All in one diapers are the most simplest cloth diaper type. They are also very convenient and very similar to using disposable diapers with your newborn baby.
But there are so many brands out there with many different features, how do you choose the best newborn aio for your baby?
I have tired almost all of the newborn cloth diapers when my second baby was born and I can share what worked the best with you so you can stop researching and start shopping.
Features to Look for in an AIO:
1.Weight range: Most newborn diapers are designed to fit babies from 6 pounds to 12 pounds. But there are diapers that are designed to fit preemie babies that can be used even at around 2 pounds birth weight. Some diapers can fit well over 12 pounds. Keep in mind to check the weight range before buying a particular newborn AIO.
2.Umbilical cord: Many newborn AIO have an umbilical cord cut, or a snap down button that keeps the diaper away from the umbilical cord. This is very important to look for because, the cord needs to be untouched and left alone for faster healing.
Continuous rubbing of the diaper can irritate the cord area resulting in bleeding or even infection.
Some parents decide to wait until the cord falls off before using cloth diapers. But, if you want to use newborn diapers right from the start, then look for cloth diapers with umbilical cord cut.
3.Type of Closure: Newborn diapers come in different closures. It can be either snaps or Velcro (also known as Hook and loop closure). Choosing which closure you want is an individual preference.
I preferred to use hook and loop diapers, in the newborn stage because it was so easy to use. Since it looks pretty similar to using disposable diapers, it can be great for beginner cloth diapering parents.
I also found that H&L diapers were easier to use during night time diaper changes because I don?t have to be looking for snaps in the dim light.
The flip side of H&L diapers is that the Velcro tends to wear off soon and it tends to catch other diapers while washing.
4.Stay dry lining: Stay dry lining is a top synthetic layer made of micro fleece, micro suede or any other material that absorbs urine in and keeps the baby?s bum dry. Newborns are particularly sensitive to wetness, so some parents choose to have stay dry aio diaper.
On the other hand, since the stay dry materials are synthetic, some babies can have allergic reactions to these materials. In such cases, you have the option to avoid synthetic materials and opt for natural fibers like organic cotton, bamboo or hemp.
5.Double gussets: Double gussets are basically like double elastics around the legs to provide extra protection around the legs to contain poop. Newborn breastfed poop is runny and double gussets do a great job in preventing blow outs.
Pros of Using Newborn AIO:
- Ease of Use: Hands down one of the easiest cloth diapering styles for newborn babies. Unlike prefold and flat diapers, there is no folding required. No need to put together multiple parts (like inserts and covers) together.
- Great for other caregivers: Dads and other caregivers might find using AIO?s better since aio?s look and feel like using a disposable diaper.
- Great for travel: You can just toss and aio in your purse when you are leaving the house with your baby, just like how you would a disposable diaper.
- Looks Trim: Newborn All in One diapers look trim and don?t make your baby?s bum look fluffy.
Cons of Using AIO
- Limited Absorbency: Usually, a AIO is a single piece of diaper. There is usually no extra pocket opening to add a booster to add more absorbency. I have seen some AIO?s where there is an option to add absorbency, which I think is great.
- Expensive: They do come with a higher price point when compared to prefolds and covers.
- Longer Dry time: Since AIO?s are all stitched together, they take extra drying time especially when air dried. You have to keep in mind their dry time when deciding the number of aio?s you would need. It is good to have a few diapers extra, if you don?t want to run out of diapers waiting for your laundry to be ready. That said, there are a few brands which has a tongue or snake style soakers (inserts) which is attached.
Best AIO Newborn Cloth Diapers:
Now that you have learned about the pros and types of AIO?s, let?s get started with the list of best newborn All in One cloth diapers. Many of these diapers I have used with my babies. For reference, my baby was around 5.5 pounds when she was born and we started cloth diapering right from the start. I had a mixed stash with prefolds, covers, pockets and AIO?s.
Here are my top newborn aio picks:
1.Thirsties Newborn AIO:
Thirsties has to be one of my favorite North America cloth diaper company. I own many of their products – covers, wet bags, inserts and they never disappoint. I am not going to lie but one of the main factor that pulled me towards buying their newborn diapers were their cute prints.
Thirsties newborn aio diapers come in both natural and synthetic materials. Their natural NAIO is made of organic cotton (2 layers) and hemp/organic cotton (6 layers). Their synthetic is made of 4 layers of micro terry lined with microfleece which acts as a stay dry liner.
I prefer the natural fabric as opposed to synthetic because I felt that they hold a lot more pee. But keep in mind that natural fibers lack the stay dry lining and your baby might be bothered by the wet feeling.
You can always add a cloth diaper liner over the diaper to avoid this but we didn?t need it.
They are designed to fit babies from 5 -14 pounds. Their diapers come with an adjustable rise that grows with your baby. The water proof outer material is TPU (vs PUL found in many other diapers).
Thristies newborn diapers come in both snap as well as Velcro closure, you can choose which ever works the best for you. Their newborn diapers also feature a snap down option to accommodate umbilical cord, so Thirsties NAIO is perfect for babies from day one.
Thirsties NAIO is one of the most user friendly newborn diapers I have used.
It is thirsty, absorbent, fits like a glove and come in cute prints. Their leg elastics are gentle but effective to keep newborn poo contained. One of my favorite feature of Thrisites NAIO is the TPU lining in the tummy which prevents wicking of wetness to the clothes.
2.Grovia AIO :
The suggested weight range for GroVia newborn aio diaper is from 5 to 12 lbs. I would say that they fit true to size as these were one of the few diapers that my girl grew out of at 12 lbs.
It features one rise setting with 2 snaps and a single row of waist snaps. The outer waterproof layer is made of TPU like thirsties naio.
