Cloth diaper giveaway

Updated Newborn Cloth Diaper Reviews + 3 Giveaways

March 10, 2017 by Anne Marie 39 Comments

I now have over 75 newborn diaper reviews on the blog. During my last pregnancy, a lot of new diapers were coming on the market. Plus, there were some brands we hadn’t tried the first time around. That means lots of new reviews this year with newborn Mary Kate (she arrived January 26th)!

To celebrate Mary Kate’s birth, there are three giveaways for you to enter:

Diaper Junction giveaway (click here) – win a Diaper Rite cover and Diaper Rite AIO in your choice of newborn or one-size
Wink Diapers giveaway (click here) – win an organic bamboo AIO diaper.
Gift Card giveaway (below) – win a $25 gift card to Kelly’s Closet, Nicki’s or Diaper Junction, your choice

Here is a list of the NEW diapers that have been added to my reviews.

AIO DIAPERS – click here for my complete newborn AIO reviews
Nicki’s Newborn Ultimate AIO
Nicki’s Bamboo AIO
Diaper Rite 3.1 AIO
Imagine 2.0 Newborn Bamboo AIO
Thirsties Newborn AIO (Stay Dry)
Thirsties Natural Newborn AIO
Wink Organic Bamboo AIO (4 to 14 lb version)
AMP Small AIO
Easy Peasies Newborn AIO

COVERS – click here for my complete newborn cover reviews
Nicki’s Newborn Cover
Nicki’s Pull-On Cover XS
Wink Hybrid Cover (4-18 lbs)
Diaper Rite 3.1 Newborn Cover

POCKETS – click here for my complete newborn pocket reviews
TotsBots TeenyFit V4

FITTEDS – click here for my complete newborn fitted reviews
Thirsties Natural Newborn Fitted
Imagine 2.0 Newborn Bamboo Fitted
Nicki’s Newborn Bamboo Fitted

Hope the new reviews are helpful, and good luck with the giveaways!

AppleCheeks One Size Diaper Review & Giveaway

January 20, 2017 by Anne Marie 58 Comments

Until recently, AppleCheeks has been a 3-size diaper system (which I reviewed in February of 2016); we were given the chance to review a complimentary sample of the brand new “one size” cover to see how it worked for Ingrid (my toddler) and Roderick (my infant nephew).

My experience over the years with AppleCheeks has been positive; our only issues were being stuck “in between sizes” when neither size 1 nor size 2 fit quite right, and also the cost of the system if it’s going to make up your entire stash. Because of our sizing experience, I was really curious to see how the new one-size cover would work out. AppleCheeks kindly provided a bamboo insert and one-size “Out of the Blue” print cover.

Here are the features of the bamboo bundle:

One size (adjustable) PUL cover with snap closure and white fleece lining
Envelope-style pocket opening
Foldable 2-ply bamboo/cotton insert retails for $7
Cover retails for $22

Here’s the new one-size cover in between size 1 and size 2:

On its largest snap setting, the one-size is closer in overall dimensions to the size 2.

On its smallest snap setting, the one-size is actually a bit smaller than the size 1.

Here are the one-size and Size 2 opened up. You can see how how size 2 is slightly wider and longer.

The bamboo insert is made of a smooth bamboo/cotton blend With only two layers of fabric, it’s easy to get good and clean, and takes an average amount of time to dry. You can check out my previous AppleCheeks review for several ways to fold the bamboo insert, depending on your baby’s needs.

The insert shrinks up a little after washing and the sides curl up slightly at the edges. Before washing, our new insert measured 12.5 x 15.5; afterwards it was about 12 x 14.5.

At 2 years of age, Ingrid is still on the small side for her age. So I compared the fit of the one-size (with the rise fully open) and the size 2 on her. The size 2 gives her the room she needs in the rise, but I like the trimmer cut in the crotch of the new one-size.

With either cover, I would really like more stretch/length in the wings. She’s on the very last leg snap and that means the leg openings are very snug with no growing room.

NOTE: If you want to see how size 1 fit, check out my prior review showing Erik and Ingrid as newborn and infant, respectively.

