Every Monday, I answer a reader question, and ask you to weigh in too! Don’t miss any posts! Subscribe to our new RSS Feed or subscribe via email.
Questions don’t have to be cloth diaper related, just email maria at change-diapers.com with “Mailbox Mondays” in the subject, or fill out my contact form for readers, which you will always be able to find on my Contact Page.
Erica asks:
what is the best newborn cloth diaper system to start out with?
I used many brands, types and styles of newborn cloth diapers on my youngest son, who was born at just 6 lbs 12 oz. What works best for you will really depend on your baby’s size and wetting habits, as well as your preferences.
Initially, I loved the GroVia newborn AIO and Rumparooz Lil Joey because they were tiny enough to fit below the cord stump. Though they didn’t fit under the stump, the Bumgenius XS AIO was very easy to use and fit nicely. Unfortunately, my son was a heavy wetter from the get-go and none of these were quite absorbent enough for them. (If I had it to do over again, I’d lay a hemp doubler in each one!)
I very much liked mini-one size or dual sized diapers like the Applecheeks size 1, Thirsties Duo size 1, Blueberry mini one size, Tots Bots Tini fit and Happy Heiny mini one-size. They were small & fit well, but fit longer than the really tiny newborn diapers, plus they were more absorbent/I could easily add more absorbency to the pocket.
The Kissaluvs size 0 fitted fit nicely and was absorbent, but of course it’s not stay dry, and requires a cover, which is not quite as simple in those sleep deprived stupors. Prefolds and covers are cost effective and absorbent, though they do require the extra step of covering. Trifolding them is very easy, but it’s harder to keep covers clean with the messy newborn poop stage, and this was also very bulky on my little guy. An angel wing fold with a snappi is pretty simple. Hemp inserts laid in a cover was nice because they were both easy, absorbent and super trim, but like a trifolded prefold, they don’t protect the cover from those explosive newborn messes!
I also wrote a series of posts about preemie cloth diapers, and I really liked the Anibums micro preemie/newborn cover. If I had more babies, I think I’d like a few of these along with prefolds or inserts, for the time before the cord stump falls off (some people do fine with having it covered but that did not work for us) and more of the size 1/mini-one size pockets (assuming I had the money to spend!)
You might like to check out the post I wrote when my son was a month old, showing tons of pictures of newborn cloth diapers on a baby.
What would you tell Erica?
Maria wants to live in a world where cloth diapers are the norm and moms can make parenting choices without judgement. When she’s not chasing her 18, 14 and 11-year old kids around, you might find her checking out the latest gadgets, organizing something (again) or exercising in the fresh air. 
Thank you with this great advice. For a new mom who has no idea what they are doing sometimes, this helps so much. I will definitely try one of the choice you listed.
I agree with the mini (2 step) size system. I love a fitted with a cover like a thirsties duo wrap, blueberry mini, or imagine newborn.
We pre stocked our stash with a few different brands and styles. We had AIOs, pockets, g-diapers and NB prefolds and covers. I liked the fit, on our 7lb 4oz little one, of the NB prefolds and a Bummi Superbrite cover. The trifold was east tuck into the cover. We did, however, have to change our gameplan when the breastfed poops would blow out the trifold end prefold regularly (the covers, Bummi SB, and Thirsties DUO Z’s 1 mainly) contained it but the covers were getting dirty with nearly every poop (around the leg band). We started using the jelly roll fold with a snappi (I find it easier to use a snappi than just cover only) and cover. We’re not in NB anymore but still use the jelly roll fold and it does a great job for us. We do use our pockets at night, mainly because it is a little easier to change in the middle of the night. I wouldn’t recommend g-diapers because they just can’t contain the runny NB poop.