~Newborn Diapering~

I frequently get asked what diaper is best for newborn babies. But because every newborn is different and every family has different situations there is no one easy answer for that. For some babies fitted diapers that contain poo nicely like the Kissaluvs size 0 work best. For others like mine, the babies grow to quickly for this diaper and they do better in infant prefolds. Other families prefer pocket diapers and other find AIOs best. What I always recommend is to get a small sampling of diapers that seem like they would be a good fit for your family and use them on the baby until you find out what works best for you and your babe. Then you will know what to buy more of and what to stay away from.

Modern cloth diapering can be so confusing with all the choices available. Please do not let those choices overwhelm you. Probably anything you find at DiaperWare is going to work just fine on your baby as long as the fit is good for your wee one. It can be especially boggling when you do not even have a baby to start trying things out on. I recommend you keep it simple. A good start in my mind is to get a simple small basis to start cloth diapering and then decide what you like and dislike about different products based on how they fit and function in your house with your babe. All the reviews in the world cannot answer that question, it is just something you need to find out on your own. So I think a good start would be to get:

Intro Pack

12 Infant +/- 12 Preemie Chinese or Indian Prefolds
Most babes are fine to start with Infant but if you are expecting a tiny babe or just want those first few weeks to have really trim diapers then get the preemies as well as the Infant. They can always be used as doublers or even menstrual pads when your babe outgrows them. Use two preemies at a time if you need more absorbency! Don't rule out prefolds until you have tried them, they really are easier then you think!
1 Contour Diaper
Like the Newborn Kissaluvs Contour, if you were going to not try a style this would be the one to skip
4 Newborn Fitted Diaper
Kissaluvs Size 0 are the favorites of millions of moms! But FunOrganic makes some wonderful organic Preemie and Newborn Diapers as well. The Newborn Swaddlebees fitted Organic Velour diapers are so soft and great for tiny babes!
Think you are going to be having a bigger or fast growing babe? Try some bigger fitted diapers. The Swaddlebees fitted diapers fit trim and work great. Choose from Conventional Terry, Organic Terry or Organic Velour. Or try the Organic Velour One-Size diaper.
2 Pocket Diapers and Inserts
Like the Preemie Fuzzi Bunz Pocket and Insert or the trim fitting Swaddlebees PUL pocket or if you think you are going to have a very big baby then start with any brand pocket diaper in the size small.
1 All-In-One Diaper
Like a Swaddlebees AIO, or Jam Tots Berry Plush AIO,
4-6 Covers
I recommend you get a variety. You probably want at least one wrap type cover (Bummis Super Whisper Wrap Newborn size fits most Newborns well or a fleece Swaddlebees Wrap or Polar Bummis), more if you are not going to use the Snappi to hold prefolds in place. With Snappi use, any cover can work with prefolds so I recommend getting at least one fleece cover (like a Sugar Peas or a Polar Babies Happy Pants or a Stacinator one layer) and at least one wool cover (like a small Rumpster or Stacinator cover).
This gets you pretty nicely started with 18 diapers, enough to get you started diapering and if you wash daily you can probably diaper full time. But most people want at least 36 diapers for a newborn, so use this package to help you decide what you think of the different types and you will know what to buy more of.

 

Have your mind set against prefolds, maybe you want to try a Pocket Sampler pack.

Pocket Sampler

Fuzzi Bunz (the most popular)
Swaddlebees (the trimmest fit)
Cotton Babies bumGenius!(one-sized)
Mommy's Touch (One-sized, cute but lots of snaps)
Starbunz (breathable fleece pocket)

And some Inserts:
BabyKicks Joey Bunz (popular hemp)
Swaddlebees (for your trim Swaddlebees pocket)
Cotton Babies (one-sized insert that comes with the bumGenius!)
Baby Branches Hemp Insert (versatile one-sized insert)
Thirsties Microterry (inexpensive but soft and quick absorbing)

This gives you 5 pockets and inserts. A great start to deciding which will work best for you!

Newborn FAQs

How many diapers do I need?

There are so many possibilities.
One depends on how frequently you will be changing the baby. This in itself can be very variable from family to family and from baby to baby (I change my current babe every time he wets which is different then what I was doing with my last babe, neither way is right or wrong and both ways have their merits in a new moms life) or day to day (How frequently I change is very variable based on what we are doing, I rarely change while we are out and about.)
How often will laundry be done? I used to do diapers twice a week. I now do them every other day. When things are going as planned I find it easier to keep my diapers clean if they do not wait too long to be laundered. This also makes for smaller load sizes which improves the swish space and helps a ton with getting them really clean. But life is a crazy place and so wash gets delayed all the time. Location of washing machine may also be a big predictor of frequency of washing (easier access leads to more frequent washing.)
So before the babe is born there is a lot you do not know. Personally I always recommend starting with the smaller number and getting more as you see need. That way you are sure your money is well spent. So where as most folks recommend 36 diapers for a newborn and 24 for an older babe, I personally have been happy with far fewer diapers. But I am a very simple gal. You need to see if you can predict how many changes a day you think you will be doing and how frequently you will be washing and do the math. Or just start with a conservative number and get more as needed.

