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I am expecting my first baby in July! I'm trying to decide One-size verses Sandy's Diapers. I've noticed some mom's prefer Sandy's. Can anyone explain to me the difference? If I decide on Sandy's should I invest in Newborn size (because they grow so fast!) and if so, how many should I buy?
This website is wonderful! It's been extremely helpful explaining usage, etc. It totally changed my thoughts about cloth diapers. |
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Unfortunetly there's no easy answer to the Sandy's vs One-Size question. They're both wonderful, high-quality diapers and it usually comes down to personal preference with a little variation depending on baby's shape thrown in for good measure.
I'll try to outline each diaper's pros and cons to help you a little.
One-Size pros:
-more economical because you only need to buy one set of diapers from birth to potty training
-only one set of diapers to purchase can also simplify things in terms of not having to take the time to buy another set of diapers (not a big deal if buying new but if you're trying to find a whole stash of used diapers in a certain condition at a certain price then it can be quite time consuming), you also never have to judge when it's the 'right' time to sell off the old ones and switch.
-can be a simpler system if you ever have two different aged babies in diapers at once because you'll be able to use the same diaper for both babies
-can offer a trimmer fit on older babies (trimmer than the Lg Sandy's)
One-Size cons:
-can be quite bulky on newborns or small infants
-slightly thinner than the Sandy's so it's a little less absorbant than the Lg Sandy's (the small Sandy's is smaller so it's less absorbant than the One-Size - this could be a pro for the early days)
-because it's a little less absorbant some moms with heavy wetting toddlers find they need to use a liner with each diaper (this is more the exception rather than the rule but it happens often enough that I think it's worth mentioning)
-some babies outgrow the One-Size before being potty trained - concerns only either very large toddlers or those who train late (either daytime and/or nighttime - some take a while before being dry at night). ME does sell extenders to help make the waist larger but this would not help much for rise fit issues.
-I found that the slightly looser elastic on the One-Size to lead to more poop-on-the-cover incidents than with the Sandy's. I don't know how common this is (especially that not all older babies have loose stools like mine always did) but I have others that reported similar incidents so I thought I'd mention it.
Sandy's pros:
-offers a more customized and usually trimmer fit, especially on newborns (this is more easthetically pleasing to some moms but even more important it can be helpful in clothes fitting)
-slightly more absorbant, useful for either heavy wetters or nighttime
-because there is a seperate set of snaps at the waist and legs you can customize the fit a bit more (for example a baby with a small waist and large thighs could be accomodated perhaps a bit better)
-because you're using two sets of diapers this means that each set gets less wear/tear than the one set of One-Size (this could mean a higher resale value or longer use period if using on multiple children)
Sandy's cons:
-more expensive because you need to buy at least two sets of diapers (although part of this can be offset by selling the smalls to help fund the purchase of the larges)
-although usually trimmer in the beginning, the large size is slightly bulkier than the One-Size
-the two sets of snaps could be a little intimidating to hesitant cloth users (like daddies, sitters or grand-parents), it's also four snaps to do instead of two and I have heard some people say that this annoyed them (especially with a fidgety baby that doesn't like changes).
Keep in mind that some of these pros/cons can vary from person to person. Especially those regarding fit, every baby is different and both diapers are cut quite differently. Although the biggest difference is that the One-Size gets folded down on smaller babies, it's also quite a different design (front snapping instead of side snapping, edged with elastic binding instead of a serged 'ruffle' etc...). Some factors will seem trivial to some all while being very important to others. I've tried to be as complete as I could but I am biased towards the Sandy's personally so it's possible I've missed something.
As for the newborn Sandy's, unless you're expecting a very small baby (family history of small babies or high risk of having a preemie) they're mostly a luxury and not a necessity. If you can afford them, they're nice to have but far from indispensable. If you decide to get some you could get just a few to use on specific occasions (or with specific newborn outfits that are outgrown so very quickly) or get a full stash of 24-36. All depends on your budget and perhaps how many children you intend to have (it's easier to justify the expense of newborns if you're planning to use them on 2-3 children as opposed to just one).
Remember also that you can combine different styles and sizes. For example, getting a few newborn, small Sandy's or infant prefolds to use (either occasionally or full-time) while waiting for the One-Size to fit a little better. Or even going half/half with the Sandy's and One-Size to be able to get some of the benefits of each depending on the situation.
Welcome to the board and congrats on your pregnancy! Stick around and feel free to ask any question that may pop into your head!
Karen. |
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Hello,
Karen's answer was so detailed that there is little to add, but I like adding my grain of salt anyway ;-)
When our son was born, at 7 pounds, we had 13 XS (newborn) Sandys and 24 OS. Right from the start, we liked the OS better. We sometimes had trouble getting the poop out of the ruffles on the side of the Sandys, whereas the OS seemed easier to rinse (our washing machine doesn't do pre-rinse so we elected to rinse them ourselves, although when exclusively breastfed, you can put the poopy diapers straight in the washing machine). Both diaper worked great and we never had a leak, but I also found it annoying to always have to adjust from one type of snaps to the other, especially at night when extremely sleep-deprived in the beginning.
