A few months ago, Weehuggers entered into a new phase of their business. Not only were they releasing a brand new design but they were also joining up with one of the big names in cloth diapers: Blueberry Diapers.

I had the opportunity to try out the new weehuggers™ covers – H/L with bamboo insert.  There are many things to love about Weehuggers:

• Gussets. One of my favorite features on any diaper. No matter how big the poopy, it gets held in the diaper.
• 2 sizes. This is a feature we first saw with Thirsties Duo Wraps. I really like it. 2 sizes allows you to have that adjustability for months (in some situations a size 2 could almost be a one-size) and yet not have your little baby swimming in a cover that can fit a toddler.  The size 1 option fits from 6-18lbs. Size 2 from 15-35lbs.
• Versatility. The Weehuggers covers allow you to choose between a bamboo insert, prefold or disposable insert to lay in for absorption or you could use a fitted underneath.  I have used the bamboo inserts and they are very soft and one is adequate for day time use.  The bamboo insert is very trim which is good and bad.  Good because it’s trim   Bad because sometimes the thinner the insert the easier it is for it to shift around.  Often the insert was bunched in the crotch area when I would change Sterling.
• Cute velcro tabs. I chose the velcro because of the hands. They’re cute. I find it to be strong but the con comes when you have a skinny kid.  When you close the hands close together as the child moves around the wings move down and the waist top starts to roll in.  This can cause the top of the velcro strip to rub against the belly.  I imagine this wouldn’t be a problem if your baby is a) not moving much and b) has a belly to hold the waist top in place.

Overall, the 2nd generation Weehuggers is a great improvement over the 1st generation.  The obvious changes include going from a quick dry AIO to a cover and the outer fabric change from bamboo to polyester (PUL) solids/cotton knit prints.

I wanted to get the scoop from Lisa Versaci about her partnership with Blueberry diapers (Margarita).

When I was just starting weehuggers I called everyone I could in the cloth diaper business – anyone who would answer an email or take a phone call from little ole me. And… I have to say… not very many folks (read: none!) shared their insights and gave any real advice to me. Margarita, on the other hand, was extremely forthcoming with helpful information and she even offered to share her sourcing contacts! At the time, that was unheard of. Literally everyone I “interviewed” was very guarded about their “proprietary” textiles and sewing contractors.
Several months later, I actually ended up sharing my bamboo fabric source with her even before we entered the partnership together. I don’t have any qualms about divulging these things. We’re all in this together – right? If there’s one thing Margarita taught me, it’s that “there’s more than enough cloth diaper business to go around”. The most important thing is to make a good product that will help families cloth diaper more easily… furthermore, we’re ONLY in this business to make cloth diapering more fun and appealing and to possibly inspire disposable users to try cloth – even based on the cuteness factor alone.

Once weehuggers was established (about a year and a half later), and I had the patent approved, she was the very first person I called. I asked her if she would be interested in licensing the hugging hands or even going into business together. She was intrigued and we continued our talks via email and iChats. I’ve never met her in person – isn’t that amazing? We entered into an equal partnership and I couldn’t be happier! She’s an amazing person who really cares about quality and she’s very candid and honest with me; even when I ask dumb questions, she’s been very patient and kind. I’m SO lucky and I feel very blessed to have such a great mentor in this business. She manages to hold down the fort at home with 3 children and stay absolutely on top of everything business-wise. She’s very savvy and a real inspiration to me.

I said need.

I am often asked this question from moms of children of all ages.  The number will vary depending on the age of your child.

During the newborn stage, regardless if one uses cloth diapers or disposables, babies go through a lot of diapers.  Which is yet another obvious reason why one would choose cloth diapers.

A newborn poops a lot therefore absorbency isn’t as big an issue (except at night).  Since the majority of newborns eat on average every 2 hours, you can count on them pooping during or after the feeding.  This comes out to roughly 12 diaper changes a day.

If you did laundry every day you’d need 18 cloth diapers.  However, that can be cutting it close for most.  I recommend at least 24.  Often I will suggest 20 to readers but the safe side is 24 if you are washing every other day-ish.

During the night you may or may not choose to change your baby. It’s your call and you’ll know what is best for your baby.  For our 1st and 2nd babies I changed them a couple of times at night.  For our 3rd I wanted a cloth diaper that would work all night.  I had a few systems but it wasn’t until our 4th that I found the best.  Sustainablebabyish bamboo fitteds are excellent nighttime diapers even from the very beginning.

