In the cloth diapering life, parents get on this quest to find The Perfect Cloth Diaper. Now, I’m not sure that I have my grubby little hands on the Holy Grail of cloth, but it’s darn close.
It’s the Fuzzi Bunz One Size diaper.
In my perusing the cloth diapering world and in my experience working for a natural parenting store, I’ve definitely had the opportunity to check out many nappies. I even snagged a few hand-me-down Fuzzi Bunz fitted diapers before Baby E was born. Soft, durable, great absorbency.
That’s why I was so excited to give the new Fuzzi Bunz One Size a whirl.
I’m a Bum Genius gal. I mean, my son makes me a Bum Genius gal…I don’t personally wear them! They were the first cloth diaper I tried. And I liked that I could switch to cloth diapers when my older son was hitting the potty training months and then still use the diapers for the baby in my tummy. It was a real, “Why haven’t I been doing this all along?” moment for me.
See, one size diapers are like that. They can last for your child’s entire cloth diapering life, and then you can pass ’em on to the next kiddo.
My wonderful, free-spirited, high-energy, stubborn Baby E is now 14 months. When he’s not cosleeping with us, he’s sleeping in his bed in our room. I mention this because Daddy and I occasionally pop Baby E back in his bed in the morning to play while we get in a few more minutes of snuggling.
That’s when I discovered how horribly, terribly wrong life with those Velcro-like enclosures can go. Baby E discovered he could Viola! pull those tabs, pull off his diapers….and you guessed it: have fun with whatever is inside. When I discovered him, my “OMG!” had a big F in there.
Time to find a new overnight cloth diaper! And the Fuzzi Bunz One Size was the answer to my prayers.
The lowdown:
- Aesthetics: I have always loved the vibrant array of colors that Fuzzi Bunz offers. Alright, so I get that a diaper is only technically a poop collector, but who says it has to be drab? Give me a royal blue or grass green baby butt any day.
- Design: A biggie. The snaps are a lifesaver, for the reason I mentioned above. The snaps make both the legs and waist adjustable. They, along with elastic, allow this diaper to grow with babies of different shapes and sizes.
- Performance: Did I mention that in my 10-hour overnight test, it did not leak? Yeah, I trust it for a few hours at a time during the day. But overnight, it doesn’t leak! A big yay, saving me from both the poop monster and the leaky boy and all the extra clothes/bed linens/toys that would have to be washed along with the diapers.
- Softness: It has a fleece interior, which in Fuzzi Bunz tradition, is very soft. No joke, when I pulled this out, Baby E grabbed it, put his head on it, and said, “Ohhh,” his little way of giving a hug. (This was before the first use, folks!) For those of you who prefer organic: I just gave an organic one size diaper the test drive. For diaper rashes, I will only use those or my Fuzzi Bunz to relieve the redness before going to a Bum Genius. It is simply that gentle on his skin.
- Affordability: We’re all looking for that nowadays, aren’t we? If you’re a first-time cloth diaper user, I highly recommend going for one sized diapers. Many companies offer discounts if you buy ’em in bulk. (Then later, if your child reaches an “awkward” stage, you can pick up a fitted diaper or two to get a snug fit. I haven’t needed to, however.) As I said, the Fuzzi Bunz One Size will last through your child’s cloth diapering life, and then you can use them for the next critter. 18.95 apiece? This diaper stands out among one size diapers, so as an investment, it’s a bargain. And it’s nothing compared to buying disposables for almost 3 years. Not to mention all those late night, “I forgot to buy diapers!” trips to the closest grocer.
- Ease of Use: Stuff the absorbant layer in the pocket, then pull it out when you change your baby’s diaper. Toss it all in the wash. Easy peasy. I suggest only natural laundry detergents, but at least go for a “free & clear” for all your baby’s laundry.
Got it? It’s a great diaper. I always make sure I have one on hand for nighttime. If you’re choosing a One Size, reach for the cute little Fuzzi Bunz.
Image: From the Fuzzi Bunz Gallery. I heart the royal blue.
I know it can be overwhelming.
Overall, buying a bunch of One Size is the best bang for your buck. (In my experience, even better than prefolds, which are often cited as cheaper.)
Any brand will last for a few years and various sizes, but the Fuzzi’s One Size seem to have more variations in size.
I don’t work for FB or anything, but I *love* this new diaper. Lots.
Ok, great post! I’m in the market for cloth diapers. It is a bit daunting to be honest. I’m learning though.
I’m quite amazed that you made it overnight wihtout an extra insert. We cloth diaper using exclusively fuzzi bunz diapers and wouldn’t have it any other way. I highly recommend the joeybunz hemp insert as an extra liner inside during the night time. My 14 months old sleeps 12-13 hours at night and soaks both liners completely but NO LEAKS! Even if you don’t want to go for the one size I still recommend. Most don’t want to deal with Cloth+Breastmilk stools. We used swaddlers for the first 4 months of life and by then she fit into the medium fuzzi bunz. Wouldn’t you know that at 14 months she is still on the same snap settings… all the way in on the waist and 2nd from the middle on thigh. They still fit her great. Needless to say she finally starting growing up instead of out.
Thanks for the review!
I’ve always been a prefold girl because of how inexpensive they are, but the one-size diapers are getting my attention. I personally don’t like velcro either–I have a friend who uses BumGenius and the velcro on those started to pull away when her baby was about a year old. (Cotton Babies did agree to fix it.)
I’ve tried the Tiny Tush Elite one size and liked it. They come with either snap or velcro closures. They adjust with snaps in the front like the BumGenius.
I have wondered about how the adjustment works on the FuzziBunz One Size. Does it seem to you like the elastic adjusters will be durable? I’ve also heard some people say that they are “poofy”–that there is too much material when used in the smaller sizes. How do you think they compare to other one-size diapers?
I’m doing some research on what kinds of diapers people use and why. I’m looking from feedback from real parents from all walks of life, whether they use cloth or disposable diapers. You can participate by taking my diaper survey:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=cjVCME83a3hKZ1Vzb0t0VENSQVRjLUE6MA..
I’ll be happy to take your survey, Tiana, but I wanted to answer you here, too.
I do still love the BumGenius. But really, as far as softness (good for skin irritation) and the adjustability, these are great. Plus, no worries about the scary poop monster or the clasps wearing out. 😉
Though mine are new, it seems like the elastic will do just fine. The elastic is there for snuggness around the thigh. It’s the snaps that really work for the right fit on both leg and waist areas.
All one size may seem a bit bulky for infants, especially for those who switch from disposables. But in my experience, it’s not too much fabric (even for my skinny guy). It really was never an issue.
As you probably know, there’s not much that can compare to the cuteness of a cloth diaper butt.
(Funny story: when Baby E was a newborn, he was laying across my body in bed after he fell asleep BFing. My 12yo stepdaughter walked in the room and said, “Look, Cate…he has your butt!” Me:”Umm…that’s his diaper.” “Oh, sorry!”)
Good write up. I use both prefold & velcro but I’m looking for snaps. Velcro is great but I don’t want an OMG moment like the one you described 🙂 Also, snaps might be easier for my quick mover. Baby tends to streak off, much to his delight, before I can get the pins in my prefolds. I definitely want to stick to Organic diapers though. Thanks for the tip.