Stuff Parents Need

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

Moo Moo Kow Cloth Diaper Review

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If you are curious about cloth or are already a cloth diaper convert, this is going to be a very exciting post for you!
Today I am featuring a diaper that there’s a good chance you’ve never even heard of before. It’s a cloth diaper brand from Singapore, and while you can buy it directly from the company online, it isn’t yet offered in U.S. cloth diaper shops. All you cloth diaper fans out there know that getting your hands on a “rare” cloth diaper is SUPER AWESOME. And now’s your chance. Read on!

Let me introduce you to Moo Moo Kow! I’ve found that the very best way to tell you about cloth diapers is to show them to you in a video, so first, check out my video review!

Darah from Stuff Parents Need in a Moo Moo Kow diaper

Now that you’ve seen and heard a bit about Moo Moo Kow diapers, I wanted to share a few other things I love about them. I think their diaper color options are lovely. I especially love the seaspray option they offer (an unusual blue-green), that gorgeous royal blue and the white diapers that have either blue snaps or pink snaps. So cute!

I also wanted to point out that the inner lining of this diaper is stain resistant. I haven’t had a single thing set in, and trust me, Darah has tried many different times to do so! 🙂

So my final verdict: Two thumbs up for Moo Moo Kow diapers! They are high quality and they are working wonderfully for us. Moo Moo Kow is one of the first diapers out of the clean pile time and time again! You can purchase them directly from Moo Moo Kow for $21.90 plus shipping, or you can contact your favorite online diaper retailer and tell them to start stocking these diapers!

Edit: this giveaway is now closed

Win it!: You know you want this diaper…here’s your chance to win it! I have a mint green Moo Moo Kow snaps one size diaper for one lucky Stuff Parents Need reader! The contest will run until October 4th at 11:59pm EST when the winner will be selected using Random.org. Open to residents of the United States. Limit one entrant per household.
Mandatory entry: Tell me anything you know about Singapore!
Additional entries:
1. Sponsor love: “Like” Moo Moo Kow on Facebook!
2. Blogger love: Subscribe to Stuff Parents Need via RSS or email
Be sure to check out my other current giveaways, located on the sidebar of my main page.

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

SoftBums: Amazing AI2 Diaper

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Today I’m bringing you a diaper from SoftBums that is making me re-think AI2 diapers. AI2 dipes, in general, have fallen out of favor with me. But if you’ll check out my video review, you’ll see just why SoftBums have made me an AI2 believer once again.


On the whole, I’d say that this diaper is brilliant, and it is one that I would enthusiastically recommend to anyone who is looking to start cloth diapering or add a winning diaper to their stash. One size fits 6-35 pounds, and all without a snap system. Amazing!

Buy it!: SoftBums can be purchased on Amazon and the Echo Dry Touch Basic Pack is $36.95, and comes with 1 shell, 3 long inserts and 1 mini-insert. The inserts cover so well that you really could use the shell multiple times before washing it! It makes 3 full diapers, which equals about $12/diaper. Not bad!

Win it!: Are you flipping out with excitement? You should be, because one of you is going to WIN a Softbums One-Size Cloth Diaper Basics Pack in your choice of color!!!! The contest will run until September 17th at 11:59pm EST when a winner will be selected using Random.org. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to their 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 one reason why you are intrigued by SoftBums and who the diaper would be for (you don’t have to list the child’s name, just if they are a son, daughter, niece, nephew, etc.).

Additional entries:
1. Follow SoftBums on Twitter
3. “Like” SoftBums on Facebook
4. Follow Stuff Parents Need on Twitter
5. “Like” Stuff Parents Need on Facebook
6. Subscribe to Stuff Parents Need by RSS, email or Google Friend Connect (only one extra entry, even if you subscribe multiple ways)
7. If you are a blogger (posted something within the past 3 months) put my button on your blog and leave a url so that I can find it.