Again, your baby might need to be changed every time they pee which would mean a couple (or a few) changes at night.  You have to make that decision.

As your baby grows closer to a year they will poop less (usually) and can go without a nighttime change (usually). 

From 10m to 15m, they may only need 10 diapers a day at most.  If they only use 1 for a 12 hour night stretch then you’d really only need about 8 per day.  Most parents don’t like to cut it that close but if money is tight you can make it work.

When we began cloth diapering in 2005 our funds were very limited.  I bought 2 dozen prefolds and 6 prorap covers for my 15m old son.  I don’t like prefolds but they work well for a newbie who knows nothing else.  These diapers were wonderful.  I soon learned of other diapers and saved up to buy 4 Happy Heiny’s.  These were the bomb! (to a newbie going from prefolds )

I was not interested in using anything but those 4 diapers…so I washed them a LOT. At night I would still use a double prefold/prorap combo.  So you can get by with a very small stash.

When your baby is a full-blown toddler they often poop a couple of times a day (again usually) and diaper changes can stretch to every 3-4 hours. I say this, which is contrary to what is “recommended”, because if I change Sterling every 2 hours I’d find a dry diaper most of the time.  At 16m, I go through maybe 5 diapers a day.

I use Bum Genius Elementals during the day and usually the diaper is wet but not soaked.  To relate this to fluid intake, Sterling drinks about a full sippy cup of goat milk in the morning and throughout the day water as he asks for it or sees it and wants it.  He weaned last month (sniff, sniff).

My friend (Grateful for Grace) had just 13 Rumparooz in her stash for a long time and this was enough for 2 days (her son is 2). She says it was tight sometimes and found 15 to be better.

There is no magic number of cloth diapers you will need in your stash.  It really depends on your baby’s preferences and how often you desire to do laundry.  Some moms wash only once a week, obviously they have a large stash.

I’ve found though that even if you have 40+ diapers (which I’ve had), you really only use your favorite dozen over and over.

This post has been written by Julie Holland of Little For Now.

There are several cloth diapers sold under the BumGenius brand – and the differences are often confusing, especially to those who are new to cloth diapering. Here are some of the common questions I get about BumGenius diapers.

What is the difference between a BumGenius all in one (AIO) and a one size BumGenius?

This one is really confusing since the term “all in one” is sometimes used for pocket diapers. However, an all in one refers to a diaper that has a sewn in soaker and a waterproof outer layer. An all in two or AI2 is a diaper with a removable soaker, usually one that snaps into the cover. Since everything is together, it is truly an “all in one” diaper that has no extra pieces to find. The BumGenius all in one is a sized diaper, it comes in sizes to fit from very tiny babies to about 35 pounds (though they do run small). The soaker is sewn in and there is a pocket opening so you can add extra inserts if needed. They are very absorbent, though they do take a long time to dry.

The one size diaper (formerly the 3.0, now the new 4.0) has two inserts that can be stuffed into the pocket opening. The diaper itself has no absorbency until something is added to the pocket. It has snaps on the front so you can adjust the rise from newborn to about 35 pounds. The outer is still waterproof, so no cover is needed.

What is the difference between the 3.0 and the 4.0?

The new 4.0 diapers will be arriving to retailers (including my store) in a week or so. The 3.0 diapers often did not fit larger or taller babies. My daughter was not able to fit in hers from about 15 months to 20 months, then slimmed down enough to use it again. The 3.0 was definitely one of the bestselling one size diapers, but it also had it’s detractors due to sizing and the hook and loop sometimes wearing out. I am excited about the new 4.0 since BumGenius says they have made some significant improvements, including:

* Better hook and loop tabs, so they will last longer

* Now available in snaps, which is good since snaps are now more popular than hook and loop diapers

* Larger sizing, so it should now fit most babies until potty-training

* Replaceable elastic. This is really good news since elastic and hook and loop are often the first two things to wear out on a cloth diaper over time.

What is the difference between the organic AIO (now called Elemental) and the regular AIO?

The organic all in one, or Elemental, is a one size diaper. The sewn in soaker is made from organic cotton and the design is actually quite innovative. It is a little more expensive than some other all in ones, but is a good value if you consider that only one size is needed. If you need more absorbency you can tuck a soaker under the sewn in soaker. The standard all in one has a microfiber soaker sewn in, as well as a pocket for extra inserts and is sized, so you will need to buy more as your child grows.

