Today I’m vlogging about my favorite things.

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Many of you have already experienced a washing session, but if you haven’t, you will likely do so today.  I am so amazed and humbled and in awe of the blog posts, tweets, notes, and forum threads regarding the Challenge.  Some of you are going above and beyond the rules.  Others are finding new and exciting ways to fold, wash, or cover your flats.  I’m going to be posting links to some of these awesome finds this week, but I want to wait since I know there will be more to come!  Today is a short post but I’ve got another Vlog for you and some pictures!

Our day yesterday was quite good and easy.  Granted, there weren’t any poops.  This means today I am in for it!  Overnight both boys had flats on.  Everett wore a diaperbag folded flat (tutorial on Padded Tush Stats) in an Econobum Cover and Fletcher wore a pad folded flat in a Weehuggers overnight.  I washed diapers and hung them to dry this morning so hopefully in a few hours they will be dry.  I talk all about our first day and washing in the vlog.

Diaperbag fold- used overnight for Everett

Pad folded flat in a Flip OS cover

close up

seeing some sunshine

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Today I was checking my facebook and on the right side I saw a sponsored ad for Pampers:

I was already having a bad day, and this sent me over the edge.  If it is to be taken literally, they are donating (1) singular disposable diaper per fan.  According to their fan page (of which I am definitely not a fan of!) they will donate up to 200,000 diapers.  So, lets say they reach their goal.  And, let me first tell you I am not a math whiz…..  so if you find fault with my numbers remember I was have a degree in History!

200,000 disposable diapers.

I am using the number 10- 10 diaper changes a day.

How many babies do you suspect they can diaper?

55 babies for 1 year.

That’s right, they can diaper a whopping 55 babies for a year with 200,000 disposables.

Let’s dive further into this word problem:

The cost of a pack of Pampers Cruisers size 3 costs 21.99 on multiple websites I have found.  Each pack has 52 diapers.

The grand total of their contribution- retail value- is………… drumroll please…………

$84,676!

Now, I am going to use Econobum as my model for this exercise.  The full kit costs 49.95 for 3 one size covers and 12 prefolds.  Granted, 12 prefolds for a newborn won’t go far, but you can wash daily for a while.

Guess how many babies you could cloth diaper with $84, 676 if you purchased each one an Econobum kit?

Ready………

1, 691!!!!

And, assuming the diapers and covers last, this number could be multiplied times two, or three… or more.  Cloth diapers get passed on to siblings, family, get sold online or locally, or given away/ donated.

This is all quick math, and obviously there are other circumstances.  Econobum, in my opinion, won’t fit a newborn.  So other cloth diapers or newborn disposables would be needed until they fit.  My main point is this:

“Give a family a pack of disposables, diaper a baby for a week.  Give a family a cloth diaper kit, diaper a baby(s) for a lifetime.”

For the record, this ad is not geared towards Haiti relief.  Many people who saw my Facebook status remarked about the lack of water to wash diapers, sanitary issues etc.  I am not getting into that, though as the lovely Upstatemomof3 from Our Life Upstate pointed out, “If the orphanage in Ethiopia can cloth diaper fifteen babies without a washing machine there really is no excuse that seems reasonable to me as to why cloth diapering does not work for some.”  And she should know!  She traveled with cloth diapers and used them in Ethiopia.

I first saw the Econobum at ABC Kids Expo in September.  I already knew about it from stumbling across the iParenting award it won before its release.  I blogged about it back in August, and many of you heard about it here first!  I knew it would be a diaper I had to try, and thanks to Kelly’s Closet- a total one stop shop for cloth diapers- I was able to.

The Econobum isn’t “cute” like other cloth diapers.  It is super simple, bare bones, and extremely economical.  Bum Genius 3.0 will NEVER have snaps, so Econobum fills that need (and the Flip) but as a cover.  It only comes in white, and to keep prices down, will always be that way.  You could use it as a cover with other diapers like fitteds, or use and of the the Flip inserts with the Econobum as well.

