Changing Diapers Book Review

Mar 27,2012 / By Maria / 10 Comments

Kelly Wels is the former owner of Kelly’s Closet turned cloth diaper advocate, and author of the award winning book Changing Diapers: The Hip Mom’s Guide To Modern Cloth Diapering

The book touches on everything a hip mom needs to know about cloth, but the information isn’t overwhelming.

From why choose cloth (I definitely giggled about the “secret club” and being “addicted to cloth!”)…

to cloth 101, including types of diapers and how to wash them. Each chapter is illustrated with beautiful photos and easy to understand diagrams. I think every cloth diapering Mom should have one of these books handy to lend to people who ask about cloth. The information is concise, easy and fun to read, and I don’t think it would be overwhelming even for someone who was totally new to cloth!

The book retails for $17.95, but it’s available for $11.98 right now, and a limited number of “seconds” are available for $7.98.

Shop the Kelly Wels store or find a retailer including my affiliates: Kelly’s Closet, Diaper Junction, Clothdiaper.com and Cloth Diaper Outlet. “Like” Kelly Wels on Facebook, Changing Diapers on Facebook follow Kelly Wels on Twitter, Changing Diapers on Twitter and follow the Kelly Wels blog.

Giveaway: One winner will receive a Changing Diapers Book and 2-pack of Lil Joeys newborn diapers in Kelly’s choice of colors (ARV $47.92.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

FTC compliance: This post contains affiliate links. I was not compensated for this post, and all opinions are my own.

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Softbums Omni Cloth Diaper Review

Mar 22,2012 / By Maria / 8 Comments

I posted my Softbums Echo review way back in July 2010! I just washed the wipe they sent along with that diaper; we’re still using it. Although an all-in-two isn’t my favorite (I prefer pockets) the Softbums Echo was one of very few diapers that worked for us when my 3 month old was a newborn. It gets sooo tiny that it fit him well (not true about most o/s diapers) and the insert was actually absorbent enough for him (not true for most newborn diapers!) It was a dream come true for our tiny super soaker!

Now, Softbums makes the Omni as well. It’s everything you love about the Echo, but it also has a pocket opening, so you have the option of using it as an AI2 or a pocket diaper. I received a solo pack with a super dry touch pod (retails for $24.95) plus a dry touch mini pod. The mini pods retail for $2.95 and can be used in the smaller size settings, or as a doubler.

The super dry touch pod (“dry touch” because it is topped with soft, stay dry fabric) is 3 layers of microfiber (6 when you fold it over), so you’re unlikely to need the mini pod too! A smaller, 4 layer dry touch pod retails for $4.95, and additional super dry touch pods sell for $5.95. You can also purchase organic bamboo pods for $9.25 and organic bamboo mini pods for $3.95. Whichever “pods” (soakers) you use, this can be an affordable all-in-two system.

You can choose hook & loop closures or snaps. The snaps are easy to use, so they are Daddy friendly, even when said Daddy prefers Velcro.

The size adjusts via a toggle on each leg’s elastic. On the one hand, this is a little intimidating, but it also allows you to get exactly the fit you need. I held the diaper up to a diaper that fit each boy and adjusted. The opening is in the front, and was large enough for me to do additional tweaking as I put it on each child. This type of adjustment means it won’t be as easy for babies of different sizes to share diapers, but that’s not an issue for me. Each of my boys has their own diapers, so I don’t have to fool with size adjustments at every diaper change. (I have all of my “diaper bag” diapers snapped down to small, so if my older son needs one, we just unsnap it!)

The diaper fits thighs from 4-14″ and there is a formula to figure out where to set the elastic, though I haven’t tried it!

The size adjustment means that I really can’t measure every size for you like I usually do. Instead, I adjusted the diaper as large as I could, while still leaving the elastic with some stretch…

Then measured the diaper folded & stretched. (This is about as inexact as you can get!)

Here it is next to a Bumgenius 4.0 on the large setting:

Here’s that setting on my 2 year, 10 month old, 29ish pound son (the legs could be a bit tighter on him):

Next, I set the diaper really small. Sorry, there’s no “really small” setting, LOL. I just tried to make it tiny, but not crazy tiny!

Then I measured it folded and stretched:

I adjusted it similar to a small one-size diaper, then put it on my 3 month old son, who is around 11 or so pounds (that’s a guess; he was 10 lbs at 2 months.) Once I put it on him, I just fished the toggles out & adjusted it further.

That’s with the super dry touch pod in the pocket, so it’s a little bit bulky, but what do you expect with 6 layers of absorbency in such a small diaper? I know the mini pod isn’t absorbent enough for my son, but it would be nice & trim on a small baby that isn’t such a heavy wetter. The regular (non-super) dry touch pods are 4 layers of microfiber topped with microfleece, so they would be another good choice!

The Softbums Omni is versatile and quite cost effective when used as an AI2. They are also made in the U.S.A.!

Shop Softbums or find a retailer, “like” Softbums on Facebook, follow Softbums on Twitter and follow the Softbums blog.

