Vy's complaining changed this week. She's found an extra "grrr" in her vocal range to express her displeasure at being taken away from something or vice versa. My baby is turning into a little girl. Its's a little toughs to swallow but the clothes are cuter and I get breaks longer than 30 minutes now. I can even sneak away to the gym. But I can tell it's the calm before the storm, I've got a live one and I couldn't be happier.
The next part I wrote as a reply to some friends on a message board, but after re-reading I wanted to post it here because it really sums up the last two years for me:
...My baby is almost a year old. I'm very happy, she's brilliant, she's healthy, more than I could have ever imagined! I am enjoying both of our new found independence but at the same time I miss those early baby days. Not enough to want to do it again though, lol! ...I have loved or have come to value every part of my molar pregnancy journey but it finally feels like I can leave it truly behind me. Even though it brought about the most important and amazing changes in me and my life, I feel like it will no longer define me. I feel like myself again.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Sunday, May 15, 2011
How Much is That Cloth Diaper in the Window?
In the post testing crazy buying, selling, and swapping days of building my stash, I would have fleeting thoughts of buying one of each of every brand of diaper available. I would fantasize about “fluffy mail” arriving daily, finding the “perfect” fit, and my stash outgrowing its designated cupboard. But I’ve restrained myself. I got deals on new name brands on the swap, allowing for a few WAHM customs. In fact, I bought my first Fuzzibunz from a store yesterday (even that was with discounts and credits, so I paid nothing). The rest of my Fuzzibunz stash was bought on the cheap. But, as I’ve bought my last diaper, my mind wandered back to that fantasy of buying one of each diaper brand. So instead of going off the deep end, I researched and wrote this blog. Now I know how much it would cost to build that dream stash. No, I’m not going to tell you yet.
Before I tell you the cost, I want to let you know my method of calculation. I canvassed online retailers: Amazon, Diapers.com, Kellyscloset, Jilliansdrawers, Nickisdiapers, eBay, and brand websites. Brands offering cloth diapers of any sort on all or one of these websites were included. I chose not to include WAHM diapers (I’m going to do separate research on that one, blog to come). Prices were cross referenced and assigned median retail price or actual retail price where appropriate.
Number of Brands: 75
Total cost to buy one of each brands offered Newborn Diapers: $160.30
Total cost to buy one of each brands offered One Size Pocket Diapers: $443.06
Total cost to buy one of each brands offered Fitted Diapers: $403.35
Total cost to buy one of each brands offered Diaper Covers: $200.29
Total cost to buy one of each brands offered Hybrid Diapers: $108.83
Total cost to buy one of each brands offered All in Two Diapers: $ 64.90
Total cost to buy one of each brands offered All in One Diapers: $240.12
Total cost to buy one of each brands offered Prefold (per dozen) Diapers: $ 772.02
Total cost to buy one of each brands offered Flat (per half dozen) Diapers: $ 134.93
Total cost to buy one of each brands offered Contour Diapers: $ 43.08
Total cost to buy One of Every Diaper type and brand: $2,588.92
That would be 313 pieces:
Newborn Diapers: 9
One Size Pocket Diapers: 27
Fitted Diapers: 21
Diaper Covers: 15
Hybrid Diapers: 5
All in Two Diapers: 3
All in One Diapers: 12
Prefolds (in dozens): 16
Flats (in half dozens): 4
Contour Diapers: 4
Are you surprised? I was a little surprised the total bill would be so high, but even still there would likely be a savings over disposable diapers of about $500. Now, having done all this research, not only am I officially “stashified,” I’m pretty pleased with the amount I’ve spent on cloth diapers. But you never know, there’s always the lottery…
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Thoughts on my first Mother's Day
I want to remember things I learn from other people. Violette has gotten really affectionate lately and it’s so yummy and nice. My new friend Naraya came over to get the lowdown on cloth diapering and she commented upon seeing Vy and I hug and cuddle that it was so nice, “she puts her heart on your heart.” Now I always savor those heart to heart moments, it’s so special. –Mother’s Day 2011
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Cloth Diaper Reviews 4-WAHM and Night Special
Bagshot Row Bamboo (BSRB): I am sad I am only now publishing my review of BSRBs as the maker recently announced that she is closing up shop. These diapers are truly the best and I am so happy I ordered a custom only a few weeks ago.
