I have only recently decided to give cloth a go with this bub.
I have some fitted terry's on the way, and a stash of terry flats here already that my mum bought me last time round.

Question is, what is best to use on a newborn? My fitted may be a bit big-plus i only have 5, and terry flats are so bulky.

What other options are there to get me through in the early weeks til i build up a collection of MCN, and bubs is a bit bigger?? I can't afford to buy a stcak of MCN up front, so need to go a cheap option- baby is due in 4 weeks.

Any folds that will make the terry flats ok? or should i invest in something smaller/thinner?

Hi Tanya

I am only new to cloth myself, so I don't have much experience yet - but I decided to convert before my new baby comes in May.

I bought a heap of BumGenius one size pockets so that they will fit new bub and my toddler. But I was still concerned that they might be too big for bubs. They say they fit 8lbs!

So I made about 20 flanelette squares (just bought the flanelette from spotlight). It worked out to be less than $1 per nappy. But you can also buy flanelette nappies from KMart etc. The flanelette is much less bulky than terry, but you need to use pins as a snappi wont fasten to them.

Then I bought a few PUL covers. I think I have 4 all up, 2 Bummis, 1 Motherease Rikki, 1 Motherease airflow. In either Newborn size or small. These will go over the flanelette and also terry squares. I also bought 2 Eenees Snibs to use as a newborn cover, but they look so "plasticy" I probably wont use them.

I was thinking I would use a "Jo" fold on the flanelette nappies. A terry flat I think I would just do a double triangle, or the one where the back of the nappy looks like a triangle, with a big rectangle of fabric running down the middle (I would have to look it up to check the name of it). But I agree, they look so bulky on a newborn.

Anyway, hope that helps - if not, at least it will bump your post so someone with more knowledge might see it . Good luck with your new bub.

Yep, I second the flannel flats, I also use the Jo fold! They work very well for a newborn. If you use the jo fold it's really easy to boost up with another nappy or boosters in hemp or bamboo if you have any, without increasing the bulk too much.

Sibling4charlie - just a note on the bumG's I use these as well and I find that if you fasten them tightly on bub they tend to get a bit of compression leakage - they work best if they aren't too tight. I found they were fine on my newborn - if a bit hilarious looking because of the size - all nappy, no bub!

HIGHLY recommend Whizz Kidz NB fitteds and covers - they were my saviour!

They are so affordable - I think the NB fitteds are around $9 each and the covers are about $7 each - I also used those covers over my flats - I have no idea what fold it was called that I used - It was one that I didn't have to use pins or snappi's for - it was great - very easy!

Tanks girls.
I have just ordered myself a newborn Bubblebubs AIO, a small monkey doodlez AIO, some liners and a couple of boosters.

I have some terry flats so have ordered some Tots Bots PUL covers to go with them.

I'll see how the $$ are next week and will probably order some prefolds to try too. Any reccomendations?

I have managed to get an assortment of (new) newborn fitted nappies from Ebay over the last few months. They have all been around the $7-8 dollar mark. I haven't used them as yet, I used muslin squares in the Jo fold with DD2.
Buyena.com or the EB trading room also have small fitteds on and off. I managed to score 6 for $2 each

I was going to use terry flats, but now I use them for burp rags. Now I use prefolds and a few fitteds under Bummis SWW. I got the prefolds from snazzipants and theweewuns. I snappi them as I don't think a tri-fold will hold all that runny poo.

The weewuns unbleached organic cotton ones are thicker than the snazzipants bleached ones, but frankly I don't think it matters all that much as you are changing nappies all the time and you don't need all that much absorbency.

Here's a pic of DD in her froggy print wrap:

With the boys I just used flannelette squares and plastic snibs (triangle shaped plastic that you just tie.)
I did this for the first month or so until I was dying to get them into the new fitteds I'd bought LOL!

Mine went into Beehinds at about 5-6 weeks old and they were probably still smaller than the average newborn (were only 2 kilos each when born!) They worked brilliantly. I just folded over the top and they were on the smallest setting with the waist band overlapping ROFL. They were big but no bigger than the flannelette when you are working on a baby in 00000 clothes!

ETA- I also bought a pile of Size 1 Tots Bots off eBay very cheaply. Best money I ever spent as Levi is STILL in them 15 months later as he is a skinny little monkey (he is wearing a size 1 in my sig!)

ETA again some photos-
In a flannelette with snib

Beehinds with a motherease cover

awww they are adorable catnat