Flats Challenge Day 6: Sharing the Love

Since I am on vay-cay right as we speak, enjoy the guest reviews (I know I did!)...

How Are Osocozy Flats?  ClothDiaper.com Review and Giveaway
May 25, 2011 by Julie Kieras

When I made the decision to cloth diaper, I thought I’d have to use prefolds. Then I learned about modern cloth diapers and was delighted. The idea of flats (flats? What are flats?) never crossed my mind. I honestly didn’t understand why prefolds were called “PRE-fold” because you still had to FOLD them. So how could they be PRE-folded, right? This is because I was unaware of flats, which really ARE un-folded!

Flats are great, because they are lint free, so in addition to diapering, you can use them for cleaning, burp cloths, dish towels, changing pads, and any numer of uses! Flats are what the rest of the world (that doesn’t have easy access to running water and electricity) is using to diaper their babies, because of the versatility, ease of use, and quick dry time.

Two Part Harmony: A Diaper Review

I was scoping out my blogger stats and noticed that the post that was consistently getting the most views over and over was my post on cloth diapers for newborns.  So obviously we have some readers hungry for cloth diaper info.  I don't blame you, it's a wild, woolly world of cloth diapering out there with oodles of options.  And I'm taking the hint - I'll feed the beast.  Here for your fluff loving pleasure is a delightful diaper review.

NOTE:  If you're not into diapers, skip this post, I won't feel bad.  Also, if you're a diaper connoisseur then you can skip the explanations in the middle and go right to the nitty gritty towards the bottom.

ANOTHER NOTE:  I picked up some of the new diapers to try at All Things Diapers, our local diaper store (also an online store and diaper service - they are multi-talented!).  They didn't commission the review from me, but they were generous enough to offer me 10% off since they love to hear how their products work "in the field".  Thanks guys!

So, today I'm reviewing a few different two-part diapers.  Some people call them All-In-Twos, some call them All-In-Ones with a detachable soaker, some call them hybrids.  These sort of diapers don't have an official name but I think All-In-Twos, or AI2 tends to be the most commonly used so that's what we'll go with. 

A little info generally about AI2s:  The AI2 has two parts - an outer waterproof shell and an inner absorbent soaker that is not permanently attached to the outer.  The traditional AI2 has its two parts connected by a snap (or several snaps).  Some newer systems do not have the outer shell and inner soaker connected at all.  The most well known one I am thinking of is the Flip diaper.  This is an outer shell (identical to traditional diaper covers) and a fleece topped insert that just lays inside.  While this probably isn't technically an AI2, I'm still going to put it under this category because it has all the same benefits and drawbacks of an AI2.  Functionally they are pretty much the same.

Benefits:  There are 5 major benefits to AI2s over other diaper types.

1.  The basic idea of the AI2 is that if you only have a wet diaper, no poo, you can change out the soaker and reuse the shell.  So that makes AI2s more cost effective than pocket diapers or AIOs because you don't have to have as many shells. 
2.  Unlike traditional pocket diapers, you don't have to dig in a pocket to pull out the insert.  The insert is right there on top where it can easily be rinsed and washed.  Your hands stay much cleaner.  You don't even need to detach it to wash it if it's a poopy one. 
3.  AI2s have a soaker that is free floating and not fully sewn together.  Traditional AIOs with the absorbent layer that is completely sewn into the diaper tend to be a little more difficult to get completely washed, rinsed, and dried.  A soaker that is not attached on three (or four) sides "floats" in the wash cycle and gets clean (and then dried) on all sides much better. 
4.  Some AIOs have gotten around the washing problem by only sewing down one side of the soaker.  This is a great solution for washing, but long term, this isn't great for the diaper.  I have seen many well-used AIOs that employ that style and the first place to give on them is always the stitching on the sewn in soaker.  Holes develop as the floating soaker is tugged on in the wash and dry cycles.  AI2s have a soaker that is either unattached or attached by a snap so holes don't develop as easily in those.
5.  Unlike a fitted paired with a cover, you don't have to put two separate pieces on the baby.  They go on together in one fluid (haha) motion.

Drawbacks:  AI2 diapers are great, but they do have one major drawback.  Because the inner soaker is just laying in the cover and isn't wrapped around and attached to the baby (like a fitted or a snappi'd prefold), if baby poos, poo is getting on the cover - for sure.  Maybe even out of the cover too.  So while you can change out inserts and keep the same cover when your baby pees, you will definitely need a new shell for each poo.  If your child is a once-a-day kind of kid, that might be fine.  If your child is a million-times-a-day kid (like it seems mine is), then you might find yourself wishing for the extra protection the elastic legs on a fitted diaper can provide.  With a stouter diaper to keep the poo in, you would be able to use those covers more often.