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways (listed on the sidebar of my home page).

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

Bummis Easy Fit Diaper Review: The Best of Both Worlds

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When I first started using cloth diapers, we were an AIO (All in One) household, all the way. We LOVED them. And I still do love them, at least somewhat.

They have two fatal flaws, however. First, they take forty forevers to dry. Boo hiss to that because I need to hurry up and get them back on Darah’s bottom! Second, in my experience, AIO diapers are the ones that stink the most. I mean that literally. I don’t know why, but my AIOs have to be stripped far more often than my pocket diapers. Has anyone else found that to be true?
So now I use more pocket diapers than AIO diapers. But I miss not having to stuff, and more importantly, not having to touch soiled inserts.

Bummis

Today I am bringing you a diaper that strikes a beautiful balance between the convenience of AIOs and the quick drying of pocket diapers. Check out the Bummis Easy Fit. I heart it in a major way. I made a video (while Darah was napping, sorry if it seems rushed and amateurish…because it was and it is!). Check it out to learn exactly what makes the Bummis so unique and so crush-worthy (is it weird to have a crush on a cloth diaper?…). Oh, and just ignore the fact that my floor is so dirty that the diaper is picking up bits of leaves…oops.

So yes, that semi-attached insert is a fantastic feature. If I were building a diaper stash right now, I’d want at least 3 of these bad boys. That’s a note to self for baby #2!
Buy it!: I was thrilled to see Bummis diapers for sale at my local Whole Foods, and you can also find them on Amazon. The price seems to be right around $23.95, which seems fair to me for the quality (bamboo) and the convenience.
Win it!: Bummis wants to give one lucky Stuff Parents Need reader the chance to win an Easy Fit diaper in your choice of color! Woo hoo! The contest will run until September 11th at 7:59pm EST when a winner will be selected using Random.org. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to their notification before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is drawn. Open to residents of the United States. Limit one entrant per household, please.
Mandatory entry: Tell me your favorite type of cloth diaper (AIO, pocket, prefold, hybrid, etc.) and why. If you don’t have a favorite type or don’t yet use them, tell me why this giveaway is of interest to you. I’m curious to hear!
Additional entries:
Additional entries:
1. Follow Bummis on Twitter
2. Subscribe to the Bummis blog
3. “Like” Bummis on Facebook
4. Follow Stuff Parents Need on Twitter
5. “Like” Stuff Parents Need on Facebook
6. Subscribe to Stuff Parents Need by RSS, email or Google Friend Connect (only one extra entry, even if you subscribe multiple ways)
7. If you are a blogger (posted something within the past 3 months) put my button on your blog and leave a url so that I can find it.

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways (listed on the sidebar of my home page).

Disclosure: I received a complimentary product for review purposes. The opinions expressed here are strictly my own. Affiliate links may be included at no cost to you. 

Rocky Mountain One Size Diaper Review

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I’m just going to come right out and say it. Cloth diapering is fun. It has its challenges, to be sure, but when you find a diaper that really works for your baby, it is such a thrill!

Today I’m offering a review of a unique cloth diaper on the market. Let me introduce you to Rocky Mountain Diapers. These are a one-sized pocket diaper. There are tons of one-sized pocket diapers on the market, so what makes these different from the rest? These dipes have an internal adjustment system in the legs!

Are you scratching your head? Let me explain in a bit more detail. If you look in the pocket opening of these diapers, you will find elastic that goes that can be unsnapped and adjusted. You can make it tighter for smaller babies and looser as your baby grows. I think this feature totally rocks, because in my experience, leaks in cloth diapers almost always happen right around the leg area, and it is usually due to the diaper not being snug enough there. For that reason, many diapers that people rave about for their kids have not been successful for Darah (Hello, Flip diapers!). It has been a huge disappointment for us as we try different brands. Most of them leak through the legs!
Rocky Mountain Diapers has a built-in solution, and I absolutely love it. Best of all, it really works. We’ve adjusted Darah’s diaper so that it is perfectly snug for her at her current size. No leaks! When she gets bigger, I’ll just adjust the elastic again so that it stays fitted, but comfortable. While this diaper has a learning curve the first few times you use it (while you get the fit right), the extra work you put in will pay off later, as leaks will become a thing of the past.

