I am a mom of 2 wonderful children that seems to have the worst luck when it comes to things I buy. If it's clothing - the seams fall apart, toys - something breaks, food - it's rotten when I open it. You name it, it's happened to me. Do not bring me someplace that you want luck. I will bring you the exact opposite! This blog is a place for me to tell you about things I like and things I don't like. Enjoy!
This is the final update to the posting where I tested four different inserts against each other. See that posting HERE. These inserts have been washed and dried 12 times. I REALLY thought that the results would come out differently than they did.
Made of 100% organic cotton, these super absorbent terry cloth liners offer extra protection when you need it. One-size contour shape lays directly in the diaper. Great for night and heavy wetters. Come in packs of 2.
Made By: Imse Vimse
Made Of: 100% Certified Organic Cotton
Made In: Sweden
No. The results are not just a copy/past job. Well they are, but the results didn't change at all. I was SHOCKED!!! The hemp seemed to absorb faster after more washings, but didn't hold any more than it did after three.
So there you have it! If you want to know size details, check out the links above! Enjoy these results and feel free to do your own testing. It was fun!
I was going about my daily life the other day and during my diaper change had my latest product failure. NOT the time when you want something to go wrong. I literally had a poop filled diaper in my hand and was standing in my son's room in frustration.
What failed me this time? My wetbag. For those of you that don't cloth diaper, that's the bag I put my dirty diapers in before I wash them. So here's the small backstory: I was doing laundry the other day and I came across a zipper pull. I didn't think much of it and just left it on top of the dryer until I figured out what it fell off of. Later I found that the zipper pull was from the wetbag. No big deal, I went down and grabbed the pull and put it back on.
Present time: I went to open the bag up to put the most recent diaster in there and couldn't get it open. (maybe more than the pull falling off happened to the zipper) Why now? I fiddled with it for a while. Fail. I grabbed a pliers and started working with it. Fail. I then went and grabbed a scissors and started cutting the bag open. SO SAD. :( I put all of the contents into my other wetbag and threw the now destroyed one away.
Product Failure: Medium Planetwise Organic Blue wetbag
This is not the pattern I had
Would I buy again: nope. This wasn't the first issue with the bag. The fabric was ripping apart in the corners as well. When I contacted the company all they said was, "That happens with the organic fabrics, sorry". Why don't they tell you this BEFORE you buy it. grrrr
I went to the diaper store the next day (because you need a bag when the other one is washing) and ended up getting the CUTEST new one. It's from Leslie's Boutiques. It has a cute car theme (online pictures don't do the cuteness justice) and it's actually a wet/dry bag! It also has a pleat on the front which allows more expansion when you are adding things to the inside. I can't wait to put it to the test.
So my cell phone was sitting on the end table and my son (who is starting to pull up) pulled on the table and the tilting knocked my phone off. Before I could get to him the whole table fell. My son landed on his butt and the lightweight table on his lap. That's right, on HIS lap. However, it tipped a bit and also tapped my phone screen. I had to console the crying baby and by the time I grabbed my phone I noticed the screen looked cracked, but it really wasn't. I messed with it a bit and it was indeed broken. So broken in fact that the store was unable to retrieve my contacts and pictures off of it. WELL, since they couldn't get that data I was going to save money and order a new phone online.
Fast forward two days and the phones arrive. I take it out of the box, put the battery in, and charge it. Kudos to me for following directions. I hear the "phone is charged" ding and go turn it on. I hear the pretty startup music, but no image. WHAT THE H*LL? I mess with the new phone a bit and indeed this one is broken too. Are you kidding me? Who does this kind of stuff happen to besides me. Seriously. Could I have any worse luck?
After waiting on hold with my cell provider they tell me they will send me a new one since it arrived broken. No shit sherlock. Well, I'm sick of waiting for a new phone and ask if I can just bring it to a store and exchange it. Yes, I can. Whew. So once my kids wake up, guess where we're going ... Yipee, an unplanned shopping trip for a person that HATES shopping.
