Zephyr Hill

A Family Blog

“Bigger” Best Bottom Diaper Review & Giveaway

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There are more and more options these days for bigger babies and toddlers in cloth. Best Bottom just introduced the Bigger cover, and I purchased one for Katie and me from Nicki’s Diapers to try on our toddlers. This larger size shell offers a roomier fit with 1.5 more inches in the waist and 1 more inch of rise height.

Besides the extended sizing, it’s the same design as the original Best Bottom diaper, is compatible with all the Best Bottom inserts, and is made in the USA. The new Bigger Best Bottom diapers were designed with 10 to 45+ pound babies in mind.

Size large inserts are the biggest ones you can buy right now; I wonder if Best Bottom will eventually add Extra Large, with this new Bigger cover in mind. Our large insert works ok right now, but when I stretch the cover over Ingrid and fasten it on, the insert pulls back a bit, leaving some empty space up front. For a tummy sleeper like Ingrid, I like to add more absorbency up there when using this Bigger cover.

Katie loves the way the Bigger Best Bottom fits on 18-month-old (27 pounds) Roderick. “Just how I’ve always dreamed a cover would fit!” She used it with a stay-dry large, just like I did for Ingrid, and added a microfiber doubler for nap time. Because of the longer wings, Katie said, “I can get a much better fit around the waist with this cover than I did my my original Best Bottom. Along with the improved fit, I love how trim it is on Roderick.”

She had no leaks with Roderick and is happy that there is room for him to grow both in the waist and the rise.Here’s Ingrid, 2.5 years old and 28 pounds. She wears the rise fully opened up and there’s still plenty of room to grow in the waist.

I agree with Katie completely about the fit on toddlers, and like that it’s more trim and has longer wings. Here’s Ingrid with the original on the left and the Bigger on the right, for visual comparison.

Where to Buy: You can find Bigger Best Bottom covers at Nicki’s Diapers and other US retailers like Diaper Junction and Kelly’s Closet. In Canada, I highly recommend Cozy Bums. This style is available in about 9 prints/colors right now, but going forward, all new Best Bottom releases will be made in both one-size and Bigger.

Giveaway: Winner chooses a Bigger Best Bottom or the original one-size, and from in-stock colors at Nicki’s. Open to US and Canadian residents. Good luck!

 

 

 

Bambino Mio Diaper Cover + Flats Review & Giveaway

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This post contains affiliate links.

Bambino Mio is a household name in the UK, but the brand is also gaining popularity in the US and Canada. When I found out that you can buy them at Kelly’s Closet, Nicki’s Diapers, Walmart.com and Amazon, we picked up some Bambino Mio products to try on Mary Kate and Ingrid.

Muslin MioSquares by Bambino Mio are made of 100% cotton and come in packs of three for about $11. Although not marketed as diapers, my first thought when I spotted them was to use them as flats. Bambino Mio does sell standard cotton prefolds as well.

MioSoft diaper covers are available in size 1 and 2, with velcro closure. There are no rise snaps at all on the front.

Size 1 fits 19 pounds (9 kg) or less
Size 2 fits 19 pounds or more

Bambino Mio covers have front and back elastics, fold-back laundry tabs and a wide flap at the inside front. This a cover you can use again if not soiled (just use a baby wipe to freshen up the inside). The PUL material is very soft and has a little bit of a sheen to it. There are double gussets at the leg openings.

Bambino Mio actually makes two different kinds of MioSquares; these are the larger 27 inch versions that come in packs of three. Each one is a different print (the assortment I purchased is called Bumble). 100% cotton muslin is soft, lightweight, cool and breathable. MioSquares have a more open weave than our bamboo flat diapers. Besides working great as flats, they also function as burp cloths, blankets, nursing covers, etc.

They are smooth before washing:

And then get “quilty” and soft after prepping. The edges are hemmed and stitched.

Laid flat, they shrink from 27 inches square to 24 inches square. Padfolded, they are about 12 inches long and 4.5 inches wide, and fill the size 1 cover perfectly.

The absorbency of these flats is pretty good – better than a flour sack towel but not as thirsty as a bamboo flat. I can double them up in the size 2 cover with no problem. Having a whole stash of these might not be practical, but 3 pretty flats for $11 is something you might be able to splurge on. They also make an ideal shower gift because they are beautiful and have so many uses.