Another drawback, but more minor, is that you don't have the option to use the inner without the shell.  Some people never have a desire to do this, but many find that using a fitted or prefold minus the shell makes a useful tool for potty training.


The Diapers:

CuteyBaby Basics - I was astounded to hear that there were bonafide cloth diapers available at our local chain grocery store, but when I went to investigate, there they were.  Right next to the Pampers and bottles.  Kudos to you Cub Foods!  I haven't been a huge CuteyBaby fan in the past, but this was a slightly different iteration of the diaper and I just couldn't get over their mad marketing skills so I had to get one.

SoftBums Echo - This brand is a local favorite.

Flip - If you haven't heard of the Flip then you've probably been living under a rock (or a Huggies).  I definitely needed to include this popular option.

Bummis Super Whisper Wrap and Green Mountain Diapers - Since the Flip is basically just a rectangle of fabric and a cover I thought I'd also toss the diaper hack version into the mix.

GroVia -  This is another pretty popular AI2 option.
















So, we'll go through each diaper individually so I don't lose you jumping back and forth.  I'll tell you my initial reaction and also give the diaper a "star" rating in each of 3 categories - functionality, fit, and price.

Note:  I am basing the price rating on a dozen diaper changes.  It is hard to fairly compare price on a single diaper because the different diapers offer different pricing options and you always get the best deal when you buy more than one.  Some of the diapers don't even offer a "single diaper change" purchasing option.  I'm also basing the price on the standard cotton or microfiber options.  Most brands can also be purchased in organic fabrics but that costs extra.  The exception is the Grovia which only comes in organic.

CuteyBaby Basics:  I didn't have super high hopes for this diaper based on my previous experience with their AIO, but since they were available in my local supermarket (score!) I decided to give them another try.  I was glad to see that the velcro was firmly sewed on to the diaper this time.  When I first put this on I was impressed by how stretchy and soft it was but was also kind of taken aback by how poofy and droopy it was.  It reminded me of a pillow strapped to her butt.

Functionality - (3 stars)*** - Unfortunately while there were great aspects to this diaper, I could only give it 3 stars for functionality.  It was a great daytime diaper but under more arduous circumstances (if I forgot to change right after nap) it got a little damp around the leg holes.  Also this was the only diaper to actually fall off during nakey baby playtime.  The hook and loop fastener they used wasn't very strong.  With clothes on over it and with regular changes, it worked fine though.  My thoughts?  The soft cotton outer that they have on it has wicking tendencies that you don't see with covers that have a polyester outer.  Minky diapers are prone to this too I've noticed.  One thing that kept it from getting 1 or 2 stars though, is its superior poop holding power.  The internal elastic makes a poo pocket that is hard to beat.  BM never got anywhere close to leaking out of this one.  The poo pocket did make it a little harder to rinse, but I'd rather put a little more effort into rinsing a poopy diaper than rinsing out poopy clothes or car seats or carpet.  While this is a poo grabber, you can't reuse the cover after a poo.  After a pee though, it dries out quickly and smell-free for reuse.

Fit - (3 stars)*** - Again, we have a mixed bag here.  On the plus side, the hip velcro is genius.  Drooping wings are always a big problem if you have a skinny waisted kid but with the hip velcro, the wings stay up where they belong.  Where they dropped the ball with skinny kids though is the tabs.  There is no crossover velcro so while I was able to make it work by tightening them all the way, I would have liked the extra room that some crossover elastic would provide.  The fit around the legs and waist was good, no gaps.  Another problem though was the trimness.  This is not a trim diaper.  "Pillow" is a word that comes quickly to mind.  Soft and squishy, but poofy and saggy.  A size down may have been helpful, but there are only two sizes and the smaller size was much too small.  So the sizing makes getting a good fit tricky.  Where they really excel is comfort.  This diaper really is very comfortable.  The cover is lined with soft fleece, the elastic is very stretchy and forgiving, a very comfy diaper. 

Price - (4 stars)**** - $100 to $150 for a dozen diaper changes

Softbums Echo:  At first look, this diaper looked intimidating.  I wasn't quite sure how that huge snake of a soaker was going to fit into that little cover.  One little fold under though and it fit like a glove.  It was one of the trimmest options of the bunch.  I also liked the crossover velcro and had to use it on my 9 month old because she's pretty trim herself.  My husband though, was too overwhelmed at the thought of what to do with that super long soaker so he ended up just taking it out and putting a Flip disposable insert in the cover instead.  He's kind of a cloth diaper chicken - he doesn't like to stray outside his comfort zone (velcro AIO or Flip style cover/insert arrangement)

Functionality - (4 stars)**** - No leaks, plenty of absorbency, and the one-size gadget worked perfectly to adjust the size.  The cover, despite the fleecy inner, seemed to dry out quickly with no residual smell so that it could be reused throughout the day.  The only reason it doesn't get five stars is because the flat soaker doesn't do anything to contain poop, so unless it is just a teeny tiny poo, you are going to have to change the cover with each BM.