Phone in question: LG Cosmos 2
Provider: Verizon
Would I recommend this phone: Not at the moment ...
Would I recommend the provider: I guess, I have another 2 year contract with them, so I have to at least to pretend to like them. In actuality, I've never had a problem with my actual cell service. So yes, I would recommend them.
UPDATE:
I brought the phone to the store and had GREAT customer service. They got me a new phone with no fuss, got it activated, and WAIT FOR IT .... were able to transfer my contacts from my old phone. Apparently the other store had a bunch of idiots working. I'm not ever going to that first store again. Always go to a "hub" store!!
I bought a new stroller and had to wait for delivery. Well after waiting over a week (was told it would be two), I now have my stroller. It was a MESS to get it right though. Go figure. It was for me, why would it go smoothly? I went to pick it up at the store and when I walked it, everything was by the counter waiting. SA-WEET! My daughter had to use the bathroom and the manager asked if I wanted her to pop the wheels on and throw it together so I could take the kids back out using the stroller. HECK YEAH!! So when I came back out she was putting the seats on and she lowered the top seat foot rest all the way and then pulled the basket cloth up over the foot bar. Weird, but okay. I know nothing about this new stroller, maybe that's "normal". Then she popped on the second seat and out we went. I loaded up the kids and stroller and went home. After I got the kids eating lunch I went out to get my new toy. THAT'S when I noticed I had been screwed. Okay, not really, but the bar on the foot rest was all scuffed, had blue scraps on it, and was chipped. I tried to magic eraser it, but no deal. I called the store and the girl that answered said she'd have to talk to the manager. Well, an hour had passed so I called the other store (in a nearby town) and told them the deal and asked if they had a new seat for me. It took a while for them to call me back, but she had called the owner and worked everything out and I was able to go to their store (to save miles) and get the new seat that I was supposed to get. WHEW. Yes, annoyed that I had to drive again, but I wanted to check out their store anyway. I didn't really get to check out their store since my daughter fell asleep in the stroller so I had to keep her on the sidewalk of the HOUSE that the store is in (very common in in this particular town) and had the ladies help me while I held my son in the doorway. They did an excellent job making me happy and even sold me on a cup holder. I was looking for one and was very pleased to find out that the accessories from another brand of stroller fit on this one. They are cheaper and more user friendly. The one I bought pops on and off and the brand that "goes" with my stroller needs a screw driver and isn't easy to get on/off.
Overall, I am very pleased with my experience, but wish I wouldn't have had to deal with it in the first place.
The store involved: Baby Grand
Would I recommend them?: Yes
Would I purchase from them again?: Yes, especially since you get a discount on stroller accessories if you buy stroller from them! Woot Woot!
Was I happy with the experience?: Not at all, at first. However, they did make it right. Granted I had to go to another store, but the owners made it right and that made me happy.
Here is my new toy:
I will do a review on this after I have actually used it and not just played with it.
Bamboo? Cotton? Hemp? After looking at posts on facebook, talking with the local diaper store (All Things Diapers) and reading other blogs. It seems as though there is a lack of truly tested information on natural inserts. I don't mean "Where is it from?", "How was it turned into an insert?", blah blah blah. That stuff bores me. I mean the important stuff like - "Which is the softest to the touch?" and "Which one holds the most?"
With the help of All Things Diapers (supplied the inserts), I am putting a few to the test. This is completely done on my own and isn't "scientific" at all. I am just a mom that wants to visually see some results. So here it goes:
So that video is kind of long. Especially if you don't like inserts. So here are the final results after being prepped (3 washings). They were tested with water, for those of you that didn't watch the video.
Imse Vimse Flannelette (organic cotton): 1/2 c.
Amp Bamboo: 3/4 c.
Fuzzibunz Hemp: 1 1/8 c.
Imse Vimse Terry (organic cotton): 1 1/3 c.
This is not at all what I expected. I honestly thought that the bamboo was going to take home the grand prize. I was teetering between that and the flannelette, but landed on the bamboo. I was dead wrong! I had just heard so many wonderful things about bamboo holding so much. I do plan on washing these a few more times to see what happens and I will update with a follow up. After that I'm going to add them to my collection and see how they do on a baby. So look for that update later.
