Zephyr Hill

A Family Blog

Bumtique *New and Improved* Pocket Diaper Review

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Classic Pooh has arrived at Zephyr Hill, thanks to Angela over at The Bumtique. We were thrilled to have won this cutie in a handmade giveaway because Angela’s diapers, customer service and prices are the best! Last month I reviewed her custom Star Wars diaper and put two things on my Bumtique Wish List: a wider pocket and inserts made to fit the diapers.

Well guess what? You can now buy super soft and silky bamboo inserts at The Bumtique; they are trim, highly absorbent and fit perfectly into her diapers. Even better….they are just $6.00 for a pack of two. And the diapers are now made with a wider, more generous pocket. Stuffing is a breeze!

I just love Susanna’s new Pooh diaper! It’s definitely one of the cutest things she owns. Outer layer is waterproof, white PUL with cotton print trim on the wings and back, and the inner is microfleece. The fit is perfect and the coordinating bamboo inserts can be doubled up for extra absorbency during nap time.

If you’re not a fan of Angela’s Facebook page, please go “like” The Bumtique now! She offers frequent sales, specials and even a few giveaways like the one that we won! Quite often, you’ll find free shipping on Fridays at The Bumtique. You can view all of her cute fabric choices here.

 

Angela just re-stocked this morning! You can grab a slot for a pocket diaper, AI2 diaper or newborn diaper right now. She also has ready-to-ship baby leg warmers for $6 to $8.

I hope you’ll love the Bumtique as much as I do!

BALM Baby Diaper Essentials Kit Review

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Last month I introduced you to a wonderfully soothing skin cream called Mama Belly from Thincskin. Today I’ll share about the BALM Baby Diaper Essentials Kit which retails for $29.95 and includes:

  • Diaper Balm, 2 oz. size
  • Juice Those Wipes concentrate, 9 oz. size
  • Sanitize Those Hands!, 2.7 oz. size
  • BALM Baby “Little One”, 1/2 oz. version of the Diaper Balm
Malena packages everything so attractively, and in containers made of renewable materials like aluminum and glass.

The Diaper Balm: This is a great little ointment made from olive oil, coconut and macadamia nut oils, calendula and chamomile, Vitamin E and a lovely-smelling blend of essential orange, lavender and tea tree. Malena’s versatile little balm is also recommended for cradle cap, eczema, burns and dry skin. For everyday diaper rash or redness, BALM Baby does the job. I’m very impressed with its performance in just one or two changes! My only issue with our BALM Baby ointment is due to the fact that it’s a relatively “clear” formulation, it can be kind of hard to tell how much you’ve put on and where (as opposed to a white diaper cream). It also doesn’t “stay put” as well as a traditional, thicker white cream, but it works and it’s all-natural….and I really like that.

Juice those Wipes Concentrate: This is wonderful stuff that’s made with a gentle Taylor’s Soap base and essential oils of orange, lavender and tea tree (just like the BALM). The witch hazel that’s added means your wipes solution will stay fresher longer and keep mold at bay. Using just 1 tsp. per recipe means the concentrate will render 48 batches; what a great value! It’s ridiculously easy to use; just add a teaspoon or two to 32 ounces of distilled water. Dip your wipes in, squeeze out the excess and store in an airtight container. Or, you can keep the mixture in a spray bottle and use with dry wipes. It’s smells great, cleans and moisturizes your little one’s skin, costs just $13.95 and will last you a really long time.

Sanitize Those Hands: This might not be a BALM Baby product you’re familiar with, but it’s actually one of my favorites. The idea of a natural yet hard-working sanitizer is very appealing. I like the fresh citrus scent and it kills 99% of the germs on your skin using just 4 natural, simple ingredients. I use it to spritz my hands after diaper changes. Another plus – the spray doesn’t just clean my hands – it actually softens my skin. Very neat! The alcohol-based sanitizers you see everywhere else don’t have this nice little touch.

 * WHERE TO GET IT *

You can find all the great BALM Baby products
(soap, diaper-safe creams, wipes juice, ointments, sprays, etc.)
at THincskin’s online shop 

* HOW TO WIN IT *

If you’d like a chance to win this fabulous Diaper Essentials Kit for your little one,
there’s great news! On November 1st I will post my Thankful for Fluff giveaway.
The prize package will include a BALM Baby kit, plus a one-size pocket diaper, blanket and burp cloth set!
You can get a jump on the giveaway by telling me in a comment below what you’d like to
add to YOUR diaper bag from BALM Baby!

GIVEAWAY CLOSED

Diaper Safari One-Size Pocket Diaper Review

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A few weeks ago I introduced to you all the brand new one-size pockets at Diaper Safari, in 15 bright colors. This is a great addition to the line-up at Diaper Safari, where you’ll find the popular cloth diaper brands you love and free shipping on all orders to the continental U.S.

