Lately I have had this nagging thought in my head: One day we are going to run out of cute cloth diaper names.  The good news is that this will be due to the growth of cloth diapers as an industry and the many brands that are out there and those that have yet to be made and named.  The bad news is we will not have enough cute names to go around.

The pioneers of cloth diapers had it easy.  Every synonym for “rear end” was available.

The first modern pocket diaper chose the name “Fuzzibunz”

Then the next pocket diapers came along.  bumGenius!, Happy Heineys, Rumparooz, and Smartipants.

Don’t get me wrong, not all cloth diapers reference the booty.  Some are just cute.  Kissaluvs, Lollidoo, BabyKicks, Kiwi Pie.

Then there are the just plain weird, like Krap Katchers.

I suppose there will always be room for cute names, but only so many ways you can say “butt” in a funny and adorable way.

So what do you think?  Am I underestimating the creativity of future entrepreneurs?  Or are we doomed?  And, I want to hear your favorite cloth diaper name!  Leave it in the comments!

Instead of the usual video review, I am taking a week off.  I only have 3 diapers I am reviewing and need an extra week before I am ready to publish.

So….. since many YouTube commenters and blog readers alike have asked, I took a short video to show my most used diapers.  We are definitely a pocket family.  I still have my original bumGenius! 3.0′s that I bought while pregnant.  Those make up a large percentage of what I use daily.  They are also great for my husband who gets tired of using a different diaper each change.  That is my job!

So if you didn’t see this already on Facebook, take a look!  Expect a video on how I do my cloth wipes in the future as well.

I was approached by Sprout Change to review their new cloth diaper.  I went to the website and looked at pictures and decided I would give it a shot.

Ease of Use ✰✰ Don’t get hung up on the stars too much.  This category reflects not only the size changing of a one size diaper, but also how easy it is to put on the baby and take off.  To adjust the size of this diaper takes a good amount of time.  First, I couldn’t even figure it out.  After I emailed the company I was still confused but did as she said.  Basically, the legs have slotted elastic to adjust the rise.  This can be seen in the Fuzzibunz One Size as well.  To change the size you reach into a small hole in the front of the diaper.  But how do you adjust the waist?!?!  I had a tiny rise and a giant waist.  There are only 3 snaps to choose from so it wasn’t going to snap tighter.  Instead, you have to reach into the inside of the diaper, into each tab, and find a button and the slotted elastic in there.  Getting in there isn’t the easiest thing in the world.  I would say only small fingers will do.  Daddy hands are out, unless Daddy has delicate tiny hands.  Having the size chart I was sent will be handy.  If you go by the seat of your pants and guess you might be upset when you have to do it all over again a few minutes later.

Now, once the sizing is DONE and correct, the diaper is easy to put on and off.  The point of the complicated sizing is to make everyday changes simpler.  Something I can appreciate.  Rather than having multiple snap options on the waist, you get none.  You have 3 snaps on each hip, one further in and one in line with the top snap.  That is your only choice.  I hear complaints with snap diapers that it is hard to know where to snap.  This takes to guesswork out so even a Dad or caregiver can use a snapping diaper instead of a velcro one.  It is an All in Two, and the inserts can be laid in easily and replaced with a new one.

Bang for the Buck ✰✰✰ The Sprout Change diaper runs 25.00.  This is definitely on the higher end of most cloth diapers.  It is a one size that should fit 5-40 pounds, which is a large range.  The materials of the insert are organic hemp and cotton.  And the diapers are made in the US.  This is a plus since many consumers want US made products and organic materials.  Each insert is 6.95 and that isa  great price for hemp/ cotton combo.  Plus it is really soft!

Performance ✰✰✰✰ This is the most important part, correct?  If a diaper works it will have consumers.  Well, the diaper does indeed work well.  Once you get it adjusted you are good to go.  You can use the prefold trifolded or put the prefold in the stay dry sleeve.  The sleeve is an extra step worth taking if your child need a stay dry material, but mine doesn’t.  The prefold was soft enough for me.  Hemp/ cotton is absorbent so it held the pees in well.  It is nice to use the prefold alone because you can fan it out in the back to catch the solid messes more.  If you use  the sleeve you ar emore at risk for having the mess get more on the cover than the insert.

Fit ✰✰✰✰ I really do like diapers that use elastic as their sizing system.  It is harder to adjust, but you only need to adjust it 4-6 times in a child’s diapering years.  Since the hassle makes everyday diapering easier, this is something I can live with.  I did get a very good fit for my son.  After shooting the video I had to adjust it one more time and make the rise higher, and that made it just right.  I can see this fitting a newborn, but am a little worried the waist doesn’t get large enough for bigger toddlers.  I only have one slot on each side left and this is on my skinny man.  I have 2 slots left on the rise, however.

