Category : Review

Baby Products Review

aden + anais Muslin Swaddle Wrap for Your Littlest Sweetheart!

aden+anais

I talked about aden+anais during my “virtual baby shower,” when I received a muslin sleep sack, but I had never tried one of their muslin swaddles, A.K.A. swaddling blankets.

aden+anais aden+anais


Twinkle Pink
, Radiant Red and Sweet Heart Swaddle are three adorable prints of the swaddle wraps, perfect for your little Valentine. They even come packaged in a cute muslin bag.

IMG_2896 IMG_2897

The wraps are extra-large at 47″ square. They are breathable thanks to the open weave, soft (they get softer with each wash) and durable. The classic swaddling blankets retail for $22, but buying various print collections in 4-packs brings the price to under $12.50 per swaddle wrap!

IMG_2898 IMG_2899

You can also buy organic blankets, bamboo muslin blankets (I want to feel one of these!) and they even have a cozy collection with 2-layer blankets!

The blankets can stand in as burp cloths, nursing and stroller covers (pictured below over a stroller!), portable crib sheets, stroller and car seat liners, tummy time blankets, change table covers, and more. An aden+anais swaddle would be the perfect gift for yourself your little one, or another special person.

IMG_2900 IMG_2903

Check out the full aden+anais collection, find aden+anais on Facebook and follow aden+anais on Twitter.

FTC compliance: While I did receive a product at no charge for review purposes, I was not compensated for this post and all opinions are my own.

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Cloth Diapering Cloth Wipes Made in the USA Review Wet Bags & Pail Liners

Planet Wise New Style Cloth Wipes & Wipe Pouch Review

planet wise 1

We love Planet Wise products, including the wipes & wipe pouch. I’ve been using a wet/dry bag and the wipes pouch (with a travel size spray bottle of wipes solution) as my “diaper bag” for about 2 years. We’ve been talking about getting a second wet/dry bag and wipes pouch for a while since we have 2 in diapers and go opposite directions sometimes. When I took my baby to his 1 month checkup and hubby took the other kids to a play, we realized we really needed to get another set!

When I bought my original wipes pouch, it came as a set of the pouch & 10 wipes for $18.99, available in pink or blue. Now they are sold separately with the pouches in 12 prints for $10.99 each, and wipes in 8 color combos for $12.99 per 10 pack. This increases the price for a set to $23.98; a $4.99 increase. I was curious what the extra $5 got you aside from new colors/prints.

planet wise 2 tag abt snap planet wise 3 snap

The new wipe pouch is slightly longer, and has a snap. It seems that this is to keep wet wipes away from the zipper to prevent leaking or wicking. This isn’t a useful feature for me since I don’t pre-moisten my wipes. I prefer not to since I don’t use my travel wipes that often and don’t want them to get musty (or have to figure out how many I need & moisten them before we go out every time, then wash everything when we get home.)

This is the third thing I’ve chosen in an owl print lately. It’s weird. It seems like owls are a “thing” now days, and while I’m not particularly into owls, the colors have been most appealing to me over other new/available prints. I’d choose the lime cocoa bean print in a hot second if it was available, but it’s not.

planet wise 4 snapped planet wise 6 old and new

planet wise 5 inner planet wise 7 wipes

The pouches have the same PUL inner, though the new PUL is a bright color vs. brown. Wipes are exactly the same size after washing. They are the same, simple, single ply flannel. They feel pretty soft at first, but don’t stay that way.

planet wise 8 wipes and bag

I’d prefer to have the wipes in all one color or print, but they are only available in color combinations intended to match the pouch prints.

planet wise 9 wipes in bag planet wise 10 closed
planet wise wipes

I think $1.29 is very expensive for a single layer, flannel wipe. However, the thin wipes mean you can fit a stack of 10 in the pouch easily. If you made your own wipes, it would be much more affordable since you can buy the pouches separately. $10.99 is pretty expensive for a little wet bag as well, but it’s more compact and waterproof than a plastic travel case, and my travel spray bottle fits inside perfectly too!

What do you use when you’re cloth diapering on the go?

