Stuff Parents Need

Easing the chaos in the nest, one find at a time.

Oh Katy One Size Pocket Diaper Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

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Today I’m bringing you a video review of the Oh Katy One Size Pocket Diaper. You do not want to miss seeing what is so unique about their inserts, so check it out!

And aren’t all the colors this diaper comes in just fabulous? Silver is my favorite, but I’m also swooning over twilight and violet!

You can purchase these diapers for $17.95 each. Oh Katy offers $5 flat rate shipping, too! AND, for the entire month of July, if you purchase 4 diapers you get 1 free! That’s like getting 20% off! Woo hoo!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win an Oh Katy One Size Pocket Diaper in your choice of colors!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my page.

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

Lotus Bumz Cloth Diaper Review

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Lotus Bumz is a cloth diaper company started by a mother named Lorain who saw the need for affordable cloth diapering options on the market. She has, in my opinion, come pretty darn close to perfecting the pocket diaper, all thanks to one especially clever feature, which I’ll tell you about shortly!

I was sent the one size pocket diaper in a cute star pattern (they do offer newborn pocket diapers, as well). We had to wait about a month after Layah was born to start using the diaper. Layah was 7 pounds 3 ounces when she was born, and was right around 9 pounds at 4 weeks. I will tell you that for the first week or two that we used the diaper, we had inconsistent results with it, in the form of leaks out of the legs (a problem we seem to frequently have with Layah in most cloth diapers). I think that Lotus Bumz simply require a little bit chunkier of a leg!

Now that we are further along and Layah has really started to chunk up big time, we aren’t having leaks at all with this diaper. So I don’t think our problems were the fault of the diaper, just a timing thing. I wouldn’t recommend the one size Lotuz Bunz for your newborn, but would definitely say to start using them around 6 or 7 weeks, which is when we started to have good luck with them. lotus bumz

Lotus Bumz one size pocket diapers feature 3 rows of snaps so that younger babies and toddlers alike can wear the diaper. Also note that there is a snap on each hip. I think this is a fantastic addition, as it does allow for a more snug fit around the legs, which as we discussed, is very important for Layah.

But the feature that I’m absolutely bonkers about, and that I think catapults Lotus Bumz diapers to the top of the pocket diaper pile is the hole in the back where you stuff the diapers. The hole is pretty small. Well, it really isn’t, it just  has elastic around it on both the outer and the inner sides, and this keeps the microfiber insert from coming out of the back. Trust me when I say that it is literally a pain in the rear to have your inserts start creeping out the back of your baby’s diaper. When your baby pees and the insert is sticking out, you are about to have one wet mess on your hands! Lotus Bumz nips that problem in the bud by having a back pocket that is not wide open like so many other diapers are. Three cheers for this feature, Lotus Bumz!

Lotus Bumz one size pocket diapers are available for just $16.97 in an adorable assortment of patterns and solid colors. You can also stock up and save by ordering 10 diapers at once, and in return, you’ll receive an extra diaper and a wet bag for FREE!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a Lotus Bumz printed pattern diaper! Yay!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my page.

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

Cloth Diaper Rental Program: My Overall Thoughts

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We started using cloth diapers on Layah just a few days after we got her home from the hospital. We had a stash of 24 diapers thanks to the cloth diaper rental program at Earthy Crunchy Mama. If you missed my first post on why I decided that renting makes the most sense for newborn diapers, be sure to go back and check it out.

Cloth Diaper Rental: Worth It?

Now that we’ve been using the diapers, I wanted to share my thoughts about how it is going.

Here’s the short answer: FABULOUS!

Now for the more detailed response.

The first 24 hours that we used the diapers were not so fabulous. We had leaks out of the legs every. single. time. we put her in a cloth diaper. That was frustrating, and of course, made for a huge laundry pile (clothes, blankets, sheets, etc.). I contacted Jen, the owner of Earthy Crunchy Mama to seek her advice. She promptly got back to me and said that it is not an uncommon problem, and usually the culprit is that parents aren’t putting the diapers on tight enough. She encouraged me to go tighter and see if it helped.

