Stuff Parents Need

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

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. 

Maternity Monday: Itzbeen Timer Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

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Lately I’ve been reading a book all about breastfeeding. It’s really helping refresh my memory on just exactly what it takes to feed a newborn…and it’s a LOT of work. You have to feed the newborn a minimum of 8 times each day, round the clock. I can tell you from experience just how easy it is to lose track of the number of times you have fed the baby, or when, exactly, they last ate, or how long it has been since their last diaper change, or even how long it has been since their last dose of medicine if they happen to be taking anything.

With Darah, we had an old-school pen and paper system, and it got the job done, but we would still sometimes forget to stumble over to our dresser and write things down in the log, especially in the middle of the night when the last thing we wanted to do was turn on the lamp. We would promise ourselves that we’d write it down in the morning. You can probably guess how often that actually happened, though.

While it isn’t the end of the world to miss a log entry, keeping up with this sort of thing really is extremely helpful. If you are feeling worried about your baby’s milk intake, for example, you need your log to determine how many wet diapers she has had in the last 24 hours, as this will help you know if she’s eating often enough. So that log really is quite important.

And now there’s a way to make keeping track of it all SO much easier. It’s called the Itzbeen baby care timer, and it makes recording all these events as easy as the push of a button. One handy little device (that can clip onto your belt loops for easy travel around the house!) can keep track of the following:

  • changing time
  • feeding time
  • sleep/awake time
  • one more timer for whatever you need (such as medication time)
  • nursing reminder (help you keep track of the side you nursed on last)
Trying to keep up with all of this in your head will NEVER work, and keeping track on paper also isn’t ideal, especially in the middle of the night. What makes the Itzbeen timer perfect for any time of the day or night is the fact that it has a display back light so you can easily read and record in the dark. Hooray!
Yes, people have been caring for babies since before technology entered the world, and they managed to get through it. But I’m telling you, this technological innovation is going to help Tim and me not feel quite so loopy, and that is worth a whole heck of a lot!

Buy it!: The Itzbeen timer retails for $24.99 and can be purchased at many online retailers or at a location near you. For a complete list of place to buy, click here.

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win your own Itzbeen Timer!

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(Maternity Monday) Noodle & Boo Skin Perfecting Creme Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

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I’m 28 1/2 weeks into my pregnancy. I look like I’m about 36 weeks along. Seriously. Some would probably say I look 40 weeks pregnant! I’m super short and the baby has nowhere to go but out. This is also my second pregnancy, so my body seems to be quick to remember how to expand to make room. All this is to say that I’m one round lady these days, with no hope of shrinking any time soon!

So as my belly grows, my skin is stretching. And itching. LIKE CRAZY!!! I need relief, and if there’s a chance that a product might help with stretch marks, well that’s a bonus. I actually had been using a stretch cream product that I used the last time, and it did seem to work, but it had a critical flaw: it is SO greasy! Seriously, I have to not put any clothes on after applying this stuff for a minimum of 10 minutes…way too long!

For the past month, though, I’ve been using a product from Noodle & Boo (remember the review I did earlier for their fantastic super soft lotion?). It’s called Perfecting Creme. I’m just going to be up front about the negative of this product: it ain’t cheap! A 3.5 oz tube will set you back $42.00.

Now let me tell you why I think it’s worth it.

First and foremost, it isn’t greasy! Yay! But that doesn’t mean that it isn’t an AWESOME moisturizer. My belly feels so soft! It also helps tremendously with itching. And when you itch like crazy, you will do anything to get relief. This perfecting creme most definitely provides that relief.

Second, this pregnancy stretch marks cream contains a peptide compound that helps prevent and reduce stretch marks while naturally promoting the synthesis of collagen (that’s elasticity for your skin!). So far, I don’t have any stretch marks. I can’t promise that this product will keep them from appearing, but I do feel confident that it will at least help reduce their severity if I do get them.

Third, this stuff smells SO SO SO good. It made with cocoa butter and avocado oil, but if you ask me, it smells like sweetened almonds. It honestly brightens my mood when I apply it, which is a happy little perk.

I’m so glad I got to try this product. It isn’t something I would have picked up for myself, but now that I have used it, I would highly recommend it to other expecting moms. It’s worth it, and so are you! Be sure to check out the rest of their line, which includes lots of great baby skin careproducts.

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader is going to win a tube of Noodle & Boo Perfecting Creme! Woo hoo!

 

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(Maternity Monday) Milkin’ Cookies to Increase Milk Supply! GIVEAWAY!!!

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The last time I was breastfeeding, it became fairly obvious as soon as I returned to work that I needed to increase my milk supply, as I wasn’t producing enough to create any sort of storage supply. My doctor recommended that I start taking the herb Fenugreek. For me personally, it only helped a little bit. And it also had a VERY interesting side effect…it made me smell like maple syrup.

Seriously. Just ask Tim.

Maybe that sounds sort of sweet and cool to you, but I hated it. It was certainly not what I wanted to smell like, but I had no choice.

