Help me decide which CD to try!

[mldflygirl]

I'm seriously considering CDing, but I want to try a CD first. I don't have the money to buy a "trial pack" of numerous diapers just to find out I don't like half of them; I want to try out the one I'd most likely be happy with.

I *finally* read through the sticky on CDing, along with a BUNCH of other posts. Thought I'd decided on Fuzzi Bunz until I saw that they aren't always good for babies with chunky thighs. So here are DS's stats & my preferences. Please let me know what you'd recommend!! (Brand of diaper, liner or stuffer, etc.)

Current Age: 3 months
When I'll be using CDs: starting in 3-4 weeks (going to use up my supply of sposies first)
Current weight: Approx 15 lbs
Thigh: 10 inches
Waist: 15.5 inches
Rise: 12 inches (I *think*... he's very squirmy & I wasn't quite sure where to start & stop measuring at...)
He doesn't have overly-sensitive skin or rash problems.
I think he's a medium to heavy wetter, and he has a BM once a day (almost like clockwork!)

I'd prefer to use pocket diapers, based on all the information I've looked at. Do you think they'd work for an EBF 4 month old?

One other question: How can bumGenius be one-size?? I just don't get it...

Thanks!

[Momof3Labs]

Try a BumGenius! They have an adjustable rise (there are rows of snaps below the velcro), and the waist just has a huge range of adjustability. So they are good for kids (like mine) with a chubby tummy but a low rise, or for long skinny kids too. I know that they don't work for everyone, but IMO they have a lot of potential in general.

In addition to the microfiber insert that comes with the BG, I'd recommend buying a few hemp doublers like JoeyBunz to add extra absorbency to the dipe when you need it (outings, long car rides, naps, bedtime).

Or, try a medium FuzziBunz. DS2 has chuky thighs (and actually still fits in a small FB, but can wear a medium too) and they work fine for us.

[jenjenfirenjen]

I agree a BumGenius is probably your best bet. Just to give you an idea of the size range, my 10 wk old, 14.5 lb baby and my nearly 2 y.o. 35 lb toddler can wear the same diaper. I will say though that the Cottonbabies microfiber insert does not cut it for us and I don't think DS1 is a really heavy wetter so I second the recommendation to get a hemp insert like a Joey Bunz.

[MMEand1]

I have never used FB, so I'm no help there. I started out with prefolds/proraps and after 18+ months, still will grab a PF over some of the fancier diapers that we have. My DH prefers actually prefers snappi'ing a PF!!

If you are interested in trying pockets, one diaper that I can recommend is Green Acre Design pockets (GAD). If you are more interested in one size pockets, I would go with the Wonder works Superstars instead of a bumgenius. I have heard a lot of reviews about the BG breaking down a lot quicker than they claim and the most of them will not last through more than one baby. You can find the Superstars here http://www.wonderworksbabystore.com/product_info.php?cPath=23_26&products_id=47

Good luck on your decision. I know that when I was trying to figure out what I wanted, the mama's on this board were most helpful.
Mariah P.

[LBW]

I think you'd be okay with a FB. My 3-month-old's thighs are 9 inches and he has plenty of room. BG didn't work for us. I think people either love them or can't use them. Unfortunately we fall in the latter group! That said, cottonbabies has a good return policy so you could always try one out and return it if it doesn't work for you.

They're one-size because the front folds into itself and snaps together in a couple of different ways. This shortens the rise for a smaller baby. As the baby gets bigger, you can adjust the rise.

Good luck!

[Joolsplus2]

www.cottonbabies.com often has used (GOOD condition!!!) FB's and Happy Heiny's and stuffers for really cheap prices, that's how I started out CD'ing. I thought FB's would be bad for my chunky legged girl, but they've been fine. I find the velcro/aplix on her proraps tends to irritate her tummy, and I often forget to fold back the aplix tabs on the HH's and end up with it attached to everything in the wash (never a problem with FB's...). A friend of mine thought GAD's would be better than her FB's, but found them to leak much more on her chubby newborn.

