Once upon a time the only way to diaper your baby was in cloth.  Before washing machines were common in the home you either had to handwash or you could use a diaper service.  Once disposable diapers became the norm and pushed cloth diapers out of mainstream life, the diaper service business took a hit.  Some family owned diaper services are still running today, like the Dydee Diaper Service in LA that started in 1938.  Others had to shut their doors.  Today cloth diapers are making a comeback.  Just like cloth diaper sales rising in recent years, more diaper services are opening as well.  Learn more about cloth diaper services and see if they are right for you.

How Does it Work?

The specifics for a diaper service are going to be unique to each location.  In general though, you can expect all or some of the following:

You will choose from a plan that offers a certain number of diapers (typically prefolds) each week.

The clean diapers will be delivered to your home each week, along with a wet bag or garbage bag.

Your starter package will usually include a plastic diaper pail.

You will leave your dirty diapers for the service to pick up.

You will usually have to provide your own covers, although some services do include them.

You will usually have to wash your own covers.  Luckily, most covers can even be washed with regular laundry.

The diapers will have the same PH as your baby’s skin.  Unlike home laundering, you are guaranteed not to have stink/ammonia/buildup on your diapers that could irritate baby and cause rashes.

You are usually required to have your own Snappi.

Many services do not require you to shake out solid waste, but some will.  Take that into consideration as your research.

Why Choose a Diaper Service over Home Laundering?

Why not?- If you have the means, and would prefer to cloth diaper without having to deal with washing them, then why not?

Both Parents Work Full Time- If both parents work full-time there are only so many hours in the day.  Some families would like to cloth diaper but don’t want that added responsibility and time commitment of washing diapers.

Disability- One or both parents have a disability that prevents them from being able to wash diapers easily.

Simplicity- Sometimes it is just plain nice to use prefolds and covers and not have to worry about washing/stuffing/folding/choosing cloth diapers.

Travel- If you are traveling, especially for longer stays, you can use a service in your desired location during that time in order to keep using cloth diapers when you are away from a washer. ( I have done this twice)

What Does It Cost?

Again, this is unique to your region.  Here are a few samples of a typical Diaper Service and costs:

Bundle Baby Shop- Service area includes: Boulder/Denver

$20.00 a week (23.00 for organic prefolds).  OR $33.00 per week for a Fuzzibunz Service.

The Diaper Fairy- Service area includes: Louisville, KY and Southern Indiana

$18-20.00 per week (depending on how many diapers are in your package.) OR “A Wave of the Wand” Wash your diapers is $23.00 a week.

Diaper Kind- Service area includes: New York City

$35 per week for Organic Prefold Service OR $50 per week for All-in-Two Service

Diaper Junction- Servicing most of the Hamptons Roads area!

$20.00 Per Week For Full Time OR $13.00 per Week for a Part Time Service

The cost will still be less than disposable diapers in most cases, however you will be paying more than if you decided to launder your diapers at home.  You can expect that most services will require a set-up fee which will sometimes include items you will need such as a pail, covers, wet bags, and accessories.  You may also be required to buy a minimun number of weeks.

Gifting a Diaper Service for New Moms

Many parents hoping to cloth diaper will request not to receive disposable diapers at their baby shower (I know I requested this).  Since diapers are a traditional gift, you may want to purchase a diaper service for those first few weeks for the Mom-to-Be.  While Mom is healing and having her babymoon this makes a perfect, thoughtful gift.  This also helps bridge the gap between a newborn size set of diapers and One Size diapers that many parents will buy.  Not having to buy a seperate set of newborn diapers will save money.  Tiny Tots is one service that has an option to gift a service, typically for 4-6 weeks.  Most services do offer this newborn timeframe.

Pros vs Cons

I have only used a diaper service myself on two vacations.  It was a very painless event.  The diapers were all clean and stain free and in good condition.  It was very nice to get a vacation from washing my diapers while still getting to use cloth diapers.  To dismiss diaper services would be a mistake.  There are many options for families hoping to use cloth diapers and the Diaper Service is one that is making a comeback.

To find a diaper service near you visit the Diaper Service Locator.

Just for fun: Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe- the Diaper Service Episode

Yesterday I posted my Intro to Cloth Diapers video on Prefolds.

Today I have 4 video tutorials for how to do different folds using a prefold.

1. the “Jelly Roll”

This is a great fold for newborns because the legs are rolled in, giving you a pocket to contain the liquid newborn poops.  It is also easy enough that anyone can do it.

