I've reviewed these Fly Baby stuffable AIOs before, but now I have more information. I've given up on finding time to get pictures online, and will post info on diapers anyway before this blog gets totally stale.
Fit: nice. They're fat, because the attached soaker is more material than I usually stuff in a pocket. The smalls fit Lindita for almost two months (to about 12 lb), and mediums fit pretty well before she outgrew the smalls.
Absorbency: plenty. We haven't reached the end of it. I can't imagine needing to stuff it with additional material.
Convenience: high. Pull the attached insert halfway out (by the tag, no need to touch pee-filled material) before putting in the laundry, and they'll flip themselves inside out in the washer.
Cuteness: good. Amber shares my predilection for patterned fleece inners with solid PUL outers, and she picks out cuter combinations than I could. Snaps are colored when appropriate.
Containment: good. No poop has escaped.
Drying time: good. We had some trouble with them not flipping themselves inside out in the wash. Amber suggested setting the water to a faster agitation and to a lower fill setting, like the real size of the load. I had been setting the water setting higher, to give the diapers extra rinse water. These suggestions worked; the diapers now flip themselves inside out. Drying time is now about the same as other AIOs with attached external soakers.
These are favorites at my house. Nana and Husbandito both like them. They also impress friends with their cleverness. They're like pockets minus the matching-up-the-insert step. Me gustan.
26 December 2007
19 December 2007
Arm's Reach Cosleeper
When you want to keep the baby close at night, but are nervous about letting the baby sleep in your own bed, consider a cosleeper. It is somewhere in between.
Take a pack & play with bassinet attachment, strap it to the edge of the bed, and then cut off the side of the bassinet that is against the bed until the bassinet's wall is only as high as the mattress. The result would be like the Arm's Reach Cosleeper. The baby's mattress is about three inches below the parents' mattress, with no wall blocking the mom's view of the baby.
I like the cosleeper. It is handy. It has some flaws, though, and it won't help everyone. Most of the time it is too much trouble to bother moving the baby to the cosleeper after she nurses in the bed. Usually she sleeps next to me. However, when my husband comes to bed and we want some space to cuddle, it's handy to move the baby to the cosleeper. We can reach over to pat her or check her diaper without sitting up or reaching over a barrier. Clean diapers inhabit a portion of the cosleeper, ready for use in the night. The cosleeper is a useful extension of our bed.
What does the cosleeper not do well? It is not a pack 'n' play, that's for sure! Ours is the Original Arm's Reach Cosleeper, full size and not height-adjustable. It is technically convertible to a bassinet and a play yard. It is supposed to be portable - ha! I'm not carrying it. That thing is heavy. You can turn the cosleeper into a bassinet and move it to another room, but I wouldn't plan on moving it back and forth.
Initial setup of the cosleeper particularly difficult, more difficult than assembling the crib. It does not set up and tear down nearly as easily as a pack 'n' play. Initial setup is especially difficult because the anchor that straps it to the bed needs to go under the big bed's mattress. The anchor is a plastic square attached to a strap; the strap goes under the mattress and the plastic square goes against the side of the bed opposite the cosleeper, holding the cosleeper tight against the bed. This prevents a baby from squeezing between the cosleeper and the bed.
The mattress is similar to any other pack 'n' play mattress: thin and hard. Crib mattresses are pretty hard, too, so this is not a big disadvantage; it's a safety feature. Some people complain that the cosleepers are ugly. Ours includes the long liner for greater aesthetic appeal. The liner is a pain to wash (which we do very rarely, like once per child) and covers up the handy pockets on the outside of the cosleeper, but it's prettier.
I like the cosleeper. It's a good place for the baby to sleep sometimes, and it holds diapers, wipes, extra blankets, etc. right at bedside. They're pretty expensive, though -- about $200 for the one we have. A pack 'n' play is a lot cheaper and more versatile, but the cosleeper is tops for its main purpose: keeping the baby right next to you without keeping the baby in your bed.
Take a pack & play with bassinet attachment, strap it to the edge of the bed, and then cut off the side of the bassinet that is against the bed until the bassinet's wall is only as high as the mattress. The result would be like the Arm's Reach Cosleeper. The baby's mattress is about three inches below the parents' mattress, with no wall blocking the mom's view of the baby.
I like the cosleeper. It is handy. It has some flaws, though, and it won't help everyone. Most of the time it is too much trouble to bother moving the baby to the cosleeper after she nurses in the bed. Usually she sleeps next to me. However, when my husband comes to bed and we want some space to cuddle, it's handy to move the baby to the cosleeper. We can reach over to pat her or check her diaper without sitting up or reaching over a barrier. Clean diapers inhabit a portion of the cosleeper, ready for use in the night. The cosleeper is a useful extension of our bed.
What does the cosleeper not do well? It is not a pack 'n' play, that's for sure! Ours is the Original Arm's Reach Cosleeper, full size and not height-adjustable. It is technically convertible to a bassinet and a play yard. It is supposed to be portable - ha! I'm not carrying it. That thing is heavy. You can turn the cosleeper into a bassinet and move it to another room, but I wouldn't plan on moving it back and forth.
Initial setup of the cosleeper particularly difficult, more difficult than assembling the crib. It does not set up and tear down nearly as easily as a pack 'n' play. Initial setup is especially difficult because the anchor that straps it to the bed needs to go under the big bed's mattress. The anchor is a plastic square attached to a strap; the strap goes under the mattress and the plastic square goes against the side of the bed opposite the cosleeper, holding the cosleeper tight against the bed. This prevents a baby from squeezing between the cosleeper and the bed.