MioSoft covers have very strong velcro and stretchy wings, making it very easy to get a good fit – and fast. The laundry tabs are strong and have always stayed fastened in the wash for us. They are roomy enough to work with most any diaper, plus inserts, including prefolds and fitteds. I like to use the Size 2 MioSoft cover with 2 of the muslin MioSquares padfolded inside for my toddler Ingrid’s nap.

Thanks to the double gussets around the legs and the stretchy hook and loop wings, I get a nice, snug fit fit on 3-month-old Mary Kate with the Size 1 cover. Because she’s small, the rise is high, which may or may not bother you aesthetically (many mothers like a more low-rise look). There’s plenty of room for her to grow in this cover, both in the rise and the waist. NOTE: It was too big to fit her at birth; she was 9 pounds.

The Size 2 cover fits Ingrid, my 2-year-old toddler, very nicely right now. She’s small for her age.

The hook and loop is very strong and stays fastened in the wash.

The only issue I’ve had with the covers is that the front of the waistband, where the elastic is, sometimes will curl inward after the diaper has been on for a while. When that happens, the velcro rubs up against the girls’ tummies.

The other potential problem is with sizing, since there are no rise snaps. The size 1 cover is way too big for a newborn and Ingrid only just now fits into it at 3 months. And even so, the rise is still pretty high.

Speaking of flats, did you know that the 7th annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge just started? Sign-up here, if you haven’t already. Share your thoughts, experiences and encouragement on social media using the #flatschallenge hashtag. My hats off to Kim Rosas for creating this important event, and for Jenny who is now carrying the torch forward. For 6 years, the flats challenge has helped families to see that switching to cloth diapers is well within reach, even in difficult situations.

Where to Buy: Bambino Mio covers start at $9.16 each and can be purchased directly from their website, at Kelly’s Closet or from Walmart.com with free shipping over $35. When they aren’t in stock at Walmart, you can also check Amazon.
Giveaway:  I am giving away a 3-pack of muslin MioSquares, just like the one reviewed, plus a MioSoft diaper cover of your choice (size and color, from available stock at Walmart). This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents. Good luck!

Buttons Super Cover and Bamboo Inserts Review & Giveaway

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This post contains a referral link

We first tried Buttons Diapers four years ago and they’ve been in our rotation ever since. Buttons is a simple AI2 system that consists of waterproof covers and snap-in soaker pads. Buttons is constantly innovating and updating to meet customer needs, and 2017 brought two VERY exciting additions: a newborn cover and a Super cover for older/bigger babies and toddlers. Buttons sent a complimentary Super cover for 2-year-old Ingrid and 17 month old Roderick (my nephew). We also received the new bamboo/cotton inserts to try out. The Super cover is designed to fit babies from 12 to 40+ pounds.

Here’s a photo comparison to show the 3 sizes of covers that Buttons now offers. The newborn and Super covers have double snaps on the wings:

Buttons covers are made of two layers of very soft but sturdy waterproof PUL fabric, and have a wipeable interior, double leg gussets and inside flaps (a new feature not found on the one-size version). There are 3 size settings on the rise, giving older babies and toddlers more than enough room to grow. This cute print is called Bloom:

The new style of inserts are 70% bamboo and 30% organic cotton. Unlike other Buttons inserts, they do not have the stay-dry fleece layer on top. Choose from among small, large and XL sizes. The night inserts are made to snap onto the back of the day inserts, and then snap into the cover as well (i.e. they have snaps on both sides).

Daytime inserts are made of 5 layers of absorbent 70% bamboo & 30% organic cotton. Nighttime doublers are also 5 layers of fabric. They come in packs of 2 starting at $12.50.

– Small inserts fit babies from 7-15 lbs (inserts are 11″ in length)
– Large inserts fit babies from 20-25 lbs (inserts are 13″ in length)
– X-Large inserts fit babies from 25-40 lbs (inserts are 15″ in length)

While there are many options in the Buttons system now (3 sizes of covers, multiple sizes and fabrics for inserts), using them is really easy because you snap an insert (or two) in, and then snap the diaper onto your baby.

