Question: I’m due with my first child in three months,
and I’m considering cloth diapering. I’m interested
in one-size diapers for the greatest investment value. Do one-size
diapers really fit from birth to potty training?
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Heather Sanders responds: Consider
first that the word “fit” has
as varied a meaning as the increasing numbers of cloth diapers
available and the body shapes of the babies who wear them. What
makes a “good fit” for one baby might be considered
too large, too small, too loose or tight at the thigh or too
high in the rise for another. So do one-size diapers really fit
from birth to potty training? The answer would have to be a definite “sometimes.”
The idea behind one-size diapers is to create a diaper that
is large enough to fit a 30- to 45-pound toddler and then,
through a series of tucks, folds, snaps, hook-and-loop closures
or fold-over pockets, down-size enough to fit a newborn. More
often than not, descriptions of one-size diapers state that
they fit “most” or “many” newborns.
Other one-size diapers specify weight ranges such as 8 to 32
pounds or 10 to 45 pounds -- neither of which will necessarily
cover the full extent of your baby’s diaper-wearing life.
For instance, I read just the other day about a business offering “the
only diaper you will need to own” that fits fit babies
from 12 to 40+ pounds – which makes me wonder what the
baby will be diapered in from birth to 12 pounds.
If you do have an 8- to 10-pound baby, will you get a good
fit with a one-size diaper? It depends what you’re looking
for in “fit.” If you are looking for a diaper that
does not gape at the thigh, is not too bulky in the stride
from the multiple folds and fits snugly at the waist, then
most one-size diapers are not going to meet your needs. However,
if you’re willing to make do with the fit for a few weeks
in order to stretch your diaper dollars, then one-size diapers
might be a nice money-saver and right up your alley. If your
baby doesn’t end up in the 8- to 10-pound range at birth,
you’ll need to consider a back-up diapering system to
stand in until your baby grows into the appropriate weight
range for the one-size diaper.
Another alternative? Two-size diapers. Two-size diapers fit
babies from birth through potty training but with two overlapping
sizes. The smaller diapers have an weight range starting at about
6 pounds and usually extend from 18 to 20 pounds, while the larger
diapers start at about 15 to 18 pounds and fit into the toddler
years.
If your newborn babe is in your arms already, you have an extra
advantage. Before purchasing a one-size diaper, contact the
business owner and request the diaper’s waist, thigh
and rise measurements on the smallest setting. Then you can
make an informed choice about whether or not that particular
diaper will fit baby’s specific measurements.
