Apr

15

BumGenius Giveaway From The Glass Baby Bottle!

Filed Under Cloth Diapering, Giveaways Coupons | 236 Comments

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    BumGenius Cloth Diaper in Grasshopper

    What better way to kick off Earth Day celebrations by giving away something that can eliminate disposable diapers from a landfill! The Glass Baby Bottle, one of the many family owned online shops that I love to shop with and support, is providing a generous giveaway of a great product.  BumGenius, for those who haven’t experienced it, is an All-in-one (also referred to as AIO) cloth diapering system that is loved by many cloth diapering parents.  Since it’s one piece, meaning no stuffing of pads into pockets or layering cloth diapers into a shell, you wear and then wash.

    BunGenius is an ideal system for parents with babies and kids in daycare or who just don’t want to fuss with multiple pieces.  There are certainly pros and cons to all diapering systems, and each one is different.  So it’s a matter of what you are comfortable with using.  BumGenius is made with a waterproof polyester outer shell and inside is layers if 100% organic cotton to provide absorbency and comfort. The gusseted sides provide comfort, fit and prevent leaks with a sure fit. The tabs stretch to fit and have a snap closure, which I like myself – they don’t stick together in the wash. The diapers come in 3 adjustable sizes that fit most babies from 7 – 35 pounds.

    Get Your Stash: You can purchase BumGenius Organic All-in-one cloth diapers from The Glass Baby Bottle.  They come in all 3 sizes and in 4 colors!

    Win a Stash!

    The Glass Baby Bottle has put together a fabulous giveaway package for you.  The winner will recieve TWO BumGenius Cloth Diapers in Grasshopper (green) and Butternut (yellow) along with a pack of BumGenius Flannel Baby Wipes (which are so great for other things too – like make up removal!).

    Here’s How To Enter (Required):

    Visit The Glass Baby Bottle and let me know what products they sell that you think would help you lead a greener / non-toxic life.

    For Extra Entries:(You must leave a comment for each extra entry for them to count and you must have already completed the required entry method above):

    • Fan/Like  SafeMama on Facebook (first name, last initial)
    • Fan/Like The Glass Baby Bottle on Facebook (first name, last initial)
    • Follow @SafeMama on Twitter (Twitter name)
    • Follow @GlassBabyBottle on Twitter (Twitter name)
    • Subscribe to SafeMama.com via feedburner email
    • Follow me on Google Friend Connect!
    • Tweet this giveaway (CAN BE RETWEETED ONCE A DAY – Just leave the link to the tweet itself each day in the comments):  Enter to #WIN two BumGenius Cloth Diapers from @GlassBabyBottle on @SafeMama! #giveaway ends 4/22 http://tinyurl.com/43c2sfz

    One US winner will be selected at random using Random.org.  Entries will be accepted until April 22, 2011 at midnight EST.  Good Luck! Thank you in advance to The Glass Baby Bottle for this fabulous giveaway.

    Congratulations commenter #57 Elsa! Thank you to everyone who entered.  I hope you had a Happy Earth Day!

    Jan

    21

    GroVia Hybrid Cloth Diaper System & Giveaway

    Filed Under Cloth Diapering, Giveaways Coupons, Green Mama, Product Safety | 296 Comments

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      GroVia Hybrid Cloth DiapersI mentioned in our last cloth diaper giveaway that I wanted to feature some of the new cloth diaper brands coming out on to the market.  I sadly admit I never quite got hooked on cloth diapering but mainly because I never really found a style that worked for me.  So in an effort to help change that for some of you I am going to introduce some brands to you as I go along researching.  Coincidentally, The Glass Baby Bottle, which is a fabulous shop for your non-toxic shopping – and they are seriously cool people personally, offered to give away some GroVia Hybrid Cloth Diapers to our readers. So here we go!

      After reading the material and checking these out, I think this type of cloth diapering system would be great for super busy parents who need something a little less laundry intensive than other options.  I really believe ANY cloth diaper system is better than disposables but in this case, I know that it doesn’t come as easily to all of us.  And if you’re working full time or part time and you have multiple kids, or whatever the circumstance… less laundry just sounds easier to me.  Just sayin’.