This was my sister-in-law’s first time to try AppleCheeks. She found that 14 month old (26 pound) Roderick fit well into both one-size and size 2, but like with Ingrid, the size 2 offered both a comfortable fit and some growing room in the rise.

UPDATE: Here is the one-size on our newborn, Mary Kate! She lost a little of her birth weight, and in this picture is about 8 pounds 10 ounces and 5 days old. The leg openings are definitely more snug and well-fitting than the size 1 we tried several years ago on Erik. The rise is also shorter than the size 1. However, the 2-ply AppleCheeks insert, when folded for a newborn, is a bit bulky. So I prefer to use our one-size AppleCheeks cover with just a regular newborn prefold.

So the question is, can the AppleCheeks one-size diaper replace the 2-size system, or does it work best to fill in the gaps between size 1 and 2? It depends on your baby’s size and body type. In hindsight, considering that Ingrid is small for average, I think she would have been able to wear the one-size from birth to her current age and stage (just getting started with potty training). For a longer or chunkier baby, the new one-size diaper will be outgrown before potty training, meaning Mama will need to purchase additional covers with either size 2 or even size 3.

In summary, here’s what Katie and I like best about AppleCheeks:

The ruffled fleece-lined elastics around the front, back and legs aren’t just super soft – they are also great for containment.
The trim fit
The bright, fun colors and prints
The supportive and highly social AppleCheeks community

And what we would change or improve:

Longer, stretchier wings
Lower cost for the one-size cover (AppleCheeks recently reduced size 1 and size 2 down to $17, which was really nice!)

As soon as my baby arrives this month, I will be updating my newborn diaper cover reviews to show how the new one-size AppleCheeks fits on a tiny little one!

Where to Buy: You can find AppleCheeks at online and brick-and-mortar cloth diaper retailers in both the US and Canada.

Have you tried AppleCheeks diapers yet? Do you have a favorite print or color?

Giveaway: You can enter to win an AppleCheeks Bamboo Bundle in your choice of available colors/prints from our friends at AppleCheeks. It’s open to both US and Canada. Good luck!

Nicki’s Overnight Bamboo Fitted Diaper Review & Giveaway

May 13, 2016 by Anne Marie 42 Comments

Nicki’s Diapers introduced a new Bamboo Overnight Fitted this year which will make a lot of budget-conscious families very happy. That’s because the prices are just $13.95 for one-size and $9.95 for newborns. Pretty amazing for a bamboo fitted, huh? Read on!

I purchased one of each to review and share with you. Nicki’s has offered a giveaway in conjunction with my review, which you find more details about below.

If I could describe this diaper with three words they would be: soft, thirsty and adorable. The 100% bamboo fibers are pure white terry and the edges are serged with rainbow threads. The leg gussets and the back waistband are ruffled, which is pretty cute.

There are 2 sets of snaps on the rise, which equals 3 size settings (small, medium and large). There are also 2 additional crossover snaps on the wings to allow the diaper to fit thin or small infants.

The diaper is absorbent on its own, since it’s made of 3 layers of bamboo, but it also includes a 5-layer bamboo soaker which attaches with 2 snaps at the back.

The newborn size is almost exactly alike, but smaller. The waistband can be snapped down in the middle to accommodate the umbilical cord stump. However, there are less waistband snaps overall and no crossovers. Inside, you’ll find the same snap-in soaker, in miniature.

To shorten the rise of the newborn diaper for a really tiny baby you can fasten the wings to the row of colored snaps across the middle of the diaper, as seen in the top left photo below. The bottom picture shows one-size and newborn side by side.

Here’s a profile of the one-size diaper with insert included:

Performance: With or without the soaker, this fitted makes a great day time diaper. Erik and Ingrid, both average wetters, have worn it overnight (I use an extra doubler with him because he’s 3). I like to use a fleece liner with it overnight because the diaper will get saturated all over.