What about the Flip and Econobum?

Flip and Econobum are also made by Cottonbabies, the makers of Bumgenius. These are both one size diaper systems that are a basic two piece system. The Flip also has disposable inserts available. The Flip cover will hold the organic prefold, the stay dry microfiber inserts, and the disposable inserts. I really like the stay dry insert, but not the cover.

The Econobum is designed for those who are looking for a cheap way to start cloth diapering. It includes a one size cover and a one size prefold. I am not personally a fan of the Econobum, as I think standard diaper service quality prefolds and high-quality covers will serve most families better in the long run. However, for those who are really looking for an inexpensive system to get started, the Econobum is an option.

Julie Holland started Little for Now cloth diaper store in early 2006. Since then she has tested over 100 different diaper brands and styles in her continuing pursuit to learn everything about cloth diapers. You can find BumGenius diapers at http://www.littlefornow.com.

Sometimes I have zero self control.  Zero.  I haven’t had the need to really purchase any cloth diapers over the past year.  But, there are times when a diaper looks so enticing I just have to try it.

One day I noticed that Banana Peels Diapers tweeted that they had just listed some Goodmama The One cloth diapers.  So I bought one- The Jungle One.

Is it squishy soft like Goodmama’s are famous for? Of course.

Is it worth the $28.00? No.

I can name a dozen or more cloth diapers that are just as cute, more absorbent, better fitting, trimmer and easier to put on.

I have yet to buy a Goodmama cloth diaper (fitted or AIO) that doesn’t have at least one snap that is broken or less than perfect.  That’s crazy.  Some people complain about crooked or uneven stitching but at least the diaper still functions!

I get so frustrated when I’m trying to hold Sterling down and I can’t get a snap to snap! Plus, I have to fold down the rise and it never stays even.

Once the diaper is finally on, Sterling usually gets to wear it about 45 minutes before the wicking gets me wet.  GRRRRRR.

Really?! $28 for a cloth diaper that leaves him and I wet?  Bum Genius Organics run about $24.95 and they don’t leak. I’ve left one of them on for 5 hours and only then did it leak.  Anne Marie Padorie AIOs cost $20 (CAD) and I’ve never had a leak.

Perhaps it has to do with the turned & top-stitched seams.  Most all-in-ones I’ve used that are T&T wick.

My advice, if you are on a budget don’t splurge on The One.  If you have money to throw away…donate it   I am fully aware that there are hundreds of cloth diapering families out there that LOVE Goodmamas.  That’s great, every child is different.  But, my goal is to prevent emotional purchases that you may regret.

As always, let me know your thoughts.

When I research cloth diapers reviews aren’t the only factor I consider.  As a matter of fact, the moms behind the diaper can lead me to buy without even reading a single review.

That will be the case with Envibum cloth diapers for many of you.  Sure, I’ll give you my review but first I want you to “meet” the Envibum wahms and hear their mission.

Rachel Sibel is the brilliant designer and seamstress who created Envibum. She took a minute to share with me how Envibum came to be.

I am a mother of three with our 4th on the way. I started cloth diapering 13 years ago with my first. I have been a streamstress for over 20 years making everything from custom wedding dresses to drapes. My daughter was my first to try my handcrafted diapers and I had a lot of years to perfect the design.

I am a practical parent with a focus on natural. So I have always used cotton for my baby’s bum. Easy wash and care was and is a must for my family. Early last year I was rocking our newborn son while praying for some of our friends as the Lord lead.

I felt God telling me to make and sell the diapers I had made for all my children. I said out loud, “Is that You Lord?” It was such a clear thought that I was either going crazy or I was being given a vision and an assignment. I said, “OK God lets talk about it.” So I as I sat rocking and praying I blurted out the name “envibum” and then laughed out loud at the realization that I was just given the name of our new company.

I told my sister first about all that I was feeling. I knew I had to run it by her as a litmus test before telling my husband how our life was going to change forever. She was so excited and as we talked I jokingly said, “ya, our tag line should be helping families grow healthy, wealthy, and dry.” She responded with, “yes, it should be!” I sat my husband down and told him the news that God was calling us to make diapers.(I laugh now at how little I knew about what God had in store for us.)

