Have you been blessed with a little chunk? We have two of those! (Samuel and Susanna). Their round tummies and fat little thighs presented some cloth diapering challenges I didn’t experience with the others. Diapers that fit like a glove on slim little Benjamin were digging into their stomachs and leaving really bad red marks on their legs.
Here are some brands I discovered that work really well for my little chunks:
Diaper Covers:
- Sweet Pea covers are very roomy and have soft double gussets. Plus, I love the super soft PUL and how it fits comfortably even on a fat little tummy. The price is one of the best on the market, just $10.95. And they have a lot of really cute prints.
- Wallypop covers are made with thick, premium Windpro fleece and close with aplix, which allows you to fine-tune the fit at the leg and waist. Unlike a PUL cover, the leg gussets are soft, squishy fleece. Samuel was the only baby I used fleece covers on, and for good reason! Wallypops are $13.50 each.
- Swaddlebees Capri covers and Blueberry Coveralls run big and fit great. As a bonus, they are super durable, come with a great warranty and are available in a huge selection of prints and colors. However, the price is a bit higher: from $16.95 and up. Nicki’s sells both brands with free shipping.
- Flip covers work well for chunky babies, too! Although they don’t have double gussets, the leg elastics are roomy and very gentle. And you get the great Flip fit and Cotton Babies warranty. You can also get Flips shipped free at Nicki’s. The covers are moderately priced at $13.95
- Disana wool soakers (and any other interlock wool cover) are soft, stretchy and very forgiving on chunky legs. Plus, if your chunk also happens to be a heavy wetter, wool is nearly bulletproof. My favorite place to find Disana diapering products is Little Spruce Organics. They have a special coupon code just for my readers: ZH15 gets you 15% off (excludes items already on sale).
- Motherease covers are very generously sized, and quite breathable. You can also find them at Nicki’s with free shipping.
- SoftBums is a highly adjustable diapering system with an irresistbily cute selection of prints and colors. The secret is in the Slide2Size elastic system. This is a premium USA made diapering system and prices start at $20.00. Nicki’s has the full selection.
- Motherease Fitteds run large, and have super soft and gentle leg openings. Pair them with the roomy covers mentioned above and it could be a winning combo for your chunk. Chunkabutt fitteds (great name, right?) are a WAHM diaper I’ve reviewed that performed super well on Susanna’s fat little legs!
- Oh Katy and Happy Heinys were my favorite pockets when Susanna and Samuel were in the “chunky baby” phase. They are getting really hard to find but I just saw some over at Irresistibly Green today (orders over $20 ship free). Both brands are high quality, American-made products. The thick fleece inside is soft and comfortable for chunky babies and you get 2 inserts with your purchase. Both of these pockets have two snaps on the waistband, so you can “angle” the closure to make the leg opening a little roomier.
- BumGenius 4. o or Elementals might work for your chunk. I love how they fit on my toddlers and the leg openings are generous and gentle, yet keep messes in. The entire bumGenius line up is available at Diaper Safari with free shipping.
- Imagine pockets from Nicki’s are excellent for large or chunky babies. The fleece is softer than a bumGenius and the price is considerably lower. The colors are fun and bright; wish they would add more, though!
- Funky Fluff AI2 diapers have a lot of room to grow, with 4 snaps on the rise. They are available in bamboo and stay-dry and can also be used pocket-style. Although Canadian made, you can find them at The Joyful Giraffe here in the US.
By the way, just because you’re seeing a little redness on your baby’s legs doesn’t necessarily mean there’s a problem, especially if they go away pretty quickly after a change. A snug-fitting diaper that’s working well to keep messes in might leave a few red marks. However, if the redness is severe or really bothering your baby, then it really is too tight.
What has worked well for your little chunk?
Laurie P says
So far, our best fit has been a diaper from UrbunSprout, but I’m checking out your recommendations as soon as lunch is over, thanks for the help!!
Zephyr Hill says
Anytime, thanks for sparking a great conversation! ~Anne
Liz B. says
I get a great fit with Smart Snugs pockets on my chunk. They have wide leg elastic that is gentle on chubby thighs.
Zephyr Hill says
That’s good to know! I’m actually reviewing the new Smart Snugs AI2 right now and will report back after I test the fit on my toddlers. ~Anne
Felicia says
Love this article. My oldest 2 were tiny & still are & I had my first “chunk” in January, so I loved reading this. I just go into wool, so I want to try Disana wool 🙂
Anna says
I love bumgenius on my chunky daughter, but I’ve also liked sized Fuzzibunz. Tried a couple of their elites when she was tiny, but even then they didn’t fit. Probably wouldn’t have tried the sized if I hadn’t found them used…she grew out of small by 4 months and from 10-12 months I had to move her up to large to accomodate her chunky per-walking thighs. Now at 13 months she is slimming down (she runs everywhere) so I’ve moved her back into Medium.
