Giveaways — Page 26

BabyKicks Organic Fitted Diaper Review & Giveaway

October 13, 2014 by Anne Marie 65 Comments

One of the very first complimentary diapers I received last year as a BabyKicks Ambassador was the one-size Organic Fitted. So I can definitely say this is the longest I’ve ever tested a diaper before publishing a review. In fact, this long duration gave me the chance to try it as both a diaper and pull-up trainer, so keep reading for my thoughts on its performance.

Here’s a quick look at the BabyKicks Organic Fitted diaper:

Here are the basic specs:

Made of 55% natural hemp, 33% certified organic cotton for softness and 17% polyester for stretch.
Includes a free, adjustable contoured “Joey Bunz” hemp insert
Includes a free, stay-dry fleece liner
Four size settings via the snap-down rise
Adjustable side snaps at the waist
Features a pocket that opens at front which you can use to add more absorbency, if you wish.
Color-coded snaps
Fits approximately 7 to 40 pounds
Retail price $21.95

The Joey Bunz hemp insert has a contoured shape with folding lines to adjust for size.

Here’s another look at the diaper’s components, including the folding lines on the JoeyBunz insert and the pocket opening:

This is the first side-snapping fitted I’ve tried, and this feature has now become one of my favorites. You can see from the pictures below how flat and smooth the diaper looks from the front. Side-snaps are also harder for infants and toddlers to unfasten. If you have a little one that fights against diaper changes, the side snaps might present a small challenge for you, and this design probably isn’t ideal for squirmy, wiggly newborns. The color-coded system on this diaper helps me remember which setting we’re currently using both on the waistband and the rise.

You could definitely say that hemp is a BabyKicks specialty. They love this fabric, and for good reason! Hemp is highly absorbent, super durable and leaves less of an impact behind as compared to cotton. Are there any drawbacks? Certainly. No fabric can do it all. Hemp is more expensive than cotton and not as soft. I like how BabyKicks combines hemp with other fabrics to get the best of everything.

In these pictures, Erik is about 14 months and 20 pounds:

A more recent photo of Erik at 18 months.

And here’s Susanna at age 2, wearing it as a pull-up trainer (without the insert). The only reason she’s able to wear this fitted, which runs small, is she’s short for her age, and there aren’t any inserts inside. I would say that the average 2 year old would not fit into this diaper, unlike other one-size fitteds which can fit up to 35 or 40 pounds.

What I Like

The poly component (17% of the fabric blend) gives it some stretch, which you don’t often find in hemp diapers. I really like this feature!
The drying time is normal (as opposed to a plush hybrid fitted, or a 100% bamboo or 100% hemp fitted).
It’s versatile and can go easily from a diaper to a trainer, so you get more for your money.
When used with the included JoeyBunz insert and fleece liner, it functions well as a nighttime diaper.
The wings are stretchy and the side-snaps are easy to use.
The flat front gives a very trim and smooth appearance across the front (as opposed to other cloth diapers which snap all across the front)
The elastic gussets on the back and legs are soft and snug.

What I Would Change

The stay-dry fleece liner is very narrow; a wider width would be a nice improvement.
Hemp is not as smooth and pliable as other fabrics; over time, I’ve noticed the diaper has gotten slightly less soft. I wonder if a higher ratio of cotton to hemp would help offset this?
It runs small. Good news if you want to start using during the newborn phase, but not so good if you have a big/tall baby or toddler.

BabyKicks is giving away one of these beautiful organic fitted diapers to one of my readers in the US or Canada! Enter to win using the Rafflecopter form below.

GIVEAWAY CLOSED

Newborn Cloth Diaper Reviews, and a BIG Giveaway!

August 28, 2014 by Anne Marie 94 Comments

A new baby at Zephyr Hill means more newborn diaper reviews AND a giveaway! When Ingrid arrived, I was able to try some brands we didn’t have when Erik was born.

Here are the updated posts, grouped according to style:

Newborn Diaper Covers
Newborn Fitted Diapers
Newborn AIO Diapers
Newborn Pocket Diapers
Newborn Prefolds and Flats

For the giveaway, there will be two winners!

Grand Prize winner receives a package worth $130!

JuJuBe “Super Be” diaper bag: choose between the Shadow Waltz and Royal Envy prints
Sweet Pea Newborn AIO (gender neutral), courtesy of our friends at Sweet Pea Diapers!
Imagine Stay Dry AIO (Indigo)
Imagine Newborn Diaper Cover (Emerald)
Rumparooz Newborn Diaper Cover (Peacock)
Thirsties Duo AIO, Size 1 (Honeydew)
Thirties Duo Wrap, Size 1 (Aqua)
3 Pairs of Snap-EZ Nursing Pads in Assorted Colors

Runner Up receives a $20 gift card to Nicki’s Diapers! It starts August 28th and ends at midnight on September 8th. Open to both US and Canada.

Good luck and thanks so much for helping me celebrate Ingrid’s arrival!

