Most of the cloth diapers that we stock at The Cloth Nappy Company are one size diapers, meaning they contain snaps or velcro and/or adjustable elastic around the thighs to enable you to adjust them according to your baby’s size. These type of diapers will fit a baby for almost their entire time in diapers. The weight range is roughly around 4kg to 16kg. But what does this really mean in reality? Can I use one size nappies from birth for my baby?
Newborns have unique diapering needs, whether you use cloth diapers or disposables. They need very frequent changing and normally don’t sleep for long stretches of time. Cloth diapering your newborn is totally possible and could divert lots of disposable diapers from going into our landfill in the first few weeks from the birth of your baby.
The size and fit of a nappy is always important but especially at the newborn stage. Having the right nappy and the right fit will allow you to have an easy and successful introduction to cloth diapering!
Here’s a look at the nappies we stock in a bit more detail.
Charlie Banana
The Charlie Banana one size pocket nappy is one of the most versatile one size nappies we have ever come across. You can see from the picture how on the smallest setting, the one size nappy is as small as the Charlie Banana newborn nappy. The only advantage of having the newborn nappy is that there is less material and it is therefore a little less bulky. This one size nappy has the advantage of having an adjustable strap around the thighs that can adjust the elastic making the fit around the thighs perfect even on tiny newborns. The recommended weight range for this nappy is 3-16kg and we have had lots of happy customers using this one size nappy from birth.
TotsBots
The TotsBots All in One one size nappy is recommended for babies weighing between 3.5kg and 16kg. It is made from stitch free seams which makes it super comfortable for babies even at its smallest setting. We find that this nappy can be used for newborns but starts fitting better once the baby is a 4-6 weeks old. The TotsBots newborn nappy will offer a more snug fit and is ideal for babies weighing between 2.2kg and 5.5kg.
Bambooty
The Bambooty All in Two one size nappy has the ability to be adjusted to quite a small setting. Their recommended weight is 2.5kg to 16kg however we advise to start using this nappy when the baby is around 4kg for a better fit around the legs and waist. The front of the nappy can be folded down over the front reducing fabric bulk from around the baby. The Bambooty newborn nappy will fit babies weighing between 2kg and 5.5kg.
Bambino Mio
Bambino Mio’s Miosolo one size nappy is recommended for babies weighing over 4kg however, as you can see from the picture, this nappy is quite large even on its smallest setting and we find it suits babies better once they are a little bigger and weighing around 5-6kg. The nappy is very slim and will not be bulky at this weight. Bambino Mio do not have a newborn nappy in their range.
The photograph below makes it easy for you to compare the different nappy brands to each other and understand better the sizing considerations.
Here are some considerations:
#1 If your baby is born weighing less than 3kg, then it will be hard to find a one size nappy that fits well. However, the average weight of babies at birth is over 3kg and this means that some one size nappies such as the Charlie Banana pocket nappy will adjust to offer a very good fit.
#2 When a one size diaper is snapped down to its absolute smallest, it might end up a bit bulky especially on a newborn baby. It will still be comfortable for the baby but might add a little bulk under clothing. Not a big deal to some, a slightly bigger deal to others. For a more trim fit you might want to opt for newborn nappies. And let’s face it – teeny newborn nappies are just so cute!
#3 My experience was that my baby girl was born at an average weight but she grew pretty rapidly and had quite chunky thighs. By the age of three months she was bursting out of newborn nappies. So keep in mind, that although some brands claim that their newborn nappies will fit for up to 6 months, this is normally not the case and most babies will outgrow newborn nappies way before then.
#4 It might sounds like you’re going to invest in a newborn stash for an awfully short period of time. Although this is true, keep in mind that if you do opt to buy newborn nappies, you can reuse them on another baby, sell or donate them.
#5 You can wait until your little one has arrived to make a decision on whether to invest in newborn nappies or not. You can also opt to use disposable nappies for the first few weeks until the baby is big enough to fit one size nappies well.