Zephyr Hill says
I also didn’t have much luck with the Elite, Anna. But I’ve heard that the sized ones do work! ~Anne
Lisa H says
Best Bottom covers are the only diaper my chunky daughter doesn’t leak in. Charlie Banana and BumGenius one size diapers aren’t too bad but do leak sometimes.
Jenna says
I love this compilation! I do think that some parents get frustrated with cloth diapering once baby gets “too big” for the one-size ones. I know this list will be so helpful for them 🙂 My girls were never too big for any of our one-size dipes, but there’s always the future! 😉
Zephyr Hill says
My babies tend to be small, and Samuel and Susanna actually are quite small. But their legs are very fat! ~Anne
Laura11 says
Thank you so much for reviewing all the options. When you’re considering cloth diapering in advance of having a baby, it can be a little overwhelming. This was a helpful post – thank you!
Leela says
My baby boy recently ballooned (went from the 30th percentile in weight to the 90th) and so I’m having to figure out how to make his diapers fit again. He’s also in the 90th in height though so I’m finding that on some diapers I have him on the tallest rise…but he’s only just 5 months! So much for one size diapers. The best trick I have is to use a bunch of different types of diapers. What fits today may not fit tomorrow, but something else will start fitting better.
Zephyr Hill says
Wow, he is growing so far, that is just unbelievable, Leela! Have you ever checked out Snap-EZ? She’s a work at home mom and has diapers in ANY size….even up to adults. ~Anne
Rumsita says
Your littles are so darn cute! I need the opposite of this post though, mine are skinny. Ha!
Victoria W. says
love love love the comparison, your pictures are so helpful (I love to read but with diapers it’s so valuable to see and besides they’re cute and should be shown off, right 😀 )
If little dude keeps up the way he is this could be a very useful article in the future
Rachel N says
I love bumgenius products on my chubby babies, they fit great!
Allison S says
Thank you so much for this post. When you are new to cloth diapering, it is nice to be able to read what other moms’ opinions. Thank you for documenting, and posting pictures!
Zephyr Hill says
Glad it was helpful to you, Allison! ~Anne
Anna says
I totally agree that softbums slidetofit is the way to go on my chubby little daughter. That and my Charlie Bananas are my best fitting siapers, both having adjustable elastics around the thighs. I seem to have a much harder time getting a good fit from diapers with a snap rise.
Zephyr Hill says
The adjustable elastic is a really neat concept, isn’t it? ~Anne
Heather says
Hi Anne, I tried the 15% off code for the Disana wool cover at little spruce is not working for me. Is it expired or what it for one specific size? Thank you!
Zephyr Hill says
I will check and let you know something ASAP! Thanks for asking, Heather. ~Anne
Zephyr Hill says
Heather, the coupon code is still active and valid, but it can’t be used for items on sale. I think the Disana covers are already discounted right now, so you can get a good deal on them! ~Anne
Latasha says
These are some great recommendations! I’ve used Glow Bugs on my girl for a while now and they are highly adjustable but I’m wanting to get some covers, too.
Anna says
My little one has superthighs. She just passed one and her thighs make it so that there are very few diapers that fit comfortably. Just to share; here is what we have tried:
Works well:
– SoftBums!!! Cant say enough great things about them
– Charlie Banana. a good workhorse, still fits but has been tight for a while now.
– TotsBots bamboozle plus Stretchywrap! Awsome combo and still fitts well since it is a two sized system.
– TotsBots EasyFit. Not my abolute favorite, but can be recommended.
– gDiapers
Works less well or not att all:
– Bumgenius. Just dont fit a baby of my shape (only tried Flio and Freetime, but. Im assuming Elementals and 4.0s have the same shape.
– GroVia. love the prints and the diaper in general, but always looked uncomfortable on the little one.
– Rumparooz. Never happy with the fit.
– Little Lamb size 2 is too small in my chunk. I would try a size 3 if I hadnt tried bamboozle.
.. Im probably forgetting something
Anne says
Anna, thank you so much for sharing your insights about what’s worked well with your baby girl! I really should review a Softbums one of these days because of all the glowing recommendations. And although I’ve tried the Tots Bots Bamboozle fitteds, the Stretchy Wrap is new to me. ~Anne