The soaker has stayed attached about half the time during laundering and drying, but when they get separated it’s easy to match them up out of the dryer because of the rainbow threads. Drying time averages about 1 and a quarter cycles on medium heat after being washed in an HE top loader (which gets a lot of water out). If using a traditional top loader, I would estimate drying time to be longer.

I prepped the diaper by washing it twice with our stash before first use. After prepping, you may notice some tiny fringes of thread around the edges of the diaper; this is normal.

The bamboo fabric does stain easily.

Fit: Bamboo is fairly trim, and one of the first things I noticed with this diaper is that even with the soaker folded under at the front to fit a smaller baby, it’s not that bulky. The fabric drapes nicely and is very flexible, so it fits snugly get comfortably against the body. When it’s saturated, bamboo isn’t stiff (although with long-term use and a lot of washing, bamboo will eventually lose some of its softness).

The wings on this diaper are very stretchy; Ingrid can actually wear it with the first crossover snap fastened if I really want the diaper to fit snugly. Usually, though, she wears it on the snap that comes just before the crossovers. Getting a perfect fit at the waist is not as crucial for me with a fitted diaper because the cover that you put on top holds the diaper in place. TIP: If you do find your baby in between sizes at the waist, or you can’t get it snug enough, use a Snappi or Boingo to hold it closed and leave the snaps undone.

Compared to other fitteds, I find the Nicki’s version to be very versatile when it comes to sizing and absorbency. For instance, if you’re diapering a very small baby and just need an average amount of absorbency, you can leave the soaker out altogether and use the diaper all by itself on the small setting for an extremely trim day diaper. And then at the very other end of the spectrum, the diaper on its largest setting with the soaker attached can function as a night diaper for toddlers and older infants. It’s also stretchy and roomy enough to add an additional doubler from your existing collection.

Which covers will work best? I tried 10 different one-size diaper covers over this fitted and found that Imagine, Sweet Pea, Blueberry Coveralls and Nicki’s Diapers (the one size and the pull-on pants) gave the best coverage. Flip, Buttons, Best Bottoms, Kawaii and our GroVia and Funky Fluff shells were not quite big enough for my liking. This diaper is narrow through the crotch, so where your cover really needs to fit is up and over the hips to fully contain the wings, which are wide. Here are some pictures of the diaper on 3-year-old Erik with a Nicki’s one-size cover on top.

Here’s Erik in just the diaper. You can see how the diaper is contoured in the front to make it fit better between the legs.

Ingrid at 22 months:

And my nephew, Roderick, who’s 6 months and already 20 pounds! He has very chubby legs but that’s no problem thanks to the stretchiness of the bamboo fabric.

Value: The price just can’t be beat; I don’t think there is another brand name bamboo fitted on the market for under $14. It’s a well made diaper that has lived up to its promises, fits great and looks super cute. Plus, with every Nicki’s brand diaper you buy, 1 is donated to charity via the Buy 1 Give 1 promotion.

The Nicki’s Bamboo Overnight fitted diaper is only available from Nicki’s Diapers and is not sold anywhere else. The one-size version sold quickly, but newborn is still availble; look for a restock soon.

Giveaway: CLOSED Nicki’s is giving away a bamboo fitted to one lucky Zephyr Hill reader! This promo is open to US and Canadian residents. Good luck and let me know if you have a question that wasn’t covered in the review!

BB Cloth Butterfly Fitted Diaper Review & Giveaway

February 18, 2016 by Anne Marie 31 Comments

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It’s been a while since I reviewed a fitted diaper, but that doesn’t mean this style isn’t an important part of our cloth diapering routine. Besides the bamboo prefolds we often a use, a good fitted diaper is one of my top picks for night time and extended day wear.

BB Cloth sent two complimentary “Butterfly” fitted diapers for me to test out on 18-month-old Ingrid and 3-year-old Erik. Customers can choose from different snap colors (including plain white); we received aqua and crimson.

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BB Cloth’s Butterfly Fitted is a multi-layer diaper made with cotton on the outside and organic bamboo inside. There are two soakers inside which are only partially sewn-in; they fold out to either side giving the diaper a butterfly-like appearance. The design is meant to help cut down the drying time and make the diaper easier to clean thoroughly.

