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Wednesday, November 30, 2011

WAHM Wares by Nana's Bottoms

I ordered three AIOs from a WAHM on Hyena Cart by the name of Nana's Bottoms. I was trying to find an AIO diaper that had hook & loop closure (H&L) so that I could have some diapers in my "Daddy Stash" that my husband, parents, and sitters could use on baby E without much trouble. I figured AIOs and "velcro" would be the perfect choice since they are most like disposables, but I was having a hard time finding a true AIO that didn't wick to the cover. I'm proud to say that I've finally found one!

Nana's Bottoms shop did a custom order of 3 size medium AIOs with PUL outer, H&L closure matching the PUL color, zorb soaker sewn in, and bamboo velour inner. The diapers came to me VERY quickly and were reasonably priced. Out of the package, they were deliciously plush. I seriously dreamed of having a scarf made of the bamboo velour.

I prepped the diapers according to the directions. I washed them on hot once and then on warm another 5 times. I must say that when I used one for the time on my heavy wetting 7 month old, I was slightly disappointed. She wet the entire soaker and it wicked through the stitching of the H&L to the cover. It wasn't enough to get her clothes wet, but I could tell the PUL outer was wet. *Big Sigh* I was hoping I had found THE "Daddy Stash" staple diaper. I still figured they were worth keeping and using despite slight wicking.



Fast forward almost 2 months. These diapers have reached their peak in absorbency after many more washes. The wetness no longer wicks through to the cover. The inner is still deliciously soft on baby's bum. The medium size still has tons of room to grow on the little girl I usually set the rise snaps on the highest setting for. I am extremely happy with this AIO. It's now become my go to diaper for the diaper bag. It's trim, effective, and easy to use. My only complaint, which is a universal one for all AIO diapers, is that the drying time is rather long. That's unavoidable if you want an effective AIO diaper.

While my first impressions of the diaper style wasn't the best, I'm now in love with them! I would highly recommend them to anyone that is looking for a super easy diaper for daycare, daddy changes, or just simple CD usage. Two thumbs up!

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

WAHM Wares by BumbleBunz - Bamboo Fitteds

I've done a review of the night time bamboo terry inserts by Miss Katie, owner of BumbleBunz. I loved those so much that I ordered three of her bamboo fitteds.

Here's a low down on the features:
-bamboo cotton fitted with snap closure (requires a waterproof cover)
-two snap-in inserts, one is double length to fold over
-print exterior with organic bamboo velour (OBV) interior, long insert is OBV topped
-fold down rise for two sizes
-elastic at the legs and top back

Out of the package, these diapers are gorgeous. The OBV has a shine to it and the print is crisp and adorable. The craftsmanship is amazing. It's obvious this mama puts lots of love into the construction of her diapers. Look at that sheen.





I washed them about 4 times before using them. Bamboo typically needs 7 or more washes to reach full absorbency potential but after 4, I felt they were wear-worthy. If I thought they were soft out of the package, it's got nothin' on the softness out of the dryer! These diapers are PLUSH. This might sound weird, but I just wanted to rub my face on it. Don't worry, I didn't.

I put my 6 month old daughter in the Hello Kitty diaper, because it's my favorite of the three. My happy baby smiled away as I took pictures. See?



Well I kept her sans cover for about an hour while she ate breakfast. Then I put a cover on her to go down for a nap. After her 1.5 hour nap, I kept her in it just to see how absorbent these diapers are. She finally started complaining an hour later and I changed her. The diaper was wet, but there was still dryness at the back so I know it could have held more. 3.5 hours! Amazing. I would test the theory again, but every time I put her little tush in a BumbleBunz, she feels the need to do her duty, if you know what I mean. There must be something about the soft, plush interior of the diaper that just invites a big one.

Overall, I am in love with these diapers. If I could give them more than a two thumbs up, I would. Hats off to you, mama!