Also, I really love the colors of the Rocky Mountain Diapers. That may not be the most practical reason to buy a diaper, but most any cloth diapering mom will tell you that she’s broken down at least once and bought a diaper pretty much just because the fabric was so cute. We were sent Lime and Lemon to try. It is absolutely precious!

Finally, I find the trim fit to be a great thing. I know some moms love a fluffy bum, and they definitely are cute, but I always feel bad for Darah when I put her in one of those really thick cloth diapers. She becomes like a Weeble, always teetering and struggling to maintain her balance! Rocky Mountain Diapers are slim enough that she doesn’t have to go up a size in pants when she is wearing it.

The diaper comes with one microfiber insert. You’ll need to add an extra insert at night, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how much this one insert can hold during the day!

Rocky Mountain Diapers are available for purchase through The Rocky Mountain website, or through my many other vendors, including my favorite shop, The Diaper Wagon! One size pocket diapers are between $18.95 and $19.50.

Have you tried Rocky Mountain Diapers? I’d really love to hear what you thought about them!

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

Twinkletoes Diapers: Discovering AI2 Diapers

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Bloggy friends, I am delighted to have the opportunity to introduce you to another fabulous mom who has developed a great business that helps her stay at home with her children. Meet Vanessa, the owner of Etsy shop Twinkletoes Diapers. Vanessa specializes in AI2 diapers, and she also has a nice variety of diaper covers for those of you who prefer fitted diapers.

AI2 from twinkletoes diapers Vanessa sent me the cutest AI2 diaper ever, because it is made from Supergirl fabric! When the diaper arrived, it came with really helpful instructions for prepping the diaper before its first use (for those of you who are new to cloth diapering, the vast majority of cloth diapers have to be washed anywhere from 1-8 times before they are fully absorbent, and the number of times depends on the material that is used). For Twinkletoes diapers, the liner only needed to be washed once, and the inserts need to be washed 4-6 times. I’m impatient, so I only washed them 4 times before I put them to use!

After reading over Vanessa’s instructions for prepping, usual washing and general use, I realized that this diaper offers something distinct from the other AIO diapers I use. The shell can be reused all day long, provided that the elastic isn’t soiled. You just unsnap the insert and wipe down the shell, and then snap in a clean insert and put it back on the baby. I think that’s really cool! Her diapers come with one insert, and you can purchase additional ones if you’d like to use the shell more than once before washing it. They are only $3.00. This is a terrific way to essentially turn one diaper into two or even 3 for very little extra money!

Twinkletoes diaper inserts are made with some really cool fabrics: bamboo fleece, suede cloth and ZORB…this fabric is new to me, but it rocks! Zorb soaks up wetness faster than any other material out there. I love it! I have found AI2 diapers to not be as effective for Darah during nap times, because she sleeps on her side and the inserts aren’t quite able to keep her dry at that particular angle. But during the day, they work like a charm and I would highly recommend them. If your baby sleeps on his/her back or tummy, I can’t imagine that you’ll have any leak problems during nap times with these diapers.

AI2 package from twinkletoes diapers Buy It!: If you are looking for a way to get a lot of bang for your buck when it comes to cloth diapers, without compromising the cuteness factor or the ease of use, Twinkle Toes diapers are the way to go! Check out what Vanessa has to offer, and purchase a few diapers and several inserts today! You’ll not only be getting some very nice diapers, but you’ll also be helping a mom live her dream!

Win It!: Twinkle Toes Diapers knows that once you try them out, you’ll come back for more. That’s why they are offering 1 lucky Stuff Parents Need reader the AI2 diaper of your choice from those listed! So generous!

