In just a few more days we’ll carve our Jack-o’-lantern and prepare a big bowl of candy for trick-or-treaters. I’m so excited that Harper will be old enough this year to appreciate seeing all the children, waving to them and realizing their costumes are unusual and funny. She was only a couple weeks old last year and had no idea what was going on. I don’t plan on taking her out this year; she doesn’t eat candy and would be overwhelmed by the experience. I know every baby is different; this is just Harper’s personality/demeanor at this time. I hope to take her next year, though. At what age did you take your little ones trick-or-treating for the first time?

If there’s one thing in this world that really tugs on my heartstrings, it’s seeing a company that gives back to the community and makes a difference. Nicki’s Diapers has started an amazing program called “Buy One, Give One” which means for every Nicki’s Diaper you buy one is donated to a child in need. Organizations like Giving Diapers, Giving Hope (Editor’s Note-Nicki’s has already sent 25 to GDGH!) are responsible for providing cloth diapers to low income families who may otherwise spend all their grocery money on disposables. Contributing to charities like these makes a huge difference in the cloth diaper community and I love that Nicki’s Diapers has chosen to take this initiative. Today I will review two popular styles for you.

Nicki’s offers the choice of snaps or hook and loop tape on their diapers at no additional cost. I love having this option since I’ve found it to be such a strong preference for so many parents. Some prefer the perfect fitting and ease of hook and loop, others prefer the longevity and toddler-proof strength of snaps. I tested a snap variety of the bamboo all-in-one and I love how the snaps coordinate perfectly with the diaper exterior and inner lining. This all-in-one features a soaker that snaps into place, which is a wonderful option when you need to separate the pieces for faster drying or sunning. However, I’ve left it snapped in place several times on laundry day and it stays attached and dries easily enough when assembled. So unless you’re in a huge rush to dry that diaper or you’ve had an incident that may require 360° sunning, you can skip the extra work of unsnapping and treat it just like a sewn in all-in-one.

At 14.95 you can stock up on these babies without breaking the bank. These are a fantastic value for a very luxurious feeling diaper. Bamboo lined diapers are often the turning point for a family struggling with heavy wetters or sensitive skin, and if not for workhorses like these many families would give up on cloth in frustration. Making such an effective diaper so affordable is a major boost, and the Buy One, Give One program just makes the deal that much sweeter.

It stands to reason that bamboo would be one of my favorite materials for a diaper, I love natural materials and this over achiever is an excellent example of why. I do have one small complaint regarding this particular material. After a particularly messy diaper change I washed this diaper and found it still had slight staining. I hung it on the clothesline to sun and went about my day. When I returned to the line that evening I found the stained area was bleached clean by the sun, but so was the color! My beautiful purple soaker has an abstract white design on it now. It’s possible this was an anomaly but it’s worth noting especially heavy soiling followed by sunning may lead to some color leeching. This will affect the resale value if you plan to sell your stash at some point, but the utility of the diaper is still perfect, the absorbency hasn’t changed at all. Also, I have seen this diaper soaked many times and there has never been any color transfer to my baby’s skin or clothes so it is not a safety concern.

One feature I love about this diaper is the crossover snaps. They allow the diaper to be secured extremely tight, and I have no trouble imagining this diaper fitting a newborn. The thick bamboo terry would add quite a bit of bulk, but on a newborn that added absorbency (especially around the thighs) would be just what the doctor ordered. The amazing thing is that this diaper will fit an older baby just as well, the generous cut and gentle elastic will allow a comfortable fit on a potty training toddler. I love how well it fits Harper, and with the inner completely lined in bamboo I’ve never had to worry about shifting inserts or blowouts.

This diaper is an excellent solution for parents that don’t want the hassle of a pocket diaper but may get frustrated with the long dry time of most all-in-ones (you know what I’m talking about here). It comes in great colors and designs, most of which are gender neutral. I haven’t noticed any fading on the diaper in any locations besides the area that was heavily stained, so I believe these colors will stay bright where it shows for a very long time.

You can choose hook and loop or snaps to secure this pocket diaper, and the hook and loop diaper I reviewed had just the right strength. It held strong even when Harper tugged at it, but wasn’t so tight that I couldn’t easily remove the diaper when the time came to change her. This is an issue I’ve had with other diapers so I was relieved at how perfectly this tape hit the mark.

I am constantly amazed by the prices I see on the Nicki’s site. Currently on sale, you can purchase this pocket diaper for 9.95 (and remember that you’re actually buying two diapers since one will be donated to a struggling family on your behalf). The stitch work and quality on these are impeccable and you can feel good about purchasing from a reputable company with a big heart.

The diaper has openings at the front and the back so you can easily stuff the microfiber insert in either direction. You don’t need to remove it before doing laundry, it will agitate out in the wash. This came in really handy on those days where I didn’t want my hand anywhere near the back of the diaper. I held it by the front, gave it a quick spray with my diaper sprayer, and tossed it right in the wash. No mess, no fuss.

These diapers offer a three step rise and very gentle elastic. The microfiber insert contains four layers for added absorbency and has snaps to allow for the perfect size for each rise. I imagine they would look fairly bulky on a tiny infant, and would probably stick with a newborn sized flat or prefold in this pocket to keep the diaper from overwhelming a tiny frame, but on an average sized or older baby it is perfect and the added fluff provides excellent protection.

I love the bright colors and designs available. Nicki’s offers interior linings that perfectly match the exteriors for a fun pop of color that looks fantastic. I also have to gush a little about how soft the stay dry fleece lining is, I have never felt fleece this soft before. If I were demonstrating cloth diapers to a skeptic I would probably ask them to feel the interior of a disposable diaper and the interior of this diaper and ask them which one they would prefer against their skin all day. These pocket diapers are so comfortable looking and pleasing to the eye, they make a great addition to any stash.