      Anyhow, here’s how it works.  The shell of the GroVia Hybrid system allows you to use one shell through multiple diaper changes.  So when the  snap-in Soaker Pad gets wet,  you change only the Soaker Pad instead of the entire diaper. Much like a pre-fold system. You snap in another Soaker Pad and you’re done.  I imagine this might be an easy system to use when you are out and about a lot, or perhaps during travel. (Especially if you take advantage of their Biosoakers).  I bet these would work perfectly for babies in day care too. The Soaker Pads are made with organic cotton so nothing but nice lovely organic cotton on your babies delicate areas.

      I think what makes these versatile is the options that are available using them.  You can also use, instead of the Soaker Pads their biodegradable Biosoakers for out and about use (and are also a nice way of trying out the system). You can also use the GroVia Shells with your favorite pre-folds, so you aren’t limited in how you use them.

      They have several cute designs and colors and fit most babies 8-35 pounds.  I was actually compelled to order some of my own for my son.

      Get Them: You can purchase the GroVia shells and Soaker Pads as well as a variety of other GroVia products like their custom detergent, reusable cloth wipes and the Organic Cotton Booster Pads from The Glass Baby Bottle!  I love supporting their shop… it’s a family owned and run business and they are great people.

      Win It

      The Glass Baby Bottle is so generously offering some GroVia Shells to one of our readers.  The winner will receive one GroVia Hybrid Hook and Loop in Kiwi and One GroVia Hybrid Snap in Vanilla so they can try out both versions. Update: The Glass Baby Bottle just also added your choice of either a 2 pack Organic Cotton Soaker Pads  OR a 50 Ct pack of Biosoakers! Yay!

      Here’s How To Enter (Required):

      Visit The Glass Baby Bottle and check out their selection. Leave a comment here telling me what products you’d love to have for your family or if there is a GroVia product that interests you, let me know here in the comments.  This step is required to enter the giveaway.

      For Extra Entries:(You must leave a comment for each extra entry for them to count and you must have already completed the required entry method above):

      • Fan/Like  SafeMama on Facebook (first name, last initial)
      • Fan/Like The Glass Baby Bottle on Facebook (first name, last initial)
      • Follow @SafeMama on Twitter (Twitter name)
      • Follow @GlassBabyBottle on Twitter (Twitter name)
      • Subscribe to SafeMama.com via feedburner email
      • Follow me on Google Friend Connect!
      • Tweet this giveaway (CAN BE RETWEETED ONCE A DAY – Just leave the link to the tweet itself each day in the comments):  Enter to #WIN 2 GroVia Hybrid Cloth Diaper shells from @GlassBabyBottle on @SafeMama! #giveaway ends 1/31/11 http://tinyurl.com/6fy5osy

      One US winner will be selected at random using Random.org.  Entries will be accepted until January 31, 2011 at midnight EST.  Good Luck! :D

      Congratulations Kari M commenter #237! Thanks to everyone who entered!

      Jan

      3

      Real Nappies Cloth Diaper Review & Giveaway

      Filed Under Cloth Diapering, Eco-Mama, Giveaways Coupons | 175 Comments

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        I’d like to talk more about cloth diapering here on SafeMama and to start, I want to introduce you to a company called Real Nappies! Real Nappies is a prefold cloth diaper system which are not only kind to the environment, they are easy to use. One of the main reasons people shy away from cloth diapering is that they feel its too hard or inconvenient and I can say, I’ve felt that way too.  I never fully committed to cloth diapering for those reasons alone.  In reality, the inconvenience factor is not all that accurate.  Finding a system that works for you is more of the challenge.