2. the “Angel Wing” fold.

I used this fold with my first son almost exclusively in his newborn phase because it was quick and easy.  Hubby was even able to do it.

3. the “Bikini Twist” fold.

A common complaint about prefolds (and cloth in general) is that it is bulky between the legs.  This fold narrows the prefold in the crotch which is good for mobile babies.  This also could be problematic for runny poop, FYI.

4. the “Trifold”

Easy as 1,2,3.  In 5 seconds you can fold a prefold, lay it in a cover, and apply it to your baby.  Some covers are better suited for this though, so be aware of that.  Look for covers with flaps made for this or ones that are more “channeled” between the legs and less poofy and round.

I hope you all find these videos easy to follow and informative.  Prefolds are not scary.  What they are is cheap.  Cheap is good.

In this installment of the neverending “Introduction to Cloth Diapers” series I’m talking ’bout Prefolds. You know, the diaper your rich grandma or young grandma may have used.

There was a time when the Prefold was the “luxe” diaper.  Flat cloth diapers, the very large squares of fabric, required lots of folding to use.  Prefolds, which have more layers in the middle strip  called the “wet zone,” only required minimal folding around the baby.  They can come in white (bleached) or brownish/tan (unbleached.  Unbleached prefolds have natural oils and take longer to prep (multiple washings to reach max absorbency).

Prefolds are rectangular diapers with more layers of cotton (or chosen fabric sewn into the center, and less on each side.  Most prefolds are 4x8x4 layers.  The most common prefolds are Chinese or Indian.  Many brands have colored stitching to help visually tell their sizes.

Today many people see a prefold and think “Geeze, that looks hard” but it doesn’t have to be.

There are lots of reasons to love prefolds, they:

• Are affordable.  A dozen will run between 15 and 40 dollars but you can find them even cheaper used.  Used prefolds should cost more because the work of “prepping” is already done.
• Can take a beating.   Prefolds are very durable and should last through more than 2 kids, but probably even longer.  When it finally starts showing wear, they make excellent dusting rags.
• Are easy to wash.  DSQ (diaper service quality) Prefolds are cotton, and no matter if you have Indian or Chinese, they wash the same.  It would take a lot of abuse to cause a prefold to have detergent buildup.

There are a few downsides to prefolds, they:

• Are sized (usually) and it can be hard to decipher the dimensions and thread colors to choose what will fit your baby.  You will never need every size available.  Many babies skip the preemie and possibly even the newborn size.  Others never get large enough for the large or toddler, or potty train early.
• Have a higher learning curve.  (lucky for you I have videos for that)
• Intimidating at first.
• Take longer to dry than some diapers.
• Are bulkier than many pockets or AIO‘s.
• Need to be prepped more than most pockets or AIO‘s.

The prefolds in the video are Cloth-Eeze brand from greenmountaindiapers.com.

One you have a prefold picked out you will need a good cover.  Prefolds are useless (unless you are giving baby some breathing time) unless your cover is doing a good job.  Intro to Covers coming soon…

I first heard about the Meg a Roo’s Extended Tab Prefold on Facebook. There was a lot of chatter about how great they were. I looked them up and decided that they were genius. Why didn’t I think of that? The simple addition of longer tabs at the back of the prefold gives you much more fabric to work with when putting the prefold on the baby. This really gives you a little more wear out of them and make life easier in general. Plus, these prefolds can be purchased in fun prints or colors.

Ease of Use ✩✩✩✩ For a prefold, these are easy. You can see in my video that it didn’t take very long at all to pull it over my son and secure it. Once the baby gets to prime wriggling stage it might get harder but those tabs will help. Honestly, people think prefolds are hard but it takes less time to snappi these easy prefolds on and put on a velcro cover than it takes to put on some of the snapping pocket diapers.

Bang for the Buck ✩✩✩ Usually when you hear prefold you expect a very low priced diaper- between 2-6 dollars each. Because these are not mass produced, DSQ, regular plain ol’ prefolds they cost more. They come in designer prints, they are handmade, and they are just a little more special. The infat is 8.00, mid-range is 10, and premium size is 12.

Performance ✩✩✩✩ I loved these prefolds for overnight! They are actually less bulky than many of my fitteds (but bulkier than a pocket or AIO) so they fit a little better under my son’s pajamas. My son is an average wetter and these were absorbent enough for all night without having to add any extra doublers.