BSRB Elite Fit AI2: BSRB fully converted me to bamboo. I was already a huge fan of hemp, but bamboo is just as good. These diapers differentiate themselves by NOT incorporating PUL. The waterproofing comes in the form of bamboo fleece. Fleece has natural wicking qualities and encourages the moisture to go back into the bamboo inserts instead of leaking through the diaper. I never have any leaks in our BSRB Elite Fit AI2. The soakers are bamboo with an Organic Bamboo Velour (OBV) top. It is SO plush! I purchased extra soakers so I am able to use it as a true AI2 and Vy just loves wearing it. The fit is amazing. It’s very trim with just one snap rise setting and cross over rounded wings. If you get a chance to purchase a BSRB Elite fit through a swap I highly recommend them. These are our favorite diapers.
BSRB Fitted: The only bad thing I can say about BSRB fitteds is that they’re too cute to cover! Great for summers when you can go coverless! Everything in the review of the Elite fit applies except for the fleece; it is not included in the fitteds we have owned.
BSRB “TIAN” Tucked In All Night: this is BSRB’s night time diaper. It’s a fitted diaper with extra soakers for wetness protection. Ours is a newer version and also came with a fleece insert to put on the bottom to encourage the wetness to stay in the inserts and doublers. I use a fleece liner for a stay dry feeling all night. We go at least 10 hours without a diaper change, these things are bullet proof!
Sustainablebabyish (SBISH) Bamboo Fleece Fitted Diaper: These diapers are a little pricey but I feel like they are worth the price for nights! Very similar to the BSRB TIAN, the SBISH Fleece Fitted (or “Magic”) diaper is a great option for nights. It is made of bamboo and comes with a double insert and a doubler. The insert snaps into the front which I like for nights. I use a fleece liner for a stay dry feeling all night and can easily go 10 plus hours without a change-another bullet proof diaper.
SBISH Terry Snappiable: These are very similar to the SBISH Magic Diaper, it just has a terry snappiable outer with lie in soakers instead of snap ins. It has stayed super soft and is just as absorbent as the Magic diaper. I like how stretchy it is, I can really get a good fit with a snappi.
Kawaii “Goodnight Heavy Wetter”: These are a great night pocket. Since Vy is a crazy sleeper we started having issues with our pockets once she started drinking water and juice during the day. Compression leaks were a problem so we tried these as a stop gap before deciding to go exclusively with fitteds and covers. They have two nice plush microfiber inserts but otherwise don’t really distinguish themselves from other low cost PUL diapers. I haven’t had any leak problems but my dislike of them stems from them being very bulky. Vy can’t cross her leg over to sleep on her side very well when she is in them so they are going to get sold once I get a full inventory of night time fitted diapers.
Fleece Covers (Soft and Sweet Bottoms): I chose fleece covers to use at night instead of using a PUL cover because of the breathability of fleece. I love that I can throw the covers in with the regular laundry and use them several times before needing laundering. Plus they are pretty cheap at $5-12 a pair so it’s fun to get cute patterns; a great alternative to wool if you have allergies.
Cashmere Soaker (Pinkie Lee and Fleurs de Lis): My friend Jessica over at Pinkie Lee upcycled one of my old cashmere sweaters into a soaker for Violette. Since we have wool allergies I was afraid to buy wool longies or a soaker and invite a reaction. To be honest I was also turned off at the thought of having to lanolize the soaker but once I got the right wash product it was too easy, just a soak overnight and then a day to dry. The soaker is beautiful! It is feather soft even after felting and lanolizing and super lightweight. Now I keep looking in my closet to what else I can send to be upcycled! It is very breathable and cooler than you’d think it would be.
Egg Tooth Diapers AI2: I wanted to LOVE these diapers; she always uses such great prints. While I’m not in love with them, they are a great diaper. I NEVER get any leaks with the hidden layer of PUL and fleece inner. The soaker is snake style so there is some customization available so you can choose your own wet zone. I’m not a big fan of snake style soakers so it’s more of pita for me to deal with folding it in. I didn’t get any extra soakers with this diaper so I usually use it as an AIO but I’ve been getting better at folding prefolds so I might try to use it as a cover for those. The soaker is double layered topped with OBV which as stayed nice and soft. This diaper was my first experience with a fold down rise so it took me awhile to figure out how it works. Now that I’m using the fold down rise I get a much better fit. I do still feel like it’s a bit bulky on Vy, but it’s such a cute diaper I reach for it all the time.