My husband was on board immediately and as we talked we got more and more excited! We got to work right away and everything fell into place. We have mostly grown from word of mouth. We have an awesome group of moms that have lended their babies and time for testing and perfecting.

We now ship our diapers all over the world. Our focus is babies health and helping families. We love the benefits of saving the Earth but feel investing in people’s lives is where God’s heart is. We use the highest quality of fabrics and my perfectionism in sewing comes out in our quality checks all along the way. We have wonderful seamstresses who put their love into each diaper as much as their talent.

We are blessed to have families cloth diaper with envibum. We are doubly blessed to be able to give to those in need at the same time! We are always prayerfully looking for new ways to give. Giving monetarily with each diaper purchased and giving a mom4mom cover to a mom and baby in need with each one purchased encourages us to get the word out about envibum. We truly are thankful for all our envibum parents and worldwide family. God bless.

The Envibum cloth diaper is a super luscious green minky outer with a waffle organic cotton inner.  It is a one-sized all-in-one with a pocket for adding extra absorbency.  I love that Envibum provides us with a one-sized diaper without all the snaps and adjustments.

Sterling is almost 1 , 19.5lbs, and 32″ long.

The fit is snug and absorbency has been great.  Most of all I love the color and feel!

Envibum also has the mom4mom cover, which I feel is a must-have in every stash. You can’t mess it up! I have had many issues with “rinse and reuse” covers not really being “rinse and reuse”.  Either the binding gets wet or the fabric part.  The mom4mom cover is completely encased and only PUL is exposed.  This allows for a true rinse and immediately reuse cover.  A meager $130 is all it would take for you to cloth diaper your baby for many, many months.  (2 covers + 12 t-shaped liners are listed at $129.99 www.envibum.com)

Check out what Rachel has to say about the mom4mom covers:

I am very excited about this cloth diaper.  Not just because it’s a great product but because they have a heart for giving back to those in need.  When you check out their site look for the red Envibum! They will donate $2 to the Salvation Army in assistance to Haitians for every red Envibum you purchase.

Thank you, Envibum, for donating your products for me to try out!

Can I have a two-way tie? I feel like it would be a sin to demote my beloved Bum Genius Organic AIO.

I just said something dealing with cloth diapers would be a sin…this coming from someone who just accepted that cloth diapers are just cloth diapers.  (Pink diaper incident)

Back to my new love.

Many, many months ago when I first joined Facebook while searching for cloth diaper groups, I came across Grasshopper diapers. On “paper” they looked fantastic. I remember stepping out of my comfort zone and asking the owner if she’d like me to review her diaper. No response. No big deal.

Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago when I received an email from Lisa, owner of Grasshopper diapers and you can imagine my excitement. Turns out Lisa’s not a FB junkie and never knew of a message from me. But, I am very glad she heard about me.

Lisa graciously sent me 3 Grasshopper All In Ones to put to the test. The first evaluation of a cloth diaper begins from the moment you open the package.  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: clean lines, straight seams, even snap placement, high quality fabric, tight package- you’ve got me.  I may not be that great of a seamstress but I have a high standard when it comes to product quality.

Grasshopper diapers met all of those criteria upon initial inspection.  I was so impressed that I called in my husband to check them out…he might have been a little impressed

Grasshopper diaper features include:

Soft, unbleached, naturally absorbent Oeko-Tex certified bamboo/ organic cotton inner layer and snap-in soaker. Oeko-Tex certified fabric has been thoroughly tested and found to be free from all known harmful substances; it is suitable for use in products intended for babies and young children. Fabrics made with bamboo are softer, more absorbent, less bulky and quicker to dry than 100% cotton fabrics. Bamboo grows quickly without the use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides and withstands both droughts and floods.

Snaps are “hidden” so that only soft fabric touches baby, never snaps. Elastics are gentle and move with baby. Separate rows of snaps ensure a comfortable, custom fit at both waist and thigh.

Snap-in tri-fold soaker design provides plenty of absorbency yet unfolds in the wash to ensure thorough cleaning and quick drying in the dryer or on the line.

Whether you’re away from home with nowhere to stash a soiled diaper or just looking for the most compact way to pack a diaper in your tote, our roll-up snap makes it easy to roll and go!

