Zephyr Hill

A Family Blog

Lil Helper Cloth Diapers Review and Giveaway

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Lil Helper cloth diapers were designed to help families save time and money. Owners Mohammed and Nader are former aerospace engineers who, in my opinion, have put their skills to use in a very unique way by designing the Lil Helper system. It’s smartly put together and made from more sustainable materials. Every Lil Helper diaper is a one-size AI2 (all-in-two). That means:

  • The pieces are interchangeable so you can diaper just the way you like. The different inserts will snap into any of their brightly colored outer shells.
  • You can re-use the shells if only the inserts get soiled or wet. Simply snap in a fresh one.
  • You can adjust the size from birth to potty training and save tons of money.
  • You can customize the absorbency by using one insert, or two.
  • You (or your husband) will never have to stuff diapers or pull yukky/wet inserts out of pockets.
Ok, here is the beautiful package that Mohammed sent me to review and try out with Samuel and Susanna. It included a green wet bag, a red Original one-size diaper, a blue Charcoal Bamboo one-size diaper, a 2-pack of unbleached cotton inserts/liners and 3 organic bamboo wipes:

A closer look at the Original (red) and Charcoal Bamboo (blue) opened up:

Here are the three options you have when buying Lil Helper diapers:

ORIGINAL: Outer layer is waterproof PUL and is lined inside with white microfleece – retail $19.95

ORGANIC BAMBOO: Outer layer is waterproof PUL and is lined inside with organic bamboo – retail $22.95

CHARCOAL BAMBOO: Outer layer is a waterproof PUL/bamboo blend and is lined inside with organic charcoal bamboo – retail $24.95

And as mentioned above, you can use any of their inserts with these three different diapers. Inserts include:

ORIGINAL COTTON: pack of two includes one small and one large, made of unbleached cotton and micro terry, retail $7.95

ORIGINAL BAMBOO: pack of two includes one small and one large, made of organic bamboo and micro terry, retail $8.95

CHARCOAL BAMBOO: pack of two includes one small and one large, made of super thirsty charcoal bamboo and micro terry, retail $9.95 – these inserts just might become your overnight solution

Unsnapped completely, the Original diaper fits perfectly on my 2-year-old, Samuel. It’s soft, trim and moves with the child.

And the blue Charcoal bamboo diaper on Susanna. The bamboo diaper is even softer; in fact, the waterproof PUL/bamboo blend on the outside feels almost like soft jersey. As nice as your favorite old t-shirt. It’s a really nice fabric and totally unique.

I don’t unsnap the inserts when I wash the diapers. They can be washed together and this really makes cleaning up a breeze. It also means you can pull the diaper out of the dryer and put it right back on baby again because the inserts are already attached. Little shortcuts like that mean a great deal to me. As most of you know, I have a lot on my plate these days with homeschooling, blogging, housekeeping and incubating baby #7, who is due to arrive in 6 weeks. (And if Samuel doesn’t potty train in that time, we’ll have three in cloth – ackk!!).

My favorite Lil Helper diaper of the two we tried is the Charcoal Bamboo with either the gray inserts or the organic bamboo inserts. The gray liners feel just like fleece and are very soft and cozy. Bonus: the gray color hides stains really well.

I found that the cotton liners that were included with the Original diaper bunched up a bit after washing; the bamboo ones stayed nice and flat. After contacting Lil Helper about this, Mohammed assured me it was a known issue and that it was being addressed in the next batch of liners to be produced. Already they are remedying this by pre-washing their cotton and bamboo liners to eliminate the shrinking/bunching. And the new liners in production don’t bunch at all. Excellent news!I like our Lil Helper wet bag a lot, too. It holds about 3 dirty diapers, so we use it for car trips and errands. The hanging loop is a nice feature and the bag is double-stitched to guard against leaks. A bigger zipper pull to grab onto would be a nice perk, but the way it’s designed now is certainly functional.

And finally, the bamboo wipes. They are a generous 8×8 size. One layer is microfiber and the other is bamboo terry. This makes for a very soft, plush wipe. In fact, they are so squishy and such a nice size that I’ve been using them as washcloths for Susanna in the bath tub. A pack of 5 retails for retails for $11.95.

Not like you would need more reasons to look Lil Helper diapers up, but I thought I would mention:

  • They are giving back. For every 3 diapers you purchase, Lil Helper donates a brand new diaper to a needy Canadian family through their Baby Go Good program.
  • Customer service is top notch and consistently highly rated. You might get a response in just a few hours. There’s a learning curve not just to cloth diapers, but also in trying a new brand/style, and Lil Helper is really on top of this.

* Shop for Lil Helpers *

You can start browsing and shopping right at the Lil Helper website
They have extended their Black Friday sale until November 30th.

That means you can buy 3 diapers GET 1 FREE and still have one more donated to charity!