The mattress is similar to any other pack 'n' play mattress: thin and hard. Crib mattresses are pretty hard, too, so this is not a big disadvantage; it's a safety feature. Some people complain that the cosleepers are ugly. Ours includes the long liner for greater aesthetic appeal. The liner is a pain to wash (which we do very rarely, like once per child) and covers up the handy pockets on the outside of the cosleeper, but it's prettier.
I like the cosleeper. It's a good place for the baby to sleep sometimes, and it holds diapers, wipes, extra blankets, etc. right at bedside. They're pretty expensive, though -- about $200 for the one we have. A pack 'n' play is a lot cheaper and more versatile, but the cosleeper is tops for its main purpose: keeping the baby right next to you without keeping the baby in your bed.
14 November 2007
Colic remedies
Linda is occasionally a colicky baby. One day she cried from 3pm - 11pm with short breaks while being carried around just so. Last night she cried from 9pm until noon today except when being carried or rocked just so. (The Moby wrap was invaluable.) Eric stayed up with her from 10 - 1, and I stayed up with her the rest of the night. Not fun. We'll be taking her to the chiropractor this afternoon.
Last time she was colicky we purchased a variety of homeopathic colic remedies. What worked that day was homeopathic Carbo Vegitalis (stick the little balls in her mouth) and papaya enzymes (chewables crushed and dissolved in water). The papaya helps with stomach acidity, which is a problem when she burps. She needs to burp to get the gas out, but it hurts her when she does.
This time the Carbo Veg and papaya weren't doing it. Cocyntal by Boiron seemed to help; she was calmer after taking that. I like that one because it comes in little single-dose tubes. Just pop off a tube, twist of the top, and squirt it into her crying mouth. These are tremendously easier to use than gripe water that must be administered with a dropper. They're also portable, so this is the remedy in our diaper bag.
Hyland's colic tablets haven't helped her yet, and they always make her mad when we stick them in her mouth.
After being up since 1 am and carrying a baby around all morning, it was time for the big guns. I got out the dropper, shook the bottle, measured, and squirted in a dose of Colic Calm. Poof, my sweet baby is back. She didn't even complain about the liquid squirted into her cheek - she seemed to enjoy it. Amazing. She is now sitting calmly, looking around. This is fantastic! That bottle was worth its $27 with shipping for this afternoon alone.
Why did we wait so long to try the Colic Calm? The stuff is black. It gives her black spit and black puke (if she pukes) and blackish green poop. I worry about it staining our clothing, and I'm wearing a favorite white shirt. It looks creepy when her lips and tongue are black for hours afterward. But it's a lot better than a mouth open wide screaming!
Like all homeopathics, it works perfectly sometimes and other times does nothing at all. Today, it was so awesome that I'm immediately posting about it. It was so awesome that she's letting me sit down and post about it. Now if only it could make an excellent cup of coffee appear out of nowhere.
Last time she was colicky we purchased a variety of homeopathic colic remedies. What worked that day was homeopathic Carbo Vegitalis (stick the little balls in her mouth) and papaya enzymes (chewables crushed and dissolved in water). The papaya helps with stomach acidity, which is a problem when she burps. She needs to burp to get the gas out, but it hurts her when she does.
This time the Carbo Veg and papaya weren't doing it. Cocyntal by Boiron seemed to help; she was calmer after taking that. I like that one because it comes in little single-dose tubes. Just pop off a tube, twist of the top, and squirt it into her crying mouth. These are tremendously easier to use than gripe water that must be administered with a dropper. They're also portable, so this is the remedy in our diaper bag.
Hyland's colic tablets haven't helped her yet, and they always make her mad when we stick them in her mouth.
After being up since 1 am and carrying a baby around all morning, it was time for the big guns. I got out the dropper, shook the bottle, measured, and squirted in a dose of Colic Calm. Poof, my sweet baby is back. She didn't even complain about the liquid squirted into her cheek - she seemed to enjoy it. Amazing. She is now sitting calmly, looking around. This is fantastic! That bottle was worth its $27 with shipping for this afternoon alone.
Why did we wait so long to try the Colic Calm? The stuff is black. It gives her black spit and black puke (if she pukes) and blackish green poop. I worry about it staining our clothing, and I'm wearing a favorite white shirt. It looks creepy when her lips and tongue are black for hours afterward. But it's a lot better than a mouth open wide screaming!
Like all homeopathics, it works perfectly sometimes and other times does nothing at all. Today, it was so awesome that I'm immediately posting about it. It was so awesome that she's letting me sit down and post about it. Now if only it could make an excellent cup of coffee appear out of nowhere.
20 October 2007
New Baby
Our new baby is here! We have a girl, Linda. She was eight and a half pounds at birth, and she fit into all the tiny diapers. She's a chunky-thighed baby like her sister. She has a bigger bladder, though. She didn't pee for alomost a day after she was born, but when she did pee, whoa! Look out.
Measurements at almost 2 weeks old: 15" waist; 12" hips; 7.5" thigh; 10" rise. Newborn babies have totally different fit requirements from older babies. Fat-in-the-crotch is not a disadvantage when their legs naturally curl up. Newborns don't straighten their legs much. All that curling up makes side snap diapers more awkward than they are later. The diapers that have only one snap work the best, because the distance between the top of the leg and the top of the diaper is less. This makes them fit to the hip measurement instead of the waist. Newborns have a big belly and then their hips, butt, and legs are tiny in proportion.