Fit ✩✩✩✩ You can choose from 3 sizes. The added tabs give you more width and so you might be able to use your prefold longer than a regular rectangular version. They are bulkier than other diapers and I mostly use them at night but I am not someone who complains about those things.

Overall: There are lots of mamas who love prefolds and choose them above other, fancier diapers. The Meg a Roo’s make prefolds even easier and give you something to look at. I kept telling myself that I could see myself having a stash of these and not minding one bit, and maybe even liking it!

 

 

 

Leave a Review

I was sent a Meg a Roo’s Entended Tab prefold for the purpose of this review, no other compensation was received.  All opinions are 100% my own and genuine.

I was asked to review Real Nappies, a system that is fairly new to me and to the US, and was happy to do so.  After all, that is what I do!  The diapers came and although simple looking, they are effective and easy to use.  The diapers were developed in New Zealand and can be found in mainstream grocery stores there.  How exciting!  In the US they are pretty new to the market.

You can also view Real Nappies’ videos and different folds on their Youtube.

Ease of Use ✰✰✰✰ I found the system very easy to use, but I also have experience with trifolding prefolds to put in covers.  It makes it easier that the cover uses velcro tabs so once the prefold is in the cover you can just put it on like a disposable.  To change, remove the old dirty prefold and place a new one in the cover.

Bang for the Buck ✰✰✰✰ I am pretty happy with their prices.  If you want to simplify your life and order just one type of diaper, you can choose their Birth to Potty Package which is on sale for 500.00.  You can also get smaller packages for each stage since these are sized covers.  These run 69.00.  The covers alone are 12.00.  They are very well made and prefolds are notoriously durable so I do think they would last through multiple children.  Real Nappies also has a 2 Child Guarantee.

Performance ✰✰✰✰ While as simple as they come this is an effective cloth diapering system.  I personally always use a trifold, which is in the video.  Real Nappies has girl and boy specific folds which aren’t needed for me.  The prefolds are very absorbent and can hold quite a bit.  His poops are pretty solid so I couldn’t test the legs to see if they held in wet poops or not.

Fit ✰✰✰ The only issue I really had with the diaper at all was the way the tabs work.  The diaper feels stiff and I have to really work to get them where I want them, which is against the nature of the way they are sewn.  Does that make any sense at all?  Otherwise the diaper in the medium fit him well.

Overall- I quite liked the diaper.  I see the appeal of having a simple and easy to wash system.  Unline pockets which have a synthetic liner, prefolds are easier to care for and are less likely to get soap buildup.  They are easier to bleach if necessary also.  The cover is a thick durable PUL but doesn’t look as comfortable as others.  Plus, it doesn’t have leg gussets, a feature I like for younger babies with loose stools.  The covers come in a few other colors, and I just saw a very adorable swim diaper if you are in the market for one of those as well!

This post is part of the Cloth Diaper Carnival from Cloth Diapering Bloggers (Ning network) and Dirty Diaper Laundry.  Each participant write about the chosen topic, this month is Newborn Cloth Diapering, and links up using the MckLinky.  Please visit the other participants listed at the end of the post.

Newborn Cloth Diapering is challenging for many reasons.  If this is the first time you are cloth diapering, ever, it is even more challenging in some ways.  If you have cloth diapered an older baby but never a newborn, you have some ideas about the diapers you want to use and how to cloth diaper in general.

I was totally new to the whole thing.  Babies, cloth diapers, and cloth diapering a newborn.  I was armed with months worth of research, but had never put a cloth diaper on a real baby.  I did practice on a humiliated teddy bear, who was sporting a Bum Genius 3.0 for months before my son arrived.  Teddy also sat very still while I practiced snapping prefolds.

When I decided to cloth diaper, it became an obsession.  I would say I was a little more prepared than some moms because I scoured the internet for any information.  I joined cloth diaper message boards and picked the brains of other parents.  I read reviews of every diaper imaginable before I made purchases.  I stalked Diaperswappers for deals on used diapers I wanted to try but didn’t want to invest the full amount on, just in case it wasn’t for us.

My newborn stash ended up being

24 preemie unbleached indian prefolds.

36 Infant bleached DSQ (chinese) prefolds.

4 XS Thirsties covers.

I had many more cloth diapers, but they were one size or size small.  I went with prefolds and covers based on the feedback from other parents.  The concensus was that one size diapers didn’t fit babies until between 10-14 pounds without leaking.  And it wasn’t in my budget to buy XS AIO diapers or pockets, as cute as they were.

