Latex Allergies & Cloth Diapers

A few months ago I received an e-mail through my website from a customer who has a severe latex allergy asking me if I could tell her which cloth diapers she could use to avoid latex. I was at a loss as I knew nothing about latex, but, with a little research I got some great information I thought I'd pass along.

First thing, what exactly is latex? I found out that latex is a natural material that comes from trees.  It is commonly found in gloves, balloons, condoms, pacifiers/baby bottle nipples, elastic and spandex.  The concern here then would be diapers with exposed elastic at the waistbands or the leg area.

So I reached out to a few of my favorite manufacturers to find out which diapers are latex free. Here's what I found:

1. Baby Kicks PUL and elastic bands are FREE of latex 
2. Apple Cheeks products do contain latex in the elastic*
3. Rumparooz products do contain latex in the leg elastic*
4. Bummis products do contain latex in the elastic*
5. Thirsties Duo Diaper, Duo Wrap & Diaper Covers, Inserts, Prefolds & Doublers are FREE of latex.  Their Duo Fabs & Duo AIOs do contain latex* 

*Though these products contain latex, the manufacturers said that the elastic is encased in fabric, so the use of these products remains at the discretion of the user.

For more information on Latex Allergies check out the American Latex Allergy Association.

I will reach out to my other manufacturers, and welcome input regarding any other products.  If you know of any other cloth diaper brands that are free of latex, please leave a comment so I can grow my list and help other folks!

GroVia Hybrid Diaper Review - Part 2 - The Disposable Option

Last week we had a wedding to attend in Los Angeles so we made a vacation of it and took the week off, went to San Diego and then off to LA with the fam.  I figured this would be the perfect time to finally test out the GroVia Hybrid - disposable option.  The GroVia hybrid diaper consists of a waterproof shell, and the disposable insert known as the Bio-Soaker is flushable, compostable & bio-degradable.  It looks much like its cotton soaker counterpart - contoured with side-walls.  It has short bits of sticky tape on either end to secure the insert to the shell... much like a maxi-pad.

I bought some Green N Pack doggie bags before I left MD so I could dispose of my inserts responsibly, packed 4 GroVia Shells, a 50-pk of the GroVia Bio-Soakers and some extra gDiaper inserts I had left over from my last trip, and set out on vacation.

I used the gDiaper inserts first in the GroVia shell to see how they worked, and they were okay.  They fit fine, but still had the same issue I talked about before of pee being localized to one spot so I never felt like I got my money's worth as half the insert would be dry, and leaking would occur when that front portion was full.

gDiaper insert (top) vs. GroVia insert (bottom)

I was very excited to start using the GroVia inserts, but I must say, I was a little disappointed. At first glance the GroVia insert is clearly smaller than the gDiaper, and a little thinner.  So I was immediately concerned about absorption.  I figured the gDiaper insert is such a waste as it isn't fully utilized, so hopefully pee would wick through this GroVia insert and be able to hold alot of moisture.

I mentioned in Part 1 of this article that my daughter is on a drinking binge right? Not to mention the fact that it was HOT out there... we walked around the San Diego Zoo for hours one day so Becks was downing water and juice like crazy, plus being seated in her stroller the whole time led to compression leaks. She would start to leak after 2 hours of being in the diaper. :(  Another day though, we went to Sea World in the evening so it was cooler, she wasn't drinking that much water - and no leaks.  So, this leads me to believe that if your child isn't a heavy wetter and is drinking moderately you may not have any problem with this insert.  I must say though that the sidewalls in the insert handled poop fabulously!

All-in-all my thoughts are that the GroVia hybrid disposable insert could use a little more cushion, but, for a child who doesn't drink a lot, or isn't a heavy wetter it will be sufficient.  The disposable option is definitely not something I would recommend for an every day use.

After having to wash my shells in the hotel bathroom for a week, and dealing with the leak issues, I was extremely happy to get her back into her faithful cloth diapers when we returned home.

