Pocket Diaper Reviews ~ Kawaii

I have a kawaii simply because it was a free diaper with purchase on Kelly's Closet. To be honest, I wasn't thrilled with the idea of kawaii because I hadn't heard great things about them, but I also wasn't looking to place a huge order, so I figured, why not. When I received the diaper, I laughed. I told my husband that it would probably fit a 5 year old. Unfortunately, I don't have a five year old to test that theory on, but it is a huge diaper and if you have big babies, this might be the answer for you.

Kawaii diapers are a pul outer with a microfleece inner pocket diaper. They are one size with three rows of rise snaps across the front, hip snaps and a single row of snaps at the waist with crossover. They come with 2 large microfiber inserts. One thing that I am not a fan of is that the waist snaps skip a snap between fasteners. To me, this means it is slightly less adjustable than diapers that snap to directly adjacent snaps. The materials are good quality and feel almost heavy duty.

The Good:

1. Good quality materials that hold up over time.

2. Price. At around $7/diaper, these are definitely a cheaper alternative to other major brands.

3. Can fit older babies. Most one size diapers max out at somewhere around 35 lbs. If your baby isn't ready for potty training by then, these are a good (and inexpensive) option.

4. Possible overnight option. For those of us not wanting to go the fitted + wool route for overnight, this pocket holds up pretty well with the right insert combination.

The Bad:

1. Bulky. They look like they could fit a five year old, so on a small baby, they are insanely bulky. It is the only cloth diaper I have had difficulty getting clothes over.

2. They don't seem to breathe well. My son always seems to get a heat rash in this diaper. The material is thick and I don't think much air gets through.

3. Snap configuration. Like I said earlier, I don't like the snap configuration. I feel that adjacent snapping provides a better fit.

Overall:
I can't say I love this diaper, but I'm not sure why. They aren't bad, they just seem like too much. They are thick, bulky and heavy. I don't think I will ever buy more, even though the price is great.

Pocket Diaper Reviews ~ BumGenius 4.0

So, yesterday I reviewed Sunbaby because they are the majority of my stash. Today I am looking at the diaper that is probably in the majority of cloth diaper stashes: BumGenius 4.0.

I have to admit that I giggle a little bit whenever someone posts in a cloth diaper forum "Does anyone use BumGenius diapers? Are they any good?" It's a little bit like taking a poll of Americans and asking, "Has anyone ever tried a hamburger?" I get it though, the cloth diaper world is so overwhelming and when most people get into it, they don't expect to have to sift through so many brands and types and styles. Why would they have heard of BumGenius before? It's not like cloth diapers do mass marketing like disposable diaper companies. I have 6 of them that I bought while I was pregnant with Reagan on their famous Buy 5, Get 1 Free deal that runs all but maybe 3 months out of the year.

Anyway, about the diapers and why just about everyone who cloth diapers uses them. They are a PUL outer with a microsuede inner. They come with 2 microfiber inserts: a large one that snaps down to a small and medium setting and a small 2 layer insert marketed as a "newborn" insert. The one size insert is great, but the newborn insert is pretty much useless. My non-heavy wetting 1 month old soaked through it in about an hour when it was brand new. However, it is good as a doubler later on. I put them in a drawer for about a year and then started using them with the one size insert when Reagan hit about a year old. You can also get the BG 4.0 in snaps or aplix (velcro), making both sides of that debate happy. They come in a variety of colors and prints. Unfortunately for me, most of the colors and prints that I like, were released after I made my purchase.

Reagan (2 years) in a bumGenius 4.0

The Good:

1) Good quality diaper. Bum Genius are generally made of quality materials and hold up extremely well. Since Reagan is potty training, I am cleaning and organizing all of my girly diapers to sell and looking at my Blossom (light pink) diaper in aplix, it looks almost the same as the day I bought it. Minor wear and tear, but after 2 years of use, that's pretty amazing.

2) Resale Value. Since they hold up so well and are so popular, you can usually count on pretty great resale value. I see some bumGenius go for $12-$15 used if they are in excellent condition.

3) Reliable. I can almost always count on BG to not leak. It has long been my naptime staple diaper because I know that they will wake up dry.

4) They fit larger babies longer. I'm pretty sure that most 3 year olds could still fit into bumGenius. For moms looking for a diaper with longevity or just have bigger kids, this is a pretty good pick.

