Fluffy Bums for Dum Dums

I can't keep up...

2011-03-24T19:55:00.000-05:00

Well, it's been a while huh?

I can't keep up. Lets see...so I ended up liking prefolds better than the fitteds I had. The fitteds were just a little too tight in the legs for my chunky monkey. We quickly moved into pockets (bumGenius 3.0 & 4.0, Rocky Mountain, Rump-a-Rooz, and Haute Pockets. But, I found that there was waaaay too much bulk between my 2 kids for even a short outing in my diaper bag let alone a long one. And I don't like to carry 600 bags with me, or keep stuff in the car and have to keep going back and forth. So I sold everything. Yup, everything.

We moved entirely, for both kids to Thirsties Stay Dry Duo inserts (microfiber topped with microfleece that snaps to a jersey hemp insert) with either Thirsties Duo covers, Flip covers, and a couple of Bummis covers. And I am LOVING it. Those inserts are work horses for both of my kids and soooo much trimmer. I can fit more into the diaper bag, and fit actual correct sizing of pants onto my kids. :D Color me happy.

We did have a brief hiatus as we have moved to another state and I don't cloth diaper without my sprayer hooked up. But, we are back to it and loving it.

Now on to my sad news. As I have found my favorite diaper I no longer have diapers to review. And while I could go back and review all of the ones I've used....sooooo many manufacturers have changed their diapers in the last year, that I can't possibly keep up. And this baby making shop is closed. lol I'm still happy to help people. So you can hit my up at my other blog: http://thecozypumpkin.blogspot.com

And I will soon be opening an Etsy store with art and products for kids rooms/playrooms under the same The Cozy Pumpkin name so be on the lookout for that. But, for now...I guess it's peace out. Although most of you have probably stopped checking this site anyway. Thanks for looking, and who knows. Maybe I'll be back someday to write about some diapering challenge I've faced and conquered. (Or maybe I'll be back when we're potty training to vent. lol)

Just popping in...

2010-09-14T12:04:00.000-05:00

to say that I am NOT a fan of prefolds and covers. lol They aren't hard just really bulky.

I am finding that my pocket diapers (mainly the Rocky Mountain Diapers and bumGenius 3.0s) are as good of a fit and less bulky on her.

She's Here!

2010-08-29T13:33:00.000-05:00

My daughter made her debut on August 26!!! We are finally home and everyone is doing well. She is beautiful and a very calm newborn. We just love her to pieces. Big brother is coping amazingly. He loves to watch her and is fascinated by her mouth. There will be a little blogging hiatus from me as I get used to being a mommy of two. But, I promise to be back with more diaper reviews, videos, and some discussions on newborn diapering.

Review: Tweedle Bugs OS Pocket - CHEAP Diapering Solution

2010-08-21T14:15:00.000-05:00

Tweedle Bugs OS Pocket Diaper - $12.95 for a plain color, $16.95 for the cow print

Materials: The outer material is PUL (the cow print is minky), the inner of the diaper is microfleece (the cow print is suede cloth). The rise and closure are snaps. Microfiber insert and doubler.

Fit: 7 - 35 lbs.

How it works: This Tweedle Bugs Diaper is a One Size Pocket Diaper. The Tweedle Bugs OS Pocket has openings at the front and back of the diaper for easy stuffing (or removal of insert). The rise is adjustable through a series of snaps on the front of the diaper and the waist closure is a two snap adjustment on each side.

Thoughts from Amanda:

Aesthetics - It is so unfortunate that this diaper comes in so few colors. While having the one cow print available is nice, I wish they would focus on having more solids available first. There are only 6 solids available: black, white, blue, light blue, green (pale), and yellow (pale). While they may have chosen these colors for their "gender neutral" friendliness I actually find them to be more geared towards boys. (Now my oldest is a boy so I don't mind that, but it is unfortunate for moms who would like a cheaper diaper with more variety of colors.) I find it odd that the snaps on the black diaper are also black, but on the other colors are all white.

Functionality - For what the Tweedle Bugs OS Pocket lacks in aesthetics it makes up for in function. I love the PUL on this diaper as the inside isn't "sticky" like so many PUL diapers are. It makes sliding the insert into the pocket a breeze! I also like the pocket opening in the front and the back. This makes the Tweedle Bugs OS Pocket easy to un-stuff if you have a messy blow out poop at the back. If I had a qualm with the front opening it would be that you need to tuck the microfleece over the insert. Otherwise it sticks out of the top. The microfleece is supposed to stick out the top of the back (although you can tuck it if you prefer). I love a diaper that has two snaps on each wing. That makes the adjusting at the waist and thighs so much easier, gives a tighter fit all around, and stops wing droop-age. The rise on this diaper is should accommodate the weight limits they give from what I can tell.

Durability - The Tweedle Bugs OS Pocket has held up well to many washings. The PUL has stayed nice as well as the color, and the inside remains soft.

Availability - I have found this diaper to be fairly easy to come across unlike the other cheap diapers I have reviewed for you. Just type it into google and you should find a good number of stores that carry the Tweedle Bugs OS Pocket Diaper.

Of all of the "cheap" diapers I have tried the Tweedle Bugs is by far my favorite one. I will definitely be holding onto this one. With that said...I think they can only gain a larger customer base by adding more color and/or print options to their line.

Video: Description of AI2s and AIOs

2010-08-10T15:56:00.001-05:00

Okay...3 things:
1) AI2 = All In Two/Hybrid; AIO = All In One

2) I accidentally said that bumGenius AIOs have microfleece sewn inside of the pocket. I meant to say microfiber. Oops! I should make myself a script first or something.

3) Not all AIO diapers come in separate sizes. Some of them do come in OS (One Size). I think I said this, but I wanted to make sure. :)

Video: Description of Various Pocket Diapers

2010-08-08T13:48:00.000-05:00

I took out some of my son's diapers to show you some of the variety in the world of OS pocket diapers. :)

ik

Review: Kawaii Baby Minky One Size Pocket - CHEAP DIAPERING SOLUTION!!!

2010-07-29T16:12:00.000-05:00

*** I want to start this off by pointing out that there are several styles of Kawaii Pocket diapers. Not all are minky. Most are PUL. All are OS, except for the Pure & Natural Pocket which goes from 0-15 months. Some of a PUL barrier at the top. Some of the minky have bamboo. And all have different pricing. The PUL are cheaper than the minky, and if you google them they can be found in bulk packages even cheaper. I am linking to the site I purchased my diapers from. I only tried the minky so that is what I am reviewing here.

If you click on the Title of this post it will take you to the Sweetbottoms Baby Boutique page with all of the Kawaii's listed.

Kawaii Baby Minky One Size Pocket - $10.95

Materials: The outer material is layers of soft minky fabric which is waterproof and breathable. The closure is available in snaps or velcro depending on the diaper pattern. The inside is microfleece and it came with 2 microfiber inserts.

Fit: 8 - 44 lbs.

How it works: Kawaii Minkys are a One Size (OS) pocket diapering system. The absorbent inserts are placed in the pocket and can be adjusted for your absorption needs. Snaps the front of the diaper allow the diaper to adjust in the rise for a baby as they grow. The closure on this diaper is available in either snaps or velcro.

Thoughts from Amanda:

Aesthetics - The minky diapers are certainly cute. No doubt about that. The selection of patterns is limited, but there's something for everyone which is great. At times it is frustrating that a certain pattern is only available in Velcro or Snaps but not both. This is the exception though. And really...I like both types of closures so it was a non-issue for me personally. Since the prints are really cute I wish the snap rise and closures would match in color. Also this diaper is really soft. I mean ridiculously soft to the touch on the outside. Love that!

Functionality - This diaper works just as well as any more expensive diaper out there on the market. The minky is soft, washes well, and is breathable for sure. It NEVER leaked. (That was something I was worried about since it didn't have PUL in it at all.)

I have one major qualm with this diaper, and I seem to be the only person who has noticed this issue or experienced it. I bought two minky diapers, different prints, but the same style of diaper. But the rises on each diaper were different. One was significantly higher than the other. I always had to use one diaper fully unsnapped in the rise, and the other snapped down one setting. I thought that was odd.

I also found the waist on the Minky diaper to run smaller than some other popular diapers, so if you have a child with a larger waist I might try a different style of Kawaii.

Durability - This diaper held up well to many washings. The minky never looked worn or matted. It didn't pill on the outside or look "odd" in any way! I was very impressed by that. I cannot comment on the Velcro closure as I did not use them.

Availability - As with most "cheap" diapers this one has limited availability. I liked that I could buy them in singles at Sweetbottoms Baby Boutique. The main Kawaii site (http://www.theluvyourbaby.com) sells them mostly in bulk from what I know, and their website can be slow to load. So, you'll have to do some poking around to find these, but if you're wanting to save some money then it would be worth your time.

Diaper Changing Station Video

2010-07-29T12:57:00.000-05:00

We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming (Cheap Diapering) to post a video of how my (Amanda's) diaper changing station is set up. Many new mom's ask me how I organize my diapering area so I'm happy to share. There are MANY different ways of setting up your area. But, this is just how I do it.

Hopefully I'll get back to the cheap diapering posts again this weekend for you. I'm hoping to review the Kawaii's and Tweedle Bugs.

Review: Nubunz Diapers - CHEAP DIAPERING SOLUTION!

2010-07-17T11:42:00.000-05:00

While I have been blogging about CDing cheaply I thought it would be nice to review some of the "cheaper" diapers out there for you to consider. :)

Nubunz Diaper - $9.50 (Currently on sale for $8.00) w/2 inserts, or you can get seconds diapers with inserts for $5.50, seconds without inserts are $3.00.

Materials: The outer material is PUL with a liner of polyester microfleece. The closure is available in snaps or velcro (some velcro are rounded tabs and some square). The inserts are 3 layers each of polyester micro terry cloth.

Fit: 8 - 38 lbs. (as claimed by Nubunz Diapers)

How it works: Nubunz Diapers are a One Size (OS) pocket diapering system. The absorbent inserts are placed in the pocket and can be adjusted for your absorption needs. Snaps on the front of the diaper allow the diaper to adjust in the rise for a baby as they grow. The closure on this diaper is available in either snaps or velcro.

Thoughts from Amanda:

Aesthetics - Currently the full price Nubunz Diapers are available in only 8 pastel colors. (Think bumGenius colors.) You an get seconds diapers in brighter/bolder colors though while supplies last. There are no prints available. They have put a hold on the brighter colors due to some quality issues with them (much like bumGenius had to do recently). I believe it is a PUL issue that many companies are dealing with. The snaps are all white...that doesn't matter to me personally. The velcro is white, unless you get the square tab ones which are sort of a less bulky version of the original Happy Heiny's closure. With limited supplies of colors, and possibilities of problems with the bolder colors in the seconds section I can only give the aesthetics of the Nubunz diaper a three pin rating. I will say that I bought mostly seconds diapers though and didn't have any bleeding issues or problems with the quality of the PUL on any of them.

Functionality - These diapers function like a bumGenius 3.0 for the most part. They have that top layer of PUL which will stop compression leakage. LOVE that feature. And I'm glad it can be found on a "cheap" diaper to boot. I found the rise to be comparable to the rise of a bumGenius 3.0. Keep in mind that bumGenius has recently updated to the 4.0 which includes a higher rise. If your child runs on the average to small side of the scale the rise of the Nubunz should be plenty for you.

My "big" complaint about the Nubunz diaper was the lack of stretch. The other thing I love about bumGenius is that the area around the velcro tabs is stretchy giving you a tighter fit. This diaper just didn't have as much "give" to it. However, when you're only paying $9.50 for a full price on a diaper one can't complain too much. :) As far as the rounded velcro tabs v. the square. I didn't experience any issues with either. However, I could see how the corner of the PUL could get caught on carpeting while baby is crawling around, or rub on furniture when baby is climbing, and become undone.

Durability - The Nubunz diaper held up to washing as well as any other diaper I have does. I honestly can't complain at all. The velcro was really sticky. I did get a little nervous when undoing snaps as the snaps would really grip and I didn't want to tear the PUL. I never did, but alas I was nervous. Although I guess it's nice to know that the snap closures are really closed well. The PUL held up to washing, and as usual my outers were hung dry the majority of the time. Another plus...the Nubunz Diaper is constructed in the good ol' USA. :) Keep in mind though that people have had problems with the bold colored diapers, and although that hasn't been my experience it is something to consider when purchasing.

Availability - This is not normally a section I put in a review, but as far as I am aware the Nubunz diaper is only available from Nubunz. This can be a damper to those who want to shop around. The price is good on their website and they are efficient about shipping, but if you're looking to buy your diapers all in one spot then this isn't the diaper for you (unless you want a whole stash of Nubunz...which wouldn't be a bad thing.). Also...they seem to be going through a phase of changing what is available and what not so you will be limited as to what you can find and in what colors. This can be annoying if you're picky about your diaper colors.

Cost Effective CDing

2010-07-09T11:37:00.000-05:00

So...many moms out there are into CDs for the money savings. Here's the thing no one realizes...they're ridiculously addictive. :) Many moms end up not saving a penny because they keep buying and buying cute diapers that they "must have."

As with any "hobby" it's best to go in with a plan. You can decide to go the cost effective route from the get go:

1) Use a trial/sampler package. This will help you to determine what kind of diaper you like best. Here are a few links to some online stores with trial programs:
http://www.jilliansdrawers.com/products/clothdiapers/tryclothfor10
http://www.giggle-britches.com/trialprogram.html
http://www.momsmilkboutique.com/Cloth_Diaper_Trial_Packages_145_cat.html
http://www.diaperjunction.com/try-cloth-diapers.html

2) Buy cheap diapers...for newborns (and up if you're braver than I) go the prefold/flats and covers route. This is the most economical form of diapering for sure.

Fitteds are nice but depending on the brand won't always save you money. For a good deal on fitted diapers try the package of 12 by Little Lions for $99.

If you are more of a pocket OS person then try: Kawaii's, Sunbabys', Nubunz, or Tweedle Bugs

3) Buy used. You can buy many of the brands you love on swap boards (there's one on BabyCenter), eBay, and even Craigs List, Diaper Swappers, Spots Corner on Hyena Cart. But, beware...you may not get what you paid for. Make sure there are a lot of pictures of what you're purchasing and ask questions! Also be willing to negotiate.