Overall- Even though it sounds like I think this diaper is too complicated, I am just giving you a real review and my real experience.  Yes, it is hard to get adjusted.  Does  that mean you shouldn’t buy it?  Of course not.  Once you get it adjusted you are able to use it very eaily for everyday.  I would also think it should be good for daycares, even though most don’t like the snaps, there is only one choice to make for them.  I don’t think the fleece sleeve is needed, but some might.  And I would like the inside of the diaper to also be a fun color, to make reversing it worthwhile.  There are some with dual colors, but would love even more!  This diaper elminates ugly snaps in every form, on the waist and on the rise.  It give you a very clean look, something everyone should appreciate.

Where to buy:

The Willow Store

A diaper was sent for free for the purposes of this review.  All opinions expressed are 100% my own and not influence by the sponsor.

SOUTH PARIS, Maine (June 9, 2010) – In tough economic times it’s no surprise that more budget-strapped parents are switching to cloth diapers to save money. In fact, a new online survey out today conducted by Harris Interactive for DiaperShops.com, a leading online cloth diapering boutique, reveals that one-third (33%) of parents who use disposable diapers say they would be “extremely” or “very likely” to switch to cloth diapers after learning that cloth diapers could save them $2,000 over the course of their baby’s diapering years.

However, just because parents say they are willing to switch doesn’t mean they are. The survey found that only approximately one in ten parents (9%) with children in diapers (ages 0-2 years) use or have used cloth diapers. This number represents a substantial minority of the parenting population.

Kelly Wels, the founder of DiaperShops.com, says this study exposes a knowledge gap among American parents. “It is true that cloth diapers can save a family $2,000 and more over the course of their baby’s diapering years; that said, it’s evident from this survey that parents don’t know just how much is at stake by switching to cloth diapers,” she says.

Environment, Diaper Rash Top Concerns for Parents

One-third (33%) of disposable diapering parents say they would be “extremely” or “very likely” to switch to cloth diapers after they learned how disposable diapers negatively impact the environment. Experts say disposable diapers take 250-500 years to decompose in a landfill and more than 27 billion diapers end up in landfills each year.

Other key findings from the DiaperShops.com and Harris Interactive survey include:

• Moms are more likely than dads to switch to cloth diapers out of concern for the environment. Sixty percent of moms say they would be likely to switch to cloth diapers for environmental reasons, while only 49 percent of dads were likely to do so.

• Moms are more concerned about diaper rash. Almost 30 percent of moms say they would be “extremely or very likely” to switch to cloth diapers if it could ease or eliminate diaper rash. Only 19 percent of dads say diaper rash is a reason to switch. (Note: This survey was conducted just prior to the firestorm surrounding diaper rashes alleged by parents using Pampers Dry Max for their babies.) • Dads like the convenience of washing diapers at home. Forty six percent of dads who use disposable diapers for their babies say they would be “extremely likely” to switch to cloth diapers after learning that cloth diapers can easily be washed at home with only 2-3 extra loads of laundry per week. In comparison, only 35 percent of moms say they are “extremely likely” to switch for the same reason.

• Convenience is the number one reason for choosing disposable diapers. Of the 91 percent of parents with children ages 0-2 who currently use disposable diapers, an overwhelming majority (85%) cite convenience and ease of use as the main reason for their choice. Sixteen percent choose to use disposable diapers because they think that cloth diapers are more expensive.

• Financial reasons for using cloth diapers are greater for parents in the Midwest. In fact, 68 percent of parents there say they would be “extremely,” “very” or “fairly likely” to switch to cloth for financial reasons. Compare that to 55 percent in the Northeast and 52 percent in both the South and the West who say they would switch to cloth diapers to achieve financial savings.

“Cloth diapering has been a growing phenomenon among today’s modern parents, especially when parents have done their homework to learn about all of the easy-to-use cloth diapering options like FuzziBunz®, Happy Heinys, GroVia, Kissaluvs, BabyKicks and bumGenius,” said Wels. “However, even though these options exist, this survey reveals that there is a significant misinformation about cloth versus disposable diapers.”

Tereson Dupuy, the founder of FuzziBunz® and mother of the modern cloth diaper, agrees, “To solve this knowledge gap, we need conscientious parents to take an active role in learning about their diapering options and finding what truly works best for them by taking into account cost, health of baby, convenience and style. Cloth diapers have come a long way and are nothing like the diapers of yesteryear!”