I spent many hours prepping the large amount of prefolds I had.  I went with the boiling method since my washer/ dryer were down 2 flights of stairs and washing them 10 times + would have killed by pregnant self.  Boiling was a mistake.  It steamed my apartment and “cleaned” years of dirt off of the walls.  Fun times.

The moment of truth arrived when we brought our new baby boy home from the hospital.  I began using my cloth diapers here and there the first days of his life.  He did have two meconium poops in cloth diapers and they didn’t stain.  We didn’t exclusively use them because the covers would rub his cord stump, which didn’t look very comfortable for him.

At the two week mark we started cloth diapering about 80% of the time.  We didn’t always use them at night because frankly I was delirious from lack of sleep, and having to put on a prefold then a cover in the middle of the night, multiple times, was hard for me and my husband.  Even though at first my hubby was hesitant about prefolds and vowed to never use them, he did, and did a great job.

We did run into an issue.  My son kept getting a red bum from the prefolds.  It didn’t look like a rash, there were no bumps, just redness.  I asked mommies on my forum and they thought it could be from having wetness against his skin.  I ran to my nearest fabric store and purchased some fleece, then cut them into contoured liners hoping this would help.  Of course, right after that he stopped having that problem.  I think his skin was just extra sensitive from being a new baby, and he grew out of it.

Some lessons I learned:

Unless you know you made tiny babies, preemie prefolds are not necessary.  I heard the infant ones were too large at first.  My son wore preemie prefolds for all of a week before I could hardly snappi them.  Had I known, I could have trifolded them and put them in the cover, but I didn’t.

I bought 36 infant prefolds and never touched at least 16 of them.  I washed pretty often at first, every 1.5-2 days.  I could have gone longer but didn’t.  I either should have waited longer to wash or bought less!

Even with 4 covers I didn’t use them all!  Don’t go overboard with the covers.  4-6 is plenty.

Cut yourself a break.  The wash routine, the snapping, the folding, everything will come about.  You have a brand new baby and the number one thing is keeping them happy and fed.  If you run out of clean diapers and you are sleepy, get your hubby to wash or grab a sposie or two that you surely own thanks to the hospital.  GASP.  I said it…

Breastfeeding was the most awesome thing because the poop was washable.  Kinda gross to think about, but Exclusive Breastfed babies have water soluble poops.  And, the poop doesn’t smell that bad either!  Just put your diaper in the wetbag, poop still in it, then wash.  You won’t have to worry about spraying or scraping poop out of your baby’s diaper until they begin solids, around 4-6 months for most babies.

And finally, don’t expect your one size diapers to fit perfectly from day one.  While I did start using my Bum Genius 3.0′s after he was a few weeks old, I had leaks until he was around 12-13 pounds.

Now that you have read my story, go read the other awesome entries about cloth diapering newborns.

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At last, the day is here!  After many set backs, I can now post the Flip System Video Review.

The Flip Cloth Diapering system is an innovative “create your own adventure” sort of cloth diaper.  The staple of the system is the cover, a waterproof, one size cover using the same snap down 3 step rise system as the Bum Genius.  The inside of the cover is laminate PUL that can be wiped clean between uses.  The closure uses snaps.  To absorb the messes, Flip has given you three options.  A stay dry, microfiber soaker which is one size.  An organic cotton soaker that can be folded to fit different sizes.  And, disposable inserts which are dye and fragrance free, to make traveling with cloth diapers a little easier!

