Today’s review for the Lovely Pocket Diapers Stuffable AIO was performed by Katrina and her daughter. I don’t have a newborn but I knew someone who did!

6 Weeks Old and 15 pounds

I was given the opportunity to review the Lovely Pocket Diapers newborn stuffable AIO, for my newest addition. The LPD is a stuffable AIO with a microsuede liner, a sewn in microfiber insert, pocket opening to allow additional inserts, and double leg gussets which are an incredible feature for newborns.
This is our third cloth diapered newborn and having tried several pocket or AIO options in the past that never fit a newborn well, I was a little nervous at first. Usually fit is a problem, I actually met Kim of DDL four years ago while troubleshooting a leaking pocket diaper on my newborn due to fit issues (true story-Kim). This was not a problem with the LPD, when my daughter first tried the diaper she was 4 weeks old, about 11.5lbs and midway through the snap settings. The Lovely Pocket Newborn AIO diaper adjusted much smaller than I needed, and allowed for the snap settings to accommodate an umbilical cord as well. 6 weeks later, around 15lbs we are still using the Lovely Newborn diaper, while all of the other “newborn” diapers have been long outgrown. I’ve yet to have a leak for regular daytime use and we still have one snap left before it is outgrown. I am pleasantly surprised by how much I like this diaper; the large variety of snaps can prove to be daunting to newbie so there may be a learning curve for some.

Ease of Use ✩✩✩✩ More intimidating for newbies than just a regular sized AIO but still easy enough that anyone should figure it out very soon. No stuffing required makes washing and folding easier.
Bang for the Buck ✩✩✩✩✩ These diapers are $11 each which falls a few dollars below other popular newborn compatible AIO‘s on the market. The diaper is manufactured in China which may be what brings the price point lower.
Performance ✩✩✩✩✩ This has become a go to out of the house diaper for us, because I am able to get a few hours without fear of leaks with my heavy wetter. The gussets do an awesome job at containing messy newborns poops.
Fit ✩✩✩✩✩ I am very impressed with how long I have been able to use this diaper because of the design, and it fits very trim on a newborn.
Overall: I think these diapers make a great addition to a cloth diaper newborn collection. I really like the fit of the Lovely Newborn Stuffable AIO, the design allows them to fit for longer than a typical newborn diaper. The materials have been able to withstand wash & wear well.
Where to Buy Lovely Pocket Diapers

The idea of cloth diapering is often overwhelming to first time parents.  When they hear the sheer number of diapers a newborn goes through each day, cloth or disposable, it becomes that much more frightening.

“You mean I need to have HOW MANY cloth diapers if I don’t want to wash more than every two days?!?!”

I get it.  I was there once too.  I was pregnant and researching cloth diapers and balking at those figures.  Since then (over 3 years ago) parents to be have MANY more choices for newborn cloth diapering.

You can certainly buy 36+ diapers if you want to.  And I know MANY of you want to.  But when you have a budget to keep that just isn’t feasible.  Here are a few options you may not have considered before that will help you stay in the black while giving your new bundle of joy a big fluffy booty.  I have also included a few Pro Tips from my days of newborn cloth diapering at the end.

Did you know that many online and brick and mortar cloth diaper stores will rent a stash of newborn cloth diapers?  It makes a lot of sense when you think about it.  Babies are only teeny tiny for a blink of an eye.  Depending on your baby’s weight at birth, they might only be small enough to fit into newborn cloth diapers for a few weeks.  Instead of buying cloth diapers for such a short time rent them instead.

Modern Cloth offers a trial featuring New or Used newborn size cloth diapers.  There are five different diapers to choose from.  More details on their website.

Sweetbottoms Baby Boutique offers a trial of Clover Fitteds (not cheap when purchased new) that equals about 36$ per month.  More details on their website.   

Nell’s Natural Baby offers a KL0 (Kissaluvs Size 0 fitted) trial package. I used these tiny fitteds with Everett and fell in love with them. Comes with 3 Thirsties Covers. More details on their website.