My favorite newborn combination: Kind Hearted Women (KHW) small, Muttaqin newborn, or Kissaluv 0 under a Righteous Baby FLAM wool cover. The cover is side-snap with just one snap. The three fitteds are roughly equivalent. The Kissaluv has fewer snap settings, and the snaps are reversed (the poky parts are on the front of the diaper instead of the wings). The KHW come with doublers, which we don't use because I'm too lazy. The Muttaqin are slightly larger than the KHW but the snap arrangement is the same. Right now (5 weeks) we're still using the Muttaqins, barely, but the KHW are in the closet.
The pictures are dark because the baby doesn't like the flash. Turn up the brightness on your monitor, maybe. Here she is at 7 days old in a Muttaqin:
At four days old in the FLAM cover:
Of course I have oodles more diapers to review in detail after using them. Of course I have very very little computer time, home with two girls and trying to get enough sleep. Keep checking back. It'll come! As a preview, right now my favorite fitteds are Fluffymail Size 1s under Luxe wool or Mudpie Babies PUL.
Measurements at almost 2 weeks old: 15" waist; 12" hips; 7.5" thigh; 10" rise. Newborn babies have totally different fit requirements from older babies. Fat-in-the-crotch is not a disadvantage when their legs naturally curl up. Newborns don't straighten their legs much. All that curling up makes side snap diapers more awkward than they are later. The diapers that have only one snap work the best, because the distance between the top of the leg and the top of the diaper is less. This makes them fit to the hip measurement instead of the waist. Newborns have a big belly and then their hips, butt, and legs are tiny in proportion.
My favorite newborn combination: Kind Hearted Women (KHW) small, Muttaqin newborn, or Kissaluv 0 under a Righteous Baby FLAM wool cover. The cover is side-snap with just one snap. The three fitteds are roughly equivalent. The Kissaluv has fewer snap settings, and the snaps are reversed (the poky parts are on the front of the diaper instead of the wings). The KHW come with doublers, which we don't use because I'm too lazy. The Muttaqin are slightly larger than the KHW but the snap arrangement is the same. Right now (5 weeks) we're still using the Muttaqins, barely, but the KHW are in the closet.
The pictures are dark because the baby doesn't like the flash. Turn up the brightness on your monitor, maybe. Here she is at 7 days old in a Muttaqin:
At four days old in the FLAM cover:
Of course I have oodles more diapers to review in detail after using them. Of course I have very very little computer time, home with two girls and trying to get enough sleep. Keep checking back. It'll come! As a preview, right now my favorite fitteds are Fluffymail Size 1s under Luxe wool or Mudpie Babies PUL.
07 October 2007
Holden's Landing Bamboo Velour
This is a semicustom fitted diaper from Holden's Landing. I chose the size, colors, and soaker style. The bamboo velour inner and outer are hand-dyed and butter soft.
Usually she makes these with a snap-in soaker in a third color of velour. I requested an internal soaker.
It is disappointing that the snap sockets are all white; for a $28 fitted, I could hope for matching snap sockets. Still, custom-dyed bamboo velour is an expensive feature. This diaper has no tag on it. I've already forgotten whether it's a small or a medium. It could be either, by the sizing. It has a very high rise. The front is smooth, no elastic, and the back has a fairly thick elastic in it. Legs are turned, not serged, for a very trim fit in the crotch. The defining feature, though, is the incredibly soft bamboo velour. I wish you could feel it.
Usually she makes these with a snap-in soaker in a third color of velour. I requested an internal soaker.
It is disappointing that the snap sockets are all white; for a $28 fitted, I could hope for matching snap sockets. Still, custom-dyed bamboo velour is an expensive feature. This diaper has no tag on it. I've already forgotten whether it's a small or a medium. It could be either, by the sizing. It has a very high rise. The front is smooth, no elastic, and the back has a fairly thick elastic in it. Legs are turned, not serged, for a very trim fit in the crotch. The defining feature, though, is the incredibly soft bamboo velour. I wish you could feel it.
Preston's Pants Surprise
This diaper was purchased for me as part of the Great Diaper Exchange on Babycenter's diapering forum. The mom who picked it out did a great job finding something I haven't tried before. It is different and neat and has a panda on the bum!
It's a front-snap pocket diaper, with fleece inner and outer, and PUL inside for waterproofing. The pocket opening is at the back. It didn't come with an insert, so I've stuffed it with a FLAM contour for now. The interior is black, and all snaps are hidden.
The snap configuration is different. For one, it has an umbilical snapdown. I haven't seen one of those on a small pocket diaper yet. For another, it closes with three snaps. It looks like this will give some more flexibility in getting the fit right. We'll have to see; the cabbage patch doll wasn't the best test subject. I love how the snap sockets are colored so that they're black with red in the middle, coordinating with the panda and apple on the back.
I'm excited to try this one on the new baby.
It's a front-snap pocket diaper, with fleece inner and outer, and PUL inside for waterproofing. The pocket opening is at the back. It didn't come with an insert, so I've stuffed it with a FLAM contour for now. The interior is black, and all snaps are hidden.
The snap configuration is different. For one, it has an umbilical snapdown. I haven't seen one of those on a small pocket diaper yet. For another, it closes with three snaps. It looks like this will give some more flexibility in getting the fit right. We'll have to see; the cabbage patch doll wasn't the best test subject. I love how the snap sockets are colored so that they're black with red in the middle, coordinating with the panda and apple on the back.
I'm excited to try this one on the new baby.