Ease of Use ✰✰✰ With so many options, there are a lot of different things to learn when using the Flip. The Stay Dry insert is easy enough, and is even marked with a stitched line and wording letting you know where to fold for the size. The organic cotton insert has a grid pattern. While this seems helpful, and it can be, I prefer to just fold where I see fit. You can do that, but since the stitching makes a “crease” it stays folded better where the lines are. The disposable inserts are very skinny, and there is lots of excess room on the sides. Length wise, you can fold it to fit if you need to. But, if you aren’t careful, you could have leaking because there is room for error with these. I think practice will help you get the hang of how each insert should go, and if you need to fold one way, or another way. But if you get a leak or two in the beginning, don’t despair! Just rethink how you are using the insert!
Bang for the Buck ✰✰✰✰ A good economical choice with a lot of options. There aren’t many cloth diapers with the choice of a disposable insert. Even the 4.95 for a pack of disposable inserts goes a long way if you only need one per change. Because the Flip is just a cover, you also have the option of buying less expensive, or even pre-loved prefolds to use as inserts also. The cover can be purchased alone for 13.95, a great price for a stand alone cover. If you buy the kits, ranging in price, you save more money than buying separate inserts and covers. The disposable inserts can only be bought alone, they do not come with any kits.
Performance ✰✰✰✰ I personally found the stay dry and organic inserts to be sufficiently absorbent. The Organic insert washed up soft, and has stayed pretty soft (I use Ecover cloth diaper safe softener on occasion to keep things soft!). Overnight use went well for us, but my son isn’t a very heavy wetter. The stay dry insert is a little slim, and can move around some. It didn’t cause a leak, but if you have a bowel movement, there is a good chance that it will make it into the cover as well. Absorbency was good for us. I was impressed that the stay dry insert looked so simple, and worked well. It seems almost too easy! I used the disposable inserts for a flight I took recently. We had him in a Flip, packed a rolled up cover (which gets tiny! Super handy for the diaper bag!) and lots of inserts. I had enough to last me for more than a day, and it took up no more space than 3-4 cloth diapers. I used 2 inserts overnight before we left and had no leaking! And over the day I used 1 insert for each change. On one occasion I knew I couldn’t change him for a couple of hours, so I used 2, one folded in front for extra protection. This worked great for us, and held all of the pee, no problems. I was nervous, they look so thin, but they held up well.
Fit ✰✰✰✰ The sizing looks identical to the Bum Genius, and the method is the same. With snap closures you lose the ability to cross the tabs over, something to consider for small babies. If using the organic inserts, there is going to be some bulk. You get shelf booty in the back, like usual with trifolded prefolds in a cover. The stay dry insert is very trim, but the cover sized to a medium and a medium set insert will have some excess fabric. It will be smooshed down by pants or shorts though. The same holds true for the disposable insert. It is VERY trim, but there might be some extra fabric in the cover. The legs and waist will fit the same. The Flip is a good fit on my son’s legs and waist, same as the Bum Genius. You may find you have to adjust the cover differently if your baby is borderline sizes, depending on the insert you use.
Overall- In theory, I love the idea of the Flip. You have a variety of insert choices, and having a cover capable of using disposable inserts works great for traveling. Sometimes, too much choice can be a bad thing! It makes organizing your stash harder, and you may find you don’t reach for the “different” diaper, unless of course you have a whole stash of Flips! I think if you are new to cloth diapers the Flip has a lot of potential. It is pretty easy to use once you get things down. It is affordable, and the colors it comes in are attractive.
Some of the drawbacks- the inserts can move around, the cover feels very thin and unsnapping makes me nervous that I am stretching the PUL, and all of the Bum Genius colors aren’t available at this time.
Still, it was a fun diaper to use, and I see why the makers of Bum Genius came out with the Flip. It answers a lot of need in the market. And, the Flip makes a good cover for your own fitteds and prefolds too!

If you are ready to try them, you can visit my sponsor, Kelly’s Closet (my affiliate link), who was kind enough to send the Flip for me to review!  At this time all purchases over 49.00 get a free package of Flip Disposable Inserts using the code FLIP at check out.

This post is part of the Cloth Diapering Bloggers and Dirty Diaper Laundry monthly Cloth Diaper Carnival.  We skipped last month but things are back on track.  This month’s carnival is themed around Husbands and cloth diapering.  Participants really had an open ended theme, so the entries could be humorous stories, tragedies, or tales of fully supportive men!  I can’t wait to read them all.  To visit the other entries, visit the others linked beneath my post.

I have already written before about my husband and how he tossed a Sustainable Babyish wool soaker in the diaper pail, which was then washed in HOT and dried in the dryer!!!  It survived, but was slightly felted.  You can read about that here.

I haven’t shared with you a story from the early days.  This was before I started this blog, and when our son was just a few months old.  Back then I was nursing virtually around the clock.  Every weekend I would “sleep in.”  My husband would wake up with our son, change his diaper, and entertain him for 1-2 hours before he would be ready to come back to bed with me to nurse and nap.

The morning in question I gave my husband verbal instructions.  We were using prefolds and covers during the day, but disposables at night.

I said to my husband, while groggy, “Use the red cover!” since it was still clean.  I had it laid out to dry from the night before.

