"So is perfect-size really perfect?" and other aspects of the Perfect-Size vs. One-Size question

L to R: Thirsties XS diaper cover, Thirsties Duo, Sz. 1

A question I got often when I was a consultant was, "What's better: the diapers that come in sizes or the ones that grow with the baby?" These cloth-curious moms were asking about the distinctions between "perfect-size" and "one-size" diapers. So what is the best? It depends on what you're looking for!

Some history

Back in the early days of modern cloth diapers, diapers that were shaped like disposables (contours, fitteds, pockets, all-in-ones) also came in sizes just like disposables. Some contours* and fitteds had a fold-down rise, so there was some measure of adjustability, but for the most part, you were looking at sizing up every few months. Many moms chose the "sell to fund" method, selling off, say,  their small diapers to purchase a stash of mediums, and since as babies age, they tend to require fewer diapers throughout the day, the normal resale value of the entire previous stash was enough to pay for the next stash.

But as cloth diapering became more popular, the "sell to fund" method became less popular in comparison. Not every mom gets a thrill out of listing and successfully selling items. Some of us (ahem) are Craigslist-illiterate.

So industry innovators (then mostly still WAHMs--so impressive when you think about it!) designed various ways to manufacture diapers that could be adjusted and used from "birth"--or about 8 lbs.--to potty-training, or somewhere between 30-40 lbs.

Sounds amazing, right?

Because it pretty much is. But I think perfect-sized diapers like FuzziBunz Perfect-Size and gDiapers are pretty amazing in their own right.  

Here's a breakdown of the pros and cons:

Perfect-Size Pros:

-There are no adjustments, no learning curve. Just wrap the diaper around the baby and go. Tell Grandma to do the same.

-You'll notice, traditionally, that you get a trimmer fit, especially through the crotch.*

-Your perfect-size diapers will almost certainly make it through two or three children if you hold onto them, because each size will have been used for only a few months. One of your stashes will probably see a bit more wear and tear than the others, depending on your child's growth curve.

-Bonus: by the time you're bored with the color palette and prints, or even the style or brand, in your stash, it's time to size-up, which totally legitimizes your coveting that new limited edition print and your burning desire to try something new. (Sometimes we never intend to become collectors, but you know what they say about the best-laid plans....)

Perfect-Size Cons:

-You have to size-up, buying a new stash when baby outgrows her current size.

Bottom drawer: where outgrown dipes go to hibernate.

-If you don't have the expendable income to up and purchase a new stash in the next size, you have to go through the trouble of re-selling. (Note: Your eLeMeNO-Pee consultant can help with this, especially if she is hosting her annual eLeMeNO-Pee Backyard Sale around the time that you need to "de-stash.")

-If you do hold onto your outgrown sizes to save them for the next baby, you have to find a place to store them in a climate-controlled area of your home.

-Fewer brands manufacture perfect-size options any more, so your selection is more limited.

One-Size Pros:

-"Sizing up" is merely a matter of readjusting your rise, either using an internal adjustment system (a la SoftBums and FuzziBunz) or rise snaps (a la Tots Bots).

Snap-down rise adjustment: easier.

-Purchasing an initial stash and making it work for the duration of diapering a child is a real possibility, especially if you purchase a one-size system with maximum adjustability. This means you will spend less money on cloth diapering a single child.

Internal rise adjustment: prettier.

-A hard-to-fit body shape can be fitted more easily because of the multiple adjustment possibilities. This applies mostly to one-size diapers that employ internal rise adjustment.

-A single stash can be shared by two (or, heck, three!) children at different ages or sizes. We recommend using a one-size system that adjusts using rise snaps, like the Tots Bots EasyFit, for a "joint stash," because the re-sizing process is significantly quicker.

One-Size Cons:

-A one-size stash that is put through the wringer (and washer!) for three years will probably not last through the entire diapering duration of another child, so a perfect-size system may actually be more cost-effective if you are hoping to cloth diaper several children using mostly the same stash of diapers.

FBPS XS, small, and medium: cheaper in the long run?

-Many one-size diapers can't be made truly small enough for a newborn or truly large enough for an average-to-late potty-trainer, so you may end up sizing up someday anyway, or starting out with a stash of tiny newborn diapers before moving into your one-size stash.

-There's a temptation with one-size diapers to cinch in as much fabric as possible to create the trimmest, smoothest fit you can. This often leads to compression leaking, which, without proper support, leads to giving up on one-size systems or on cloth diapering altogether. (Note: If you have a local eLeMeNO-Pee consultant, she can help you find the correct way to adjust the size of your OS diaper to avoid this problem!)

-Snap-down rises can create extra bulk when they are snapped up to make the diaper smaller, and the snaps look a little "messy" when they're unsnapped. All those snaps can also confuse and intimidate other caregivers who are cloth-skeptical.

So what's this "two-size" option about?

Thirsties XS vs Duo, Sz. 1 unsnapped.