        Real Nappies cloth diapers include a cotton prefold cloth diaper (think of the cloth diapers we use as burp cloths)  inside a waterproof Snug Wrap diaper cover. The Snug Wrap diaper cover only needs to be washed when it gets dirty.  The cloth prefolds can be soaked for a few minutes and then added to your regular washing machine, and tumble or line dried.  It’s really very simple to use and once you have a system in place, is no more a pain in the rear than using disposables (and keeping them stocked).

        They provide complete kits – from birth to potty training -  to start you off on your way to never having to buy a disposable diaper again.  To use have all your prefolds folded and ready to use so when its time for a change you open up the diaper cover and swap out the dirty for the clean one and re-close the diaper cover (which utilizes a velcro closure).

        Real Nappies equipped me with their Real Nappies Intro Pack which includes a cloth diaper, a Snug Wrap diaper cover and one of their handy Bioliner Diaper Liners.

        Once assembled and on (which really is not a big deal at all) they fit comfortably and snug enough to ensure no leaking. They aren’t overly puffy like some cloth diapers can be.  My son was comfy during its use and the cloth inserts wash up in a cinch.  I keep a wet bag in my laundry room to collect wet cloth diapers and then do a wash every day or so.  I really prefer the cloth prefold system to a pocket diaper simply because its less work and less laundry for me.  It can be quite cost effective too. Real Nappies products are made high quality materials, and are backed by great warranty that extends to two children and applies to diapers and covers.

        Want to try it out? You can purchase Real Nappies Kits and accessories on their website RealNappiesUSA.com! They are also available on Amazon.com.

        Win It!

        Real Nappies has so graciously offered one of our readers a Real Nappies Intro Pack to try out.

        Here’s How To Enter:

        Visit RealNappiesUSA.com and tell me which size and color Snug Wrap would fit your baby!

        For Extra Entries:(You must leave a comment for each extra entry for them to count):

        • Fan/Like  SafeMama on Facebook (first name, last initial)
        • Fan/Like Real Nappies on Facebook (first name, last initial)
        • Follow @SafeMama on Twitter (Twitter name)
        • Follow @Real_Nappies on Twitter (Twitter name)
        • Subscribe to SafeMama.com via feedburner email
        • Follow me on Google Friend Connect!
        • Tweet this giveaway (CAN BE RETWEETED ONCE A DAY – Just leave the link to the tweet itself each day in the comments):  Enter to #WIN a @Real_Nappies Cloth Diaper Intro Pack on @SafeMama! #giveaway ends 1/10/11 http://tinyurl.com/2uzbehj

        One US winner will be selected at random using Random.org.  Entries will be accepted until January 10, 2011 at midnight EST.  Good Luck! :D

        Congratulations Jackie, commenter #3! Thanks to all who entered.

        Aug

        2

        Review: Rockin’ Green Laundry Detergent

        Filed Under Cloth Diapering, Healthy Home, Product Safety | 6 Comments

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          We did a Laundry Detergent Cheat Sheet a little while ago and while publishing it, I was introduced to Rockin’ Green by a reader.  Having never tried it I was really curious to and coincidentally I got an email from the lovely Giselle at Granola Babies.  If you haven’t seen their site it’s a great little shop that specializes in baby gear centered around a green lifestyle.  They carry a large variety of cloth diaper systems, baby carriers and baby essentials for your natural baby. They offer great information for new and seasoned moms on cloth diapering and baby wearing.  They also help you in deciding which system is right for you.

          Rockin’ Green is no secret to some cloth diapering moms out there, in fact it’s one of the preferred laundry soaps. It’s a simple formula that is designed to just clean and not leave any residues behind like many detergents can.  If you are a cloth diaperer, you know that a residue on your cloth diapers reduces the effectiveness of the diaper. Rockin’ Green comes in 3 formulas that are tailored to your water type or skin sensitivity but they are all gentle and safe for use on baby clothing and diapers.