When I was talking in the video I thought the terry held more than it did, once measuring more closely, the amount listed above, and written in the video, is correct (not what I said in the video).
So how do you get your hands on these and other inserts? Just head to MY favorite diaper store (All Things Diapers) and shop away. They have an actual store at this address:
12064 Central Ave NE,
Blaine, MN, 55434
(763) 439-1973
and of course you can shop their online store. Here is a breakdown of their stores prices of the products I used for my testing:
Fuzzibunz Hemp Inserts - 3 pack for $14.95
Amp Bamboo Inserts - $4.95 each
Imse Vimse Terry Doubler - 2 pack for $10.75
Imse Vimse Flannelette Doubler - 5 pack for $14.95
There are other types of inserts out there, but I wanted to focus on natural materials for this test. Of course other brands may fare differently, but these are what I had and I think they are a good representation of the fiber.
Oh, I forgot to mention what I thought of their "feel". The bamboo is by far the softest. Next I would choose the hemp or flannelette for next to my butt. The last choice would be the terry. It's still very soft and wouldn't hurt or be uncomfortable, but since I need to rank - those are it. However if you're going to be stuffing these into pocket diapers none of that matters.
Have you been to the All Things Diapers store? No? OMGosh, you don't know what you're missing! Don't let the name fool you, it's NOT just diapers.
Yes, of course, they have diapers. And a lot of them! But, they also carry slings, swaddle blankets, sleep sacks, cloth diaper safe diaper cream, diaper cakes (disposable and cloth), bottles, bibs, sippy cups, and more.
They are going to be adding some other new things like a "mommy section" as well. This area of the store will have things like cloth breast pads (which I own and LOVE!!!), lotions, basically things that moms need and want! Why not buy a little treat for yourself while getting the necessities for the kids, right? I like that idea!!
I can't forget to tell you about their cloth diaper service! They will do full service (provide, pick up and wash the diapers) for you or just wash the diapers you already own. I'm not going to lie, I'm REALLY contemplating having them wash my diapers for me. It's only $10/week and I won't have to deal with the "stinkies" anymore. I've just had such issues with getting my diapers clean myself. I blame that darn HE machine I have. ;)
They have various activities throughout the week in their classroom, such as: toddler music class (small fee to the teacher), coffee morning (moms and kids get together and chat/play for free), diaper 101, and other classes that they feel the need for!
Do you live out of the area? No problem, just shop their online store. If you have questions, don't hesitate to call (763-439-1973), e-mail (allthingsdiapers@yahoo.com), or facebook them.
Have I mentioned that I LOVE them? They are seriously an amazing store.
Stinky, musty towels, especially when wet. I HATE that and have to admit, I've thrown away my fair share of wash cloths, towels, and rags through the years because of it. I REALLY can't handle the stink. Probably because I know that it's mildew and bacteria on the fabric and that grosses me out.
So, I had to make a trip to the local hardware store (not a national chain) to pick up some "Smelly Washer" today and they were OUT! OMG what was a girl to do? Thankfully there was a bottle of "Smelly Towel" on the shelf (the last bottle might I add). I figured, eh, what the heck, I'll give it a shot. The washer stuff worked great on the machine and my towels, and since I'm using it for towels, the smelly towel should work fine.
So why do I have smelly towels since I have a nice new washing machine? Well, I'm an idiot. Okay not really, but I am kind of forgetful at times. We went to the pool for some family swim time and like a busy mom I left the towels in the back of the SUV. I remembered to get the kids out of the car, that's good, right? Well when I found the towels I grabbed them, threw them in the washer then ran around the house and grabbed all the other towels I could find. Well, oops. The pool towels were stinky and got the rest of my towels that way.
