Ok, I’ll admit the original reason I looked into these diapers is because I liked the name. I’ve been using Kushies, but my husband doesn’t like to use them. He has problems with the fact that they’re always sopping wet whenever he changes them (which is probably because he doesn’t change them often enough)
So I bought a single Fuzzibunz diaper to try out. I will add that I tried the "new and improved" version. I liked it so much, I bought a set.
What is it
Fuzzibunz is a cloth diapering system. Traditionally one would take a flat or prefold cloth diaper, pin it to the baby, and then put some sort of plastic pants or wrap over the diaper to prevent the moisture from leaking out. This also leaves a wet, soggy diaper on the baby. Fuzzibunz are a micro fleece pocket with a waterproof back. You put a diaper or doubler in the pocket, or you can use one of the new terrycloth inserts made by the same company, and then you snap the whole thing closed. No pins to worry about. The fleece on the inside wicks the moisture away from the baby and onto the absorbent material that you’ve placed in the pocket.
Right now, they only come in standard white, or for about $1 more, you can get them in limited edition, bright solid colors, such as red, blue, or kelly green.
How they fit
My daughter is probably a little over 12 pounds, close to 13, so I ordered the medium size. It says that it will fit 13-25 pounds, so this should last a while. It was a perfect fit. I was worried about snap closures, but the material is stretchy enough that it isn’t a problem, and it fits snuggly around the legs without cutting off circulation. The fleece also makes up for minor gaps, because the furry texture will catch loose poop that might get through a plain cloth diaper.
How to care for them
The care instructions are to dry pail them, machine wash and dry with low heat, so it couldn’t be easier there. The only thing is that you do have to take a sopping wet diaper or insert out when you put it into the wash, but it’s still less disgusting than messing with regular cloth diapers all the time.
You could use a wet pail, too, but frankly I consider the idea of dirty diapers soaking in water to be way too disgusting to ever try myself.
If you want your diapers to last longer, you can take the Fuzzibunz out and line dry them separately, instead of putting them in the dryer. This is super easy to do,since they're just fleece and waterproof fabric. They're practically dry when you take them out of the wash. I turn mine inside out and they're dry within an hour.
What I really like
Fleece lining – it’s a really thin fleece, and it really works. The fleece liner is very soft and does keep her dry. I gave it the ever dreaded overnight sleep test, and it worked like a charm. The fleece has pilled a bit with frequent washings, but it hasn't lost any of it's effectiveness. The pilling is all on the inside, so it won't leave anything behind on the baby.
Snap closures. After pondering this, I realized that snap closures will work better for an older baby, and they won’t pill up the fabric in the wash. The snaps are plastic, so they won't ever rust. The manufacturer guarantees the snap will last for the lifetime of the diaper.
The name. Ok, it’s the cutest diaper name on the market. Who could resist?
You don’t have to change the baby as often. This saves on laundry time and makes them an overall better value.
What I don’t like
The price.
They don’t come in prints, but I don’t generally use a diaper as an article of clothing by itself, anyway.
The name - Ok, I like the name, but the same name has been used for several generations of this diaper. If you buy one used, you may get the "new and improved" kind, or you may end up with one with a fleece outer layer that leaks. Maybe they should be called Fuzzibunz Ultra or Fuzzibunz 4000.
Is it worth the price?
They are super expensive – around $14.95 per diaper, not including the doubler, so it is a real investment. You can leave them on for longer between changings, so it really makes up for itself, overall.
I bought the "Manufacturer's Special" which includes 12 diapers, 12 terrycloth inserts, 2 doublers (for night diapering), and 12 fleece-lined cloth wipes for $192. This is everything that you'd need to get started, but it does mean you have to do laundry every day.
The extras in the set
The terrycloth inserts are nice and trim, and very effective. They look like three layers of hand towel. The doublers are the same terrycloth as the inserts, but not quite as thick.
The wipes are fleece on one side, bright jungle printed flannel on the other. It makes sense to use cloth wipes with cloth diapers, because you just toss them into the same diaper pail and wash. The fleece liner makes these wipes nice and soft, as opposed to the standard flannel wipes, which my husband thinks are like wiping my daughter's butt with sandpaper.
The “Bottom” Line
If you’re considering cloth, go ahead and try one to see if you like it, and then go for the set.
Don't buy it used, because you're likely to get an older model, which is less effective.
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
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