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Monday, October 31, 2011

WAHM Wares by BumbleBunz

A friend of mine has a work-at-home-mom (WAHM) business out of her home in Canada. Miss Katie Talbot is a very talented seamstress. She makes adorable cloth diapers, among other things, that she sells on Hyena and Etsy. She also does some giveaways through her Facebook fan page. I commissioned her to do a custom order for baby E.

We're trying various cloth diapers at night to see what system works best for us. I hadn't quite figured it out, so Katie helped work something out for us. She made bamboo terry contoured overnight insert sets. She sent them through priority shipping so they got here quickly. Out of the package, they were super soft and so plush, not to mention HUGE. The tiles in my kitchen are 12"x12" in these pictures.



Features:
-One large inserts that folds in half
-One small booster that goes between the layers of the folded insert
-Contoured for a smaller fit between the legs
-Bamboo Terry throughout
-4 layers in the  big insert and 3 layers in the booster, for total of 11 layers

I prepped them like I would with any other bamboo diapers with about 7-8 hot washes with cold rinse. There are several ways I'm thinking of using these inserts; stuffed in a pocket, laid in a cover, or laid in a fitted with a wool cover. They were too big to get stuffed into the Eco Posh fitted, but they fit perfectly in the Kawaii Minky microfiber pocket.

We tried that a couple nights ago with great success. I'm not going to lie; it was pretty bulky. I didn't find that to be too bothersome as the insert material is so soft, it didn't seem uncomfortable for E. Since the inserts are contoured, they're thinner between the legs with makes for less bulk in the crotch area. Plus, you can't have trim and super absorbent in one diaper. To get the overnight absorbency needed for my little heavy wetter, I expect that the diaper will be bulky. The bamboo terry wicks the liquid throughout the whole insert rather than gathering in one area, so all the layers were wet from front to back. However, I believe it had even more absorbency left before it would have been totally soaked or leaked.

I'm very pleased with this combination. Even though it seems like a big diaper, it was soft and very absorbent. The stay dry liner of the Kawaii cover kept my little one feeling dry while the big, bamboo inserts absorbed all her wetness over the 12 hours that it was on her. I got three sets so that we could go 2-3 nights between washes. A big double thumbs up to BumbleBunz bamboo terry nighttime insert set!

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Itti Bitti Tutto One Size Bamboo Review

You can read my Bitti Tutto Out of the Package Review here, but in case you don't feel like switching pages, here's a review of the features:

-snaps in the front for adjustable rise
-snap closure with inside flap snap for newborns
-minky pattern cover w/ PUL back
-polyester inside liner
-double leg gussets
-"poo fence" gusset at the top back
-three snap-in inserts for adjustable placement and absorbency
-color coded snaps on inserts for easy placement

I fully prepped these diapers with 8 full washes prior to my daughter's first wear. The minky cover, which was a little less than "plush" when they first arrived, really fluffed up after that amount of washings. I will admit that, at first, the sheer number of snaps on this diaper was very intimidating. I am still not sure I even know which is the best arrangement of the inserts for our little girl yet. However, I will say that once I get used to the snaps, I will probably like the color coding much more.

I am surprisingly thrilled with the trim fit of these diapers. Compared to other inserts, these inserts are almost comically narrow and extra long. This means that there's less bulk between the legs for the little one. The rise on the biggest setting is rather short, but since we haven't had a poopy diaper yet, I can't attest to the effectiveness of the "poo fence" or what the short rise does to it's ability to contain the mess.

I love that they used bamboo for the absorbency as well as polyester for the "stay dry" effect. While I didn't find the diaper to be particularly absorbent, the fact that it's so trim more than makes up for that. You can't have both. Either the diaper is absorbent and bulky, or it's trim and absorbent-enough. I had our daughter in the diaper for 2 hours without leaks, but the majority of all three inserts were wet and there was slight wetness around the legs on the minky exterior.