There are many more rental programs with a variety of options, including packages featuring bumGenius Newborn AIO‘s or Fuzzibunz XS.

Diaper Services aren’t extinct!  In fact, they are popping up in more and more local communities every day.  Even if you aren’t keen on using one full time due to their price tag, which may be slightly less than using disposables to more than, using them during the newborn period might work better for you than buying a newborn stash while still saving money.

Many cloth diaper services offer options in the short term for the first few months for parents who want to cloth diaper but also don’t want to worry about having to wash diapers while bonding with the new baby and healing from childbirth.  Once you are feeling comfortable with cloth diapers and life as a new mom, you can start using your own stash and laundering at home.

I get it.  The thought of buying used diapers is hard for a lot of people to stomach.  If you can get past the barrier of buying something another baby has pooped in, you can score great deals on a newborn cloth diaper stash.  The best part is that, like your needs, the previous owner probably only used them for a short time.

Many Forums offer FSOT (For Sale or Trade) forums for used cloth diapers.  In most cases, like on DiaperSwappers, you can search by the type of diaper- such as Fitteds, Pockets, All-in-One’s, and so on.  My tip would be to search in the Diaper Lots forum.  Often you will find lots with just Newborn Diapers.  Find a good lot and you will save a lot of money and a lot of time.

Other places to find used diapers would be Craigslist.org or Kijiji.ca (for the Canadians).  If you belong to a local Mom Listserve you might post an ISO (In Search of) for newborn cloth diapers.  Or even try looking to Freecycle.org.  You never know!

Anytime you are buying used cloth diapers there are some things to keep in mind: always look at the photo carefully, ask about wear on the elastic and velcro, and find out what type of detergent the owner used.  You may also want to strip your used diapers before using them.  On online forums- check the seller’s user rating and only buy from those with a good reputation to avoid scam artists.

Because you won’t be using your newborn diapers very long, one option that most families choose is Prefolds and Covers.  This is the route my family and I took for my first son as a first time mom.

Prefolds can be intimidating but they work so well!  Most first time cloth diapering families would love to have a stash of All-in-One diapers since they are most like a disposable and are considered more convenient and easy.  Financially they can’t afford that.  24-36 Newborn AIO‘s can run you as much as 300-600$ for what will last 1-3 months, if that!  Instead, buyng Prefolds or Flats and a few Newborn covers is a GREAT option.  I have videos on how to fold Prefolds and how to fold flats.

Here are a few ideas:

Nell’s Natural Baby offers a Newborn Bundle with EVERYTHING you need up to 15 pounds. 3 Thirsties Size 1 Duo Covers or Bummis Super Brite Covers in Small, 30 Infant Prefolds, Package of Snappi’s, and a roll of BioLiners.  $118.00.  More details on their website.

Bummis Newborn Pack (available at many retailers, including affiliate Kelly’s Closet) is a tiny bundle for TINY babies and runs $42.00. It comes with 12 Preemie Prefolds and 2 Newborn Super Brite Covers (which has a notch for the umbilical cord). This isn’t enough to last more than a day so you might think about buying 2-3. This kit is good for anyone expecting a smaller baby or twins since it fits 5-9 lbs. Preemie prefolds are very small and might not fit every single newborn or last long. More details on their website.

Flats- Keeping in mind that flats have a higher learning curve than prefolds, you can also save a lot of money by using them. Flats are versatile and fit newborns and older babies. They are economical. They dry fast. They are cotton and hard to destroy with even the worst wash routine. I have to admit that I have special place in my heart for these simple and effective diapers that have been used for over a hundred years. A dozen will run you 25.00 in the Small size. They fold up to be quite trim. I would recommend visiting the Green Mountain Diapers website to see just how they look on a newborn. I haven’t had the chance to use flats on my own newborns but it seems most people prefer the Origami fold with a twist, which makes the diaper trimmer above the hip to fit under covers. More details on their website.