GroVia Hybrid Diaper Review - Part 1 - The Cloth Option

GroVia is a very popular cloth diapering brand, well known because of its trim fit and for being very cute.  The GroVia hybrid diaper is a one-size-fits-all diaper, that allows the user the option of using a washable cloth insert, or a disposable insert. See part 2 for the disposable insert review.

The shell, as it is called, is the waterproof layer and, according to GroVia, can be used with a prefold as an insert if needs be.  The shell is lined on the inside with mesh, which I believe aids in breathe-ability, as well as helps in catching any stray poop that may have wandered off the soaker insert.  The cotton soaker is contoured with side walls and reminds me very much of a maxi pad.  The soaker has a waterproof backing and a snap at either end which snaps directly into the shell, so no movement allowed.

One really big benefit of the snap-in cotton soaker is a smaller wash load.  Let's say that GroVia hybrid is your main system used at home, then your wash load is cut down to a bunch of maxi pad-sized inserts, with a few shells.  So your load should be lighter and will therefore need a smaller volume of water to wash, and less time to dry.

So how did it work for me? True to form, the diaper is a trim fit - no bubble butt here! And super cute! Absorbency was slightly lacking for my toddler. Fortunately, GroVia sells a stay-dry booster which for us increased the absorbency of the diaper a good 50% - for my kid, without the booster gives her 2 hours of dry time, with it 3-4 hours before leaking occurred.  In all fairness she does drink a lot more than she eats right now, so, she may pee more than the average child. Even with the booster the diaper was still trim, hence there is still room for another booster if really needed.  As for poop, it holds very well - no leakage there!

All in all, I like the GroVia, I like the concept, I like the fit, I would just recommend getting the stay dry boosters as needed for your baby.  Shells are sold separately from inserts.  Cloth inserts and boosters are sold in packs of 2.

Cloth Diaper Fasteners: Snaps vs. Velcro

Modern cloth diapers has given rise to new options of securing your baby's diaper to their cute little butt.  And with options now comes the question - why would someone choose a snap over a velcro, (aka aplix, aka hook and loop) fastener?  What are the pros and cons? I get this all the time in my workshops, so I tend to address the question before it's even asked.  Today I'll put it in writing.  Let's weigh the pros and cons of both:

The Velcro Fastener
Pros:

1. Most closely simulates a disposable diaper fastener
2. Goes on very easy which is great for a squirmy baby or one who does not like to get their diapers changed.
3. Wider range for fit at the waist line.

Cons:

1.  Wears out eventually... some more quickly than others. 
2. Once baby gains some dexterity will eventually undo the fastener and walk around with their diaper hanging half off :)
3. If the velcro strip isn't long or wide enough or not the best quality, once your baby starts toddling the diaper will start coming apart and dropping off your baby.

The Snap Fastener
Pros:

1.  Very durable.
2. Will not come apart, so diaper won't come off of baby when toddling.
3. Baby won't have the dexterity to pull the diaper off themselves for quite some time, if at all.

Cons:

1. Can be more difficult to put on with a squirmy child.
2. Though most cloth diapers with snaps have a ton of placement options, you are limited to fixed points rather than "as tight as I can get it" at the waist line.

By this comparison it would appear that snaps outweigh the velcro, but, the human variables of preference and  behavior should be accounted for. I've met moms who just prefer the velcro because it makes putting on the diaper so much easier. And some babies are squirmy while others just lay there patiently for diaper changes, so, it's not a problem putting them in a snap diaper. 

So what advice do I give my moms on this topic? For newborns and infants who aren't moving around too much yet, in that first 0-6 months or so when they're growing like weeds, go ahead and get a velcro cover or diaper.  You won't be using it for a very long period of time so it won't wear out on you, and it'll be easier to change your baby's diapers.  Once they start toddling, snaps all the way.  Remember, their weight won't fluctuate as much as it did in those first 6 months, and they'll be in the same size diaper for a much longer time - think another 2 years if they're in a one-size diaper.  So you definitely want something that will last for the long haul.  I should also note that there tends to be more postings online from someone looking for a seamstress to either replace the velcro tabs or for a snap conversion.  Rarely do you see a snap to velcro conversion. If you really do prefer a velcro fastener over a snap one you could always just make sure your baby is wearing a onesie, or pair of shorts to keep it all together if the velcro starts wearing out.  But do you really want to cover up those cute cloth-diapered bums all the time?