4) If you're like me and you like to try a bunch of different brands without losing too much money then you need to be willing to sell diapers you have. I never buy a new diaper for my son without selling something out of his stash first. It's true! It's my rule. And although I don't always make back all of the money on a diaper, it's more cost effective than just buying diaper after diaper after diaper.

5) Start a PIF box with friends (PIF = Pay it Forward). Throw a diaper in a box, send it to the next person on the list. They get that diaper and throw in their own, and send it on. Continue through the list until the box ends up back to you. :)

CDing can be cost effective, but it can get out of hand quickly if you're not careful. Set some parameters for yourself...discuss them with your spouse or significant other...and then follow through on your plan. :)

Review: Thirsties Duo Diaper

2010-07-04T11:41:00.002-05:00

Thirsties Duo Diaper - $18.50 for solids, $19.50 for prints

Materials: The outer material is PUL with a liner of microfleece. The Duo Diaper comes with 2 inserts. The top insert is microfiber terry and there is a hemp (2 layers if I recall correctly) insert that snaps on to the microfiber. This diaper comes in aplix and snap closure with a snap down rise adjustment.

Fit: The Duo Diaper comes in two sizes: Size 1 fits most babies 6-18 lbs. (0-9 months), Size 2 fits most babies 18-40 lbs. (9-36 months).

How it works: The Thirsties Duo Diaper is a two size system (Size 1 for younger babies, and size 2 for older babies to potty training) with "one size" adjustments on each size to help your baby grow with the diaper. The inserts are placed in the pockets. However, the Thirsties Duo Diaper has a pocket opening at the back and the front so that the inserts can agitate out on their own in the wash. The front and back pocket openings have elastic on them. The leg openings have double gussets to help catch any runny poos.

Thoughts from Amanda:

Aesthetics - The Thirsties Duo Diaper comes in 8 bright colors (although one is pure white) and 4 prints. I liked that the colors were bold and beautiful and that there is the option of prints, even if they are very limited. I also like that the binding on this diaper on white (a Thirsties signature) which ties in the Aplix and snaps which are also all white.

Functionality - There are a couple of areas to address here. The biggest one for me is the fit. Thirsties has tackled the "One Size" issue by creating a system that involves two sizes. The Size 1 diaper is meant for "newborns" to 18 lbs. I did not use a size 1, but I have heard many people say that the diaper didn't quite make it to 18 lbs. on their child. I find that this depends on the build of your child. So, take that with a grain of salt. I used a Size 2 on my son starting at around 19 - 20 lbs. I found the diaper to be VERY bulky around his waist. This diaper is supposed to make it to 40 lbs. so I guess that's understandable, and my son is tall and skinny, but I felt as though he was drowning in this diaper whenever I put it on him. I also find that most parents (or maybe this is just me) who are interested in a "One Size" system don't want to have to purchase 2 different sizes. That's the whole point of a OS system, isn't it?

I do love that the Duo Diaper has double leg gussets. If you have a baby who will fit in the size ones and has yet to start solid foods this may be a great diaper for you. No need to worry about those runny poos leaking out of the legs here. I also enjoyed that the inserts were microfiber terry and hemp! Not many diaper companies offer that feature as a standard. The inserts snap together at the front and the back of the insert making sure there isn't any slipping or sliding which was lovely. Also having a pocket opening at the front and back of the diaper so the inserts could agitate out is handy (think Smartipants). I did find that the inserts took longer to dry when snapped together though, so I always took mine out by hand and unsnapped them.

A tip - When putting in your inserts make sure to place the PUL flap at the front of the diaper over the top of the insert. This will prevent leaks out of the top of the diaper. Especially compression leakage if you intend to use this diaper as an overnight solution for a tummy sleeper.

I am giving the Duo Diaper a 4 because although the features themselves are great and worth the money, I just don't love a system that requires me to buy 2 different sizes of diapers. I am a true "OS" girl at heart. :)

Durability - The Duo Diaper held up fabulously to many washings. The hemp insert was fully absorbent at about 8-10 washes I'd say. My diaper was aplix as Thirsties had yet to come out with a snap version, and I found the Aplix to be very soft yet wonderfully sticky as well. Usually that area seems to be a trade off. I did wish that the tabs were a little bit longer but, they worked well.

**** I did purchase Thirsties Duo Wraps for my daughter to use as a newborn so I will let you all know how I feel about those (same idea - 2 size system, only covers) when I get to use them.

Review: Bummis Easy Fit

2010-05-13T15:17:00.000-05:00

Bummis EasyFit by Tots Bots - $23.95

Materials: The outer material is PUL, The attached absorbent layer is 1 layer rayon from bamboo fibers and microfiber on the outside and 1 layer of microfiber on the underside. Surrounding the built in soaker of the diaper is soft brushed polyester to prevent wicking or leaking. Aplix closure and snap one size settings.

Fit: 8 - 30 lbs. (However, there is a Tini Fit diaper for babies 5-12 lbs. that is $18.95.)

How it works: Bummis Easy Fit is a unique AIO Tongue Pocket diaper. HUH?! ;) I believe I can best explain this with a picture:

As you can see the front portion of the soaker is sewn into the diaper itself with the rayon fibers from bamboo on top and the microfiber underneath. The back portion of the soaker agitates out in the wash and stick out the back of the diaper and is to be stuffed back in before it's next use. This is to help with faster drying time. Having the pocket area in the back also allows you to stuff the diaper with more inserts or doubler for added absorption, although this diaper does not come with any extra inserts or doublers. The soaker/insert/tongue (whatever you want to call it) can be folded varying ways to create more or less absorption where needed. The diaper closes with aplix at the waist, and has snap up/down one size rise setting.

Thoughts from Amanda:

Aesthetics - The Bummis EasyFit diaper comes in the colors you see at the top of the page plus white. The colors are bold and beautiful, and I have not run into any bleeding problems with the ones I have. With that said, there are not any particularly "girly" colors. I would say their color line leads towards neutral to boyish. I have the Blueberry and Orange which are gorgeous and I will be using them on my daughter but they don't scream girl. There are also not any prints. I found this surprising since EasyFit by Tots Bots is actually a brand brought over from Europe in which they have prints with polka dots and stars. So, overall, cute vibrant colors but I hope for more choices in the future. A nit picky thing for me is that I hate the Tots Bots tag in the front center of the diaper. I don't know why...it just bugs me. lol

Also with a thin tongue liner this diaper is very trim in the diaper bag.

Functionality - I guess lets start with the outside and work our way in. This diaper does have a low rise, so I agree with the up to 30 lbs. on the fit. My son is on the second rise setting at 24 lbs., but often times the snaps will pop open when I'm putting the diaper on him. However, on the largest setting they are too wide in the thighs on my son. Once I get the EasyFit on him it's fine, but it does become annoying having the snaps pop open at times. The aplix closure is very very very durable. This is some of the strongest velcro I've encountered. It does not come unstuck from the laundry tabs in the wash. However, I do find the folding over of the tabs for the laundry to be a pain as you literally have to fold the velcro in half on one side. It just makes it a little more awkward. But, it holds up well.

On the inside of the diaper it is important to keep in mind that the rayon fibers from bamboo (man that's a mouthful) is up against baby's skin. Which is fine, but the EasyFit will NOT leave your baby with a stay dry feeling. If that dry feeling is important to you or your baby this is NOT the diaper for you. If your baby doesn't mind the wetness, you like to use fleece liners, or you are potty training with a smaller child then this diaper will be fine for you. I find this diaper to be very absorbent even on my heavy wetter, and I was very skeptical. I disgree with Bummis that you can get up to 6 layers of absorbency by folding the tongue more. You can only fold the tongue so far before you're practically turning the diaper inside out. But, the 4 layers I'm getting now seem to be working for us during the daytime. (I have yet to try this diaper at night.) They do claim that the polyester lining around the soaker will stop compression leakage. I am skeptical about that as polyester isn't waterproof, but maybe I'll be brave one night and give it a try.

I do like that the tongue insert agitates out on it's own, because once your baby poops in this diaper with a soft mushy poo you will understand. The back flap that covers the pocket opening is very...generous, we shall say. That's another way of saying it's freakin' HUGE! That's great for stuffing the diaper, especially if you have large hands, but I find that it actually catches poop under the flap if your child is having one of those soft poo days. Talk about nasty. And it makes it a lot harder to spray off of the diaper when you are trying to lift up a poopy pocket flap to spray the inside of the diaper some. Yuck! If you're only dealing with nice shake off poops then this won't matter to you, but when teething we still encounter the soft mushy poops and this has been something I don't enjoy contending with.

But, the EasyFit is easy to stuff and it's great that it agitates out for you. The drying time on this diaper is LONG. I hang dry until damp with this one and then toss it on the dryer on medium for 10-15 minutes, because I would be waiting two days to use it again if I let it line dry the whole way.

Durability - The EasyFit diaper has held up well to many washings. And it does become it's most absorbent around 10 washes or so. Be prepared to change more frequently if you are using it before those 6-10 washes.

My only qualm with the durability of this diaper is that the inner soaker/tongue is a magnet for other aplix diapers. Every single diaper I have has found it's way to the EasyFits. And it makes me nervous to pull the aplix off of the rayon fibers from bamboo. So far my EasyFits still look great, but this is something that makes me nervous for a year down the road.

I really have mixed feelings about this diaper. The colors are cute and bold, the idea is fantastic, the absorption is wonderful, and it's easy to use and stuff. But, I wish there were more colors or patterns, that the soft poops didn't get caught under the pocket flap at times, and that it wasn't a magnet for other aplix diapers. I'm not sure the EasyFit diapers are worth their price point, but it's fun to have a couple of them floating around in my stash and I will be holding on to them for those times when I'm fairly certain I won't be dealing with a poopy diaper.

What's in your stash???

2010-05-09T15:26:00.003-05:00

I get asked this question a lot these days. Moms always want to know what diapers you love. It's amazing how two people can go on and on about a diaper stash, but I love those kinds of talks. So, here is my stash and hopefully Natalie will jump on and tell us hers as well. And I hope y'all will share with us what is in your stash as well! :)

Amanda's Stash:
(Keep in mind that my stash has been through many different types and brands of diapers and this just happens to be what is in it at the moment (which I'm pretty happy with over all).
Son:

AIOs:
1 bumGenius AIO Deluxe (Large) [I actually have 2 more of these on the way for nighttime diapering.]
2 Bummis EasyFit by TotsBots [These will be going to his little sister at 3-4 months old]
Pockets:
3 bumGenius 3.0 OS [These will be going to his little sister when she is 3-4 months old]
3 Tiny Tush Elite OS
1 Knickernappies OS
1 Dypes by Dixon OS [An adorable WAHM diaper I got him for Christmas '09]
2 Kawaii Baby Minky OS
5 Haute Pockets OS
2 Rocky Mountain OS
AI2s:
1 Doodle Dypes AI2 [WAHM diaper]
1 Pampered Cheeks OS [WAHM diaper]
3 SoftBums [3 shells, 9 soakers, 3 doublers]

Daughter:
Prefolds:
12 OsoCozy Infant [I got these used off of a swap board]
12 Little Lions Infant [I got mine as seconds diapers]
Fitteds:
12 Little Lions Cozy Cub Trim
Covers:
6 Aplix Thirsties Duo Wraps [Size 1]
And on the way for her OS stash:
6 bumGenius 3.0s
6 Rocky Mountain OS
2 Haute Pockets OS
2 Mommy's Touch OS
1 Knickernappies OS

Review: Bagshot Row Bamboo Ultimate Fit (BSRB)

2010-05-09T15:12:00.000-05:00

Bagshot Row Bamboo UF Diapers (BSRB) - $20.00 ($4.00 to add snaps at the waist)

Materials: The outer material is usually a cotton knit print of some kind and insides/soakers of organic cotton and bamboo.

Fit: 8 - 35 lbs. (If I recall correctly.)

How it works: Bagshot Row Bamboo UF (Ultimate Fit) diapers are a fitted diaper that has a snap in organic cotton/bamboo soaker. When folded in half this soaker provides 12 layers of absorbency. These diapers are not waterproof and will require a cover when used under clothing as they will become wet to the touch. To close the diaper you will either need to use a Snappi or diaper pins. A snap closure can also be added at the waist for an additional $4.00. The rise is adjusted by folding down the front center of the diaper as needed prior to fastening.

Thoughts from Amanda:

Aesthetics - Bagshot Row Bamboo diapers are definitely fun. They come in many varieties of cute print fabrics in both boyish and girly prints. There's definitely something for everyone here. I did find after owning three of these, that being WAHM (Work At Home Mom) diapers meant that, the size of each diaper and the width of the crotch was variable from diaper to diaper. This was an issue for me, but is also to be slightly expected when buying a WAHM diaper.

I also thought it was a bummer that for this diaper to be waterproof the cute diaper fabric needs to be covered by a...cover. lol That is a shame when they're so darling, but at times a necessary evil.

Functionality - Bagshot Row Bamboo (BSRB) diapers do take a bit of practice, patience (at times), and a cooperative baby. This diaper works like most other diapers in it's shape. The rear of the diaper has wings and this part goes under the baby. You would pull the center front of the diaper up to the baby's waist and then if the diaper is too large you would fold down the top front of the diaper away from the baby adjusting the rise. Holding the center front in place you would then grab the wings of the diapers pulling them across (and overlapping if necessary) tightly then securing the wings in place with either a Snappi or diaper pins. To make this process a little easier you can have snaps added at the waist.

BSRBs are an absorbent diaper. With a potential 12 layers of organic cotton/bamboo in the soaker (depending on how you fold it), how could it not be? Unfortunately, my son was a forceful peer, thus not allowing the diaper to absorb properly and to get wet on the outside very quickly. This wasn't a problem around the house so much but made for annoyingly frequent changes when out and about. These were definitely a stay at home diaper for us. Because the BSRBs do not have a waterproof lining anywhere in them the outer diaper will get wet and will need a cover if you plan on putting clothes of any kind on top of it. This also became frustrating for me as I enjoy more of a one step process when diapering my son.