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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All In One Diapers Cloth Diapers Giveaway One Size Diapers Review Velcro/Aplix Closure

Ones & Twos AIO Cloth Diaper Review & Giveaway (CLOSED 2/7)

ones & twos 1

Ones & Twos are easy to use, all-in-one cloth diapers

ones & twos 2 pkg ones & twos 6 pkg
ones & twos 3 pkg overall ones & twos 4 pkg
ones & twos 5 pkg

Ones & Twos are designed to be very easy to use, even for those new to cloth. Therefore, they only come in hook & loop (Velcro) closures.

ones & twos 7 laundry tabs ones & twos 8 velcro

They have soft laundry tabs, and the hook part of the hook & loop is a little unusual, different than others I’ve seen. It’s more of a stiff plastic. Very hard to explain and equally difficult to photograph, but I tried!

ones & twos 9 velcro close ones & twos 10 velcro close 2

The diapers have stay dry inners and encased leg elastic.

ones & twos 11 inner and elastic

There are 4 snap down rise settings.

ones & twos 12 snap down rise

These 4 settings are designed to fit babies from 6 1/2-39 lbs.

ones & twos 13 pocket opening and soaker ones & twos 14 sewn in soaker

The Ones & Twos offers the best of both worlds, with both a sewn in soaker, and also a front opening pocket to add additional absorbency.

ones & twos 15 stay dry booster

Bamboo boosters are available separately, but each diaper comes with a microfiber booster. The best part is that the booster is topped with stay-dry microfleece, so you can just lay it right inside the diaper, without dealing with stuffing and un-stuffing.

Here is the XS/Newborn setting (6.5-13 lbs) measured folded and stretched (not an exact science!):

ones & twos 16 xs folded ones & twos 17 xs stretched

ones & twos 18 xs ones & twos 19 xs back
ones & twos 20 xs side

Small (11-22 lbs):

ones & twos 21 small folded ones & twos 22 small stretched

ones & twos 23 small ones & twos 24 small back
ones & twos 25 small side

Medium (19-31 lbs):

ones & twos 26 medium folded ones & twos 27 medium stretched

ones & twos 28 medium ones & twos 29 medium back
ones & twos 30 medium side

Large (22-39 lbs):

ones & twos 31 large folded ones & twos 32 large stretched

ones & twos 33 large ones & twos 34 large back
ones & twos 35 large side

I put my 29ish pound 2 1/2 year old in the large setting:

ones & twos 36 on 29 lb 2.5 yo ones & twos 37 on 2.5 yo
ones & twos 38 on 29 lb toddler ones & twos 39 back

He definitely needs the included booster since he is an unpredictable heavy wetter. He isn’t big into the potty yet, but he tends to “hold it” and soak a diaper all at once sometimes!

I also tried the XS/Newborn setting on my 8 1/2 ish pound 6 week old:

ones & twos 40 8.5 lb 6 wk old ones & twos 41

It fit him well too, with no leg gap. It didn’t seem nearly as bulky as other one-size diapers are on him. I didn’t have any trouble snapping a newborn size onesie over it. The pictures make it look like the waist/rear elastic is digging in on both the boys, but it wasn’t at all.

While Ones & Twos don’t have lots of colors and prints (there are 6 colors, plus white) and don’t come in snaps, they are a great value and are super, super easy to use. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them to someone thinking about switching from disposables to cloth since I think it would be an easy transition. My big question is how the velcro will hold up, and only time will tell. So far it has been fine with the handful of washes it’s been through, though it is pretty “grippy” and takes a bit of yanking to get it off the laundry tabs!

Ones & Twos Diapers solid colors retail for $16.95 each, or $79.95 ($15.99 each) for a 5-pack of white diapers. Find a Ones & Twos retailer, follow Ones & Twos on Twitter and “like” Ones & Twos on Facebook.

Giveaway: One reader will receive a Ones & Twos diaper in his/her choice of color. (ARV $16.95.) Entries go in the Rafflecopter form.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

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All In One Diapers Cloth Diapers Made in the USA Microfiber Review Snap Closure Two Size/Staged Diapers Velcro/Aplix Closure

Thirsties NEW Duo AIO Cloth Diaper Review

thirsties duo aio 1

The Duo AIO cloth diaper is a brand new, U.S.A. made item from Thirsties.

thirsties duo aio 1-2 tag thirsties duo aio 1-3 back of tag

Like the duo wrap, duo diaper and duo fitted, the duo AIO comes in size 1 (6-18 lbs/0-9 months) and size 2 (18-40 lbs/9-36 months) so you can truly take your child from birth to potty training with 2 sizes.

thirsties duo aio 2 closures thirsties duo aio 3 rise snaps

You can choose snap or hook & loop closures, and each size has a snap down rise to get a custom fit with 3 sizes within each size.

thirsties duo aio 4 leg elastic

The duo AIO has leg & waist elastic like the fitteds rather than the double gussets of the wraps & pockets.

thirsties duo aio 5 tunnel soaker thirsties duo aio 6 gets clean add absorbency
with addl insert under

It also has a tunnel soaker (3 layers of microfiber) like the duo fab fitted. It doesn’t have the hemp that makes me love the duo pocket, but the tunnel design allows you to add absorbency, as well as allowing for more thorough cleaning and faster drying. The inner of the diaper is soft, stay-dry microfleece.

