Chelory Releases the miniC for Newborns: Review

A newborn is hard work.  Therefore, I prefer to keep the diaper choices simple to counteract that.

For me that means all-in-ones are fantastic. That’s not all I use but they are what my overworked hands reach for first.

After Finley was born Rachel, wahm behind Chelory, contacted me about her brand new miniC.  The miniC is designed to fit newborns starting at about 6lbs and fitting until baby graduates to the Chelory one-sized.

The miniC is superbly constructed.  I’ve gushed over the quality of Chelory cloth diapers in the post Is This The Perfect Cloth Diaper?

Rachel is highly gifted at her skill. But, that’s not the most important aspect of a cloth diaper.  The one thing I want to know is does it leak?

With newborns that’s a tricky challenge!  It’s all about containment, absorbency and fit.  How does the miniC fare?

Sizing: The miniC hits the market right at an area that is fairly void.  With 2 rise settings you get more use out of this newborn diaper.

From birth, I haven’t had a problem with Finley’s diapers getting too close to his belly button (obviously in this photo taken at 3 weeks the umbilical wasn’t an issue).  He has a long rise which is good for no rubbing…bad for growing out of tiny diapers too soon.

Below you can see the miniC at both settings.  For Finley at 3 weeks and 9 1/2lbs the more comfortable setting is the large rise (or unsnapped) setting.

Rise measurements:

Smallest Setting UNstretched: about 8
Smallest Setting stretched: about 11

Largest Setting UNstretched: about 10
Largest Setting stretched: about 13

Fit: The umbilical notch is much easier than having a snap down option.  With the miniC design and soft “loop” fabric there is no rubbing on the tummy by the panel.

The hook & loop closure allows for easy adjustments and simple diaper changes.

At the legs Finley gets a gentle tight seal with the encased elastic design.

Inner fabric & Absorbency: The miniC inner consists of a stay-dry wicking jersey and soaker comprised of bamboo and zorb.  The same contents as the one-sized stay-dry Chelory.

The ultimate absorbing capabilities are due to the unique combination of Bamboo and Zorb. Zorb is a revolutionary new product that can absorb 10 times it’s weight in less than half a second — that’s 20 times faster than cotton. It has the amazing ability to wick moisture evenly throughout the entire absorbent surface area.

The loop soaker is designed for quick drying.  To speed drying time fold the soaker around the diaper in this fashion:

Containment: Chelory’s back elastic is great at holding in any major up the back explosions.  I’ve also not had any leaks out the legs.

I have, however, had problems with leaks up the front.  Finley sleeps on his tummy for naps and yesterday woke up with a soaked onesie.  Without front elastic or a PUL panel this is a likely occurrence, especially for boys.

Value: Chelory miniC retails for $21.50.  A huge savings over disposable diapers but higher on the scale for newborn cloth diapering options.

The quality and durability of the miniC combined with the above mentioned points more than adequately deserves this price point.  Purchasing diapers from a WAHM here in the USA boosts the value in my eyes.

Overall: The miniC has many more pros than cons.

Pros

• Easy
• Well made. Quality materials.
• Made in the USA
• 2 rise settings for wider size range
• Absorbent
• Umbilical notch
• Encased elastic providing gentle containment
• Back elastic
• Loop soaker allowing for several layers that dry quickly

Cons

• No belly panel or front elastic leads to leaks for tummy sleepers
• Hook & Loop tabs aren’t super sticky–not a huge problem with newborns

Where to buy: You can purchase the miniC starting Monday February 25, 2013, from the Chelory website.  There are 16 solid color choices and prints soon to be added.

Here is a collage comparing the size of the miniC to a newborn Ragababe AIO

Did I miss anything?