I pretty much decided today that I'll definitely maintain some velcro one-size and larger-sized diapers and covers in stock, but, I'll probably be ordering snaps more heavily now.  To me, it just makes sense.

What do you think about velcro vs snap fasteners?

An experiment with gDiaper Disposable Inserts & random covers

Last Thanksgiving I tried using the gDiaper with disposable inserts on my trip back home, and hated it.  A couple of weeks ago at the Celebrate Mama event I had someone ask me if they could just use a disposable insert with any cover.  This wasn't the first time I have heard this question, and I usually say that each disposable insert is made specifically to fit the manufacturer's cover, so I wouldn't advise it, though, I'm sure you could try.  Two weekends ago I drove up to NJ to visit some family who were visiting from Jamaica.  I had an open pack of gDiaper inserts left over from last year so I thought to myself, hmm.... this would be a good time to conduct a little experiment.  I didn't want to open up a brand new pack of GroVia inserts for my little overnight trip, so, I thought, let's see how these g-inserts will work with my Gen-Y, Bumkins & Happy Heinys OS cover.

The quick answer.... miserably.  Becca leaked all weekend.  I definitely had to increase the frequency of the changes, and this is why.  It's not that the insert didn't fit into any of the covers, because they did... I was concerned they'd be too wide or too long, but, that wasn't an issue.  It kinda came back to the same reason I didn't like them in the first place.  You know how when your baby pees in their cloth diaper the pee wicks throughout the diaper and everything gets soaking wet? Well, with the g-inserts, they don't do that!  Becks peed, and it just stayed in one place, isolated in the front.  It never permeated through the entire pad.  And when the front was soaked through, it had no place to go but outside the cover.  I wonder why it does that?

Of the 3 covers I used, I must say the Bumkins did the best, while the other two tied... and this has nothing to do with how good the cover is seeing that I don't usually have leaks in any of these covers, it was just the fit.  If you think about it the covers are usually over a relatively bulky diaper right?that is, relative to this insert.  So, when I put the insert in the cover that would usually fit snug over a cloth diaper, the cover fit pretty loose over the insert.  Meanwhile, my Bumkins cover tends to fit very snug usually, and so I think it was able to contain the pee a little better in this situation.

Conclusion?  Still hating the gDiaper.  If you ever thought to do this on a trip, don't bother.  Stick to the system that the insert is made for unless it says it is interchangeable with another, as most cloth inserts tend to be.  And the worst part is, I still have g-inserts left - what to do!

Bye Bye Prefolds, Hello One-Size Fits All Pockets

It's no secret that I am a thrifty mom and that I particularly love the natural fibers, which is why I've tended to stick to prefolds and hemp fitteds and pockets.  I prefer the trim fit of the hemp products over bulky, so I've been working with that.  But, it's the summer time, and little Miss Becca is downing so much water that she is peeing through the regular-sized prefolds. So, I decided it's time to test out some of my other products.  I mean, I AM the diaper lady right? Which means I should have personal experience with as many diapering products as I can get my hands on. 

So, I started using a Fuzzi Bunz OS pocket, the GroVia hybrid with cotton soaker, and Rumparooz OS pockets.  Let me tell you, there's no turning back. I mean, I do love the good old prefold, and I stand by that for infants, but, a toddler I think needs a little more.  First of all, the whole toddling aspect.  Becca is running around, climbing up and down the couch, just constantly moving, and though the Snappi never gave way, I could see it was holding on for dear life :).  Also, Becca isn't a squirmy one during changing, but, I know that many toddlers don't want to be stopped in their tracks for too long for changing time, so, not having to do a 2-piece deal is great.  Don't get me wrong, I still use my trusted Baby Kicks One Size Organic diaper with  a Gen-Y or Bumkins cover at night-time, and even some Diaperaps hemp fitteds and OsoCozy Cotton Fitteds in the days, but, everything else right now, is a pocket diaper or all-in-one.  I've been using the Kushies All-In-Ones, and though I confessed before, not my favorite diaper (there is room for improvement at the legs), it works okay for around the house.  When I go out with Becks, I take the Fuzzi Bunz, GroVia or Rumparooz with me - definitely don't want to be messing with 2 things when you're trying to change a kid in the back of the car.

