Cloth Diaper Review: Tiny Tush Fitted Diapers

UPDATED 9/2/09: The Tiny Tush diapers were my first experience ever with a fitted diaper. I had never seen one in person, since I didn't know anyone then who used cloth diapers. As you'll see in the review below, I was very surprised by how bulky they were! But of course now I know that ALL fitted/cover options are bulky when compared with disposables. I actually really like the Tiny Tush now when paired with a wool cover. Tiny Tush and the BumGenius bamboo fitteds are my favorites.

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When I ordered my diapers, I ended up ordering from 4 different places to take advantage of sales and get free shipping on everything. All my diapers have arrived with the exception of my Dream-Eze fitteds, so I'll talk about them in another week or so.

I washed all the fitted diapers and covers, and I set yesterday as my cloth trial date for those. I've already been using the SposoEasy all-in-one diapers, and those are FABULOUS. Loving them. But the fitteds...well, here's the review of one brand of fitteds I've tried.


Price: $12.55 each for Tiny Tush Trim One Size fitted diaper

Availability: sewcraftybaby.com and many other sites (this is a good place to check out sales at diaper sites)

How it works: Fitted diapers are just thick pieces of cloth, basically, that are sewn into the shape of a diaper. They close with either snaps or velcro. I worry that velcro might wear down in the wash, and it's easier for little hands to open, so I opt for snaps most of the time. (Snaps have drawbacks, too--they take longer to close, which is important to know if you have a wiggly baby.)

Fitteds require the use of a waterproof cover over them. Basically the fitted can get soaked, but the cover keeps the wetness from getting on the clothes. I know that we've been raised to think that's icky if there's something wet next to baby's skin, but it's actually pretty comfortable for them, and safer than having all the chemicals of a disposable next to the skin.)

Pros:

• They are 100% cotton and are very cozy feeling.
• These are "one size fits all" diapers. You can snap them down to make them smaller for a newborn, and you can leave them unsnapped for a bigger baby (Isaac is big enough that I leave it unsnapped).
• So far, these seem pretty absorbent.
  
• They come in cute colors.
• 100% cotton means that they will wash cleaner and stain less.
• There is an organic cotton version available for a little more money.
  
• They have a snap-in doubler, or extra piece of cloth, for added absorbency. You can take it out for younger babies, or just use the snap-in by itself for a newborn inside a newborn cover.
  
• I haven't had any leaks, and I don't expect to.
  

Cons:

• The name is just wrong! There is nothing "tiny" or "trim" about Isaac's tush when this diaper is on! They make Isaac have a HUGE butt. I mean, HUGE! Remember those Subway (I think it was Subway) commercials that mentioned the big "badongadonk?" Well, that's what we were calling Isaac yesterday. That, and "big booty boy," and many other alliterative names that I won't mention here. But the point is, those things just make his rear end incredibly big.
• There is no way I'd take him out of the house in this fitted diaper and a cover. He doesn't fit in jeans or any "normal" clothes while wearing them. It's strictly a sweatpants only thing.
• I don't buy the whole one-size-fits-all deal. If you snapped this down to make it smaller for an infant, it would be even bulkier than it already is. I would not use this on a newborn unless everything else I had in the house was dirty and this was my only option.
  

Bottom line (no pun intended): I don't mind using Tiny Tush fitted diapers with covers at home, but they are not practical for using outside of the house. They are just way too bulky. Hopefully I will find a brand of fitteds that really are trim.

(I will add some pics of Isaac with these on within the next couple of days. I was having camera issues on the day he wore them last.)

Sposo Easy

The two Sposo-Easy AIO diapers came on Saturday, and we tried them out. So far, I love them! I'll give it awhile before I write a full review, but so far I am very impressed. The inner cotton is SOOOOOO soft, and the diaper goes on just as easy as a disposable. I purchased them from bluepenguin.com, the manufacturer, and I was incredibly pleased with the service. The diapers shipped very quickly, the package included a hand-written thank-you note, the diapers were tied up with a cute little ribbon, and they added a free doubler (something you can put into a diaper to add extra absorbancy) along with my purchase!