About the Survey Methodology This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of DiaperShops.com from May 5-11, 2010 among 1,144 parents of children age 17 years or younger, 276 of whom have children ages 0-2 years. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact sarah@diapershops.com.

About DiaperShops.com DiaperShops.com, owned by Kelly Wels of Kelly’s Closet, Inc., is the home of five online specialty baby boutiques and diaper shops including KellysCloset.com, FuzziBunzOnline.com, OneSizeDiaperStore.com, HappyHeinys.com, and BulkClothDiaper.com. Together, these five cloth diapering boutiques under the DiaperShops.com umbrella offer one of the most comprehensive selections of modern cloth diapers and accessories. DiaperShops.com has been a trusted name in cloth diapering for nearly a decade and has served more than 50,000 customers since opening its first store, KellysCloset.com, in 2001.

Now that I am up to 31 video cloth diaper reviews published (and counting…) I thought the page containing them all needed some sprucing up.  Now, to see ALL of my videos, go to the Video Cloth Diaper reviews page.   To watch a video, click the image of the diaper.  You will be taken to the original blog post showing that video.  I used to have the videos embedded on the page, but this was becoming too much!

My dream is to have a searchable page with drop down menus.  Or, to search my what you are looking for in a diaper and find it!  Example: you want a diaper with microfleece, snaps, and one size.  Your results would have Fuzzibunz One Size, etc…  One day I will have my fancy page!  This one took forever and it still has kinks, but let me know what you think!

I have some great giveaways going on that you don’t want to miss!

First, Go Green Baby Co is giving one reader a Fuzzibunz One Size Diaper!  These are truly One Size diapers and they work great!  You can enter to win that here. Monday September 7.  Open to US.

Great Arrow, an awesome card shop that makes truly unique and quality cards for all occasions, is giving you a free card!  No entering to win!  You can order a card from their catalogue to be sent to your home to fill out, or they will enter a message for you and send straight to the recipient!!!  You don’t want to miss your chance to send out such a beautiful card to someone you care about.  AND, if you have a friend who is expecting, send their “Fold and Hold” card for a congrats!  It features a cloth diaper on the cover! Go here for your card! Last day to get a free card is Monday September 7.  Open to US.

Easy Expression™ hands free pumping bra is a great way to pump that liquid gold while working or relaxing at home!  What a pain it is to hold up the flanges to pump.  This one has relatively low entries so your chances are good!  Enter to win your choice of style, halter or strapless, here. Ends Thursday September 10.  Open to US and Canada.

Want to try a Gro Baby cloth diaper and the new Bio Soakers?!?!  Sweet Baby Bottoms is offering a Gro Baby shell set (1 shell, 1 soaker, 1 booster) and a pack of 50 Bio Soakers to the winner of this great giveaway!  Go ahead and enter here.  This contest ends Monday September 14.  Open to US and Canada.

Ease of Use ✰✰✰ The Fuzzibunz is a great diaper, but anyone who has never cloth diapered before is going to be pretty shocked at the amount of adjustments that need to be made. Plus, it has snaps which make changing a diaper harder than velcro. Once you have adjusted the diaper a couple of times and understand how it works and you get a good fit, then you will know the amount of adjustments needed the next time you need to size up.  Not shown in the video, but another cool feature is that the back elastic is adjustable as well.  Perfect for those tiny waists!
Bang for the Buck ✰✰✰✰ As one size diapers go, this one is a great price point at 18.95. It is one dollar more than Bum Genius 3.0, but I think that dollar is well spent when you consider that it will last longer than a BG 3.0 with velcro. You can cloth diaper for much cheaper but if you are looking for convenience you will want to spend that extra money.
Performance ✰✰✰✰✰ Despite a little wetness around the legs at night that happened one night, I still rate this a five. There are many reason that might have happened, including human error. I double stuff it at night, and use the longer insert during the day. The inserts are pretty thick as far as microfiber goes, so it is absorbent. The diaper is also nice and comfortable for my son.
Fit ✰✰✰✰✰ The fit is fabulous for my son, without a lot of bulk and visible snaps on the front. I think that this will fit a very small baby with relatively little bulk, and it has a nice long rise for toddlers. The cross over snaps can fit a teeny waist too.
Overall- We really love our Fuzzibunz OS diaper! If I had to do my stash all over again I would add quite a few more of the Fuzzibunz. I think if I had the option I would prefer a hemp insert for a trimmer look and more absorbency but the microfiber works well enough.