Fuzzi Bunz

GroVia

So how do I like them? Well, the Fuzzi Bunz fits like a glove.  Yes, having to adjust the leg settings can be a chore initially, but once you find the right one it fits great, and looks cute.  Pro about Fuzzi Bunz is the wide pocket opening for the insert.  I love the Rumparooz also because it just fits so well.  The microfleece liner is SO soft I'm sure Becks just loves it. Con with Rumparooz, the pocket opening isn't as wide as the Fuzzi Bunz which can make unstuffing after a poop a little messy.  The microfiber inserts are bulkier than hemp for sure, but, they do the job. I could be wrong, but, I somehow feel that the microfiber inserts don't hold fluid as well as the hemp inserts do? Like, if pressure is exerted on it, the moisture tends to squeeze out more so than with a hemp insert.  Has anyone had that experience? I think I'll have to try the Baby Kicks 3g Bumboo pocket to compare, because I never have leaks with my fitteds + covers, and I did have a couple leaks with the Rumparooz (this could also be because it's summer and Becca's drinking water like crazy so we've had to change her more frequently than we're accustomed to).  The GroVia's I like because I can just unsnap the used soaker and snap the new one in.  It also makes for a lighter diaper bag if you're just carrying the soakers and maybe an extra shell.  For me, I think 3 hours is the max in the GroVia unless you have a booster inserted.

So no, I 'd rather not say I'm abandoning my beloved hemp or the prefold, instead I prefer to look at it as the evolution and diversification of my stash.  For containment, I definitely think the fitted + cover system works the best, but, for convenience a good one-size pocket diaper is great to have handy.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Product Review: Cloth Wipes & Aleva Naturals Bamboo Wipes

In the cloth diapering world very few moms rely on disposable wipes that can be purchased at the supermarket. The truth is you never really know what's in them, and when you think of having to buy them on a weekly basis the cost can add up.  Cloth diapering moms tend to be environmentally friendly, health conscious and thrifty, so, in our normal every day we use cloth wipes.  If you're a cloth diapering mom that is washing her own diapers then using cloth wipes is really just an extension of that.  They go in your wet bag and get washed with the soiled diapers.

I see many moms talking about using some excess fabric, or running down to their local fabric store and making their own cloth wipes.  That's perfectly fine and quite noble, but, the rest of us purchase cloth wipes from their diaper retailer as many cloth diaper manufacturers do make cloth wipes.  What sets the pre-made wipes apart from the do-it-yourself wipe? Well, the really good wipes out there are double-sided - one side is a regular smooth cotton which is great for wiping up pee, and the other side is a fleece which is textured, which makes is great for the peanut-buttery poop that comes along when baby is eating purees.  For me, my cloth wipes do everything.  If baby's nose is running, I grab a wipe.  If she spills some milk, or has food on her chin, I grab a cloth wipe. So, they tend to be multi-purposed.

So, why buy Aleva Naturals bamboo wipes? Well, it's a great alternative to the brand-name disposable wipes because it contains only natural ingredients that are soothing for your baby's butt.  Each wipe is super soft yet very strong (I haven't had one disintegrate in my hands yet), they contain aloe vera, chamomile, tea tree oil & lavender oil and because of that smell awesome!  They're hypo-allergenic, contains no sulfates, parabens, alcohol or chlorine.  This is truly an all natural wipe.  Best of all, they are 100% biodegradable - so, flush them away guilt free.  I use these wipes in my diaper bag.  So when I'm out I don't have to worry about having enough cloth wipes with me, especially if baby makes a poopy, I can just toss the wipes, rather than walking around with the smelly wipes - cause you know to get off the sticky poop you'll need multiple wipes :)

So, cloth wipes are great! Bamboo wipes are great!  I use them both, and you should too :)

Why I love Diaperaps/Sage Fitted Hemp Cloth Diapers

Diaperaps, now known as Sage, is not an incredibly popular brand of cloth diapers, but, I decided to try them out anyway.  And you know what, I love them.  Diaperaps makes a fitted hemp diaper with snap closures.  Their system only comes in 2 sizes as the snaps on the waist are positioned in such a way that it can expand and contract for a broader fit.  It comes with a doubler that snaps in at the back (you can see the snaps on my baby girl's tushie in the pic below). And because the doubler only snaps in on one side you don't have to unsnap it when you do the laundry. 