The fit also gave me some issues. While the rise was always high enough when we used them (6 mo. - 10 mo.) I don't see it making it to 35 lbs. on a baby. Also because BSRBs are handmade I did find that some of the crotches were too narrow and that the soaker barely fit in them. If any shifting occured this could lead to a potential leakage situation. However, the mommy behind Bagshot Row Bamboo is wonderful to work with and incredibly helpful if a situation like this should arise.

For me I couldn't make it past the 10 month mark with these diapers. My son became so squirmy that it was taking more time and energy to Snappi this diaper on than it was worth to me. And to have it get soaking wet in an hour (remember...I have a super soaker though) or less just made me frustrated.

Durability - As with any diaper, but especially handmade specialty diapers, it is essential to follow the directions for care given by the WAHM. BSRBs are to be hung to dry. The soakers may be placed in the dryer with other inserts/soakers. When the cute diaper shell is almost dry (damp) you can throw it in the washer for a quick 10 min. on medium heat to complete the drying and fluff it up.

If you skip this last step of a few minutes in the dryer your diaper will have a stiff crunchy feeling to it, and not something I would want to wear if you catch my drift. Drying the entire diaper in the dryer each time will leave your cute diaper very faded looking and can often wreak havoc on the stitching. So, these diapers are a bit "drama queen"ish if you catch my drift.

But, they are cute to look at.

Videos - Coming Soon

2010-05-07T14:23:00.000-05:00

I have some friends who are new to cloth diapering or are thinking about getting started and I made a 30 minute video for them. That's too long to post here, but it got me thinking...Fluffy Bums for Dum Dums should do a video series on types of cloth diapers, how to use them, how we set up our changing stations, how we do laundry, etc. So, amongst the diaper reviews (of which there are still quite a few that need to be done) some videos will begin appearing. I hope you will find them helpful!

-Amanda-

Pampers Under Federal Investigation

2010-05-06T17:36:00.002-05:00

After many complaints from parents regarding the new Pampers Dry Max diapers causing rashes, burns, and bleeding on little ones the CPSC is finally stepping in to investigate:

http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2010/05/04/pampers-dry-max-rash-complaints-spark-federal-investigation/

Trials of a Dum Dum: Overnight Success!!!

2010-04-29T10:42:00.000-05:00

Wow...it's been a while since I've talked about nighttime diapering, huh? I never really could get it out of my head. We did continue using disposable diapers for quite a while while I mulled over what to do. None of the special "nighttime" diapers worked for us that we had tried, and I was tired of spending money on things that were failures. I don't mind spending money on things that work but I'm not a big fan of in the long run, but not on things that fail from the get go.

Fast forward a bit and I decided that hemp was the way to go. I ordered two BabyKicks Hemparoo Joey-Bunz in large. They have 6 layers of hemp in them. Now hemp is a great fabric. It absorbs a lot, but it is slow to absorb which means it's best if you pair it with something else on top for quick absorption. Enter the recipe:

Overnight Diapering a Tummy Sleeping Super Soaker (Toddler)

1 bumGenius 3.0 OS ($17.95)
1 Prefold trimmed (or purchased this size) to fit in a pocket diaper (about $2.00 a piece)
1 BabyKicks Hemparoo Joey-Bunz (Large) - FULLY PREPPED! ($4.99)

Take the prefold and trifold it. Place this on top of a BabyKicks Hemparoo Joey-Bunz insert (we used Large because our son is on the highest rise). Take prefold/hemp combo and place this in a bumGenius 3.0 OS pocket diaper. Make sure that the prefold is flat and touches the sides of the diaper. I do this by sticking my hand down the center of the trifold and fanning my fingers apart. The bumGenius diaper is key because it has the compression leakage barrier of PUL at the top front of the diaper. That is VERY important.

Place diaper on baby. Put on pajamas and continue with nighttime routine.

We have not had a leak since starting this. It is important to note that the hemp insert must be fully prepped before this will work for a true super soaker. We're talking at least 10-12 washes folks. But, it's so worth it. No more overnight sposies for us! :)

My future concern is that the bumGenius runs small compared to other OS diapers, so how long will this work for us? Tonight I'm going to try a microfiber insert on top of the Babykicks Hemparoo Joey-Bunz to see how that works for us. That may make the diaper less bulky and therefore allow it to last us longer in the rise. You could try this with Nubunz (a bumGenius copy) but there were a few things about that diaper that I wasn't a big fan of, but that's for a future review.

Why the Babykicks Hemparoo Joey-Bunz? Well, I liked that it was all one piece. I found one other hemp insert that was 7 layers I believe, but it was two pieces meaning one area of the diaper would be even bulkier. This was 6 layers and all one piece, and very very thin. That was the best deal I could find without making one myself, and even then with ordering materials that would have been more expensive to do. So the Babykicks Hemparoo Joey-Bunz is a winner in my book. And if you use two that would be 12 layers of hemp!

So, happy overnight diapering everyone! :) Do you have a different solution that works for you? Leave us a comment and let us know. We want everyone to have lots of ideas and methods to try from. :)

-Amanda-

Review: SoftBums AI2

2010-04-26T10:40:00.002-05:00

SoftBums - Pricing is a little complicated due to varying insert types. But, a single shell plus one microfiber soaker is $25.95. A single shell with a bamboo soaker is $30.95. Basic Packs which are 1 shell, 3 interchangeable soakers, and 1 doubler are: $36.95 microfiber, $52.95 bamboo.

Materials: Outer layer PUL, with an inner liner of microfleece, double long snap in soakers made of microfiber with stay dry microfleece on top, or oganic bamboo with either a velour top or stay dry microfleece. Velcro or snap closure. OS adjustment through an elastic and toggle system in the legs of the diaper (more on that later).

Fit: 5 - 40 lbs.

How it works: SoftBums are an AI2 (All In Two) diapering system. The diaper consists of an outer shell with a PUL outside and microfleece inside for comfort. The diaper absorbs by the means of a snap in soaker. This soaker can be taken out when wet or dirty and replaced with a new soaker, allowing the same shell to be used multiple times. If any poops get on the shell though the shell must be put in the diaper pail to be washed. Don't attempt to use it again in that situation. If the shell is slightly damp from pee just lay it out to dry and use another shell or diaper in between uses.

Thoughts from Amanda:

Aesthetics - SoftBums come in nice bold or soft colors, as well as prints. They also come in either Aplix closure or snap closure. The snaps come in cute coordinating colors to the outside of the diaper. This is a very trim diaper making it great for the diaper bag. My only qualm would be that the top tends to roll a little bit and expose the microfleece on the wings with the snap version, but that hasn't caused us any problems.

On another side note I am often asked if the knotted elastic and toggles inside of the diaper are annoying for my son as they may seem bulky to others. But, with the comfy soaker in between my son and the shell he doesn't even notice that they're there. And the diapers is also left with a very trim look. I never notice bumps in the front from the knotted elastic or the toggles.

Functionality - I am in love with this diaper. But, that doesn't mean it's perfect. It just works well for me. Lets talk about the most obvious feature...the snap in soakers. We'll break this down by section.

SOAKERS: I like that you have a variety to choose from when purchasing per your baby's needs, and you also have the option to buy a SoftBums package that contains 3 soakers per shell. That makes this system very convenient to try out. The soakers come in: Dry Touch (microfleece top with 2 layers of microfiber-terry for absorption), SUPER Dry Touch (microfleece top with 3 layers of microfiber-terry for absorption), Organic Bamboo Velour (this one will not leave baby with a dry feeling...3 layers of bamboo fleece topped with velour), Dry Touch Organic Bamboo (just replace the velour layer with microfleece for the dry touch feeling). The doublers are: Dry Touch - 3 layers of microfiber-terry; Bamboo - 3 layers of Bamboo. Okay? Confused? lol

The soakers are nice because they are double long so you actually fold them under in the front which will double your absorbency with every use. So the two layers of microfiber-terry become 4, 3 layers becomes 6, and so on. Add the doublers and you could end up with 9 layers of absorbency!!! And all of the soakers are nice and trim even when folded. I love the variety you have to choose from. I have the Dry Touch Bamboo and the Bamboo Velour b/c my son is a heavy peer. I have noticed that the Dry Touch doesn't stay completely dry, but after consulting with some people we came to the conclusion that he must pee very hard and fast not giving the dry layer an opportunity to really work well. If he peed slower then this wouldn't be happening. But, it's only a little damp and doesn't bother him. And the bamboo velour doesn't stay dry at all and that doesn't bother him either.

SHELLS: The shells are functional but take a bit of practice learning how to use effectively. I find that the crotch of the shell is very narrow, which is nice but also means you have to check to make sure the soaker is covered by the shell around each leg. I do a leg check every time I put these diapers on him because if even a little bit of the soaker is sticking out you will have a leak. That's a bit of an annoyance, but with all of the other great features of this diaper not something that would keep me from using it. The SoftBums shell is VERY stretchy. You will need to size this diaper a smidge smaller than your other diapers. When you pull it up over baby you will see that it has TONS of stretch. This is a good thing in my opinion because it means the SoftBums will truly last you to potty training. My biggest qualm about this diaper (which is also something I love about it) is the microfleece inner lining. This lining is soooo soft, but if your baby poops this diaper will hold onto that smell until washed again. I find that a sprinkle of Baby Powder helps with that issue. It's not that the shell is dirty, but that the smell lingers.

OS ADJUSTMENT: I will say it right now and I will stand by it. This is the BEST OS adjustment system ever!!! Seriously. Ever. Softbums uses a very unique internal leg/diaper adjustment system. At the front of the diaper there is an opening between the PUL and the microfleece. You will find the two leg elastics knotted together. If you pull on these and push the diaper shell back you will find two toggles. One on each side of the diaper. Now, this will take some practice. I used another diaper of my son's and laid the SoftBums on top of it to help me find the right sizing. Press and slide the toggles up or down the elastic making the diaper either smaller or larger as needed. This diaper gets the smallest I've ever seen and the largest I have ever seen, and has infinite sizes in between. This is truly a OS diaper. The toggles will stay in place when washed so there is no need to mess with them again until your baby grows enough to need an adjustment.

Now a little tip. When sizing your diaper make it about a 1/2 an inch shorter than your other diapers. This elastic is super stretchy and you will find it a little too loose in the legs if you don't adjust it smaller.

TIPS - PUTTING ON THE DIAPER: The SoftBums system is great but can take a little patience while getting used to it. I find that it's nice to have the shells already ready to go with one soaker snapped in place. Lay baby on the diaper and pull up the soaker only first. Fold it down to double up and make sure that the important areas for absorption are properly covered. Hold the soaker in place and using your free hand pull up on the SoftBums shell. Make sure that the soaker stays nice and flat against the shell. It is easy to get bunching if you're not paying attention. Pull up tightly and secure in place. Lastly check the legs to make sure they are fitting snuggly and tuck in any soaker that may be peaking out the sides. I know it sounds complicated, but with a few tries this takes me no time at all now. Even on a wiggly 13 month old.

Durability - This diaper holds up very well to repeated use and washings. The bamboo inserts will take 6-10 washes to be fully prepped so don't give up on them before then. I started using mine at three and they did absorb well enough though. The aplix is nice and strong, and the laundry tabs work beautifully. Never a diaper chain problem with diaper in the wash. The snaps are nicely placed and do give you the ability to cross the wings. The elastic is of a good thickness and very secure.

This is a wonderful diaper and I HIGHLY recommend it. Not only that but it is made in the USA! So great. SoftBums do take a bit of practice, but if you stick with them I think you'll love them as much as I do. I can't wait to use this system on vacation. It is going to make being out so much easier.

Review: Rocky Mountain Diapers

2010-04-20T10:32:00.003-05:00

Rocky Mountain Diapers - $19.50, Seconds for $15.50; Some styles $18.95 here.

Materials: Outer layer PUL, with an inner of suedecloth, internal leg casing snap adjusters on the elastic for OS abilities, 1 microfiber insert.

Fit: 5 - 30 lbs.

How it works: Rocky Mountain Diapers are a OS Pocket diaper with an unique rise adjustment system. The pocket is stuffed with the included microfiber insert or insert of your choice. The internal rise adjustment works similar to FuzziBunz in that the adjusters are in the leg casings rather than on the outside of the diaper. More on that in Functionality. The waist closure system is snaps only.

Thoughts from Amanda:

Aesthetics - I love the colors of the Rocky Mountain Diaper. They have fresh fruity colored diapers, yummy chocolate PUL diapers with colorful suedecloth inners, Cow print, and monkey prints. I also like that the rise adjustment system is hidden in the leg casings giving this diaper a cleaner appearance on the outside. This diaper only comes snaps for the waist closure system. The snaps are in a single row which helps with the simplified look of the diaper, and I have never experienced wing droop.

Functionality - I would like to start off by saying that I love that this company actually is truthful in their fit. 5 - 30 lbs. seems very accurate to me, although they may appear bulky on a newborn because they will bunch in the front. I would compare the rise to a BumGenius 3.0 diaper. Although, somehow, my son is still not on the highest setting in his Rocky Mountain diapers, although he is in his bumGenius diapers. Go figure. However, when looked at side by side (and maybe it's due to snap closure v. the aplix) they look about the same. This diaper is very trim. Much trimmer than other pockets I own. And I find the pocket to be nice and wide which makes it easy for myself or my husband to stuff.

The rise adjustment system on the Rocky Mountain Diaper is unique. It can be found in the leg casings of the diaper so you will actually have to go inside the pocket to each leg gusset to find the elastic. On each leg elastic there are a series of snaps. Just pull the elastic tighter or let it go looser and snap in place to adjust the fit. Because the adjusters are in the casing there is no rubbing against baby's skin. :) The only thing to be careful of is that you get both legs on the same setting but that is very easy to do. I actually like this a lot more than the FuzziBunz system as you only have to adjust the back and not the front as well.

My son is 24 lbs. and we are not in danger of him outgrowing them anytime soon. :) This diaper does have a low rise though, so that is something to be aware of as it may not last you through potty training.

