In Depth Baby Product Reviews Led by a Pediatrician

Thirsties Newborn All in One Review

An itty bitty, AIO diaper perfectly sized for the first few months of life, but not much longer
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thirsties newborn all in one cloth diaper review
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Price:  $20 List
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Manufacturer:   Thirsties
By Abriah Wofford & Juliet Spurrier, MD  ⋅  Mar 23, 2023
47
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#9 of 13
  • Absorbency - 35% 2.0
  • Fit/Leakage - 30% 6.0
  • Comfort - 20% 5.0
  • Ease of Use - 15% 8.0

The Skinny

Thirsties Newborn All In One is created specifically for small infants during the first few months of life when they might not have grown into regular cloth diapers yet. With an all-natural fiber interior and a soft waterproof polyester outer, it will not irritate sensitive newborn skin. You can only use this all-in-one diaper once before laundering, and diapering your little one will require multiple diapers throughout the day, so you will need to build your diaper stash to be prepared. But, this newborn-specific AIO has found the perfect balance between absorbency and bulk for tiny babies. We recommend this cloth diaper to anyone looking to use cloth from the beginning.
REASONS TO BUY
Smaller sizing
Natural fibers
Simple to use
REASONS TO AVOID
Non-wicking fabric
Short usage period
Editor's Note: This review was updated with new sections and comparison information on February 28, 2023.

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Price $20.00 List
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Pros Smaller sizing, natural fibers, simple to useHighly absorbent, soft fabric, no leakageTrim fit, easy assembly, easy to get good fitAssembly free, option for extra inserts, quick absorbencyAbsorbent, soft lining, large pocket
Cons Non-wicking fabric, short usage periodBulky, requires stuffingFree floating liner, single gussetNon-removable bulk, single gusset, line dry onlyBulky, difficult to adjust, requires stuffing
Bottom Line An itty bitty, AIO diaper perfectly sized for the first few months of life, but not much longerA high-quality pocket diaper with absorbency superpowers, but requires extra effortEasy to use, easy to clean diaper perfect for on-the-go cloth diaperingAn easy-to-use diaper that's perfect for first-time cloth users but has a bulkier fitA no-frills pocket-style diaper that is bulky but has a strong absorbency performance
Rating Categories Thirsties Newborn A... Rumparooz Pocket Flip with Stay Dry... bumGenius Freetime Imagine Baby Pocket...
Absorbency (35%)
2.0
9.0
7.0
6.0
8.0
Fit/Leakage (30%)
6.0
9.0
7.0
6.0
5.0
Comfort (20%)
5.0
8.0
7.0
5.0
4.0
Ease of Use (15%)
8.0
4.0
7.0
8.0
6.0
Specs Thirsties Newborn A... Rumparooz Pocket Flip with Stay Dry... bumGenius Freetime Imagine Baby Pocket...
Style All-in-one (AIO) Pocket Hybrid/AI2 All-in-one (AIO) Pocket
Tested Material Diaper Natural & Synthetic Fiber: Cotton, Hemp, Polyester Synthetic Fiber: Polyester, Polyamide Synthetic Fiber: Polyester, Nylon, Spandex Synthetic Fiber: Polyester, Nylon, Spandex Synthetic Fiber: Polyester, Nylon
Weight Range 5 to 14 lbs 6 - 35+ lbs 8 to 35 lbs 8 to 35 lbs 8 to 35+ lbs
Gusset Single Double Single Single Single

Our Analysis and Test Results

Founded in 2014 by Erin Kimmett, Thirsties is a Colorado company born from the desire to create the perfect cloth diaper cover. In the early months of the company, covers were patterned, cut, and sewn by Erin on her dining room table. With a few tweaks along the way, the company grew into one of the most popular cloth diapers on the market. Still made in Colorado, the Thirsties company strives to make it easy to choose cloth for diapering, creating an affordable combination of social and environmental consciousness.