I sent out a cry for help and Kelly’s Closet answered.  I am happy to get the opportunity to review both the Econobum and the Flip (coming soon) thanks to them.  Kelly’s Closet has the widest selection of cloth diapers I have ever seen.  And, don’t forget you can earn Diaper Dollars when you shop at Kelly’s Closet.

Psst… want to shop?  Use my affiliate link to support Dirty Diaper Laundry.

Ease of Use ✰✰✰ The Econobum is fairly easy. 4 snaps to affix total for each change. The prefold needs to be folded to size each change and placed in the diaper. It can be tricky to keep it in place while the baby is wriggling around. It can slide around and you might have to start from square one. Since there is no panel to hold the prefold in place that might make it harder in that department than other covers. It is easy to launder, no laundry tabs to affix or inserts to pull out. Prefolds are notoriously easy to wash and almost indestructible. *** You should be able to fold the prefolds 3 different ways.  I see that you could only fold it one way and have it fit all 3 sizes.  If you want more absorbency up front you can fold it over in the front as shown.  I never found that necessary.  I’m not sure the third way to fold it.

Bang for the Buck ✰✰✰✰✰ No complaints there at at. Econobums have a cheap price point at 9.99 for 1 cover and 1 prefold. You save more when you buy bulk. Buy a kit of 3 covers and 12 prefolds and it will run you 49.99 full price.  (psst.. they are on sale currently.  Find them for 39.96 or 7.96 for one at Kelly’s Closet) You do get what you pay for though: 1 layer of PUL, no frills, and unbleached cotton prefolds.
Performance ✰✰✰✰ I have no complaints about the Econobum. The prefold properly prepped was absorbent enough for night time and regular use. I never had leaking issues in any situation, laying down, side sleeping, or running wild. I will say my son is at the sweet spot of sizes, the middle snap, so I couldn’t test this on the newborn snap rise or unsnapped.
Fit ✰✰✰ The fit is very bulky, but then again, any trifolded prefold is going to give your baby a booty shelf.  Prefolds and trim rarely go together.  The snaps were pretty close together for my son, so I wonder how tiny of a waist they would fit?  Width wise I think it would last fine.

Overall- I wouldn’t say I could have a stash of these, but I see the audience they are intended for.  You want simple and cheap?  This is for you.  If you are wishing to test the waters of cloth diapering without a huge up front investment, you could also benefit.  This could also be a good supplement to a stash needing more time between washing with less money spent.  My major complaints are with the thinness of the PUL.  Overnight I could smell the urine through my son’s diaper and PJ’s.  Since he sleeps with me it wasn’t a very welcome smell to wake to.  This isn’t after the buildup of ammonia either, it started after just prepping them for use.  The covers are flimsy and I worry about the snaps stretching the PUL when you undo them.  I also did not like that the back of the snaps is exposed, which left snap marks on my son’s skin.  You have to be careful where you place the prefold inside, and if it shifts as they move around you could still have the problem.  However, when you NEED cloth diapers and can’t afford a stash of Bum Genius 3.0, this can save you tons of money.

The internet has made it back into my (new) home. I wasn’t expecting to be without for so long, so I have lots of catching up to do. Unfortunately all of my videos are made on the desktop, and it isn’t hooked up yet since the room it will be hooked into just got electricity today. I know a lot of you are waiting for the Econobum and Flip review. In due time, I promise.

In the meantime I will be posting some reviews and giveaways not related to cloth diapering.

This post has been submitted to the ParentingbyNature blog contest.  I wrote this post and decided after the fact that it would be a perfect fit.  I am really proud of this particular post, and when I wrote it I was almost crying!  I hope if my post is selected as a finalist that you will vote for me.  Thank you!

Many of you know that I attended ABC Kids Expo this year. Attending also gave me the unique opportunity to attend the RDIA‘s (Real Diaper Industry Association) keynote meeting as press. I live tweeted the event as much as possible, but missed quite a bit since my son was a tad cranky. We were out of our time zone and things were just difficult. The fact that Pampers has been slyly dropping “facts” about cloth diapers being bad for our babies (see this post) made me think back to Jen’s, creator of Bum Genius and Cotton Babies, outgoing keynote speech at that meeting. Jen was the Chairperson of the RDIA and gave the reigns over to Leah Carter who is the woman behind Better for Babies (Little Beetle cloth diapers).