If a diaper doesn’t have hidden snaps I’m not likely to use it. And THANK YOU, Lisa, for adding a roll-up snap! This is something I’ve always wanted on a diaper.  I tend to roll up my cloth diapers and lay them by the door, in the car or by the washer.  I’m always changing a diaper on the fly and don’t take the time to toss it in the pail right away, having it securely rolled up is a nice perk.

As far as the absorbency and trimness (which is what we really care about!): I put one on Sterling today before we went to the park at about 12pm and didn’t change him until about 4pm. It was definitely wet but there was no wicking or leaking.  I did have a bamboo doubler in the diaper. Grasshopper diapers are trimmer than the Bum Genius organic aios because of their lack of front snaps (both waist and rise).

$22.95 is a bit high for a sized cloth diaper.  However, if your budget allows I would not hesitate to get a handful of these for your stash.

Lisa, is making it easier for you to get one of these amazing diapers by offering 20% off each item you purchase.  Until February 14th, Grasshopper Bamboo AIOs are only $19.16! (this is the price of a medium)

How is the sizing of Grasshopper diapers?  Sterling is 20lbs and really long and skinny.  I got him a Medium and he wears it on the tightest waist snap and 2nd tightest thigh snap.  He’ll probably wear this size through potty training.

I live in south Texas and shipping was surprisingly quick!

When reviewing cloth diapers it is a priviledge to get to know the WAHMs personally.  I asked Lisa a few questions so that you too could know her.

Children?

We were blessed with one daughter who is now 4 years old.  Getting pregnant with her was easy, and her natural delivery was quite smooth.  I assumed that we’d easily have another child, but that hasn’t been the case.  Over time we’ve realized just how lucky we are to have her and have come to accept that she may be our only child.

How many cloth diapers do you have in your stash?

Well, I still have all of my daughter’s diapers (you never know!) – they probably number around 100+, but it’s easy to end up with a lot when you’re sewing prototypes and testing them at home.

What is your wash routine?
We washed diapers alternate days and stored them with used cloth wipes in a dry pail.  We were diaper sprayer devotees.  We had rash problems with some detergents and ended up finally settling on Nellie’s All-Natural Laundry Soda: about 1/3 tbsp in a cold rinse cycle, 1/2 tbsp in a long, hot wash cycle followed by 2 cold rinses.  We have always had a HE washer.  I loved to hang diapers outside on the line to dry (this influenced my tri-fold soaker design and played a part in my love of bamboo fabrics since they’re softer off the line).  When the weather was too cold or damp for drying outside, the diapers went into the dryer.  I liked to start the diaper wash after our daughter’s bedtime and have them in the dryer before I went to bed (or on the line – I have no trouble hanging laundry in the dark!).  It’s nice to wake up to a clean pile of diapers.  There were other detergents that I wanted to try as well, but they just weren’t easy to find in Canada (things like Country Save, All Free & Clear, Allens and that mysterious “blue Dawn” for stripping)

Are you satisfied with your current diaper design or are there changes in the future?

I am very satisfied with my current diaper design and have no plans to change it.  I do plan, however, to add different types of diapers to my line.

Where can we purchase Grasshopper diapers?

Online at http://www.grasshopperdiapers.com/ or, if you happen to live in the Toronto area, at The Cuddly Bunny in Port Perry, Ontario (it’s a lovely town to visit for lunch and shopping, and there’s a nice new playground and splash pad in the park by the lake).

What is your favorite “mommy escape”? When you go to bed at night what do you look forward to most? Coffee lover?

I love coffee and magazines (lifestyle, parenting, renovation, cooking and home decorating).  My favourite quick escape is a hot cup of coffee and a new never-been-opened decorating magazine.  For a real treat, about twice a year I meet a girlfriend in the city to chat, browse in shops and go out for lunch (Indian or Thai, ideally!).  When I’m not sewing diapers I enjoy sewing stuffed animals for our daughter and like making quilts (with my sewing machine, I’d never have the patience for hand-quilting), though I haven’t worked on a quilt in quite a while.  I also enjoy photography, cooking and entertaining.

I am a huge fan of easy.  And I mean easy enough for my husband and 7yo daughter.  For this house that usually means an aplix all-in-one.

Bottombumpers cloth diapers are just the type of easy everyone needs in their stash.  Before Thanksgiving, Stacy sent me a red Aplix (at my request because I don’t do well with side-snap and remember I like easy) Bottombumpers for me to review.