Fit - (5 stars)***** - With the one-size elastic in the legs and the crossover velcro at the waist, it was no problem to get the perfect fit.  Also the extra trim cut between the legs made for a nice looking diaper and a very mobile baby.  Despite the trim cut, there was still plenty of butt cheek coverage.  The fleecy inner on the cover seemed like it would be very comfy where it touched baby's skin.

Price - (4 stars)**** - $100 to $150 for a dozen diaper changes

Flip:  The Flip looked easy enough and it was.  It is one of my husband's more preferred diapers because of how easy and straighforward it is.  Nothing fancy or confusing.  I wasn't too keen on the plasticy interior of the cover though which was in contact with the skin on baby's hips.  And while the concept was easy, because the insert wasn't snapped onto the cover, when my babe was feeling wiggly, sometimes the insert fell out of the cover while I was trying to wrestle it on her and I had to reposition it and start over (because by the time I repositioned it she had crawled away at top speed!).

Functionality - (4 stars)**** - Works like a dream, whether with the reusable or the disposable innards.  Never a leak.  Only wish the insert had some way of containing poo so I could reuse the cover after a poo.  The plasticy interior makes it easy to reuse this cover quickly.  If it's the only cover you have you can even wipe the cover dry and reuse it immediately - no waiting for fabric to dry.  Also this one is super simple to rinse off.  I found myself wishing for an insert that snapped in though because it was trickier to put on my wiggly baby with an insert that could be kicked or wriggled out of position.

Fit - (4 stars)**** - The one-size snaps work great for adjusting, the waist gets very small and very large, it really works great. Trim and not saggy at all, this diaper looks beautiful when worn.  The only thing I didn't like was the plastic that was touching my baby's hips, but when you give that up in comfort, you gain more functionality (you can wipe it out).

Price - (5 stars)**** - Under $100 for a dozen diaper changes

Bummis and Green Mountain Diapers:  This is an alternative to the Flip diaper.  Really you can do this with any prefold and cover, but the ones I had on hand were yellow-edged Green Mountain prefolds and a Bummis Super Whisper Wrap in a very cute new print.  I like the versatility that this option provides me versus the Flip.  With a prefold I can roll up the sides to make a poo barrier or I can just fold it into third so it is just like a Flip insert.  Depending on what covers you use, this can be a lot cheaper than other AI2 options.  Other than that though, my opinons on this one are almost identical to the Flip.

Functionality - (4 stars)**** - Like the Flip, wish the insert could snap in.  Also like the Flip, great functionality - no leaks.  I like that I can roll up the prefold if I want to make poo barriers.

Fit - (3 stars)*** - This particular combo - the Bummis and a prefold - is a bit poofy.  Bummis are known for being a more generous cut.  Not excessively so though.  Good fit around the waist, legs, butt.  I like that the Bummis cover had a polyester inner lining so it was softer on baby's hips where the insert didn't cover.  I think for a five star fit, you would need to go with a trimmer cover for this combo.

Price - (5 stars)***** - Under $100 for a dozen diaper changes

Grovia:  The Grovia is one I have been using for a long time because it was one of the one-size diapers I owned that actually fit my newborn right from the start.  Lately though, she is starting to grow out of it, so I guess it's not a true birth-to-potty option.  One thing that strikes me with this diaper is how gentle the velcro at the waistband is - not too scratchy or stiff.

Functionality - (5 stars)***** - No leaks with this one.  Plenty of absorbency.  The elastic on the edges of the insert give it the ability to keep some (but not all) poos off of the cover.  So at least that way you have a fighting chance of not changing the cover after each and every poo.  The insert snaps into the diaper at the front and the back so it stays firmly in place.  The one-size snaps are your typical front configuration and work just fine.

Fit - (4 stars)**** - A fabulous fit!  The infinite crossover velcro waist means this will be able to get snug on the tiniest of waists.  It is nice and trim throughout the legs too.  The inside of the cover is lined with a soft mesh so plastic doesn't touch skin.  The only downfall here is that the diaper is on the small side so while it will fit a newborn, it won't last as long as some other one-size options will.  The rise on it, fully unsnapped, is on the short side and is what is going to be outgrown first.