Giveaway: One winner will receive a Softbums Omni solo pack with super dry touch pod in his/her choice of color & closure, subject to availability (ARV $24.95.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

FTC compliance: I received product samples for review purposes. I was not otherwise compensated for this post, and all opinions are my own.

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Itti Bitti D’Lish SIO Cloth Diaper Review / Size Comparisons

Mar 1,2012 / By Maria / No Comment

Last year, I posted my Itti Bitti D’lish AIO and O/S Tutto reviews. Both of “the fuzzy diapers” are my son’s favorites! Itti Bitti also makes a D’lish “snap in one” (SIO) which is essentially an all-in-two (or all-in-three to be exact.) I’ve been curious about them, so when my affiliate, Kelly’s Closet offered a 15% coupon for president’s day, I bit. I needed a few more reward points to have enough for a gift certificate, and this bumped me over. See, it was a logical purchase!

Itti Bitti says size small will fit 8-16 lbs, medium will fit 14-26 lbs and large will fit 23-37 lbs. However, they are cut with a much lower rise than many other diapers, so if you are at all in doubt about sizing, size up. (My 2 yr 9 month old can still wear a large, but if there was an XL, I’d buy it!) My little guy is around 10 lbs, so I bought a small and a medium.

The d’lish SIO is very much like the AIO. It has snap overlaps to fit a wide range of babies, and has the same inner fabric and leg elastic. I do prefer the encased elastic of the tutto, but I prefer the fit of the d’lish, so it’s a trade off!

Like the tutto, the inserts for the d’lish SIO have color coded snaps, so you know where they go. The inserts for the SIO are sized, so there is a bit less snapping involved than with the tutto!

The two layer bamboo insert snaps in and tri-folds to give you 6 layers of absorbency.

The hourglass shaped insert has two more layers of bamboo (so 8 layers total!) plus a stay-dry top layer. (Their website says there are only natural fibers in the soakers, but the content tag says the top layer is 100% polyester, and it definitely is!) I love getting the absorbency of bamboo, but still having only stay dry materials touch baby’s skin. I know some people say they would prefer that only natural fibers touch baby, but I much prefer stay dry. 🙂 The only thing that would make it better is it was a pocket, but I can’t turn every diaper into a pocket. Although, if Itti Bitti made a pocket diaper with encased elastic, I’d be all over that.

Left to right is the Itti Bitti Tutto O/S, the Itti Bitti D’Lish AIO and the Itti Bitti D’Lish SIO. All of them have red snaps to receive an additional booster, though only the Tutto includes one.

So here’s the size small measured folded & stretched (keep in mind that this is far from an exact science!)

Medium:

Large:

All of the sizes are great, and the overlap snaps allow them to get quite snug. Here is my son at 2 1/2 months and about 10 pounds in the small and medium d’lish SIOs:

and in the large AIO!

Here he is in the smallest setting of the Tutto:

Lastly, my older son at about 2 years, 9 months old and approximately 29 pounds, also in the large AIO:

Take a look at my D’lish AIO & Tutto review to see my son in them at 21 months/21 lbs!

The D’lish AIO diapers sell for $18.97 and the D’lish SIOs sell for $1 more at $19.97. Choose an AIO print or a SIO print at no extra cost! To me, it’s worth the extra dollar to get the additional & even more customizable absorbency. The Tuttos are $26.97 for solids and $1 more for prints. Kelly’s Closet also has a few Tutto prints on sale for $20.95.

My older son LOVES the Galaxy print (the red diaper.) I took it off his brother and when he was choosing a diaper to put on himself, he chose that one and wasn’t hearing it when I told him it was a) wet and b) too small for him. 🙂

FTC compliance: I purchased the SIO diapers at normal retail prices, with a promotion available to the general public. I received the AIO & Tutto diapers at no cost to review them last year. I was not asked to write, nor was I compensated for this post, and all opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.

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Thirsties Duo Pocket Cloth Diaper Review

Jan 27,2012 / By Maria / 5 Comments

In nearly 2 1/2 years of cloth diapering, I have purchased and reviewed lots of Thirsties products including a size 2 duo diaper I bought about 20 months ago. However, as I was getting ready to post my Thirsties Duo AIO review, I realized I’ve never really done a proper duo diaper review. My June 2010 review was really before I did my reviews the way I do now, and while I photographed and mentioned the size 1 in my newborn cloth diaper post, I didn’t go into a ton of detail, and I’ve never compared size 1 to size 2. Not even in my duo wrap review or my duo fitted review!

So the overview is that the duo sizing is size 1 for 6-18 lbs (0-9 months) and size 2 for 18-40 lbs (9-36 months.) This means that two sizes will fit newborn-potty vs needing newborn, one size, and potentially larger sizes once the o/s are outgrown. Both sizes of the duo diaper retail for $18.50 for solids and $19.50 for prints. There are 8 colors plus white, 5 prints, and the family tree print available exclusively at my affiliate, Kelly’s Closet. Thirsties products are made in the U.S.A., and the PUL is free of VOC’s, PVC, phthalates, lead, and latex.