5) Good features. I like the back inside pocket and flap system - BG and Sunbaby are basically identical here. It makes for easy shaking out of the insert. I like the 3 across rise snaps because it gives a smooth look when snapped down to the smaller sizes without poofing out in the middle. And again like Sunbaby, PUL along the inside front prevents wicking.  Perhaps my favorite feature of the BG 4.0 is the stretchy tabs that make it so that you do not have to choose between pulling too far or gaping in the front. Genius! Oh, and the elastic is quite easy to replace and can be done without ripping seams or sewing. I haven't had to do it, but I'm glad it's an option.

6) Easy to use. Gotta love a one step diaper change that anyone can do.

Noah (4 months) in a bumGenius 4.0

The Bad:

1) Too wide for smaller babies. It took me about 18 months to love this diaper because they are just so darn wide! The bulk on little ones can be hard to overlook. Plus, they get so bunched up. They aren't great under clothes. Now, once my daughter hit about 18 months, they started to be a nice fitting, trim diaper. Since she stopped wearing diapers at 23 months, that means I got five months of use when I actually liked them.

2) Microsuede is not as soft as fleece. They just don't feel as cozy to me and I really do prefer fleece. Plus, some kids (including mine) can react to microsuede and get rashes more easily.  If either of my kids is in a microsuede inner diaper for more than 2 hours, I can count on some redness. This seemed to lessen on my daughter as she got older. However, they clean well and look great for a long time.

3) Terrible aplix. I almost never bought other velcro diapers because the aplix on the BG is just not good. My daughter could take them off by the time she was 7 months old. Not only is it not sticky enough, it just doesn't look good after awhile. Now that I've tried others with stronger aplix, I realize this is just a quality issue, not a necessary evil of velcro.

4) Shells manufactured in Egypt have sticky PUL. I have 6 of these diapers, four were manufactured in the USA and two were manufactured in Egypt. The ones from Egypt have really sticky PUL that makes stuffing pretty annoying.

5) Price. $18 might be considered a high price for a diaper. Although some would argue that you get what you pay for, I have not found that to be true in the cloth diaper world at all.


Overall:

I feel this diaper is a good staple to have in your stash. Most people like it, it does the job, it's easy to use and easy to clean. However, I feel like for a few more dollars, you can get diapers that are MUCH better and for 1/3 the price, you can get diapers that work just as well. Since it is kind of the hamburger of cloth diapers, I recommend at least trying them. Many cloth diaper families love them and think they are the best, I just suspect that many of those families haven't tried much else.

Pocket Diaper Reviews ~ Sunbaby

So, I would guess, based on what most cloth diaper moms talk about, that pocket diapers are the most popular. Therefore, I figured I would start my reviews there. Today, I will focus on the diaper that makes up the majority if my stash: Sunbaby!

I heard about sunbaby early in my cloth diaper research and bought 12 of them while I was pregnant. When my daughter was 4 months old, I bought another 12. While I was expecting my second, I bought 2 more for my daughter because I couldn't resist the prints and 6 for my son for a total of 32. Sunbaby has always been a staple of my cloth stash and probably always will be because, well, because they won't break the bank. Plus, Sun Pei keeps releasing prints that I really want.

They are a one size pocket diaper that come in 2 different sizes. Size 2 is about an inch longer and a tad wider. It has a PUL outer and microfleece inner. The basic diaper comes with one microfiber insert, but you can choose to purchase them with bamboo or bamboo blend inserts instead or without inserts. They come in packs of 6, 12 or 24. The more you order, the cheaper they are.

My 4 month old in a Sunbaby size 2

The Good:
1) Cheap. Really cheap. So cheap that people tend to be skeptical of them. Plus, you can get them through co-ops making cheap, dirt cheap. Actually, dirt costs more.

2) Cute prints. New prints are released frequently, so there's always something to get. What's even better is that the prints don't cost any more than the solids. The only bad thing is that if you are buying a set of 12, the 12 prints you want may not be available at the same time.

3) Good fit. Sunbaby diapers are reasonably narrow, giving a nice trim fit, without being so narrow they are difficult to stuff. I usually get a great fit on both of my kids in both size 1 and size 2. They fit my daughter from about 4 weeks through potty training.

4) Nice features. Pocket diapers are not all created equal and the sunbaby pattern has some great features. The inside is super soft fleece and has an inside pocket with a flap. I like that I can easily shake the insert out without touching it. I also like that there is a narrow layer of PUL on the inside along the top that prevents the fleece from wicking out the top. They have hip snaps, which I prefer to a double row of snaps because you can get a more customizes fit. My kids tend to be skinny with chunky legs, so it helps to fasten the hip snap wider than the waist.

