First, I am going to describe how it works. This diaper is a cross between an all in two and a gdiaper. Instead of only being able to use the shell one time like many cloth diapers, you can take the snap in soaker out and replace it with a clean one. The shell has a PUL outer in 3 colors, Kiwi, Blackberry, and mandarin. What you see is Kiwi. The inside of the shell has a quick dry mesh. This differentiates itself from any other diaper on the market. Assuming your soaker is not sopping or your little one hasn’t had a very large bowel movement you should be able to reuse the shell. If it is a little damp you could leave it out to air dry and use another shell, switching between 2 or 3 throughout the day. The soaker is a one size soaker. There are snaps close to the front and back of the diaper. It is simple, snap it in and close.

I had one issue with the one size soaker, when set on the lowest rise- the newborn setting- I find both methods of shortening the soaker rather bulky. If you fold it over the diaper could gape in the front, and if you try to SQUISH it in using the gathered area in the middle, I still cannot get the soaker from peeping out of the front. The manufacturers say that washing will shrink the soak some, so after 6-8 washes perhaps squishing will be effective.

The soaker- this soaker is made of yummy soft organic cotton. In my use so far I have found it to be super absorbent even without the 6-8 washes it takes to have its full absorbency. You can also buy boosters for night time or heavy wetters. These are very trim.

Closure- This diaper has another great new feature that I love. The entire upper band is stickyable. It is a new word I made up to describe this diaper. Rather than an unnattractive strip of velcro and tabs or visible velcro squares like other diapers, you never see any velcro! It has a very sticky closure and it is highly adjustable. You can cross the tabs over each other for smaller babies as well. When washing you can fold the velcro tabs inward to prevent a diaper chain. The sticky part is soft and won’t scratch your baby’s soft skin which is a major plus. I am interested to see how well it holds up. The website states the velcro will not pile, but what about the sticky part?

The adjustable rise. Exactly the same as most other one size diapers, the rise is controlled by snaps on the front of the diaper. It has three rises. I have never been a fan of one size diapers on newborns but it should work on 8 lbs plus. You will have a VERY bulky diaper. My son is on the 2nd rise. He is 4.5 months, 14 and a half pounds, and 26.5 inches long for reference. One drawback of the snaps is that they are off white. I prefer my snaps to match or coordinate with the color of the diaper. It is a personal preference. The snaps are very strong and when I pull the diaper underneath the baby and up to get more room they do not unsnap.

Ease of Use- changing the diaper is very simple. Un hook as you would any other diaper, unsnap the soaker from the mesh liner. If you prefer not to touch the wet soaker you can always grab a cloth wipe and use it later to wipe the baby up. Put it in your pail and snap in your new soaker. Close it and you are done. The manufacturers suggest using 2 shells a day. If you wanted to add a booster you can lay it on top of the soaker.

Washing- suggested washing settings follow that of most other cloth diapers, so it won’t be problematic adding these to your stash. Prepping suggests washing at least 3 times on hot. Full absorbency should happen in 6-8 washes. Always do your cold rinse to prevent staining, followed by a hot wash with your detergent of choice, a cold rinse, and another cold rinse. I also run my washer through another hot wash/ cold rinse/ extra rinse with no detergent to prevent buildup. Do be careful if you have other velcro closure diapers, if they are not attached to their laundry tabs well they will attract very easily to the mesh liner or the soft sticky top. This has already happened to me.

Overall- This will become your favorite for your diaper bag. You can pack a few soakers and an extra shell just in case. It comes in great vibrant and modern colors. No more one size diapers in shades of pastel! It is easy to use and it is an affordable way to start cloth diapering. The company plans on a snap version in June in a new color, vanilla. Visit their website for more details and more gro baby news.

UPDATE!

This was my very first video review so the star rating system had not been invented yet.  I am updating my older reviews with a new category, Durability.  This one didn’t have the others but I am updating anyway!

Durability ✰✰✰- I still have a few Gro Baby’s in my stash.  The aplix on one has gone to hell in a hand basket.  The others don’t look as bad.  Not surprisingly, the one that looks the worst was my favorite color.  The tabs no longer stick and the soft hook and loop is very fuzzy.  The soakers do not keep their softness as one would hope.  They are still absorbent.  I have since used these shells with the Biosoakers and have sticky residue on the snaps.  The snaps are still working great though, and are very strong.  The PUL is durable and no peeling of the laminate or leaks.  The mesh lining has also gotten fuzzy from being caught on velcro in the washer.

Those that still stick, still work.  I would recommend the Snaps version of these (and the new GroVia line, the rebranded version of Gro Baby) above the soft hook and loop.  Though innovative, I don’t think this material stands  the test of time. 

Where to buy (under the new name, Gro Via)

Kelly’s Closet (affiliate link)