This is a great diaper if you're looking for something that looks like disposables under clothing. It's very trim and allows the baby to move freely. However, the absorbency is not spectacular, so plan to change your little one every hour or two when wearing these diapers. While I wouldn't personally stock my whole stash with these diapers, I would recommend to cloth diapering friends to get a few of these to use with fancy outfits or those times when trimness is desired. I personally am looking forward to using these with our Christmas portraits so that she doesn't have that big badonkadonk fluff butt in our pictures.

I'll be getting a few Itti Bitti SIO (snap-in-ones) in the mail in a few days, so I'm looking forward to reviewing them to see if they still have the trim fit with slightly more absorbency. Stay tuned!


Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Out of the package Bitti Tutto review

Thanks to BabySteals, I could afford to get two Bitti Tutto one size bamboo minky diapers (BTOSBM). They just arrived in the mail so I'm prepping them as we speak.

Here's the low down on the BTOSBM:
-snaps in the front for adjustable rise
-snap closure with inside flap snap for newborns
-minky pattern cover w/ PUL back
-polyester inside liner
-double leg gussets
-"poo fence" gusset at the top back
-three snap-in inserts for adjustable placement and absorbency
-color coded snaps on inserts for easy placement


The minky outer is so so cute and colorful, although not quite as plush as the Kawaii brand minky. That may change with washing though. The "poo fence" looks formidable. I like it a lot in theory but we'll see how it holds up in practice.

I've been using snap closure diapers for a month now, which makes me an expert. Obviously. But I have to say, the sheer number of snaps in this diaper is extremely intimidating. Not only do you have the standard one-size rise snaps and closure snaps on the front of the diaper, but you have no less than 4 different colors of snaps on the inside for color coded placement of the inserts. 


See what I mean? Snap crazy. So even after staring at the diaper dumb-founded for ten minutes, I still have no clue how I'm going to snap in the inserts when the time comes. At least the inserts are soft and the layers are numerous.

I have high hopes for this diaper, even though I know it's too much to expect my husband (who is currently lobbying for "velcro" closure diapers) to ever learn how to use them. I do most of the diaper changing anyway, so I'm willing to learn a new system if it's worth the effort. We shall see!

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Had to take a blog break

With our 5 month old baby girl getting sick this week, I've had to take a break from blogging so often. It's amazing how much attention a 5 month old needs and then add onto that the needs of a sick little one. It can get overwhelming.

I'm still loving my Kawaii Minky Bamboo diapers and I'm actually very reluctant to sell them. However, I'm excited to try some new diapers and need the money of selling some "old" ones to buy more. Like I've mentioned in previous posts, my husband is having a hard time fitting the snap diapers on our little girl. He would like a few velcro-like diapers and I want to continue using bamboo, so it's quite the search I have going.

I'm also waiting on a package from a friend/diaper-maker in Canada. She made me some bamboo insert sets to try overnight. I can't wait for them to arrive. I've been tracking the package every day on Canada Post. I'm also continuing to prep the zorb all-in-one diapers I bought from a WAHM on Etsy.

Friday, October 21, 2011

My "window" shopping addiction

All this cloth diaper love has evolved into an online window shopping addiction. I can't help but drool over all the adorable cloth diapers and accessories on Etsy, Hyena, and Facebook shops. Even though I have more than enough diapers for my one little one, I find myself buying a couple more here and there when they are a great price. I can't wait to get the cute prints I've recently bought into rotation and do some reviews.

And the winner of the Kawaii Fun Print Diaper is...



Hailie Brewer!!!

Congratulations! I've already sent you an email to verify your entry. You have 48 hours to respond and claim your prize, or I will need to choose another entry winner.

Thank you to everyone else for entering. Stayed tuned in November for another giveaway.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Daddies using diapers

At one time, my husband (C) would have described himself as a nature-loving, tree-hugging hippy. He works as a scientist for an environmental agency. He's very conscious of the materials used in products that our children come into contact with.

When we found out we were pregnant with twins in 2008, we decided against cloth diapering, dissuaded by the cost of a diaper service and the amount of work to wash so many diapers. When the twins turned a year old, we switched over to cloth diapers, going to Bumgenius (BG) as the "easiest" cloth diaper for all involved. It was a great system that he had no trouble learning, although he left the washing and stuffing mostly to me. The velcro on the BGs were very "daddy friendly" and so close to using disposables that sitters and grandparents had no issues with them either. Honestly, I wish I had started cloth diapering them earlier. I had no idea that it was as easy as it was.