Hours later, after the baby had come to bed with me, nursed, napped, and had woken up, I went to change his diaper.  I found a baby wearing a disposable diaper and a red, XS Thirsties cover.

Confused I went to my husband and asked “Why!?!?”

“You told me to put the red cover on him”

“Yes, it was meant to go over a CLEAN diaper.”

“All you said was, ‘Use the red cover’ how was I supposed to know?  Plus, I was still half asleep!”

So, my son was in a disposable diaper all night, and a couple of hours the next morning.  Except of course, he had a red Thirsties cover over it.

Husbands…….

Please read the other bloggers’ entries for the Cloth Diaper Carnival.

Not only did Bummis donate a Baby Kit to Fluffy Christmas, they have generously offered to sponsor a giveaway a Infant or Baby Organic Cotton Prefold kit to a VERY lucky DDL reader!!!

To see my review of the entire kit, go to this page.

What is included in the kits?  Taken from Bummis’ website:

Introducing the ORGANIC COTTON DIAPER KIT, a value packed box of cloth diapering essentials with everything you need to start using cloth diapers now! You don’t need to be cloth diaper savvy in order to appreciate it – but if you are, you will REALLY love our beautiful new boxed kit!

We have put together an economical, easy and environmentally friendly starter kit that completely removes the guesswork from choosing a cloth diaper system.

Our luxurious Organic Cotton Prefolds are such a truly economical cloth diaper system that you can start cloth diapering right away without a big outlay of cash.

Flushable liners and our step-by-step guide to no-fuss cloth diapering make it easy for you. No rinsing, no pins, no stuffing and no big deal to wash this cloth diaper system! AND you can call our toll free help line any time with questions. After 20 years of selling reusable cloth diaper systems, we are very good at helping parents succeed at and enjoy cloth diapering.

And the bottom line is that organic cotton diapers are truly the greenest choice in diapering. From the growing and harvesting of the cotton itself to what actually touches baby’s skin, organic cotton is simply the best! Safer for growers, workers and baby and …. this beautiful planet earth.

This deluxe cloth diapering system in its bright and pretty box is so tempting and so practical too that you will not be able to resist taking it home – for your own baby, your grandchild, or as a shower gift!

Besides the gorgeous organic cotton diapers, included in the box are some sturdy and great looking waterproof covers, flushable AND reusable liners, and our FABULOUS WET BAG (doubles as a diaper pail!). Plus, our kind friends at Dimpleskins have collaborated with us and enclosed a sample of their great Bum Bum Balm in every box! A great added value!

What’s inside the Kit? Click here to see a photo.

Why Prefolds?

The Infant size contains:

•    24 infant size Organic Cotton Prefold diapers (4 x 8 x 4 layers thick)

•    4 Super Whisper Wraps – small

•    2 Super Brites – small

•    3 rolls Bio-Soft liners – small

•    5 reusable Fleece Liners

•    Fabulous Wet Bag – large (available exclusively in the Kit!)

•    User Guide

The Baby size contains:

•    18 baby size  Organic Cotton Prefold diapers (4 x 8 x 4 layers thick)

•    2 Super Whisper Wraps – medium

•    2 Super Brites – medium

•    1 roll Bio-Soft liners – large

•    5 reusable Fleece Liners

•    Fabulous Wet Bag – large (available exclusively in the Kit!)

•    User Guide

To enter:

As a mandatory Entry, go to Bummis’ website.  They make tons of other products as well.  Let me know something else you would like to try that isn’t included in the kit.

For extra entries do one or all of the following, make sure to leave a separate comment for each one you do.

Follow my twitter and tweet this giveaway. Please tweet, “@KimRosas and @Bummis are giving away an Organic Cotton Prefold kit to diaper your baby! http://ckbxh.th8.us #clothdiapers” Leave a comment with a link to your status.

You may tweet once a day until the contest ends.  Leave a comment with your status link for each tweet.

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Become a fan of Bummis on Facebook.  Their page is super active so you don’t want to miss the opportunities there.  Recently they sent a call for product testers!  How exciting!

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Giveaway ends on January 11. Winner will be chosen using random.org. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours a new winner will be drawn.

***Open to US and Canadian Residents!***

I was not compensated to post this giveaway, but the samples sent for review were free of charge.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Bummis cloth diapers have been around for a long time.  I bought many used ones when I was pregnant, but this was when I was ignorant about cloth diapers.  I didn’t realize that they were more than used, they were abused.  While I could have been ok using them, I bought some other covers instead and gave those away.  I only used them a few times and didn’t have any problems with them, the laundry tabs were just shot.