And she was exactly right! The leaks have completely disappeared, and now the cloth diapers are holding their own against disposables, even with that fabulous, runny baby poop that we all know so well. Having access to a personal “help” line with Jen is one added benefit of using her service; she is there for you and will do everything she possibly can to make your experience with cloth a positive one!

I have also really enjoyed getting to try out several different types of cloth diapers. This has been my first experience using FuzziBunz, for example, and I’ve been really impressed with them. I’ve also enjoyed the Mini Maestro brand (pictured on Layah below). I’d never heard of this brand AT ALL before using this service, but now I know them and love them, and would definitely buy more of this brand. And my love for BumGenius products has also been re-affirmed while using them with Layah. Those are just some seriously good diapers! cloth diaper rental

Now I want to talk with you about the cost for renting the cloth diapers. Post one had all the information about what,exactly, is included in the package, so be sure to review that. The cost for the program can vary, depending on your particular wants and needs. Here’s the breakdown from the website:

$125 up front deposit gets you:

  • cloth diaper safe detergent and rash cream stick, cloth wipes, and diaper liners to keep
  • 1 pail liner and wet bag
  • 24 new and gently used newborn diapers (GroVia, bumGenius, FuzziBunz, Bummis, and/or Thirsties)
When you return your diapers, you receive a refund minus:
  • $25 starter kit
  • $15 if you choose to keep the pail liner and wet bag
  • $15/month for Store Credit OR$35/month for Cash

So, you need to send in $125 (via credit card is fine) as a deposit. This makes sense as you are being sent hundreds of dollars worth of products. Once you return the diapers (and shipping is already covered for that expense! Yay!), you will get your deposit back, minus a $25 starter kit fee (which covers all those awesome things you get to keep), and minus $15 for the month if you choose to get your remaining deposit back in store credit (so you can buy diapers you need for the next size, of course!) or minus $35 for the month if you choose to get cash back. I know this seems a little bit confusing, but here’s a scenario for you to help you make sense of it.Let’s say you want to rent the diapers for one month and you want to get back store credit so you can buy some great one size diapers once you are finished. You also want to keep the pail liner and wet bag because they rock (and they do rock…I’m pretty sure I’m keeping mine). Once you return your diapers, you will then have a credit of $60 to put towards diapers ($125 minus $25 for the starter kit, $15 for the liners, $15 for the store credit route). So you cloth diapered your newborn for a month for $65, which is probably less than what you would have spent on diapers (because they DO go through 10-12 diapers each day, I promise). AND your remaining $60 can be put toward great new diapers, and you will have the experience of using different brands so you will know what you want to buy. PLUS, you’ll have your wet bag and pail liner, cloth wipes, some detergent and some baby balm.

All this is to say, this is a really good deal. I’ve been very pleased with the quality of the products and the quality of the customer service. I think what is offered is a tremendous value and gives you a jump start on cloth diapering that for me, at least, would not have been financially feasible without a program like this. Thank you so much Jen and Earthy Crunchy Mama!

If you are hoping to use cloth from the beginning, please consider Earthy Crunchy Mama’s diaper rental program. I know you will be pleased with the experience! If you tell her that I referred you, I will also get a $5 credit to her shop, which would totally rock!

Please let me know in the comments if you have any additional questions about cloth or about the cloth diaper rental program. If I can’t answer your question, I know Jen can!

 Disclosure: I received a complimentary one month subscription (minus a $15 fee) in exchange for my honest review, which I have provided. 

My Very Simple Solution to the Complex Problem of Cloth Diapering a Newborn

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I’ve heard people who don’t cloth diaper repeatedly question why I would get myself into something so “complicated” as using cloth when there are a million other things that need my attention as a new mom. I have to tell you, though, cloth diapering is NOT hard! Yes, you have extra laundry. Yes, you have a learning curve as you figure out your best wash routine, the best diapers for your growing baby, and troubleshooting occasional laundering problems. But there’s a HUGE community waiting to help you, and before you know it, you are a cloth diapering champ and are thanking your lucky stars to be avoiding those late night trips to Walgreens to pay through the nose for YET ANOTHER package of diapers.

I started cloth diapering Darah when she was 7 months old, and I really felt like I knew what I was doing within a week. Seriously! So I figured that cloth diapering baby 2, right from the start, would be just like getting on a bike after a few years off of one. I even had all her old diapers ready to go!