Durability - I bought my diapers from Rocky Mountain as seconds and they are in GREAT condition. The suedecloth always stays nice and soft and they have held up well to many washings over the last 6 months of use.

Although smaller in rise, I do highly recommend this diaper. Rocky Mountain Diapers are sturdy and trim. They stand the test of time and are super cute to boot.

It's a....

2010-04-13T12:17:00.000-05:00

GIRL!!! I can't wait to stock up on lots of girly diapers. :) We're so thrilled to know we will have a son and daughter.

I bought three Size 1 Thristies Duo Wraps in cute girly colors and prints at Giggle-Britches to celebrate. They're currently on sale there (in Aplix and snaps). $11.60 for solids and $12.30 for prints. Snatch them up while you can ladies! :)

There's also a 20% off sale on SoftBums Organic Bamboo Velour Basic Pack at Giggle Britches. I have yet to review mine, but hint hint...I love them!

Review: Knickernappies OneSize Disposanot Pocket

2010-04-13T12:11:00.003-05:00

Diaper: Knickernappies OneSize Disposanot Pocket - $19.95 (Diaper, 1 microfiber insert, 1 microfiber doubler); $24.95 if you want to replace the microfiber insert with 2 LoopyDo inserts.

Materials: Outer layer PUL, with an inner of polyester non-pill fleece, Lastin elastic in the legs and waist, snap side closure, snap OS rise adjustment, 2 options on inserts:

2 microfiber inserts (one regular, one doubler)

2 LoopyDo Inserts

Fit: 8 - 40 lbs.

How it works: Knickernappies OS Disposanots are a pocket diaper in which inserts are placed inside the diaper between the inner lining and outer PUL to absorb moisture. The inner fleece lining wicks moisture away from the baby's skin keeping it dry. If you have a heavy wetter the LoopyDo inserts may be the way to go for you as they are made of microfiber and hemp. The one size adjustment is on the front. This diaper has a higher rise allowing you to have an x-small, small, medium, and large setting. (X-small being snapped not he smallest setting and Large being open all of the way.) The waist adjustment on these diapers is slightly different in that they are a side snapping diaper. The wings have the female portion of the snap on them, in two rows, and this wraps across baby's waist. The front of the diaper has the male snap parts on the sides. This allows you to pull across the baby's waist and snap tightly on the sides getting a nice fit. This will also make it harder for older toddler's to pull this diaper off on their own. (That could be a good or bad thing.)

Thoughts from Amanda:

Aesthetics - A nice variety of colors available. Many gender neutral color options. I like the side snapping action on these, as it gives the front of the diaper a very sleek appearance with fewer snaps. I wish the OS snaps were the same color as the diaper as it would make the diaper almost seamless in appearance.

Functionality - There is a very small learning curve with the Knickernappies OS diapers in that you must learn how to adjust evenly on both sides of the waist; otherwise your diaper will look lopsided. But, that only takes a time or two to get used to. I LOVE that there are two rows of snaps so I can do the top and bottom row tighter or looser than the other as needed. It makes it a diaper that truly grows with your baby's waist size. The wings, being tucked in the front of the diaper, make this diaper bulkier INSIDE the diaper. But, it looks very trim from the outside. My son doesn't seem to mind the excess fabric at his tummy, and the wings are lined with fleece, so you don't have to worry about scratchy PUL touching the baby's skin.

The pocket is nice and wide. My husband can easily help me stuff these diapers, and the pocket is also lined with elastic to keep any inserts from slipping up the back.

Knickernappies OS diapers have a VERY high rise on them. (They remind me of my Tiny Tush Elite OS diapers.) So, they will last you a LONG time. With that said, I wouldn't recommend this as a diaper to start in the newborn stage or even the early infant stage with. It will seem very large on a tiny baby, but once your child is of a good size these will be very trim and comfortable. I can tell that these will definitely see my 13 month old son into potty training.

I have heard that these diapers are highly recommended for potty training. You can set the snaps looser on the side so they act as a pull up. Or you can snap them tightly so that an "adventurous" toddler cannot pull them off easily on their own. The plus side to this is that they are flexible for use into the older years of toddlerhood. The only downside I can see to using this as a training pant is that the fleece inner will keep your child from feeling the sensation of being wet.

Durability - After using the Knickernappies OS diapers for about 5 months I can tell you that these are showing NO signs of wear. The fleece inner isn't pilled at all. Not even a tiny bit. The PUL is still vibrant, the elastic in great condition, and the snaps are perfect as well. It takes a little bit longer to dry when hang drying than diapers that don't have the fleece at the wings, but you need that to keep baby dry.

All in all I love Knickernappies OS diapers and they are one of my FAVORITE pockets. I would highly recommend them to any mommy. And if you plan on using prefolds and fitteds on your newborn for the first few months then these are a great pocket to transition to at about 3-4 months of age. :) And just think...it will last you until potty training. For real!

Guest Review (Valerie P.): Happy Heinys OS (Aplix)

2010-04-05T16:23:00.001-05:00

Diaper: Happy Heinys One Size - $18.95 (This price includes one large and one small micro fiber insert each)

Materials: Outer is 100% poly laminated, inner is custom milled fleece. Inserts are micro-fiber.

Fit: 8 - 35 lbs.

How it works: Happy Heinys are a traditional pocket diaper. The back of the shell is open to allow “stuffing” of inserts. Happy Heinys have traditionally included aplix closures; recently the company released snap closures (though that's not what is being reviewed).

Thoughts from Valerie P.:

Aesthetics - Happy Heineys have covered the color spectrum. They offer 22 different colors ranging from vibrants to pastels; additionally the company offers several fun prints (ie cow print and silly monkeys). These diapers are cute, no doubt about it – a fun break from the traditional pale blue or yellow offered from other brands.

Functionality - Happy Heinys function basically like any other pocket diaper on the market. Some things to note

Fit: These diapers are big with a capital LARGE. There is no way this diaper, even snapped to it's smallest setting, would fit my tiny little girl. Even when I used these diapers on my son, up until he was potty-trained, I never needed the largest size. Granted I have small-sized kiddos but at age 2 my son should have been getting close to the large end of the scale. Others I know have used this diaper well past the 35 lbs mark – with multiple inserts. What does this mean for you? Not a good diaper to start on a itty-bitty but an excellent choice if you have larger sized kids, have a late potty-trainer or have a super-heavy wetter.

Inserts: Happy Heinys use a specially shaped insert that is tapered in the middle. I assume this is to match the shape of baby. The odd thing is that the diaper itself isn't tapered – not as much as the hourglass shaped insert would imply. Truthfully the “tapered” look on the diaper comes from longer tabs than from a skinnier middle section. Why does this matter? It just seems to make diaper laundry a little more time consuming.

Tabs: These diapers have large tabs for a comfy fit for baby. The downside? Chubby toddler hands have a much easier time grabbing and yanking on the tabs than other diapers. If your little one likes to play “Take Off My Diaper” you can expect a naked baby...or worse a yucky mess.

Durability - The diaper and insert have held up well over the course of use; I have some Happy Heinys I've used for over eighteen months. My issues are mainly with the fleece inner-lining and the aplix closures. I found the fleece “pilled” over time and started looking old before diaper was actually old. It also wasn't as soft once it pilled. Not a terrible problem but still a bummer. I'm not a fan of aplix closures. Actually that's a lie; I can't stand aplix. It's not designed for the long-haul and for almost $20 a diaper I want something that will last. Happy Heineys aplix closures are no different. The tab closures don't stay on the laundry tabs and tangle in the wash. Over time the tabs lost their “stickiness” and just don't stay closed well. Here's the good news: if your diaper is older than 3 months (and therefore outside the warranty for the aplix) you can send it to Happy Heinys and they will replace the aplix with snaps for FREE!

Initially I was set to give this diaper a C – not a bad diaper but certainly possessing enough faults to exclude it from my list of “must-haves”. And had Happy Heinys not recently changed some things the grade would have stood. However I'm willing to give them another try – the snap closure version of the diaper is a HUGE improvement and solves my biggest issues with the diaper. Not only does that eliminate aplix but it should also make it more difficult for baby to remove his/her own diaper. I also love the customer service; any company who looks out for my well-being at the expense of their pocket-book will get another shot from me any day. With all this new information taken into consideration I'd have to give this diaper a B+ : functional, super cute prints, adequate durability. What keeps me from giving an A? The price of this diaper is a little high when compared to other diapers I like better. Nonetheless Happy Heinys is definitely a diaper to keep in my stash and use in regular rotation.

_____________________________

A big thank you to Valerie P. for being our first guest blogger. Yay!!! Neither Natalie or me own a Happy Heinys diaper so we are thrilled to have someone come on and review it for us. Valerie helped me in my journey to cloth diapering, and answered my gazillion questions so I value her opinion greatly. Thanks, Valerie! -Amanda-

The Smell is GONE!!!!

2010-03-31T16:20:00.000-05:00

So, I finally got rid of the ammonia smell in my diapers. After trying Blue Dawn with a little bleach (note to self...admit that you can not use bleach with your kid's sensitive skin and we'll all be better off) with many many many rinses, vinegar rinses, and Rockin' Green's "Rock the Soak" (none of which worked) I have solved the problem!!!

I did A LOT of research and discovered that my problem was hard water build up. Yep, the hard water (which I knew I had) has mineral deposits in it (which I also knew) that apparently build up over time in your diapers. That I did not know! So using Dawn, bleach, and vinegar till the cows came home wasn't going to do a darn thing for me. It also let me know that the Rockin' Green wasn't the problem. So, how did I solve the issue you may be asking?

Calgon. Yep! Calgon. 1/2 a capful of Calgon, in a load of already cleaned diapers per my usual routine, with my inserts and covers in a HOT wash and WARM rinse. Followed by another WARM rinse. Voila! Smells be gone. No more ammonia smell, no more faint poopy smell...perfect diapers. :) I have decided to start doing a Calgon wash once a month to keep the stinkies at bay.

Keep in mind there are MANY reasons your diapers could have an ammonia smell: concentrated urine, too much detergent, too little detergent, non-CD friendly diaper rash treatments, using a fabric softener, and hard water mineral deposits.

Here is the website I used to help resolve this issue. I hope you find it helpful: http://www.pinstripesandpolkadots.com/detergentbasics.htm

Operation: fall in Love with Rockin Green

2010-03-26T18:33:00.004-05:00

I know.. I know.. I have been letting Amanda do all the writing, but here I am!

I spent 1 month with my whole mission being to fall in love with Rockin Green Laundry Soap. I bought a big bag of the grape soda (yum! I have a love of Fanta Grape so that is why I chose that scent).

pre-month: I stripped all diapers so I could start fresh. (with RG) I followed the instructions on the card that the soap came with.

week 1: I soaked all my diaper loads of no more than 10 diapers in 3 Tbsp of RG and scalding hot water mixed with boiled from stove top and hot from the tap. I did this because I was told by many that the reason the first time I tried RG was because I didn't have hot water to my washer and it requires hot to activate. Well, all week I activated that crap and still, the diapers smelled like crap. Oh, so I did the soak with detergent, then wash then 2 rinse cycles.

week 2: Maybe I need a smaller wash cycle. So I did 120 degree water with 6-8 diapers and repeated wash routine from week 1. result" crappy smelling diapers.

week 3: the way to get hot water out to my laundry room became a serious pain in the ass. So I returned to my cold water and put in 8 Tbsp. of RG. Well the diapers didn't smell crappy anymore but they did still have a dingy look to them.

week 4: went out and bought Tide regular because I ran out of RG and voila! my diapers were clean, white and fluffy.

I made up my mind!!! And it will surprise you...

2010-03-24T11:11:00.003-05:00

So, after tons of research, opinion gathering, and talking things out with my husband I have decided how I will diaper 2.0 (the new baby) for the first 4ish months of life. :) And I think the results will surprise you.

For the daytime I have a few options for myself:

1 SoftBums cover with 3 inserts, and 1 Flip. These are mostly to try out and see how I like them for as the baby gets a little older. But, I want to have them on hand to try and I plan on testing them on my son first.

Now...take a seat, because this will shock you. Are you sitting now? Good.

24 infant prefolds!!!!

I know, I know. You can't believe it right? Well, here are my thoughts. After doing lots of research on sizing and pricing I just couldn't find THE diaper I wanted (not that I knew what that would be) for the money I wanted to spend. This time in a baby's life is so short I didn't want to spend a fortune on expensive diapers. I'll spend more on the diapers 2.0 will use for the remaining diapering time. So, prefolds were economical and I convinced my husband that he could do it. :) 12 of my prefolds I bought on a swap board for $13. They are unbleached OsoCozy brand. The other 12 are Little Lions Infant Seconds that I got for $13 as well. I use their prefolds in my son's pocket diapers and love them. So soft. Now I am skipping over newborn prefolds but that is because I would rather fold the front down a smidge and use something longer than have a prefold that will only work for a couple of weeks for me. We plan on using sposies until the umbilical cord comes off anyway...especially for a boy because he would be circumcised and I don't want vaseline all over my fleece barriers.

I still have yet to get my covers, but I'll wait until we find out if the baby is a boy or girl. I plan on getting 6 or 8 covers. 2 for daytime each day and 1 or 2 for nighttime.

For nighttime:

I will not be prefolding at night though. No way. Too exhausting. And I know my husband would refuse to help out in the middle of the night if that was his only option as well. Therefore, I have ordered 12 Cozy Cub Fitteds by Little Lions. $99 for 12 fitted diapers! I was hard pressed to find as high a quality diaper for that price anywhere else. Green Mountain Fitteds came close, but I think the materials in these will be softer and more absorbent in the long run.

We also have 1 bumGenius AIO size small that we will be using at night. If you're looking for a good deal on bumGenius hop on over to Kelly's Closet and click on the link at the top of the page for the BG coupons. That's how I got my AIO. And I bought the Flip diaper as my purchase item. Not bad to get 2 diapers for the price of one, or 10% off the one-size bg 24 pack. :)

-Amanda-

You tell me...