The contest will run until June 29th at 7:59pm CST when a winner will be selected using Random.org. The winner will be emailed and will have 48 hours to respond before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is selected. Open to residents of the United States.

Mandatory Entry: Tell me which diaper you would choose, and choose wisely, as the winner will get what s/he selects in this entry!

Additional Entries:

1. Subscribe to my blog via RSS, email or Google friend connect (only 1 extra entry, even if you subscribe more than 1 way)

2. Follow Stuff Parents Need on Twitter (leave your Twitter ID)

3. “Like” Twinkletoes Diapers on Facebook

4. “Like” Stuff Parents Need on Facebook

5. If you are a blogger, add my button to your blog (and leave your url so I can see it!)

6.Add Twinkletoes Diapers to your Etsy favorites

7. Make a purchase at Twinkletoes Diapers and you’ll get 10 extra entries!!! Just include the email addressed you used at the time of purchase in your comments here. (purchase must be made during the contest being live, so June 19th – 29th).

Disclosure: I received a complimentary product for review purposes. The opinions expressed in this post are strictly my own.

YoungBloods Diapers Review

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Cloth diapers are becoming more and more popular at my house, folks. Tim and I have been a bit at odds with each other on cloth diapers, but as soon as I realized that he didn’t mind, and in fact, even enjoyed using the all in one (AIO) diapers, I focused my efforts there, and we haven’t really looked back. I still use the fitted and pocket diapers we have, but I have tried to make sure that we have a decent supply of AIO diapers on hand so that Tim can just grab them and go. He wants diapers that are just as easy to use as disposables, and that’s pretty much AIO diapers, in a nut shell.

youngbloods diaper Today I want you to meet Jenny, a fabulous work at home mom from Savannah. She has a degree in fibers and textile design, and she has put that degree to work in an effort to come up with beautiful and functional cloth diapers through her Etsy shop, Young Blood. She has been putting her diaper designs to the test with her own baby, and over the past 1 1/2 years, has worked hard to create the perfect AIO diaper.

Jenny sells her AIO diapers for $18.00 (the price of a 1 week supply of Huggies Pure and Natural diapers!) and she offers them in very cool patterns. My favorites include the newborn diaper (with a cut out for the umbilical cord!) in the blue hearts pattern and the small blue cloth diaper that has the gorgeous blue fabric on the inside (guess I’m in a “blue” mood today!). Give Young Blood diapers a try if you are in the market for something new!

youngbloods diaper If you are curious about trying out cloth, or if you are already a convert and would love to add a new diaper from a great small business, now is your chance! Jenny is offering one lucky Stuff Parents Need reader an AIO cloth diaper! The winner will receive their choice of size (newborn, medium or large) in this fabulous monkey print. I love it! The contest will run until June 17th at 7:59pm CST when a winner will be selected using Random.org. The winner will be emailed and will have 48 hours to respond before the prize is forfeited and a new winner is selected. Open to residents of the United States.

Edit: This giveaway is CLOSED

Mandatory Entry: Tell me the size diaper you want if you win AND one other diaper that you really like in the shop!

Additional Entries:

1. Subscribe to my blog via RSS, email or Google friend connect (only one extra entry, even if you subscribe more than one way)
2. Follow Stuff Parents Need on Twitter (leave your Twitter ID)
3. “Like” Young Blood on Facebook
4. Tweet about this giveaway

Hen and Chick Cloth Diapers

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If you are following along with my journey figuring out how to use cloth diapers, then you’ll know that I’ve discovered that there is a bit of a learning curve to using these diapers. It just isn’t the case that you can just whip out a cloth diaper that is always ready to go (as long as it has been washed!) and that fastens on as quickly as a disposable diaper, and that is as thin as a disposable diaper.

Well, that’s what I thought, at least.