Since I’m already aware that I had supply issues the last time, I’m taking a more proactive approach this time. Tim and I have discussed if the right strategy is to start taking that smelly herb from the start. I’m willing to do it, but oh my gosh, I really don’t want to.

But there is another option, and it is SO much better. I’m trading in my Fenugreek for cookies.

You heard me, COOKIES.

Introducing Milkin’ Cookies, a line of delicious baked treats created by two physicians (and moms!) to help women increase their milk supplies. You may be thinking, “Can I just buy some double-stuff Oreos and get the same results?” Afraid not, my friends. These cookies are a very special recipe, and they are stuffed with galactagogues. Those aren’t ingredients from outer space, by the way, they are ingredients found to naturally increase milk supply (for example, oatmeal, flax seed and wheat germ).

Milkin’ Cookies are made in small batches and are individually wrapped for your convenience. Most women find that they only need to eat one cookie each day to see noticeable results in supply levels. These cookies are made with NO preservatives, so they are best if eaten within 2 weeks, or they can also be frozen and simply thawed for 30 minutes before being ingested. You can purchase a 14 day sample pack ($20.99) , a 30 day supply ($44.99)  or get a 3 month subscription for $119.99.

Could you make something like this yourself? Perhaps, although I can’t point you to an exact recipe. You’d have to dig around online to find one that is getting universal praise (which is what these cookies are getting!). And then you’d have to go purchase all those slightly unusual ingredients. And then you’d have to make them. And then freeze them individually. And then hope that they taste ok. But with a newborn on your hands, you won’t be busy, so this should be no problem (said with much sarcasm).

Seriously, though, I think this is one of those things that is worth paying for, because the cookies have been tested by other moms and have produced great results. Also, I should tell you that they seriously yummy. They come in two flavors: cranberry almond oatmeal and my very favorite, oatmeal chocolate chip. Both Darah and Tim love eating them, too, and they are perfectly safe to be eaten by anyone. All the ingredients are good and good for you. They are also loaded with fiber, which makes them good to eat during pregnancy! I remember that my pain medication I was on right after having Darah caused constipation…a side effect NOBODY mentioned to me. Let’s just say that I did some crying in the bathroom a few days after getting home from the hospital. My plan this time is to eat a cookie. BEST PLAN EVER!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader is going to win a 14 day supply of Milkin’ Cookies! Yum!!

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(Maternity Monday) Stylish Burp Cloths by Ahmelie (GIVEAWAY!!!)

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Here’s the deal: babies spit up. A lot. And when I say “spit up” I am not just talking about little dribbles of drool (although they do a heck of a lot of that, especially when teething). I’m talking about what should really be referred to as throwing up, but that’s just too gross to say all the time. They do this OFTEN, and if you aren’t prepared with the right equipment, your laundry basket is about to get seriously full. I learned from the wise parents who came before me that for several months of your life, you should plan on having a burp cloth over your shoulder pretty much at all times. Does it need to be something fancy? Of course not; absorbency is the real key. We used mostly basic pre-folds (so absorbent!) and some cut up towels.

But with that said, we also had a few “nice” burp cloths, and I was really glad to have those when we ventured from the house. If I actually made the time to look halfway decent when going somewhere, I didn’t want to spoil the whole thing by putting a cut up towel over my shoulder! So I do recommend that you get at least 3 nicer burp cloths. But don’t do what my mom did and get burp cloths that are so lovely (full of expensive lace, for example) that you would be upset if they actually got used. If the baby can’t actually spit up on them, then they are useless!

Ahmelie, one of my VERY favorite retailers, offers the perfect marriage of design and function with her burp cloth sets. I had the opportunity to review a set of 3 burp cloths from her line. These are made with 100% cotton cloth diapers, which are very absorbent! But they also have a beautiful piece of fabric added to the middle to make them look beautiful. I really like the size of these burp cloths; they are large enough to double as a changing pad, which makes them all the better. I LOVE when something can do double-duty for me in the diaper bag!

I can tell you as a customer of Ahmelie’s that her designs are simply gorgeous and her quality is outstanding. If your burp cloth stash is looking a little rough around the edges, or if you are looking for a really cute shower gift that will also be useful, I highly recommend these designer burp cloths.

Buy it!: The set of 3 burp cloths I reviewed retails for $17.00, which is a great price for something so darn cute! Ahmelie has a special offer for Stuff Parents Need customers. Use code STUFF10 at checkout to receive 10% off your purchase (good at www.ahmelie.etsy.com or at www.ahmelie.com).

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win a set of 3 burp cloths from Ahmelie!

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(Maternity Monday) Luxurious Shampoo and Body Wash: PK Baby

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Did you know that it is known who actually coined the phrase, “bad hair day”? Credit goes to Philip Kingsley, who is actually one of the world’s most respected authorities on hair and scalp health. He is known for his luxurious line of hair care products, and he is proud to be launching a new baby care line.

The first product that has been released is Philip Kingsley Baby Shampoo and Body Wash. We have been using it on Darah for just about a month, now, and I have to say, I can tell a difference in how her hair looks! We only use natural, gentle products on her, and her hair has consistently been soft, but it’s even softer now! Also, she does have a little bit of curl in her hair, and the definition of those curls has become much more clear since we started using this product on her. I wasn’t dissatisfied with what I was using before, but I have to admit, PK Baby Shampoo and Body Wash has made a noticeable improvement!