Price - (3 stars)*** - $150 to $200 for a dozen diaper changes



WHEW!  That's a lot of info, I hope I didn't overwhelm you (I probably did).

The final word:  All the options were great, and I think all were fairly priced.  None were outrageously expensive.  The cover and prefold was a great economical option.  Most of the options were very functional.  I was pretty disappointed by the CuteyBaby though for function.  It's hard to pick a favorite overall.  I think all of them, except the CuteyBaby, will be in my regular stash rotation from now on.  Good stuff.

And Now, a Word from Hollywood

I love birthdays.  I love parties.  I love planning birthday parties.  Sooo much fun!

But I've been off my game lately.  Between the new baby and moving, this has not been a shining year for parties for me.  Mostly we've been just doing sleepovers and family stuff.  We celebrated Henry's party yesterday with a movie and Chuck E. Cheese's for the family.

As I sat in the darkened theater, watching hippie Martians hug, it occurred to me that Hollywood these days seems a bit heavy handed with their morals and messages.  Has it always been this way?  It seems to me that this is a more recent phenomenon.  Or at least maybe in past years they've been more subtle about it.

We were watching Mars Needs Moms.  It was a decent little flick.  Cute, made me cry, and pretty squeaky clean as far as language, violence, and sex goes.  A PG movie like you'd like to expect PG movies to be.

But whoooeeee was it propaganda!  Not bad propaganda necessarily since it was a message I didn't mind my kids hearing, but it definitely wasn't subtle.  It was the conservative's version of Artic Tale or Walle.

The general premise is that years ago Mars started tossing their males on the trash heap (literally) because they are "dumber than a box of rocks".  Males raise the male babies down in hippie-love trashland and females run the world and have the female babies raised by nannybots in a very strict, technologically advanced, and militarized society.

The moral?  Guys are good for something, love your mom, and the two parent family is best.

I can get wholeheartedly behind the first two, but cramming that third one down people's throats rubs me the wrong way.  I mean, we're a two parent family.  I like two parents families, I'm all for them.

But while I'm pro-two-parent-family, I'm not anti-single-parent either.  Everybody's gotta do what they gotta do.  Sometimes maybe the guy does need to be tossed on the trash heap, especially if he's tripping on psychedelic drugs.  And where does that leave mom?  Well she has no choice but to go to work in the Martian army and leave her offspring in the care of nannybots.

Just sayin'.

And while I was pondering the additional pro-graffiti message of Mars Needs Moms, it reminded me of Weeds.

No, the hippie monkey men of Mars weren't smoking MJ, but I've been watching episodes of Weeds for the first time lately and I was also surprised at how heavy handed that show is too.

I'm not talking about the pro-marijuana legalization message, because that's actually one thing that I don't really see in that show.  No hardcore "weed rocks" messages there.

But what Weeds seems to be doing is trying to gather together a more degenerate audience (you know, the type that would be attracted to a show called "Weeds") and help them along the road to educated and enlightened middle class.

For example, the multigenerational, black, drug-dealing family is very up on their modern parenting skills.  The new baby is worn in a sling and breastfed.  The new mama sends Conrad out for a breastpump and then sends him BACK when he brings home the wrong one.

Tell me guys, which do you think is worse, buying tampons or buying a breastpump?  I felt bad for the guy, but was impressed at the pro-breastfeeding message woven into the story.

It was after this particular episode that I started to notice that Weeds seemed to be full of these little "The More You Know" type moments.

Heylia warns against being too germ-phobic with the new baby.  We get mini history lessons on Noriega and several other topics throughout season 1 and 2.  The list goes on.  And I'm not even to season 3 yet (still waiting on that one - I requested it from the library - gotta love MNLink!)

Again with this one, I like the messages, but they stick out like a sore thumb!  We're smarter than that, Hollywood!  If you want us to take our pill you are going to have to hide it deeper in that spoonful of ice cream.

Have you noticed any particularly blatant propaganda-ing in your recreational media these days?

Virtual School

Henry has been doing Connections Academy online public school for two weeks now and I thought I'd give you my initial reactions.

Pros:

*We can schedule our days as we like.  Unlike regular public school (afternoon kindergarten - ick!) we can schedule school around our family instead of the other way around.

*Fun art projects.  I love art, but doing art with kids too often seems like sooo much work that I tend to shy away from it.  But when it's an assigned project, I have no choice, right?  And it's been fun.  Interesting projects, but not TOO involved, and much better than what he was doing at his last school.

"Art" project at his last school...

 And from this school...

If you're wondering, that last one is a rocket ship yarn sculpture launching in my kitchen.