I baby wearing a hen and chick cloth diaper (review) t turns out that there are cloth diapers that are remarkably similar in their ease of use and thin design to disposables. They are called All in One diapers (often referred to as AIO). Let me introduce you to Hen and Chick Cloth, a fabulous Etsy store run by a delightful mom named Heather. She makes super cute AIO diapers! If you want to try out cloth, but you want it to be as close to your disposable diaper experience as possible, in terms of ease of use, I think giving AIO diapers a try is a good idea!

Here’s what I loved about my Hen and Chick Cloth AIO diaper that Heather sent me:
1. Bumblebees?! I almost can’t stand how precious this is. I mean, look at that!!!
2. The diaper couldn’t be easier to get on and off. There’s nothing to stuff or snap.
3. Velcro ensures a really nice and snug fit.
4. This diaper is almost as thin as a disposable diaper. This makes it really easy to use in conjunction with any outfit she has (you may recall that I stated earlier that cloth diapering requires sizing up your baby’s pants, but in the case of the Hen and Chick AIO, there’s no need!).

Here are the things that I found to be not as awesome:
1. Darah is just about to outgrow the diaper already. It is meant to be for sizes 10-20 pounds. I’m guessing that Darah is around 16.5-17 pounds, but she won’t be able to wear this diaper much longer at all, so either they run small, or Darah’s thighs are on the roly poly side! This brings me to an important point: cloth diapers, just like disposables, are going to fit each baby differently, depending on their build. So for Hen and Chick Cloth, in my opinion, I would err on the larger side when purchasing these diapers unless your little one has thin legs.

2. AIO diapers take much longer than any other cloth diaper I own to dry. Because the inserts are sewn in, as opposed to being detachable, there are just more layers on hand to dry. This is a problem you are going to run into with all your AIO diapers and is not unique to Hen and Chick Cloth diapers. Heather has a suggestion for this problem, though. She keeps a few towels in her laundry room to throw in with her AIO diapers. She says it really helps cut down on the drying time!

3. Because the diapers are thin, they just aren’t as absorbent. However, this is easy to solve by simply adding an insert. Heather sells inserts that fit beautifully into her diapers for just $1.00 each! So that problem is very easy to fix, I’m pleased to say.

Overall, I think Hen and Chick Cloth offers very cute diapers that are very easy to use! Two thumbs up, Heather!

Buy It!: If you are on the lookout for a slim AIO diaper in a really cute pattern, Hen and Chick Cloth has what you need. Prices start at $10 for small diapers, and go up to $16 for large diapers. The shop also carries cloth wipes and wetbags!

Win It!: Heather wants Hen and Chick Cloth diapers to be on your baby’s bottom! One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win an AIO diaper of their choice from the available listings! The contest will run until Friday, April 30th at 7:59pm CST. A winner will be randomly selected and emailed, and will have 48 hours to claim their prize. Open to residents of the United States. Be sure to leave your email address in your comments or have it in your profile or else I can’t contact you to tell you that you won!

How to Enter:

Mandatory entry: Tell me the diaper you would choose if you won (choose wisely, as you will win what you select if your number is drawn!).

Additional entries:

1. Subscribe to my blog via RSS or email (one extra entry total, even if you subscribe both ways)
2. Follow me through Google connect
3. Put my button on your blog (leave blog url)
4. Follow Stuff Parents Need on Twitter (leave your TwitterID)
5. Subscribe to Heather’s blog
6. Add Hen and Chick Cloth to your favorites on Etsy (leave your etsy username)
7. Make a purchase from Hen and Chick cloth (worth 5 extra entries!!!)
8. Make a comment that contributes to the conversation at this post (“I like cloth” would not be a good comment, for example) and come back here to tell me you did.
9. Enter any other currently open giveaway on my site (one extra entry per giveaway that you enter)

Disclosure: I received a complimentary product for review purposes. The opinions expressed above are strictly my own.