I love the fact that it is a hemp diaper - I'm a big fan of hemp personally because of its super absorbent powers over cotton, and its low maintenance requirements for growth which is great from an environmental standpoint.  Because of hemp's super absorbent properties the diaper is thinner than a cotton diaper, and yet has the ability to absorb more moisture.  The hemp fabric is also quite luxurious to the touch, and very breathable so I'm sure my daughter feels super comfortable in this diaper.

The diaper also fits her bum very well.  The material is so soft that is easily conforms to her body which is especially great now that she's running around.  I took these pics of her right before she was about to get a bath so I usually don't have her running around without a cover, but, I don't know, this little diaper reminds me of a loin cloth - I think it's so cute. 

Try one out today.  You just might find that the unpopular can actually be quite nice.

Product Review - Nature's Baby Organics Skincare

Many moms, like myself, are constantly looking for all-natural products for their precious bundles of joy.  I decided that I needed to add a line of products to my store offerings that would satisfy this need.  There are so many things out there in the market place, but when I saw the great reviews that Nature's Baby Organics have received, and realized that I could actually read the ingredients on the bottle, I figured this would be the brand for me.  I currently carry their shampoo/body wash, conditioner/detangler, chest rub, baby oil, fragrance-free moisturizer and diaper cream in the store.  They come in great scents and the majority of the items are certified Organic by the USDA - that is 95% of their ingredients have to be Organic. The ones that aren't USDA certified have about 70% organic ingredients.  Regardless, there are no harsh chemicals in these products which make them healthy for children and adults alike.

Enough with the advertising right, what's my personal experience with these products?  Ok, so, I haven't yet used the shampoo, conditioner or baby oil, as we're still trying to get through all the shampoo and such that we got as gifts when my baby was born 13 months ago. But, I have used the chest rub, moisturizer, and diaper cream.  The diaper cream is great because it doesn't contain zinc, which makes it safe for us cloth diapering moms to apply to our little one's tushies without having to put a liner on in the fear that it will coat our diapers and render them useless.  And, it has worked for my daughter.  I had a bunch of another popular diaper ointment product that we got from the baby shower also, which comes pretty much standard in all "bath sets".  I tried it with the liner (because it contains zinc), and it was horrible.  If anything, I thought it made her diaper rash worse.  So I'll definitely stick with the NBO diaper cream.

I've tried the moisturizing lotion, and it is great.  I've actually been using it on myself because I have horrible allergies, and some of the lotions on the market come with this perfume scent, which has me sneezing as soon as I apply it.  The fact that this moisturizer is fragrance free makes it great for me not to have that offensive perfumy smell that irritates my nose.  And with the natural ingredients, it protects my skin. It is a little thinner in consistency than some lotions, like cocoa butter, which makes it easy to go on. 

And I think everyone in my house has tried the chest rub.  We have been assaulted this winter with colds.  My husband brought it home back in November.  It's January and I'm still battling it.  I think mine may have mutated to something else. Horrible.  And my poor 1 yr old who can't take any medicine is stuck coughing, having a runny nose, sooo congested that she's breathing with her mouth open.  Horrible.  Even my mom is still wrestling with it.  So, pretty much every night we've been using the chest rub so that we can get some sleep.  It's a eucalyptus rub that is a strong yet not offensive smell. And let me tell you, when you're so clogged up that you can't smell anything, having that eucalyptus open you up without it being overpowering is a beautiful thing.  It's a small container, but 3 of us have been using it for the past 2 months, and it's still got a long way to go.