Here you can see that the duo AIO is much more similar to the duo fab fitted

thirsties duo aio 7 duo fitted vs aio thirsties duo aio 8 duo fitted vs aio 2

Than the duo pocket (accidentally had the duo pocket on the small setting vs the AIO’s large in this photo):

thirsties duo aio 9 duo fitted vs pocket thirsties duo aio 10 duo fitted vs pocket 2

The sizing is also more similar to the fitteds.

Here is the size 1/small setting measured folded and stretched:

thirsties duo aio 11 small folded thirsties duo aio 12 small stretched

thirsties duo aio 13 small thirsties duo aio 14 small back
thirsties duo aio 15 small side

Medium:

thirsties duo aio 15 medium folded thirsties duo aio 16 medium stretched

thirsties duo aio 17 medium thirsties duo aio 18 medium back
thirsties duo aio 19 medium side

Large:

thirsties duo aio 20 large folded thirsties duo aio 21 large stretched

thirsties duo aio 22 large thirsties duo aio 23 large back
thirsties duo aio 24 large side

Here’s the Thirsties Duo AIO size 1/small setting on my 6 week old, 8.5ish lb son:

thirsties duo aio on 8.5 lb baby

To compare, here he is the same day in a Duo Pocket (print), duo fab fitted (honeydew) and wrap (honeydew also.)

thirsties duo pocket on 8.5 lb 6 wk old thirsties duo fab fitted on 8.5 lb 6 wk old
thirsties duo wrap on 8.5 lb 6 wk old

I have pictures of the fab fitted on my son at days old and 6 lbs 5 oz in my newborn cloth diaper post if you’re curious about fit on a smaller baby!

This diaper is designed to be both easy to use, and affordable. 8 solid colors (plus white) retail for just $15.75, and prints are $1 more. This is $3 less than the duo pocket diaper however, hemp inserts retail for $9.00/2 pack. So, if you need the extra absorbency of hemp all the time, in every diaper, you’re not really saving over the pocket since it includes the 2 piece insert.

I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend these to someone new to cloth, who wants something affordable, that’s also super easy to use and wash!

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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Cloth Diapers Made in the USA Microfiber Natural Fiber Newborn Diapers Pocket Diapers Review Snap Closure Two Size/Staged Diapers Velcro/Aplix Closure

Thirsties Duo Pocket Cloth Diaper Review

Thirsties duo diaper 1

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.

Thirsties duo diaper 2 closures

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

Thirsties duo diaper 3 rise Thirsties duo diaper 4 double gussets

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.

Thirsties duo diaper 5 pocket Thirsties duo diaper 7 insert

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):

Thirsties duo diaper 8 small folded Thirsties duo diaper 9 small stretched

Thirsties duo diaper 10 small Thirsties duo diaper 11 small back
Thirsties duo diaper 12 small side

Medium size 1 folded & stretched:

Thirsties duo diaper 13 medium folded Thirsties duo diaper 14 medium stretched

Thirsties duo diaper 15 medium Thirsties duo diaper 16 medium back
Thirsties duo diaper 17 medium side

Large size 1 folded & stretched:

Thirsties duo diaper 18 large folded Thirsties duo diaper 19 large stretched

Thirsties duo diaper 20 large Thirsties duo diaper 21 large back
Thirsties duo diaper 22 large side

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

Thirsties duo diaper 22-2 width of 1 vs 2

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

Thirsties duo diaper 23 small 1 vs small 2 Thirsties duo diaper 24 small 1 small 2
Thirsties duo diaper 25 small vs small Thirsties duo diaper 26 small vs small

Both on the large setting:

Thirsties duo diaper 27 large vs large Thirsties duo diaper 28 large vs large
Thirsties duo diaper 29 large vs large Thirsties duo diaper 30 large vs large

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

Thirsties duo diaper 31 large 1 vs small 2 Thirsties duo diaper 32 large 1 small 2
Thirsties duo diaper 33 large 1 small 2 Thirsties duo diaper 34 large 1 small 2

Each comes with an insert sized to fit the diaper:

Thirsties duo diaper 35 inserts Thirsties duo diaper 36 inserts

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):

Thirsties duo diaper 37 2 large on 29 lb 2.5 yo

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:

thirsties duo 1 65 thirsties duo 1 65-2

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

Thirsties duo diaper 38 1 small on 8.5 lb 6 wk old

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!

Thirsties duo diaper 39 velcro after 20 mos Thirsties duo diaper 40 laundry tabs after 20 mos
Thirsties duo diaper 41 velcro strip after 20 mos

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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