Lil Taz Dypes AI2 Tester: I was lucky enough to get the cutest Lil Taz Dype as a tester and I’m really pleased with it. Jessica has great customer service and I ended up buying extra soakers from her to use this diaper as a true AI2. Her soakers are super nice bamboo topped with OBV. She has distinguished herself by making the soaker wider in the back which is nice and extends the life of the shell if number 2s happen. These diapers were designed for chubbier babies, but they still fit Vy great (she’s currently “average” in height and weight according to WHO). The use a snap down rise and have nice long wings for a great fit.
BumGenius Bamboo Fitteds: One of the reasons I rarely used Fitteds and covers during the day is because I didn’t like the hassle of doing up two sets of snaps with a wriggly baby. The BG Bamboo fitteds, although discontinued, are great since they use Aplix instead of snaps. Match with an Aplix closure cover and that’s one fast diaper change! They are pretty absorbent to boot.
Tots Bots Easy Fit Pocket: I bought this with some Amazon points to try and I really like this diaper. It’s a great pocket with a long soaker that you can stuff into the pocket. Since it’s attached you don’t have to pull it out once soiled, it will agitate out during the wash-super convenient. The Aplix is good. The fit is trim, Vy went almost immediately to fully open rise at about 9 months but there’s plenty of room to grow. This is one of our “Nana” diapers since she prefers Aplix.
More WAHM Reviews to come: Little Smudgees AI2, Summer Sky Bamboo (Tester), Bububebe (B4) Fitteds, Holden’s Landing AI2 and Bedbug, and hopefully (KMFX), Bebe Britches (BISH)
Cloth Diaper Review 1, Cloth Diaper Review 2, Cloth Diaper Review 3
BSRB Elite Fit AI2: BSRB fully converted me to bamboo. I was already a huge fan of hemp, but bamboo is just as good. These diapers differentiate themselves by NOT incorporating PUL. The waterproofing comes in the form of bamboo fleece. Fleece has natural wicking qualities and encourages the moisture to go back into the bamboo inserts instead of leaking through the diaper. I never have any leaks in our BSRB Elite Fit AI2. The soakers are bamboo with an Organic Bamboo Velour (OBV) top. It is SO plush! I purchased extra soakers so I am able to use it as a true AI2 and Vy just loves wearing it. The fit is amazing. It’s very trim with just one snap rise setting and cross over rounded wings. If you get a chance to purchase a BSRB Elite fit through a swap I highly recommend them. These are our favorite diapers.
BSRB Fitted: The only bad thing I can say about BSRB fitteds is that they’re too cute to cover! Great for summers when you can go coverless! Everything in the review of the Elite fit applies except for the fleece; it is not included in the fitteds we have owned.
BSRB “TIAN” Tucked In All Night: this is BSRB’s night time diaper. It’s a fitted diaper with extra soakers for wetness protection. Ours is a newer version and also came with a fleece insert to put on the bottom to encourage the wetness to stay in the inserts and doublers. I use a fleece liner for a stay dry feeling all night. We go at least 10 hours without a diaper change, these things are bullet proof!
Sustainablebabyish (SBISH) Bamboo Fleece Fitted Diaper: These diapers are a little pricey but I feel like they are worth the price for nights! Very similar to the BSRB TIAN, the SBISH Fleece Fitted (or “Magic”) diaper is a great option for nights. It is made of bamboo and comes with a double insert and a doubler. The insert snaps into the front which I like for nights. I use a fleece liner for a stay dry feeling all night and can easily go 10 plus hours without a change-another bullet proof diaper.
SBISH Terry Snappiable: These are very similar to the SBISH Magic Diaper, it just has a terry snappiable outer with lie in soakers instead of snap ins. It has stayed super soft and is just as absorbent as the Magic diaper. I like how stretchy it is, I can really get a good fit with a snappi.