Even though the OS seemed huge for the first few days, we got used to it and soon started using mostly those. I still liked having the Sandys for cute, tiny outfits, but since my baby was mostly in pajamas, it wasn't a big deal. He outgrew the Sandys at only 2 months, and at that point I found that 24 OS didn't quite cut it, as we have bamboo and they dry more slowly, so I had to buy more OS. My thought at the time was that I would have been better skipping the newborn size and just getting more of the OS diaper.
Of course, now that I'm expecting a second one, I'm not at all upset that I have 13 newborn diapers for the beginning. But it is definitely not necessary, so it depends on how much luxury you want to afford, and how comfortable you think you'll be with the bulk.
As for numbers, newborns tend to go through 12-14 diapers a day in the beginning. So many people find 24 to be a good number, but we preferred 36 because we don't have our own washer/dryer (we have to use the building's laundry room) and bamboo dries a bit slower, so that gave us an extra cushion in case we couldn't do the laundry right when we needed it. It really depends a lot on your situation and if you want to line dry or use the drier, weather in your neck of the woods if you line dry, etc. And keep in mind that even if you had 100 diapers, you probably won't be able to fit more than 2 days worth in your washer...
Hope that helps, good luck! |
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Just thought I would put in my two cents since I just had a baby 7 weeks ago. We have a pretty large stash of XS sandies - around 36 and I have really LOVED having them. The OS diapers looked so HUGE on my son when he was first born and the sandies do a really good job of keeping poop in. He is starting to wear his OS diapers now and they fit under his outfits fine, just didn't fit under his tiny outfits when he was a newborn. And every time I put him in disposables for a babysitter or to fit under a really trim outfit he ends up pooping on his clothes  But my son is a super-pooper and loves to try to blow it out of his diaper. He was 7 lbs at birth and the XS sandies are just now getting outgrown at 7 weeks. Not because they are too short or the waist is too small, but because he has THUNDER THIGHS. So if your baby ends up with smaller legs they would probably fit longer. And I did find having a large number of diapers to be helpful because I felt like I was always sleep deprived and behind on everything, including laundry, when he first arrived! Hope this is helpful. |
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loribeattie,
Just a tip, to get more use out of the x-smalls, try leaving the thigh snap undone. My twins also had fairly large thighs and while the rise and waist fit fine they were getting too snug at the thigh. So the last few weeks we left the thigh snap undone and it worked great. Never leaked or had blowouts because of it and we got probably and extra 2-3 weeks wear out of them. In total we use them about 3-4 months...
Karen. |
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| Thanks Karen for the suggestion. I actually thought about doing this because the covers still fit ok, just the legs on the diapers were too tight. But I was afraid to try it because of the risk of poo blow out. Will try it though so I can maybe use them a couple more weeks. |
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We bought a full set of one-size diapers before our son was born because that was the more economical approach and a friend recommended them. My friend warned me that she and her husband used to laugh about their newborn son's "ghetto booty" so I was prepared for them to be big, but I was still taken aback by how big they were the first few months. The first time we used them we accidentally covered up his belly button and it got wet, so we then switched to disposables until the umbilical cord stump was fully healed. I then ordered 4 XS sandy's and an XS cover, and I loved them! They are really super cute! We kept using the OS as well, but I really loved using the sandy's as often as possible. After a few months he outgrew the XS, so I ordered 6 small sandy's, and then 6 large sandy's, to supplement the OS. I get really happy when I get to put the cute sandy's on him, but the OS are much more economical.
Good luck deciding!
Courtney |
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Thanks for the great post everyone! I have a similar question- I have 24 Small sandys that I bought used for a killer deal. I didn't start CD'ing my son until he was 6mo old but this new baby we are starting right at the beginning. Do you think I will need more than 24 at the beginning? Should I purchase more smalls? Or would it be better to suppliment with OS dipes so that I can use them at the beginning as well as when they outgrow the small Sandys? OR- is it better to just stick with one 'type' and buy some medium Sandys?
There's just too many options! |
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| I think going with the OS diapers is the way to go, that way you still have something when the baby grows out of the small sandys. I love my OSM's. |
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I think that esp. if you are viewing them as possibly supplemental, it could make sense to get some OS. They'll be bulkier on a newborn than the S Sandys, but will do the job just the same, and then you've got something you can use longer, too.
That being said, I have had mostly OS with 6 or 7 S and L Sandys, and I have enjoyed having the different diaper types. They both work great, but have their own strengths. But if you think you'll be bugged by the different styles or that it could lead to conflict (like in a case where DH is not on board and views learning two diaper types oppressive), then it might just be best to have all one kind. |
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