Now the twins are potty trained and we have a 5 month old baby girl. I switched over all our microfiber BGs to a mixture of systems, including bamboo fitteds with covers or wool soakers and bamboo pockets. Not only does C not want to wash the diapers, but he has no clue how to so I don't want him to attempt it and do it wrong. He hasn't fought me on this request.

I do request that he changes the occasional diaper though. Our baby girl is coming up on 6 months old, been in cloth for about 4 months. C is still intimidated by the number of snaps on the front of the new diapers. At first, the snaps can seem overwhelming to anyone. Once I gave him a tutorial on how to use them, he is more willing. I hope he's still willing to change her cloth diapers when we get into the gross solid food diaps!

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Lanolized the wool again

Well, I hope I did it right this time. After drying thoroughly, I now have my 5 soakers back in the rotation. When I took them off the drying rack, they felt slightly sticky, so I KNOW I put in enough lanolin this time. We'll see how it turns out.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Using the fluff on our three year old

Well our poor little sickie, three old girl G, is sporting the fluff today. She loves that it's pinks. She loves that it feels nice on her bum. She also likes not having to worry about getting to the potty on time. The great thing is, these one size diapers fit comfortably on her. She's about 38" tall and 30 pounds. I'm not sure how it'll do with a big, potty trained, three year old pee, but we'll see!

Monday, October 17, 2011

Still adjusting to wool covers

I liked the Eco Posh fitted, Kawaii bamboo double inserts, and wool cover combo so much that I put another one on little E to take her to the grocery store. After about 90 minutes in the car seat, I took her out and felt some moisture on her bum. The fitted was wet on the outside and I think the wool wicked through. Hmmm, I must not have lanolized the covers correctly. I will redo it tonight, let them dry over the next few days, and try again with this combo to see if that helps.

Any wool-using mamas with tips, please feel free to share!

Eco Posh fitted with Kawaii Bamboo inserts and WAHM Wool Cover

I'm still experimenting with my current stash, mixing and matching the covers/inserts. I thought I would love the Eco Posh for nighttime, but found the 6r soakers were too stiff to make my little girl comfortable for such a long time. This afternoon, I put her in an Eco Posh fitted with two bamboo inserts by Kawaii Baby and a WAHM wool soaker. The bamboo inserts are very flexible, making her comfortable. She ended up taking a 3 hour nap (yup, you heard me). When I took off the wool cover to change her afterwards, there was NO wetness on the outside of the Eco Posh fitted! I wouldn't have even needed the cover for the afternoon. I am impressed. This is a combo I will be using often.



Afternoon trip in cloth diaps

Yesterday, we visited family for a celebration. We put baby E in a cloth diaper for the 45 minute trip and brought two extra diapers for the 2.5 hours we planned to be there. Everything worked out perfectly. I love the snaps on the tabs for the Kawaii diapers. When I changed her, I rolled up the diaper, snapped it shut, and put it in our wet bag. It was so easy and seemed so clean. No need for disposables, although I do keep two extra disposables in the bag, just in case there's a need for more diapers than I packed.

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Friday, October 14, 2011

My lil' pumpkin

Cloth diaper covers can be really cute for photos, like baby's first Halloween. If you have the money and desire to get themed covers, go for it! There's some really cute holiday covers on Etsy and Hyena.

However, if you're on a budget like we are, you won't have the money to do that. It's not financially savvy to get covers just for holidays since you won't use them very long, but thinking creatively about how to use the diapers you have already for costumes can come up with some really cute pictures.

This little fluffy butt is wearing an Eco Posh fitted bamboo diaper with an upcycled green wool cover from a WAHM on Etsy. My beige colored wool cover would have worked well too. These wool covers were only $12 (plus shipping). They don't need to be washed after every use and they're super soft. I love wool covers. She'll probably be good in this combo for the next three hours, plenty of time to get good shots of her first costume.