          Granola Babies sent me a bag of their Classic formula in Smashing Watermelons and I got to work trying it out right away.  I should note that I am not an exclusive cloth diaperer.  I’d like to be but it just doesn’t work out that way for us all the time.  However I do use a few and I also use cloth swim diapers as well.  So I tested it out on my stash and also gave it to my husband to test it on his stinky gym clothes. I then tried it out on my kids laundry.  We do a lot of laundry around here and after all my tests I have to give Rockin’ Green a huge thumbs up.  It worked stellar on my cloth diaper stash.  No residues, no smells, just clean clean clean. Same went for my kids laundry.  Everything came out looking great and just smelling totally clean and not masked with fragrance. My husband had some trouble using it on his gym clothes but that’s because he did it wrong and put too much in and (hello! A little patience!) he didn’t have much success.  So I tried it out myself and lo and behold, his gym clothes came out stink free.  Which is nothing short of a miracle since his gym clothes (he’s an avid runner) are really foul.

          GET IT! You can pick up Rockin’ Green in all its various scent options from Granola Babies!

          Jun

          8

          SafeMama Laundry Detergent Cheat Sheet

          Filed Under ** Cheat Sheets!, cleaning products, Cloth Diapering | 41 Comments

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            For years and years, I was a Tide girl.  I loved  my Tide in all its stain fighting glory (especially with a husband who is a habitual leaver of lip balm in his pocket and my rule is, I do the laundry, I don’t check pockets) and optical brightening power.   Then I read about phthalates and other chemicals which could possibly be slowly poisoning my son, and the rest, as they say, is history.    So of course, all of our research has led you here, to another production of the SafeMama cheat sheet. (Know a brand you think belongs here? Let us know!)

            Make Your Own!

            You can easily make your own detergent with just a few simple ingredients.  I actually have a friend who made her own and liked it.  However, I can’t really attest to how well it gets out grime and dirt, just because she said that they don’t get really dirty (empty nesters, such is the life).  But if you want to try it for yourself, you’re more than welcome to give it a whirl and see how you like it.

            What you’ll need (the liquid version, i.e. maybe a little more time consuming, and a little more mess to prepare):

            • One five gallon bucket with a lid (you can usually find them at hardware stores)
            • One bar of soap (any kind is fine, but preferably one that’s free of all the ickies!
            • One box of washing soda (NOT baking soda).  You can find this in the laundry aisle of your grocery store or big box department store.
            • One box of box of borax (optional) (Looking into the safety of Borax use – recipe still works without it)
            • three gallons of tap water
            • a measuring cup
            • a knife or cheese grater, whichever you prefer (you’ll need it for the soap)
            • your favorite essential oil (also optional)

            First, put about four cups of water into a pot and turn the heat on high.  You want to heat it up, but not boil it   Then, begin grating or shaving strips of soap into the water.   Once you’ve put all of the soap into the water,  stir until soap particles have dissolved, but your water is soapy.

            Next, add three gallons of hot water to your bucket, along with the soap mixture from the stove.  If you want to use essential oil, go ahead and add that too.   Add one cup of washing soda to the mixture and stir.  Once you’re done, let it sit overnight, and let cool.  The next day, you should have a slime like consistency.  For each load, you’ll want to use about a cup to your washing machine.

            The Powder Variety (the easier of the two):

            What you’ll need:

            This is pretty similar to the liquid kind, except you just keep it in powder form.

            • One bar of soap (any kind is fine, but preferably one that’s free of all the ickies!
            • One box of washing soda (NOT baking soda). You can find this in the laundry aisle of your grocery store or big box department store.
            • One box of box of borax (Looking into the safety of Borax use – recipe still works without it)
            • a food processor
            • essential oil (again, optional)

            First, you’ll want to cut up your soap into manageable chunks for the food processor.  Chop up the soap until fine.   In a large ziploc bag or container, add one cup of washing soda, along with your soap flakes.  If you’re using essential oil, you can add 5-10 drops to the mixture.   seal the container or bag and shake until well mixed.  Voilà!  You can use this in high efficiency washing machines as well.  Just use less.  One to two tablespoons will do the trick.

            Got any other green laundry tips?  Share them with the class!