2010-03-20T22:05:00.002-05:00

So...being the "newbie" (*** I think our first commenter misunderstood as they do not frequent this blog. So, for new people...welcome, and I am not new to CDing. Just to CDing a newborn.) on Fluffy Bums I have not ever CD'd a newborn. My lovely husband begs me not to do it until we start solid foods, as that's when we started our son. A BIG part of me agrees with him. But, maybe that's because I've never had to CD a newborn before???

So lets say this...for the first few weeks I am using disposables. Heck...with lack of sleep and washing my son's CDs I will deserve a few disposables in my life. lol

But, what's your advice. What do you recommend? I don't want tons of fitteds for newborns. Not gonna happen. But, what diapers do you like for small babies into the toddler years? Yeah, that's right...OS diapers. lol Does such a thing truly exist?

-Amanda-

Review: GroBaby (a.k.a. The Diaper I Wanted Desperately to Love)

2010-03-20T21:03:00.005-05:00

Diaper: GroBaby - $24.95 (This gives you 1 shell, one soaker pad, and 1 booster)

Materials: Outer layer PUL, is a mesh with snaps for attaching the inserts, Velcro closure, one size adjustment on the outside of the diaper, Organic Cotton 6-layer elasticized snap in soaker and booster.

Fit: 8 - 35 lbs.

How it works: GroBaby diapers are a hybrid, or AI2, diaper. This differs from most of the diapers that we have reviewed because each diaper is a shell that has a front and back snap on the inside. An insert snaps into the shell. This allows you to remove an insert from the shell, and to replace it with a new insert thus reusing the same shell multiple times throughout the day. No stuffing of pockets with this diaper, and the inserts supposedly dry faster than an AIO diaper system. GroBaby diapers are a OS diaper with snaps on the outside of the shell. The insert is elastic so it stretches as you "up-size" the diaper. It closes with a hook and loop closure, but unlike other diapers the velcro on the tabs attaches to a soft loop fabric rather than your traditional strip of female velcro on the outside of the diaper.

Thoughts from Amanda:

Aesthetics - The colors are very bold (well, aside from vanilla of course and they have a few prints. However, color selection and print selection is VERY limited. In the end this shouldn't really matter though because you will be reusing shells throughout the day. You may only need 3-4 shells in the beginning (newborn) and fewer possibly as your child grows. So, if you want to look at a variety of cute diapers in your stash this type of system may not be for you. I also found them to be nice and soft.

Functionality - These diapers are HIGHLY functional. The system itself is very user friendly. Prep your shells by snapping in inserts. When it's time to change a diaper simply remove the insert (or shake/rinse off poops first if necessary) throw it into your diaper pail or wet bag and do one of the following:

1) If only a poopy diaper and the poops didn't get on the shell, snap in a new insert and voila...re-diaper the baby and you're done!

2) If the diaper is wet, and it got wet enough that the shell is a smidge damp on the inside, no worries, just remove the insert and toss it in a wet bag or pail. Lay the shell out to dry and it will be ready to use again at the next diaper change. Simply use a new diaper.

I cheated when I was out and about. I reused the shell, and simply wiped it out with a wet wipe. Yeah, sue me. lol But, it sure made being out a lot easier. Just carry a little ziploc of inserts and use the shell your kiddo is wearing. If you're in a runny poop stage though...I'd carry along an extra shell as well though. :)

Now...why this is "The Diaper I Wanted Desperately to Love." I LOVED the GroBaby! Truly I did. I promise. Are you convinced now? Okay...here's where it went wrong for me. It did bother me that the insert got damp and that was touching my kiddo's little bum and private area. Easy enough...toss on a fleece liner. But, for me...it was the fit. There was NO way this was going to make it to 35 lbs. for my kid. And knowing what a big wetter he is, I must say in the end it wouldn't have held up well to his high volume of tinkle either. It appears as though on their website that have added some more heavy duty soakers, but I still think they could have even more absorbency in their soakers. Now, you could add in your own, but that would potentially mess with the snapping system.

Please, please, please keep in mind that my son is a ridiculously heavy peer. I have only met a couple of moms who are dealing with the same wetting issues I am. So, most likely your kiddo is of average wetting and this shouldn't be an issue for you. But, size was the biggie for me. So, I sold them. Part of me regrets it because I could have toyed with it more, but I was desperate at the time. I plan on trying this brand out, plus some newer versions on the market with the same concept with the baby on the way.

Durability - I have read some complaints that the velcro on these wears out, or that the wings start to curl. I never had this problem and the velcro was very sticky. I did have issues with diaper chain in the washer with these. But, they held up very well. The stitching on one of my soakers was pulling away a smidge, but that would have been an easy fix. All in all I highly recommend GroBaby diapers to average size kids and average wetters. :)

Updates

2010-01-17T09:44:00.000-06:00

Hi there! Sorry it's been so long. You know the holidays were upon us which of course is crazy for everyone. My son got sick and ended up in the hospital for a night/day. And we found out we're pregnant with baby #2!!!! Due sometime is September. YAY!!!!! We're very excited about that news. My son had a good 1st Christmas even though he was battling the tail end of his illness. We're feeling very blessed.

But, I wanted you to know that you have not been forgotten. I am in the process of making a list of diapers I have yet to review. (There are a bunch!) Posts about stuffing pocket diapers. The World of WAHM diapers. More store reviews. So, please stay tuned. I hope to get to some posts in the next week or so.

Happy "New" Year! Lets make 2010 a great year for our children and families. :)

-Amanda-

Review: FuzziBunz One Size

2009-12-17T10:43:00.001-06:00

Diaper: FuzziBunz One Size - $18.95 (Without extra elastic $17.95)

Materials: Outer layer PUL, inner layer Fleece, Snaps for closure, buttons inside of the legs for the one size adjustment (I will explain more later on that), one regular sized microfiber insert and one microfiber doubler.

Fit: 7 - 30 + lbs.

How it works: FuzziBunz One Size Diapers are a pocket diaper in which you place inserts to adjust the level of absorbency. The rise on this diaper is not adjusted from the outside like most OS diapers. This diaper's rise is adjusted with the elastic inside of the leg casing of the diaper and secured at each end with buttons. The elastic is marked with a numbering system to help you adjust the room in the thighs to fit your child better than a diaper that adjusts with snaps on the outside.

Thoughts from Amanda:

Aesthetics - Very vibrant diapers. The colors are bright and cheery. There are 12 colors available for these diapers. I own yellow and orange and they are like neon...so keep that in mind when looking at the brighter colors. They do not have prints though if that's what you're looking for.

Functionality - First off I didn't find that the fleece inner wicked moisture away very well. My son was damp to the touch each time I used this diaper. I also find the fleece to be very thin and of poor quality. The microfiber inserts that it came with also don't seem to absorb very well. I often found myself replacing them with inserts from other diapers before making the switch to prefolds as inserts in all of my diapers. (Which I highly recommend if you have a heavy wetter.)

Regarding fit...I found the waist of this diaper to be even a little loose on my (at the time) 7 1/2 month old. Now at 9 months I am just moving off of the smallest waist setting. There is no way that this would fit comfortably on a newborn in my opinion. This diaper seems to run a little big. I also find the thigh snaps to be placed a little too close to the leg opening. I have a hard time getting a comfy with those snaps around my sons legs. There are only 4 snaps to choose from around the thighs and even though the waist has two snaps on each side the thigh snaps seem to pull down on the wings of the diaper creating wing droop anyway. Annoying!

As far as adjusting the rise of the diaper. FuzziBunz provides a handy dandy chart on their website to aid you in figuring out the proper setting for your child. FuzziBunz utilizes a system in which the elastic inside of the leg casings has button holes and at the front and back of each leg opening there is a button. You can pull on the elastic to adjust the rise of the diaper by making the leg area smaller or larger. There are 6 or 7 setting on each end of the leg elastic. The excess elastic then tucks into a "hideaway hole" in the diaper. So, for example...my 21 lb., 9 month old son, is on the 3rd hole on the leg elastic. This can become complicated and can take a while to figure out if your child doesn't fit into the 50% for everything. (And really...how many of them do?!) With buttons and snaps this diaper just becomes complicated to figure out at the beginning.

Now once I got everything set right, it worked, but it's still not a favorite of mine. The elastic comes out of the "hideaway holes" in the wash and the elastic curls (which is the nature of elastic that isn't sewn down on the ends). The buttons don't stay tucked away so the press up against my sons skin. (He's not uncomfortable but it still bothers me.) All in all I am just not overly impressed with this diaper.

If I get a chance sometime I'll make a video of this diaper as I think a visual will help you to better understand how this diaper works.

Durability - The inner fleece of this diaper seems to get thinner and thinner with each washing. I'm not sure why, as my other fleece lined diapers don't have this problem. Otherwise this diaper is of good quality. I like that mine came with extra elastic for the legs incase mine break. But, I think if mine broke I would cry over it and would probably discontinue use anyway.

*** I know people who swear by this diaper. They love everything about it. Which just goes to show...it pays to try different brands which is why a starter pack is such a good idea when starting out.

Cloth Diapering and BEYOND..............

2009-12-13T09:44:00.001-06:00

I recently had lunch with a friend who is newly pregnant and she started to ask me questions about cloth diapering. Once we went round and round about the diapers, I realized there was so much more to tell her. There is more to cloth diapering then just the diapers and a good subject to bring up and start with is cloth wipes because you will use wipes quite often as well. There are many cloth wipes out there to purchase, but I got about a ga-zillion of those mini baby wash cloths at my baby showers so I use those. They are just the right texture to wipe and still be soft on the skin. I have heard and read of many "solutions" to make for the wipes, but take this from me.... not necessary and in fact can seriously irritate the babe's skin. I use warm tap water or a little baby oil if necessary and my LO who has slightly sensitive skin has never had a diaper rash or redness (well, there was one time I fed her papaya) down there. The wipes just get thrown in the wash with the diapers.

I hope this helps you on your journey to cloth diapering!

-Natalie

Trials of a Dum Dum: Overnight Part 3

2009-12-03T11:21:00.001-06:00

So, I had a long sit down talk with my husband. We talked about money. I hate talks about money. You know...the kind where he tells me I spend too much and then I feel guilty. Yeah. Those talks about money. Actually he didn't say I spend too much. What he said was that figuring out night time diapering was going to cost us an arm and a leg possibly. That I just bought a bunch of diapers for daytime, and Christmas is coming up which is a lot of money going out at once.

We discussed that the Huggies Overnites are working every single night. No leaks. So, for now we are going to stick with those. I feel a tad guilty about it as I'm supposed to be promoting CDing to y'all. With that said, I was also tiring of washing sheets and mattress pads every morning and trying to get them done before his morning nap. Between doing that, doing the household laundry, and cloth diaper laundry...I was going a little bonkers I think.

I'm not necessarily giving up. I'm just taking a break for a while. He only uses one Huggies Overnite a night so it's not breaking the bank to use them. Maybe if I can get my hands on a reasonably priced TIAN I might give it another go in the future. But, for now...we're leaving CDing for the daytime.

Don't hate me!

Review: Preston's Pants

2009-12-03T11:10:00.002-06:00

Diaper: Preston's Pa nts - Pricing varys on the diaper you get. She offers diapers anywhere from $20.95 - $37.00. Pricing depends on the style, fabrics, and if you get embroidery.

Type: She has several styles. Some are fitteds in Small, Medium, Medium Long, Skinny Large, and Large. Others are OS. She also carries Wool Covers.

Materials: Her diapers vary in materials. You will want to check out her website for details on what kind of diaper works for you. I got a PUL outer layer OS pocket diaper, the inner was a printed micro-fleece, and it came with 2 inserts (1 microfiber and 1 hemp). The elastic in her diapers is Lastin so it is a latex free elastic in the leg casing.

Fit: 7 - 35 + lbs.

How it works: Preston's Pants are a WHAM snap on fitted or OS pocket diapers. She has many fabrics and styles. You just have to check out her website to familiarize yourself with all of the options. :)

Thoughts from Amanda:

Aesthetics - Really there is so much variety here that you can't go wrong. You would be hard pressed to not find a diaper that at Preston's Pockets if you're looking for a wide range of colors, patterns, fabrics, and so on. The snaps on my diaper (Trains!) were in a contrasting color from the outer PUL. On my diaper the PUL is a deep blue and the snaps are brown. The inner liner is a micro-fleece with a train print on it. I LOVE IT!!! I know...some of you are thinking...what's the point of having a print inside of the diaper. You can't see it! Well to those of you thinking that...I say it is the undergarment mentality. No one may see my bra, but I know it makes me feel good because it's pretty. :) Usually my son is wearing pants over his diapers, but that doesn't mean I don't like to know there is a cutie patootie print there!

Functionality - These diapers work well with the inserts that are included with them. The microfiber/hemp combo absorbs well and my son was able to go 2 1/2 hours with this diaper on. Keep in mind he is a SUPER SOAKER!!! lol 2 1/2 hours is great for him. Be sure to prep the hemp though, and to wash it separately from your other diapers to make sure any natural oils are washed out and don't get on your other dipes. The snaps are in good placement so I can get a nice and secure fit on my son, and the rise on the diaper is of a good height as well. The micro-fleece inside is of good quality and extremely soft against baby's skin. It does a fair job of wicking away moisture, but not as great as suedecloth. (I find that to be the case most times though.) The Lastin in the leg casings is a nice touch if your child has a latex allergy; however, I find the width to be very thin and I worry that it could be uncomfortable on my sons thighs. He doesn't have red marks though and doesn't complain so maybe it's just me. :) I see the leg Lastin as a potential issue down the road though if his thighs get larger.

Durability - Great quality. This diaper has held up well to washing and a turn in the dryer to seal the PUL around the snaps. We are really enjoying this diaper. I hope you'll take a chance to check out Preston's Pants.

Shop Review - Giggle Britches

2009-11-26T22:07:00.004-06:00

Physical Location: Troy, Illinois
Phone Number: 618-795-8301

Website: http://www.giggle-britches.com

Store Basics:

Giggle Britches was started by LeAnn Kitchen because she
noticed a need for a "cloth diapering and natural parenting
store in the St. Louis Metro-East area."

She has a great Cloth 101 section that gives a quick rundown
of how she does her cloth diaper laundry and what you would
need to get started which can be handy when you are looking
at a shop and just getting started in the cloth diapering world.