I receive many different cloth diapers to review and the first thing I take notice of is the quality of materials used and quality of sewing.  I like a cloth diaper to have very clean seams, straight lines and high quality fabrics.  I feel that even businesses just starting out can acheive this especially when a good review can build their business.

Bottombumpers is arguably one of the best small-scale produced cloth diapers on the market today.  It is a combination of attention to detail and not cutting corners on fabrics that qualifies them for this status.

In regards to materials used, this is from the Bottombumpers website in the “Why Bottombumpers?” tab:

2mil Polyurethane Laminated (PUL) Knit Outer -

Bottombumpers outer layer is constructed of waterproof 2mil PUL knit outer.

Hidden Wing Snaps on Side Snapping Diaper-

Bottombumpers keep the wing snaps concealed inside the PUL and lining so they dont touch baby’s skin. This also helps prevent red marks.

Strong Aplix(R) Fasteners on Hook & Loop Diaper-

Bottombumpers uses industrial strength Aplix(R) brand Hook and Loop for a strong, quality closure that can be used over and over again.

Quality Polyresin Snaps-

Bottombumpers use high quality industrial strength polyresin snaps.  Our snaps are also backed with a layer of fabric inside for extra strength and durability

Certified Organic Cotton & Bamboo Materials-

Nothing says Eco-friendly like a certified 100% Organic Cotton Lining and snap-in soaker material.  Our soakers are also topped with a high quality Organic Bamboo Velour, the softest material we’ve ever worked with.

Quick Dry Snap In Soakers-

Our soakers are bi-fold and snap-in for quick drying.   All snaps are hidden on the soaker as well.

Absorbent-

Our Diapers have been tested and will withstand 16oz+ before leaking.  Testing was done a diaper with no added doubler that was well broken in by being used and washed for 4 months!

Made In the USA-

Bottombumpers are manufactured in the USA. Made by a small family and select few contracted seamstresses in smoke and pet free sewing studios.

I love the snug, trim fit the front closure Bottombumpers allows me to get on Sterling.  This would be the perfect diaper except for one small problem I am having–and it really is my fault.

When I received the Bottombumpers AIO we were set to go visit family for Thanksgiving the next day.  I didn’t want to leave it behind so I tossed it in the washer for a quick 1 wash prep.  The next day I put it on Sterling for the first leg of our trip.When we arrived at our first stop his pants were soaked.

I assumed 1 wash wasn’t enough to prep it.  No biggie.  I would take it to my mom’s, wash it and use it again. Unfortunately, I left it at my mother-in-laws house. I’m not certain but I think she most likely added fabric softener to it as she does with all her laundry.

For the next few uses I had terrible leaks.  I have sense stripped it and added a bit of bleach to the cloth diapers.  Yet, still I have wicking.  This makes me sad!  I don’t know if I messed it up (or my sweet mother in law) or if this is something that occurs with Bottombumpers.

The other high points of the Bottombumpers AIO leads me to highly recommend it.  Most retailers are selling them for $16.95 which is a good price for an organic aio.  I have never read a negative review of the Bottombumper, that in itself is amazing!

You can get yourself a Bottombumpers AIO from a number of excellent retailers.  I *highly* recommend you check out RG Natural Babies first though.  She has a great selection and I noticed that she offers free shipping (only aplix though)!  Another excellent option is an embroidered Bottombumpers.  Diaperco–which is near where I used to live!–has a some instock and the option for you to order a custom embroidery.

Please share your experiences with Bottombumpers cloth diapers in the comments.

Finding a nighttime solution that works for your baby can be extremely stressful.  No parent wants to change a diaper in the middle of the night and the last thing any parent wants to do is change sheets!

Whether your child is a light-wetter or super-soaker it doesn’t matter; 12 hours or more in one cloth diaper is a long time.

I’ve compiled a list of successful nighttime cloth diaper combinations for you.  You may have to experiment once or twice but most on this list will work great for any child.