5) They are easy and intuitive to use. They go on and off just like a disposable, so there is little to confuse a caretaker who may not be used to cloth.

My 2 year old in a Sunbaby size 1

The Bad:

1) Quality Control. Sunbaby are notoriously inconsistent. The sizes may not be exact, especially if they are "presize," the diapers that were released prior to owner Sun Pei introducing size 1 and size 2. There were also problems with the snaps for about a year and a half. The stitching is also not always as perfect as you would expect from more expensive brands.

2) Don't hold up as well as others. My diapers have been used in a large rotation for nearly 2 years. My sunbaby are looking the most worn and started wicking moisture to the outside of the diaper.

3) Not a good nighttime solution. We could never get through the night without leaks.

Overall:

I really like these diapers; I actually like them more than some of my pricier pockets. They are great, especially when you consider the price. I highly recommend them to all moms starting out with cloth. Sunbaby are great for filling out a stash with something affordable, for daycare or any other situation. Now, I would NOT recommend getting only sunbaby diapers. I definitely believe that there are better options for nighttime and they do take up quite a bit of diaper bag space. Also, now that some of them are being used on baby #2, I can't see them making it to baby #3 and I'm not convinced they will last until my son is potty trained. Although, the elastic is still remarkably tight. They also leaked quite a bit after my daughter's first birthday until we started adding an extra bamboo insert. If you are looking for a long term investment that will last through several children without ever spending another dime, these are not your diapers. If you are looking for a cost effective alternative to expensive pockets and all in ones that work and are cute, this is definitely your diaper.

The Different Types of Cloth Diaper

Back in the not so distant past, cloth diapers were the norm, not the exception. Also in the not so distant past, the only option for cloth diapering was a prefold or flat diaper fastened with pins and a waterproof cover.Today, there are many options and moms new to cloth diapering get easily overwhelmed by the choices. Since I began cloth diapering and love it, I also love to help moms get started and sort through all the info.  Today I will focus on the different types of diapers and the pros and cons of each.

Covers Needed

• Prefolds – When people think of cloth diapers, they usually think of prefolds and plastic pants. These are the “old” style diapers that are sewn into three sections with the middle section being thicker with more layers. Prefolds are usually made from cotton or hemp, have a quilted look when they are prepped for use and are extremely absorbent. They can be folded several different ways depending on the shape of the baby. While pins were the standard fastener of the old days, a snappi is the more popular choice today. Prefolds do take some practice using and finding the right fold for you, but are very inexpensive. Some areas still offer diaper services for prefolds, allowing you to not worry about the laundry (although, they are some of the easiest diapers to launder).

• Flats – They work the same as prefolds in function, but instead of being sewn into sections, they are the same thickness throughout. Flats are also very inexpensive and can be a real space saver in the diaper bag.  They tend to be less bulky than prefolds.
• Fitted – Fitted diapers are shaped like a diaper already – no folding necessary. The entire diaper is absorbent, so they can hold a lot. They can even be worn for shorter periods of time with no cover, allowing the diaper area to breathe a little. Because they often have elastic at the legs, it is easier to get a good fit without leaks. The problems that may arise with fitteds are that the moisture does stay close to the skin, possibly causing irritation and they can develop stink problems over time if not washed properly.
• Hybrid/Ai2 – Hybrids or all-in-2 diapers are rapidly gaining popularity.  They use 2 parts – a cover and an insert. The appeal of the hybrid is that it has a cover that can be reused until soiled, cutting down on cost and volume of laundry. Many hybrids also have a disposable insert option that makes the transition to cloth less scary for those that are used to disposables. The cloth inserts are fairly inexpensive, making them a potentially money saving alternative to pricier all-in-ones or pockets. They also can be very trim under clothes and take up little space in the diaper bag. However, the disposable option does take away most of the benefits of using cloth: the health benefits of cloth next to baby’s skin, the cost and the environmental impact. Some people have reported that the flushable inserts tend to clog toilets and septic tanks. Another aspect about them that some people dislike is the fact that most of the covers have the PUL (the waterproof coating on the fabric) exposed to the baby’s skin. In general, people either really love the hybrids, or really hate them.






•  

• Covers -Just in case you have no idea what a cover is, it is a waterproof shell that a baby wears over the actual diaper. They come as simple as the old plastic pants of the 1970′s or as fancy as designer wear.