05 October 2007
Berry Plush Minky Diapers
Berry Plush Minky AIO diapers, from Jam Tots. These have been around longer than Blueberry diapers. The uber-softness of the minky makes people love them. They also have a good fit. The size small above is a little big on the Cabbage Patch doll, but she's such a cooperative model.
See the snap arrangement? It's a little different, with the nonparallel rows of snaps, and I like the way it makes the diapers fit on the baby. Unfortunately they're all white.
This is an AI2, not a true AIO. The shell can be used separately, and you can purchase extra snap-in soakers for it. The soaker snaps in with two snaps in the back. (Word is that newer M and L diapers have snaps in the front, too. I'd like that.)
The soaker has two flaps that fold out, making it quick-dry. I find it difficult to get the flaps to stay in under the rest of the soaker; it's unclear exactly how they're supposed to go. No biggie; really any way will work.
These diapers get good reviews. People who like AI2s like them a lot, for fit and leakproofness. We have a large blue one that we used a few times on Evelyn, and it's a great show-off diaper, with its incredibly soft prettiness. The only negative (for me) is assembly. I like some of the pretty color options available, and that they're sometimes available with embroidery. Berry Plush are around $26 each, but you can save money by purchasing extra soakers for $8 each and reusing the shells. Jam Tots is a Canadian seller, and Berry Plush are also available at other retailers, such as Diaperware.
03 October 2007
Cloth Diapers On the Go
At home, all your clean diapers fit nicely in a drawer or basket. The dirty ones have a home in the handy diaper pail, conveniently located next to the changing station. But what about when you're out and about? Diaper bags are sized for disposables, not cloth, and who wants to carry dirty diapers home?
On the other hand, out and about is a great time to cloth diaper, because then you get to show off the diapers to the other mothers in the restroom. And for those dirties, there are beautiful handmade wet bags.
Now for the challenge of fitting a suitable number of cloth diapers in the diaper bag. My solution to this is: Daisy Doodles "Bikini Bottoms" All-in-twos (AI2s). These are the trimmest diapers around, and they're cute. Lots of them fit in the diaper bag, and they don't take up much room in the wet bag on the way home, either.
Featured in these photos are two Daisy Doodles: a PUL AI2 and a Wool-in-two (WI2). See how trim they are? They fit more like bikini underwear than a diaper. The picture below shoes the long wings with four sets of snaps, giving them a wide range of fit. These are also available with front aplix closure.
Inside the diapers, see the snap-in soakers. (They're also available as lay-in soakers.) They snap in with two snaps in the back. The front of the soaker flops around, and should be tucked carefully inside the outer after the diaper is on the baby. The key feature of this design is that the soaker can be snapped out and replaced with a clean one after a pee. This means that in your diaper bag, you can carry extra soakers, and they take up even less space than another AI2.
The AI2 below is pictured with the shell next to its soaker, an extra soaker, and a Daisy Doodles doubler. The doubler fits inside the soaker, between the two layers of absorbent material.
Soakers are available made of microfiber or hemp. They're topped in stay-dry microfleece or suedecloth. Above, the soaker is hemp. Below, see a microfiber soaker.
I like to carry at least two shells and a couple extra soakers around in the diaper bag. I switch back and forth between the shells at changes, giving the just-worn shell a chance to dry out between uses. As the soakers do not have elastic at the legs, every poop is certain to dirty the shell. The lack of elastic on the soaker is part of what makes them fit so well in the diaper bag.
The Daisy Doodle WI2 (the solid purple one in the photos) is a rarity, but it is my favorite. The PUL AI2s leak pretty quickly; it's important to change them shortly after a pee. This is a price of their extreme trimness. The wool shell gives more time. However, if the baby poops in it, the shell of the AI2 must be washed, and this is more trouble with wool. Christa made this WI2 for me as a special request.
There's another advantage to the AI2-with-extra-soaker system here: they're affordable. A PUL AI2 costs $16-$19; extra soakers are less than $5 each. For five out-and-about diapers, that works out to about $64 (which qualifies for free shipping). Choose your colors on your custom order, and Christa usually ships them within a few weeks. Incidentally, the shell without a soaker snapped into it makes a good swim diaper.
On the other hand, out and about is a great time to cloth diaper, because then you get to show off the diapers to the other mothers in the restroom. And for those dirties, there are beautiful handmade wet bags.
Now for the challenge of fitting a suitable number of cloth diapers in the diaper bag. My solution to this is: Daisy Doodles "Bikini Bottoms" All-in-twos (AI2s). These are the trimmest diapers around, and they're cute. Lots of them fit in the diaper bag, and they don't take up much room in the wet bag on the way home, either.
Featured in these photos are two Daisy Doodles: a PUL AI2 and a Wool-in-two (WI2). See how trim they are? They fit more like bikini underwear than a diaper. The picture below shoes the long wings with four sets of snaps, giving them a wide range of fit. These are also available with front aplix closure.
Inside the diapers, see the snap-in soakers. (They're also available as lay-in soakers.) They snap in with two snaps in the back. The front of the soaker flops around, and should be tucked carefully inside the outer after the diaper is on the baby. The key feature of this design is that the soaker can be snapped out and replaced with a clean one after a pee. This means that in your diaper bag, you can carry extra soakers, and they take up even less space than another AI2.
The AI2 below is pictured with the shell next to its soaker, an extra soaker, and a Daisy Doodles doubler. The doubler fits inside the soaker, between the two layers of absorbent material.
Soakers are available made of microfiber or hemp. They're topped in stay-dry microfleece or suedecloth. Above, the soaker is hemp. Below, see a microfiber soaker.
