Zephyr Hill

A Family Blog

Nicki’s Diapers Cotton Muslin Flats Review + Giveaway

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There’s a new product at Nicki’s Diapers and it’s simple, versatile and affordable – cotton muslin flats!

Nicki’s brand flats are made of a gauzy cotton muslin weave which is both lightweight and soft. Prices and sizes are as follows:

  • Small flats measure 28″x30″ and are $3.00 individually or $15.95 for six.
  • Large flats measure 31″x35″ and are $3.50 individually or $17.95 for six.

The small is bigger when padfolded than a Nicki’s standard cotton flat.

Performance: Estimating the absorbency of these muslin flats, I would say they are in between a flour sack towel and a standard 100% cotton flat (which has a denser weave). Size large padfolded with a hemp insert held Mary Kate (average wetter, age 18 months) all night.

The advantage you have with muslin is that it’s lighter, and allows for potentially more airflow. It would also be theoretically even easier to clean than a more dense cotton flat. For some families, I think it just comes down to aesthetics. You might really fall in love with the old-fashioned, springy, light-as-air look and feel of muslin.

The bright white is so fresh and pretty; they look like a dream blowing in the breeze on your clothesline. 🙂

And what’s really impressed me is the feel of these flats. They are very soft, even a little squishy, and don’t feel flimsy at all. And because they feel so wonderful, I’ve found they are an amazingly cheap alternative to pricey muslin blankets. You can get a 6-pack of the larges for close to the price of one Aden + Anais swaddle! Click here to shop at Nicki’s.

Care: Wash 2-3 times before using to remove natural oils and increase the absorbency. You do not have to dry them between wash cycles. They will shrink up to 15% in size after prepping, and this is normal. The look and feel will change as well, from a flat and smooth diaper right out of the package to a soft, quilty consistency.

I pull mine right out of the dryer and there are no wrinkles. They fold up beautifully.

Fit: Unless you are pinning the size small on a newborn or tiny infant, I think it works best padfolded. Size large is perfect for trying different folds. Either one can be tucked inside a pocket diaper in lieu of a synthetic microfiber pad. Size small when padfolded roughly corresponds to most diapers and covers on their small to medium settings; the same goes for large.

Muslin is easy to fasten (with Boingo’s or Snappi’s) or pin. The Origami Fold, shown here on Mary Kate, is one of my favorites because it’s narrow through the middle and gives you longer wings to work with on a bigger baby/toddler.

Other uses for Nicki’s cotton muslin flats:

  • Burp cloths
  • Spills
  • Lovey blanket
  • Baby shower gift – I think any new mother would adore these whether using cloth diapers or not!
  • Emergency nursing cover
  • Insert for pocket diapers
  • Booster for older babies and toddlers

Be sure to visit Nicki’s huge Fall Closeout Sale, with up to 50% off cloth diapers and accessories!

 

Where to Buy Nicki’s Cotton Muslin Flats:

Nicki’s Diapers – Sold exclusively at Nicki’s Diapers
with Free Shipping Over $10

Remember that for every Nicki’s brand flat or prefold
you buy, 1 is given to a child in need!

Giveaway: CLOSED My readers in the US and Canada can enter to win a 6-pack of Nicki’s Cotton Muslin Flats, in either size small or large! Use the entry form below to get started. Good luck!

TotsBots EasyFit Star All-in-One Review & Giveaway

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What makes the TotsBots EasyFit Star such a highly-rated all-in-one diaper? Today’s review and giveaway, sponsored by Green Team Distribution, will answer that question AND give you the chance to win an EasyFit diaper for your little one!

Green Team sent a TotsBots for Roderick (2.5 years), Evangeline (4 months) and Mary Kate (18 months) to try out.

The TotsBots EasyFit Star is made with a soft, stretchy PUL outer material, an absorbent bamboo core and a stay-dry tummy panel. All TotsBots diapers are made in Scotland and are Oekotex certified to be chemical free.

It’s adjustable from 8 to 35 pounds and fastens with hook and loop. There are 3 different size settings via the snap-down rise:

The EasyFit has been updated over the years and it’s latest manifestation is trimmer, more absorbent, and cut slightly bigger overall. Retail price is $26.95. Here are the basic features of this all-in-one diaper. Underneath the insert is a wide pocket opening.

The tongue-style insert measures about 22 inches from where it’s sewn in at the back to the opposite edge. It’s made to be folded over and tucked inside the pocket opening, although you can also keep it on the outside, if you prefer. However, leaving the insert out makes it much trickier to spray and/or dunk and swish, so my personal recommendation is to keep it stuffed in the pocket.

Performance: First of all, the hook and look on TotsBots diapers is top quality, and one of my favorites. The closure on our TotsBots fitteds, used for several years, still looks good and functions well. Hook and look makes diaper changes so fast, and getting a good fit easy, so it’s perfect for busy mothers and for caregivers that may not be as familiar with cloth.

Katie and I both like the large pocket opening in this all-in-one that allows you to tuck in additional absorbency. The EasyFit Star held Katie’s 4-month-old not only through a nap, but overnight as well – as is! Her toddler, Roderick (2.5 years) and Mary Kate (18 months) both needed a booster added for overnight.

The diaper’s leg elastics are softly rolled inside the waterproof PUL fabric – no seams on the outside – so there’s no risk of wicking through the tiny little holes left by sewing. That, plus the “buffer zone” between the legs and the inner core, have resulted in zero leg leaks for our little ones.

Care: I mentioned TotsBots’ durable hook and loop closure above, and this applies in the wash as well. The laundry tabs are very durable and always stay fastened. You might seem some staining on the bamboo core, so I would recommend a good stain stick and/or sun for that.

