Canada

Nov 29,2011 / By Maria / 21 Comments

I think most people have heard of Diaper Rite prefolds, but now Diaper Rite (brought to you by Diaper Junction) has one-size pocket cloth diapers too!

Diaper Rite Pocket Diaper 2 snap closures

Diaper Rite Pocket Diaper 3 front snap config

This incredibly affordable diaper has snap closures, a waterproof TPU outer, and stay-dry suedecloth inner. The diapers retail for just $9.95 each! There is also a version with a Bamboo inner available for $11.95. They are one-size via a snap down rise, and are estimated to fit babies from 8-35 pounds.

Each diaper comes with both a large and a small microfiber insert.

Here is the small setting measured folded and stretched:

Medium:

Large:

After I initially washed the diaper, part of the large insert came loose. It looked like the top layer wasn’t caught when it was sewn. I did contact Diaper Junction and it seems it was just a fluke, no one else has reported that problem. It happens, and I know Diaper Junction would replace it right away if it happened to you, so don’t let that turn you off from trying the diapers.

My son is 2 1/2 and about 28 pounds. He fit quite well in the medium setting, and he has lots of room to grow in this diaper.

I had no trouble getting a good fit, and we didn’t experience any leaks! With 18 colors (mine is “Timberwolf”) and such a reasonable price tag, you will want to grab a few!

Giveaway: One winner will receive a Diaper Rite one-size pocket diaper in his/her choice of color (ARV $9.95.) Entries go in the Rafflecopter form.

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Bumgenius Freetime All-in-One One-Size Cloth Diaper Review

Nov 28,2011 / By Maria / 19 Comments

I was on pins & needles when Bumgenius announced their new products/colors. Although AIO diapers aren’t my favorite, I had to pre-order a Bumgenius Freetime one-size AIO cloth diaper. I had to. I’m sure you understand. 😉 I chose the new color, mirror.

Since the Bumgenius Sized AIO diaper was discontinued (except the newborn AIO), the only Bumgenius AIO option was the elemental organic AIO. So, no option for those of us who prefer a stay-dry inner and/or hook & loop closures (I also prefer the encased leg elastic of the 4.0s and the old sized AIOs.)

I like hook & loop diapers, but the 4.0 H&L is the first that has held up well for me. I don’t have anything against snap diapers, but my husband really prefers the Velcro, and will dig through the pile to find one. I know he’ll never complain about me buying another diaper as long as it’s Velcro, tee-hee!! The Freetime has the same hook & loop that the 4.0 diapers have. (It also has the easily replaceable elastic the 4.0 has.)

In fact, while we’re comparing, let’s go ahead and see how they look compared to the 4.0 pocket diapers.

The Freetime and the 4.0 pocket diaper shells are very much the same as far as shape, size, cut, fit and so forth. (Stretchy tabs, available in snap or hook & loop closures, one size via snap down rise, leg elastic etc.) You can see a few subtle differences as far as the PUL at the front & back of the diapers.

Obviously, the big difference is that while the Bumgenius 4.0 is a pocket diaper, the Freetime is an AIO. One of the things I dislike most about an AIO is how difficult it can be to get the soakers clean. I tend to turn my sized AIO inside out to wash it! The Freetime has two microfiber flap soakers topped with microfleece; one sewn at the front & one at the back (they look a lot like the stay-dry flip inserts.)

The soakers have lines to help guide you in folding them. You can fold them all sorts of ways to get the maximum absorbency where you really need it. There’s also an extra layer of microfiber terry sewn into the shell. The shell inner and the soakers are topped with microfleece to keep your baby’s bottom dry.

These are the same size as the Bumgenius 4.0s, so if you like their fit, you will probably like the fit of the Freetime.

Here is the small measured folded & stretched (not an exact science of course!!)

Medium:

Large:

My son is right around 28 pounds, and the medium Freetime fit him the same way the 4.0 medium fits him.

You’ve probably noticed (or you will now!) that my “modeling” photos aren’t perfect. Often the diaper is closed slightly crooked, is a little bunchy etc. etc. It’s not because I’m lazy or don’t want to make the diaper look nice. In actuality, it’s because I am changing a 2 1/2 year old who is usually moving while I do it! This is just how the diapers go on, and I want to test them as I’m likely to use them vs. trying to hold him down for 2 minutes to make the diaper look perfect, because that’s just not realistic for us!

I’ve never been disappointed by a Cottonbabies product, and I’m not disappointed with this one. Still, I wouldn’t buy another one. I, personally, find a pre-stuffed pocket diaper just as easy (if not easier) than an AIO like this, and stuffing the diapers takes about the same amount of time as making sure the soakers are folded properly. At $19.95 each, the Freetime costs $2 more than the 4.0 pocket diaper, and I love that you can easily treat/bleach the pocket inserts separately and/or replace them if needed. You can also toss the inserts in the dryer & hang the shells to dry. With an AIO, you have to either machine dry the whole thing & risk a bit of pre-mature wear & tear on the shells, or wait a bit longer for the whole thing to air dry.

