disposable diapers

Stinky Diapers Are Gone: My Thoughts on Diaper Fresh

June 22, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Affiliate links my be included. I only promote what I love.

So as many of you know, Layah is being rather stubborn about this potty training business. She knows how to use the potty, and actually often will use the potty when we put her there, but she won’t ever tell us when she needs to go, and like many children, she has no interest in pooping on the potty (seriously…I REALLY don’t get this…how is poop in your pants “not so bad”?).

So at various points on any given day, Layah might be wearing a diaper, training pants or even “big girl” underwear. And even on my own most disciplined days where I remember to take her potty very regularly, we’ll still have at least 2 things getting soiled. So all that is to say, the sun may be setting on the diaper days in our home, but we aren’t done yet. Boo.

I’m OVER the Stink

We primarily use cloth diapers in our home, but there was a period of almost 2 months where we just used disposables (shout out, Honest Company). You guys, I was just bummed that Layah didn’t want to potty train, and having to wash the cloth diapers just made me feel punished. This is silliness, but it’s where I was with dealing with it, and disposables I could at least throw out.

But the smell? The smell lingered, my friends! We don’t have a Whisper Diaper Pail, so dirty diapers just go in the regular trash. So when Diaper Fresh reached out to me about a spray they have that has gotten RAVE reviews for truly eliminating the foul odors in both cloth AND disposable diapers, I had a little heart-to-heart with myself, admitted that we aren’t done with diapering, and then agreed to check out the product. It sounded like the type of thing I like to tell others about (if it actually works!).

It Works!!!!

And it TOTALLY works, you guys. I have spritzed it on cloth diapers that are headed into the cloth diaper bag to await laundry day (which happens every 3 days or so). I’m sure you can imagine how disgusting that bag can get, in terms of the smell. I’m not saying that it is totally odor-free by using Diaper Fresh, but the difference is HUGE.

For those of you who use disposable diapers, you may be wondering why you would need to spray something you are putting in the trash. If you have an air-tight system that locks away odors, then keep doing your thing. For the rest of us who just toss them in the garbage can, then you KNOW why you need this. There are times when I have taken out the trash only 1/3 full because it contained such a gross smelling diaper that I couldn’t allow it to stay in the house. It only takes 2-3 squirts from diaper fresh and it’s like the odors just disappear.

The bad odors are not replaced with a different smell, so this is NOT an odor covering product. It is an odor neutralizing product, and there’s a big difference!

A Second Way to Use Diaper Fresh

I did a little experimenting with using Diaper Fresh in the laundry, and I wanted to share my successful results with you! I was noticing that my cloth diapers were starting to have just a wee bit of the “funk” even after being fully washed. All my cloth diaper readers will know that means that it usually means you have to strip the diapers in the near future (a cumbersome process because it takes a long time). I decided on a whim to put 1 Tbsp of Diaper Fresh in the first wash for the diapers (my first wash is more like a rinse, with absolutely no detergent). Well guess what? There was absolutely NO smell after the entire wash routine was over. Diaper Fresh saved me quite a few hours worth of work by knocking out the problem. I would not hesitate to use it again on my cloth diapers and I would not hesitate to use it on any other load of stinky laundry.

A Third Way!

I have even used this product on my kids’ car seats, which stink after a while and are a HUMONGOUS pain to remove, wash, and re-install. Save me a ton of time and hassle, and it nips those “spilled milk” odors in the bud!

Diaper Fresh is just a fantastic all-around odor remover, and I very highly recommend it, even if your diapering days are nearly over like mine are (please Lord let that be true!). You can purchase it directly from the Diaper Fresh website, or you can also find it as an add-on item at Amazon (just $6.95! More than worth it!!!). Whatever stage of diapering (or not-diapering) you find yourself in, I would suggest adding this item to your next Amazon order, as it is a versatile product for so many household odors!

Fuss-Free Savings at CVS on Pampers and Other Road Trip Essentials

December 26, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 80 Comments

We’ve been doing our fair share of traveling over the past month, as I’m sure many of you have, as well. When you travel, do you have any “must have” items for the trip? In our case, we treat ourselves to the following items:

1. A new app for Darah to help keep her entertained

2. McDonald’s Egg McMuffin sandwiches (we’re always on the road in the early hours…gotta fuel up!)

3. Squeeze pouches for a yummy snack for the kids. 4. Iced coffee for Tiffany, anywhere we can get it (McDonald’s, Starbucks, I’m not picky, as long as it is COLD!)