Thanks to Diaper Safari, we’ve been able to try out one of these great new diapers on Susanna and Samuel! We chose the gender-neutral green diaper called “peapod.” It included one standard-size microfiber insert made of 3 layers. Here are some photos to give you an idea of how it looks snapped up and down to different sizes, and how it fits on baby Susanna, who is about 14 months old:

Here’s how it fits on two-year-old Samuel:

 

And one more of Susanna:

If you already own some imported pocket diapers, the Diaper Safari design will be familiar to you. It seems to me that Diaper Safari has combined a lot of great pocket diaper features into one package.

What I love about the Diaper Safari pocket:

  • The fit is more generous than comparable pocket diapers in this price range. Samuel wears the largest setting with all the other pockets in our stash; not this one. The Diaper Safari pocket has one more row of snaps for him to use, so it really can fit 35+ pounds, as advertised. The flip side is that it might be too big or bulky for a 7 or 8 pound baby, but I won’t be able to comment on that aspect until I try it out on our new baby in January.
  • The price is very affordable at $13.95, and Diaper Safari has consistently been running promotions on their new product, including Facebook sales with deep discounts and even a Buy 1 Get 1 Free sale.
  • There is a pocket opening on the front and back, which means the wet/soiled inserts come out in the washing machine all by themselves.
  • The strip of waterproof PUL on the inside of the waistband provides extra protection against wicking/leaks – especially for tummy sleepers.
  • The standard microfiber insert that’s included is thick and very absorbent. We haven’t had any problems with leaks – and Samuel is a heavy wetter.
  • There are extra snaps on the waist to prevent wing droop and to adjust the leg openings.

What I would improve about the diaper:

  • My only suggestion would be great to have a newborn or small insert for little babies that you could buy for these diapers, as I can imagine the diaper being quite bulky when snapped to the smallest setting with the large insert bunched up inside.

And now……here are all the fun colors you get to choose from! My favorites are the green, the dark blue and the gray/steel color!!

If you’d like to get your hands on a few of these great new pocket diapers, here are the details:

Tinkle Time Training Pants Review

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We’ve tried several different cloth trainers over the years and I’ve enjoyed sharing my feedback with you.

Today I’m reviewing the sized Tinkle Time Trainers by Ladder Hill Design. You can order custom daytime or nighttime trainers with lots of different options – pull-up styles, snapping styles, fold-over-elastic pants with or without snaps, and trainers with stuffable pockets. Ladder Hill also offers bamboo fleece soaker pads for extra absorbency.

If you are interested in obtaining the pattern for these trainers, you can contact Ladder Hill Designs for a seamstress license.

 

Because of all the size options and customization that goes into the trainers, they range in price from $18.95 to $33.95. Of all the trainers we’ve tried, these are the priciest, but they are also VERY high quality and well-made.

We used Tinkle Time Trainers to potty train Benjamin. Here he is at age 3 (that was over a year ago) sporting his cow print day trainers with snapping sides:

In this photo, the trainer is opened up to show the inner layer of cotton velour (so they can feel wet). Hidden inside is an additional layer of Zorb, a highly absorbent but trim synthetic fabric. The leg bands can be made of cotton or poly fleece; we chose the latter to lessen the chance of moisture wicking out onto Benjamin’s clothes.

He also had a second pair for nighttime; they were pull-ups with no snaps and could be stuffed.

Things I love about the Tinkle Time Trainers:

  • The customization options are incredible: you get exactly the size you need, in the fabrics and prints that you want AND with the style options that work best for your child.
  • The way these trainers fit is unbeatable. Even though Benjamin was very skinny, they hugged him snuggly yet comfortably. Not once did the trainers sag or droop or puff out.
  • They don’t look like diapers, even the snapping versions that making cleaning up number 2 so easy.
  • The customer service Hope offers at Ladder Hill is super fast and highly professional. She kept in constant touch about my order and double-checked twice over to make sure all my specifications were met before sewing AND after completion.

Anything I would improve on? Not really. I know the price is high for training pants, but you get what you pay for. These are ideal for very early potty learners and for heavy wetters because they are SO incredibly absorbent, and the vast array of prints makes boys and girls (even those who are older) eager to use and wear them. They are so well made that they will easily last for more than 1 child, even after heavy use.

Add to that Hope’s personal service and the high-quality materials she uses, and you can see the value is built into the price. It’s no wonder that most of the trainers on her site are sold out almost as soon as she lists them. Thank goodness for custom work, huh?

Granted, we were only able to afford 2 of these. I wish we could have gotten more, especially because 2 trainers don’t last very long with many accidents at the beginning.  So I guess if I could make one suggestion to Ladder Hill, it would be to offer some kind of price break on multiple purchases, or maybe a “package deal” of trainers when you buy 4 or more.

 

Snap-EZ Pocket Diaper and AIO Training Pants Review & Giveaway

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Are you in the market for some high-quality, hard-working pocket diapers and trainers that will last for years and keep your little ones cute and comfortable in the process? I want to introduce you to the great lady behind Snap-EZ diapering products. Ruth is a WAHM who is mother to 12 children who range in age from baby to adult (she has been cloth diapering for 25 years!!). She also home schools on top of all this and is dedicated to providing high quality and friendly service to each and every customer. Her entire line of Snap-EZ products was developed based on the old adage that “necessity is the mother of invention.”