What Giggle Britches carries: Prefolds, Fitteds, Covers,
Pockets, AIOs, AI2s, Package Deals, Inserts/Liners, and
Accessories (i.e. wipes, Snappies, Charlie's Soap, wetbags,
and pail liners).

Selection: The selection is small but
seems to be growing with more and
more quality products over time.
They do carry some of the major tried
and true brands such as bumGenius, Thirsties, Happy Heinys,
Fuzzi Bunz, Haute Pockets, Tiny Tush, etc. so it's definitely
worth checking here and comparing prices with other stores
before buying.I only give this category a three because
compared to larger stores this store is small in comparison.
But, I think you'll see in the next few categories that LeAnn
is in a leagueof her own in customer service.

Level of Service: LeAnn is friendly
and helpful. She's great about
keeping in touch with her customers
and has a great fan page for her store
on Facebook which you should join to hear about the latest
sales, discontinued products, or new items that will be added
to the store.

I also want to say that she has the FASTEST delivery of a store
I've ever experienced. My order was at my house within a 3
days of purchase. I was majorly impressed and it is one of the
many reasons I check her store often when hunting for diapers.
After all...when you're addicted don't you want to get your fix
fast? I know I do!

Package Deals: Giggle Britches has
some of the best small diaper packages
I've seen. If you know what you're
looking for in a diaper this is a great
place to buy a package to try different versions of one type.
For example...if you know you're a pocket diaper person then
you could try her One Size Pocket Sampler. She has them for
several different categories including nighttime diapering so
check those out for sure.

My favorite feature: Some of the
diapers come with a 15 day Risk Free
Trial. This gives you an opportunity to
buy 1 diaper (only 1), try it for 15 days,
and return it for a full refund. All you are out is the cost of
return shipping!!! (Don't forget to wash and dry it before you
return it!) I don't know about you, but that sounds like a great
deal to me.

Definitely check Giggle Britches out and see what they have to
offer. Quick shipping, packages, and Risk Free Trials? I think
you'll be impressed too!

Review: Tiny Tush Elite Pocket Diapers One-Size

2009-11-26T21:11:00.006-06:00

Diaper: Tiny Tush Elite Pocket Diapers One-Size - $17.95

Type: One-Size, Pocket

Materials: PUL outer layer, snaps or Aplix, micro-fleece inner fabric, 1 regular microfiber insert and 1 microfiber doubler

Fit: 7 - 35 lbs.

How it works: Tiny Tush Elites are a OS Pocket diaper which allow you to adjust the rise of the diaper to accommodate a growing child and to stuff the diaper with inserts to adjust absorbency. They can come in either snaps or Aplix tabs. I have Snaps.

Thoughts from Amanda:

Aesthetics - A good quality diaper. It reminds me of a Haute Pocket Diaper in the rise in that the rise is higher than, say, a bumGenius 3.0. The snaps are white which contrasts with non-white diapers, but that doesn't bother me. It comes in a decent variety of colors. I wish they had an orange diaper. That seems to be the only color they're missing. There are no patterns available though. The logo tag on this diaper is fairly large and old fashioned but that doesn't bother me. I give this a 4 because of the limited color choices and lack of patterns.

Functionality - This is one of my favorite diapers, and I would happily have a whole stash of these if I wasn't so intruiged by variety. :) Then snaps are spaced out nicely so as to give a nice fit. My only qualm with the snaps on this diaper is that they do not overlap on the front wings which will make it difficult to use on a small baby. The 4 snap rise setting is great as it gives you some more flexibility. And while my son is on the highest rise setting in some other diapers. In these he is on the Medium-Large setting (or the last row of snaps before having it open all of the way). The legs have some good stretch to them, but stay tight around the thigh, and the inner micro-fleece is sooooooooo soft. And unlike my Fuzzi Bunz OS diapers this micro-fleece does a good job of staying dry to the touch. The inserts are also nice and fluffy. They are soft to the touch and absorb well.

Durability - So far this diaper has held up well. It's nice that you don't have to contend with diaper chain in the washer/dryer due to the snaps, but I love that you have the option to buy this diapers with either snaps or Aplix (velcro). That will help it to appeal to a lot more customers. I don't have any piling on the inner micro-fleece so it lives up to it's "anti-piling" claim. As always I hang my diapers to dry so I have no comment on how it is in the dryer. But, I'm sure it will do fine. There has never been a stray thread. Ever! This is my favorite diaper to pull out of the drawer. I save it for a time of day when I know my son is going to get to spend a good 2 hours in it because I know he'll be comfortable. I HIGHLY recommend the Tiny Tush Elite Pocket Diaper OS. I have another one on the way as I type!

Review: Haute Pockets

2009-11-21T11:09:00.010-06:00

Diaper: Haute Pockets - $17.95 (Nicki's Diapers - $12.95)

Type: One-Size, Pocket

Materials: PUL outer layer, snaps or Aplix, microfiber inner fabric, 1 regular microfiber insert and 1 snap-on microfiber doubler

Fit: 8 - 35 lbs.

How it works: Haute Pockets are a OS diaper which allows you to adjust the rise of the diaper to accommodate a growing child. They can come in either snaps or Aplix tabs. I have Aplix.

Thoughts from Amanda:

Aesthetics - A decent quality diaper. I would say it's comparable to the bumGenius in appearance. The Aplix (velcro) tabs on this diaper are a little longer which I find makes it easier to undo the velcro. The snaps are white which contrasts with non-white diapers, but that doesn't bother me. It comes in a decent variety of colors. There are no patterns available though. The only issue I've had with the appearance of the diaper is the logo tag tends to have thread pulls giving the tag a sloppy appearance. This does not affect the way the diaper performs though. I give this a 4 because of the limited color choices and the fraying tag.

Functionality - This diaper works well for me. It has a nice high rise which I love. I know this will grow with my son for a long time. The inserts are wider at the back to help absorb more from newborn or watery bowel movements. And I LOVE that the doubler snaps on to the regular insert. That makes stuffing this diaper so easy. This feature also keeps the doubler from bunching. The Aplix tabs work nicely when putting the diaper on or taking it off. They do cause a problem in the washer though (probably the dryer too, but I hang dry my diapers). Unfortunately the laundry tabs on the inside of the diaper are too small and sewn too close to the tab itself. The tabs stick to the laundry tabs fine, but in the washer/dryer they come undone and create a diaper chain in your wash, sticking to anything and everything they can. This hasn't caused a problem for me with the quality of any of the inserts or other diapers it comes in contact with. It's more of a pain then anything. I have tried attaching the tabs to themselves by turning them backwards, but they still come undone.

Durability - I have 5 Haute Pockets. So far the Aplix is holding up really well. And even though it is attaching to other diapers, inserts, and fleece liners, I haven't had a problem with the tabs becoming bogged down with fuzz. Also I believe that hang drying them helps the velcro to last longer. Out of my 5 diapers the elastic came away from the diaper itself in one of them on one leg. I'm so sad. It just happened on Friday! :( I'm a little disappointed that this happened so quickly, but things happen. I have contacted both the company and the store I bought them from to see if they can get this resolved for me. Haute Pockets have a warranty of 6 months and they will replace diapers that have defects based on their discretion. I will update my review to let you know how well they handle this situation. So, stay tuned....

Thoughts from Natalie:

Aesthetics - Looks like many of the Bum Genius style pocket diapers out there. It also has a similar look to wonderoos . From what I understand they don't sell prints and come in all the common colors out there that PUL comes in. The diaper looks just fine, cute and fluffy.. I give it four pins simply because I like prints.

Functionality - I really like this diaper, it is very soft and fluffy. The aplix is as strong as 50 oxen. After washing the diaper I had a hard time pulling the tabs off the laundry tabs. The diaper is trim and fit very well around Ella's legs. She is almost 9 months old, 21 pounds and has chunky legs. So the diaper really wrapped around her legs perfectly.

Durability - After a few washes, the diaper looks like I just took it out of the package! The aplix is strong and not curling and the PUL fabric is not looking broken down yet. The insert cleans and dries perfectly. I really like how the inserts snap together so after getting totally soaked at night, it did not bunch or move around.

I have tried the Haute for naps, play time and night time and NO leaks!

Trials of a Dum Dum: Overnight Part 2

2009-11-21T10:37:00.002-06:00

Well, we tried our indian prefolds in the diapers overnight (and during the day). Remember, my son is 8 months old, about 21 lbs.. We've only used it at night twice because we only have one and I do laundry every other day. So here is a run down of our last 2 nights:

Night 1: bumGenius 3.0 on highest rise setting. The pocket was so full with the premium indian prefold and the microfiber insert that it was really difficult to even get it on my son. I find that the BGs seem to have a lower rise compared to some other pocket diapers. But, after some work I got it on. My son had the biggest bum I'd ever seen.

We made it through the night without any leaks on the highest rise setting (which is what he is on normally anyway)! Woo!!! The prefold did a great job of absorbing all of the way down. Microfiber always seems to just absorb in one spot. He woke up as dry as could be.

Lesson learned: The bumGenius is a good way to go because the PUL layer overlaps on the top locking in moisture. You'll see why that is important in a second.

Night 2: This time we tried the same setup, premium indian prefold topped with microfiber insert. We attempted a different diaper this time though and used a Haute Pocket. Normally my son is on the medium rise setting in this diaper during the day so I used the same setting for the night. MAJOR LEAKAGE! He was soaked down to his feet in the a.m. (Yeah, my son doesn't wake up when he pees in his bed.)

I have a couple of theories:
1) The Haute Pocket does not have the protective PUL at the top of the diaper like the BG and that's where his diaper was wet in the morning. So, I believe compression caused the diaper to leak out of the top (my son is a tummy sleeper of his own accord). This got his pajama pants wet and then caused the pants to wick the moisture all of the way down to his toes.

I will attempt this diaper again as it was much easier to get it on him being a slightly larger diaper compared to the BG. Next time I will open the snaps to the largest setting to see if that gives the top a more snug fit so as to trap any moisture.

I know that this can work since it happened once so I just have to figure out what diaper it is going to work best in. Also, I guess it will depend on how much he pees each night.

The trials continue...

Daytime: The regular indian prefold alone did help my son to last to the 2 hour mark each time it was used. Woo!

Trials of a Dum Dum: Overnight

2009-11-16T20:31:00.005-06:00

I thought I'd do some posts for all of the newbies like me out there. Or shall I say Dum Dums? Yep, I'm the first to admit that I am one of those people. Although CDing off and on since Gabriel was born there is still much I have to learn. Isn't that the case with anything you take on though? Such as being a mom? And look how many of us are jumping on that band wagon? :) For good reason! So, no fear.... Right?

Not much about cloth diapering scares me. But, there is that one itty bitty part of our day called nighttime. Yep. Nighttime. Sure, all day long you're moseying along. Maybe you have a leak to deal with, but nothing like you will experience in the middle of the night or the next morning. Finding the right nighttime diaper is like looking for a needle in a haystack from some. Others get lucky on the first go 'round.

I have a super soaker. My son can soak through 2 microfiber inserts in 30 min. - 1 hour during the day. We tried 2 microfibers at night, and we tried adding the wrong kind of hemp doubler at night. I use all pockets, and I stuffed it with a Hemp Night Stay Dry Doubler from Green Mountain Diapers. The problem was they had fleece on top...good for a fitted diaper, but not for a pocket. As the fleece and the inner of the pocket diaper work against each other somewhat slowing absorption. I even tried lying that on top of the pocket and yet, still didn't work.

So, I got in touch with Stephanie at Abby's Lane and explained my nighttime situation. I told her that my son was 20ish lbs., 8 months old, and what I had already tried. She informed me that many people have kids who outgrow the absorbency of microfiber by 6 months old. (Some even 2-4 months old. So, if you're having daytime leaking problems regularly this could be why.) I told her that on his bumGenius 3.0s he was on the large setting, and a medium on his Haute Pockets. I also told her that after buying a large number of diapers I was on a tighter budget and wanted to be economic about my purchases. I LOVE that she completely respected that. Thanks, Stephanie!

She suggested getting some indian cotton twill prefolds. One in regular size for the daytime and one in premium (topped with a microfiber insert) for the nighttime. These apparently have a lot more absorbency than the microfiber inserts or towels. They showed up today and I can't wait to try them out. They're going through a few wash and dry cycles as we speak so they're prepped for tomorrow! :) I will definitely keep all of you posted on the nighttime trials. (And the daytime...we'll see if he can go longer than 1 hour in a CD.)

My goal (and Stephanie whole heartedly agrees) is to try everything I can to make my normal pocket diapers work for him at night. To only buy a different diaper if nothing else works. Fingers crossed that this will do the trick. If not it's on to the next step. Keep your fingers crossed for us! I'll update you soon on our progress. Maybe we'll find that elusive needle in the proverbial haystack.

Review: Rockin' Green Detergent

2009-11-15T19:39:00.007-06:00

Detergent: Rockin' Green Cloth Diaper Detergent; $2.50 for sample size and $13.95 for larger bag.

Materials: Clean rinse detergent: sodium carbonate , sodium percarbonate, sodium citrate, sodium sulfate, surfactants, fragrance oils (if scented is chosen)

How it works: Rockin' Green Soap is an all natural clean rinse formula detergent that is said to make your diapers sparkle and not create the residue build up like other detergents can.

Thoughts from Natalie:

Smell - I am not a fan of anything that smells like baby powder so many products that are dubbed for baby stuff I avoid with fear of it smelling like fake baby powdery gunk.

Rockin' Green is so much fun to buy because all of her amazing scents. It's like being in a candy store with Grape Soda and Pumpkin Crunch. I purchased the samples of Cherry Lemonade and Vanilla Lavender. I loved the the Cherry Lemonade and wanted to eat it!

Functionality - I used the Rockin' Green soap as soon as I got it. (after I stripped the diapers) I soaked my diapers for 3 hours in 2-3 tablespoons and then washed them and rinsed twice. My diapers came out smelling like wet dirty gym socks. I was so turned off. I assumed I used it wrong so then I washed my diapers without anything, then ran the diapers with 2-3 tablespoons of soap then a clean rinse cycle. They still smelled wet and gross. Kim, the creator said maybe I have too many diapers in the wash so I tried with half the amount of diapers roughly 5, and the same thing happened. I stopped using the soap for a few days then kept hearing rave reviews about the soap so I was now determined. I spent a whole day washing my diapers with this much then that much and then more rinse cycles. I never got my diapers to smell clean. They felt clean and looked super clean but never smelled clean.