*Accountability from the teacher.  As you may have guessed, getting things done and staying on task is not my strong suit.  We've gotten alot more done these last two weeks since I have to submit our hours and check off lessons as we do them.  It's helpful for me to have that external motivation.  It seems to also motivate Henry to have another adult who is checking up on what he is doing.  Could certain other adults in the house play this role?  Sure.  Do they?  No.

*Ability to skate through boring stuff.  Since I am the one facilitating the lessons, we can fly through easy or boring lessons, just doing the bare minimum, and we can take the time to really delve deeply into the things Henry is more excited about and really enjoys.  We can take things more at HIS pace.

*It's public school.  So when I tell people what he is doing for school, they are generally pretty interested and positive.

Cons:

*It's a LOT of work.  Henry has a lot of lessons to do each day.  And a decent amount of prep work is expected from me too.  It can get pretty tricky to get it all done with the baby slowing us down.  And some of the stuff seems like "fluff" that I would skip if I were the one in charge of lessons planning instead of the teacher.

*It's public school.  So they have lots of requirements on hours, attendance, lessons that need to be done (though some lessons are marked optional), etc.  And some of the lessons are fairly unimaginative.  It does give alot more flexibility than traditional public school, but it's NOT homeschool.

So, I think the final word today is that while it isn't perfect, and I'm not sure we'll still be doing it next year, it seems to be a really great option for us at this juncture in our lives.

Oh My Goodness, There's A Baby In There!

When Violet was a baby I got introduced to the whole attachment parenting idea.  I didn't immediately fall in love with all of the principles, but I dabbled a bit.  One of the principles recommends babywearing as a way to connect more with your baby.  We wore Mitchell in a backpack out in the Boundary Waters when he was six months old, but it wasn't a day-to-day kind of a thing.  Over the last three kids we have owned a Baby Bjorn and a woven Ellaroo wrap, besides the big hiking backpack.  I used them occasionally, but it always just seemed easier to have whichever baby it was in their baby bucket seat or to hold them.

When I found out with Violet that it was supposed to be pretty beneficial to them to be worn, I tried to wear her more, but she was pretty content just sitting in a highchair or bouncy seat so it didn't become a very high priority.  Besides, the Ellaroo was a pain to get on and off and the Bjorn hurt my back, so it was more of a chore to wear her, than a benefit to me.  I even bought one of those death bags that were supposed to be so great to see if that would work better, but that one hurt my shoulder and it seemed like Violet couldn't breathe very well in there so I quit using it.  I figured babywearing just wasn't for us.

But as Violet grew we started hanging out at a local mecca for urban hippies called The Parenting Oasis.  It seemed like everyone was wearing their baby, and it was so EASY for them!  The babies looked happy and comfortable (and breathing just fine) and the mamas were able to pop them in and out of their carriers with ease and no apparent back pain.  I became determined to figure out their secret.

After some research and impromptu surveys I figured out that my problem was bad products.  This time around I tried a Moby wrap and lo and behold, it worked!  It was kind of a pain to get on and off, but the beauty was that since it was stretchy, I could easily get Ivy in and out without taking the whole darn thing off.  The super wide shoulders not only made it very comfortable to wear, but a hidden benefit was that when she was out of it, it looked kind of like a funky shirt instead of an empty carrier, so I could just leave it on.  Another hidden benefit - it was so cozy that it was like a magical sleeping wrap.  As soon as I popped Ivy in it she would fall asleep within about five minutes and would sleep until I took her out.  This made trips to the grocery store with four kids a little less scary than it sounds.  Ivy would sleep the entire time in the wrap so it was like I was only taking three kids (which is still a daunting task in and of itself).

The Moby served us well in May and June, but July it was just too darn hot to be wrapping all that fabric around me every day.  I went looking for other options and found the adjustable Hotslings sling.  Another great find.  We use this one pretty much every single day lately.

Something that we did to try and encourage ourselves to wear her more was to outlaw the baby bucket.  We have been using the convertible Britax Marathon right from birth and skipping the infant seat altogether.  So when we get to our destination, we have to either carry Ivy in our arms or wear her, there's no temptation to just carry her around in the bucket instead.  Part of this was a conscious decision to try to offer her more stimulation, interaction, and bonding on a daily basis, and part of this was just the fact that for the life of me I can't find the base to the infant seat.  It is lost somewhere in the depths of my storage room (I think... but maybe I got rid of it?  But why would I do that?  I don't know...).  Another one of "the hidden benefits of disorder" (read it!).