With the exception of the snaps, hemp fleece and elastic used in her products, the Snap-EZ line is USA-made! You can learn more about Ruth’s family-run business, and see pictures of her beautiful children on the Snap-EZ Story page. Ruth has been a joy to work with from the beginning, and I’m very eager to tell you about her cloth diapering products!

She sent us this cute little lavender infant-sized pocket diaper for Susanna and a celery AIO trainer for Samuel:

The Infant-Sized Pocket Diaper:

I liked the double snaps on the waist tabs right off; there was no need to line up and fasten an extra hip snap to keep this diaper snug and secure. Another neat feature: there is a little bit of elastic in the front of the waist – not just at the back. You know how even the best-fitting diaper can “cut” into a baby’s waist when they are sitting up or bending over? The little bit of stretch in the front elastic offers some extra give and comfort. I’ve never tried another pocket diaper that has this feature.

I really love how this diaper fits on Susanna; it’s trim across the front and there’s no gaping at the waist or around her legs. The color-coordinated snaps make these pockets extra cute! For inserts, we used 1 microfiber in the daytime and 2 at night. I can also stuff a prefold in there with no problem; the pocket is really roomy.

I honestly could not find one fault with our Snap-EZ pocket. It’s already one that I reach for constantly.

Here are the colors you can choose from for pocket diapers:

The AIO Training Pants:

Ruth sells AIO trainers, Stuffable trainers with pockets and all-cotton “Natural” trainers. Since Samuel has just started potty-training I opted to review the AIO since it has a waterproof outer and a trim fit. Ruth’s stuffable trainers would be ideal if you are looking for a versatile solution for both day and night protection, or if your potty learner is a heavy-wetter. The Natural cotton trainers are great for little ones who are just about done with training and need something that will catch the occasional accident.

Here’s a diagram of the AIO trainer opened up. It’s PUL on the outside with a custom-milled cotton velour inner which allows your child to feel wet. There’s a 4-layer cotton velour soaker inside and the trainer is trimmed out with soft fold over elastic.

Samuel was kind of between sizes, so I ordered up one to make sure it would last  us through training since he’s only now beginning. So the fit is a little bit roomy, but still cute and very comfy for Sam. The style of the Snap-EZ trainers makes them very easy to pull up and down and this is so important in potty training because you want them to be able to do this part themselves or they are not really potty trained! Because of the side-snapping design the trainers are easy to take off and clean when Samuel has a #2 accident. When he wets once, we haven’t had any leaks.

As for drying time, because of the built-in soaker, it’s kind of in the middle. It takes longer than a pocket trainer, but not as long as thicker and bulkier trainers on the market. Overall, I’m very pleased with our Snap-EZ trainer. It’s well-made, performs just as I hoped it would and the leg/waist bindings are soft and comfortable. Samuel knows it’s not a “diaper” because of the way it pulls up and down like underwear. I reinforce this by having him stand up every time we put on the Snap-EZ trainer.

If there were only two suggestions I could offer to improve the trainer, I would love to see PUL prints to the line-up because most young children love to have pictures on their “big boy” and “big girl” pants for extra fun and motivation. Also, less fullness in the rear would be nice for a trimmer fit.

You will be amazed at the range of sizes that Snap-EZ offers. There are pocket diapers to fit infants all the way up to adults with special needs and waist sizes ranging from 30 – 46 inches! Look over the size range page to see all the options. Trainers are available in infant, toddler and youth sizes.

I also like that Snap-EZ sells WAHM-made inserts, which allow you to customize absorbency according to your child’s needs. They have (a) four layer cotton/poly velour soakers which start at $5 and (b) bifold or trifold hemp/cotton fleece inserts which start at $8 and offer as many as 6 layers of highly absorbent fabric. Any of the Snap-EZ inserts will work inside the pocket diapers and stuffable trainers.

And there’s more! At the Snap-EZ store you’ll also find velour wipes, wet bags and pail liners, G-tube pads for special needs family members and “Allen’s Naturally” laundry products. And coming soon: nursing pads and feminine pads at special introductory prices!

* Go Shopping at Snap-EZ! *

Visit Snap-EZ and click the SHOPPING tab
to check out Ruth’s great selection! Her pocket diapers
start at $16 and go up from there, depending on size.
Trainers start at $18 and go up from there.
FREE SHIPPING on orders over $75
Excellent prices for WAHM-made/USA-made products!
NEW TO SNAP-EZ: Nursing Pads and Feminine Pads at special introductory prices, $1.50 and up!

* Enter to Win *

Use the Rafflecopter form below to enter for your chance
to win a $20 gift certificate to Snap-EZ Cloth Diapers and Training Pants!

 * Giveaway Closed: No Longer Accepting Entries*