So, on to the review (I purchased this product myself and was not compensated in any way for this review):
Picture from Smellywasher.com
I am NOT impressed with the packaging. It looks very 80's. Which is weird since it was developed a few years ago here in Minnesota. "You can't judge a book by it's cover", right? In this case, CORRECT! I followed the directions and left out the soap I would normally add and soaked my towels for 2 hours with 1 tablespoon of cleaner, that's right only 1 Tbls. After the soak I ran a normal cycle to make sure they were all rinsed out. There was 10 minutes left on the machine and I asked the husband to put the towels in the drier before he fell asleep. I just couldn't stay awake any longer. He was up reading and agreed.
WELL ... you can't trust a husband to do the laundry sometimes. I went down to check my towels this morning and they were still in the washer. UGH!!!!! So I put them in the drier anyway. Guess what. No stink. Whew. This stuff doesn't just cover up the stink, it truly gets rid of it.
I LOVE it and highly recommend it. You can purchase it in many hardware stores here in MN, and of course online: http://www.smellywasher.com/product
What Causes Washing Machine Odor and Towel Mildew Smell?
There are a number of causes of mold odor in clothes washers.
The main cause of front load or top load stink is overuse of detergents because the user is following directions for amount used. If detergent has nothing to react against it will leave a residue on the inside of the washer that is a food source for mold and bacteria to grow. A dark, moist clothes washer is the perfect environment for them to flourish so we need to control their food source. Generally speaking, we’re washing only perfume and sweat from our clothing so we don’t need so much detergent. Unless washing soiled clothing, no more than 1 tbsp of any detergent should be used. This is especially important if using liquid detergent, if there is a water softener in the home or if using a municipal water supply. For high efficiency washers it’s abosolutely necessary to use HE detergent (low sudsing). Suds affect both the operation and longevity of high efficiency washing machines.
Running a close second is fabric softener use. Softener is dispensed in the rinse cycle and is also a food source for mold and bacteria to grow. We recommend switching to dryer sheets or dryer balls. Keep in mind that dryer sheets can also be overused and cause towels to be less absorbent and retain odor. The sheets can be cut into halves or thirds and can even be reused. Dryer balls are another option. Click here to read more advice on the subject.
The third not-so-common reason for clothes washer smells is using mainly cold water for washing. Using mainly cold water for washing is fine… but it makes preventive maintenance very important. Do your hottest wash or soak cycle as your last cycle on wash day or as preventive maintenance to dissolve residue. Don’t be afraid to run an extra rinse cycle. Ensure the water supply hoses to your washer are properly connected so you’re getting hot washes and cold rinses when you want. This problem is more common than you may think!
Another cause of washing machine odor is non-use of the appliance. If you are not going to use the washer for an extended period it’s a good idea to do a cleaning with a washing machine cleaner. If leaving for a vacation shut the supply hoses off in case of a hose break. Bleach or vinegar spilled on rubber water hoses will cause deterioration and eventually a ruptured hose to flood the laundry area.
Obstructions in drain pumps can cause mold odor by reducing the flow of water when draining. Almost all front load washers have a filter “trap” that is accessible to the owner. Rather than immediately calling for appliance repair service consult your owners manual for instructions on accessing this trap. (ALWAYS UNPLUG YOUR MACHINE OR SHUT OFF THE CIRCUIT BREAKER BEFORE REPAIR also have several towels nearby when working on a drain pump because there is always 1-2 gallons of water left in all washers even after draining. It’s surprising what can make it through the washer and into the trap. Bra wires, toys, coins and screws are common items that can cause the pump to jam or catch lint to cause draining problems to make your washer smell. Go to http://www.ehow.com/search.html?q=clean+front+load+filter&skin=home&t=all for good instructions on how to clean the filter. Even though they don’t have filter traps objects can also jam pumps in top loading washers. These objects can very often be removed and the pump can be saved rather than buying a new pump.
I won this laundry detergent in another site's giveaway. I was SO excited. I had heard only good things and couldn't wait to try it for myself.
Picture from Clean B website
Let's start with the basics. I received a powder detergent that comes in all kinds of scents. You can choose from her amazing selection. The detergent IS cloth diaper (CD) safe. If it's CD safe that means it's also safe for all of your other laundry.
