Zephyr Hill

A Family Blog

Bambino Mio Miosolo AIO Review & Giveaway

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Last spring I reviewed Bambino Mio covers and muslin flat diapers; today’s review highlights the Miosolo All-in-One. UK-based Bambino Mio has been around for over 20 years and has garnered many awards. Distribution in the US and Canada was great news for cloth diapering families!

You can find Bambino Mio diapers and accessories at Kelly’s Closet, Nicki’s Diapers, Amazon. and even Walmart.com (which is where we picked up the Bumble print to try for our girls).

Here’s a quick rundown of the Miosolo’s features:

  • Waterproof PUL outer, 100% polyester lining and an 85% polyester, 15% nylon quilted soaker pad (5×14 inches)
  • Pull tab on the soaker makes removing it from the pocket easier
  • Pouch at one end of the soaker holds additional absorbency in place
  • Quick dry time
  • Retail price of $21.99The velcro?

Stuff the soaker pad into the pocket and the Miosolo is ready for your baby to wear:

The Miosolo AIO is designed to fit from 8 pounds and up. It has three rise settings (small, medium and large):

Fit: The hook and loop closure makes the Miosolo a quick and easy diaper to get on, and getting a snug but comfortable at the waist is a cinch.

Ingrid is just under 3 years old in these pictures. She’s small for her age and is wearing the MioSolo at the largest (rise unsnapped) setting. It fits great on her and is super trim.

Here’s Mary Kate at 11 months of age (below). The MioSolo is bigger overall than other one-size diapers I have; she’s wearing it on the smallest rise setting and the tabs are touching at the waist. For a smaller baby, you can fasten the waistband more tightly using the little square tab of hook and loop pictured below (top right).

What if the leg openings just aren’t snug enough on a smaller/thinner infant? On Mary Kate, I tried this little hack. If you find that the legs are still too loose after fastening the waistband as tight as you like, pinch the waistband with your fingers at your baby’s hips (both left and right – pink arrows below), and pull up a little. This will snug up the leg gussets somewhat. Because there are no hip snaps on this diaper, this adjustment may only last for so long on an active baby.

Performance: The Miosolo hasn’t leaked once during my testing on both Ingrid and Mary Kate. I’m impressed because most All-in-One diapers with a single microfiber soaker inside give us a couple of hours max, and even that’s pushing it. I was able to use this diaper through long naps, as is. Because my girls are tummy sleepers, I thought that a wider waterproof strip on the inside waistband would be needed, but I was wrong. It functions fine as designed.

I even tried it overnight, with an extra bamboo insert from my collection. Mary Kate was able to wear it all night, and she is what I would call an average wetter. At 11 months, she’s still nursing twice in the night, so I am happy about the results!

I love the pull-tab on the insert, because one thing that really makes me cringe is having to grabbed a pee-soaked insert from the pocket of a diaper. The laundry tabs are strong and have stayed put in the wash after months of laundering. The velcro wing tabs are starting to curl back slightly but are as strong as ever.

Another plus is the super soft and smooth inner lining, which feels much better to me than microsuede or low-quality fleece.

There are two minor drawbacks to the Miosolo, the first being that you have to stuff the insert, like you would a pocket diaper. One of the things I love most about the All-in-One style is the fact that you just wrap it around your baby and go. The Miosolo’s 100% microfiber insert cannot be put against a baby’s skin, so there is that extra step of having to stuff the diaper before using. Thankfully, the pocket is roomy and easy to stuff.

Secondly, it’s 100% synthetic, so if you prefer natural fibers and want to go with a more economical option, I highly recommend the Bambino Mio covers and flats.

Giveaway: One lucky reader will win a Miosolo diaper in the Sky Ride print, plus a pack of Bambino Mio cotton wipes. Open to US and Canadian residents. Good luck!

*New* Buttons Bamboo Prefold Diapers Review & Giveaway

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Buttons Diapers was always an AI2 system, with reusable shells and snap-in pads. But since the shells also make great little diaper covers, it makes complete sense that Buttons would add prefold diapers to its product line-up. We received a complimentary review pack of Size 2 Buttons prefolds, which are made of 55% bamboo and 45% unbleached cotton.

If you’ve only used cotton prefolds before, the bamboo/cotton version is softer and silkier in comparison. You’ll notice this right off the bat.

Buttons recommends a minimum of two washes before first use, but they achieve maximum absorbency after four or more wash/dry cycles. Our Size 2 prefolds measured 13×5 by 14.5 out of the package and about 12×12.5 inches after prepping. Buttons prefolds are 4x8x4 ply, which translates to 4 layers on either side and 8 layers down the middle. They are durable “diaper service quality” prefolds, meant to withstand years of washing and drying.

Before first use, prefolds are dense and smooth (below), but after washing they fluff up.

We chose Size 2 because Mary Kate is 9 months old and about 15 pounds. She wears her Buttons Diapers on the medium setting right now, and the Size 2 prefold is a perfect fit inside (photo below).

If you are using Buttons covers on the largest setting, fully opened up, the Size 2 prefold fits but with some room to spare. It’s very possible that with an average sized baby you could make the Size 2’s work and not have to go up to a 3. However, if you’re already diapering a bigger or older toddler, definitely go with the Buttons Super Covers and Size 3 prefolds.

If you are diapering a newborn, or using Buttons covers on the very smallest setting right now, you might opt for Size 1. Or, you can make a Size 2 work by folding the front or back under, or by folding and pinning.

If you don’t pin your prefolds, but just like to trifold and lay in a cover like I do, try fanning out the wings in the back, like a newspaper (below). This little tip helps to give you some extra coverage in the rear. Speaking of pinning, Buttons bamboo prefolds have worked just fine with both of our diaper fasteners (Snappi’s and Boingo’s). And it goes without saying that you can use Buttons prefolds with other brands of covers in your rotation.