Jen gets loads of credit for helping usher in the modern cloth diaper revolution. Without her Bum Genius 3.0, and now the supremely affordable Econobum line and versatile Flip line, some parents may have never even heard of cloth diapers or attempted them. I began with Bum Genius 3.0′s because of their rave reviews on Diaper Pin. I was able to convince my husband to cloth diaper after showing him the 3.0′s that I purchased in North Carolina. My first brand new cloth diaper purchase; it felt so good and I fondled them forever. I put them on a teddy bear while I anxiously awaited the birth of my son. My point is the Bum Genius is a household name for cloth diapers. Ask any cd’ing mama if they have heard of them and they say yes. You can find them at some Targets even!

In the speech Jen made she notes a few things that could be coming for the industry. First, that disposable diaper companies will be (and obviously already are) taking notice of the cloth diaper industry. This means a few things. One, that they will step up their efforts to slander cloth diapers by releasing either bogus and unverified scientific evidence about the healthiness of their diapers and the harmfulness of cloth. This is evident in the Pampers quotes. Two, that they may even try to fund (and influence) studies to back up these claims. This isn’t unheard of; already there are studies claiming that disposables are no worse or even better than cloth diapers on the environment. This study says the water used to wash diapers and the manufacturing of the diapers is just as bad as throwing THOUSANDS of diapers in the landfill. Third, that if they can’t beat them, they may join them. Meaning, big companies like P&G could begin making their own cloth diapers or buy out an existing smaller cloth diaper company. This one actually scares me the most. I shudder at the thought of a behemoth company making cloth diapers. I love supporting cloth diaper companies because the majority of them are small, family run, companies started by Stay at Home Moms. Even the larger companies like Bum Genius are still run by the orginal creator. Jen’s story is pretty amazing. She started her company from nothing and is now the most recognized cloth diaper brand. No matter what you think about her, her company, or her diaper you have to respect her commitment, business savvy, and ability to start so many families on cloth diapers. We were a Bum Genius family, and still use them as the workhorse of out stash. There are plenty of diapers I like more, and plenty I like less.

What I am trying to convey is that cloth diapers are making a come back.  If P&G, a multi-million dollar company, is shaking in their boots about what this means for their profits then we know we are on to something.  Getting the message out about our “real” diapers is crucial.  The more they slander cloth diapers, the more we have to praise them.  Think back to when you began researching cloth diapers.  What if you heard that they weren’t really that great for the environment.  Would you have believed that?  Maybe.  Or what if you were told cloth diapers would give your child a cold or impair their ability to learn.  A little crazy but you didn’t know any better.  Maybe you would have thought twice about cloth diapers.  Just maybe, you would have picked up a box of Pampers.  We have to spread the message more to combat these falsities and outright lies.  If our community bands together and continues converting moms, aiding them in their research, showing off our diapers at play groups, changing our babies in public, putting our babies in baby legs and cute fluff, and evangelizing on Twitter, Facebook, Mommy Forums, and blogs, we can grow our grassroots cloth campaign.  We are all onto something great that is bigger than ourselves.  I know this sounds overdramatic, but I am extremely proud of our cloth diapering community.  We help one another, we care about the earth, our babies, and the futire.  We have begun a new era, but we have also come full circle.  Our grandmothers didn’t have a choice but we do.

I want to quote Erin Kimmet, creator and President of Thirsties, who said this in a Q&A I had with her (not published yet but I have to share this now. I love it) “I hope that when my kids have kids of their own, and when my grandkids have kids, they will refer to the past 30 years in history as the diaper-dark-ages! And they can brag about how their mom was a part of the diaper revolution!”

Viva la Cloth!  Viva la Revolution!

