{email subscribers please click over to see video} After following bebeMellons (mellonplus8) on Twitter for years, it is about time I review one of their diapers! Mary-Ellen is the WAHM behind the diapers, and she has a busy family life as a mom of 8! I enjoyed reading more about her and her shop at Under the Apple Tree.
Ease of Use ✩✩✩ Fold over rise One Size cloth diapers might not be as obvious to use as snap down rise cloth diapers, but they are actually easier in many respects. The biggest and obvious advantage is that they easily go between two children of different sizes. Newbies might find the idea of free sizing overwhelming but it isn’t that scary. The insert can be left out or snapped in, and can stay in for washing, in my experience.
Bang for the Buck ✩✩✩ 29.00 is such a hard price to justify, unless you are leaning towards the collecting of cloth diapers and not trying to build a base stash. bebeMellons does offer a more luxiurious diaper; the lining is velvety soft. The outer cotton is decorative, and you can always find a great print that you love. I think most of us know that cloth diapering is part hobby, part necessity. I wouldn’t expect anyone to buy 24 of these, but 1-2 in fun prints is a nice splurge to add some spice to your collection. I also see her using vintage fabrics so you may end up with something one of a kind! When thinking of the high price you also have to consider that the diapers are handmade and use designer fabrics and expensive materials like hemp. And, since you get the newborn contour, that adds a little bang for your buck too.
Performance ✩✩✩ This diaper is very pretty to look at, and best for daytime. Because there is a fold over rise the risk of wicking increases, as does the risk due to the cotton knit outer. I have to admit that this never happened, but for full disclosure, my son isn’t a heavy wetter. It could be great and not wick at all, but I do feel the need to express my concern in that area. I did use it for my toddler on one occasion overnight. He liked it and called it “soft” and we didn’t have any wicking or leaks. He is also not a heavy wetter and potty trained, but occasionally has a small accident at night.
Fit ✩✩✩ My favorite feature of the diaper is that the insert can be used with an itty bitty newborn as a contour. You will need to use it with a newborn size cover, but it is a nice option. I do also appreciate fold over rise diapers for the simplicity, once you understand how to use them. There are limitations, for example, when you just need to fold it over a tiny bit, that isn’t possible due to the snap placement. I can either fold over the rise, or leave unfolded. They both work at this point. Since the crotch is rather wide I wouldn’t personally use this diaper on an 8 lb baby, but you could use the contour insert on them for a bit. I didn’t see any red marks on Ev since the lining was so nice and soft around the legs.
Overall: I appreciate the workmanship behind these diapers; they are extremely well made and there is a lot of attention to detail. The coordinating insert and lining are eye catching and gorgeous, the prints are some that you don’t see other diaper makers use, and it is all put together well. For 29.00 (although if you follow her on Twitter @Mellonplus8 she often releases 10% off coupons, especially on Monday nights.) it is a show diaper, in my opinion. And since it is such a nice looking diaper, it makes a good one. She also sells fitteds, and beautiful wool covers in her shop, as well as other baby items to coordinate with her diapers.
Where to buy: bebeMellons Etsy Shop (more diaper focused) or HyenaCart (more wool focused)
