Smart Bottoms Born Smart Newborn Cloth Diaper Review

While my last two babies certainly fit the weight requirement for one-size cloth diapers, the diapers did not fit their body type well. One-sized diaper swamped these long, lean boys with trim waists and skinny legs. This meant either using disposables until one-size diapers fit on the lowest setting or investing in newborn cloth diapers. This time around, we opted to use newborn cloth diapers almost exclusively.

Patterns and Colors

We tried our first Smart Bottoms Cloth Diaper with Sebastian, eager to add it to our stash after reading rave reviews about the brand from trusted bloggers. Smart Bottoms let me select a Born Smart Newborn Diaper in the pattern of my choice and I thought a baby boy would look dapper in Emerson. I was torn between this pattern, the Epic chevrons, and the playful Tie Dye. I also liked the variety of bright colors, but I’m all about the patterns, especially when they are the same price as solids. Having a number of adorable patterns to decide between is definitely a plus in my book!

Natural Fibers

When our Emerson arrived, I was immediately impressed by the design and couldn’t wait to prep it! Smart Bottoms are natural fiber diapers and require a minimum of 6 washes to reach their full absorbency. I rarely have patience for so many prep washes, so I usually do a couple to release natural oils, then expect the diaper to reach its full absorbency over time. If you buy several (or a stash) of natural fiber diapers all at once, the 6 washes is no big deal, but it’s a bit inconvenient for a single diaper.

The plus sides to natural fibers, however, most likely outweigh the negatives of prepping them. Natural fibers are gentle on baby’s skin and highly absorbent. They are also a great way to avoid diaper rashes and skin reactions to synthetic fabrics.

Design

We tried several different newborn brands and styles with Sebastian; from simple aplix AIOs, to snap AI2s, to fitteds and covers. I found the aplix diapers to be the simplest solution for night time changes, but the Smart Bottoms Born Smart features a thoughtful snap design that definitely put it at the top of my newborn diaper stash.

The Born Smart is clearly made by someone who has diapered a newborn and understands how to balance fit, style, comfort, and ease of use. The umbilical cord notch is a thoughtful addition that allows the diaper to fit properly at the waist from birth, without concern over rubbing against the umbilical cord stump. This diaper also has two rise options, giving it a longer shelf life than some competitors. Even with a long baby, we used the smallest setting initially, but I was pleased to see no dreaded leg gaps when we transitioned to the larger setting.

Fit

I appreciate that the Born Smart only uses on row of snaps to secure a good fit. I realize that double rows of snaps are generally viewed as a popular way to achieve an optimized fit, but they require wider tabs and tend to add bulk. They also mean figuring out the fit of an additional row of snaps on a squirming baby and this sleep deprived mama didn’t have the time or patience for that.

Now that Sebastian is 10 weeks and more than 11 lbs, he can still wear his Born Smart on the large rise setting and I imagine it will last a few pounds more. Considering that this diaper would most likely fit at 6 lbs, this is a pretty great feat for a newborn diaper. I’m impressed that it fits a small baby without being bulky and continues to provide a slim fit as they grow. I would, however, be curious to see how this diaper fits a chunkier baby at the larger end of the 6 to 16 lb range.

Absorbency

The interior of the Born Smart consists of 3 layers of organic cotton sewn in to the diaper, Each diaper also comes with an additional 4 layer snap-in insert. This provides the light absorbency you need in the beginning through 8 to 12 daily changes and additional absorbency for when baby goes longer between diaper changes. I also like how the diaper has a hidden pocket to slip in extra boosters if needed. We used this diaper during the day and night with our newborn, changing every couple of hours at a maximum, and did not experience leaks. I definitely feel that the absorbency is more than sufficient for a newborn’s needs, plus this AIO is quick drying and easy to care for with no stuffing or un-stuffing required.

Overall Impression

The Smart Bottoms Born Smart is a high quality cloth diaper with a thoughtful design. The only change I would make to this diaper would be to replace the snaps with super sticky velcro. While I prefer snaps for older babies, I found velcro to be more convenient for a newborn. Closures aside, I would recommend this as a top choice for building a stash of quality newborn cloth diapers that will last a few months before transitioning to the next size. In fact, I liked this diaper so much, I bought two Smart Bottoms Smart One 3.1s to try on Black Friday and the Smart Bottoms Last Unicorn has now became my “unicorn diaper.”