Friday, November 18, 2011

Glow Bug Out of the Package Review

Glow Bug Cloth Diapers is an upcoming cloth diaper company that offers complete packages of pocket diapers. The owner, Sarah, graciously sent me a sample diaper to review. I was so excited when I saw that it came in the mail yesterday. I love getting fluff mail.

Let's review the features:
-pocket diaper with PUL cover lined with "SlimDry" fabric
-snap closure with cross-over snaps for skinny babies
-two rows of snaps at the waist
-double leg gussets to contain messes
-4 rows of snaps for a completely adjustable rise
-openings at the front and back to stuff in inserts
-2 microfiber inserts that snap into the pocket

The diaper I'm reviewing is a girly print, the pink and black plaid. It's a really cute pattern and the snaps match, which is a nice touch. Out of the package, the fabrics are soft but I wouldn't call them plush. After washing, the stay dry liner pilled slightly but it got REALLY soft. I am pleasantly surprised at how much it softened after just washing twice. The microfiber inserts frayed around the edges slightly after washing but they also fluffed up a lot.

While I haven't used the diaper yet (official review of the diaper coming soon), I am excited about seeing how absorbent and leak-proof this diaper is. I love the double opening in the pocket in theory too. I imagine it will be useful for avoiding getting "poop hands" when taking out the inserts. I have also heard that you can just unsnap the inserts and they'll aggregate out in the wash, so I'm excited about seeing if that is true as well. My big 6 month old is already on the largest rise on most OS diapers so I wonder what setting will fit her best on this 4 rise pocket. I know it will look really cute her too.

After letting my little E wear this diaper several times, I'll write my official review. Then Glow Bug Cloth Diapers is generously offering one of my readers a free sample diaper! Watch my blog and Facebook fan page for the giveaway announcement. In the meantime, you can go "like" them on their Facebook fan page.




[Disclaimer: This diaper was provided to me free of charge, but all opinions of the diaper are completely my own and 100% truthful.]

Monday, November 14, 2011

OS AIO GroVia First Wear and Follow-up Review

The OS AIO GroVia is a good, mass produced cloth diaper. You can review the features here.

I found the fit to be very trim. I love that the front tabs are so stretchy for a comfortable fit on my daughter. There isn't much bulk between the legs or in the butt area, making it a trim look under clothing. The organic cotton liner and soakers are absorbent enough for a couple hours of wear, but they're not exactly flexible or comfortable feeling to me. The trim fit makes up for the fact that it's a little stiff to wear.

I love the pattern on the cover. It's very cute. I appreciate that the cover is TPU instead of PUL. I also like the side snapping closure, which is easier for husbands and other novice cloth diaper uses. The elastic is firm which makes me confident about its ability to contain messes. I will like using this diaper to take our daughter out of the house.

The snap in booster and sewn in soaker dries fairly quickly in the wash. The soaker is only sewn at the top back so it flaps open, making the drying time quicker than the tradition all around sewn in soaker of usual AIOs. I can tell I will really enjoy this diaper. While my current favorite is a fitted diaper with cover, this style of AIO is a lovely addition to my stash. I would even consider it for permanent placement in my "daddy stash".





OS AIO GroVia Out of the Package Review

GroVia offers a few different systems of cloth diapers. The line I chose to review was the one size all-in-one GroVia.

Let's review the features:
-one size with snap down rise
-TPU cover, cotton lined, with soaker sewn to the back
-side snap closure
-snap-in booster

Out of the package, the GroVia is really cute and trim-looking. The patterns are adorable and fun. I was surprised to see a snap-in booster in an "all-in-one" diaper, but I understand the functionality of a quicker drying time and adjustable absorbency. I wouldn't describe the organic cotton inner as "plush" per say, but it is soft. I hope with prepping that it will get a little more flexible.


Incredibum Out of the Package Review

I bought a new OS Incredibum bamboo AI2 diaper from Amazon.