FTC compliance: I purchased the pictured items at normal retail prices. I was not compensated for this post and all opinions are my own.

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Diapering Today DVD Review & Giveaway w/ Sprout Change Cloth Diaper (11/24) US/Canada

Nov 17,2011 / By Maria / 5 Comments

Catherine Bolden is the owner of The Willow Store and creator of Willow Pads reusable feminine products, Willow Sprouts accessories, Everyday Willow natural living & natural laundry products and of course, the Sprout Change cloth diapering system!

In March, I posted my Sprout Change Cloth Diaper Review. If you missed that, I strongly suggest you check it out! My review includes detailed photos of the one-size AI2 insert/reusable and reversible shell system, detailing how the size adjusts, how the reversible shell works, and I also have measurements of each size! The winner of this giveaway not only receives their own copy of the DVD set I’m reviewing today, but also a Sprout Change shell & insert!

Catherine’s latest project is the Diapering Today DVD set. The set is a comprehensive “how-to” with everything you want to know about cloth diapering, from the “why” to the “how.” Some people are fortunate enough to have cloth diaper stores near by that offer cloth 101 classes, or have cloth diaper groups near them. Some of us don’t! I know when I wanted to start cloth diapering, I spent a ton of time trying to gather the information from all over the place online, and make sense of it all.

The Willow Store is selling the Diapering Today DVD set for $17.95, and 1% of the profits will be donated to providing cloth and education to low-income families. When you buy the DVD bundled with an Organic Super Saver Starter Kit (1 shell & 3 organic inserts), it costs you just $11.20 more than buying the starter kit alone. I think that would make an awesome gift for an expectant Mama, but I do wish they had an option to purchase the DVD by itself perhaps with a coupon for $10 off your first Willow Store order to offset the cost.

The set consists of two DVDs. I watched this on my laptop, so I don’t have an exact running time, but the DVDs are each about an hour long. The really nice thing is that they are broken up into bite sized chapters. You can watch it all, a little at a time, or only watch what interests you. Pertinent information is repeated (such as in types of cloth diapers, and the terminology section) so you won’t miss anything if you don’t watch the whole thing. That said, it was not monotonous and didn’t seem repetitive!

Throughout the DVD, you will hear genuiune, unscripted responses from actual cloth diapering parents on various subjects. This is broken up by photo and video demonstrations, information from Catherine herself, and awesome cloth diaper facts from the RDIA’s Heather McNamara.

I watched the trailer (below) before receiving the DVD for review, and I saw some familiar faces!! Do you see anyone you know?

I saw Calley of The Eco Chic, and I saw Baby Makin’ Machine’s daughter, Lil’ J! By the time I finished watching both DVDs, I felt like I knew every Mom in the film. I’m not sure if some of them genuinely looked familiar, or if it was just because I’d heard them chat about cloth diapers for 2 hours, LOL!

So here’s what you’ll find on the DVDs and approximately how long each section is:

Disc 1:

Intro (2 min)
Why Cloth (15 min)
How to Use (3 min)
Types (13 min)
Getting Started (10 min)
Washing (10 min)
Cloth on a Budget (4 min)
Community (4 min)

Disc 2

Tips & Tricks (15 min)
Accessories (5 min)
Resources (3 min)
Potty Training (10 min)
Evolution of Diapers (18 min)
Terms (13 min)
Credits (1.5 min)
Trailer (2 min)

I’m not going to go into great detail as far as what you’ll find in each chapter; I think you can gather that from their titles! This isn’t a big budget, Hollywood produced film with fancy effects and actors with scripts. It feels to me like what you’d find out if you went to a few cloth 101 type classes, a few meetings at a cloth diaper group, and chatted with a lot of moms who used cloth diapers.

There are a lot of things that I love about the DVDs. First, it’s not an ad for Sprout Change. I believe the Sprout Change diaper was pictured as one all-in-two option, and was also pictured on a baby. The DVD gave very unbiased information on all types and brands of cloth diapers. I love that all of the types of diapers were demonstrated on a baby doll, so a potential cloth diaper user could see how easy it really is.

Although I felt the DVD series was quite long (about 2 hours total) it is absolutely not necessary to watch the whole thing. If someone already knows they want to cloth diaper, but they don’t know what to buy and are afraid of washing, they can just watch the types, terms and washing sections.

I also love that it gives a lot of information, without getting so detailed that your head would spin. For example, they showed an “all-in-one” style diaper, but didn’t go on to say that they can have a sewn in soaker, a flap soaker, a snap in soaker, a tongue soaker etc. etc. Just tell ’em what they need to know!