Needless to say I am looking forward to using the other products carried by NBO, especially because the shampoo & conditioner comes in a choice of scents: vanilla-tangerine and lavender-chamomile, which as you can imagine is great for night-time baths for baby.  And the baby oil comes in mandarin-coconut.  They all smell quite lovely, not perfumy, not irritating to my nose. 

Because all these products are made with all natural ingredients, they are great for folks with sensitive skin, so this is definitely an option worth considering.  Yes, the products are a little more expensive than your typical Johnson & Johnson products, but, premium ingredients will cost more than cheap chemicals any day.  And that's the bottom line.

Please feel free to share your personal experience with Nature's Baby Organics products.

Stainless Steel Baby Bottles??? I've never seen that before

Everyone's heard of Dr. Brown's and Avent baby bottles, and till recently the only choices of materials for bottles have been plastic or glass.  Glass bottles tend to be more difficult to find of late and the biggest concern of plastic bottle is BPA.  On the scene comes the stainless steel baby bottle.  Recently we've seen a rise in stainless steel water bottles as people become more environmentaly aware and don't want to use the plastic bottles that just end up getting tossed.  The question then is, as we translate this to a baby bottle, what's so great about stainless steel? And is it safe for baby? Does it make a good baby bottle?  The answers, a resounding YES, stainless steel baby bottles are safe and stainless steel makes a great baby bottle.

Here's the thing about stainless steel. It is a very durable and strong material.  It will neither crack nor break, which is great for when your baby starts trying to feed themself, or just become curious about the bottle.  You can rest assured that it won't crack open on the floor.  Another great thing is that stainless steel won't scratch.  This means that there is no chance of bacterial growth on the bottle itself, making it safer for the baby.  Also, stainless steel is not plastic, so no fear of BPA.

Because steel is a better conductor of heat than plastic is, it will warm up a lot quicker than a plastic bottle would.  Since steel lacks the transparency of plastic or glass, these particular bottles were designed such that the cover doubles as a measuring cup, so you can still measure how many ounces of water of milk will go in the bottle.  This cover also fits a stroller cup holder very well, which is a great place to put some snacks for the baby while on the go.  The markings on the bottle won't rub off like they do on most plastic bottles either.

The brand of stainless steel baby bottles being sold by Eco Babies is OrganicKidz.  They come in 3 sizes - 4oz wide mouthed, 9oz wide mouthed, and 9 oz narrow mouthed bottles.  The wide-mouthed bottles are GREAT because it makes washing the bottle so much easier as it receives a bottle brush better than most other bottles.  The 9-oz narrow necked bottle is actually a thermal bottle, i.e it is made with 2 layers of stainless steel with a layer of air in between creating a natural insulation.  This bottle can keep milk warm for up to 6 hours.  Which is great because you can take the bottle with you for a day out without having to pack the warmer for the car.

OrganicKidz is also coming out with a sippy cup top for the bottles so your stainless steel bottle will convert into a sippy cup when your baby is ready.  This makes the bottle a great investment.  It is an investment as the bottles aren't as cheap as the plastic bottles are, but, because they are so durable they will last for mutliple children and are worth it.  And, since they are 100% recyclable they are earth friendly, which we at Eco Babies just LOVE.  And we believe you'll love them too!

Cloth Diapering on Vacation - my experience with the gDiaper

Many people ask me what to do when they go on vacation and they are committed to cloth.  Typically, I'd say if you're vacationing domestic then one can definitely maintain their cloth routine.  As long as there is a washing machine in sight then go for it!  I've done a domestic vacation - long weekend in Atlantic City, and there was no washing machine so I tried to find an eco-friendly disposable diaper, and ended up with Tushies after reading many reviews.  A couple of weeks ago we went on an international vacation back to my homeland of Jamaica and I pondered long and hard about what to do.  Yes, we have washing machines, but, I didn't want to stress my family about washing poopie diapers in their washing machine, and all the added utility costs, so, I thought to myself, maybe this would be an excellent time to try out the gDiaper!  I've heard mixed reviews about the gDiaper, and on the surface I loved the eco-friendly aspect of it, so, I figured I'd give it a try and maybe decide whether or not I wanted to carry it in my store.