Let's review the features:
-one size TPU cover with snap down rise and snap closure
-hip snaps to prevent wing drooping
-cover lined with fleece
-two snap-in inserts
-large insert snaps in to front and back
-elastic at the legs and top back

Right out of the package, the Incredibum diaper is very soft. I was surprised that the cover seemed to be lined with microfleece when I expected the whole diaper to be bamboo. It is very soft though and I can see why the manufacturer chose that material. The inserts are very soft bamboo terry. The smaller booster snaps to the front of the big soaker which then attaches to the shell with two snaps on the front and two snaps on the back.

I wonder how this moderately priced diaper will perform. Only time will tell.


WAHM Wares by Sticky Peas

I bought a Sticky Peas fitted diaper used, so I don't have an out of the package review. However, I can confidently comment on the quality and functionality of the diaper.

Let's review the features:
-two size fitted diaper with snap-in inserts
-snap closure with fold down rise
-elastic at the legs and back
-organic cotton velour inner material

The fit is great on my little chunky monkey, but I don't know how it would do on a long skinny baby. I bought a cute pattern with a strip of blue cotton fabric that has white polka dots. The other fabric is absorbent, but not super soft anymore. The elastic and snaps have held up well and there's no staining. This is a high quality diaper from a great maker.



Itti Bitti D'Lish SIO Follow-up Review

The Itti Bitti D'Lish snap-in-one (SIO) diaper has become one of my favorites in my stash. Go here for the Out of the Package Review or the First Wear Review. Both reviews have the low down on the diaper's features. For a quick reminder, this sized diaper has two snap in inserts and a PUL lined minky cover with snap closure.

The two inserts are very absorbent and dry quickly. My daughter likes that the top insert has the stay-dry liner. My husband likes that he doesn't need to remember to put a cover on her. I like that the fit is trim and looks very close to a disposable under clothes. The materials are all very soft and the color of the minky covers are cute and vibrant. The absorbency is good enough to wear out of the house confidently and to go a few hours between changes. Yup, this diaper is definitely a keeper.



Monday, November 7, 2011

WAHM Wares by Norrie's Nappies

A good friend of mine has a home business called Norrie's Nappies. While she isn't fully up and running on Hyena or Etsy, she does take orders through her facebook page. As a gift while I was pregnant with my now 6 month old daughter, she made a couple pocket diapers for me.

Let's review the features:
-sized pocket diaper with snap closure
-large and xlarge sizes for children that outgrow the measurements on typical one size diapers
-solid color PUL outer
-mesh liner
-large pocket at rear for easy stuffing
-elastic at legs and top back to contain messes
-elastic at top front for a stretchy fit around the waist

Originally, they were intended for my older son, who was rapidly outgrowing the Bumgenius one size stash I had been using. I ended up using them on my older daughter for overnight after she potty trained too. At those times, I was using them as pockets with microfiber inserts. They worked pretty well but I wasn't a huge fan of the fit as a pocket diaper. So I sadly put them away for about half a year.

I recently rediscovered them when cleaning out baby E's room. OBV and OCV fitteds are my new cloth diaper loves but I haven't found a true match of a cover. I tried these two pockets as a cover for the fitteds and it works splendidly! Even though little E is really only a medium in most diapers, the bulk of the fitted nestles perfectly into this large "pocket" now made cover. I was able to use the same cover for 4 fitted changes yesterday. No leaks, no wicking, no red marks. It was perfect! I love love love this combo and I can tell I will be reaching for them often.

Don't mind my arm and feet in the first picture. I just wanted to show off the incredible stretch this diaper has.



Thanks again, Debbie, for being so generous and sending me all those neat gifts! Now get a camera so you can really get up and running with your store!

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Itti Bitti D'Lish SIO First Wear Review

If you're looking for a review of the Itti Bitti D'Lish SIO, you can find that here.

Well, the IB D'Lish SIO has lived up to my expectations! I'm pleased so far. The fit is just as trim as the Itti Bitti Tutto OS but since the D'Lish is a sized diaper, there's even less bulk. The size large fits well on my 6 month old 17 pound baby girl. She has chunky thighs so the biggest rise is best for her. She has room to grow in the waist. I am surprised that the large fits a 6 month old so snugly and I worry that she won't be able to use this until the end of our cloth diapering days. If you're unsure of the size you would need, I suggest sizing up.