Thirsties XS cover vs. Duo, Sz. 1.

An even more recent trend combines the benefits of both perfect size and one-size diaper systems: two-size systems, like the Thirsties Duo line. A two-size system can be applied to any diapering system--prefolds, covers, inserts that can be lain inside covers, fitteds, pockets, and all-in-ones. How does it work? Well, you do have to size-up, but only once! In the Duo system, a Size One will fit from approximately 6-18 lbs. and a Size Two will fit from approximately 18-40 lbs. The only drawback? You have to be okay with a snap-down rise adjustment.

So how do I choose the best system for me?

The best thing to do is think about what you value the most. You're already going save approximately $2,000 per cloth diapered child. If you anticipate cloth diapering only one child, you will save the most if you choose a one-size system, but if you are looking to gather a stash that can be used for a Round Two or even a Round Three, a system with several sizes will make for longer-lasting elastic, PUL, and closures.

There are two possible routes you can take when you decide to make the switch to cloth diapers and need to determine what will belong in your stash. You can go the "there's room for some of everything in a starter stash" route, or you can make a choice based on what looks best to you, and never look back. The best way to know which of those will suit you is to get your hands on some cloth diapers for the first time!

*a now-mostly unpopular style, similar to a fitted but without an attached closure mechanism, such that it requires pins or other fasteners to secure it around the baby.

*Although this is increasingly less of a concern, because our favorite OS brands, FuzziBunz and SoftBums, have a narrow crotch to accommodate younger and smaller babies.

The skinny on adjustable leg elastic, or: Why leg elastic sets the rise (with visual help from a Tremendously Creepy Doll)

If you're new to cloth, you may be reading reviews that suggest that there's a "learning curve" to using one-size diapers correctly, especially one-size diapers like SoftBums (seen on the right) or FuzziBunz Elite that work by toggling, cinching, or otherwise adjusting the elastic along the sides. That's true! There is.

You may also have heard or read that adjustable leg elastic is perfect for babies with skinny legs.

I'm going to blow your mind: that's not necessarily accurate.

A customizable waist is best for both newborns and older babies with skinny legs. Adjustable leg elastic is perfect for any baby if you want diapers that will grow gradually from around 8 lbs. through toddlerhood.

What do I mean?

Cinching or toggling leg elastic works by gathering the fabric to make a diaper longer or shorter. This is similar to a snap-down rise, but looks cleaner and neater from the front when the diaper is fastened on a baby, and it is much more customizable: there are more length possibilities because there are more--or even practically infinite--settings to choose from.

But since the elastic is part of the leg, you know, the brain's inclination is to eye that elastic and figure out how long or short it needs to be to go exactly around the baby's leg snugly, creating a seal to hold in, well, everything a diaper is supposed to hold in!

Better start with very tight, short settings, you think. This little skinny-legged one has a long way to go to chunk up.

But something must be wrong. The baby's sheets and clothes are always wet; experienced cloth diapering friends are telling you that your diapers are "wicking" around the legs and right at the tummy. The absorbent insert isn't soaked, so it's not a matter of having too little absorbency.

What am I doing wrong?? Are these diapers I've invested in just not going to work for my baby? They're already so tight that they're leaving red marks around his thighs. HOW is the pee escaping? There are no gaps!

Fret not! Most likely the diaper is going to work for your baby... with a few adjustments.

What's happening is called compression leaking. It can happen to any type of absorbent core, from a microfiber terry insert to a trim hemp prefold to an all-cotton fitted, if the outer fabric of the diaper is pulled too tightly around the baby, or if the cinched elastic is digging in, causing the absorbent core to be "smushed" in any area. This forces moisture, which has nowhere else to go, to be sort of "wrung out" onto any surface that will absorb it: your baby's unprotected skin or clothing, your sling, the car seat, or the crib sheets.

So what's the solution? Let the fabric out until the rise falls just below the belly button in the front and right at belly button-level in the back. On a FuzziBunz Elite, that means moving the buttons over to a hole marked by a lower number, possibly even at both ends of the elastic. On a SoftBums diaper, that means using the Slide2Size adjuster to release the cinching of the fabric by a full centimeter or more.

To get that seal around the legs that will hold everything in and let the insert do its job without being "wrung out," tighten the waist as tightly as necessary to ensure that there's not a gap between the baby and the secured diaper's leg hole. On a classic hook-and-loop SoftBums diaper, that means making use of the crossover tab--the little "loop" square on the end of one of the tabs that allows you to overlap them. On a FuzziBunz Elite, that means using the innermost thigh snaps, the innermost waist snaps, and the appropriate hip snaps to avoid "wing droop." If you are using the tightest possible snap settings and there is still a noticeable gap between the fabric of the diaper and the baby's leg, go ahead and bring the rise back down a notch.