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A few of our favorite brands here at DDL have won iParenting awards!  Congratulations to Sweet Pea Diapers, whose video review you can see here, Fuzzibunz (whose One Size I will be reviewing in two weeks), Bummis, and Cottonbabies for their new Econobums!

Now, the question remains, what are Econobums?  This is the description given by iParenting:

Designed by the makers of bumGenius, we are introducing a new one-size diapering system called “econobum”. Econobum is a less expensive cloth diaper solution for every budget. Econobum is the affordable choice in cloth diapering.

Are you tingling with excitement yet?  The photo provided on the iParenting page is just a plain white diaper.  You cannot tell anything!  The product isn’t even on the market yet, but apparently you don’t have a long wait.  I decided to tweet @bumGenius with the question, “What is econobums?”  Here is what she wrote back:

What do you think it is?  A snap one size?  Pocket, All in One, All in Two?  An elastic adjusted rise?  Lets conjecture in the comments with your best guess!

***Edited for updates!  The Econobum will unveil at the ABC Kids Expo in Las Vegas September 13 and will also hit shelves in September.  The Econobums Website is now live!  Check it out.  There is a picture of a baby wearing one, presumably, but you cannot see any details. ***Rumors: Price point will be around 15.00, they are made in the US.

Every week I would like to introduce you to another Fluffy Mama.  You have already read my stories about cloth diapering, but this is a great way to understand how other moms have come to use, and love, cloth diapering.  This week, Marisa, mom to two adorable boys, 3 years and 6 months, has answered a few questions.  You can visit her blog, Sleep is for the Weak, to learn more about her and the fam!  She has also started a fantastic 365 project.

D in a Fuzzinbunz

How long have you been cloth diapering?
We’ve been CD’ing for 6 months. I didn’t CD with my first because of how living situation was at the time and honestly I was naïve to the whole situation. Once he was older and I explored the Internet more I learned about it a lot.

What made you decide to start?
As G (my 3 year old) got older, I started to learn about alternative ways of parenting. Other than the mainstream you see. I was young when I had him so most of what was told to me by those who were concerned, was the opposite of our parenting style now. I started doing research into them and gathered up the information to bring to my husband. I knew he’d be the hardest of everyone to convince. I was right!

When we learned we were pregnant with our son D, I decided to push forward with it even more. I thought that it was not only better for the environment; it was cheaper in the long run and quite adorable. I figure if I was having boys, I wanted something cute for myself to put them in. All in all, the idea of saving the $ we’d spend on disposables was the most appealing to me. I finally won the CD battle and after the hurdle in the start after our son was born, we both grew to really love them. My husband is a big fan now and doesn’t mind washing them if I ask him.

What was your first purchase and why?
Oh goodness, I think my first purchase was a BG! Why? I had heard from a lot of friends that they were a great diaper and they just raved about them. I have since grown our stash of BG’s. I couldn’t tell you the count.

How much do you think you have spent on your diapers total? This includes all children…
A good $400+. We purchased 12 fuzzibunz before D was born. We also have a local CD store that I love going to, my husband has to stop me because when I’ve seen they’ve stocked up, I want to go haha. I have also gotten quite a few from friends who’s children have outgrown them and are done having kids.

Have your family/ friends been supportive?
Our families thought we were crazy when they found out at first. Then, as they were around it more, they became much more supportive. My mom CD my brother in the early 80’s and assumed it was the same way then. I explained to her all the different sorts of diapers that are out there now and she’s fully on board. She even wants to learn how to make some. MyMILhas washed them for us when we traveled downstate to visit. So they have become much more supportive as time has passed. Friends really don’t get it because most of them don’t have children. Those who do, commend us.

What has been the most rewarding aspect of cding?
Saving money, not putting disposables into the landfills. Knowing that I may not be doing some large change but I am doing a part in making a change.

What is your favorite diaper to use?
Our BG OS’ and Fuzzibunz. I love them both. I don’t have a very big variety of diapers yet because it took D so long to grow into what we have. Now that he’s chubbier, I plan on getting more so who knows, it could be replaced as a favorite soon!

What has been the biggest challenge to your success at cding? (ie, washing, money, leakage, fit, etc)
Leaking! We had some bad leaking for a little bit but we finally got it under control. I had moments of wanting to give up because I felt every change was going to soak his outfit but luckily we got it fixed and all is well again. We had some fit problems in the start but that wasn’t because of the diapers, the kiddo was small. The biggest challenge is to not give up and give in to what is easier when something goes wrong and we didn’t.

If you want to be a featured Fluffy Mama and share your love of cloth, shoot me an email!  kdhoney1@gmail.com