Kawaii “Goodnight Heavy Wetter”: These are a great night pocket. Since Vy is a crazy sleeper we started having issues with our pockets once she started drinking water and juice during the day. Compression leaks were a problem so we tried these as a stop gap before deciding to go exclusively with fitteds and covers. They have two nice plush microfiber inserts but otherwise don’t really distinguish themselves from other low cost PUL diapers. I haven’t had any leak problems but my dislike of them stems from them being very bulky. Vy can’t cross her leg over to sleep on her side very well when she is in them so they are going to get sold once I get a full inventory of night time fitted diapers.
Fleece Covers (Soft and Sweet Bottoms): I chose fleece covers to use at night instead of using a PUL cover because of the breathability of fleece. I love that I can throw the covers in with the regular laundry and use them several times before needing laundering. Plus they are pretty cheap at $5-12 a pair so it’s fun to get cute patterns; a great alternative to wool if you have allergies.
Cashmere Soaker (Pinkie Lee and Fleurs de Lis): My friend Jessica over at Pinkie Lee upcycled one of my old cashmere sweaters into a soaker for Violette. Since we have wool allergies I was afraid to buy wool longies or a soaker and invite a reaction. To be honest I was also turned off at the thought of having to lanolize the soaker but once I got the right wash product it was too easy, just a soak overnight and then a day to dry. The soaker is beautiful! It is feather soft even after felting and lanolizing and super lightweight. Now I keep looking in my closet to what else I can send to be upcycled! It is very breathable and cooler than you’d think it would be.
Egg Tooth Diapers AI2: I wanted to LOVE these diapers; she always uses such great prints. While I’m not in love with them, they are a great diaper. I NEVER get any leaks with the hidden layer of PUL and fleece inner. The soaker is snake style so there is some customization available so you can choose your own wet zone. I’m not a big fan of snake style soakers so it’s more of pita for me to deal with folding it in. I didn’t get any extra soakers with this diaper so I usually use it as an AIO but I’ve been getting better at folding prefolds so I might try to use it as a cover for those. The soaker is double layered topped with OBV which as stayed nice and soft. This diaper was my first experience with a fold down rise so it took me awhile to figure out how it works. Now that I’m using the fold down rise I get a much better fit. I do still feel like it’s a bit bulky on Vy, but it’s such a cute diaper I reach for it all the time.
Lil Taz Dypes AI2 Tester: I was lucky enough to get the cutest Lil Taz Dype as a tester and I’m really pleased with it. Jessica has great customer service and I ended up buying extra soakers from her to use this diaper as a true AI2. Her soakers are super nice bamboo topped with OBV. She has distinguished herself by making the soaker wider in the back which is nice and extends the life of the shell if number 2s happen. These diapers were designed for chubbier babies, but they still fit Vy great (she’s currently “average” in height and weight according to WHO). The use a snap down rise and have nice long wings for a great fit.
BumGenius Bamboo Fitteds: One of the reasons I rarely used Fitteds and covers during the day is because I didn’t like the hassle of doing up two sets of snaps with a wriggly baby. The BG Bamboo fitteds, although discontinued, are great since they use Aplix instead of snaps. Match with an Aplix closure cover and that’s one fast diaper change! They are pretty absorbent to boot.
Tots Bots Easy Fit Pocket: I bought this with some Amazon points to try and I really like this diaper. It’s a great pocket with a long soaker that you can stuff into the pocket. Since it’s attached you don’t have to pull it out once soiled, it will agitate out during the wash-super convenient. The Aplix is good. The fit is trim, Vy went almost immediately to fully open rise at about 9 months but there’s plenty of room to grow. This is one of our “Nana” diapers since she prefers Aplix.
More WAHM Reviews to come: Little Smudgees AI2, Summer Sky Bamboo (Tester), Bububebe (B4) Fitteds, Holden’s Landing AI2 and Bedbug, and hopefully (KMFX), Bebe Britches (BISH)
Cloth Diaper Review 1, Cloth Diaper Review 2, Cloth Diaper Review 3
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Cloth Diaper Reviews 3
Fuzzibunz OS-I could wax poetic about Fuzzibunz One Size (OS) diapers. These differ a lot from other One Size diapers. Most OS have adjustability in the front rise using snaps. FB OS have their adjustability in the legs and waist using elastic. The elastic pokes tucks into little holes in the fleece anchored by a button. There are two on each side for the leg elastic and two for the waist. I LOVE this option because you can completely customize the fit. Since Vy is has slim thighs (Oh please Lord, bless her with this her whole life!) I can set the legs on size 4 while the waist is at size 3. It took me a little while to figure out (with no leaks while on larger setting), but now the diapers fit trim and snug.