GIVEAWAY CLOSED

Tiny Love 3-in-1 Rocker Napper Review & Giveaway

August 22, 2014 by Anne Marie 7 Comments

The Tiny Love 3-in-1 Rocker Napper is a versatile piece of baby gear which converts easily from a seat to a napper and grows with your baby. I received a Rocker Napper in the brown and red design to review, and it came just in time for newborn Ingrid!

Here are the specs:

Three options: napper, tilted seat and inclined seat (pictured below) – a red lever on the back is used to adjust positions, and bars on the front and back of the legs allow you to switch from stationary to rocking.
Gentle vibrations (requires C battery)
Nine different tunes and lights (requires three AAA batteries)
Curved legs that allow you (or an older infant) to manually rock the seat
Two hanging toys
Washable bassinet and sleeping pad
Recommended from birth to 40 pounds
Measurements: the sleeping area is about 27 inches long and 13 inches at its widest; when in the completely flat (napper) position it’s about 10 inches off the floor

It took about 30 minutes to assemble and was pretty straightforward with the exception of two small white plastic clips (“Part L”) that were pictured in the manual but no instructions were given as to their function. A call to Tiny Love revealed that they are anchors which go under the bottom of the seat to keep it from sliding. Tiny Love’s service department was very prompt and helpful and also sent me a set of complete instructions via email which explained exactly how to install and use the clips.

Ingrid sleeps very soundly in the Rocker Napper, and judging by its size I would say she’ll fit comfortably in it for a few more months.

What I like:

If your baby falls asleep while in the seated position, you can gently and quietly adjust it down to the napper position without disturbance using the red lever on the back.
The seat and pad are very soft and cozy.
The music is appealing, not annoying at all, and the volume can be adjusted.
Even at the young age of just 3 weeks, Ingrid is already very captivated by the hanging toys, music and lights. I often find her gazing quietly up at them.
You can adjust the height of the toys by means of a velcro strip.
The arm which holds the toys swivels so you can move it out of the way.
The Rocker Napper is easy to pick up and move around the house.
Ingrid loves taking naps in it, and that’s just what I was hoping for!

What I would improve:

Young infants might need added support to sit comfortably; Ingrid is almost a month old but starts to slump to one side unless I anchor her with rolled blankets.
It’s low to the ground so it didn’t work bedside as I had planned because of having to reach way down. Young children will need to be closely watched when the baby is napping, since the Rocker Napper is well within their reach.
Hopefully, the next edition of the manual will have complete instructions and usage guidelines (not just pictures).
The rocking feature works better on hardwood floors than it does on carpet.
The size range for the rocker seat (up to 40 pounds) might be too broad; Erik is 18 months old and 24 pounds and has maxed it out (see photo below). But if you invest in the Rocker Napper right after birth, you’ll still get a lot of use out of it.

Tiny Love is giving away a Rocker Napper, just like I reviewed, to one lucky reader in the US! Enter the giveaway below, and good luck!

GIVEAWAY CLOSED

Diaper Junction One-Size Cover and Unbleached Flats Review & Giveaway

July 26, 2014 by Anne Marie 148 Comments

What’s colorful, trim-fitting, versatile and only $7.95? The Diaper Junction (aff) one-size cover! I’ve been really impressed with my purchase of a few months ago and wanted to share a review with you, just in case you’re on the fence about this product.

For my Diaper Junction review, I chose the Cobalt color, a nice deep blue that looks pretty sharp on both my guy and my gal.

Here are the basic features of the Diaper Junction brand diaper cover:

It’s made of waterproof TPU. TPU is slightly softer and more pliable than PUL.
The inside of the cover has a flap at the front and back to help secure inserts or diapers. The back flap is elasticized for even better performance.
The inside is wipeable, which means you can reuse it a few times if it isn’t soiled with #2.
The rise features 3 rows of snaps, which translates to 4 size settings (three snapped up and one completely open).
The wings close with 1 snap and then have 2 additional hip snaps for further adjustment.
The snaps are covered on the inside with a thin white piece of fabric.

After about four months of regular use, here’s my feedback.

WHAT I LIKE:

The TPU fabric is silky smooth and makes for a very trim-fitting cover. It’s a little thinner than some of my other covers, and for that reason I was hesitant at first, but it has performed just as well.
The covers has washed and worn extremely well, with absolutely no visible wear or fading of colors.
The leg elastics are snug and comfortable and haven’t loosened up at all.
It fits well on both my 1 year old and my 2 year old, although I’ve been using almost exclusively on the younger one.
The wings are nice and stretchy.
It’s a roomy cover that fits well over fitteds, prefolds, flats or whatever else I feel like putting inside. Sizing is very comparable to a Flip diaper cover, with the only noticeable difference being the wing style and roominess in the rear (DJ cover is a bit more generous).
It’s performed great overnight.
The elastic sewn inside the back flap helps hold inserts in place better (in my opinion) than other covers with regular flaps.
You can choose from 12 different colors!
It’s only $7.95.