No Covers Needed

• All-in-one – All-in-ones, abbreviated aio, are just what they sound like, a diaper that is one piece. They go on exactly like a disposable and are a very easy option for daycare and those skeptical of cloth diapers in general. They consist of a shell much like any other cover, a cloth inner liner and an absorbent soaker. The main complaint about aio’s has been the long drying time that results from so many layers. However, many of the new designs attempt to solve that problem by having the soakers unsnap or fold out for faster drying.  They are usually the most expensive option in cloth diapering and do create more laundry than 2 part diapers.
• Pockets – Probably the most commonly used diaper today is the pocket diaper. Like aio, they go on in one piece just like a disposable, making ease of use one of the major benefits. The difference is that the soaker is an insert that needs to be taken out of the pocket between the lining and the outer shell and re-stuffed before wearing. There are endless options of cute prints available as well and many different brands and styles, making it almost impossible to not find one that works. You can also stuff with different kinds of inserts or multiple inserts to customize the absorbency for your needs. They vary greatly in price – from about $5-$25 each. The common complaints about pockets are that it can get annoying having to stuff them after each wash and that you do need to change the entire diaper at each diaper change leading to more laundry.
• Wool – Wool diapers have been used for centuries. They absorb very high volumes of liquid and do not require frequent washing (only when soiled). The fact that they are made of a natural fiber makes them very breathable, warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Diapers can come in the form of leggings, skirts, or other bottoms, making bulky diapers a non-issue. Sweaters can be re-purposed or “upcycled” into diapers. They can also be used as a diaper cover over a fitted. Wool does have a very different care cycle than other diapers. The diapers do occasionally need to be lanolized to prevent itch and maintain the waterproof quality the wool naturally has. Some babies may be sensitive to it and it can be quite expensive compared to other options.

My Cloth Diaper Journey Part 2 ~ The Evolving Stash

Before my first child arrived, I had built what I thought was a complete stash. Ha! My first stash consisted of:

12 Sunbaby

6 Bum Genius 4.0

6 Econobum prefolds and covers

3 Rumparooz pocket shells without inserts

2 small Bum Genius 3.0 all in one

1 Flip cover and stay dry insert

2 Kushies "on the go" wetbag

2 Kissaluvs pail liners

Ok, so it wasn't a very smart stash. First of all, I didn't realize that econobum were a prefold/cover system until after I bought them. I wasn't interested in using prefolds, but I'm glad I ended up with them anyway since I used them at night for a long time. However, I didn't need 6 covers. There were on a bogo sale, and I didn't really know any better. I also didn't understand the ai2/hybrid system. One flip insert and one cover is pretty pointless. I don't even know why they sell them that way.

I started using cloth when my daughter was four weeks old. It didn't take long to figure out that I needed to make some changes. I bought a Flip daypack (2 covers and 6 inserts) and 3 Bottom Bumpers.

I went back to work when Reagan was 3 months old. I was sending pocket diapers to her babysitter because it seemed easier for her. Well, the pockets were getting used at daycare and that left me with my prefolds and flips. Wait a second, part of the appeal for me had been that new cloth diapers are as easy as disposables, but I was using 2 part systems. So, I decided that I needed more pockets. I sold a flip cover and 3 inserts and bought 12 more Sunbaby.

I probably would have left it at that if I didn't get involved in talking to other cloth diapering moms online and in my local group. When Reagan was 7 months old, I heard about the Little Bee Co. They are a company that for each diaper purchased from them, they donate one diaper to an orphanage somewhere in the world, or to a region struck by disaster. I couldn't help it, I needed to be a part of that even if it was a small way. So I bought a Little Bee Co. diaper.

When she was 9 months old, itti bitti tuttos were on sale on Zulily. I had heard such good things about them and at $10 off, I had to give it a try. I think it may be the only diaper that I regret spending the money on.  When you hate a cheap diaper, you can forgive it. When you hate an expensive diaper, forgiveness is hard to come by.

That was supposed to be my last diaper purchase until we had baby #2. And it was, sort of. I found out we were expecting #2 a couple weeks before Reagan's 1st birthday. Since the first time I regretted not using newborn diapers, I was determined this time to have a newborn stash. The only question at that point was, girl prints or boy prints. It was a long wait to October to find out that Noah was going to be joining our family in February, but October is such an awkward time. I was torn between the desire to go all out and buy newborn fluff and cute diapers with monsters and trucks on them or waiting until . . . Black Friday. The year before, I was not in the market for new diapers and was super jealous of the awesome deals people got on Black Friday. So, I decided to wait.

Maybe I shouldn't have waited.

