Cloth Diapering a Newborn

Soon after the joy and elation of seeing those two little lines on the home pregnancy test, the overwhelming thoughts of all the choices you'll face over the coming months start to set in.  Most people who decide to use cloth diapers are completely unprepared for the unbelievable number of choices they encounter.  For some, it is so overwhelming that they end up putting it off and are unprepared when baby arrives. The availability of throw-away diapers at every turn often leaves the dreams of a cloth diapered baby bum forgotten and filed under "to do with next baby!"  We hope to help prepare you before baby arrives (or very soon after!) so that you will have all of your newborn diapering needs met and can concentrate on cuddling with your new baby.

Truthfully, there are endless combinations of diapers that can be successfully used with newborn babies.  Our goal here is to provide newborn diapering recommendations that will make your first cloth diapering experience a positive one- this means giving you a short list of cloth diapers that work, that are readily available in any quantity needed, and that are easy to use and clean.  We have helped cloth diaper thousands of babies, and have a good sense of what works for most of the people most of the time.  We also have kept cost in mind, as we understand that budget is a concern for many!

How many diapers for a newborn?
Let's be realistic about how many diapers you really need.  Newborns will go through about 12 diapers (on average) each day.  At first, little distinction is made between day and night as baby will likely be pooping with every feeding, about every 2 hours or less.  Those first weeks with a newborn are a blur, and most parents don't want to wash diapers every day.  For this reason, we recommend a minimum of 2 dozen diapers to start.  Three dozen diapers would be even better.

What size diapers for the average newborn (6-8 pounds)?
Success with cloth diapers depends largely on achieving a good fit.  A good fit means that when the diaper is on, there are no gaps around the thighs or across the back for that explosive newborn poo to trickle out of (something that happens frequently with paper diapers!)  Newborn thighs are very skinny, and often will not fill up the leg holes in size 'small' diapers.  Even new "one-size" diapers may not actually fit well around skinny thighs for the first few weeks. 

To achieve the best fit that will prevent leaks, especially if your baby is on the smaller side, you may need infant sized prefolds and small or newborn covers, or newborn sized fitted diapers (or all-in-ones or pocket diapers).

What kind of cloth diapers for newborns?
Many families are so excited about all-in-ones and pocket diapers (neither require diaper covers) that they don't consider the other options.  Because newborns are harder to fit and require so many diapers, we've found that most people are happiest with a combination of prefolds and diaper covers, with a handful of all in ones ad/or pocket diapers to try.  Then as baby grows, you can make an informed choice about which diapers to purchase for the next size up.

Fitted diapers and prefolds are made of natural fibers so are soft and absorbent- as soon as baby poos, the fabric instantly absorbs and contains the mess.  This means no leaks out the top or sides of the diapers, no messy clothes to wash, and no need to bathe with every diaper change!  All fitted diapers and prefolds require a cover for waterproofing, so if by chance anything escapes the diaper, the cover provides a second line of defense.

What do most people get? (most popular choices in the past year)
Our most successful and popular newborn option tends to be infant prefolds paired with newborn (or small but adjustable sized) diaper covers.  We also find even those parents who buy prefolds and covers also like having 3 to 6 pocket diapers around for other caregivers or when situations arise that are best for them.  As the first few weeks go by and you adjust to your routine, you will notice your own preferences as you fill in your needs.

One Size pocket or AIO diapers are extremely popular although some don't fit as well in the first few weeks until baby's legs fill out.  Some brands adjust down more effectively than others for this stage. Most OS diapers adjust with snaps on the front of the diaper that shorten the rise to fit a smaller baby.  Fuzzibunz adjusts by tightening the elastic at the legs and waist which provides a bit more flexibility with fit, which can be critical to containing newborn poops, making this a very popular OS choice.

We Recommend At least 3 dozen diapers total:

• Unbleached Prefolds (require 4- 6 covers)
• Most popular covers for newborns: Thirsties Size 1, Rumparooz One-Size Cover, Bummis Superbrite (size newborn or small)
• Fuzzibunz One Size Pocket diaper or small "perfect size" diaper
  
• Bumgenius 4.0 OS Pocket diaper
• Little Beetle Organic Merino Wool Covers (natural fiber, hand wash- read more about wool here)

Essential Accessories:

• Planet Wise Wet Bags and Pail Liners (2 in rotation)
• Kissaluvs Cloth Wipes*** (2-3 dozen)
• Rockin Green or Mountain Green Detergent
• Snappi Diaper Fasteners (for use with prefolds)
• Wool Wash (if choosing wool diaper covers)

I really, really want to do only All-In-Ones and/or Pocket Diapers- what should I get?
For a perfect fit in all-in-ones and pocket diapers from day one, we find these brands the most popular with our customers :

• Fuzzibunz One Size Pocket Diapers
• BumGenius AIO or 4.0 One Size Pocket diapers
• Thirsties Duo Pocket Diapers
  

How long will my baby's first diapers fit?
Sized Diapers: Infant sized prefolds and Kissaluvs 0s will fit up to about 15 lbs. (usually 3-4 months).  Most babies can then go into size medium diapers in most sized brands, which will last a year or more. 

One Size Diapers: Most pocket and AIO diapers are now made to be adjustable one-size ("OS") fits for the entire diapering life of your baby.  Because of this, if well cared for, they can last 2 or more years.  Some diapers may get worn and need replacement as would any clothing that would be used for this long period of time.

We've tried to keep this page simple and straight-forward, and have resisted the urge to make too many recommendations that may further confuse or overwhelm!  Every day, I tell someone that it is much harder to think about cloth diapering than to actually do it.  Get your basics so that your baby will have cloth on his or her bum from the beginning.  After a few weeks with your diapers, you will be a pro!  Then try a few other things that look interesting.  You will soon know what your favorites are, what you plan to try for the next size up, and what other accessories you may want to pick up.

Make sure to utilize our gift registry- register not only for what you need, but for all the things you want to try too!  We invite you to keep your registry for the entire time your child is in diapers.