It does not have an umbilical cord snap down feature instead comes with a low front rise that would comfortably sit below the cord without touching it.
One thing that stands out in a Grovia newborn diaper is their buttery soft stay dry top layer. Seriously, its insanely soft, I mean rub it on your face soft.
The diaper boasts a sewn in absorbency of 2 layers of hemp/cotton plus an additional hour glass shaped soaker made of 3 layers of hep/cotton. The inner of the diaper is lined with the softest microfleece.
I absolutely love Grovia aios; they were one of my go to newborn diapers. They will be the cutest little diaper in your newborn stash.
They are absorbent, trim and wonderfully soft. Must have in your stash, if your budget allows for it.
3.Lil Joeys All in Ones:
Cutest looking diapers. Period! Lil Joeys are made for babies from 4 pounds to 12 pounds, and are deigned to fit even preemie babies.
The outer waterproof layer is made of TPU material which is low in toxicity and better for the environment than PUL. Lil Joey is atypical AIO where there is no pocket or snap in inserts to deal with. 4 layers of microfiber is sewn in with the diaper making it easy to use.
Instead of a rise snap, the height of this diaper can be adjusted by using two rows of waist snap. The idea is to start with the lowest waist snap with the umbilical cord button snapped down and move on the higher level waist snaps once your baby gets bigger.
The diaper also has a built-in double layer of leg gussets that will contain the messiest of the newborn poop.
Lil Joey comes only in a pack of twos. They make a great baby shower gift for preemies or parents with multiples.
4.Smart Bottoms Born Smart Organic AIO:
Absolutely amazing newborn option that is made with 100% organic cotton ? no pesticides, and no unwanted chemicals touching your baby?s bum.
The flip side of choosing natural fibers is that they need to be washed and prepped before use. But Smart bottoms Born Smart 2.0 has come up with a no prep organic cotton interior which will make your life so much easier.
Born smart is one of the diapers that lasted longer than many other newborn diapers I owned. Thanks to the rise snaps they can fit babies from 6 to 16 pounds.
There is a unique umbilical cord cut, so this diaper will go nowhere near your baby?s cord. The main insert is attached only on one end which makes it easier to dry. Smart bottoms also sell a snap in booster to increase absorbency as your baby grows bigger.
Overall this diaper checks everything that I look for in a newborn diaper and is a big win in my books. It can be used longer (up to 16 pounds) than many other newborn diapers. Comes with a sewn in insert and an option to add an extra booster if need be.
Many newborn diapers leak because there is only so much a little diaper can hold. But the Born Smart is by far the most absorbent diaper I have used with my babies. Thanks to the cotton/hemp insert!
5.Blueberry Simplex Newborn AIO:
Blueberry Simplex has many features similar to Smart Bottoms born smart in my opinion. The one thing that Simplex has (that Born Smart doesn?t) is the pocket opening.
Typically AIO diapers are meant to be sewn together,which makes them less absorbent and they take longer to dry. That?s why I always prefer AIO?s that has a pocket opening so you can add more absorbency as per your child?s needs.
Just like Born Smart, Blueberry is made of 100 % organic cotton and has a snake style insert attached at one end.
Although I have noticed that blueberry cotton inserts tend to crumble while I haven?t noticed that with Born smart diapers. It is only an aesthetic difference and it does not affect the functionality of Simplex diapers.
While Born Smart has an umbilical cord cut, Simplex has a snap down option to help cord heal faster.
6.Imagine Newborn AIO:
If you are looking for a cheaper newborn aio option, then the Imagine newborn aio will fit the bill. Imagine newborn aio comes in two fabric types – stay dry with microfiber soaker and bamboo viscose soaker.
The stay dry diaper has 3 layers of microfiber soaker topped with a soft polar fleece lining. The bamboo diaper is made of 6 layers of 100% bamboo viscose material and does not have a stay dry top.
The soaker itself is only attached to the back but can be snapped in the front too ( to avoid shifting ) . You can unsnap the soaker while drying to increase dry time.
The polar fleece in the stay dry aio comes in pretty colors to match the color of the print. The colored fleece lining makes newborn poop stains (think meconium) less visible.
There are no rise snaps but instead these diapers features two rows of waist snaps with a umbilical cord snap. This diaper can fit the tiniest of the babies ( around 5 lbs) and continues to grow with your baby (13 lbs +).
Considering the price point, amazing fit and sizing, this diaper is a must have in every newborn cloth diaper stash.
7. BumGenius 2.0 Newborn AIO
Bumgenius recently redesigned their newborn diapers and released 2.o newborn aio. I really love all the improvements they have made with 2.o
2.0 newborn aio now has a cotton soaker that is sewn in with the cover. In addition to that, 2.0 also comes with a extra cotton booster with a stay dry top. I wish there was a place to snap this booster, because tiny things do get lost in the laundry.
The diaper is designed to fit babies from 6 to 12 lbs.
2.0 is a very simple aio with no rise snaps or a umbilical cord snap. It feels like like using a disposable diapers without having to make any adjustments. The diaper features a low front rise to it will nnot bother your baby’s healing stump.
A great diaper to throw in your purse while you are heading out. 2.o is trim, simple and will make diaper changes a breeze.
Final Word:
Newborn all in one’s are very convenient and easy to handle. Having a few aio’s in your newborn stash can come in handy while want to make quick diaper changes. They are also great while travelling and for other caregivers to use.
Here are my top newborn AIO recommendations:
- Thirsties Natural Newborn AIO
- GroVia Newborn AIO
- Born Smart Organic Newborn AIO
- Lil Joey’s AIO
- Blueberry Simplex Newborn AIO
- Imagine Newborn AIO
- Bumgenius Littles 2.0 AIO
What is your favorite aio? let us know in a comment.