In my prior reviews, I mentioned that Buttons one-size covers run small overall. It’s great to see this larger cover for big babies and toddlers!

Here’s 17-month-old Roderick. Katie liked that with just 1 insert in, she can use at the next-to-largest setting, meaning Roderick still has growing room, even with his chunky legs.

And 2.5 old Ingrid, who is a small toddler. She’s wearing the diaper with day+night inserts snapped together:

Fit: With one insert snapped inside, Katie got a good, snug fit on Roderick around the waist and legs. With two inserts, the cover was not as snug but still performed well in terms of absorbency. On Ingrid, it fits equally well and I didn’t have any issues with it not fitting snugly enough when both inserts were used together. When utilizing both, the diaper will obviously be much bulkier, but absorbency is steller! Ingrid goes all night with the 2 insert combo, which is great because she’s potty training in the day time but not staying dry at night. The pads are very thick and I asked if wearing both together bothered her and she had no complaints at all.

Performance:   Neither Katie nor I had any leaks with the new Super cover and bamboo inserts. The inserts are very thick, sturdy and soft. The serged edges do curl up in places and shrink a little after prepping (you can see this in the photo above). They are stiff if you line or flat dry, so Katie and I both preferred drying on low. At that setting, they took about 2 full dryer cycles, so the long time is a drawback. That being said, they are super absorbent and neither Katie nor I had to deal with any leaks while testing on our toddlers.

Value: The new Super cover starts at $13.50, a very affordable price tag for a versatile and reliable cover (that also happens to be available in some adorable prints and colors!). You can shop Buttons at their online store, and at various cloth diaper retailers.

Giveaway: One Zephyr Hill reader will win a $25 store credit to Buttons Diapers! This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents. Good luck and thanks for reading about our experiences!

 

 

 

Wink Newborn Diapers Review & Giveaway

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I took advantage of the annual Black Friday sale at Wink Diapers to pick up a few diapers for our baby on the way. We have previously tried Wink one-size diapers, and I was curious to know how the size 4 to 18 pound styles would work. Now that Mary Kate has arrived, and we’ve had about 4 weeks to try the diapers out, I’d like to share our experience with you. Bailey at Wink Diapers has also offered to do a giveaway.

I bought the 4-18 lb Hybrid Cover (in the Orville print) which retails for $11.99 and the 4-18 lb Organic Bamboo AIO (in Rebel Red) which retails for $17.99. Both of these diapers are also available in a larger size for older babies and toddlers.
Here are the two diapers opened up.

The (red) bamboo AIO is made with a waterproof outer and a six-layer organic bambo terry core.  At the inner front is a waterproof leak guard. The diaper has double gussets at the legs, back elastic and extra hip snaps to prevent sagging. The rise snaps give you 4 sizes to choose from.

The diaper cover also adjusts to 4 sizes via the rise snaps, and has double leg gussets and back elastics. The front and back inner flaps for holding diapers or insert in place are very wide.

Wink diapers come with a 12-month warranty.

The Wink cover is highly adjustable at the waist and legs, thanks to all the snaps. This also means there are a lot of snaps to fasten – not always easy on a wriggly newborn. I mentioned above that the front and back flaps are very deep; this helps hold diapers and inserts in place very well. But you don’t have to use them, and can just lay a prefold or flat inside.

Both diapers fit well with the rise snapped to the smallest setting on newborn Mary Kate, who was 9 pounds and 20.5 inches at birth. After the first 2 weeks, I moved to the next rise snap, and we still have 2 to go (photos below). It’s nice to have a cover that will continue to grow with your baby!

Because the bamboo AIO has layers of fabric sewn inside, there is more bulk at the front when you snap up the rise. For this reason, I ended up using the cover more. It’s just more trim. As far as absorbency goes, the AIO is very good, holding our little girl for an average of 3 hours. It does take a little bit more than one cycle to fully dry, though.

Where to Buy:

Get 20% off your purchase at Wink using my exclusive coupon code:
ZEPHYR20

Giveaway: One of you will win an organic bamboo AIO diaper from Wink Diapers! This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents only. Good luck!  CLOSED

 

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!