            Nov

            18

            Review: Wool Diaper Covers with Tips and Coupons

            Filed Under Cloth Diapering, Green Mama, Product Reviews | Comments Off

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              Before my son was born I really wanted to use cloth diapers, but I hesitated because my family said that it was such a hassle and well… they didn’t want to use them when they watched my son. After about 9 months the smell of the disposable diapers really got to me and the gel pellets that were left behind from the ones that didn’t smell, horrified me. So I began transitioning to cloth diapers. I started out with a couple of All-in-One diapers that are great but I couldn’t afford to stock up on them so I tried pre-folds.

              At first I  was intimidated by pre-folds because I didn’t know how to fold them but folding is easy.  I went back and forth trying to decide what kind of diaper cover to use but ultimately wool won me over since it is a natural fiber. I love them!  All of the wool covers that I have tried keep my son’s clothing dry if I change him regularly during the day (at least every 2 hours). He does sleep in them at night for 11 hours and his clothes are fine in the morning. Sometimes I put a doubler in at night, but most of the time I don’t because it makes his diaper so big. He does fine either way.

              About wool:

              • Wool can absorb lots of moisture without feeling wet.
              • Lanolizing wool helps it resist moisture.
              • Wool breathes so it doesn’t get too hot or cold.
              • Wool does have an odor after washing but it goes away when it is dry.
              • Wool covers must be lanolized before use.
              • Wool covers only have to be washed about once a week unless they get soiled.
              • Wool is a renewable resource.

              If you decide to try wool covers be sure and measure your child to get a good fit. I found out the hard way (YUK). Another must is finding a good pre-fold, flat or fitted diaper to use under the wool cover. I’ve tried the Indian pre-folds, Blue Penguin’s Snap on Prefold Hemp Diaper and Firefly’s flat diapers and all work for me.

              Little Beetle Merino Wool Jersey Cover: I only use this cover at night and only if it is my last resort. I purchased it in aplix (Velcro) and wished I had purchased it with the snaps as my son has figured out how to take it off. The legs are elastic. The aplix sticks out underneath clothes and is very bulky. I think my son really needed a smaller size but I went by the weight only. Hopefully as he grows we can use this one more. This cover is made from organic wool so that is a plus in my book. I purchased mine from betterforbabies.com and the customer service is great. They also have shorts and pants that I plan to try.

              Loveybums Organic Wool Cover:  I really like this cover, it is organic and made in the USA. I use this with Indian pre-folds and the hemp pre-folds. My favorite part about this one is that it isn’t as thick as the Little Beetle so it doesn’t look as bulky under clothes. The snaps around the waist are great and it is easy to tighten and the sides don’t stick out. There is elastic around the legs. Low impact dyes are used so you have some color options. You can purchase this at loveybums.com and can get 15% off by using the code SAFEMAMA at checkout.

              Loveybums Pull-up Wool Cover: This is my second go to cover. I really love that I can just put on a pre-fold and pull these up. No snaps or aplix to mess with. I have noticed that around the waist these can stretch out but washing will tighten it back up. This one isn’t organic but they are made in the USA. Color options (with low impact dyes) are available. You can purchase this at loveybums.com and can get 15% off by using the code SAFEMAMA at checkout.

              Firefly Easy Wool Diaper Cover: I love this cover. I’ve tried the Organic Natural version but I’m about to purchase one in the sea green color. Low-impact dyes are used for coloring. There are snaps at the waist AND at the legs so there are no gaps. Firefly’s flat diapers work great with this cover as well as any of the others I’ve tried. I recommend hand washing and air drying all wool covers but I’ve accidentally machine washed and dried this cover twice and it is still in great condition…not too bulky under clothes either. You can purchase this at fireflydiapers.com and can get $2.00 off any Easy Wool cover until the end of November by using the code EASY02 at checkout.

              Things to remember about wool covers:

              • Lanolize
              • Hand wash and air dry
              • Need a good fit

              All of the companies that I have ordered from have been very helpful and have answered all my questions so don’t hesitate to call them if you need assistance.