Now the diapers are available in both snap and hook & loop closures.

Whether you choose size 1 or size 2, you still have 3 sizes to choose from via a snap down rise, as you often see on a one-size diaper. The overall fit is much like the duo wrap, and the duo diaper has the same double gussets.

The diaper has a microfleece, stay-dry inner, front and back pocket, and the insert agitates out without unstuffing. The insert is really two inserts that snap together; a 2-layer microfiber insert and a 5 layer hemp/cotton insert. I find that this combo is the 1-2 punch necessary for leak-free extended wear (car rides, naps etc.)

Here’s the smallest setting of the size 1 measured folded and stretched (you’ll find small/large size 2 measurements in my size 2 review):

Medium size 1 folded & stretched:

Large size 1 folded & stretched:

Now here is the size 1 vs the size 2 (in blue):

Here I have both the size 1 and the size 2 on their smallest settings:

Both on the large setting:

Finally, here is the largest setting of the size 1 compared to the smallest setting of the size 2:

Each comes with an insert sized to fit the diaper:

Here’s my 2 1/2 year old (ok, he’s “32 months” old if you want an exact #!) and about 29 pounds, in the largest setting of the size 2 (the small setting of the size 2 hit him around his belly button at a year old/17 lbs):

The small setting of the size 1 fit my little guy perfectly as soon as his cord stump fell off. It fit him with the stump too, but having diapers over it kept it from drying out. Here he is at 6 lb 5 oz and just a few days old:

Now at 6 weeks and about 8 1/2 lbs:

I generally avoid photographing old, well loved diapers because it’s kinda gross. However, I thought it was interesting to see how this diaper has held up. Keep in mind that I had a very tiny stash for more than a year, so this was washed a lot!

The inner and the exposed part of the elastic are pretty dingy, but most of the wear is in the velcro. Some choose snaps to avoid this, but I think it’s really held up pretty well for as old as the diaper is, and as much use as it’s received. My husband really prefers velcro, so that’s what I choose most of the time!

So there you have it! The Thirsties Duo Pocket diaper!

FTC compliance: I purchased these items at normal retail prices. I was not asked to write, nor was I compensated for this post, and all opinions are my own.

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Tiny Tush Elite Mini Newborn Pocket Cloth Diaper Review

Jan 18,2012 / By Maria / 6 Comments

I’ve previously reviewed the Tiny Tush Elite pocket diaper, and also received a snap version when I participated in their print reveal. The Tiny Tush Elite Mini Pocket Diaper came highly recommended by one of my favorite retailers, so I wanted to give it a try. The Tiny Tush is estimated to fit babies 7-35 lbs, and the mini fits 4-15 lbs.

It really does look like a mini version of the one-size (closures, laundry tabs, elastic, pocket, stay-dry inner) and I’m a major sucker for “mini” anything. Oh em gee, a mini ketchup bottle! Squee! LOL I wish they had made it a bit narrower through the crotch though for a trimmer fit on little babies.

The mini one-size has an insert that is like a tiny, thin “baby” microfiber towel. Like a microfiber washcloth.

Here is the mini one size compared to the one-size, both on their smallest settings.

I feel the largest setting of the mini is pretty equal to the next-to-smallest (infant/small) of the one-size diaper’s 4 settings:

Here is the mini one-size on the XS setting measured folded and stretched:

Small:

Medium:

Large:

Again, I know I have my real baby now 🙂 but so my reviews are consistent, here’s my version 1 “model” in a preemie disposable compared to the XS Tiny Tush mini:

Newborn disposable vs Tiny Tush mini, small setting:

Size 1 disposable vs Tiny Tush mini size medium:

I liked the concept and look of this diaper, and I was hopeful since it came so highly recommended. It’s also available in 12 great colors plus white, although the retailer I purchased from only had a few. Unfortunately it just didn’t fit my little guy very well, and the insert wasn’t absorbent enough.

Here he is at less than a week old, and about 6 lbs 5 oz (you may have seen this photo last week in my post about my newborn cloth diaper experience):

I imagine that when my son is a little bit bigger, I might like this diaper a lot (with a different insert,) but for now I just think it’s too bulky & ill-fitting. We were also not able to do diapers over the cord stump like the recommending party, since it let the area stay too damp, despite stay dry inners and frequent changing. Update-fits much better at 8-9 weeks old, and works with a newborn microfiber insert and organic doubler.

It goes to show that just because someone else did or didn’t like a diaper, it doesn’t mean the same will be true for you!

FTC compliance: I purchased this diaper at normal retail price. I was not asked to write, nor was I compensated for this post, and all opinions are my own.

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Category : Newborn Diapers

Changing Diapers Book Review

Softbums Omni Cloth Diaper Review

Itti Bitti D’Lish SIO Cloth Diaper Review / Size Comparisons

Thirsties Duo Pocket Cloth Diaper Review

Tiny Tush Elite Mini Newborn Pocket Cloth Diaper Review

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