This is the FREE option!  If you are lucky enough to have friends who cloth diaper you might luck out and “inherit” a newborn cloth diaper stash to borrow.  You could also buy them from your friend; I’m sure they would give you a great deal.  If you friend isn’t local there is still a chance.  I sent my entire newborn stash to a friend in another state.

No matter what option you choose, whether you spend hundreds on adorable, teeny tiny AIO‘s, or spend nothing because you found a whole set on Freecycle, remember that cloth diapering a Newborn is a learning experience.  It could be your 1st or 10th child and you might find yourself having leaks.  Take solace in knowing it isn’t you.  Finding your groove with the diapering method you have chosen can take a few weeks.  Sadly, sometimes when you just get the hang of it your baby has moved up to their One Size Stash or the next size up.  As Alanis Morrisette would say, “Isn’t it ironic, dontcha think?”

If you are having leaks and want to continue using your diapers while troubleshooting the source- try using PUL or Nylon backed mattress protectors under your child when they sleep to save yourself from washing your baby’s bedding, or your own if you bedshare.  I also have a few tips on Troubleshooting Cloth Diaper Leaks.

Other handy tricks:

For the first days of life your baby will be passing Meconium, affectionately called “Tar Poo” for its black and sticky attributes.  You CAN still use cloth diapers!  I did, and the meconium washed right out and the stains were gone within a few washes without even sunning.  You can opt to use flushable or fleece liners during this time if you desire.  Another Pro tip is to coat your baby’s bottom with a light layer of olive oil.  The worst part of meconium isn’t washing it out of the diaper; it is washing it off your baby’s butt.  The olive oil keeps it from sticking.

From experience, you don’t HAVE to use covers or diapers with umbilical cord notches on them.  If you have diapers without the notch or snap down, just leave it a bit loose on top of the cord and stay mindful that it is there.  I did and my baby didn’t die or have any harm come to him.  Remember- his tight onesies and shirts are also likely rubbing that stump.  There are lots of covers and diapers with the dip, such as XS Thirsties, Small Bummis, and many XS AIO‘s have them as well.

My last tip is to RELAX.  Take the challenges, if there are any, in stride.  If a diaper consistently doesn’t work for you then leave it to the side.  If you only have a handful and you keep having trouble and you are pulling out your hair, take a break. There- I said it!  No new mother/father needs to worry about cloth diapers when they are learning to care for a newborn.  If you have to buy a pack of disposables then do it.  In the meantime, ask around online or in your local cloth diaper store for advice.  I don’t like using disposables but in my mind they do have a purpose.  A back-up, a last resort on vacation, a night time solution when all else fails.  No one is perfect and no one can do one thing 100% of the time.  Pick your battles.

For more Newborn Cloth Diaper Resources you can re-visit a few of my old posts from the archives: Cloth Diapering Options For a Newborn {video}, Newborn Cloth Diapers Chart Comparison and Video, and Newborn Cloth Diapers Compared to Their One Size Counterparts {video and chart}

And for newbies I have a list of all of my most helpful cloth diaper articles:  Cloth Diaper Information for Newbies: Cloth 101

I’m always happy to help moms in need as much as I can.  You can leave a question in the comments or post them to my Facebook Page.

I have gotten around to filming a long video on the Newborn (size XS or small) diapers we used on Baby Everett.  Rather than writing out each review I decided to use my laptop camera and talk it out.  This was my first time, I look like poo, but frankly I don’t know when I can get time to do anything other than that!  Some of these diapers were also featured more in depth in other videos I did like the Newborn Cloth Diapering and Newborn Diapers versus their OS Counterparts (Part 1, Part 2).  I hope I am not being too repetitive with this video but I knew a few were left out in both.

This chart is based on my son and his body type.  Please just use this as an idea, not a concrete number.  My son has a very wide waist and chunky thighs and outgrew the newborns quicker than the average baby.  He is 90% for weight and around 80% height.