Performance Comparison


thirsties newborn all in one cloth diaper review - picture of the thirsties newborn all in one laid out. the inserts...
Picture of the Thirsties Newborn All In One laid out. The inserts are sewn in at the top of the diaper and are made of 55% hemp and 45% organic cotton.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Likes


There's much to like about the Thirsties Newborn diaper compared to the cloth diaper competition. It has double hemp/organic cotton inserts attached to the diaper at one end, and an additional layer is sewn into the lining for added absorbency. We like that this allows you to layer the inserts differently depending on your baby's absorbency needs. We love the all-in-one style that makes things easy right from the get-go; there is nothing to snap or fold before you can put the diaper on the baby. Laundering aside, it is just as easy to use as any disposable diaper. To clean the diaper, toss it into the machine to wash with a top-ranked baby detergent and dry it. However, we recommend line-drying all your cloth diaper covers.

thirsties newborn all in one cloth diaper review - the cotton lining covers the inner edge of the gusset, keeping it...
The cotton lining covers the inner edge of the gusset, keeping it soft and smooth against the baby's legs.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

The best part about this diaper is that it eliminates bulk for little newborns. The smaller cover and thinner inserts give you precisely what you need to handle newborn waste, no more, no less. The soft cotton lining reaches the outer edge of the single gusset and is cozy against sensitive skin. The outer fabric of the cover is waterproof polyester and very soft so as not to cause irritation. It has two snap positions for the rise, and four for the waist, allowing you to adjust the fit for any baby within the weight range. There is only one row of snaps around the waist. While we usually prefer two, this diaper is so small that we can't imagine trying to fit a double row of snaps in this space. We feel that one row is sufficient for this purpose.

thirsties newborn all in one cloth diaper review - the single row of snaps was enough for us to feel like we could get...
The single row of snaps was enough for us to feel like we could get a secure fit on baby.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Dislikes


There are a few downsides to buying such a situation-specific diaper. You are likely buying this because you want it to fit a small infant. While it does this job very well, it will only work for an infant. The max weight for this diaper is 14 lbs, which most babies will reach within the first 3-4 months. The small size of these diapers does not mean they cost less. The short usage span means you will have to completely rebuild your stash soon after birth, nearly doubling the cost of putting diapers on your baby.

Not intended to hold as much liquid as we tested it with, the...
Not intended to hold as much liquid as we tested it with, the Thirsties Newborn All In One did not perform well in its original test.
After testing with a reusable microfiber liner in place, the...
After testing with a reusable microfiber liner in place, the absorbency test looked much better.

Also, it's good to remember that the inserts and lining of the Newborn All In One are natural fibers. Material like this can be gentle on baby skin and eco-health, but natural fibers can have poor wicking capabilities. To remedy this issue, we recommend purchasing a reusable microfiber liner. We tested this diaper with and without, and in the photos above, you can see how much of a difference microfiber can make. We must admit that the first result can be somewhat deceiving. We tested all diapers with 100 ml of mock urine no matter what, so we could get an apple-to-apple comparison between products. The Thirsties Newborn diaper is intended for smaller babies than we were basing our tests on and is not meant to hold that much liquid. The diaper contained all the mock urine during our in-lab testing. With the added microfiber liner, the diaper performed relatively well.

Absorbency


This tiny diaper is meant to be worn by tiny babies and only will capture a tiny amount of urine. To add to this, the inside of the diaper is all-natural fabrics and has no wicking lining. Thus, this AIO scored near the bottom in our absorbency tests.


However, we did a second round of testing with a reusable microfleece liner, and the diaper performed relatively well, especially considering its small comparative size.

thirsties newborn all in one cloth diaper review - the two hemp and cotton blend inserts have good absorbency but...
The two hemp and cotton blend inserts have good absorbency but aren't fantastic at wicking.
Credit: Abriah Wofford

Should You Buy the Thirsties Newborn All In One?


Necessity is the mother of invention, and the Thirsties Newborn All In One is a diaper born with a specific need in mind. Designed to fit babies during the first few months of life when they are so small that regular-sized cloth diapers would look clownish on them. If you strongly dislike using disposable diapers to fill this gap, we suggest trying this niche product. It is easy to use and functions well, making it a cloth diaper we would use on our babies or recommend to a friend.

What Other Cloth Diaper Should You Consider?


Since your newborn will grow like a weed, it can be more appealing to purchase an option with a broader age range, like the Rumparooz Pocket, which is a one-size cloth diaper that's highly adjustable, fitting babies from 6 - 40 lbs. It's an exceptional cloth diaper that surpassed most of the competition, especially in the fit/leakage metric, as it's remarkably absorbent and has double gussets, which we consider a must for leak protection. However, the Rumparooz Pocket is a little more involved to use. Otherwise, the bumGenius Freetime is much easier to use, keeping things simple. It's more absorbent than Thirsties and it may work well during your baby's first couple of months when less absorbency is needed.

Abriah Wofford & Juliet Spurrier, MD
 

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