Cloth Diaper Review: The Gro Baby System
Posted on October 2, 2009 by
With a 19-month old running around and a second baby due in March, I certainly am in the market for new cloth diapers. You see, I have been using the leading cloth diaper brand on my son since he was 2-months old, but they just haven’t held up. The velcro is ruined, they leak, they hold odor, and the leg elastic is snapping. I am disappointed because I thought I wouldn’t have to buy more cloth diapers.
One day while complaining about having to purchase new diapers on Facebook, an old friend from elementary school suggested that I try the Gro Baby System from The Natural Baby Company. I went online to check them out and learned that though these diapers are pretty new, they sure are giving the leading cloth diaper manufacturer a run for their money! Of course I ordered a sample pack immediately. Here is what I love about them:
♥ I love that I can reuse the waterproof shells! Snapping in a dry, clean insert makes diaper changes a breeze. If a shell gets wet, rinse it off and hang it to dry. If your child’s poop gets on the shell, simply change to a new one. The shells can be washed with the cotton inserts, but should be hung to dry to preserve their lifespan. The Natural Baby Company claims that with the Gro Baby System, you only need 3-4 shells/day; I have found this to be true. What a nice change this has been for my washer machine – my diaper loads are much smaller.
♥ I love the velcro system on this diaper. This velcro is so cool, that I’m not sure my description will do it justice. The Natural Baby Company’s website describes them as “never pill hook tabs.” All I can tell you is that they aren’t scratchy and seem like they will not curl or peel over time like other brands.
♥ I love that I will be able to use these diapers on my 19-month old or on the new baby coming in March. Being that they are one-size diapers, they fit newborn to toddler just by simply snapping down rows of buttons in the middle of the diaper.
♥ I love that the snap-on inserts in these diapers are made from 100% organic cotton! So far, I’m finding that organic cotton is much easier to keep clean than the leading brand’s microfiber inserts. They don’t retain odor, poop peels off cleanly into the toilet (my apologies for the ick factor), and the inserts are so soft and absorbent. Just make a note to yourself that the inserts need to be washed 8-10 times to reach full absorbency because they are organic and the oils need to be washed away.
So far, I haven’t found anything that I hate about these diapers – other than that I have to wait a few more months for new colors to come out! My husband and daycare provider have even approved these diapers, which says a lot!
For more information on the benefits of cloth diapering, including cost, how-tos, and environmental impact, please visit The Natural Baby Company’s Diaper Information page.
Cloth Diaper Tip: To remove stains left in your cloth diapers after washing, line dry in the sun!
This is helping me consider the switch! Great article.
These sounded fantastic until I saw they were over $30 each! I wanted to try them out but can’t justify the expense since we already have a stash of bum genius, fuzzibuns and smartipant (sp are the most cost effective at $15 a diaper)… Thanks for the great post though – I’ll pass it one to some of my pregnant friends that can register for these!
Elizabeth,
The diapers are $24.95/diaper on The Natural Baby Company’s website. The set includes the shell, booster pad, and soaker pad. Since you only need 3-4 shells/day, you can get away with purchasing a few of the complete set and ordering more of the soaker pads. If you follow The Natural Baby Company’s directions, you can cloth diaper for $19/month! Much less than what I orginally spent on the “leading” brand of cloth diapers that are now a bust! PS. I checked the company website this morning! The new colors are out! Horray! Glad you enjoyed my post! Please do pass it onto your preggo friends!
Do you think I could use my own liners in these? I also already have a stash of cloth from my first, altho I went with the diaper wrap with prefolds. (you might try them if you haven’t before, it sounds like they are all the things you like about these ones And despite not snapping in, I never had a prob with the prefolds sliding around when I just stuck them in there folded in thirds) I like the idea of an outer shell that will grow with my new baby, but buying a bunch MORE soaker pads when I already have my prefolds isn’t exactly eco-friendly, either.
My mother used cloth diapers on me when I was a baby. Once I had outgrown them, she used them as cleaning rags.
JenO,
In reading other Mom’s reviews of these diapers, I discovered that many of them do use them with prefolds. I recall most of them saying that they made a great diaper cover!
My order of the new colors shipped in today! They are fabulously cute!
Good luck!
Melissa
Allie,
Have you tried gDiapers? If so, what do you think about them?
Lydia,
I did try gDiapers when my son was about 3 months old. Personally, I didn’t care for them because I thought the disposable pads were stiff and appeared uncomfortable. I also thought that the elastic waistband was a little too hard.
I have tried the biodegradable pads for the GroBabys that stick onto the covers. They were soft and worked just fine (I did not try them overnight or for naps).
Hope that helps!
Melissa