Still experimenting with nighttime diapering

I still haven't figured out my perfect nighttime diaper solution. The Eco Posh fitted w/ wool cover does great at keeping her pjs and bed dry, but I think she doesn't like the wet feeling all night long since the EP fitted isn't a "stay dry" material.

I tried a Kawaii Snazzy Minky cover ("stay dry" microfiber liner) with two Kawaii Minky Bamboo inserts and the microfiber insert that came with it. It worked great at keeping her dry and keeping her feeling dry, but it was SO bulky.

Next, I tried a Kawaii Snazzy Minky cover with two of the regular size Eco Posh Bamboo 6r soakers. This also kept her dry and feeling dry all night but when the inserts got wet, they got really stiff. She had a big bump on her butt and in the front, which I imagine couldn't have been super comfortable.

I think tonight I'll try a Kawaii Snazzy Minky cover with 3 of the Minky Bamboo inserts. I love the "floppy" quality of the Kawaii bamboo inserts and the "stay dry" quality of the microfiber/minky cover. Hopefully this combo will keep her dry and comfortable.

If you have any suggestions on combinations for me to try, please leave a comment!

Bumgenius All-in-one Hook & Loop Review

The Bumgenius All-in-one Hook & Loop is very similar to the Bumgenius One Size Hook & Loop. The materials, washing routine, and use are pretty much the same. The velcro has similar durability. I used the size medium with my daughter for 3 months. When I sold them used, they were in the same condition as when I bought them. Again, it's important to take care of them to keep them in great condition.

There's only two differences between the all-in-one (AIO) and the one size (OS). The AIO is a specific size and it has one microfiber insert sewn into the cover. The benefit to having a specific size is that it reduces the extra fabric and bulk on the baby. You also don't have to use snaps to adjust the fit. Having the microfiber insert sewn into the cover is convenient for those who don't like to stuff diapers. It also removes the necessity of reaching into a dirty cover to remove the inserts before washing. However, if your little one is a heavy wetter, you may need an extra liner in the diaper (which isn't included in the diaper when bought new) so you'd have to stuff the diaper anyway. Also, the sewn in liner means it takes a little longer to dry in the dryer.

Overall, I really liked the sized AIO diapers. They were very durable. They are trimmer than the OS diapers on smaller babies. It takes less time to get the diapers ready between dryer and baby's bum. I did find that due to only having one insert, they weren't as absorbent as I would have liked. I ended up changing our daughter more frequently than I like to because I wanted to avoid stuffing the diapers with an extra liner. It also requires a change in size as baby grows, which increases your cloth diapering cost.



Thursday, October 13, 2011

Bumgenius 3.0 One Size Hook & Loop Review

As a newbie to cloth diapering, I landed on Bumgenius 3.0 OS with velcro. It seemed like the easiest to take care and the easiest for other diaper changers to use, ie the most like disposables. I used them with my boy and girl twins from a little after one year old until a little after 2 years old, so by the time I started, they were using less diapers each per day and having less BMs per day too.

Let's review the features of the BG 3.0 OS:
PUL outer cover with "stay dry" suede cloth liner
Snaps on the front for adjustable rise
Hook & Loop closure (aka velcro)
Laundry tabs on inside to attach velcro wings for washing
Two microfiber liners - one infant and one regular size
Large pocket at back top for stuffing
Single leg gussets

These diapers are real work horses. Some people have commented that the velcro stops working after intense use or the laundry tabs pill so much that the tabs don't stick, but I never found that to be the case. I loved the velcro because it was easiest for daddy/grandma/babysitter to use without teaching how. I machine washed and machine dried the diapers every other day for over a year with no problems. I sold my used BG OSs for a great price because they were in such great condition. Take care of your diapers and they'll take care of you.

I did find that once the twins were holding their pee longer, I started to get some stink on the microfiber inserts. I discovered it was due to minerals in our water (aka hard water). I stripped the diapers with baking soda and vinegar, then switched the regular detergent to Hard Rockin' Green. Stinkies gone! I was also able to get the inserts back to nearly bright white before I resold them, using oxy clean powder and vinegar.