I felt like this DVD covered everything I’d want to tell a friend who was interested in cloth, and it was done in a very similar way. All of the parents were genuine, loved cloth diapers, but at no point were “holier than thou” about diapers. Several stated that it doesn’t have to be all or nothing, that you could do part cloth/part disposables, build your stash slowly, or just buy or borrow a couple to see what you think!

The DVD also seemed to advocate the K.I.S.S. (keep it simple, sweetie!) method of washing. They recommended the simple wash routine that I found works for us (and so many others) and did mention that you don’t want a detergent with fabric softeners, whiteners, brighteners etc. However, they didn’t whip out the “detergent police” badges and say that you had to stick to a certain list of pricey detergents. Basically, choose the detergent with the simplest ingredients.

They also didn’t try to make cloth all sunshine & roses. They addressed the fact that sometimes people do have smell issues with cloth, that such a problem isn’t normal, but that the resolution is usually quite simple!

I also loved that they addressed the “what about the poop” issues in the same way I do. I swear I touch less poop (and do less poopy laundry!) now, since what’s supposed to stay in the diaper, stays in the diaper! With disposables, I was changing entire outfits (including socks, and sometimes my own clothing!!) instead of just a diaper.

I am going to lend my DVD to a friend who wants to cloth diaper the twins she’s expecting. Until now I’ve totally overwhelmed her with huge chunks of information. This will be awesome for her to sit down with her hubby and watch a little at a time!

Follow The Willow Store on Twitter, “like” The Willow Store on Facebook, and subscribe to the Reusable Future Youtube Channel.

Giveaway: One winner will receive a Diapering Today DVD Set (ARV $17.95) and a Sprout Change Cloth Diaper Cover & Insert (ARV $21.70.) The combined retail value of this prize is $39.65. Entries go in the Rafflecopter form.

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Lil Helper Diapers – Awesome, Dad Run Company with a Mission

Nov 15,2011 / By Maria / 14 Comments

How many aerospace engineers does it take to design a cloth diaper? Uhh…well…two! Mohammed Gandhi (yes, that’s his real name, I asked so you didn’t have to, hee-hee.) and Nader Abu El Samid were college buddies, who both have a bachelors and a masters in Aerospace Engineering and have full-time jobs in the industry. When Mohammed & his wife Sophia went out looking for cloth diapers for their daughter, Zara, they were shocked by their cost and lack of functionality. It took two years for the company to take shape after Mohammed ensnared his equally geeky friend in his plans.

Lil Helpers has a Baby Do Good program where they donate one brand new PUL cloth diaper to a family in need for every 3 diapers they sell. Their Do Good Page answers all the FAQs about the program, and they hold themselves accountable for the donations on the Lil Helper blog.

Their website has an awesome page comparing cloth vs. disposable diapers, and being aware of their geeky tendencies, I’m not surprised that the cost comparison even includes water & electricity cost! 😉

I’m not saying much about their diapers today because I haven’t tried them…yet. I will be reviewing all 3 types of their cloth diapers and inserts (they also have wipes and wet bags.) Oh yeah, there will be an awesome giveaway too! They call their diapers “all-in-ones” since they do not need a separate cover, but they are what I consider an “all-in-two” since they consist of a reusable, waterproof “shell” and interchangable inserts.

The Lil Helper (affiliate link) owners live and work in Canada, so as they say, don’t worry that they’ve outsourced to India if you call and hear an accent! Lil Helpers has put a lot of thought & research into balancing value and workmanship. They originally wanted to make the diapers in Canada (and their first few hundred diapers were made in Toronto) but the cost of production was just too high. Generally, materials come from overseas anyway…even if fabric is made in Canada, the yarn would still be coming from Asia. That said, they really would prefer to make the diapers in Canada, but just couldn’t do it while still maintaining affordable prices, and continuing their Baby Do Good sell 3/donate one mission.

While the diapers are made in China now, I wanted to share what Mohammed had to say about it. I love that Lil Helper is up front, honest and transparent.

“I went to China and stayed there for a month to find a workshop that will let me view its facilities to ascertain that my products are being made in a healthy environment. After vetting 6 workshops, we finally arrived to the workshop that is currently fulfilling our orders. That was last October; it took us a year for them to get the materials, workmanship and quality up to a high standard where we would be comfortable to put our name against it. Every step of the way we also sampled the products on my daughter and a bunch of other CD babes, incorporating their suggestions into our design.

At the end of the day, we believe that there is a right way of doing business with China and then there is the fast and easy way. The right way is to go vet several workshops and be comfortable with the way your products are being made- knowing well that my own daughter would be using the diaper along with every parents’ most prized possession. The fast and easy way is to look up a company in China on the net that can make your product for the least amount of money in the fastest time without caring how and where its made. Frankly, we wouldn’t be able to sleep at night if that option was exercised.