I like to carry at least two shells and a couple extra soakers around in the diaper bag. I switch back and forth between the shells at changes, giving the just-worn shell a chance to dry out between uses. As the soakers do not have elastic at the legs, every poop is certain to dirty the shell. The lack of elastic on the soaker is part of what makes them fit so well in the diaper bag.
The Daisy Doodle WI2 (the solid purple one in the photos) is a rarity, but it is my favorite. The PUL AI2s leak pretty quickly; it's important to change them shortly after a pee. This is a price of their extreme trimness. The wool shell gives more time. However, if the baby poops in it, the shell of the AI2 must be washed, and this is more trouble with wool. Christa made this WI2 for me as a special request.
There's another advantage to the AI2-with-extra-soaker system here: they're affordable. A PUL AI2 costs $16-$19; extra soakers are less than $5 each. For five out-and-about diapers, that works out to about $64 (which qualifies for free shipping). Choose your colors on your custom order, and Christa usually ships them within a few weeks. Incidentally, the shell without a soaker snapped into it makes a good swim diaper.
02 October 2007
Backpack and Backpack
What to obsess about when cloth diapers and baby carriers are all purchased? How about diaper bags! I'm a fan of multiple diaper bags: a mama needs a small, light one for quick trips; a medium-sized one for medium-sized trips; and a backpack for real walking.
This is the Jujube Be Right Back in Sienna Swirl, modeled by my husband. We've been using it for a few weeks for my daughter. There are pockets for everything, and it's a fabulous diaper bag, although heavy. For a potty-trained two-year-old, it's serious overkill. So...
This is the Jujube MiniBe in Sienna Swirl. It holds my daughter's change of clothes nicely, along with some bandaids and a few wipes. There's a small pouch in the top to use as a wet bag for the dirties. Best of all, she can carry it herself!
This is the Jujube Be Right Back in Sienna Swirl, modeled by my husband. We've been using it for a few weeks for my daughter. There are pockets for everything, and it's a fabulous diaper bag, although heavy. For a potty-trained two-year-old, it's serious overkill. So...
This is the Jujube MiniBe in Sienna Swirl. It holds my daughter's change of clothes nicely, along with some bandaids and a few wipes. There's a small pouch in the top to use as a wet bag for the dirties. Best of all, she can carry it herself!
01 October 2007
When you know what you want
When you know exactly what you want, but not where to find it, the diapering forums can help. My best friend wanted a denim diaper like one of mine, with a jean pocket on the back. Mine was a HyenaCart find from years ago, not something readily available. Not a problem - I know where to go! I posted an ISO (In Search Of) thread on DiaperSwappers with a detailed description of what I wanted: a medium AIO made of denim with a pocket on the back, like from an old pair of jeans. Within a few hours, a WAHM sent me a private message (PM) offering to make the diaper for me. Within two days, the diaper was paid for (via PayPal), sewn, and on its way to my friend!
My friend is completely thrilled. It's exactly what she wanted, and she loves the belt loops that Meagan (the WAHM) added as a finishing touch. And did I mention that she only charged $14 including shipping? $14 is a very low price for an AIO, even without shipping included! If you want some custom AIOs with velcro and internal soakers, send a message to chloecat at DiaperSwappers, or email Meagan. If you want something else, and don't know where to find it, post on the forums. I used this same method last year to acquire some Sesame Street diapers when my daughter wanted to wear Big Bird all the time. It's a great way to find exactly what you want.
My friend is completely thrilled. It's exactly what she wanted, and she loves the belt loops that Meagan (the WAHM) added as a finishing touch. And did I mention that she only charged $14 including shipping? $14 is a very low price for an AIO, even without shipping included! If you want some custom AIOs with velcro and internal soakers, send a message to chloecat at DiaperSwappers, or email Meagan. If you want something else, and don't know where to find it, post on the forums. I used this same method last year to acquire some Sesame Street diapers when my daughter wanted to wear Big Bird all the time. It's a great way to find exactly what you want.
Minky Training Pants
After cloth diapers, cloth trainers. Of course there's a dizzying variety of these available, too. Cloth trainers are less bulky and less absorbent than cloth diapers, and they can be pulled up and down. Some have snaps on the hip, for easier removal, but clever toddlers may realize that those are really diapers. We prefer trainers without snaps. We also like trainers with patterns or colors that appeal to Evelyn, because then she'll wear them. Evelyn chose the zebra print herself.
These trainers come from Blueberry Diapers. The inner and outer material is minky, super duper soft. In between is microfiber. These trainers are more absorbent than any others we've tried; they're the only ones worth wearing at night. They still leak with a big pee, but they absorb enough that the bedsheets are a bit wet instead of soaked in pee.
The colors and patterns available are stunning, and of course the minky is stunningly soft on the inside and outside. They're waterproof (until they're full), but not breathable. They get very sweaty inside with exercise.
The blue pair is a size small, and the zebra is a size medium. There's a big difference in sizing here. The small is a little snug on Evelyn's legs. The medium looks huge on her. In these photos, Evelyn is two and a half, 36" tall and 28 lb.
Overall, we like these trainers, but I'm not fond of ordering from Blueberry Diapers. The trainers are $19 each, which is a little high, but I expect to pay more for minky. Of greater concern is Blueberry's customer service, which by all accounts is poor. When we ordered the zebra trainers, a package shipped immediately... with a zebra cover in it. It did come with a return label, which was very useful, since it was completely the wrong item. Weeks later, the correct item arrived, without a return label or any other paper. It is quite a contrast from the personal service and concern I'm used to when purchasing diapers.