Pricewise, Buttons bamboo prefolds are comparable to others on the market, at roughly $2.58 and up per diaper. This is higher than 100% cotton, but with bamboo you get extra softness and absorbency. As evidence of this, Mary Kate can’t always wear a plain cotton prefold through a nap, but with bamboo it’s always a win. At night, you can pair a Buttons insert of your choice on top of or underneath the prefold.

Having tried bamboo blend prefolds, I don’t think I’ll ever go back to plain cotton! <—–SPOILED  Over time, bamboo prefolds do lose a little of their initial softness, but it’s nothing dramatic.

I don’t want to wrap up this post without mentioning one of Button’s newest prints – PINE! The warm, mossy green, accented with white pine boughs, is beautiful at any time of year.

Mary Kate (9 months and 15 pounds) is wearing the Pine cover with her new, trim bamboo prefolds:
If new to Buttons Diapers, you might be wondering, “Which should I choose? The prefolds or the snap-in pads?” Good question! Although it certainly doesn’t take a long time to fold a prefold in thirds and lay in a cover, many people still like the convenience of an insert that snaps in and stays put. You can snap your Buttons inserts in ahead of time and have the diapers all ready to go. In terms of absorbency, it’s difficult to compare the two since Buttons has so many options (Stay Dry, Hemp, Bamboo, etc.) and they can be used in different combinations (two inserts snapped together, one insert with one prefold, etc.). One area you may notice a difference in will be drying times; our Buttons bamboo prefolds definitely dry more quickly than the multi-layered bamboo and hemp inserts.

Where to buy: You can shop for Buttons Diapers directly at their website; the new prefolds are covered under a 90-day no questions asked warranty when purchased through their site. Sizes and styles available are:

  • Cotton Prefolds, Pack of 6 starting at $10.50 in sizes 1, 2 and 3
  • Bamboo Prefolds, Pack of 6 starting at $15.50 in sizes 1, 2 and 3

Weight estimates are: Size 1 (7-12 lbs), Size 2 (12-25lbs) and Size 3 (25-40 lbs).

You can also shop Buttons at retailers like Amazon and Diaper Junction.

Giveaway: One lucky reader will win a 6-pack of Buttons prefold diapers in choice of size. Open to US and Canadian residents. Use the entry form below, and good luck!

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!

 

 

 

 

Snappi Size 2 Diaper Fasteners Review & Giveaway

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Snappi diaper fasteners now come in size two, which is great news for toddlers! Snappi’s are made from a flexible, non-toxic and latex-free material which stretches to grip flats, prefolds and fitted diapers at three points. At the end of a Snappi are little sharp “teeth” that gently grab and hold the fabric.

In 2015, Snappi introduced new colors to the line-up. This summer, they decided to re-introduce size 2. We received a complimentary sample of Size 2 Snappi’s to review.

Here is a picture of the new Size 2 next to the Size 1 that we reviewed last year:

The new size two is much easier to stretch over large flats and prefolds on a toddler. I put a large bamboo flat on 3-year-old Ingrid and the Snappi held everything just fine as she played. Here are some tips to get you started with Snappi fasteners.

First of all, they are super easy to use right out of the package. Give them a good stretch first to improve the flexibility. Fold and wrap the diaper around your baby and then hold your Snappi by the middle. Depending on whether you are left or right handed, fasten the teeth into the diaper first on one hip and then the other. Last of all, pull the Snappi down and fasten to the crotch area of the diaper.

Be sure to replace your Snappi if you see any damage or weak spots. I’ve used Snappi over the years and usually get between 6 to 12 months of regular usage out them. They work well for any type of cotton or bamboo prefold, but don’t grip as tightly on smooth jersey or flannel.

And don’t worry about the teeth on your Snappi; there’s also a safety loop on each end which covers the sharp points when not in use.

Snappi cloth diaper fasteners come in a variety of assorted colors (below) in packs of 3 or 5. I would love for Snappi to introduce some “fun” colors in the future (swirls, dots, stripes, etc). They are sold on SnappiBabyUSA.com and Amazon. To see a video of how Snappi’s work, click here.

Giveaway: Snappi is giving away a pack of their size two diaper fasteners to TWO lucky readers! Enter using the form below. Good luck!

 

 

 

 

 

What I Don’t Like About Cloth Diapers

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Even the biggest cloth diapering fan (*cough cough*) will admit that there are some challenges. Today’s post was inspired by a Facebook giveaway I did recently, where readers were asked “What do you not like about cloth diapers?” Yes, there were some who said “Nothing!” but see if you can identify with any of these common responses. I’ve sprinkled a few links throughout that address some of these issues, so feel free to click around.

Cloth Diaper Difficulties:

  • Soaking and stripping (when you have yeast, bacteria, build-up, etc.)
  • Finding a nighttime solution
  • Dealing with sensitive skin (reactions to wetness, elastics and certain fabrics)
  • Fitting clothes over bulky diapers
  • Storage/space constraints (at home and when traveling)
  • Dealing with extra messy diapers (“scary poop” as Jeanette at Mama Bananas’s Adventures calls it)
  • Finding a reliable wash routine
  • Using cloth without a washing machine or dryer at home
  • Information overload (too many choices, too much conflicting advice, finding the best deals, etc.)
  • Time spent sorting and/or stuffing clean diapers
  • Waiting for diapers to dry, especially when you don’t have an electric dryer
  • Having to do more frequent diaper changes
  • And of course, more laundry

Do any of these resonate with you? Or has cloth diapering pretty much been smooth sailing for your family?