I am anxiously waiting for my other diapers to arrive...

Cloth Diaper Order

After using gdiapers for a few months (with and without cloth inserts), I've decided that it's time to try something new. So, I hit the internet and spent many hours over many nights pouring through the options.

HOLY COW, there are so many choices!

You've got prefolds, fitteds, covers, all-in-ones, and pocket diapers. When you decide what you want to try, you then have to decide what type--do you want all cotton? Organic cotton? Hemp? Bamboo? Velour? Fleece? Wool? The options go on and on.

After my research, here's what I decided to purchase and trial:

• 2 Sposo-easy all-in-one diapers
  
• 7 Dream Eze organic cotton fitted diapers
• 5 Tiny Tush cotton fitted diapers
• 2 All-together cotton fitted diapers
  
• 2 Imse Vimse organic cotton covers
• 1 Imse Vimse organic wool cover
• 1 Aristocrat organic wool cover

I also finally bought some training pants for Caleb so I can get that boy out of disposable pull-ups. I hate those things! I'm ready for him to be potty trained. I bought 6 of the Imse Vimse organic cotton trainers (outer and inner layers of cotton, with a waterproof PUL layer in the middle).

Here are the factors that influenced my decisions:

• All-in-ones: I wanted to try the Sposo Easy all-in-ones (AIO) because they are just supposed to be the best and easiest thing out there. They go on just like a disposable diaper, except they have either snap or velcro closures. The inside is super-comfy cotton. You can buy it in organic cotton, but it's an extra $4 per diaper, and I didn't spring for that this time. The best thing is that there is no assembly required since it's all-in-one!

• Fabric: I did not want anything but cotton next to my baby's bottom. I think it's the best thing for his skin. Cotton cleans up easier and stays softer than other materials. Also, I have some sensory issues, and I just get the heebie-jeebies when I touch certain materials (like velour, fleece, some polyester, etc.). So I stayed away from these materials for my own sake as much as Isaac's! I also am mindful that Caleb is very sensitive to polyester and synthetics (his skin turns bright red when his skin rubs against these fabrics--it's better now than when he was a baby, but still is an issue). I want to keep these synthetics away from Isaac, too, even though he hasn't had any problems yet (and remembering that I can use these cloth diapers for the next baby, who may have skin issues like Caleb).

• Fitted diapers: Fitted diapers are basically what you would think of when you think of cloth diapers, but they are already "fitted" into the shape of a diaper, and they close with
  
  velcro or snaps so none of those pins are necessary. I chose some that are made of all cotton, but you can get them in hemp, fleece, velour, microfiber, or bamboo. They require a waterproof cover over them. I chose to go with fitteds rather than prefolds, which you have to fold to fit your baby and then pin together. Who has the time for that? If you do, more power to ya!

• Covers: Covers are waterproof and go over a fitted diaper. I never thought I would get wool covers while living in Texas, but I did! After researching, they are the only natural, breathable option for covers out there. And they seem great for overnight--
  
  wool can soak up a ton of liquid and not feel wet. I also got some organic cotton covers, which are cotton on the outside and a wipe-off PUL on the inside. I debated about that PUL layer, but it won't touch Isaac's skin (the fitted will), so I don't think it will be a big deal. You can use covers a few times before washing. Wool covers can be used for a couple of WEEKS between washings! How crazy is that!

Cloth Diaper Review: Gdiapers

This will be the first in a series of posts about cloth diapers. I told my story of how I came to use gdiapers in the previous post.

Left: starter kit comes with 2 "little g" covers, 3 liners, and 10 flushables















Price: $24-27 for a starter kit (see pic), about $17 for extra covers, $15 for a pack of flushable inserts (between $.36 and $.45 per flushie, depending on the size)

Availability: amazon.com, Whole Foods, and target.com for the starter kits; covers in colors other than orange or vanilla bean currently have to be purchased at gdiaper.com

How it works: Gdiapers are what they call a "hybrid diaper." It's not totally cloth, but it's not disposable either. It's kind of like Cloth Diapering 101. There's an outer cotton cover, an inner waterproof liner that snaps into the cover, and a flushable insert that goes in the liner. Yup--flushable. When your kid poops or pees in it, you just pull it out and flush it down.