The closure is snaps, but it seems much simpler because it's just one row of snaps. There's no rise snaps to confuse the snap-challenged. There isn't a hip snap for wing drooping, but the wings aren't that wide so that hasn't been a problem.

The inserts are the best part about this diaper. They have color coded snaps to help with placement, but less snaps than in the Bitti Tutto. The D'Lish comes with one bamboo trifold and one contour insert with polyester lining to keep baby feeling dry. It was enough absorbency for a few hours on my little heavy wetter. I am extremely pleased with the fact that it's a trim diaper with that much absorbency. It is definitely not absorbent enough for overnight use, but if you're looking for something that appears like disposables under diapers, this is a great option. I had my little one in it for 2.5 hours with no wicking to the exterior. Plus, the inserts snap out for washing and drying which greatly decreases the drying time.

This diaper only comes in solid colors, but the colors are really bright and cheery. The minky is very soft. In fact, it's probably the softest minky cover that I own. The elastic in the legs is turned but not top stitched. That hasn't been a problem for wicking for us, but I haven't had a dirty diaper in this brand yet so I don't know it would contain the mess.

Overall, I'm very impressed. I would say I prefer it over the Bitti Tutto one size. The only advantage that the Tutto has is that it's a one size diaper, so you don't have to buy a new size when the baby grows. I started using them when my daughter was on the highest rise on the Tutto though, so I won't have to get progressively larger sizes. I am confident enough with the absorbency of this diaper to take her out of the house in it. One advantage of this diaper is that you can bring just the inserts in your diaper back and use the same shell if you need to change. Two thumbs up to this diaper. I have four of them that will probably get heavy use.

Friday, November 4, 2011

WAHM Wares by ByGollyGoGreen

Lauren Hummert is a WAHM that makes diapers by the name of ByGollyGoGreen (BGGG). I recently bought the last two fitted diapers in her Etsy shop, Scrappycake. One is mostly cotton flannel, while the other is cotton flannel with cotton velour. The cotton flannel fitted with Robot print outer was considered a "seconds" diaper because the snaps aren't entirely perfect. Lauren was generous enough to give me a refund for the diaper because of the defects. So I will be reviewing the cotton velour animal print fitted.

Let's review the features:
-sized fitted diaper (requires a cover) with snap closure
-snap in inserts for quicker drying time
-mixture of cotton flannel, cotton knit, and cotton velour
-cross over snaps for smaller waisted babies
-elastic in legs and back

Out of the package, the materials are very soft. The cotton velour feels so plush and the cotton knit outer is very soft too. I love that the inserts snap in so that they don't shift while on the baby, but help to create a quicker drying time when being washed. I love love love the animal print on the outer. She lined up the print so that the word "love" was right on the tab. So cute! I also love that she used the same cotton knit print to line the inserts. I know that it's not seen on the baby at all, but it makes it easier to match up the inserts with the outer while sorting through clean diapers. Cute prints make me smile when I'm dealing with cloth diapers.




I chose to let my baby girl go sans cover for this trial. She was in a fleece sleep 'n play. Since the outer was still dry when I was putting her down for a nap, I let her stay without a cover. She slept for an hour, making the wear time a total of 2 hours. When I checked her, the outer was damp but not moist. Her sleep 'n play wasn't wet either. Incidentally, I figured out that some of her fleece sleepers can be used as covers! You can read about that here.



Overall, I'm very happy with this fitted diaper. It's her pattern for a one size but I usually keep the OS diapers on the highest rise for my little girl anyway, so I requested that she leave the rise snaps off, making this a sized fitted. While I found the elastic around the legs to be a little "chunky" (not little ruffles, but big fat ruffles), there was nothing else I disliked about this diaper. I think this will end up being one of the fitteds that I reach for often!