newborn phase.

They are currently on clearance at Cotton Babies for $9.95 and it looks like they have still have some available in size small! The XS is available as well and are now listed as bumGenius Newborn Cloth Diapers. They are available for $12.95 each.

Disclosure: I was not compensated in any way for this review and all opinions are my own. FormulaMom’s full disclosure can be found here.

Wordless Wednesday: CD Stash Now and Then & One Year Ago

Our current stash.

The newborn stash.


One year ago today, we got our first positive pregnancy test. I tested extremely early and the line was so faint but there was a line! Then the obsessive testing began! I will admit that it took me about a week to be convinced it was true!

Oh how time flies and what a difference a year makes!

Newborn Stash Review: Sugar Plum Baby Newborn fitted

I'm always on the hunt for a good cloth diaper deal and I'm willing to try new things if the price is right. This led me to purchase a Purple Cotton Sherpa Sugar Plum Baby Newborn Diaper from Monkey Toe Diapers Etsy Shop when she was having a sale.

The transaction went very smoothly and the diaper arrived quickly. I prepped it by washing it a few times and was pleased with the fluffiness of the diaper. It was a lot fluffier than my Kissaluv and Thirsties fitteds. The snap in doubler was easy to remove and snap back in. The fitted also featured a snap down for the umbilical cord. I was pleased with this diaper before I tried it.

I first tried this diaper about a week after W arrived and it was extremely large on him. He was fitting into his KL0s and his Fab Fitteds. When I first tried it on him, it was very large on him and we were not able to use it. I tried again the next week after his cord fell off (which happened very early) and he was still too small for it. So, although it claimed to be newborn size, I found it to be very large on him. Size-wise W was born 7lbs, 13oz and 19.5 inches. By his two week appointment he was up to 8lbs, 9oz and 21.5 inches long. So he wasn't a chunky monkey yet.

Overall, I liked the feel and look of this diaper but never got a full opportunity to try it out because once I tried it a few times and found it to be too big, I never reached for it again.

The Newborn Stash: a list

Yesterday I got out a few diapers from my newborn stash (which has been packed away for quite awhile now) to take with me to a baby shower to show to a friend who is planning on using cloth when her son arrives in June. It blew my mind because some of them were so tiny and W is such a chunky monkey now! Eventually I want to review each of the diapers we used in our newborn stash as well as the ones we use in our current stash, but I need to start with a list of what was in our newborn stash so here it is!

W's newborn stash:
24 Little Lions Infant (4x6x4) Bleached Indian Prefolds

7 Kissaluvs Fitteds size 0
3 XS Thirsties Fab Fitteds (also pictured are 3 size Small)
1 Sugar Plum Baby newborn fitted

4 Thirsties Duo Wrap Covers size 1
1 Blueberry Minky diaper cover (not pictured because we're still using it!)

5 XS BumGenius 3.0 AIOs
4 Rumparooz Lil Joeys AIOs
1 Thirsties Duo Diaper size 1
1 Small Happy Heiney
2 AppleCheeks size 1 (only 1 pictured, he was wearing the other one at the time!)

All of these diapers got good use except for the prefolds. I will admit that I tried a few times to put him in a prefold but was not quite able to master it (or even do a decent job) and the fitteds with a cover became one of my favorite systems. Even J was more than willing to grab a fitted and a cover!

This was plenty of diapers for us as laundry was getting done every day. My goal was to have enough diapers to only do laundry every other day, but my mom has taken over the diaper laundry duty (what a blessing!) and she prefers to do it every day!