Are you a visual learner? Here's a side-by-side comparison. Same Tremendously Creepy Doll (TCD) diaper model, same type of diaper (FuzziBunz Elite), but two different approaches to sizing. On the left, a longer rise, dependent on a tight waist setting to secure a seal around the thighs. On the right, a shorter rise... and more potential for bunching and compression.

(Please note: Creepy Doll is belly button-less, and he has an unusually short rise for his length and chunkiness.)

On the left: Size 3 rise; on the right: Size 6.

The left looks like it might be too big for TCD. The right seems like a more intuitive setting, right?

Wrong! Look at the perfect seal around TCD's leg on the left, and look at how smoothly the fabric lies. Look at the way the fabric is pulling on the right.

The tightness here is causing the insert to bunch and compress. If Tremendously Creepy Doll could wet this diaper, the insert would be "wrung out" and moisture would wick around his creepy almost-lifelike legs and at the tummy.

Here's the same principle applied to SoftBums, but in reverse. This time, on the left, the rise is short and the diaper is taut--and pulling down a little at the tummy. On the right, the rise is a bit longer, the crossover waist tab is employed, and the diaper still fits trimly and smoothly--and the insert is less likely to be compressed by tightened fabric.

There you have it: a couple trim, leak-proof, compression-proof one-size diapers that really will work for almost every baby. Give these adjustments a shot, and let us know how it goes for you!

Product Spotlight: Limited edition SoftBums colors? We are so there.

As I sit (well, stand--what mom of toddlers has a desk?) here in my kitchen with my sixteen-month old, who dons her typical uniform of t-shirt and brightly colored cloth diaper, I watch her shove a square of her own snack-time cheese into a helpless, supine, half-dressed baby doll's mouth. Next she attempts to comb Baby's hair, change her (cloth!) diaper, swaddle her, and tuck her into bed with the force of hurricane winds behind those tiny, dimpled, innocent-looking toddler hands. Her enthusiasm sure is funny. I can only think of one thing.

Is it that I really should enlist my children in helping me to carry all the scattered dolls, books, cars, and temporary tattoos back to the playroom, that nascent Land O' Toys from which the favored playthings emigrate to the dining room, only to return for brief, courteous visits to the homeland once a week?

Nerrrrrp. It's not.

Is it that I really wish I hadn't run out of sugar this morning, or that I'd at least planned my sugar-to-coffee ratio a little more wisely, because this third cup of coffee is not only room temperature (again, mother of toddlers) but also beginning to taste a little like crude oil?

Nah.

Is it that I really should take care of that rotten banana smell that's coming from under the microwave (how did she get that there??) while the kids are finally playing happily?

Well, the thought crossed my mind, but it was immediately overshadowed by this other thought. I wish I were kidding.

SOFTBUMS' NEW CALENDAR BUMS COLOR IS AVAILABLE NOW!!!

The March 2012 color: Blueberry!

Two in cloth? A patriotic pair!

In case you've missed it, SoftBums is releasing very limited quantities of limited edition shell colors each month--Calendar Bums! This month, retailers were allowed to pre-order up to seven shells in the March color: Blueberry. So Allison, CEO and the mom behind your local rep, snatched them up! Just a few days later, she's already down to four.

Four. That's it. Once they're gone, they're gone.

Now, I'm not going to try to convince you that you need this diaper. Just a few weeks ago, I even suggested that you might give up collecting new cloth diapers for Lent.

But if you're still building your stash, or if you're a major SoftBums fan, or if you've been dying to try the SoftBums Echo, now's your chance. If you decide it's not your favorite, you can re-sell it: rare, out-of-production colors and prints, especially in popular diapers like SoftBums, retain their value remarkably.

(Embarrassing Confession Time: when the Rocky Mountain Diapers cow print had been out of production for about a year and I was an eLeMeNO-Pee representative, I paid more for one of those suckers used than I paid for new inventory straight from the Home Office. I won't even tell you how embarrassingly close to retail I came to paying for a two-year old diaper--hey, it was in great shape!)

SoftBums Echos are high-quality, made-in-the-USA, microfleece-lined, stay-dry All-in-Twos that are 100% adjustable. Your local rep can show you the patented Slide-2-Size adjustment feature that guarantees you can always achieve a perfect fit on your baby, from birth to potty-training. The whole concept is actually really amazing, and this is a one-size option that doesn't require much guesswork about fitting.

No, you probably don't need this cloth diaper if you've already got a full stash. But it will, like all your cloth diapers, last, oh, ten thousand times longer than a disposable diaper, and it will make you smile every time you look at it, because you'll know. You'll know that there's no such thing as wasting money when it comes to cloth, because you didn't pay money for trash.

If you want one of these limited edition Blueberry Echos (or one of the two remaining February Firecracker Reds!), hurry up and head to our Rep Finder, click your rep's name, and place your order. Remember, there are only four available. Well, three.

My daughter looks really cute in blue.

Do you have more than one diapered child? Watch how easy it is to adjust SoftBums diapers so that they can be shared by your two in cloth!