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This fitted diaper is one-size, and adjustable to fit from 10 to 35+ pounds. There are three rows of snaps on the rise, which equates to four different sizes. As you can see in the second picture (side view), this is a very plush and thick diaper.

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I washed the diaper 3 times before day use and after 5 washes, tested at night.

Performance: Both the cotton and the bamboo are very soft and smooth fabrics, so this diaper feels really nice against the skin. And it’s super absorbent! Besides extended wearing during the day Ingrid and Erik have both worn this fitted all night on several occasions with no leaks. It’s worked great as is for us, with no doublers needed. However, I do like to add a fleece liner inside at night for a more comfortable stay-dry feeling.

Ingrid usually wears a footed sleeper to bed and they fit over the diaper just fine. Erik either wears maxaloones (cloth diaper pants with extra fabric in the fear) or sweatpants.

The drawback to a butterfly style is that the soakers are not only permanently attached, but also a fixed size and length. When fastened at the very shortest rise setting, the diaper is much bulkier on a small baby than it is on an older infant or toddler.

Care for this diaper like you would any other cotton or bamboo fabric, using a good detergent and avoiding fabric softeners. This multi-layered fitted takes a long time to dry, especially the thick elasticized fabric around the leg openings. To save energy, I dry for a full cycle and then drape it over a towel bar to air dry the rest of the way.

Fit/Sizing: With three snaps on the rise, the Butterfly Fitted offers a wide range of sizing options starting at around 10 pounds. It’s not designed to fit most babies at the newborn stage. But there are crossover snaps on the wings for smaller/thinner infants. Ingrid at 18 months and 22 pounds wears the diaper with just one rise snap fastened, what you might call the “large” setting.

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Even when the diaper has been completely saturated, wings and all, it doesn’t leave red marks on my children. And although it is very plush, the wings have a trim profile and the crotch is fairly narrow.

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You might notice that Ingrid (who is over a year old) is wearing the waist snaps at their smallest setting (excluding the crossover option which would be far too small). If she was a little bit thinner, I think this would put her in between sizes at the waistband.

At age 3 and about 30 pounds, Erik wears it completely unsnapped (what I would say equates to “extra large”). He’s slender and of average height and by 35 pounds will max out the rise, which is in line with BB Cloth’s estimates.

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What diaper covers work well over this fitted? In my testing, full-coverage wraps like Flip, Sweet Pea, Diaper Safari and Imagine/Nicki’s paired well with the Butterfly Fitted. When using trimmer covers like Best Bottoms and Buttons, I had to loosen the rise and waist snaps beyond where Ingrid usually wears them to accommodate the thickness of the diaper.

Value: BB Cloth’s Butterfly Fitted retails for just $19.95, which is very reasonable for a plush fitted made of both cotton and bamboo. BB Cloth offers a 30 warranty against manufacturer defects. Customers having any issues beyond defects in workmanship are welcome to contact BB Cloth to troubleshoot.

You can buy directly from the BB Cloth website, and also find pockets, AI2 diapers and accessories like inserts, cloth diaper keychains and teething necklaces.

Giveaway CLOSED BB Cloth is giving away a one-size Butterfly Fitted in the gender-neutral “Snow” color. This giveaway is open to both US and Canadian residents. Good luck!

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New Buttons Diapers Review & Giveaway

December 2, 2014 by Anne Marie 127 Comments

Buttons Diapers recently added a few new products to their lineup and sent some complimentary samples for a review. I received a cover in the Critters print (which was introduced this Fall), a small daytime and small nighttime hemp insert, a diaper pail liner in the Thicket (leaves) print and a package of 6 velour wipes.

The Cover

Since my previous review, an embroidered button has been added to the back of each cover, giving it a cute signature look. This is still one of my favorite covers; we use Buttons Diapers daily for both 4-month-old Ingrid and almost-two Erik. Features include a wipeable interior, super soft and durable 2-layer PUL, front and back elastics, double gussets around the leg openings, snap closure and a suggested size range of 9 to 35 pounds (I actually used Buttons covers on newborn Ingrid at 7 pounds). There are snaps inside of each cover so you can use with coordinating Buttons inserts, but the cover can also be used with anything in your diaper system (fitteds, prefolds, flats, etc.).