4. Disposable diapers, which make life with a toddler infinitely easier when traveling.

I have a CVS just 7 minutes away from my home, and I actually like to make a trip there before we get in the car and begin our travels. I stock up there on dipes and wipes, squeeze pouches for the girls, and if they are on sale, I’ll also pick up the Starbucks Frappuccios (They taste like candy! Love them!). Once a year, or so, I’ll even get an iTunes gift card there (their gift card selection is awesome!), and that keeps us set for our app purchases throughout the year. Recently I headed in to get my diaper bag stocked up, and I opted for Pampers products. Pampers are, in my experience, a very reliable brand, and reliable is exactly what I want on the road. Ever had a diaper malfunction while the child was in the car seat? Yeah….NOT something I want to deal with, and especially not while I’m away from my home and my washing machine. Pampers have an ultra-absorbent core that can withstand up to 12 hours of overnight protection (and I prefer to use overnight diapers for road trips, as well, when I can’t check on Layah’s diaper quite as often). They recently increased the capacity of the diaper by 15%, as well. Basically, it is ready for action! 😉

When I was picking out the wipes to go with the Pampers, I knew I found my match when I saw the sensitive designation. Why? Because my child always has and still does like to put those darn wipes in her mouth! I need as few chemicals as possible! My bags were stocked with what I needed for our recent trips, and to top it all off, when I was checking out the CVS register gave me a $2 coupon off a $10 purchase of any baby needs. Guess who went right back into the store to spend it? This girl! Being able to save more on the things I need puts a smile on my face. CVS makes it happen! What are your “must haves” when taking a road trip? Win it!: One Stuff Parents Need reader will receive 2 coupons from Pampers and CVS (one for a free package of Pampers diapers, and one for a free package of Pampers wipes!). Woo hoo!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Store Brand Diaper Makeover: Rite Aid Tugaboos Get An Upgrade!

June 14, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Rite Aid Tugaboos diapers. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.

Well, folks, we are on the road again. Tim and I decided to take the girls to a castle this weekend. Well, I suppose it it the American equivalent of a castle (we’re going to check out the Biltmore Estate in Asheville). Darah is talking nonstop about princesses and asking me if the people who work there will call her, “your majesty” while she is visitng. Kids are so hilarious!

I had to fight against the urge to just stay home, if I’m being completely honest. I love history and architecture and just seeing new things, in general, but this season of life (having very young children) is a really hard one for traveling, as being able to adapt our schedule (sleeping times, snack times, diaper changing needs) to a new environment can sometimes feel like more hassle than it is worth.

And for those of you with a child in diapers, you know that a blow out is not exactly high on your list of “must do” things while on vacation. So it may surprise you that the package of diapers I’m taking with us for the weekend looks like this:

You may have never even seen this brand of diapers before. They are a store brand (specifically, Rite Aid) and they are called Tugaboos. Store brand diapers often have the reputations of being sort of ok for day time use as long as you aren’t going anywhere and as long as you can change them more frequently than you would with a more premium diaper. They don’t ususally have the highest absorbtion level or the best leak protection, so you are a little more at risk for problems when you use them.

So why am I traveling with only these diapers for day time use? Because the Tugaboos line recently made some upgrades to their diapers, including faster absorbtion and increased leakage protection. They also offer hypoallergenic inner liners (very important for my sensitive toddler) and stretchy side panels that are great for little miss wiggle worm. I also appreciate that they have a soft, cotteny feel (as a primarily cloth diapering family, disposables can feel SO scratchy and itchy in comparison…these feel nice!).

So yes, we will be traveling to see the Vanderbilt’s this weekend, and we’ll be dressed in our finest, including Rite Aid Tugaboos diapers for Layah. They fit in our budget. leaving us with more money to spend on things like ice cream and tiaras.Both are important accessories for a princess, according to Darah. 🙂

I suggest you give Rite Aid Tugaboos a try. And through the end of June, every time you purchase Tugaboos diapers at Rite Aid using your wellness+ card, you’ll get an entry into a sweepstakes for a Vera Bradley Designer Diaper Bag! Now that’s an accessory fit for the moms of princes and princesses!

A message from Rite Aid:

For the month of June, all Tugaboos purchases will earn an entry into the Tugaboos and Vera Bradley Sweepstakes!

With every in-store purchase of qualifying Tugaboos products using your wellness+ card at any Rite Aid store between June 1-30, 2013, you will receive an entry for a chance to win one of (25) Vera Bradley Designer Diaper Bags filled with select Tugaboos products.

To enter without making a purchase, complete this entry form now:https://riteaidtugaboos.dja.com/.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Rite Aid.

Bambo Nature: Eco-Friendly Disposable Diapers

November 3, 2010 · by Tiffany Merritt · 136 Comments

If you have been reading my blog for any length of time, you know that we have switched from disposable to cloth diapers. We feel really great about this change that we have made for a million different reasons that I won’t go into right now.