              Oct

              23

              SafeMama Pocket Diaper Comparison

              Filed Under Cloth Diapering, Eco-Mama, Green Mama, Safe Mama Tips | Comments Off

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                When my son was first born, there was no way on earth you would even have gotten me to consider cloth diapering. And in my mind, cloth diapering was something that was done in the “olden” days. It seemed like a big hassle and I couldn’t see the costs outweighing the benefits.

                But as my son started to get chronic eczema, I started to look for an alternative. And I realized that there are so many options aside of your standard prefold diaper. Although, a lot of people still swear by them. But for me, it just seemed to be a bit more hassle than I had the patience for. Since I got into the cloth diapering scene when my son was a little older, I settled on experimenting with pocket diapers.

                Pocket diapers are pretty easy to use. You have an outer layer consisting of a water resistant fabric, with an inner layer resting against your babys skin that is usually microfleece (which wicks moisture away from the skin), however, there’s also velour and other fabrics that are used. Imagine having a nice organic velour next to your butt? Yes, please. In between these layers is a pocket that fits what’s called an insert. Inserts are generally made out of microterry, hemp, or a french terry. Inserts generally contain many layers for absorbency. It takes a little while to find a system that works for you, but once you do, it’s pretty efficient. And you become fond of baby bubble butt. I’ve given quite a few diapers a whirl, so I figured I’d share my thoughts with you.

                Fuzzi Bunz: This was the first diaper that I tried. To be fair, I used the old style, which has since been replaced by a one size diaper, so I’m not sure how the new one stands up, but the original one I think, was one that you either loved or you hated. The insert, a microterry fleece, wasn’t overly absorbent, the snaps to adjust the legs and waist didn’t work for my son. They either made the diaper too tight or too loose. I know that there are people who swear by their Fuzzi Bunz, but I wasn’t overly impressed with them. Again, the newer version might be completely different.

                Swaddlebees: Because I was still experimenting, I purchased both aplix (velcro) and snap versions of Swaddlebees. After Fuzzi Bunz and I decided we weren’t friends, I was dead set against snaps. After using aplix, I was dead set against velcro. Swaddlebees are a great, well made diaper. They fit my son well. The microterry inserts are more than absorbent enough to last through about 2-2.5 hours. There are two things that I don’t like about these: They’re very thick and bulky and while I like the feel of the velour, it’s also heavy and doesn’t wick away moisture. It’s luxurious, though.

                Bum Genius 3.0: Bum Genius is one of the most popular one size pocket diapers. And I can see why. They’re well made. They come with an adjustable insert as well, and the insert is actually pretty absorbent. We had one of those moments the other day where we looked at each other and said “did you change him recently?” I was surprised that he didn’t leak through. And yet the diaper is still trimmer than most pocket diapers. As with most one size diapers, you can adjust the rise on the diaper via snaps, so you can use this diaper on your itty bitty newborn, as well as on your linebacker toddler. I held off on trying this one for so long for a multitude of reasons. But I have to say, I’m impressed. I can understand why Bum Genius fans push people to drink the Kool-Aid. The only thing I will say, is that I wish they came with a side snap option for people who prefer snaps.

                Drybees: Drybees are the last diaper in the stash that I reach for. It’s not a bad diaper, it’s just the design, though standard looking, is a bit bulky and puffy. And one thing about cloth diapering, is that you’re going to be hard pressed to find something as slim as a disposable. That’s just the way it goes for cloth. These seem as though there’s a lot of excess fabric (i.e. these are probably really good if you have a meaty baby). For these, we use a thirsties insert, and they work fine, but I have to size up my son’s pants when using these. And the velcro hasn’t held up as well as other velcro diapers. I usually save these for the hot days where I don’t have to put pants on my son, and a diaper will suffice just fine.