I do like how Kim lets you get scent cards and you can purchase samples that are nice sized for $2.50 so you can have fun. Maybe it is my washing machine, but no matter how much I want to love this product, I just don't.

Thoughts from Amanda:
Smell - I tried the Vanilla Lavendar, Vanilla Buttercream, and the Peppermint Cocoa. I personally didn't find the Vanilla Lavender or the Vanilla Buttercream to be that fragrant. To me they just smelled like laundry detergent. The Peppermint Cocoa is the only one that I really got a good smell separate from the detergent itself, and it was a nice scent for winter. Personally it didn't really matter to me if the detergent smelled nice because the smell won't linger on the diapers since it is a clean rinse detergent. But, I guess it's fun to smell it as your pour it in. I hear good things about Grape Soda, which I will have to try another time.

Functionality - I followed the directions that came with the sample packs just as Natalie did. I too ended up with a stinky diaper. Which is weird because I've never had a smell issue before. But, I decided to stick with it. (My hot water temp. is around 135 degrees. FYI) I'm glad I did. After a few subsequent washes (3ish) the lingering smell has been gone ever since and I have a nice clean diaper. Although it wasn't as fast acting as my other detergent was (Planet Ultra) I am pleased with the long term results.

My only qualm is that I wish it came in a liquid form. I'm not a big fan of powder detergent. I find it messy and I like the convenience of a lid as the measuring device. With that said at 13 cents a load you can't beat that!

Customer Service - Natalie did comment to me on what a great help Kim was in her quest to make Rockin' Green work for her. I contacted her regarding my hard water and she was a big help. She recommended the Classic Version. I also wanted to say here that their delivery is insanely speedy. I had my detergent in 2 days! Good thing for a procrastinator such as myself.

Review: smartipants OS Pocket Diapers

2009-11-10T09:36:00.006-06:00

Diaper: smartipants - $14.95 (Kelly's Closet - $13.32)

Type: One-Size, Pocket

Materials: PUL outer layer, snaps, suedecloth inner fabric, 1 microfiber insert

Fit: 7 - 35 lbs.

How it works: Smartipants is a OS diaper which allows you to adjust the rise of the diaper to accommodate a growing child. The only closure type on these diapers is snaps. The inside of the diaper has a patented "Smart Sleeve." This pocket differs from others in two ways:

The pocket is open in both the back and the front which allows you to stuff from one end and continue pulling through from the other.
The insert (or inserts if you double up) come out in the wash, so no need to pull out a wet insert before laundry day.

Thoughts from Amanda:

Aesthetics - This is an incredibly trim diaper. The fit is beautiful on my son (20.6 lbs. currently). It is great as a diaper bag dipe since it doesn't take up too much room. The snaps stand out since they are white, but that's okay with me. My only qualm...more colors please!!!! I love these diapers but I want more variety. I'm not a fan of a whole drawer of pastel baby colors. So, I give this diaper a 4 only because it needs more color variations, and maybe some designs too!

Functionality - I love everything about this diaper. There is a good number of snaps at the waist and you can overlap the wings for a tight fit on a very small baby. It is also very trim and sits close to the body which is great when trying to fit your child into clothes that were made to fit their actual size and not a giant diaper. lol Stuffing these pockets is a breeze. I just push them through and one side about half way and then pull them through the other side of the "Smart Sleeve" pocket. No more shoving an insert into a deep pocket and just feeling around to make sure it's in correctly. I never mis-stuff with smartipants. And how can you not love that the insert comes out on its own in the washer?! Even with a doubler in place both will still come out, every time. Love it! It's also a great out and about diaper. Being so trim it fits well in the diaper bag, doesn't take up too much room in a wet bag, and I don't have to worry about the insert being removed at any point.

Durability - These have held up well to washing. I do hang dry all of the outer parts of my pocket diapers so I can't really comment on time in the dryer. The inserts stay soft and no shrinking. :)

***I highly recommend smartipants diapers, especially if you are going to be out and about with your CDs. It is definitely a "go to" diaper in my stash.

Review: Diaper Change Pocket Diapers

2009-11-09T14:08:00.008-06:00

Diaper: Diaper Change Diapers starting at $17.95 per diaper not including the inserts

Type: Side-snapping Pocket Diaper ranging in sizes from small to large

Materials: PUL outer layer with a micro-chamois inside (super soft!)

Fit: Newborn 7lbs. to Toddler 35lbs. The designer will also create a custom sized diaper for you.

How it works: Diaper Change Diapers are side-snapping pocket diapers which require inserts. These are as easy as it gets with any diaper and this is why a lot of people go towards the pocket cloth diapers when first starting out and stay very loyal to them. Plain and simple...they work.

Thoughts from Natalie:

Aesthetics - I adore all of the prints that come with the Diaper Change Diapers. She has so many to choose from and the fabrics are lush and of great quality. I love the side snaps as they don't make the diaper look industrial. It is all print on the diaper. The one thing that I thought about the diaper was that it looks much bulkier than most of the other diapers I have for the babe. I think it is because there is elastic on the front and the back. I am sure this makes them fit as well as they do though.

Functionality - Easy to use. Easy to clean. The diapers do not come with their own insert. But, from the advice of the website, I used two tri-folded micro-fiber towels. Yep, towels that I bought in the automotive section at Target.

Durability - two things I did to test these diapers:

I left the diaper on baby one day for 3 hours. She is a major pee-er. No leaks and her bum was bone dry, but the inserts were soaked completely.
Night time! The ultimate test on any diaper. We tried the diaper as our night time dipe and no leaks, no crunching and again her skin was dry as a bone. She wore the diaper from 7PM to 7:30AM.

- If Pockets are your favorite diaper so far, or pockets are what interest you the most, please try these. I am completely impressed.

Thoughts from Natalie:

Aesthetics - Great great great prints! The snaps are color coordinated which I love as well. Cute little (slightly) ruffled legs and elastic on the front and back. Definitely not a trim diaper though, and a rise comparable to the bumGenius 3.0.

Functionality - Very easy and no problems with wicking for us. Even in a onesie. You do have to make sure to stuff them properly seeing that the insert meets the edges of the diapers. If it is too small through the crotch then that leaves gaps where the insert won't absorb leading to leaks in the legs. However, the nature of cotton covered PUL is to wick some so if it does happen to you don't be surprised.

The way this diaper snaps is unusual in that the wings go toward the front on the inside of the diaper rather than towards the back. I have a love hate relationship with that feature. It makes it super easy to put on even a squirmy baby. But, on a boy baby sometimes the wings come in contact with urine and this can lead to a slight wick at the top of the diaper if the wings are positioned straight across the front. The wings are covered in the micro-chamois on the inside so if done correctly the wicking shouldn't occur. So, watch out for mommy error. :)

The inside stays mostly dry. There have been heavy wetting times where ours has felt a little damp on the micro-chamois. If that irritates your baby's skin I recommend a simple fleece liner inside. Voila! Problem solved. :)

Durability - I know my son couldn't wear these at night. He is a super soaker...especially being a boy who sleeps on his tummy. With that said these have made a great daytime diaper for us. I usually change them at 1 1/2 hours just to be safe. I hate wicking and I love onesies. But, we've gone 2 hours without an issue before. The instructions that come with the diaper do recommend to hang dry regularly so as not to wear the diaper out fast. These do take a long time to air dry though, so don't count on them if you are in a rush for a diaper unless you want to throw them in the dryer. Follow the instructions that come with the diapers to get them ready for use or you may have wicking around the snaps.

Review: Kissaluvs Contours (Unbleached)

2009-11-06T22:28:00.011-06:00

Diaper: Kissaluvs Contour (Unbleached) - $6.95 for one diaper or you can buy them in packages which brings down the price.

Type: Contour (I bought a Medium/Large)

Materials: Cotton Fleece

Fit: Newborn/Small 5 - 20 lbs.; Medium/Large - 15-30 lbs. (My son is 20.6 lbs. and 28 in. long)

How it works: A contour diaper is a cross between a prefold and a fitted diaper. This diaper will need to be secured with a diaper pin or a Snappi for a truly good fit, and will need to be used under a cover or wrap. The Kissaluv Contour comes in two sizes, small or medium/large, that will be friendlier for a younger baby vs. an older baby or toddler. The Kissaluv Contour contains a sewn in doubler in the center which claims to cut down on the drying time in the dryer, and adds 4-5 layers through "wet zone." The diaper is placed on the baby much like you would put a prefold one on, only the work of the "folding" is done for you here by have a "contoured" shape. Hence the name. Once fastened with a pin or Snappi a cover is placed over it. Kissaluv says that it can be used without a fastener if closed tightly enough with a good fitting cover or wrap.

Thoughts from Amanda:

Aesthetics - The unbleached contour is not out to win any beauty contests. It is a cream color by nature and has some purple serging around the outer edge of the diaper. It is very fuzzy in feel which gives it a warm cuddly feel and is very soft to the touch. The doubler itself looks slightly uncomfortable and stops in an awkward spot in the front of the diaper (more on that later). This diaper is out to serve a purpose and probably saves you on money because it's not all cute prints that will be hidden under a cover anyway.

Functionality - Pain in the rear for me. I found the diaper was incredibly bulky. Not trim at all. If I put the diaper high enough in the front it was showing some major plumbers crack in the back. If I put it higher in the back then the rise in the front was too low. It did have a lot of room in the waist which would have been great for my cutie pie, but the rise got in the way of that positive. I also had to work hard to get some real stretch going on at first. I was left with gapping holes in the leg area each time I tried to put the diaper on as I couldn't get the diaper to stretch quite enough to make a tight fit around his thighs. Now I was using a Snappi, so it may have worked better with a pin possibly. The Kissaluvs website does state that the diaper can be used with a Snappi, but with too much use it could pull at the fibers of the diaper. They also say that you should be able to get a good fit without any fasteners of any kind and to just pull it tight and place a cover over it to secure. I can tell you that there was no way this was going to happen for my squirmy guy. Now he's crawling so I wouldn't recommend going without a fastener if you have a baby on the move.

This brings me to my biggest pet peeve of this diaper. Yes, there is a bigger pet peeve than the rise and bulk. The sewn in doubler sounded like a great idea as I am often doubling my sons diapers. (He's a big wetter.) I'm sure this doubler would be great for a girl, but due to the fact that boys wet more in the front I found that this doubler didn't rise high enough in the front of the diaper. Now, I understand why they did this. If they put the doubler all of the way to the top this diaper couldn't be considered a medium/large because you then wouldn't be able to fold the front end down at all to make it "medium." However, this spells nightmare for a little boy. The top of his diaper was soaked through in less than an hour and he had leaks every time I tried these within 30-45 min. Not what I'm looking for in a diaper at all! Now for a little girl who pees lower in a diaper this would not be a problem. Also, as a crawler and a tummy sleeper my sons pee goes even more to the front, further spelling disaster for this contour dipe. The cover contained the mess but my son was drenched inside of the cover. Good thing I checked him often.

Kissaluvs also claims that the diaper will dry faster due to the way the doubler is sewn in down the center. This is not true either. In the dryer the doubler folds over on itself leaving the area down the center seam to stay wet even after two turns in the dryer. I ended up line drying them the rest of the way overnight.

The only reason I am giving this diaper a two is that it may work better for a girl than a boy and it is very soft. But, it still seems like more trouble than it's worth.

Durability - I can't say too much about this as I got so fed up with my son being drenched I didn't use them very long. I can say that my lint trap was packed through all of the preps and started slowing down after that, but a lot of fuzz came off of these diapers in both the washer and dryer. If I were you I would wash and dry these separately the first 3 preps from your other diapers. But, if I were you, I'd skip these contours all together. I'm giving these a 3 because I imagine the more you use them the more they will "shed" and knowing that the Snappi can cause pulls in the diaper is also a downside.

Thoughts from Natalie:

After reading Amanda's review and many others I have chosen to not purchase or try these diapers.

Our Washing Routines

2009-11-05T14:58:00.003-06:00

Natalie:

I know Amanda has been waiting for me to post my wash routine, but the truth is.... I am stumped right now, but I am working on it.

Detergent- Mrs. Meyers Baby Blossom . I get mine at Babies R Us , Whole Foods or sometimes TJ Maxx .
I have also tried All Free and Clear, but heard there is long term damage.. so no more!
Rockin Green Detergent
Top Loader washer, not sure the brand. The man is a cheapo and I am sure he found this machine on the side of the road, but it works.

Normally I soak the diapers over night with a tad bit of detergent, I add the night time diaper then the diaper before her morning nap. I do this because she usually makes a nasty in the morning.

I run the wash with just water.
Next with the detergent and extra rinse cycle. ***note I do not have hot water hook up and I live in Florida so my water comes out of the tap at about 80+ degrees.
I dry like normal.

Sometimes I lay the dipes and liners in the driveway to be bleached by the sun.
I have recently been trying Rockin Green Detergent (the new super detergent). I tried 6 different wash cycles with the same load today, and I still am not 100% about this stuff. Kim, the creator is so nice and helpful and I want to LOVE her product but I just can't. I will continue to try, it could very well be my cheap washer. I promise a diaper pin filled review soon.

Amanda:
Detergent - Planet 2X I get mine at the grocery store
Top loader washing machine. (Directions would be different if you use an HE/front loading washing machine.)

Cold water rinse with 1/2 a capful of Calgon because I have hard water.
Hot water wash with 1/2 the amount of detergent I would use for regular clothes.
Warm water rinse to get rid of any lingering detergent.
The inserts, contours, and cloth wipes go in the dryer on medium heat. (With thicker inserts this takes 2 times in the dryer.) Covers and the outer portion of the pocket diapers go on the hanging rack to air dry.

*** Never wash new organic cotton, bamboo, or hemp products with other diapers until they have been washed 4-6 times on their own. They have natural oils that will get on your other diapers before they've been washed that many times, and it will make your other diapers less absorbent.

