Newborn Reviews: Charlie Banana and GroVia Buttah + a Giveaway

Lydia, our 10th baby, arrived at the end of April, and I got to try two cloth diapers on her that haven't made it to my extensive review list yet!

They are Charlie Banana's newborn pocket and GroVia's Buttah diaper in the newborn size. Note: Lydia is approximately 8 pounds and 20.5 inches long in these photos.

Charlie Banana Pocket Diaper 

Charlie Banana is famous for its "signature softness" and this little newborn pocket is no exception, with a cozy fleece lining and smooth, high-quality PUL on the outside. There's no prepping needed before first use, so you can try it on your newborn right away!

I really like the stretchy wings and single row of snaps for ease of use, as well as the pure and simple white color.

And unlike other newborn pockets I've tried over the years, this one is not so tiny that it's difficult to stuff the insert. The fit on Lydia, an average sized newborn, is trim and cute, with leg openings that aren't too tight or too loose. Unlike other Charlie Banana diapers, the newborn pocket does not have adjustable leg elastics.

The Charlie Banana newborn diaper is $16.88 and sold at their online shop.

There are two drawbacks I should mention. First is the limited availability. It's definitely hit or miss, so I was glad to snag one in my last trimester. Secondly, if you don't care for synthetic fabrics, there's not a newborn diaper available (yet) with cotton, bamboo or hemp.

GroVia Buttah Newborn All-in-One

GroVia newborn diapers are a favorite here, so I was happy to see the new "Buttah" style available in a tiny size. It's got the same contoured fit and sturdy GroVia snap closure, but with a soft and fuzzy polyester velour outer.

So it's very soft, both inside and out. That's a definitely plus, especially when you have a tiny little newborn with sensitive skin that you want to pamper! Another bonus is the construction, which is 80% organic cotton.

The internal (hidden soaker) is two layers of hemp and cotton, and the semi-attached soaker is three layers of hemp and cotton topped with stay-dry fleece.

It has a slight edge over other natural fiber AIO newborn diapers I've tried in terms of drying time; this is thanks to the quick-dry design of the semi-attached soaker.

Any drawbacks? The longer your baby wears it, the more prone it will be to odor because of the synthetic poly velour and microfleece. This diaper is designed to fit 5-12 pounds. I found found that after her 2-week growth spurt, if Lydia wore it for more than a couple of hours, moisture would through the leg elastics and out to her clothing. So the average newborn might outgrow the absorbency before outgrowing the diaper. And there's not much room inside for extra boosters, or it creates either too much bulk or causes the leg openings to gape.

Because of the natural fibers, you'll need to wash this diaper 3-5 times before it's absorbent enough to use for a couple of hours or more.

The GroVia Buttah newborn diaper is available at GroVia and Dearest Diapers and Sweetbottoms Baby Boutique for $16.95.

Thanks for reading my two newest reviews! See below for how to enter the cloth diaper giveaway.

Enter to win your choice

of a Charlie Banana pocket diaper!

Giveaway: One size Charlie Banana pocket diaper with fleece. Winner chooses print or color. Open to US residents only, ages 18 and up.

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