Solid colors are $11.00 and prints are $12.50.

Here’s the cover opened up so you can see how it looks like on its own, or with a Buttons insert snapped inside.

I want to note that compared to most of my other one-size diapers, Buttons run small in the rise. Erik is 26 pounds or so and I’m estimating he’ll be too tall for the covers by 30 pounds. By that time, I’m hoping he’ll be ready to potty train and out of diapers for the most part anyway.

Buttons covers are a favorite for us not just because of the features mentioned above, but also because the fit is fantastic and we NEVER have leaks. Not one in a year and a half of use. And while I usually prefer a diaper with double snaps on the wings, I don’t miss that feature at all with Buttons.

I love the fit, the price, the colors and prints and the great service. Enough said!

The Wipes

The new Buttons wipes are made of super soft poly velour with a microfleece backing and are 8×8 inches square. One side is smooth and the other is textured, so they work better than a regular flannel wipe for scrubbing stubborn messes. Because they are so soft and velvety, I’ve found the wipes also work well to gently wipe dirty hands, noses and faces. They make perfect little wash cloths for baby Ingrid. And the apple green color helps hide stains. I have noticed that because the two layers are sewn together only at the edges, that you can feel the fabric layers moving back and forth against each other during use. At $8.50 for a package of six, they are very economically priced.

The Pail Liner / Wet Bag

Buttons’ new wet bag/pail liner is huge! It easily holds 3 days worth of dirty diapers from two children, with room to spare. It’s larger than its competitors and yet still only costs $16.00. I’ve been testing the bag for almost two months now and have had no leaks or moisture seeping through the PUL. It’s thick and durable, but silky smooth to the touch, just like the Buttons diaper covers. The unique toggle closure lets you adjust the opening around the top of the pail, and also allows you to use it free-standing without a pail (other elasticized liners don’t multi-task like this). The toggle closure is a bit stubborn sometimes, but works fine otherwise. Buttons new wet bag is available in two prints (Thicket and Charming) and three colors (Blueberry, Strawberry and Pebble).

Inserts

Previously, all Buttons snap-in inserts were made of microfiber/microfleece. Now there’s a new hemp option!

Daytime inserts are four layers of 55% hemp/45% cotton with one layer of microfleece on top. They measure approximately 4.5×12 after prepping. Nighttime inserts are five layers of 55% hemp/45% cotton and measure 4.5×13 after prepping. The night insert is designed to be used with a day insert snapped on top; that way your baby gets the benefit of a stay-dry layer.

There are two sizes to choose from: small (orange stitching) fits 9 to 20 pounds and large (blue stitching) fits 20 to 35 pounds. Inserts can be snapped into the front or the back, or both.

Two things I really like about these inserts: (1) they stay snapped in the shell when you wash and dry them, making this almost seem like an AIO diaper, and (2) you don’t have to snap them in if you don’t want to. One alone is super trim; two inserts snapped together isn’t that bulky. Compared to other nighttime diapers, Buttons definitely has an edge in terms of trimness.

The only drawback of the new inserts is that hemp takes longer to dry than microfiber.

Absorbency is excellent. Ingrid wears both hemp inserts together overnight without leaks. One insert by itself gets her through a long nap of 3 hours or more.

And now, one of the most fun parts of cloth diapering: let’s see how it fits! In these photos, both Ingrid (4 months) and Erik (23 months) are wearing both inserts in the cover. (Ideally, Erik would be wearing the large inserts, but I wanted to show how the covers fit on a 26-pound toddler).

You can shop for Buttons at their online store, or at select diaper retailers.

Buttons is offering a giveaway to my readers! The prize includes: 1 cover in your choice of in stock print/color, 1 daytime hemp insert and 1 pail liner in your choice of in stock print/color. Open to both US and Canadian residents. Good luck!

GIVEAWAY CLOSED