I was excited to get another opportunity to try Bummis, and this time I was going to get the chance to review the entire iParenting Award winning Organic Cotton Prefold Kit in the Baby (medium, 15-30 lbs) size.  I looked at the regular kit while I was pregnant, and tried talking my husband into it.  Instead I bought all used diapers and less than quality prefolds.  I know now the mistake I made. Cheap doesn’t always equal better, and I wasn’t happy using prefolds.  I switched to pockets and didn’t attempt prefolds again for a long time.

Bummis is also an all around great company.  They manufacture most of their items in Canada and they are a caring company.  When I contacted them about donating a diaper to Fluffy Christmas the response was not, “Ok,” but, “We will donate a Baby size Organic Cotton Prefold kit.”  That kit went to a very deserving family, along with a couple extras.  I can’t wait to get pictures of the baby in a Super Brite!

About Bummis:

Our mission is to make it easy for you to use cloth diapers simply because we think that all babies would love to be wearing them! They are so soft and comfy ….

Cloth diapers are also affordable, easy to use, and super easy to wash.

We manufacture and distribute hard working, functional and great looking products.

Ease of Use ✰✰✰ The Bummis covers and prefolds can be as easy or as complicated as you want to make them. Because they have a handy panel up front, as shown in the video, you can trifold a prefold and place it in the cover. I would personally use a snappi (or pins for the brave) on babies who have loose stools. If you simply trifold the prefold you might very well have poop leak into the cover, and you will either have to wipe the poop from the cover or use a new one. The kit has 4 covers in the Baby size kit, enough to do 1.5-2 days between washing, and the Infant has 6 covers, which would last about 2 full days between washing. The infant kit comes with 24 prefolds, also enough for 2 days, and the Baby has 18, good for 2 days as well!  Because the covers are velcro, once you have the prefold inside or on the baby, that step is easy peasy. To change, and put in your wet bag for washing, attach velcro laundry tabs.
Bang for the Buck ✰✰✰✰✰ For around 160 dollars you have enough diapers at your disposal to last you until they change sizes. If you use both kits, in infant and baby size, you will spend roughly 336 dollars. Many babies never need a size large diaper, and the Medium Bummis fit until 30 pounds. I would personally buy travel wet bags, and an extra large wet bag for when you are washing the super fab Bummis wet bag that comes with the kit.
Performance ✰✰✰✰✰ Sometimes the simplest diapering solutions are the best. With the kit you get everything you need. The fleece liners are made from recycled polyester, and the flushable liners really come in handy if you lack a diaper sprayer or when you are out of the house. The prefolds are really absorbent and soft. I even used them for overnight and there were no leaks. My son is sleeping about 12 hours a night now. The covers are nice and thick enough, and I feel that they are substantial. You can’t complain about the nifty, gender neutral patterns the covers come in either.
Fit ✰✰✰✰ The Medium covers and prefolds in the kit fit my son well, with a little room to spare in the cover. Not enough to have a leak, the legs and back were tight enough, but there was enough looseness for more growing. The prefold, when trifolded, fit perfectly inside the cover. Using a snappi, they fit well with the angel fold, which is what I prefer. They aren’t “trim” when compared to an AIO, and you get a booty shelf in the back if you place the prefold in the cover instead of using a snappi.
Overall- There is a reason that expecting moms register for this kit. It has virtually everything you need to cloth diaper, and they don’t skimp on the quality or quantity. Instead of giving you plain covers, you get some of the cutest patterns Bummis make. And, the wet bag can’t even be purchased alone. I used the bag while I was out of town for 2.5 weeks. I never wanted to be without it, so I washed quickly and used a travel wetbag in the meantime. I think I went 4 days without washing once, and I still had more room, but not enough diapers to continue. Plus, I wouldn’t want to. Even after 4 days the smell didn’t seep through, though once I opened the zipper the stink could have knocked you over. Prefolds are diapers that are versatile in fit and use, and they last forever. Since you can hang the covers dry, I don’t see a reason this kit shouldn’t last you through 2, or more, children if you never put those covers in a dryer. To keep your prefold soft, try Ecover fabric softener, the only diaper safe softener! This kit is all kinds of fab!

If you want to enter to win one, go to the giveaway!

I was not compensated to post this review, but the items sent for review were free of charge.