WHAT I WOULD CHANGE

Looking at the photo above, you can see how the snaps on the waistband are angled somewhat, and not straight up and down. This is the only thing I would change about the cover – to have the snaps straight up and down. Every once in a while, I feel like I can’t quite get the exact fit I want with the waist snaps.

This is the Diaper Junction cover on Erik; in this picture he is about 14 months old and 21 pounds. Scroll down to the end of the post for a picture of the cover on a toddler.

These would make an ideal cover choice if you’re working on building a budget stash. My recommendation? Pair these Diaper Junction covers with Diaper Rite flats (also a DJ product). Diaper Rite birdseye cotton flats are sold in packs of twelve; you can choose from sizes small (27×27) and large (32×32) – measurements are prior to washing and drying. I bought unbleached Diaper Rite flats, since they are softer than the standard white. Flats are just one big square layer of fabric, so they wash and rinse out fantastically and dry super quick. I have a dozen of the smalls, and typical of cotton, they do not shrink up perfectly after the initial prepping. That is, they aren’t perfect squares, but they’re close. After you fold them up it doesn’t really make a difference anyway.

Small flats are $21.95 for a dozen, so that comes to $1.83 per diaper; one dozen larges are $26.95, bringing the cost per diaper to $2.25. Super economical!

There are two very easy ways to use Diaper Rite flats with the Diaper Junction covers. Pad-fold the flat (click here for quickie tutorial) and insert into the flaps of the cover:

Or try this simple fold with a Boingo or Snappi fastener if containment of messy poo is a going concern. This flat fold is one of the easiest you’ll find (sorry, I don’t do Origami, Kite, Mini Kite or Adapted Kite – LOL). It doesn’t even have a name that I know of. I call my creation the Custom Fold because you pick the width and length that you want.

There are only 4 steps. Easy, easy, easy!

Something else I really love about my soft unbleached flats: in a pinch I can grab them for other uses – burp cloth, clean up cloth or even an emergency changing mat for our bed (folded in half). Fitted diapers, AIO’s and pocket diapers just aren’t that versatile.

If you are thinking of grabbing a few of these bargain covers for your little one, here are the vibrant colors you get to pick from!

A closer look at the two new colors (Rainforest and Antigua) plus my favorite of the new prints – Scottie!

Here’s your chance to try the Diaper Junction one-size cover for your baby….for FREE! Enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter form below, and you’ll have a shot at TWO one-size covers (choice of in stock colors) – thanks to our friends over at Diaper Junction! Open to US and Canadian residents. Allow 2-4 weeks for prize fulfillment. GIVEAWAY CLOSED

Imagine Training Pants Review & Giveaway

July 6, 2014 by Anne Marie 140 Comments

Imagine Baby training pants have worked well for both Susanna and Samuel, so I wanted to go ahead and share an official review with you.

Two years ago, I purchased the Emerald trainers in size large:

A view of the inner lining and sewn-in soaker (it only unsnaps on one side so I can’t open it up completely to photograph).

Here are the basic features of Imagine Training pants:

Cotton knit outer with a 100% flannel lining
Hidden layer of microfiber to absorb small accidents plus a hidden layer of waterproof PUL in the wet zone
Snaps on one side (the right side of your child’s hips)
Three sizes: Small fits 21-29 pounds, Medium fits 24 to 35 pounds and Large fits 31-41 pounds.
Five colors to choose from
Available for purchase at Nicki’s Diapers for $11.95 each

Our Imagine trainers worked well for both Samuel and Susanna at a certain stage in potty training. This was the time when they were actively learning and were able to get through *most* of the day without a big accident. For the inevitable “oops,” these training pants are sufficient, but you have to change your child pretty quickly or it will wick onto clothing.

In this picture, Susanna is wearing the size large; she is 2.5 years old and 31 pounds.

Here’s a quick summary of my thoughts:

WHAT I LIKE

The cotton knit fabric is very soft and comfortable. It has a bit of stretch and the fit is superb.
The flannel lining helps them feel wetness immediately.
The inner layers are sufficient to catch a small accident but don’t add any bulk to the trainers.
Drying time is normal.
They look like “big kid” underwear, and not at all like a diaper (see photo above on Susanna)
The bright colors are fun.
They are very durable. I’ve used for over two years with two different toddlers and all I note at this point is some normal pilling on the fabric.
At $11.95, they are affordably priced. You can buy them at Nicki’s with free shipping.

WHAT I WOULD CHANGE

They run small, so to have an XL size available would be great. Lots of toddlers are still learning at age 3 and beyond.
The snaps on one side are very handy (and they are well-hidden so as not to look like a diaper); it would be nice to have them on both sides! However, if your learner does not like snaps of any kind on their “big boy” or “big girl” underwear, this would be a plus for you.
The tiny side snaps are a *little* less secure than the regular-sized snaps you see on most cloth products. Sometimes, one or two will come undone as I’m pulling the trainers up or down on my children. However, they’ve never come unfastened while wearing.

That’s a wrap for the review. Be sure to enter today’s giveaway as well!

GIVEAWAY CLOSED