I can't comment on the use with newborns as I started with the twins when they were in 12 and 18 month clothes. I do imagine it could be quite bulky on a tiny newborn though. The one size feature is nice as you don't have to buy different sizes as your baby grows. I did have to stop with our son at about 26 months old because he was over the weight limit and the leg gussets were leaving red marks on his thighs. I continued to use them on our daughter at night though because she said disposables were "scratchy" and would take them off at night. I had to stop using them with her during the day at about 26 months also as she would hold her pee so long that she would pee through two full size liners when she went. I was changing her clothes several times a day. I imagine that could be fixed with the use of different, more absorbent inserts.

My twins never seemed to dislike wearing them and my daughter definitely preferred them over disposables. I will say that they are quite bulky when double or triple stuffed. The width in the crotch area can appear a little wide, but like I said, my twins never complained about it. The fabric is durable and soft, although I wouldn't call it plush.

As far as washing, it was very easy to clean and stuff these diaps. One hot wash/cold rinse with detergent and a quick rinse/spin was enough to clean the diapers. They are able to be machine dried. I would stuff all the diapers after they dried instead of stuffing with each change. It doesn't seem like work when you stuff and fold diapers while watching TV in the evening.

These diapers were a great financial decision. They are about middle of the road as far as cost goes (from $17 to $24 each) but the quality is great. It took about 4 months to pay back the initial investment. After that, we were saving $60 a month on buying disposables. I was then able to sell them for $11 each used. When I was purchasing, they only had solid colors available, but in the last two years, they've come out with the artist series that has cute prints.

Overall, these were excellent starter diapers. They're easy for parents who are new to using cloth diapers. You can reuse them for several kids over many years, even using the same diapers on two different aged/sized kids. They hold their resale value too.



Nighttime win for Kawaii Snazzy Minky

Last night, I tried a new diap on our 5 month old baby girl. It was a Kawaii Snazzy Minky microfiber cover with two bamboo inserts and a microfiber insert. She slept waaaaay better than normal. I think the "stay dry" liner of the cover helped her sleep longer. The absorbency of the bamboo inserts helped her not leak all night. It's a hybrid of two separate diapers, so it's not the cheapest Kawaii option, but it is still extremely affordable. I have a huge Kawaii stash at this point for just one little one and I'm able to mix and match the inserts and covers according to need. I love this experimenting process!

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Sometimes, it's just a diaper kind of day

My three year old twins have been potty trained for about 2.5 months. Yes, we had the typical potty regression with a major change (preschool) but mostly they're doing really well. Today, G (my three year old daughter) decided she didn't want to get out of her nighttime diaper. Rather than fight with her on it, I let her stay in her diaper later than normal. When she needed to be changed and didn't want to get into underwear, I put her in one of the KaWaii Minky Bamboo Blue Label diaps that I'm using with baby E.

She's an active toddler with the ability to hold her pee a super long time. I discontinued cloth with her just after 2 years old because she would hold her pee so that long that when she did go, it leaked out of the diaper no matter what I tried.

She's been in this burgundy cloth diaper for about 3.5 hours and no leaking so far. It fits her on the highest rise with a medium waist snap (the same as with our 5 month old daughter). It looks super cute on her, especially with the new ballerina inspired babylegs and tutu she's wearing. I wish I could post a picture but she's totally opposed to it.

Another positive vote for the KaWaii brand!

Fellow Blogger's Glow Bug Cloth Diaper Review and Giveaway

A fellow cloth diaper blogger is offering a giveaway for two free Glow Bug cloth diapers. I have not used them myself, but I would LOVE a chance to use and review these diapers. And let's face it, people love free stuff. Check out the blog entry for ways to enter. I've already put in 4 entries to win!

Kawaii Bamboo Minky (Blue Label) Review

As you'll remember from the Out of the Pocket Kawaii Review, there are several differences between the Mom Label and the Blue label. The main one regarding the name is that the "Blue Label" is no longer a blue tag. It's not important to the function, just a note about the newer designs.