The fold-over insert design helps to shorten dry time somewhat compared to other bamboo all-in-ones we’ve tested. And NO, you do not have to pull the soiled insert out of the pocket when washing; it will agitate out on its own.

Fit: Katie and I both rated the EasyFit Star a “fairly trim” diaper, which is great news, since it doesn’t end up being terribly bulky even if you stick an additional insert inside.  The rolled elastics don’t just help keep leaks at bay; they are also snug yet gentle around all sizes of baby thighs. 🙂 The cut across the crotch is wide; you can choose to have it fit your baby that way, or tuck the leg openings deeper into the thighs for a trimmer look.

Here’s the EasyFit Star on our little ones!

Mary Kate (18 months and about 21 pounds):

Roderick (2.5 years and 31 pounds) and his little siter, Evangeline (4 months and 18 pounds):

Value: As far as the $26.95 price tag goes, Katie commented “It’s a little on the expensive side for me but it’s not an unreasonable price,” and I would concur. It’s made out of really high-quality materials, is manufactured in Scotland, comes in a lot of cool designer prints, and is a consistent award-winner (most recently the Mother & Baby Gold Award for 2015 and an Ethical Consumer Magazine “Best Buy”). With an extra insert inside, you could have a night-worthy diaper on your hands, and many families will happily pay over $20 for that.

Where to Buy TotsBots

Does your favorite cloth diaper shop carry TotsBots diapers?
If not, be sure to request them! You can find TotsBots right now at these retailers, and many more:

Fluff & Familia
Sterling & Me Shop
My Blossom Bottom
The Baby Store Alaska
The Crunchy Bean
South Coast Baby
Ecorganic Boutique (Puerto Rico)

Giveaway:  Winner gets a TotsBots EasyFit Star diaper in choice of color/print from Green Team Distribution. This promotion is open to both US and Canadian residents. Good luck!

 

 

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Diaper Junction Heavy Wetter AIO Review and Giveaway

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This post contains affiliate links.

If you have been searching for an affordable nap or night-time diaper, Diaper Junction introduced something this year that should pique your curiosity: the Heavy Wetter All-in-One! Diaper Junction provided us with a Parrot (red) diaper to review; there will also be a diaper giveaway, courtesy of yours truly.

Let’s take a look at the diaper’s basic features:

  • Waterproof thermally-bonded PUL outer
  • One snap-in soaker, and one sewn in, plus 2 layers of the same organic bamboo/cotton fleece fabric sewn into the shell (11 total layers)
  • Inner flaps at the back and front to hold inserts in place and help guard against leaks
  • Designed to fit 10-40 pounds
  • Available for $18.95 in 8 solid colors and 8 prints (on sale until October 12th for only $14.21!!)

The sewn-in soaker is attached at the back; the snap-in soaker fastens at the front and is an optional addition.

The “snake style” soaker measures 26 inches long and 5 inches wide. It’s long for a good reason: you can fold it to fit instead of having layers sewn one on top of the other (which would increase the dry time significantly).

The extra snap-in booster is 12.5 inches long and also 5 inches across.

This diaper is designed to be very customizable. Fold to fit, and use one or both inserts, depending on your baby’s size, and whether it’s day or night time:

I thought this diaper would be really bulky on Mary Kate, because she’s 8 months and kind of small at just under 15 pounds, but the fit is fine and not too puffy. It is wide in the crotch, which I don’t care for so much. We haven’t had any gaps around the legs, or red marks.

For such an absorbent diapers, it doesn’t look terribly bulky on Roderick, either. We’ve both reviewed “night time” diapers that can get really big.

One minor thing I noticed in terms of design is that it bunches just a little bit at the inside front of the diaper, where the waterproof tummy panel is attached to the sewn-in pad. You can see how it pinches down at the front waistband in the picture- below right.

Performance: I was really curious to see how this diaper would work overnight for Katie’s toddler, Roderick. He’s almost 2 years old and close to 28 pounds. Her results: “I don’t think it was fully saturated when he woke up. He actually wore it for about 45 minutes in the morning before I changed him, and there were still no leaks.” It held him all night, as is, with no extra inserts.

Not surprisingly, 8-month-old Mary Kate also wears it all night long with no leaks. And the bamboo/cotton fabric inside is very soft and smooth. I love the way it feels and I bet my little girl does, too.

Care: Bamboo and cotton stain more easily than microfiber and fleece, so I had to treat the fabric right after Mary Kate’s first big mess. I’m really pleased with the dry time, which is about 1 full cycle. If it’s part of a huge load of diapers, it will sometimes need to be hung up after coming from the dryer, but only for a little while. I also like that there was barely any uneven shrinking of the fibers around the edges, which often happens with inserts that contain cotton.

Value: $18.95 for a bamboo/cotton night-worthy diaper is very competitively priced. Many other fitteds and “heavy duty” all-in-one diapers are well over twenty dollars.

Did you know Diaper Junction is having a huge moving sale right now? Lots of things are on sale, including all Diaper Junction brand diapers, such as the Heavy Wetter All-in-One I reviewed today! You can try it out for only $14.21! Plus, shipping is free over $25. There are also three coupon codes that allow you to claim 50, 75 or even 100 rewards points with your purchase.

Giveaway: GIVEAWAY CLOSED. My readers in the US and Canadian can enter to win the new Diaper Junction brand Heavy Wetter AIO! You get to choose from in stock colors and prints. Use the form below, and good luck!

 

 

 

 

AppleCheeks One Size Diaper Review & Giveaway

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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!

 

 

 

BB Cloth Butterfly Fitted Diaper Review & Giveaway

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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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