Black Friday was fine, but I really felt like there weren't that many good deals. I've found better deals at other times during the year. But something else that I had discovered since the early days was pulling at me: co-ops! I hadn't known about co-ops when I bought my first stash and I'm still not convinced that they are that good of a deal, but this time, I gave them a try as well as trying out new brands that I had been waiting for a new baby to try. In preparing for Noah's arrival, my new stash included:

Newborn:
12 infant prefolds from cottonbabies
6 osocozy flats
3 thirsties duo covers
2 bummis nb covers
6 thx newborn diapers
4 xs fuzzibunz
2 tots bots tiny fit
1 swaddlebees newborn
1 kawaii pure and natural

One Size:
32 sunbaby
6 bum genius 4.0
6 econobum prefolds
5 alva
4 Flip stay dry
3 tots bots easy fit
3 bottom bumpers
3 jc trade
1 little bee co.
1 itti bitti tutto
1 swaddlebees simplex
1 grovia aio
1 kawaii
6 econobum covers
2 flip covers

Since Noah's birth 4 months ago, I have sold my newborn stash with the exception of the prefolds, flats and kawaii. I have also purchased another one size bottom bumpers (it was 40% off! How do you say no to that?) and 2 Bum-ware extreme. Now that Reagan is 90% potty trained, I am cleaning up all the girly diapers and getting ready for another de-stash. Of course, then I will have more money to spend of diapers.

I always find it funny when people want to know how many diapers you should have and how much a stash costs. Of course, these are natural questions, but given my own experience, a cloth diaper stash is never complete, it is constantly changing, growing and shrinking to meet your family's needs.

Up Next . . . The Basic Info

My Cloth Diaper Journey Part 1 ~ Why!!??

I'm probably not what you picture when you picture a cloth diaper mom. I'm not "green" or "crunchy." I don't save bottles and cans for recycling and my family vehicle is an 8 seat SUV. I'm not a stay - at - home mom and have no intention of homeschooling. My kids are fully vaccinated. I did want an unmediated birth, but was induced twice. I use a wrap for baby wearing, but it's mainly because I hate carrying the car seat around, not from any parenting philosophy. I make pretty good money and can "afford regular diapers." So, if I don't fall into the stereotypical categories of people who are likely to cloth diaper, how did I become such an advocate for cloth.

My first stash!

 My cloth diaper journey started like many others. I was pregnant with my first child and reading pregnancy message boards when someone said something about using cloth diapers. Cloth diapers? People still do that? Why? Why in the world would I make more work for myself, especially when that work includes a bunch of laundry. Then someone mentioned that it saves money. Hmmmmm, how much money are we talking? I mean, let's face it, no one gets excited about buying thousands of dollars worth of trash.

From there, I went into research mode and found out exactly why people choose cloth.

1) Cost - Yep, my reason is the #1 reason. You can spend as little as around $100 and cloth diaper multiple children. Disposables for one child can cost anywhere from $1500-$3000. Now, of course, most people spend more than $100 on cloth, but I think that setting a budget of $300-500 is easily achievable. Realistically, disposables cost $40/month and another $10 for wipes.

2) Health - Many moms find themselves switching to cloth because disposables contain chemicals that can cause severe irritation and even burns. As it turns out, diaper rash is not nearly as common with cloth diapers. Cloth is also breathable and cooler than disposables.

3) Environmental impact - Disposable diapers create tons of trash. Literally. Also, they can take hundreds of years to decompose. Cloth does use more water both in production and use, but the overall impact is significantly less.

4) Cuteness - Let's face it, cloth is MUCH cuter. Who can resist a fluffy butt with an awesome print? Cloth diaper companies are constantly coming out with cute new diapers that make all of us into addicts.

5) Effectiveness - Cloth diapers are much better at containing mess. "Blowouts" in which poop escapes the diaper through the legs, up the back and gets all over everything requiring both a bath and lots of laundry are apparently fairly common in disposable diapers. In cloth, they are virtually unheard of.

6) Less Smell - You'd think it would smell more, but no, cloth diapers are much less stinky than disposable. While you may still get stink in the diaper pail, it is nothing compared to opening a diaper genie. Why? Well, for one, you don't have festering poop sitting around. You rinse it off. Also, there aren't any chemicals to mix with the pee giving off that odor that is commonly associated with diapers. Let's face it, babies are kind of gross, and cloth won't get rid of all that, but I will take spraying poop off a diaper for 10 seconds over the foulness of disposable any day.

Ultimately, my decision came down to this: do you want to pay less for something that is better quality, works more efficiently and is more fun? Now I look at it and wonder how and why people would ever choose disposables!

Up Next . . . The Evolving Cloth Diaper Stash