It’s been a while since I reviewed a fitted diaper, but that doesn’t mean this style isn’t an important part of our cloth diapering routine. Besides the bamboo prefolds we often a use, a good fitted diaper is one of my top picks for night time and extended day wear.
BB Cloth sent two complimentary “Butterfly” fitted diapers for me to test out on 18-month-old Ingrid and 3-year-old Erik. Customers can choose from different snap colors (including plain white); we received aqua and crimson.
BB Cloth’s Butterfly Fitted is a multi-layer diaper made with cotton on the outside and organic bamboo inside. There are two soakers inside which are only partially sewn-in; they fold out to either side giving the diaper a butterfly-like appearance. The design is meant to help cut down the drying time and make the diaper easier to clean thoroughly.
This fitted diaper is one-size, and adjustable to fit from 10 to 35+ pounds. There are three rows of snaps on the rise, which equates to four different sizes. As you can see in the second picture (side view), this is a very plush and thick diaper.
I washed the diaper 3 times before day use and after 5 washes, tested at night.
Performance: Both the cotton and the bamboo are very soft and smooth fabrics, so this diaper feels really nice against the skin. And it’s super absorbent! Besides extended wearing during the day Ingrid and Erik have both worn this fitted all night on several occasions with no leaks. It’s worked great as is for us, with no doublers needed. However, I do like to add a fleece liner inside at night for a more comfortable stay-dry feeling.
Ingrid usually wears a footed sleeper to bed and they fit over the diaper just fine. Erik either wears maxaloones (cloth diaper pants with extra fabric in the fear) or sweatpants.
The drawback to a butterfly style is that the soakers are not only permanently attached, but also a fixed size and length. When fastened at the very shortest rise setting, the diaper is much bulkier on a small baby than it is on an older infant or toddler.
Care for this diaper like you would any other cotton or bamboo fabric, using a good detergent and avoiding fabric softeners. This multi-layered fitted takes a long time to dry, especially the thick elasticized fabric around the leg openings. To save energy, I dry for a full cycle and then drape it over a towel bar to air dry the rest of the way.
Fit/Sizing: With three snaps on the rise, the Butterfly Fitted offers a wide range of sizing options starting at around 10 pounds. It’s not designed to fit most babies at the newborn stage. But there are crossover snaps on the wings for smaller/thinner infants. Ingrid at 18 months and 22 pounds wears the diaper with just one rise snap fastened, what you might call the “large” setting.
Even when the diaper has been completely saturated, wings and all, it doesn’t leave red marks on my children. And although it is very plush, the wings have a trim profile and the crotch is fairly narrow.
You might notice that Ingrid (who is over a year old) is wearing the waist snaps at their smallest setting (excluding the crossover option which would be far too small). If she was a little bit thinner, I think this would put her in between sizes at the waistband.
At age 3 and about 30 pounds, Erik wears it completely unsnapped (what I would say equates to “extra large”). He’s slender and of average height and by 35 pounds will max out the rise, which is in line with BB Cloth’s estimates.
What diaper covers work well over this fitted? In my testing, full-coverage wraps like Flip, Sweet Pea, Diaper Safari and Imagine/Nicki’s paired well with the Butterfly Fitted. When using trimmer covers like Best Bottoms and Buttons, I had to loosen the rise and waist snaps beyond where Ingrid usually wears them to accommodate the thickness of the diaper.
Value: BB Cloth’s Butterfly Fitted retails for just $19.95, which is very reasonable for a plush fitted made of both cotton and bamboo. BB Cloth offers a 30 warranty against manufacturer defects. Customers having any issues beyond defects in workmanship are welcome to contact BB Cloth to troubleshoot.
You can buy directly from the BB Cloth website, and also find pockets, AI2 diapers and accessories like inserts, cloth diaper keychains and teething necklaces.
Giveaway CLOSED BB Cloth is giving away a one-size Butterfly Fitted in the gender-neutral “Snow” color. This giveaway is open to both US and Canadian residents. Good luck!
Fitteds have become my favorite type of diaper so I would love to try this. I’ve never used one made like that.
these look pretty cool
They have some adorable prints for their pockets and AI2s! Love Ahoy Matey 🙂
I have not seen another butterfly style. This is unique. I wonder if the soakers get to the front and back well in the largest rise setting. They seem a bit shorter by the picture
I’m just starting to use fitteds. They seem like double work at first. But now I use them at night and we actually sleep all night! Would like to try these out.
Fitteds are my go to for naps and overnight. Thank you for the review! Glad to hear that they are absorbent as well as being made of natural fibres.
I love the unity pocket diaper but the others are cute too.
I have fallen in love with fitteds and want more! These look awesome and would be great for my daughter!
this diaper is very interesting looking. its definitely a unique design. Do you have any issues fitting it under clothing?
It’s a thick diaper, so at night we use footed PJ’s for Ingrid and either sweatpants or maxaloones for Erik. For daytime, it’s harder to get her tights/leggings to fit over the diaper, but with just a dress (no tights or leggings) we have no issues. I haven’t tried regular pants or jeans over the diaper b/c Ingrid doesn’t wear them. ~Anne
I love how soft and plush this fitted looks!
I’m definitely intrigued by the butterfly style!
They look amazing for overnight, but how well would they fit under jammies?
Hi Lindsay, it would depend on what your little one’s wearing. Ingrid wears a footed sleeper to bed and it fits over the diaper just fine. Erik either wears maxaloones (cloth diaper pants with extra fabric in the fear) or sweatpants. Trimmer PJ’s will probably not fit very well.
You always have the most helpful reviews since you can show how the diaper fits a wide range of kids! I’ve been following your blog since I was on my first baby (now expecting #3) and Erik was your newborn. 🙂
Thanks for sticking with me over the years, Laura. It makes me happy to read this! And congrats to you! ~Anne
Would love to try this fitted! I’m always looking for an absorbant one for night time 😊
We’ve never tried fitteds, but I have heard they can be helpful for nighttime. I love that these can fit under a flip cover!
These seem like a great price for such a well made diaper; how do they hold up for overnight? How much do they hold?
Both Erik and Ingrid have worn them overnight with no problems, as long as there’s a roomy cover on top to give full coverage. ~Anne
I’ve never seen a fitted like this before. This is a really interesting style. It looks super soft.
That really does seem like a great fitted. It looks super soft! I love the prints on a ton of their other diapers too!
I’m loving the “Hedgie: print, how cute 🙂
I really like the idea of the butterfly soaker system. More so for night, though. The thought of spraying tons of creases scares me. Haha
I would love another fitted. I just have one and I love it.
I would love to try this fitted style.
Their prints are adorable! And I love the options in bamboo. I’ve seen the butterfly style before, and thought of making some myself, but didn’t have time/ patience for this pattern. The price seems very reasonable for the complicated sewing and elastic placement that is involved. Great absorbent with thinner layers for cleaning.
I just started getting into fitteds for night time and would love to try these!
I adore the berry snaps on the fitted.
I would love to try these for my 4 month old. He is a heavy wetter and currently have to change him throughout the night using Green Mountain Diaper fitteds and prefolds because I only have two fitteds.
The butterfly fold is interesting. Looks like it would be very comfortable.