26 September 2007
WAHM Customer Service
The sweetest fluffymail arrived today from Sweet Seats. This is a WAHM (okay, really she's a work-at-home-grandma) store at HyenaCart. This transaction epitomized the kind of service we love from individual creators.
Within an hour of purchasing this item, Jacque emailed me to thank me for my order and to let me know it would ship the same day. Two days later (USPS priority), it's here. When I open the package, it contains
a handwritten thank-you card, a bonus crocheted dishcloth, and the set I ordered, very prettily wrapped in tissue paper and tied with the same yarn used in the dishcloth. The card advises me to wash the dishcloth before use. Now this is fluffy mail.
The newborn longie set is gorgeous. This picture does not do the colors justice; they're quite a bit brighter than they look.
Here's the description from HyenaCart:
The little shoes are adorable. I hold one up to my belly when my baby presses a foot out, and worry that if he or she stays in much longer they'll be too small.
The longies are incredibly soft. It is hard to believe they're wool. The crocheted stitches are tight -- these are sure to be leakproof. I love that they're already lanolized.
This whole set is a great deal at $43.50 (plus $4.60 priority shipping). Comparable sets with better-known names go for $100 or more. The next time I'm looking for longies, I will look at Sweet Seats.
Within an hour of purchasing this item, Jacque emailed me to thank me for my order and to let me know it would ship the same day. Two days later (USPS priority), it's here. When I open the package, it contains
a handwritten thank-you card, a bonus crocheted dishcloth, and the set I ordered, very prettily wrapped in tissue paper and tied with the same yarn used in the dishcloth. The card advises me to wash the dishcloth before use. Now this is fluffy mail.
The newborn longie set is gorgeous. This picture does not do the colors justice; they're quite a bit brighter than they look.
Here's the description from HyenaCart:
Adorable crocheted longies, and matching felted moccasins, in the "Blauer Reiter" 100Purewool Merino colorway, trimmed in "Pimenton" 100Purewool Merino, are paired with a whimsical, hand-painted, 100% Cotton, Gerber lap-tee in size newborn. Due to the felting, the mocs do not have much stretch, so a tie was added. They measure 3.5" along the sole, and are 2" wide. Perfect for your new baby, and so soft! The longies have a drawstring closure, extra high rise, and crotch gusset. Measurements at rest are: waist 15", rise 16", thigh 8", inseam 6". Washed and lanolinized in Lansinoh, so ready to ship and wear!"
The little shoes are adorable. I hold one up to my belly when my baby presses a foot out, and worry that if he or she stays in much longer they'll be too small.
The longies are incredibly soft. It is hard to believe they're wool. The crocheted stitches are tight -- these are sure to be leakproof. I love that they're already lanolized.
This whole set is a great deal at $43.50 (plus $4.60 priority shipping). Comparable sets with better-known names go for $100 or more. The next time I'm looking for longies, I will look at Sweet Seats.
25 September 2007
Starbunz Carrot AIO
This is one of Evelyn's diapers, a large Starbunz AIO that looks like a carrot. She wore it from about six months to over a year -- it would still fit her. The AIO is fleece on the outside and the inside. The inside has a lay-in fleece-topped soaker.
The AIO is technically front snap, but the two rows of snaps are on the wing, just like a side-snap diaper. There are only three sets of snap sockets, closely spaced. Yet the diaper fits well, on my baby and on other babies who've tried it.
This AIO proved a good nighttime diaper, as it holds a lot of pee and does not leak. It is one of the bulkiest AIOs I've ever owned, though. You'd better size up on pants if you want to put anything over it. I also dislike matching up the two pieces. (We had a cute chameleon one, but sold it for this reason.) Starbunz makes some very cute AIOs, so they're great for running around pantless. They make pocket versions of the same diapers, as well. If cuteness and leakproofness are your goals, and trimness is not, these are good diapers for you.
24 September 2007
Brace the belly
This is one of the essential tools for pregnancy: a supportive band to go under the belly and help out those strained abdominal muscles. Wearing this brace helps with abdominal separation (diastasis), back pain, and posture. Wear it during exercise and when standing or walking for long periods. Wear it as tight as you can get it. It's a good idea.
I highly recommend the Loving Comfort postpartum belt. It is available at Babies R Us and on Amazon for about $25. No, it isn't pretty, but wear it under your clothes. The key feature of this band is that the scratchy half of the velcro will stick anywhere on the band, not just on the patch of soft velcro at the end. Other bands (Medela, for instance) have a narrow landing strip for the velcro, severely restricting their usefulness. With the Loving Comfort band, the ends can overlap as much as needed, and the top part can be looser than the bottom half while you're pregnant.
Of course, it's also useful postpartum. Wearing this band helps your belly to shrink faster and your abdominal muscles to heal better. It helps with the permanent pooch as well as the temporary one.
For sizing, I wear a medium all through pregnancy and postpartum. (I'm a size 6.) When in doubt, choose the larger size, because it will still work even if it's longer than optimal. It is even possible to hook two bands together.
I highly recommend the Loving Comfort postpartum belt. It is available at Babies R Us and on Amazon for about $25. No, it isn't pretty, but wear it under your clothes. The key feature of this band is that the scratchy half of the velcro will stick anywhere on the band, not just on the patch of soft velcro at the end. Other bands (Medela, for instance) have a narrow landing strip for the velcro, severely restricting their usefulness. With the Loving Comfort band, the ends can overlap as much as needed, and the top part can be looser than the bottom half while you're pregnant.