The gDiaper is a hybrid diapering system consisting of a cloth outer shell in cute colors and velcro that fasten to the back rather than to the front as is traditionally seen.  Then there is a plastic liner that snaps into the cloth shell at its four corners.  The absorbent layer is either a reusable cloth insert OR a flushable 100% biodegradable disposable layer.  The fabric outer layer is called the "little g pant" and I was able to buy a pack of 2 which came with 3 of the plastic liners - which are all machine washable by the way.  Then I bought a couple packs of the disposable inserts - 32 for $15.  And away I went on my journey.

So what did I like about the gDiaper? It's cute, comes in great cute colors.  I liked the fact that the flushable liner is biodegradable.  I did not get the opportunity to flush the insert in Jamaica as it is not recommended to flush them in a septic system... and that's about it.  My daughter last weighed in at 22lbs so I bought the appropriate sized little pant, yet the velcro elasticized waist part cut into her skin.  This may not be a fault of the gDiaper, moreso my chunky monkey of a baby, but, I was pretty disheartened and ended up putting band-aids on her till we got back to the states.  The inserts were absorbent, but, had a tendency to leak.  I think it had to do with the way I placed the insert into the liner.  The insert was longer than the liner so I had to kinda cup it in, and sometimes I guess part of it still stuck out of the liner, which caused moisture to wick to the cloth shell.  And placing the insert into the liner, though it sounds simple enough, was time consuming when changing a screaming child, so I definitely had to have my alternate diaper pre-stuffed and ready to go for a change.  Maybe 2 outer shells were insufficient for my 10 day excursion, but, I figured, why should I buy more of these things if I'm just changing the insert.... then I realized the leak issues.  There were a couple of times that both diapers were being washed and dried at the same time because they leaked or had some poop on the shell.  Fortunately I had some Tushies as back-up... that was until mid-trip my daughter seemed to outgrow the darned things and she was constantly leaking out of them.

The final straw for me was, we're returning home, I changed her between flights.  She was in the gDiaper for maybe 5 hours, and by the time we got home her whole outfit was soaked!  I just pulled everything off of her, and placed her in one of her beautiful cloth diapers that I was so grateful to see at this point.

So, to answer the question, would I carry the gDiaper in my store? Maybe.  But no time soon.  I think this is a good diaper for a vacation - something temporary, but in my opinion NOT a great diaper for everyday wear.  This may even be a good option for those who don't have a washer/dryer inside their home, i.e. if they are in an apartment situation and have a communal washroom, and they don't feel comfortable washing their diapers in a shared washing machine.

At my last workshop someone had their baby in a gDiaper and when I asked about the leaks she said, "yeah, sometimes, but don't all diapers leak?"... I said, "Nope!, if your baby is in a good well-fitted cloth diaper you shouldn't expect any type of leakage."  And that's the truth!

Product Spotlight – Baby Kicks Fitted

Baby Kicks is based in Salisbury, MD, so they’re local to me.  I had the pleasure of meeting the Owner about 2 weeks ago and he is awesome.  I like his philosophy about the world of cloth diapers and I think his approach to this business is awesome – he’s all about having fun with it.

So let’s get down to the diapers.  Last week I shone the spotlight on an AIO.  This week we’re doing a one-size fitted diaper.  Some folks, when they first get into cloth diapers are like, “If there are these great AIOs out there, why even bother with anything else?”  Well for everything there is a reason, and let me tell you, if there’s one fitted diaper you should have in your stash this is IT!  So what do I love about these Baby Kicks organic fitteds? Well, first of all, they are a cotton/hemp blend diaper.  I LOVE HEMP!  And that’s not just because I’m JamaicanJ.  Hemp is a super soaking power house of a fabric, it dries quickly, though it has been said it absorbs more slowly that cotton.  From an environmental standpoint it requires less water to grow than cotton does.  And, it has anti-microbial properties.  So really, what’s there not to love.