Use promo code “blackfriday” at checkout
Shipping for purchases over $79 is always FREE for both Canadian and U.S. customers

* Enter to Win *

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:

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*

 

Swaddlebees Capri Diaper Cover and Insert Review and Giveaway

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When Susanna was a young baby I had two cute little Swaddlebees ABC Wrap covers in size small that were definite favorites. I hated when they were tied up in the laundry and couldn’t wait to get them back on her again. The fit and durability got 5 stars from me and ever since then I’ve been a big Swaddlebees fan.

So I’m really thrilled to be reviewing the Capri diaper cover and insert for you thanks to the generous folks at Swaddlebees.

We received a cover and Capri inserts:

Both covers and inserts come in two different sizes: one fits 6 to 16 pounds and two fits 12 to 35 pounds. Here’s what the cover and inserts look like opened up:

See how great the fit is?

Susanna, at 18 pounds, can wear the size two also:

 

What I like about our Swaddlebees Capri Cover:

  • As with my other Swaddlebees diapers, the fit is so cute and trim with our Capri cover.
  • The PUL is thick and sturdy but very soft. Time has proven for me the durability of these covers.
  • The dino print we got is adorable and I can’t wait to try some of the other cute prints and colors; with the exception of maybe Bummis, I think Swaddlebees has the most print choices out there.
  • I like the flaps on the front and back of the cover which help hold inserts in.
  • Because the covers come in two different sizes, the range of fit is better than other “one size” covers on the market. With all our other PUL covers, Samuel is using the largest setting and there’s no room to grow. With our Capri Size 2, we still have one more row of snaps to use! I am thinking the size 1 I have stashed away is going to be a great newborn cover.

Anything I would change to make the Swaddlebees Capri Cover better?

  • At $16.95 for size 1 covers and $19.95 for size 2 covers, the Capri is definitely at the higher end of the price spectrum. They are very high quality and the print/color options are numerous, so it’s worth it if you can afford, but I would like to see them a bit lower. However, Swaddlebees frequently has clearance sales and you can also find them in great condition at diaper swap sites.

What I like about the insert:

  • It’s made primarily of birdseye cotton, which is a tried-and-true and very absorbent (and trim) diapering material. It’s what most “old fashioned” flat diapers are made of.
  • The stay-dry layer is a nice option to have when baby is going to be in the diaper for a few hours or more.
  • They clean up easily and dry faster than other cotton diapers and inserts since the layers are not all sewn together.

What I would change about the Capri insert:

  • At $12.95 for a 2-pack of size one inserts and $15.95 for a 2-pack of the size two inserts, the price is not as high as a fitted, but is still much more than a prefold or flat diaper. It would be great if the price was a little lower, especially if a mother wanted her stash to consist mainly of these inserts.
* WHERE TO BUY *
Note: Swaddlebees are no longer made. Find this same style under the Blueberry name.

 

* GIVEAWAY *

Boingo Diaper Fastener vs. Snappi: a Review

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boingovssnappi

Update: As of 2024, Boingo has closed its doors. However, new ownership might be a possibility.
There is a product almost identical to Boingo available on Amazon.

If you tend to poke yourself with Snappi’s and pins, this post is for you. Let’s look at another cloth diaper fastener on the market: Boingo. The color below Punky Pink:

The directions for these are quick and easy to follow. I simply gave each Boingo fastener a good preliminary stretch, wrapped a prefold around Susanna and then held each wing tightly as I put the Boingos in place, one at a time.

All done!

You can use the Boingo fastener with prefolds, flats, fitteds and contours. Now, just in case you’re not familiar with its closest rival, the Snappi, here’s how the Snappi looks on Susanna using the same diaper. Note that you use ONE Snappi to fasten a diaper, but TWO Boingo’s.

Having tried both of these fasteners, I vastly prefer the Boingo. Why?

  • I haven’t accidentally scratched myself once on the sharp little gripper teeth while using my Boingo, whereas I was constantly poking myself with the Snappi. I think the difference is due to the fact that the Boingo teeth are set at a slightly downward angle, making them a little safer. I took this photo to show the two fasteners, one on top of the other, and you can see that the Snappi teeth actually angle upward a bit. Ouch! Does the difference in angle make the Boingo any less effective in securing the diaper? Not in my testing! It works just as well as the Snappi.

  • The Boingo fasteners are one-size-fits-all. They don’t have to stretch all the way across the diaper like a Snappi, so they will work just as well for older babies and toddlers. With Snappi, you’ll have to choose from between two different sizes, and if cloth diapering for the long-term, you’ll need to buy both.
  • Boingo fasteners only have two pressure points; there is no compression on the private area as with a Snappi.

Here are the fun colors you get to choose from:

I hope you’ll love them as much as we do!

GIVEAWAY ENDED – Don’t forget to enter below for your chance to win a set of Boingo fasteners in any color you like!

 

Update: As of 2024, Boingo has closed its doors. However, new ownership might be a possibility.
There is a product almost identical to Boingo available on Amazon.