Of course, it's also useful postpartum. Wearing this band helps your belly to shrink faster and your abdominal muscles to heal better. It helps with the permanent pooch as well as the temporary one.
For sizing, I wear a medium all through pregnancy and postpartum. (I'm a size 6.) When in doubt, choose the larger size, because it will still work even if it's longer than optimal. It is even possible to hook two bands together.
More newborn fluff
This post is a shameless showoff one, as I've already posted about Kindhearted Women newborn diapers. Here are three more that arrived today:
What beautiful colors! It is too bad that the snap sockets are all white. The diapers are velour except for the yellow. The diapers are adorable and lovely and I like them all!
What beautiful colors! It is too bad that the snap sockets are all white. The diapers are velour except for the yellow. The diapers are adorable and lovely and I like them all!
22 September 2007
Seriously hyena
This is an El Bee fitted diaper:
These are seriously hyena, meaning that it is very hard to buy a new one before they sell out. Laura, the mother who makes them, is recovering from leukemia. These were hard to get before she got sick, and there's plenty of pent-up demand.
What's so exciting about them? El Bees are probably the trimmest fitted diaper out there. They're simple and elegant. They're very carefully constructed; the least little stitching inconsistency gets them declared a second (which still sells for about $30). I love the scalloped stitching around the edges. The elastic edging on these is different from most diapers. It's very smooth, not bunchy-uppy at all. El Bees are known for fitting very well, surprising for a one-row front-snap diaper. Here it is at the largest snap setting:
And here is the interior. The super-trim soaker is internal, but a nifty matching doubler is provided.
and here's the back, how charming:
Laura made this El Bee for me after I won a drawing of all participants in a poll. What a fantastic prize! It's a size large, organic cotton with organic cotton velour inside. Evelyn only wore it a few times before she potty trained.
These are seriously hyena, meaning that it is very hard to buy a new one before they sell out. Laura, the mother who makes them, is recovering from leukemia. These were hard to get before she got sick, and there's plenty of pent-up demand.
What's so exciting about them? El Bees are probably the trimmest fitted diaper out there. They're simple and elegant. They're very carefully constructed; the least little stitching inconsistency gets them declared a second (which still sells for about $30). I love the scalloped stitching around the edges. The elastic edging on these is different from most diapers. It's very smooth, not bunchy-uppy at all. El Bees are known for fitting very well, surprising for a one-row front-snap diaper. Here it is at the largest snap setting:
And here is the interior. The super-trim soaker is internal, but a nifty matching doubler is provided.
and here's the back, how charming:
Laura made this El Bee for me after I won a drawing of all participants in a poll. What a fantastic prize! It's a size large, organic cotton with organic cotton velour inside. Evelyn only wore it a few times before she potty trained.
19 September 2007
A weekend's loot
Here are a few items that arrived over the weekend. I'm not ready to review them in more detail before using them, but need something to post about. The pictures aren't the greatest, as the digital camera did finally bite the bullet. The video camera takes still photos, but not as well.
This is a Luxe Baby wool pull-up cover. Very sweet and cute, and fairly hyena. $34 on HyenaCart -- lately she's put enough of these wool covers up for sale that stalking wasn't necessary.
These are Happy Tushies wet bags. They have a cotton print outside, PUL inside, and a zipper at the top to hold in wetness. My favorite feature is the snapping handle on the corner. We use that to attach the bag to the outside of the diaper bag when it gets full. These bags are a size large, and I'm wishing I'd ordered one or both in Medium, as they're generously sized. They'll hold half a dozen fat diapers easily. They're a little heavy, for an empty bag, and would be lighter and more compact in a smaller size. These larges are $17 each.
Dream-Eze AIO from Montana Diaper Store: this one is technically a tester. The site says, "Based on tester feedback the only major change to these diapers will be the elastic. The final production diapers will have wider elastic for a more gentle fit." These look like they'll have a trim fit over a fairly wide range, and the outer PUL is a cool shiny texture. They can't be my favorite, though, because of the name. Here's the inside:
The soaker has two petals, both sewn in at the back. There is no stay-dry layer; it's only organic cotton inside. The tester was only $10.50, what a deal.
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This is a Luxe Baby wool pull-up cover. Very sweet and cute, and fairly hyena. $34 on HyenaCart -- lately she's put enough of these wool covers up for sale that stalking wasn't necessary.
These are Happy Tushies wet bags. They have a cotton print outside, PUL inside, and a zipper at the top to hold in wetness. My favorite feature is the snapping handle on the corner. We use that to attach the bag to the outside of the diaper bag when it gets full. These bags are a size large, and I'm wishing I'd ordered one or both in Medium, as they're generously sized. They'll hold half a dozen fat diapers easily. They're a little heavy, for an empty bag, and would be lighter and more compact in a smaller size. These larges are $17 each.
Dream-Eze AIO from Montana Diaper Store: this one is technically a tester. The site says, "Based on tester feedback the only major change to these diapers will be the elastic. The final production diapers will have wider elastic for a more gentle fit." These look like they'll have a trim fit over a fairly wide range, and the outer PUL is a cool shiny texture. They can't be my favorite, though, because of the name. Here's the inside:
The soaker has two petals, both sewn in at the back. There is no stay-dry layer; it's only organic cotton inside. The tester was only $10.50, what a deal.
18 September 2007
Tykie Diapers (and lots of wipes)
This lovely custom order arrived over the weekend:
That's two small fitted diapers, four sets of six wipes each, and a bonus set of four wipes. Just look at those carrots!
These were made by Ann at Tykie Diapers. She does a wonderful job on custom orders, and I always enjoy her diapers. Let's take a closer look at them.