Kissaluvs Newborn Fitted Diapers

Customers tell us that Kissaluvs makes the perfect newborn diaper, fitting well even when most small diapers still overwhelm a newborn. The stretchy cotton fleece and extended snap/rise options also mean the diapers fit longer than many small diapers.

Why do Kissaluvs size 0 diapers work and fit so well?
A snap-down umbilical cord zone protects the cord area exceptionally well.
Two rows of snaps give an adjustable rise, especially important for the fast growth of a newborn.
Soft, stretchy elastic at the legs and back contains messes and floods.
Overall sizing and crotch width were designed especially for a newborn.
Every baby is shaped differently, but in general, you can expect size 0 Kissaluvs to fit babies weighing 5-15 lbs, less for very round babies, more for thin babies.
Diapers snap on and off--no folding, no pins, no diapering gymnastics!
Diapers arrive with the umbilical area already snapped down. The snap-down stays in place through subsequent washings ... no special folding or snapping required each time you change a diaper.
After the cord stump heals, simply unsnap the snap-down and use the top row of snaps as baby grows.

Order on Kissaluvs page!

 

 

Swaddlebees Newborn Organic Velour Diaper

Swaddle your newborn in this diaper made with 2 full layers of 100% organic cotton velour. It has a hidden layer of hemp french terry for extra absorbency, and an attached quick-dry soaker made with one layer of hemp french terry topped with organic cotton velour. This may fit some babies up to 16 lbs. Colored diapers come with just the outer layer dyed with low-impact environmentally friendly dyes, and all layers next to the baby's skin are undyed. This diaper is not waterproof and will require a cover. Colored diapers are colorfast and can be washed together with your white diapers without the colors bleeding.

 

Order on Swaddlebees Fitteds page!

Looking for the economy of a diaper that lasts from newborn to toilet learning? Not many one sized diapers do a good job with the one-size concept. Most are too bulky for a tiny baby and not absorbent enough for a toddler. But this diaper not only does a great job of fitting all the size ranges very nicely, it also does it with super soft organic cotton velour (my diaper tester's favorite material for diapers!)

Swaddlebees One Size Organic Velour Fitted

This is a very big diaper, but the snap in soaker works great on a newborn as a contour, and you can use the diaper later so an economical option.

Made the same way as our organic velour fitted diapers with an inner and outer layer of plush organic velour, a hidden layer of hemp jersey, and a sewn in soaker made with 2 layers of hemp french terry topped with organic velour. It comes with a removable snap in soaker pad composed of 2 layers of hemp french terry topped with organic velour. At the largest setting, that equals 9 layers of absorbency!! Colored diapers come with just the outer layer dyed with low-impact environmentally friendly dyes, and all layers next to the baby's skin are undyed. This diaper is not waterproof and will require a cover. Colored diapers are colorfast and can be washed together with your white diapers without the colors bleeding.

A few unique features:

* Trim-fitting, narrow through the crotch, just like all our other fitteds.
* Quick drying.
* Has 3 rise settings: you can snap the small and medium rise settings securely with strategically positioned snaps.
* The snap-in soaker can be used as a contoured diaper for preemies& newborns.

 

Swaddlebees Fleece Wrap

A very comfortable diaper cover made from one layer of 200 wt. Malden Mills fleece with an additional layer in the wet zone. It is designed to have a clean trim fit, yet stretchy enough to cover most fitted diapers.

These are available in a teeny Newborn size that will work great on the tiny babes!

 

 

Mini Deluxe

For newborns and babies up to 15 lbs, we have the "mini" version of the One Size Deluxe. It's a 2-part diaper system that allows you to use it either as a pocket diaper by inserting the included insert inside the pocket opening, or as an all-in-2 diaper by laying the insert on top of the diaper. It is made with a waterproof outer layer of PUL and an inner layer of microfleece. It comes with a microfiber/hemp combination insert. Its unique snap settings gives you 2 different sizes and allows you to adjust the size for a newborn and babies up to 15 lbs.

 

 

Swaddlebees Mini Nappi

For newborns and babies up to 15 lbs, we have the "mini" version of our Econappi. It's a 2-part diaper system that allows you to use it either as a pocket diaper by inserting the included insert inside the pocket opening, or as an all-in-2 diaper by laying the insert on top of the diaper. It is made with a waterproof outer layer of PUL and an inner layer of organic cotton velour. It comes with an insert made with organic cotton velour and hemp.

Its unique snap settings gives you 2 different sizes and allows you to adjust the size for a newborn and babies up to 15 lbs. To adjust the diaper for a newborn setting, snap down the bottom row of snaps. Do the same for the other side and fold up to reveal only one row of snaps. Stuff the diaper with the included insert and bring over the wings to close the diaper using just the top row of snaps.

Order on Swaddlebees Pockets and All In Ones page!

More coming, this page is a work in progress...

For Newborn pocket diapers see Preemie Fuzzi Bunz or Small Swaddlebees. For newborn AIOs try a JamTots Berry Plush AIO.