When I first received this detergent I was having some major stink issues with my diapers and thought that switching brands would do the trick. Nope, the scent made the stinkies seem even worse because they had a perfumed stink. Ugh. Okay, the stinkies were not the detergents fault or even the other MAJOR cloth diaper detergents fault. It was my crappy washing machine's fault. After purchasing a new machine I gave this detergent another fair shake. It cleaned just as well as my other brand.
The scent is still too much for me, but it is getting everything clean, so I can't complain too much. Since it was free and all.
She does make more than just powder detegent. You can see her huge selection of items HERE.
The nitty gritty: Would I buy it? No - since I wouldn't use it on my dipes Why? The scents are just too strong for me and they don't rinse away like the other detergent I normally use. I don't mind the scent on my daily clothing, but I do not like the scent lingering on my diapers.
Do I recommend it? That's a tough one. It cleaned just fine, but not better than anything else. If you like scented items, then YES, I recommend it.
The Tiny Tush diaper was one that I've wanted to try for quite some time now. When I was given the opportunity to review the diaper, I jumped at the chance. I first heard and about and saw this diaper at All Things Diapers in Blaine, MN. I asked questions, touched/felt it, opened/closed it, and tugged at it for 3 visits in a row before taking the plunge and wanting to purchase one!
So what makes this diaper different from other pocket diapers? Well, right from the start here is what I noticed:
* the "one size" feature offers 4 settings instead of the standard 3
* the pocket is "reversed" from the standard set up - Tiny Tush says they did this to prevent stools from getting caught under the flap.
* BOLD color options - no prints though
*Made in the USA (the inserts are imported though)
Notice how the pocket is set up
The diaper comes with 2 inserts, a large and small, with the tiny tush label sewn on. If you're anything like me you don't like to mix up brands, so those labels are important. Yes, you CAN put different inserts with different brands, but I'm a bit type A when it comes to things like that. The small insert is for the smallest settings or to use as a doubler with the larger insert. There are also nice laundry tabs on the aplix diapers to keep it from catching other diapers in the wash. After 8-10 washings, thus far, I don't have any build up on the hook part and the loop is still nice looking. I have other brands (which I will review later) that don't look so nice. Appearance is important to me! We pay good money for nice diapers and they should stay LOOKING nice in my opinion.
What you get when you buy
I started this testing off by grabbing the doll to try sizing. As you can see there is some gapping on the leg. Yes, this type of doll has small legs, but other diapers I tried on her stayed snug. It also was very high in the rise on the smallest setting.
After I prepped the diaper (washed and dried all parts 3 times) it was time to put it to the test. I started with trying it on the 2nd setting, it was too small for my 18 pounder. I then raised it to the 3rd setting. I had some trouble getting it to fit around the waist without being too tight on the thigh. I did get it, granted it's not "straight" but I didn't care, it fit. I think I would have had real issues getting the snap version to fit correctly.
(The leg marks are from the diaper he had on overnight)
The first time using the diaper we went about a half hour before I HAD to change the diaper. My little guy decided he needed to blow up. All was contained in the diaper! It was a mess too, so I was VERY happy. In fact, I have yet to have a leak with this diaper. I even got brave (since it was sheet washing day) and went with this diaper for an overnight (9 hours) with only the large insert. I was impressed. I'm not going to try that again, but it was fun to know the diaper could handle it. I've also had this diaper on during car rides. No leg leaks or pressure leaks like others I've tried!
The diaper is pretty trim as well. I also noticed that the diaper seems softer? than other pocket diapers when on. What I mean is that it bends and moves better than some other brands. It seems more like a piece of clothing rather than a stiff diaper.
So what don't I like? There has to be something since nothing is perfect after all. So here it is ... I don't like that the large insert has to be folded in order to be sized down. There aren't any snaps or closures to hold it to the size you want. You just have to fold, stuff and hope it stays. I know, not that big of a deal. I also think that the Aplix feels a little loose. I researched online and found that about 10 minutes in the dryer may take care of this problem so I will try that next time it gets washed (I usually hang dry all covers).