1. Double stuffed Fuzzi Bunz pocket. Flip inserts are excellent.
2. Sbish Bamboo fitted (the Magic diaper) w/ Thirsties cover or Sbish wool (*our #1 system)
3. Flip w/ 2 inserts
4. Rumparooz w/ 6r insert + Goodmama goodfront doubler (I’ve used it w/ and w/o the doubler) This works great for baby’s sleeping in any position.
5. A Goodmama Goodnights diaper with fleece liner and a SMJAE hemp doubler inside and a Happy Heinys large insert on the outside of it. Then, I put it all in a bulletproof Disana wool soaker.  This recommendation came from a mom who’s daughter is an extreme wetter and does a lot of acrobatics in bed at night.
6. Happy Hempys for night time (fleece lined) stuffed with 1 or 2 Thirsties hemp inserts and a Thirsties cover
7. Under the nile fitted and a UTN doubler with a Thirsties cover or Motherease airflow cover
8. Clover Organic velour fitted with the insert that comes with it and a t bone doubler from them with a Lana wool soaker
9. Bububebe fitted with Aristocrat wool soaker (I’ve seen huge raves for this combo!)
10. Holden’s Landing Bedbug fitteds with a Stacinator So Simple cover (I’ve seen mixed reviews on these covers)
11. “I use VBBN from blue lake diapers and get the extra soakers but have them made quick dry style. I use a stacinator so simple cover over it and have never had a leak.”
12. Goodmama with two Zorb/bamboo doublers and a fleece soaker

Here are some sleeping position tips:

Tummy sleepers: pack the front, especially if you have a boy. All doublers should be folded and placed in the very front/top of the diaper. Don’t use pockets. They tend to leak more w/ tummy sleepers.  A nice tight fitted with a wool cover or Thirsties has always worked for us.  Paisley was a tummy sleeper and always the back was dry and front was soaked.  I love bamboo doubler because they can be folded up and not add a ton of bulk.

Side sleepers/marathon nursers : If I’ve had a leak it’s because I didn’t get a nice tight fit at the legs and most likely didn’t pay attention to the placement of his parts.  I like the security of longies and anything with gussets (Rumparooz, Thirsties) Over stuffing a pocket can create a problem as well.  The pee can come out faster than the fabric can absorb and leak right out the leg.

What about covers and breathability?

Wool breathes best.  Heat built up from the urine and tight fit can pass through the pores of the wool.  Motherease airflow covers also allow heat to flow out.  PUL covers allow air flow less than the natural wool fibers will.  Avoid plastic pants! The heat is trapped and in addition to being uncomfortable for your child can also cause rashes.

There is a nighttime solution for your child.

If you get frustrated don’t resort to disposables! From what I hear if your child pees through one of these combos you’re sure to have leaks in a disposable.  I’ve always been more afraid to use a sposie at night, I trust my cloth diapers more.

There’s no doubt that you have a hundred other nighttime solutions.  Be sure and let us all know your success combo in the comments!

Check out the links at the top right of my blog for shopping resources. Other suggestions include:

Kelly’s Closet

Banana Peels Diapers

The Stork Wearhouse

Cloth Diaper Superstore

Jillian’s Drawers

Hyena Cart

I don’t recommend disposable diapers or inserts be used on a regular or even occassional basis. If they are used it should be for those rare times when using cloth diapers would be unfeasible.

Having said that, in November on our final camping trip of the year I decided to try out the disposable inserts for Flip.  We were going to camp for 5 days and I didn’t have access to washing facilities.  To cut down on the amount of dirty cloth diapers I’d be coming home with, I used a few of the disposable inserts.

Before we all loaded up in the Suburban I put on a Flip with disposable insert on Sterling.  From where we live it only takes about 1hr 45min. to get to Garner State Park.  During that short trip Sterling peed heavily and squirmed around a lot. When we arrived it took about 45 minutes to get camp set up.  While Michael and the kids went looking for fire wood I changed Sterling.

Unfortunately, I had waited too long.  What I saw when I opened the cover was horrible.  The insert had busted and gel crystals were all over him.  You may recall that this is the very reason I began cloth diapering 4 years ago.

I took Sterling over to the water hose and cleaned him off and gently cleaned the cover.  I was able to not get the cover wet and immediately reused it.  After that incident all other experiences with the Flip disposable inserts were great.

We hiked in Lost Maples State Park, roasted S’mores (seriously not worth it. My memory of them far surpassed the reality of their taste.), navigated rough terrain avoiding all poison oak and most important of all enjoyed God’s creation in many forms.

Through all that Flip disposable inserts, stay dry inserts and bum genius organic aios performed as they should- no leaks, no hassle.