Fuzzibunz Perfect Size-Again with the Fuzzibunz love. These do not fit Vy as well as the OS, but might be perfect for chunkier babies. With the hip snap to fit the legs and double snaps on the waist to avoid wing droop, this is a great diaper. I bought Mediums because I suspect Vy will be in that size the longest. So far she’s still on the tightest settings at 9 months so we’ll get a lot of wear out of these diapers. They also work great with a hemp insert for a nighttime pocket, with room to grow into it’s not too bulky.
Fuzzibunz OS Hemp-These are exactly the same as the FB OS except they only come in a vanilla/khaki color and come with a hemp insert. If you’re using the hemp insert alone this diaper is VERY trim. I had tighten the legs a whole size to stop leak since the hemp insert is less bulky that the microfiber. Now that I’ve done that, I love this diaper! I use it the most when we are going to be out and about or I know she will nap on a long car ride.
Baby Chai-Bamboo AI2- I don’t use these as AI2s very much although I do have extra inserts. These fit great, the serged edges are really soft. The inside of the diaper is bamboo fleece, the insert is bamboo, and the outside is bamboo velour. We love us some bamboo velour in our house! But, with only one snap in insert we have wetness on the outside, so it’s more like sturdy, no cover needed fitted for us. I am going to try doubling up inserts to see if I can eek out two changes out of this for a true AI2.
Happy Heiny OS-These are great if you want an aplix diaper that a toddler can’t get off. We have had troubles with our Bum Genius and our Bummis covers in that department, but so far the Happy Heinys are very hard for my daughter to peel off on her own. I always like an overlapping waist band as well. They come in fun colors (like SUPER hot pink) and the inner fleece is soft. I also like that it has four rows of rise snaps instead of the customary 3, giving you an in-between size for older infants/young toddlers.
Blueberry Pockets-I bought these as seconds, they were a nothing special pocket. The fit was slightly bulky, but not as bulky as BumGenius. Not much to say, but I did get a good deal on a PUL and a minky.
Swaddlebee Pockets-These are great trim diaper. When I first got the medium size I was SURE that I must have misread the sizing information and they were going to be too small. I was very wrong, they fit on my 18lb girl on the tightest snap setting, and they really are cut that trim. These are a side snapping diaper with a microfiber/bamboo insert so they have great absorbency. I ordered two more as seconds in the next size up because I love this diaper so much.
GTD Prefolds-The Clotheeze/Green Mountain Diaper prefolds are great. I chose to get bleached for a classic look. They took a few washes to reach full absorbency, and I still feel like they have more softness coming, however it’s hard to consistently get my crazy daughter to stay still enough for me to use a snappy. We are using red edges which have the largest weight range for fit.
Even MORE Reviews to come! Next time: a WAHM special!
Monday, April 4, 2011
More Deal Sites for you to save!
I found and remembered some more deal sites I thought I'd share-
Fairytale Deals-just like babysteals and ecobaby buys-one deal a day, usually 40-50% off
Totsy-several deals daily, lasting several days
Mini Social-several deals daily, lasting several days
Lilluxe-several deals daily, lasting several days
Plum District-similar to groupon
Thank you to Alina for letting me know about Lilluxe!
Fairytale Deals-just like babysteals and ecobaby buys-one deal a day, usually 40-50% off
Totsy-several deals daily, lasting several days
Mini Social-several deals daily, lasting several days
Lilluxe-several deals daily, lasting several days
Plum District-similar to groupon
Thank you to Alina for letting me know about Lilluxe!
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Found another awesome deal site!
Just by the title you'll know this one is right up my alley:
Eco Baby Buys
I scored some Fuzzibunz wet bags half off yesterday!
Eco Baby Buys
I scored some Fuzzibunz wet bags half off yesterday!
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