These are side-snap fitted diapers. The snaps and snap sockets are color-coordinated. The edges are serged. This particular diaper is organic velour inside and out, yummy soft. Of course, there are carrots embroidered on the butt! For Ann's embroidery, she doesn't have a set of designs on her page. Instead, you tell her what you want, and she finds patterns for you to choose from -- great ones!
The inside of the diaper is organic velour, too. Snaps are hidden. The soaker snaps in with one snap. I forgot to ask her to sew it in for me this time. My favorite part about ordering from Ann is how flexible she is with her pattern: she'll sew the soaker in six different ways on request. Look closely at the snap-in soaker. There is a carrot stitched into it! This is a fantastic detail, and makes it easy to match the soaker to the diaper after washing (in case the green snap isn't enough).
Now let's talk about the wipes! These are my favorite cloth wipes. They're oval, about the size of your hand or a little bigger, soft organic cotton on one side, and fabulous prints on the other. I like to keep six-packs of them on hand for gifts. Even for moms who don't cloth diaper, they make awesome baby washcloths, far softer and nicer than anything at the store.
Tykie fitteds are affordable, at $11.50 - $18.50 depending on size. She also makes covers and AI2s, which I haven't tried. Embroidery is about $6 more, an excellent price. She has diapers in stock, but I always go for the "Custom for you" department.
That's two small fitted diapers, four sets of six wipes each, and a bonus set of four wipes. Just look at those carrots!
These were made by Ann at Tykie Diapers. She does a wonderful job on custom orders, and I always enjoy her diapers. Let's take a closer look at them.
These are side-snap fitted diapers. The snaps and snap sockets are color-coordinated. The edges are serged. This particular diaper is organic velour inside and out, yummy soft. Of course, there are carrots embroidered on the butt! For Ann's embroidery, she doesn't have a set of designs on her page. Instead, you tell her what you want, and she finds patterns for you to choose from -- great ones!
The inside of the diaper is organic velour, too. Snaps are hidden. The soaker snaps in with one snap. I forgot to ask her to sew it in for me this time. My favorite part about ordering from Ann is how flexible she is with her pattern: she'll sew the soaker in six different ways on request. Look closely at the snap-in soaker. There is a carrot stitched into it! This is a fantastic detail, and makes it easy to match the soaker to the diaper after washing (in case the green snap isn't enough).
Now let's talk about the wipes! These are my favorite cloth wipes. They're oval, about the size of your hand or a little bigger, soft organic cotton on one side, and fabulous prints on the other. I like to keep six-packs of them on hand for gifts. Even for moms who don't cloth diaper, they make awesome baby washcloths, far softer and nicer than anything at the store.
Tykie fitteds are affordable, at $11.50 - $18.50 depending on size. She also makes covers and AI2s, which I haven't tried. Embroidery is about $6 more, an excellent price. She has diapers in stock, but I always go for the "Custom for you" department.
17 September 2007
Hannas
Finding clothes to fit correctly over cloth diapers can be challenging. Even the trimmest cloth diapers are a bit bulkier than disposables. Onesies are often too short, pants are too slim in the butt, and dresses look funny on boys.
To deal with this, some moms simply size up. This works well on most stretchy clothing. Some WAHMs make clothing as well as diapers, and these are of course sized for cloth. (I recommend Lucy's Hope Chest.) Finally, there are a few brands of children's clothing that consistently work well with cloth diapers. Zutano is one, and Hanna Andersson is another.
Hanna clothes are all soft and stretchy. Many meet organic standards or those of Oko-Tex, another ecological certification process. They fit for a long time. They're cute without being too cutesy. And best of all, many of them have matching items in my size!
Evelyn and the new baby will have a matching outfit with this dress and romper. There's a women's dress to match it, too, but it won't fit me now, and won't work for nursing. I do wish their dresses were nursing-friendly.
Here is a sweet little outfit for the new baby:
The kimono top is umbilical-cord-friendly and cloth-diaper friendly. Notice the shape of the pants: all butt, hardly any legs. There's plenty of room in there for a well-stuffed diaper. On the right are matching socks.
Hanna's prices are not as friendly as the clothing. I almost always wait for a sale. In this case I am frustrated, because several of the things I purchased on sale last week are on a better sale today. Grrr. But what can you do? Wait too long, and they'll be out of stock in the desired size.
To deal with this, some moms simply size up. This works well on most stretchy clothing. Some WAHMs make clothing as well as diapers, and these are of course sized for cloth. (I recommend Lucy's Hope Chest.) Finally, there are a few brands of children's clothing that consistently work well with cloth diapers. Zutano is one, and Hanna Andersson is another.
Hanna clothes are all soft and stretchy. Many meet organic standards or those of Oko-Tex, another ecological certification process. They fit for a long time. They're cute without being too cutesy. And best of all, many of them have matching items in my size!
Evelyn and the new baby will have a matching outfit with this dress and romper. There's a women's dress to match it, too, but it won't fit me now, and won't work for nursing. I do wish their dresses were nursing-friendly.
Here is a sweet little outfit for the new baby:
The kimono top is umbilical-cord-friendly and cloth-diaper friendly. Notice the shape of the pants: all butt, hardly any legs. There's plenty of room in there for a well-stuffed diaper. On the right are matching socks.
Hanna's prices are not as friendly as the clothing. I almost always wait for a sale. In this case I am frustrated, because several of the things I purchased on sale last week are on a better sale today. Grrr. But what can you do? Wait too long, and they'll be out of stock in the desired size.
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