UPDATE: Kelly’s Closet has generously offered to send the Flip and Econobum for review.  I am very grateful to them for making these reviews happen.  I know the videos will help parents who are trying to decide between the two, or who are wondering how the Flip/ Gro Baby systems differ.  I am also so happy at the comments I have received to far.  Thank you all for helping me decide, and to those of you who emailed or commented that you would allow me to borrow your own diapers for the video.  I am really truly beyond amazed at all of your kindness.  You all have assured me that keeping the blog going is the right thing to do as well.  Though I may sometimes skip a few days, I am still here.  But family is first!  I can’t wait to bring you these reviews and the other diapers waiting in the wings.  Plus, December is going to be amazing.  I can’t wait to tell you what is in store.  Just think Fluffy Christmas!

I am conflicted about doing a Flip and Econobum review.  For those of you who aren’t familiar with the brands, these are new diapering systems from the makers of Bum Genius.  The FLIP is a snapping cover with a snap down rise to make it one size, and you can use it with stay dry inserts or organic cotton or disposable inserts.  The Econobum is meant as an introductory cloth diaper.  It is 9.99 for a plain white snapping cover, and it comes with a one size prefold that is divided is squares to fold different ways for different sizes.

I aim to bring readers video reviews of diapers to help you decide what diapers are best for your family, and to help you compare them to others you may be considering.  I have done reviews of diapers I own, and at this point, am usually sent the diapers to review.  To bring you as many reviews as possible, I have to do this.  Otherwise, I would spend more money than I have buying diapers for reviews.

Bum Genius doesn’t really send diapers out for review at this time.  This is fine, not everyone does!  But, I know a lot of you are interested in seeing a video of the Flip and Econobum.  I was very close to buying them both last night but then I talked myself out of it, for good reason.  40.00 for them all.  I am saving my money to buy the longies being knit for my son’s first bday.

If you want to see a video review of the Flip and/or Econobum, keep me in mind while shopping for diapers.  If you are shopping at Kelly’s Closet, use my affiliate link.  I made a percentage of the sale, which I can turn into diapers to review.  Or, if you just happen to own a diaper store that carries these items and you are reading this, consider sponsoring the diapers to be reviewed.

There have been many diapers I have wanted to buy to review, but again, I have to be rational.  Do I need more diapers?  Absolutely not!  Should I be pouring money into this website instead of my son’s birthday?  No again.  But I would still like to do my reviews!

Day 1 in Vegas has been equally frustrating and awesome. We has a 6 am flight to Chicago. That didn’t go so well. There was so much fog that we couldn’t land and had to circle over lake michigan for over an hour. Missed my connecting and after some sniffles was able to be bumped up on the standby list. Baby and crying mom equal sympathy. We made it to Vegas and my luggage was there! I want to say that Fletcher was amazing. I took a shuttle to the hotel and after a shower and quick lunch we made it to ABC Kids Expo.

After spending 3 hours there I don’t even feel like I scratched the surface.

Now, what you have all been waiting for… What is the Econobum?
Here it is.
Snaps, one size cover that comes with a one size prefold. The prefold is divided in sections, it looks to be 12 squares. This is supposed to aid you in folding it down for smaller sizes. The cover only comes in white.
Price: 9.99 with one prefold and one cover. For less than 150 you can get enough of these to create a whole stash. They are made in Egypt.

What else did BG have up their sleeve?

Their second new item…
Flip!
Flip is a multi purpose system. It is the same sizing as their other diapers, and it functions like an all in two. You can use it with one size micro fiber inserts that have a stay dry top layer. You can also use it with an organic cotton insert. And they also have a disposable insert you can purchase seperately. This cover comes in zinnia, moonbeam, and ribbit signature BG colors.

Cottonbabies has already put these items on their webpage so give it a look. I will tell you more about what I think of them soon. You will be able to buy them through CB late October. Retailers may not get the Flip until January.

I am also really excited about the new Beco carrier which will allow babies to face forward. They have some really good ideas on how to keep the baby and parent comfortable while holding your baby. Plus, their prints are fab!

Beco Gemini front facing and more

The biggest highlight of the show so far was actually a new product by Kissaluvs. It won’t be out for a few months but I will ne reviewing it is the near future. I am really, really impressed with this diaper. When you finally get to see it you will say, “why didn’t I think of that?”