Besides the hemp factor, they are VERY well made.  The stretch leg portion fits snuggly around any baby’s frame.  The snap feature is awesome! The snaps are colored, so the diaper is cute.  There are two rows of snaps at the waist and a row down the front which makes it easily adjustable to fit any size.  The way it is designed, it tucks into itself to fit smaller babies without looking all weird and bulky like some other one-size fits do (click here for demonstration).  And each diaper comes with a Joey Bunz hemp doubler.

So what about the cover?? Any cover will do, so just choose one you like and roll with it.

Personal testament to this diaper – I use this as my night-time diaper for my baby girl.  I double stuff it with hemp inserts and put a layer of microfleece (from Happy Heinys) on top to wick the moisture away from my baby’s butt.  That girl sleeps the whole night through – 10 straight hours easily.  And to top it off, when she gets up in the morning, the diaper doesn’t have that soaked feeling that a cotton prefold usually has… it’s as if it started drying out during the night.  How great is that!  I LOVE these diapers!

Try out the Baby Kicks Organic One-Sized diaper out with your favorite cover. You will be amazed! 

Product Spotlight – Kushies All-In-One diapers

 

Update 4/24/11:
Kushies isn't exactly the most popular brand out there. And I've had a bunch of these value packs in stock for some time and they just don't move off the shelves as quickly as their covers do, or the BG Elemental AIOs do.  So, I decided to try out the diapers on my little one.  And you know what, they're really not horrible.  They are pretty light.  The doubler that's stitched in I discovered is a little long, but, I think they make it that way so you can fold it at the free end - up front for boy, in the middle to back for girls, to give extra absorbency where they need it most...which I like.  The diaper itself is very absorbent.  I've been using Baby Kicks One Size Hemp diapers as my go-to night-time diaper, double stuffed with hemp doublers.  Well, one night those were all in the wash, so I decided to use the Kushies AIO, and you know what.  It held up VERY well.  No leaks!  So that was a nice surprise.  The absorbent layer of the diaper does in fact soak up quite a lot.  The velcro tab hasn't given me problems yet.  


What didn't I like about it? Well, there are no leg gussets which I think would make this a better diaper for runny poop.  The waist didn't get as close a fit as you would get with a cover/insert combo... so I can foresee possible leakage there.  But that was it.  This is honestly not a bad diaper.  


In any case, I have discounted it to make some room for new stock, so, it's an even better value for money now.  Coming in at $9.40 per diaper.  That's unheard of for an AIO. Making it an even better option for the budget conscious mom.  


Try them out today... you won't get a better deal elsewhere... and when they're gone, that's it!

Kushies is a Canadian based company that manufactures a whole array of items for baby.  We carry a number of their products because, they’re good, they’re cute and they’re economical . 

What I like about the Ultra-Lite AIOs is that they are very light.  A lot of times diapers tend to be heavy and bulky, but, these are made to be a little lighter, even though they are made with 6 layers of 100% cotton flannel making them able to still absorb a lot of liquid.  Though these AIOs don’t have pockets, they come with a cotton soaker stitched in at one end, which means they’ll wash well and dry quickly.  Also, because the soaker is stitched in that way, one could easily stick a doubler in under the soaker for a heavy wetter or for night time use.  Hook and loop closure (velcro) makes the diaper easy to put on.

Another good thing about these diapers is that they only come in 2 sizes – infants (10 to 22lbs) and toddler (22 to 45lbs).   We’re selling the 5 diaper value pack for $55 for the infant size and $62 for the toddler size, which means these AIOs are $11-$12 a piece! That’s an excellent price for an AIO.  The value pack makes a great investment for first time cloth diaper users and comes in an assortment of fun colors and prints.  

So, let’s summarize the pros and cons for the Kushies Ultra-Lite All-In-One Diaper:
Pros: inexpensive, light, only 2 sizes, cute colors/prints, quick dry, no cover required
Cons: won’t fit a baby under 10lbs; no leg gussets

Looks like the pros out-weigh the cons, so, try them today 
http://www.ecobabiesonline.com/kushies-ultra-lite-all-in-one-diapers-5pk.html