The newborn Pearl pocket is an AIO nappy. It is exactly the same as the birth to potty Pearl pocket, but in a smaller size. This review is for the Version 1 nappy, it has since been updated with some longer waist tabs but I have not tried the newer version in order to compare.
The newborn Pearl retails for around £12. Like the birth to potty versions, some prints are only available in the Pearl, some only in the Duo (their pocket nappy), and some prints are exclusive to the newborn range.
My baby was 7lbs 8oz born and this nappy fitted her excellently straight from birth. There isn’t an overlap on the waist tabs but as you can see from the photo this wasn’t needed for us. There is no cord cut-out which made the fit a little tricky for the first few days.
The longevity in the size was the issue for us. By 2 weeks old she weighed 8lbs 8oz, and by 3 weeks we were on the last waist poppers but still the middle rise. By 6 weeks she weighed 9lbs 13oz, but had outgrown the waist by 5 weeks, although with still a rise left. Depending on the shape of your baby (skinny/tall babies might last longer) I would only expect this nappy to last until around 9lbs / 9lbs 7oz.
Like the rest of the Modern Cloth Nappies range it is only available with a popper waist. I really liked how narrow the nappy was between the legs. All the elastics are gentle but offered good containment.
The nappy is very slim so does not add too much bulk under newborn clothes.
Inside the nappy is the same as the BTP Pearl. It is lined with a soft fleece, which provides a stay-dry layer – a feature I didn’t find that common with newborn nappies. You do not need to add a liner as newborn poo does not need to be removed, I would not recommend using a liner at all. There is a PUL tummy panel which is especially useful when on the smallest rise. There is an internal double gusset.
The pocket opening is at the back and elasticated on both side. The insert is pulled out for washing and drying but remains attached at one end. The insert is a hemp:cotton with a stay-shape layer so you do not need to reshape the insert whilst damp and it won’t curl.
By 2 weeks we needed to boost this nappy, it can be difficult to find boosters small enough for newborn nappies so I would recommend trying a folded cloth wipe first. When we outgrew the nappy at 5 weeks we were also struggling with the absorbency a lot so it felt like a good time to stop using.
Overall this is a really cute nappy. It gave an excellent fit from birth, but lacked longevity in the sizing (the Version 2 may be better). It is also very simple to use.
Like the majority of newborn nappies we did struggle with the absorbency from early on.
You can also see this review, and many others, on my YouTube channel.