Let's review the Blue Label features:
Minky outer shell coated with TPU
Bamboo blend inner liner
Opening at the back to stuff inserts
Rounded tabs on the front with snaps
One size - adjustable rise in front
Two bamboo blend inserts with white edging

I found this diaper very good for the price, however, I wouldn't call it my favorite. Like the Mom Label, once the diaper is stuffed, it's still quite "floppy" (not stiff), which I personally like. It doesn't restrict my daughter's ability to move around. It's also a very trim diaper. While it's a little bulkier than a disposable, it is very trim for a cloth diaper and doesn't require me to use a larger size pant on her; big plus.

The opening for stuffing is slightly smaller than the Mom Label and doesn't have the little flap that goes over the inserts once stuffed. I personally didn't mind the smaller opening. They were still very easy to stuff (I am 5'8" and have pretty average size hands). I did try one wear on baby girl with the inserts laid in the shell, which lead to some leaking, so I would recommend this diaper to those who don't mind stuffing the inserts.

The snaps are a little different on the blue label vs the mom label. On the blue label, they're slightly staggered. Not that it makes a difference from a use perspective, just an observation. I'm still getting used to using snaps, so the leaking around the leg yesterday was more of a user error than a diaper malfunction. Once I figured out what setting fit her best, they worked very well. She has more settings still available to get bigger around the waist, one more setting than the mom label, actually. The other convenient feature for dirty diaps, which the mom label also has but I forgot to comment on, is that the cover has snaps on the tabs that make it easy to roll the diaper up on itself and snap closed. It makes the diaper small and compact, and keeps the dirties inside; a convenient feature for when you're out and about.

The blue label line doesn't have the line of fabric across the top inner front like the mom label. I did notice during the one leaking accident yesterday that I need to make sure to tuck all the edges in (around the leg and along the stomach) to make sure only minky outer is showing and not the inner bamboo. The extra strip of fabric on the mom label makes this extra step unnecessary.

The absorbency of the blue label is just as good as the mom label. Little E (a heavy wetter) can wear it with two inserts for a couple hours before needing a change. As with the other line, I need a couple months to gauge the durability, but having only spent $9 a piece on the blue label minky bamboos, it wouldn't be a terrible thing if they only lasted through one child, at least for our family anyway.

So my overall impression? Another two thumbs up for Kawaii, not quite as enthusiastic as for the mom label, but still very impressed for the inexpensive price tag. I would recommend this diaper to anyone who is looking for a cheap way to bump up their stash.

[Disclaimer: I was not given any free diapers to write this review.]

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Kawaii Bamboo Minky (Mom Label) Review

So far, I'm very impressed with these diapers. I had my 5 month old baby girl in the "green tea" Kawaii Bamboo Minky (mom label) this morning for 3.5 hours. I had laid the two bamboo inserts in the cover instead of stuffing it. It was definitely saturated, but there were no leaks around the leg, front, or back. There was still dry parts of the inserts at the top back so she probably could have gone longer without leaking. She didn't even have any compression leaks when she was in her car seat towards the end of that time.

As for the fit, it's great! I have the rise on the biggest setting cause E has big thighs. I put the tabs on a fairly middle setting, with at least a set or two of snaps left to get bigger. Even with two of the inserts, it's a very trim fit and the material is what I can only describe as "floppy", which makes for a comfortable fit between the legs for E when she wiggles.

For this wear, I had just laid the inserts in the shell, but the big pocket in the back makes it super easy to stuff. This diaper is good for both kinds of people: the ones who like to stuff them all right after drying and keeping them ready to go, as well as the people who like to just lay the inserts in it as the child needs a change.

The only question left is durability. How will these inexpensive diapers hold up against regular use and wash? Only time will tell.

Overall, an enthusiastic two thumbs up and a happy coo from the little one. Next up, the Kawaii Bamboo Minky (blue label).


[Disclaimer: I was not given any free diapers to write this review.]

Quick (poo) comment about the Mom Label Bamboo Kawaii

Let me start out by saying, I never expected to be writing a blog about the specifics of a baby's poo and whether or not it came out of something I was then going to be washing in our washing machine. Weak stomach readers beware.