All babies are quite different, of course! I just find the Fuzzi Bunz easy to use, and agree the BumGenius might be a good starting point. Happy Heiny's are also good...less confusion about which snaps to use for DH (once you find the right fit on your kiddo, it becomes second nature to do the right snaps up every time, I've found).

Anyway, just brainstorming....

:)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 3 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[american_mama]

I have liked both bumGenius and Fuzzibunz and think both work well on breastfed babes because of the casings on the legs. Some pockets have the fleece wrapped around the legholes like Happy Heiny (I think this is called a turned and topstitched design), and those are bit more prone to leaking. BUt I don't think I ever had a leak of any kind of Fuzzibunz and I've heard the same for bumGenius. I've only been using mine for about a month.

ANyway, if you tried bumgenius and didn't like them, the colored ones sell really fast and for a high price on www.diaperswappers.com. It is free to register, buy and sell, so you could unload the diapers pretty easily if they didn't work out. FUzzibunz also sell well, but there are so many more of them available used that they aren't snapped up the same way as bumGenius. Ebay is also an option for both (I have seen USED bumGenius on ebay sell for the same or higher as NEW bumgenius on any online diaper site... crazy). But you do have to incur fees on ebay.

[mldflygirl]

Thanks so much everyone, for all the great opinions. I knew you'd help me out if I posted here!

Ease of use, especially for DH, *is* one of my biggest factors. :)

I have two more questions:
1) Where do I find JoeyBunz doublers? I'm not familiar with that kind...
2) In your opinion, which brand (BG, FB, HH, or GAD) is least bulky? We were given a TON of clothes for DS that are the 3-6 month size, and I'd like him to be able to wear them for as long as possible.

I think I'm leaning towards getting one FB medium and one BG. HH is still in the running, though... :)

By the way - I read somewhere else (don't remember where...) that the BG colored diapers didn't seem to hold up as well as the white. Just FYI.

[Momof3Labs]

Hopefully this link for JBs will work:

http://www.abbyslane.com/catalog.php?category=86

BG and FB are not bulky alone; what bulks them up is what you stuff in them. So if you choose trim stuffers (like hemp) and change your baby often (so you don't have to stuff them as much) then they won't be very bulky. But cloth dipes are pretty much always bulkier than a disposable, so be prepared for that.

[mldflygirl]

Yep, it does. Thanks!

I didn't know the hemp stuffers would be more trim than others. If anything, I thought they'd be bulkier! Good to know.

I DID assume the cloth diapers (of any kind) would be more bulky than sposies. It just seems like some pictures I've seen - mostly ones made by WAHMs - look SO MUCH bulkier than others I've seen. And I've heard the type of material makes a big difference too.

Anyway, thanks everyone! And feel free to add any more suggestions for me if you think of anything! :) :)

[MommyAllison]

We have only tried Fuzzibunz so far, but we use microfiber towels as inserts. With 1 insert in there, I have had no trouble with any of DDs clothing fitting. I would love to try some hemp sometime, too. :) So you may not have trouble w/clothing!

Allison
http://b1.lilypie.com/XvRAm8/.png (http://lilypie.com)

[american_mama]

I'd be a little leery of Happy Heiny's because I found their medium to run big and your child is still quite young. My DD could wear other diapers in a medium for months before the medium HH were a good fit. Someone on these boards had a similar experience sizing up from medium HH to large HH.

I still think HH is a good diaper, but wouldn't recommend it for your child's age and for your criteria just starting out.

I really like GAD, but while you are just beginning, I'd stick to the name brands because they'll sell better if you don't like them. But if you ever decide to venture into GADs, her hemp inserts are much trimmer than the microfiber inserts. Also, as a side snapping diaper, it eliminates the velcro and tabs over the tummy that sometimes look a little bit bulky.