I am also a big fan of the fact that it can double as a body wash. Darah is a squirmy worm in the tub, so it helps us a great deal if we are using the same product on her hair and her body. I feel comfortable doing this because it is paraben, SLS and SLES free and its fragrance (which is really nice, by the way) is non-allergen in content.

So what’s not to love? Well, I do have two hangups. The first one is the price. It is $28.85, although the bottle is quite large (500ml). I am willing to pay more for quality ingredients, but it is priced beyond what I would normally spend. Keep in mind that this is coming from a gal who likes to use vinegar and baking soda on her own hair; you may feel differently!

Also, the pump on the container is child proof. What’s embarrassing is that it’s also Tiffany and Tim-proof. After many days of attempts to open it, Tim did have success, but he can’t tell you what he did to get it to work. I’m all for smart pumps, but this one may be a bit too smart! 🙂

Philip Kingsley Baby Shampoo and Body Wash can be purchased here.

Have you ever used any products from the Philip Kingsley line? I’d love to hear about it; after seeing how well Darah’s shampoo works, I will admit that I’m quite intrigued!

Maternity Monday: MAM Products Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

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As far as pacifiers go, we are EXTREMELY loyal to MAM in our house. Darah was horribly offended whenever we tried to offer her any other type of binky. It would promptly be spit out. So MAM it is around here, and the same will be true for our new baby.

MAM has actually just come out with a new pacifier that has really piqued my interest. It’s called the MAM Perfect Pacifier. What makes it so perfect? Well, the nipple is 60% thinner than a traditional pacifier, which means less pressure on baby’s jaw, reducing the risk of misaligned teeth. Great innovation, MAM! It is offered in sizes 0-6 months and 6+ months. Colors currently available are pink, blue and green. The ARV is $5.99 for this product.

MAM also makes some other amazing products, including an entire infant toothbrush line that I reviewed previously. Did you know that they also make bottles? Well, they do! And anyone who is currently expecting is going to want to check out the MAM Anti-Colic Bottle, for sure. It has a vented base that regulates air pressure. This is important because it means that the milk going to baby will have less air in it, which means less gas, which means less crying! Another excellent feature of the bottles is that they are designed to be quickly and easily sterilized in the microwave. No more waiting for the dishwasher to finish its cycle! These bottles come in 5 oz and 8 oz and retail for $6.99. That’s a great price for such a unique and useful bottle!

MAM products are available at major retailers all over the country.

Win it!: MAM is pleased to offer one lucky Stuff Parents Need reader the following prize pack worth $55!

  •  One triple pack of MAM Anti-Colic Bottle
  • An assortment of MAM Perfect Pacifiers in Blue, Green and Pink

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Woombie: A New Swaddling Technique

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In our house, we are swaddling evangelists. Darah LOVED to be swaddled. Like, more than any other baby I know. She was tightly swaddled including her arms until she was about 5 months old (by her insistence!) and was tightly swaddled with arms out until she was probably 16 months old (again, by her insistence). Even now, at 2 and 5 months, she likes her blanket to be very loosely swaddle-like around her (of course she pops right out of it, but it’s a sleep cue to her, we think). Her swaddling blankets have been one of the very biggest work horses in the nursery.

So it won’t surprise you to hear that we will be swaddling baby #2. But I have learned a few things about swaddling in the time since Darah was bundled up like a pea in a pod. Most notably, I’ve learned that you have to take care not to make the swaddle too tight around the legs, as that can impede their hip development. I also know from experience that a loose swaddle on a newborn and young infant is kind of pointless. This has really left me scratching my head about what to do!

woombie review

Oh bloggers, how you help me so! Thanks to some great reviews that I read, I learned all about this fabulous product called Woombie. If you have never practiced swaddling, then the look of it may make you nervous. Let’s be real, it looks like an infant straight jacket. But as a swaddling aficionado, I’m super excited at the look of it. It’s this perfect balance of a snug and tight environment, which little ones crave (think of the womb!) while also leaving some stretch opportunity for those growing legs and hips.

I also like that if you happen to have a major squirmy worm on your hands, there’s no blanket to come unraveled, which means no suffocation risk. That’s great for peace of mind. We received the newborn original Woombie in raspberry (FABULOUS color, by the way) and the material seems to be just too right…breathable, yet will keep your baby nice and warm without overheating.

Woombie offers a very impressive variety of styles and options for your little snuggle bear. The Houdini is for those babies who can get out of ANY swaddle. Not this one! I’m also drawn to the organic line, as well.

Prices for the Woombie vary depending on which style you select. The original that we reviewed retails for $26.99 and fits 5-13 pounds. They also offer a size for 14-19 and 20-25 pounds, as well as a 3-6 pounds for preemies. Woombies can be purchased online at Amazon or you can find your nearest retailer.

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader will win an Original Woombie in your choice of available colors and size!

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