How to Get Started

2009-11-04T22:24:00.010-06:00

What kind of diaper is for you?
Some stores offer sample packages in which you can try varying types of diapers so you can find what type works for you and return what doesn't. Jillian's Drawers has two packages to try for at the most $10 if you don't like cloth diapering. One trial package is for infants and one is for newborns.
There are many kinds of diapers out there to try. The most commonly used are:

Prefolds - These are probably what you visualize when you think of "old-fashioned" cloth diapering. They come in several different materials and sizes, but have a thicker portion in the center for good absorption. They do require a cover or wrap over them. Prefolds also need to be fastened with a diaper pin or a Snappi. To keep moisture away from baby's bottom I use a piece of fleece to wick moisture away.
AIO/AI2s (All In Ones/All In Twos) - These are the most similar cloth diaper to a disposable diaper. In AIOs there is an inner absorbent layer that is attached to an outer waterproof layer, and on top of the inside is a layer of fabric which wicks moisture away from the baby's bottom. In the AI2s (also referred to as Hybrids in some places) the inner portion of the diaper can be removed (usually via snaps) for easier cleaning. Both AIOs and AI2s close with velcro or snaps, and can be purchased in varying sizes or as a One-Size diaper.
Fitteds - Similar to an AIO diaper the fitted allows you to control the tightness of the diaper via velcro or snaps, and some WAHM made diapers with a Snappi or pins. Fitted diapers will also need a waterproof cover over them. These diapers can be purchased in varying sizes or as a One-Size diaper. (These are very popular with the WAHMs.)
Contours - Contours are a cross between a prefold and a fitted diaper. They go under a waterproof cover and come with a sewn in doubler which can be a plus for a big wetter. They come in fewer sizes as they can be folded somewhat to accommodate a growing baby (OS), but they may need to be fastened with a diaper pin or Snappi if you can not get a decent fit by just overlapping the wings under a cover.
Pockets - These are a two part diapering system. They have an outer waterproof layer, and an inner layer that wicks moisture away from the baby's skin leaving it dry. There is an opening or pocket built into the diaper in which you "stuff" inserts in to absorb the moisture. These are convenient as you can easily adjust the amount of absorption you get by adding more inserts, often referred to as doublers. Pocket diapers are also usually One-Size Diapers.
One-Size - Allow you to adjust the rise through a series of snaps on the front outside of the diaper or sizable elastic in the legs. This creates a diaper system that will grow with your baby over a large period of time.

Amount of diapers:

Every day use - For newborns you will need at least 10-12 diaper changes per 24 hour period. So if you only want to do laundry every other day you'll need around 18-24 diapers. As babies get older they will begin to need fewer; however, it's always good to be prepared for more than what you will need so we suggest having 18-24 diapers on hand in general. Make sure to do laundry every 2-3 days. You can get enough diapers to last you just one day/night and then doing laundry every day if you prefer.
Just the evenings and weekends - You will need at least enough diapers to get yourself through a full day on the weekend. So at least 12 - 14 diapers which will allow you to make it through the night, to change in the morning, and then wash the rest of dirty diapers.

(Other trial diaper programs to check out: Nicki's Diapers, Diaper Daisy, Cute Caboose)

Other supplies you will need:

Doublers - If you have a big wetter than doublers are a must. Many pocket diapers will come with a regular insert and a doubler. But, for making it overnight most babies will need some extra absorption. Microfiber is good for moderate wetters, but for heavy ones I recommend a hemp doubler.
Liners - You can get liners for diapers so that wetness won't come in contact with your baby's skin (if you're not using a pocket diaper) and also for easy clean up of those early soft baby poos. There are flushable liners and then there are fleece, flannel, or silk liners that need to be washed. These lay on top of the inside of the diaper.
Storing dirty diapers - There are many schools of thought on how to store your dirty diapers. You can invest in a bag that keeps moisture in or use a trash bag. You will just have to replace the trash bag each time. A dry diaper pail is what is recommended and you can even use a Diaper Champ. A pail with a lid on it will trap odors in more. Some people feel that is a con. It works for us. A diaper pail liner will help you tote diapers back and forth to the laundry. A wet diaper pail (a pail filled with water) is NOT recommended as it can be a drowning hazard for babies and young children.
Using diapers on the run - Cloth diapering on the run can be very easy if you have the right kind of diaper and something to keep them in when they're dirty. A ziploc will do but investing in a traveling wet bag is a great way to save money...and look super cute on the go. :)
Wipes - You can use throw away wipes, but part of the fun of CDing is helping the environment. Reusable wipes are a great way to do this. You can use baby washcloths, flannel wash cloths that are purchased online, there are all different kinds to look at.
Wipe Solutions - You can also make your own wipe solution that can be poured over wipes in an old wipe container, or that can be stored in spray bottle and spritzed on your child's bottom or directly onto the wipe itself. Here is a great place to find recipes for your own wipe solutions.

Detergents:
Be very careful of which detergents you use on your cloth diapers as additives such as perfumes, brighteners, enzymes, and dyes are not good for your dipes. This website provides a fantastic overview of many types of detergents out there and rates them based on their friendliness to CDing.
Amanda uses: Planet 2X
Natalie uses: Mrs. Meyers Baby Blossom

Cost:

This really depends on what type of diapers you plan to buy. But, for a general idea see the information below from Diaper Daisy:
Cloth diapers are affordable. On average, you will spend $2000 on disposable diapers per child during the diapering years. Compare that to an average of $700 for your first child's cloth diapering system. A second and third child will cost much less, as many of the diapers can be re-used. Plan on spending a little more or less, depending on the type of cloth diapering system you choose.

Did you know that In 2.5 years of diapering...

Cost of disposables: $2000
Cost of disposable wipes: $800
Total cost disposables: $2800

Cost of cloth diapers: $840
Cost of cloth wipes (24): $42
Total cost of cloth: $882

Savings: $2000!*

Figure washing time as 15 minutes every other day. That adds up to just over 60 hours a year. With a savings of $800 a year, the time you spend laundering diapers equates to an earnings of $17.50 an hour. If you hang dry your diapers, you are spending more time...but saving more $$ in utility costs.
*The savings will go up even more if a family chooses a more affordable cloth diapering option such as prefolds.*

You can also re-sell many of your cloth diapering items and get half or more of your money back!

Review: bumGenius 3.0 OS

2009-11-03T21:13:00.048-06:00

Diaper: bumGenius 3.0 - $17.95 for one diaper or you can buy them in packages which brings down the price

Type: One-Size, Pocket

Materials: The outside is waterproof PUL, it comes with 2 microfiber inserts - one regular and one newborn/doubler, the inside lining of the diaper is suedecloth.

Fit: Babies 7 - 35 lbs.
How it works: These diapers are a one-size dipe which means that the rise of the diaper is able to be adjusted through a system of snaps on the front giving it a small, medium, and large setting. bumGenius 3.0s also have Aplix fasteners (velcro). There is a strip of velcro across the front of the diaper to attach the velcro tabs to while the baby is wearing the diaper allowing you to adjust the size of the waist just like a disposable diaper. Inside of the diaper is suedecloth which will wick moisture away from the baby's bottom leaving it dry, while an insert stuffed into the diaper through a pocket in the back does the absorbing. bumGenius 3.0s come with 2 inserts. There is one "regular" insert which can be adjusted with a series of snaps for a small, medium, and large setting. (Large for the diaper, and for the insert, is to just leave it completely unsnapped.) The diaper also comes with a "newborn insert" or doubler for nighttime. Both inserts are microfiber. For washing the Aplix tabs attach to small "laundry tabs" or squares of velcro on the inside of the diaper allowing you to leave the diaper open for proper cleaning without the velcro sticking to other items, such as inserts, in your laundry. You do need to remove the inserts from the diaper prior to washing.

Thoughts from Natalie and Amanda:
Amanda:

Aesthetics - They come in a good variety of cute colors. The inner suedecloth is soft to the touch and the PUL is of good quality. The snaps match the PUL in color which is nice, but the giant strip of velcro doesn't have the same sleek appearance as snaps across the waistline would.

Functionality - These were the diapers that my husband and I were the least timid about using upon starting CDing. Their popularity also gave me confidence in my choice. Stuffing the diaper takes a little practice. You need to make sure the insert reaches all of the way to the very front of the diaper and that it is flat and not bunched anywhere. Any mistakes in this can lead to a leak. The velcro tabs make for a fast and easy change which can be a relief when dealing with a squirmy baby, but beware. Tubby baby bellies can rub on the velcro tabs causing irritation when sitting so I recommend wearing these with pants or something to cover precious baby's belly. These are pretty easy to find a good fit on your child as there aren't so many snaps that it becomes confusing, and I love that they grow with your child throughout their "diapering career." You do have to pull the inserts out before washing which may bother those who are very easily grossed out.

Durability - There have been complaints that the velcro tabs begin to lose their stick after several months of use. I recommend hang drying the outer part of your diaper to help the velcro last longer. Although bumGenius recommends a spin in the dryer on warm heat to resolve this issue. Also, curious babies or toddlers may learn that the velcro is fun to play with. For me neither of these things has been an issue so far. But, I guess time will tell. I will let y'all know if something changes though. :)

Natalie:

Aesthetics - I give them 3 diaper pins only because though the colors are super cute and easy to match with outfits, I like the prints. I wish Bum genius had fun prints. I am also finding that I like side snap diapers (we will discuss this later), Other than the print and side snap issues, they are cute and I think the minimal snaps makes them look less industrial.

Functionality - That's right 5 Pins on functionality. I have never in the past 8 months had a problem with these diapers working. No leaks, no mishaps, no blow outs.. nothing. They are easy to use, easy to clean and just plain easy. These are the diapers I got because they were on the website I registered on, and just got by default and because it was easy to just register rather than research myself to death in a world of unknown jibber jabber. Boy, I am glad for that. They are the best diaper to use first and to ease yourself into the diaper world. Their easiness makes it a great way to become excited about trying others.

Durability - I almost want to give them 3 1/2 stars because of the velcro curling on the tabs, but I didn't. I think a lot of the reason they are curling is because I am not very gentle with them. I throw them in the wash, and dryer and don't line dry or watch my washer/dryer temperatures. Maybe I should give them a 5? nah... 4 is good. Also, the dryer tabs where you are suppose to velcro the tabs to during wash, they only lived about 2 months before they started to shrink and no longer held the tabs, so now the tabs adhere to anything in the wash and make things nubby. annoying!

Comin' at Ya from my living Room!

2009-11-02T08:09:00.004-06:00

I'm Natalie and I am the other half to this cloth diaper blog tag team.

My journey of cloth diapering started out Confusing with a capital "C" but in the end well worth it. I want you to say the same thing one day.

It all began summer 2008. I was expecting my first babe and knew cloth diapering was for me, but where and how do I get started? I questioned a friend and she threw this at me: "BSRB and the FB and the BG and the pocket and the AIO and the thirsties", so I was like "what the freak?" She told me to go to this website where mommies talk, trade and sells cloth diapers. They were her lifesaver she said.

So I eagerly logged on and created an account and all the women on the website were like:

"BSRB and the FB and the BG and the pocket and the AIO and the thirsties", so I was like "what the freak?"...... I turned off the computer and never went back to this site. Well, I did, but not for a long time.

When it came time to register for my baby showers I saw on the site I was registering on that they sold these cloth diapers that had great reviews on the site. To make it easy on myself after having diaper lingo nightmares for months, I registered for 20 of them.

I got 10. So great.. now I need more. I went back to my friend and asked her straight up. Give me a diaper I should buy, so I bought those too.

There is so much more to this story, but I will make it short for you. I had 3 different diaper types now and I was ready.

The baby came a little over a month early, my diapers didn't fit yet. I started at about one month after Ella was born and I donated my disposables that I had left and I have never turned back. To this day I believe it is one of the best decisions I have made.

So I am hear to help you translate that scary diaper lingo and maybe offer an "everyday" mom view to the wonderful world of cloth diapers.

Hi, I'm Amanda, and I'm a CD addict...

2009-11-01T10:24:00.001-06:00

All together now with enthusiasm: "Hi, Amanda."

I figured I should let you all know a little bit about myself as one of the contributors to "Fluffy Bums for Dum Dums." My road to cloth diapering is very much a roller coaster ride. After almost a year of trying to get pregnant I was delighted to finally get that plus sign on that magical little stick. Then the planning began. There were so many things to do...nursery decor, adorable clothing, formula or breast feeding, and then there are the diapers. I was fortunate to have a friend who had just forayed into the world of cloth diapers. And of course as all good addicts do I jumped on the band wagon. I was researching day and night and I think the husband thought my hormones made me go a little diaper cuckoo. But, at least he was on board. Fast forward and our beautiful and marvelous little boy from heaven arrived.

We get home and I am ready with prepped BumGenius 3.0 diapers and an itty bitty baby. I put one on him, and within minutes...he pooped! What the heck?! That wasn't supposed to happen. He was supposed to make it through all three diapers I had before having a poop. There is nothing like trying to get sticky newborn poop off of a cloth diaper. With horror on my face I quickly rethought the whole cloth diapering situation, and stashed them away. It actually turned out to be a good decision for me as my son was diagnosed with an allergy about a month after birth which had caused diarrhea poops with every bottle he took. Poor little guy! I know I couldn't have emotionally handled the cloth diapering with everything else I was going through as a new mom.

But, we got that under control and as time went on we started eating solid foods. Then it dawned on me. The heavens parted and a ray of sunshine shone upon me (okay, not really, but you get the picture) I could retry cloth diapering. With the help of Natalie and Valerie I dove head first into the giant sea of cloth diapers. And here we are...I am a newbie. And I look forward to sharing all of my newbie experiences with you.

Welcome

2009-11-01T10:13:00.000-06:00

Welcome to Fluffy Bums for Dum Dums! We are so glad you stopped here today to check on the latest information in cloth diapering. Please check back often as we will be adding reviews of our favorite cloth diapers, facts about the pros of cloth diapering, polls to find out what you like in CDs (cloth diapers), and much much more. We were once "Dum Dums" too. :)