But…

I am of the opinion that disposable diapers have their place. I don’t think they should be the primary source of diapering (though I wouldn’t judge someone for choosing them, as I don’t know what it is like to be you and to live your life, and so I won’t assume that you should live your life as I live mine!). But I DO think that if there are times when disposable diapers will make your life a little less hectic, then they should be a resource to you. That’s our approach to diapering; it’s totally cool if yours is different.

Eco-Friendly Disposable Diapers?

So when do we reach for disposables? Largely, at night (at least until we got the amazing Ecobubs diaper!). Disposable diapers can hold an awful lot of pee, folks. Mostly that is due to them having a bunch of awful chemicals in them that can get the job done, but that are actually quite dangerous for baby. We also are using them when we take Darah to daycare. They are willing to accept cloth diapers, but I’m just not quite ready to start bringing them in. I’m hoping to have her potty trained before I turn to cloth for daycare, but if she isn’t done with potty training in a few months, I’ll start sending cloth with her (my logic for not bringing cloth now isn’t really sound, but it makes me feel less stressed, so that’s that).

When I was pregnant, I used coupons extensively to buy as many disposables as I could for the least amount of money, and I amassed quite a stockpile. I paid absolutely ZERO attention to the fact that disposable diapers tend to be loaded with really harsh chemicals that could be quite dangerous for your baby. To be perfectly honest, I had abolustely no idea how disposable diapers worked, and didn’t think I had any reason to need to know.

Now, of course, I know better. If you have ever really looked into what is in a typical disposable diaper, it will shock you. Even if you don’t care about the negative environmental impact of diapers (which is massive, by the way), I want to encourage you to look closely at the health risks.

Ok, so since disposable diapers tend to be full of gross chemicals, and tend to be horrific for our landfills, what’s a gal to do if she feels she needs to use them from time to time, as I still do?

Bambo Nature

Well, there is a solution. Check out Bambo Nature diapers, which you probably won’t find at your nearest Walgreens, but which can be found on Amazon.com and direct from the company’s website. These diapers are chemical free (woo hoo!) and they have been given the Nordic Swan Ecolabel, which means that this product has been assured to be eco-friendly and a safe product for baby.

On the Bambo Nature website, you can sign up to receive discounts and free samples of wipes and other chemical free products from Denmark (that is where these diapers are from), so definitely check that out. They disclose everything that is in their diapers, which is amazing!

Additionally, Healthychild.org has just declared Bamb0Nature the ONLY disposable baby diaper available in America that meets their high standards for safety. This tells me that the ingredients in this diaper are even safer than what you will find in any other eco-friendly diaper on the shelves.

So how do these diapers work? Well, they work great! When Darah wears them overnight they go the distance, just as you would expect Huggies or Pampers to do, only without those gross chemicals that those companies use. I think they are a little bit thicker than other disposable diapers, but they are thinner than a cloth diaper, for sure.

One thing I did notice about the diapers is that after she has been in them a long time (like overnight), they do smell like pee. But that’s because they don’t contain any perfumes to mask the odor, and I’d rather have to deal with that smell for the 1 minute it takes me to change her than to have her bottom exposed to those chemicals all night long just so that I can’t smell it for a moment.

I am extremely impressed with Bambo Nature diapers, and will look to these anytime I decide that a disposable diaper makes the most sense. I still believe that cloth is the best choice in many situations, but for me, not in every situation. Bambo Nature offers diapers that I can feel confident (and not guilty!) about. I give them my highest recommendation.

Where to Buy Bambo Nature Diapers: Bambo Nature diapers are available through their website, and also on Amazon.

Edit: this giveaway is closed.

Win it!: I am thrilled to tell you that Bambo Nature wants to give THREE lucky Stuff Parents Need readers a case of Bambo Nature diapers in your choice of size! Depending on the size you get, that will be somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 diapers! How awesome is that?!?! The contest will run until November 13th at 11:59pm EST when the winners will be selected using Random.org. The winners will have 48 hours to respond to the winning notification before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is selected. Open to residents of the United States. Limit one entrant per household, please.
Mandatory entry: Tell me anything about how you diaper (or used to diaper if your kid is potty-trained). Do you use cloth? Disposable? Have a favorite diaper brand? Have any concerns related to how you diaper? Have a question you’d like to ask Bambo Nature? Anything relevant to the topic at hand will work!

Additional entries:
1. Sponsor love: “Like” Bambo Nature on Facebook.
2. Blogger love: Subscribe to Stuff Parents Need via email or RSS!
3. Bonus opportunity: Tweet: “#Win free eco-friendly disposable diapers! http://tinyurl.com/26cfzjd! ” You can do this as often as you want, but only your first tweet will count for an extra entry.

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my homepage!

Disclosure: I received complimentary products for review purposes. The opinions expressed here are strictly my own.