I will be traveling to India in December and will try and find even better ways to get products made in India under more supervision.”

My absolute favorite thing about this company is the humor. Take some time to look around the Lil Helper website, and I promise you will find something to make you chuckle on every page. From their why buy from us page (“Do not be fooled by our movie star looks and redundant education- we are just like you.”) to their cloth diaper descriptions (“Your baby has had a bad case of the “disposable rash” and these are your options: #1: You let precious move around in her birthday suit and risk the defilement of the Persian rug that grandma left you in her will. #2: You cover your baby’s tush in a lil helper. Lil helper cloth diapers come closest to replicating the convenience of disposables without the overwhelming feelings of guilt, shame and financial recklessness. Thank you for choosing the second option. You got us worried for a moment.”) to their mission (check out the list of what Lil Helper was not established to do.) and FAQs, there is humor everywhere.

You can buy Lil Helpers diapers from Diaper-eez in Toronto or directly from Lil Helper. Be sure to “like” Lil Helper on Facebook, follow Lil Helper on Twitter and check out the Lil Helper blog.

So, what do you think of this company? Are you excited for the review/giveaway? Take a look around their site and tell me what made you laugh the most. I promise, there are hidden gems everywhere. Read every page. 🙂

FTC compliance: I was not compensated for this post and all opinions are my own.

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Bumgenius 4.0 Cloth Diapers in the NEW Colors Mirror, Dazzle & Sassy!

Oct 24,2011 / By Maria / 4 Comments

When Cottonbabies announced the new Flip Trainers and Freetime AIO cloth diapers, I was excited for the new products, but I was especially excited for the new colors Mirror, Dazzle & Sassy, and the new prints, Albert & Lovelace. Somehow, I was under the impression that the existing Bumgenius (4.0, Elemental, Newborn AIO) and Flip products would be available in the colors/prints after the new products came out. In hindsight, I remember hearing “Fall 2011” as well as “early 2012” thrown around so who knows. I blame pregnancy brain.

Anyhoo, a week or two ago I started hearing things about “new colors shipping soon” so I was thinking that maybe the new products were releasing earlier than expected. Then I got with the program and realized that some retailers were receiving 4.0s and Elementals in the new colors already!! As of the time I’m writing this, Kelly’s Closet (affiliate link) has the new colors in stock, in snap-closure 4.0s!

I knew that having two in diapers (at least for a while) soon would mean that I’d need a few more diapers, if I didn’t want to start having to wash more often (I don’t.) I had wished I could take advantage of the buy 5 get 1 free sale that is ending this week, but since I don’t know if I need pink or blue, I didn’t want to end up with a whole mess of yellow diapers. Well shiver me timbers when I found out the new colors were available and part of the buy 5 get 1 sale!! $14.48 per diaper and new colors? Yes, please!

All 3 are really gorgeous, vivid, bright colors. Mirror (blue-ish), dazzle (orchid purple) and sassy (red-orange.) Dazzle is maybe a little more pink than I expected, and sassy was a bit more orange, but I’d still put either on a boy or a girl.

I didn’t have any of the artist series prints since I wasn’t exactly wild about them, but I did love the solid blue in the retail therapy print. I wondered how close the mirror color was to that blue, so I chose that as my free diaper.

I actually like the mirror better than the blue in the retail therapy print. It’s gorgeous. Just a hint of green to the blue and such a beautiful, gender neutral color.

Some people say they think Bumgenius are kind of boring because they don’t have the prints that other brands do, but my hubby and I both think that Bumgenius are some of the cutest diapers we have, despite being so simple. The solid colors contrasting with the white aplix and a hint of the white inner at the waist & legs make them classically cute in my opinion! My favorites are Twilight, Moonbeam & Ribbit, along with Blossom & Zinnia if I had a girl, and now Mirror as well!

I hope Bumgenius continues to come out with more solid colors. On the other hand, maybe not…how many more diapers can I justify buying? Tee-hee!

Looking at the Bumgenius site it appears that the new colors and prints will eventually be available in the newborn AIO diapers as well!

FTC compliance: I purchased the pictured items at normal retail prices. I was not compensated for this post and all opinions are my own. This post contains a single, labeled affiliate link.

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Category : One Size Diapers

Diaper Rite One Size Pocket Cloth Diaper Review & Giveaway (CLOSED 12/6) U.S./Canada

Bumgenius Freetime All-in-One One-Size Cloth Diaper Review

Diapering Today DVD Review & Giveaway w/ Sprout Change Cloth Diaper (11/24) US/Canada

Lil Helper Diapers – Awesome, Dad Run Company with a Mission

Bumgenius 4.0 Cloth Diapers in the NEW Colors Mirror, Dazzle & Sassy!

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