All this babywearing has yielded some pretty interesting effects.  It seems like every where I go, there are twice as many people cooing and smiling at Ivy than ever interacted with my other children as infants.  Every store or place of business we go into, customers and staff are always saying "Oh my goodness - there's a baby in there!  Awwww, doesn't she look snug and cozy right there next to her mama."  I thought maybe Ivy was just exceptionally cute (but what mama doesn't think that?) but then the receptionist at the pediatrician's office said something that made me think.  She said "Oh how sweet!  What a cutie!  We never really get to see the babies because they are usually in their seat on the floor."

Wow - I was stunned.  They are receptionists at a PEDIATRICIAN'S OFFICE and they never really get to see babies?  But it makes sense.  You aren't supposed to put those buckets up on the counter, for safety, so people set them down on the floor.  All the babies get is a good view of everyone's ankles.  Ivy, on the other hand, up in her sling, gets to see everyone's faces, watch what i'm doing (she loves to watch me wash dishes from the sling - lots of clanking and splashing and movement), and interact with both me and whoever else may be around.

These days, when I see a baby at a store in a bucket it makes me sad.  I mean, mom probably puts the baby in the bucket at home, puts the bucket into the stroller or shopping cart when they get to their destination, maybe does the same at another store, then goes home and maybe even leaves the baby in the seat even longer if they are asleep.  The baby spends the whole morning getting little to no human touch or interaction unless they cry for it.  As I was walking into Chipotle yesterday with Ivy in the sling, I found myself kissing her head and patting her butt.  If she had been in a bucket, she certainly wouldn't have been getting that kind of interaction as I walked in the door.  It's little things like that that add up and I think are really great for her.

Don't get me wrong, i'm not judging the moms carry babies around in those buckets.  That was totally me three years ago.  I've done that hundreds of times without batting an eye.  But I feel like my eyes are open now and I would never go back.

P.S.  The Hotslings instructions says their product is also good for pets so OF COURSE I had to try it out on my furbaby lol - she likes it.

Cloth Diapers for Newborns: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Over the nine months before Ivy was born I did a lot of research and accumulated quite a little collection of diapers.  I had never cloth diapered a newborn before, only older babies, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect.  I got a little bit of several different things that had been recommended to me as well as some extra stuff I picked up for super cheap.  Alot of it wasn't great, but some of it was really amazing.  Here are my top 5 best and worst cloth diapering items for newborns... 

THE GOOD

1. Green Mountain Diapers prefolds - I found that I really like prefolds for the newborn stage.  They are cheap, soft, and it is very easy to tell if they are wet or not.  I especially enjoyed the prefolds from Green Mountain Diapers because they are made to be shorter in the rise and wider in the hips so they are easier to Snappi and fit for a long time.  The orange edged prefolds would be excellent for regular sized newborn.  The fit fine on my 10lb 2oz newborn, but only for about three or four weeks.  Once she hit 11lb or so, they were getting too small.to Snappi.  Green Mountain Diapers has prefolds in five sizes that are are approximately NB, S, M, L, and XL but they color code them instead of naming a size.  You don't have to buy every size either.  Since prefolds are so versatile, you could easily get by only buying the yellow (S) and brown (L) edged prefolds and just folding down any extra material.

2. Snappi - Many people just trifold the prefold diaper and lay it in a cover successfully, but I am guessing alot of those people either had a million covers or were formula feeding their children because when I tried this I got poop on my cover every time so I wasn't able to wipe and reuse it.  So I prefer to use a Snappi diaper closure to keep the prefold actually on Ivy.  It keeps poo off the cover very well so that I can get by with less covers and any time you can keep poo off of the inside of the cover, you know you aren't going to have any poo explosions either.

3. Thirsties sized covers - There are tons of good cover options out there.  One problem that many of them have though, is that they are cut a little too trim either through the crotch or at the hips, so they only work with fitted diapers or lay in inserts/trifolded prefolds.  I think a really great cover should be able to cover ANY diaper you choose to put on your baby.  Thirsties sized covers (not the 2-size Duo) were up to the challenge.  The generous cut and cross over velcro tabs also have made them very versatile size-wise.  My other newborn covers stopped fitting a couple of weeks ago, but I was able to use Thirsties XS covers the day she was born and still today at six weeks.

4. Thirsties Fab Fitted diapers - As I said before, some covers won't be up to the challenge of easily covering a Snappied prefold.  So if you have some covers you love that can't handle prefolds, I would definitely recommend trying a Thirsties Fab Fitted.  They are very soft and supple, hold plenty of liquid, and the leg elastic provides a great barrier to poo explosions.  The stay-dry inner layer also helps babies feel dry so that you can get a little extra sleep at night.