                Green Acre Designs: Green Acre Designs are one of my favorite diapers. A lot of people raved about these diapers, and in the underground diapering world, they seem to have a big following, but otherwise, not that many people know about them. They’re well constructed and while they’re not one size (a drawback if you’re looking to only have to make one big purchase and not have to buy more everytime your child outgrows them), they do have a decent amount of stretch, so you will be able to use the larger sizes for much longer. The snaps are on the side, which is good if you have a kid who has a fondness for ripping their diaper off. I’m not a fan of the inserts she makes, so we use a knickernappies “loopy-do” insert, which I absolutely love. It’s trim and yet it holds a lot.

                Whamies: I really like the concept of this diaper. I think we’ve established that I’m not a fan of velcro. I will use it, but they create a big mess if you forget to fasten the tabs down before you put them in the wash. So when I saw a diaper that had hooks, I was all for trying it out. The concept of the diaper is pretty much the same as the rest. It’s one size, which again, is nice if you’re trying to save money and resources. It has four hooks and loops all around to find the perfect adjustment for your baby. The diaper isn’t going anywhere once it’s fastened. The one caveat to this is that it’s sort of tricky to get the hang of. This is a diaper that I’d probably try out in the beginning when your baby is an infant and isn’t going to be going anywhere. I tried this out on my toddler a few times and he got rather impatient with me for taking so long on getting the hooks fastened. His impatience brought my anxiety levels up, which made it more difficult to use. Again. There is nothing wrong with this diaper, I love it, but I’ll leave this one to my husband to take care of.

                Blueberry Diapers: Blueberry diapers are similar in style to Swaddlebees in my opinion. This isn’t a bad thing. I do like the insert flap a little better on these over most as they tend to not bunch up like a lot of them do. There’s nothing more embarrassing to a toddler than having an insert hanging out of their pants, now is there? These are easy to use, and come in a lot of fun and cute designs, including minky, which is apparently the holy grail of pocket diapers. My son personally doesn’t own any minky in his stash, but I hear they’re very nice. The insert it comes with is a split insert, which is also really nice, because they seem to be more absorbent and also dry much faster. The other thing I like is that they also come in one size AND have a snap option as well as velcro. I like when there are more options.

                Knickernappies: The knickernappies “Disposanot” diaper may have a funny name, but it’s another one of my choice diapers. It’s trimmer than a lot, and it’s also got side snaps which is a nice thing if your child has a knack for undoing diapers. When I first purchased one of these, they were a little bigger in the leg, so I had to wait to start using them, but once I was able to use one, I really liked the way it looked under pants. That’s my biggest test when buying a diaper, how will my son’s pants fit? These are similar in style to my favorite Green Acre Designs, but again, a little trimmer. They also run a little big bigger, which might be good if you’re looking to get a little longer use out of them.

                So there’s my very lengthy rundown of all of the pocket diapers I’ve tried. It’s not every single brand out there, but it’s quite a few. If you’re looking to switch to cloth diapers, here are a few tips that might help you make the switch easier.

                • Purchase a few different brands and styles. If you have a hundred bucks or so, research what might work best for you and purchase one of each. You can also look on sites like diaperpin.com to see if anyone has diapers you’re looking for for sale or for trade. Some are gently used, but this can be a good thing. They still have plenty of use left in them, you save money, AND they’re most likely already primed.
                • Prime your diapers. Technically your inserts. Most diapers only need a wash or two before use, but the inserts might need to be primed (sometimes 5 or 6 times depending on the insert) in hot water and dried repeatedly before they’re absorbent enough. And subsequent washings makes them continually more absorbent. You can also boil them depending on the type of insert to help speed up the process.
                • Always read the care instructions of your diapers. Cloth diapers are an investment, and if you want them to last, you need to take care of them properly. Most pocket diapers are made with the same material, but there are many other types of diapers and if you take care of them properly, they should last you through multiple children.
                • Use a proper detergent. Now that you’ve read the care instructions, simple Tide won’t do. Not to mention, Tide, ew. Even detergents like Dreft, can cause a build up on diapers. My personal preference is Charlie’s Soap, but there are quite a few natural and eco-friendly brands that work great on diapers.

                Got any other tips? Contact us and we’ll be happy to add them.

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