I started trying out the new Kawaii's (minky bamboo Mom Label, specifically) this morning. I had a scientific method about trying them out to gauge absorbency. First I put her in the one that was stuffed w/ two inserts. Next would be two inserts laid in the cover. After that would be one stuffed insert, and then one insert laid in the cover. Of course, my baby decided to throw me a curve ball and had a big poo in the first diap about 20 minutes after I put her in it. She was in the jumperoo and it was the kind of poo that, had she been in a disposable, you know you would be doing poo laundry later.

And color me impressed!! The mom label kept it all in! There was poo up to the elastic on the back but it didn't come out. Yes, I'm very happy with these diaps so far.

And in case you're wondering, we're a dry pail family. Dry pail is recommended by bamboo diap manufacturers. Plus, I'd be lugging a dirty wet pail down two flights of stairs if we were doing a wet pail. Thus, we just use a bin with a snapping lid. My plan with this particular diap is to rinse it out with some water and keep it in a bin next to the washer for when the rest of the diaps are ready for a good clean.

First night in Eco Posh with wool cover

I'll start by saying, she was dry this morning!

Our little 5 month old is a heavy wetter for sure. I put her in Huggies Overnights in a size too big and she still peed through it in one night. So here's what I did last night:

Eco Posh fitted on the largest setting
Both included 6-r soakers
Wool cover (WAHM on Etsy) size medium

FYI, I kept the same diaper on her for 10 hours. Don't get jealous, she doesn't sleep 10 hours straight (far from it), I just didn't need to change her overnight.

The EP fitted was VERY bulky with both inserts. I was hoping she'd wake up dry this morning with absorbency to spare so that I could go down to one insert. However, while she was dry, both inserts were mostly wet and there was wetness on the cotton cover of the fitted. The EP requires a waterproof cover so that's why I had her in the wool shorties. So while there were wet spots on the EP cover, there was no wetness on E's pjs because of the woolies.

Overall, I'm VERY impressed with the EP fitted and wool cover combo. It was plenty of absorbency for my little heavy wetter even though it looks almost comical how fluffy her little booty was. She didn't have a BM so I can't comment on the usefulness of the double gusset, but hopefully it will be as helpful as I imagine it will.

Friday, October 7, 2011

Out of the package Kawaii Review

I'm currently in the process of prepping the new Kawaii diaps that just came in the mail, not even an hour ago. I'm going to write this review on my first impressions of the diaps before washing or wearing.

First off, I ordered 12 Kawaii Minky Bamboo Blue Label (6 cream and 6 burgundy), 8 Kawaii Minky Bamboo Mom Label (4 tea and 4 pink), and 3 Snazzy Minky microfiber (3 patterns). The seller of the shop, theluvyourbaby.com, decided to include a 4th Snazzy Minky for free. Thank you so much for that!


The snazzy minky microfiber:
I basically bought these as covers for the eco posh fitteds since they're super cute and cheap. I don't plan on using the MF inserts, however, I'm prepping them anyway. The patterns on the cover are super cute and vibrant. They're really soft too. The white tag says "Kawaii Baby" and has a picture of a mom and baby.



The Minky Bamboo Mom Label:
The covers are just as soft as the snazzy minky. The tabs are square in front. The inner liner of bamboo is slightly cool to the touch, slightly off white, and very soft. The two bamboo inserts are very soft and off white also, with yellow edging. The tag is white and says "Kawaii Green Baby" with a stork symbol. There's a strip of fabric across the inside top to prevent wicking on babies that sleep on their tummies.



The Minky Bamboo Blue Label:
The covers are just as soft as the rest. The tabs are rounded. The cut of the diaper is the same as the Mom Label, except for the rounded tabs and no inner strip of fabric for tummy sleepers. The hole for stuffing is smaller than the Mom Label. The bamboo used on the inside cover and for the two inserts is really soft, but not quite as soft as the Mom Label. The edging on the inserts is white. The snaps also felt a little unstable as I was unsnapping them for the first time. I hope they hold up. If they don't, the manufacturer offers an exchange policy within a certain time limit. The white tag says "Kawaii Baby" and has a picture of small stork and big baby sack. This surprised me since the previous pictures I've seen and the name of the line state that the label is literally blue. They must be using new tags.