Overall, would I buy more of these diapers? You bet I would. I would want to try a snap closure first to see which I prefer then go from there. The hardest part would be choosing the colors I would want there are so many to pick from:
picture from the tiny tush website
So, where can you buy these diapers? I highly recommend THIS site. They carry only the best, have free shipping within MN and anywhere in the US with a purchase over $49, and they are just a drive, e-mail or phone call away if you are having any issues with your diapers. I have asked them so many questions. They are SO knowledgeable. Talk about GREAT customer service. They will even answer your questions if you ask on their facebook page! Of course there are other stores and websites that sell this diaper, but why go to those when you have a link right here? ;)
Here is what Tiny Tush has to say about their diapers:
Tiny Tush Elite One-Size Fitted Pocket Diapers combine technology, design, and good old fashion comfort!
This unique cloth diapering system is the easiest system available today. With a reverse envelope pocket opening in the rear of the diaper, the inserts are easy to install. The reverse envelope pocket opening also prevents stools from getting caught up underneath the flap. This makes cleanup easier and yuk free.
The exterior of the Tiny Tush Elite One-Size Pocket diaper is a water proof PUL. The inner layer is an non piling polyester micro-fleece to keep the diaper looking like new wash after wash.
Tiny Tush Elite One-Size pocket diapers are designed to fit babies from 7-35 lbs. The snap down system for sizing is similar to the popular Tiny Tush Trim except that there is an extra row (a fourth row) of snaps for increased adjustability. There is also an extra column of snaps to keep this amazing diapering system secure and trim.
The four row snap down system allows the rise of this diaper to be adjusted incrementally from newborn, infant, crawler, to toddler. Both the Aplix and snap closures use the same snap down system.
These wonderful pocket diapers are available in Aplix and Snap closures.
An extra special THANK YOU to All Things Diapers for sponsoring the diaper for this review.
They are my new favorite diaper. Granted it's the first "pocket diaper" I've ever used, but I still love it. What is a pocket diaper? Well it has a pocket for an absorbent insert to go into. This means there is a "feel dry" liner against the baby's skin. I have some other all in twos (AI2) but this is the easiest for daddy to use. The other AI2's that we use are "snap in" insert styles. I usually will just take the inserts out and use the cover throughout the day. This does make less laundry than the bumGenius, but I don't mind.
The diaper
So what do I like about the 4.0? Besides the ease of use like I said, I also like the colors. Silly, I know.
The feel of them is also nice. The liners are SUPER soft to the touch and always feel dry and MUST feel nice on the bum! That part I can't test. The outsides are also soft and nice to touch. The one size feature of this diaper is no lie. I am able to use it on the 8 week old and the 2 year old! I've also washed 6 of them SEVERAL times and there hasn't been any pilling yet. I'm sure it will happen, but they still look new. In the diaper world they are since they're only a month old, but you know what I'm saying. ;)
The various sizes
I also like the snap system for our 2 year old. She can't go streaking, which has been a new favorite pass-time if we let her go pantless. I didn't buy any of the hook/loop (velcro) so I can't compare it to those. I have had a problem with some hook/loop closures on other brands so I avoided them with these since I could.
I would have liked to buy some prints in the 4.0, but my favorite diaper store (All Things Diapers) doesn't have any in stock yet AND they (the prints) weren't a part of the buy 5 get one free deal bumGenius is running (which ends tomorrow).
We're doing our first test as an overnight diaper tonight. I have put in a bumGenius insert and a hemp insert as a doubler. I wanted to keep it somewhat trim which is why I didn't do two microfiber inserts. I'll let you know how it does. I know it can be on the baby for over 4 hours with no problems, but we still do disposables overnight with him. I was doing the prefolds and it was too much effort in the middle of the night when I was half awake. I think I could EASILY do these in the middle of the night, but I have a bunch of disposables that I need to get through, so we won't find out the overnight abilities on the baby for a while yet!
I would also like to try the following brands: Fuzzibunz, Rumparooz, Softbums Omni (invented in Andover, MN) and I'm sure there are some others ...