5. GroBaby (or GroVia) hybrid system - There are alot of one-size diaper items out there, and they are a great idea and make diapering much more affordable.  That being said, many don't work well for newborns.  I was pretty happy with the fit of the GroBaby diaper though.  The soft, supple, infinite crossover tabs make getting a good fit around the waist very easy no matter what your baby's size.  The system is meant to be used by removing inserts and snapping a new one into the shell (cover), but with a newborn that is pooping ten times a day, that just doesn't happen.  I found I could usually only use the shells once.  Now that we are at the six week mark though, and pooping has slowed a bit, I am starting to be able to reuse the shells and I am thrilled that I will be able to continue using this system as she grows, unlike most of her other newborn items.

THE BAD

 1. Pocket diapers - I have liked and successfully used pocket diapers in the past, but only on older babies.  With an exclusively breastfed baby, the poo is very slippery and tricky and it will find its way out of ANYTHING.  So a pocket diaper, with only a single layer of elastic between you and the poo, is not the best bet for a newborn.  The leaks that I did get occasionally were all from pocket diapers, both sized and one-size.  I have yet to get a leak from the double elastic protection of a fitted and cover.  One pocket that did work pretty well though was the Rump-a-rooz one-size.  It was able to get small enough to fit my newborn and the internal elastic channel kept all that poo right where it belonged.  But in general, your basic pocket diaper is not going to be your best bet for newborn diapering.

2. One-size fitteds - These types of diapers just have SO much fabric that they are extremely bulk and unwieldy on a newborn.  They still work of course, but you will need a much larger cover to put all of that fabric into.  When prefolds are so cheap it just makes sense to save the bigger stuff for later on.

3. Motherease Airflow covers - Functionally, there is nothing wrong with these covers.  They keep the wetness in.  But they are not a cover I would recommend at all.  The waistband and leg bands are not very comfortable at all and the cut is extremely poofy.  It reminds me of a pair of Gerber plastic pull-on pants that someone has added snaps to the sides of (though made of a slightly better material than Gerber pants).  For a similar fit (if you like the roominess) but much more comfortable leg and waistbands, try the Stacinator So-Simple cover.  This one has soft fleece leg and waistbands but the same cut as a Motherease cover - poofy.

4. Bumkins covers -  I like the idea of the air vent in the back of these, so I bought one, but unfortunately it just didn't cut the mustard for my newborn.  They are not very stretchy at all around the waist and legs so it is tough to get a good fit that is tight enough to keep that pesky EBF poo in yet still loose enough to be comfortable.

5. Bumkins All-In-Ones - These diapers not only had the same trouble as the Bumkins covers, but it was compounded by the fact that, like the pocket diapers, there was only one layer of elastic between you and death-by-poopy.  For a better All-In-One try the Thirsties AIO.  It is cut so that there is more room in the crotch area, almost like a poo reservoir, so the EBF poo doesn't immediately go shooting out the sides.

THE UGLY

One diaper cover that I was very disappointed in was the Thirsties Duo cover.  It seemed like a great idea, the prints were super cute, it works great, but I just can't see my way clear to buying any more of these.  The problem is the cut.  They are cut to fit perfectly over the Fab Fitteds, which is fine - I like Fab Fitteds - but they are a little too trim for a Snappied prefold.  I can make them work, but it takes some tucking and arranging.  I don't want to have to do that at diapering time.  I just want to put something on and go.  Something that can cover ANY diaper I have in my stash.  The Blueberry One-Size Coverall is a much more versatile product in my opinion.  It got small enough to fit Ivy right from the start and unlike a one-size fitted, one-size covers don't have the issue with too much extra material getting bulky.  And the cut is generous enough to fit over whatever I might want to put on her, even bulky one-size fitteds.

Ready As I'll Ever Be

The due date is just 12 days away and other than a general layer of filth over the household, I would say we are pretty ready for baby.  We have help in place for this month, all the unisex baby clothing is unpacked and washed and put in drawers, but most of all - the baby has a safe, beautiful, quiet place to be.  We've finished the baby nook.  I WOULD post pictures right now, but in working on getting our room clean yesterday, my dear husband tromped all over the baby's floor bed and decided the baby nook was a great place to store junk while he was cleaning.  I cleaned it back out again, but I still need to vacuum in there and the bedding needed to be washed after dirty junk was stacked on it.  So I'll take pics after the bedding is back in there.  But in the meantime i'll tell you what we did.  Amazingly I managed to finish just about everything on my list!


We started with a coat of light green paint, and my husband got it in his head that the baby should have carpet (the only carpet in our entire house) so he installed a brown carpet remnant on the floor.  We used a
 bookshelf we got off of craigslist.com for a room divider and covered the remaining distance with a Regalo Easy Step Extra Wide gate.  That combo seems to be working pretty well since we bolted the bookshelf to the wall.