To prep all the diapers:
The manufacturer recommends using Tide with enzymes. I chose Tide Pure Essentials with baking soda. I'm doing a quick cold wash with very little detergent on the dark covers first. I don't want them to bleed into the white inserts and inners with the prepping. Once that's complete, I'll put them all in, all covers and inserts, to a warm wash (to make sure the colors don't bleed) and cold wash with detergent. Then I'll follow up with 3 more hot wash/cold rinse cycles. Bamboo needs 5-7 washes to reach full absorbency potential.

Overall impressions out of the package:
So far I love them! The bamboo diaps seem less bulky than the microfiber. The quality on all of them seems excellent, especially for the cheap price tag. The colors and patterns are adorable. The bamboo feels lush and comfortable. Overall, I think little E and I will both love using these diapers. I can't wait to use them on her and figure out what she likes best and what size fits her the best.

[Disclaimer: I was not given any free diapers to write this review. There was a free diaper included in the order that I purchased, but no free diapers were rendered for this review.]

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Follow-up to first wear - eco posh fitted bamboo

Well, I decided that the wool cover needed a little wash to soften it up. Since she had been wearing the fitted +1 liner for an hour w/ no wetness appearing yet, I decided to be daring and allow her to nap w/ just the fitted outer shell +1 liner (6 layers), no cover. She wore it for an hour during tummy/back playtime, then an hour napping on her back. She woke up SO happy! And might I add... DRY. There was a very subtle dampness to the center front area when I changed her right after, but it wasn't even visibly wet. It was just slightly cool to the touch. None of her clothes or bedding were wet, unless you count the slobber from the other end. I went to remove the liner from the pocket and the back top was dry, so I know there would be a lot more absorbency left had I not changed her. This makes me convinced that I can let her wear this diap sans wool cover with confidence around the house. So far, this diaper is really impressing me and making me want to buy more, despite the high price tag.



[Disclaimer: I was not given any free diapers to write this review.]

Prepping and first opinion of our Eco Posh fitteds

The first new stash package to arrive was the Eco Posh one size fitted. They each come with two inserts, one contoured and a regular size. They're both bamboo cotton blend. The cover is partly recycled water bottles with cotton and the inner is the bamboo cotton blend with two gussets, snap closure. They were SO plush right out of the "package" (twine and tag). I almost didn't want to wash them!

But alas, I did. I used their recommended detergent, Tide, on the first hot wash/cold rinse. Then I did two more washes of hot wash/cold rinse w/out detergent. I got antsy to try the diaps, so I put one on E after the 3rd wash. The other diaps are still being prepped.

So my little 5 month old baby girl is wearing the color Love. I only put in the contoured 3 layer insert with the fitted cover, making it 6 layers. I unsnapped it all the way to the longest rise because she is a chunky monkey baby with thunder thighs. As the picture shows, it fits her on this setting, although with some of the inner bamboo peaking out of the thigh, I know I probably couldn't let her go without a cover or it'll wick to her clothes.

The wool cover is a size 2. She is at the small size of the range and she definitely has room to grow. It almost looks comically big on her. It came pre-lanolized and the water ran right off it when I tested it out under the sink. However, it's quite scratchy. I am considering giving it a quick wash in Aveeno/lanolin to see if that softens it up a bit.

Well, as this is her first wear and I didn't fully prep them, I'm not going to write about the absorbency just yet. She does seem pretty happy to be back in cloth though! I'm happy too.





[Disclaimer: I was not given any free diapers to write this review.]

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

A little about us

I'm K, wife to C. We're parents to three wonderful kids. G & L are girl/boy twins who are 3 years old. E is our little girl who was born in April 2011. I started cloth diapering in 2009, when the twins were about a year old. I continued for about a year after that with the two of them. Now I've been CDing with our baby E since she was 2 months old. I recently switched my stash over from Bumgenius 3.0 One Size and All-in-one mediums, to Kawaii Bamboo Minky and Eco Posh Bamboo Fitteds. My goal with this blog is just to describe my experiences with CDing, write reviews of the diaps I've used, describe the CDing process, and anything else CD related. Welcome!

L & G in their BGs at around 20 months old.