Well, theoretically. You have to rip the sides off of the insert first, and say a prayer to Jesus that your toilet doesn't get clogged in the process. (Hey, He's God over the little things, too!) But it's fairly simple, and we've been using them with a good amount of success since June.


Left: an opened cover with a liner snapped into it (the flushie fits into this)






Pros:

• They are adorable!
  
• The velcro fastens in the back, so it isn't easy for little fingers to pull off.
• The inserts can be flushed down the toilet, thrown away (they will biodegrade quickly!), or composted (just the pee ones).
• They have held up well after Isaac's 6+ months of use. A little fading and wearing down on the velcro, but definitely still usable for many months to come.
• There are no fancy laundry routines required--you just wash the covers and liners in warm with the rest of your laundry.
• You can reuse the cover several times before washing it.(The liner usually needs to be hand-washed in the sink after one use--just use a little soap and warm water. It dries very quickly, so you can just leave it out to dry.)
  
• The g's are super-trim, so they fit nicely under regular kid clothing. Some cloth diaper systems are too bulky for normal clothes.
• Their customer support rocks! You can talk to a real live person on the phone, or send an email and have it answered pretty quickly. Their headquarters are in the Northwest (Seattle area, I think), and they actually have planned events for g parents.
• There's a great support group for g-parents on yahoo! groups.
  

Cons:

• The flushies are expensive--more than a disposable diaper.
• You can use cloth inserts in the liner instead of the flushies, but I always get leaks when I do this. (I still do it, but I just know I'll have to do more laundry that way.)
  
• The snaps often leave red marks on Isaac's skin, no matter how tight or loose I fasten the g.
• I don't trust these overnight or on long shopping trips. They just aren't as absorbant as a regular diaper, so we still use disposables for those times. Tried and true g mums will put two flushies in there at night, but that just gets too pricey for me.
• Whenever a kid poops in a gdiaper, you're going to get poop on the waterproof liner. That means that you're going to have to unsnap the liner and wash it in the sink. Yup, that means you often get poop on your hands. If that totally grosses you out, then gdiapers are not for you.
• The waterproof liner does lose its "waterproofness" over time. Ours are still okay, but not as good as they were when we first bought them. I still don't have a problem with leaks when using the flushies. But eventually we'd need to wash them in a product like Nic Wax to get that waterproofness (is that a word?) back.
  

Overall Impression:
Gdiapers are a great introduction to cloth diapers. If you have the money to pay for the flushables, and you don't want to worry about dealing with the particulars of washing cloth diapers (since g's go in your regular laundry), go for it! It's definitely much better for the environment than disposables.

For me, I can't afford the flushies, and I'm not opposed to doing extra laundry. I'm researching other options, but these cute little g's will have a special place in my diaper stash.

Note:
If anyone needs a coupon for these, I have several. Just let me know and I'll mail one out to you for free.

Our Cloth Diaper Jouney

It all started in May 2008 when I got an email from amazon.com stating that they were now carrying something called "gdiapers", and they thought I might be interested since I had bought baby stuff from them before. Usually I ignore emails like that, but this one caught my attention. I started reading, and I learned that your normal disposable diaper spends 500 years in a landfill. Holy cow!

I am probably like most parents out there, and I hadn't even thought of using cloth diapers. It just wasn't an option. Who wants to swish poopy stuff in the toilet or deal with diaper pins and rubber pants? But when I heard about gdiapers, it just changed my way of thinking completely. Cloth diapers have come a long way, and they are actually pretty cute and user-friendly now (not to mention better for your baby's bottom than all those synthetics in a plastic diaper).

I have become much more eco-minded since I got that amazon email. I had not bothered to think much about the environment before then. But when I started reading--and reading and reading--and becoming more conscious of what kind of environmental impact I was having, I just couldn't sit by and do nothing anymore. I certainly couldn't use disposable diapers exclusively anymore, knowing that all of those diapers will sit there in a landfill for the next 500 years (for my great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandkids).

I am going to write out my reviews of the different cloth options I try. I'll start with gdiapers in my next post.