The floor bed was from craigslist.com as well - a twin size futon.  It is quite firm and thin and low to the ground so while it would make a pretty uncomfortable night's sleep for an adult on a futon frame, it should work perfectly for our purposes.  I'm looking forward to being able to nurse baby to sleep laying down in THAT bed and then sneaking away for adult time with the hubby in OUR bed.  Nothing like nursing laying down to get a new baby knocked out, but invariably when you try to gently put them in their own bed, they wake up.  Hopefully this will be a great solution to that problem.

 We have some Wee Gallery wall decals up for decorations.  I had seen the Wee Gallery art cards in various Montessori catalogs and thought they were great, so when I saw that they also made wall decals, I knew I had to have some for the baby's nook.  They turned out very cute.  I'm not sure how long they will last (when Julia was two she ripped down the beautiful wallpaper mural we had up for her) but at least they were cheap and I know where I can get more in case these get destroyed (as often happens in this house).

I decided to skip the eyebolt in the ceiling for the mobiles for a couple of reasons.  First was that I could just see the kids going crazy and trying to hang on any kind of rope or string or elastic that hung down all the way from the ceiling.  And second was that I wanted more portability.  I'm not sure how much time the baby will really spend in that space so I thought that a portable mobile holder would make more sense.  So we ended up with a wooden toy arch from Ikea which has removable toys and is set up very nicely to be able to hang your own items from it.  We did hang a mobile from the baby's ceiling, but it is one just for looking at.  For that mobile we went with the Flensted swallow mobile.  I like it because it is high contrast (black, white, red) and contrasts well against our white ceiling, and also it is extremely lightweight so it moves in the slightest air currents in our house.  If you open up the window in the baby's room and lay on the floor bed you can see the sky and clouds out the window, the swallow mobile twirling, and hear the birds out in the backyard - it's lovely.

The other thing we have in the baby's nook was a splurge that I've been eyeing for a long time.  I wanted one with both Henry and Violet but just couldn't afford it or justify it.  It's an unbreakable child-safe mirror that mounts either vertically or horizontally.  I have it in the horizontal position right now, but once the baby grows out of that, I can put it vertically and the whole family can use it for hygiene and grooming.

As usual, the baby's room is the nicest room in the house.  When each of the kids were born we put alot of time and effort and love into their first rooms that we NEVER give to the rest of the house.  It's just so much more fun to make a beautiful nursery than it is to clean the livingroom or do dishes.  Another upside?  They don't make it dirty!  For about the first 6 months or even more, if you clean the baby's room, it pretty much stays clean.  Unlike the rest of the house which is filthy again about 20 minutes after you've cleaned it.

So while there is still (and always) more things to do around here, I think we are about as ready for this baby as we'll ever be!  Wish us luck!

CuteyBaby Diapers Review

So, I really was completely ready and excited to love this new diaper, but alas, it was not to be. It's not a completely awful diaper, but just isn't something I'd buy considering all the other great options on the market. Why?

*It didn't hold up to the overnight toddler test. I have a 3yo who still wets the bed at night and a husband who absolutely CANNOT distinguish the difference between a daytime and a nighttime diaper, so ALL my diapers need to be able to handle a nighttime call to action. This one wasn't able to handle that. We didn't get a big puddle, so it did work somewhat, but the pee had wicked onto the outside of the diaper between her legs (a common place for that to happen) and made her jammies wet.

The insert portion of the diaper wasn't completely soaked or anything so personally I think the problem is in the laminate that is used on the outside of the diaper. As nice as super soft laminates are, I have found that time and again, when you get away from the basic polyester PUL, you tend to encounter wicking more often. Minky often has this problem and cotton knit laminates. Which makes them just fine for daytime use when diapers are changed more often, but sometimes causes nighttime problems.

*The tabs are removable. This fact is touted as a benefit for CuteyBaby diapers - that way you can just remove the velcro when you wash so the velcro lasts longer and the diapers stay looking newer because there are never any snags or diaper chains. While this is awesome in theory, the fact was that in our house, we were delayed in trying out this diaper by a few weeks because I took the velcro off to do the initial pre-wearing wash and it promptly disappeared. Just grew legs and walked away. I eventually found it so we could try out the diaper, but just the fact that it has small pieces to get lost turned me off. I think if you are concerned about velcro wearing out and diaper chains, just using a snap diaper is a much simpler option.

So - those are the big two reasons I would choose another brand over CuteyBaby. It did have some nice features - soft outer, interesting inner channel and soaker set-up that worked well, cute prints available - but those weren't enough to make me want to buy a bunch of my own.