But my research into cloth diapering from the start revealed something: those “one size” diapers that I have tons of aren’t necessarily a good fit for brand new babies (unless you have a really chunky one, which I likely won’t have). They are simply too big! But do not despair, many brands make newborn size cloth diapers. There’s the solution, right?! Except, then you have to buy a bare minimum of 18 diapers at roughly $14/each that will just be worn for 1-2 months. So that would mean spending $252 for 1-2 months of diapering and then having to get diapers for the next size up if you don’t already have a stash. Suddenly something that was supposed to be very simple got really complicated.

While it is true that you can re-sell your used diapers for close to what you paid for them, I knew I just wouldn’t have time for all that. I was really confused about how to make this work, and was just about resigned to the fact that I wouldn’t be cloth diapering for the first 2 months.

How to Cloth Diaper a Newborn

how to cloth diaper a newborn

And then I read about Earthy Crunchy Mama and her AMAZING newborn cloth diaper rental program. I got myself signed up and am SO excited to share the details with you of how this works and why it is THE WAY TO GO if you want to use cloth from the start. 2017 Edit: Jen’s program is no longer operating but here’s a link to one that is currently available, though I haven’t personally tried it. Just didn’t want to leave you without an option! There are also some decent prices on 6 packs of newborn diapers on Amazon if you want to check that out. 


Jen is the brains behind this operation, and she is SO UNBELIEVABLY NICE! You can tell that she is absolutely passionate about helping parents easily transition to the world of cloth, and she wants to do everything possible to help you feel comfortable and relaxed about your decision to try it out. She has put together VERY comprehensive packages that you can rent so that you don’t need to buy anything else related to diapers in your first 1-2 months. You also get the opportunity to try out several different brands and types of diapers to figure out which types you like the most. This is such a great thing, because when you are ready to buy your next size diapers (be they one size or sized diapers…your choice), you will know if you are a pocket family, or an AIO family, or if you like hybrids or want to get a variety (you’ll also be down with all that cloth diaper lingo by that point!).

I want to show you what came in my rental package. It is SO awesome! First, just look at all the fluff! EEEEE!!!! (I promise, if you want to try cloth you will start to LOVE getting fluff in the mail. It’s addicting…you’ve been warned). Let me break down for you what’s in my package (which Jen specifically tailors to each client based on a phone conversation about your needs and wants). You will notice that some of the products are brand new, and some have been used. I can tell you that by looking at the diapers, themselves, you wouldn’t know which was which. Everything is in impeccable condition!

how to cloth diaper a newborn cloth diaper renta

 

cloth diaper rental

Cloth Diaper Rental

Here’s what was included (if it has a * beside it, that means that you get the keep the product!):

24 diapers, broken down as follows

(3) new bumGenius All-in-One diapers

(3) used GroVia Newborn All-in-One diapers

(9) used FuzziBunz Pocket diapers

(9) used MiniMaestro Pocket diapers

(3) new Punkin’ Butt inserts, size XS

(1) new Rumparooz wet bag

(1) used GroVia pail liner

*(12) new cloth wipes

*(24) new reusable micro-fleece liners

*(1) new Baby’s Butt balm

*(1) Eco Sprout Detergent

*(1) Water test strip

The package also comes with detailed information about each product, and great tips for launder and care of your diapers. Jen really dotted all her i’s and crossed all her t’s with this package. Even if you know NOTHING about cloth, what she has provided with give you a great deal of confidence to get started!

Stay tuned for part 2 of this series next month, where I break down the cost of the rental program (VERY affordable) and tell you about my experience using these products on a new baby! 

If you are eager to learn more now, you can find lots of information on Jen’s site about her cloth diaper rental program and how you can join. If you decide to sign up, I would love for you to list me as your referral (Tiffany or Stuff Parents Need). I receive a $5 credit to the shop for each referral I send her way! And she has so much great stuff that I’d love to buy! Told you cloth was addicting!

Edit: Here’s the follow-up post I wrote after I finished cloth diapering a newborn with the cloth diaper rental program!

Disclosure: I received a complimentary product for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.