At night I doubled up the stay dry inserts and put on a pair of longies.

The part I like best about Flip disposable inserts is their biodegradability. You can actually put them in your compost (read this if you want to compost poopy ones) which is fantastic.  Flip disposable inserts contain ZERO plastic. Their contents:

• Non-woven bamboo viscose, 5g
• Filler
  • Wood pulp, 14-15g
  • SAP, 3g
• Starch-based glue, 1g

As far as how Flip fits when using a disposable insert, you may need to snap it on a shorter rise setting.  Sterling wears them on the smallest setting both on rise and waist.  When I have a stay dry insert in the shell he wears it on the middle setting with the 2 middle sets of snaps showing on the waist.  Sterling is 20lbs, 31″, 16″ rise, 9″ thighs and no clue on the waist but he’s skinny.

Flip disposable inserts are on sale right now.  Each pack contains 18 inserts and normally sell for $4.95, sale price is $3.96.  Check out Cottonbabies, Banana Peels Diapers, and Cute Caboose for these savings.

You can also find the Flip Day Packs at these stores and others.

My overall recommendation is to keep a pack of the disposable inserts on hand.  It’s better to have the best on hand instead of running out to pick up a pack of stinky, plasticky (not a real word), dioxin-laden disposables.

2009, has seen the release of many new cloth diaper designs.  But how many of them broke into the top 10 best sellers?

Topping my favorite stores of 2009 is Banana Peels Diapers, owned by Heather Lent.  Besides the great layout and super color scheme (which I am nerdy enough to care about), Heather carries an amazing amount of inventory.  Every time I do a post with product recommendations Banana Peels is where I look first.

Heather began cloth diapering 4.5 years ago with her daughter Liana.  Since then she has had a son cloth diapered from the get-go and is currently pregnant with #3. She revealed to me that she started her newborn stash before she was even pregnant…*gasp* I would never do that!   Anyone else wonder where the name Banana Peels came from? Banana is Liana’s nickname and she wanted a store name that was “different and original, so Banana Peels seemed to fit the bill.”

I asked Heather if she would send me a list of her top 10 sellers of 2009.  Sure I could tell you my favorites, but you’ve heard them a million times already!  It’s not a surprise though to see most of these on the list…and of course my favorites are there (I’ve added some comments in parenthesis)

My #1 seller is the prefold, good ole basic workhorse prefold.

#2 the ever popular bumGenius 3.0, the gateway diaper, the diaper that starts off many mama’s addiction to cloth diapers – and dads too.

#3 bumGenius Organic AIO – I was so excited when this diaper was released. I had been on the hunt for a snap AIO with natural fibers for quite a while and this diaper fit the bill perfectly. Trim and great fitting, one size – can’t ask for more! (I completely agree with Heather. That’s why it’s my favorite.)

#4 Gro Baby – My son potty learned earlier this year and this was the last diaper I got to “test” on him. The Gro Baby is the absolute only diaper I allowed in my stash with a velcro/aplix closure. Love it, easy to use and organic.

#5 Rumparooz – (I love this diaper! The “poop scoop” makes this diaper the most innovating in the industry, in my opinion.  I can’t wait to use the Lil’ Joey in the future.)

#6 Goodmama – My husband is not allowed to touch the goodmamas! He never seems to snap them right and no matter how many times I remind him – they need a cover! There have been many times a pair of “regular” pants have made their way over a coverless GM – hmmm wonder why the pants are wet sweetie?? (MINE TOO!)

#7 Fuzzi Bunz – tried and true favorite. I still have my original Fuzzi Bunz from 4.5 years ago.

#8 Sbish Magic Diaper – a nighttime diaper that truly lives up to it’s name! Absolutely perfect w/ sbish wool. (This is our nighttime diaper. Never a leak–even after 14 hours)

#9 SmartiPants Economical, no unstuffing, sturdy snaps.

#10 Flip – Last but not least, introduced late in the year. Sure to be at the top of the list next year. (My favorite right there next to the bum genius organic aio.)

Out of the top 10 sellers 4 of them were release in 2009!  And sorta technically you could say 5 of them because Sbish Magic Diaper was released to retailers Jan.6th (Erin had them available on her site prior to this).  That is awesome!

Congratulations to Gro Baby, Rumparooz G2, Sustainablebabyish, SmartiPants, and Flip (Cottonbabies)!