Charlie Banana One Size Diaper Review

Okay, so my baby is now big enough to wear the Charlie Banana 2-in-1 eco diapering system . Here is my verdict:
Pros

• Cute Colors
• Great Price
• Easy to stuff
• Absorbency is good
• Inside is very soft
• Comes with TWO inserts
• Staining is minimal, but comes off with Rockin' Green Detergent - no problem
• Comfortable around legs
• Snaps seam sturdy
• So far, no diaper rashes :) 
• Available at Target.com, Amazon, and many other popular stores.

Cons

• Suppose to fit babies 7 - 40 lbs, but I don't see how these can fit a baby smaller than 12 lbs. I tried and tried when my baby was smaller and these diapers were HUGE on her. Maybe a baby with super FAT thighs can get away with it, but my baby has chubby thighs and they were really big on her.
• Okay, my GREATEST complaint is this, ugh, I cannot stand loading the insert through the front panel.  (Yes, the front panel pocket is designed to securely hold a disposable insert, if you choose to use it this way, which I have not yet tried.)  Well, I shall say unloading...ha!  Loading is fine and unloading a slightly urinated insert no-so-bad.  However, unloading a poopy diaper or a heavily urinated one is gross!  The flap usually has poop on it and to get to the insert is messy!  Maybe this doesn't happen with boys so much, but with girls poopy does go to the front of the diaper.

So overall these are great for the price and if it weren't for that darn front flap I would be extremely happy! 

FuzziBunz Cloth Diaper Review

So, we started using our extra-small FuzziBunz and we love them! 

Let me start by saying that although I love these diapers, I think that the sizing is off.  According to the FuzziBunz website an extra-small should fit babies 4-12 lbs.  However, when my baby lost her newborn weight, she went down to 5 lbs 11oz and these diapers were huge on her, especially around the leg.  Even when she got back up to 6 lbs 5 oz, they were still too big.  They didn't actually fit until she reached 7 lbs.  Maybe they'd work better on a baby with fatter thighs? 

Okay, so now that they fit, the fit is great; snug and comfy around the legs, and a nice rise on top.  The baby has had some major bowel movements and they have stood in the diaper.  What's funny is that she had messy blow outs while using disposable diapers.  It was horrible!  There was poop all over her back and her legs, ugh!  Anyway, my biggest fear was that this would happen with cloth diapers, but so far it hasn't, at least not with FuzziBunz (or with AMPS). 

So far these diapers are working wonderfully!   Baby's been using them with hemp inserts during nap time and they have great absorbency.  Granted she usually only naps for 45 minutes tops, however, one time she did sleep for 2 hours and when she woke up the diaper was heavy, but mostly dry.  Side comment: they work wonderfully with the regular inserts too. 

Bottom line, these diapers are cute, comfortable, wash easily (so far no stains) and work great.  We are happy we bought them and love them!

The Potty Pail Diaper Sprayer Review

So I started cloth diapering full time today and it's been so easy thanks to the BESTEST invention ever - The Potty Pail!!!! Yes, we got it the other day and my husband installed it immediately. I absolutely love, love, love this product! It's a wonderful diaper sprayer that comes with a pail that you put over the toilet to prevent splatter and overspray.   Before the Potty Pail cloth diapering was messy.  First off I was using a peri bottle which I had to refill about five times to get all the feces off of the diaper.  Second, the spray was strong enough to splatter the feces and water on the toilet lid and on the floor...yuck! With the diaper sprayer I don't have to walk to the sink and with the pail, everything is contained and sanitary.  The sprayer is very well made and has a wonderful lifetime warranty.  The sprayer has such a strong spray that it gets everything off of the diaper with little to NO staining -this is before laundering. The pail is so neat! It has two hooks inside so that you can drain the diaper and insert before putting them in your wet bag. Gosh, this thing is so awesome! Also, installation was easy. My husband did thorough research on diaper sprayers  and this product met his standards, which says a lot, he's a former Marine people :)

I think that if anyone is going to venture in to cloth diapering or if you are already doing so, this product is a must.  It is making my life easier and these days I can use a little break.    

Inside of Pail

The diaper sprayer

Cloth Diapering

Peri Bottle

We started cloth diapering two days ago, and it's not too bad.  The worst part is getting breastfeeding poop off of cloth.  This is difficult without a hand bidet because of how runny BF poop is.  Right now I am using a peri bottle which works okay, but it's a pain because I have to refill the bottle at least four times to get all the poop off. This is not fun, especially when your sink is far from your toilet!  I know that once my hubby installs the hand bidet it will get better.  He already ordered one from, The Potty Pail, which I will review once I begin usage.

AMP

My daughter is small and she fits well in the AMP all in one diapers.  She fits okay in the x-small FuzziBunz, but needs to fatten a little more around the legs for a better fit.  So far I love the AMP diapers.  They are easy to use, fit well and clean well (no stains after washing).  I think I will also love the FuzziBunz once my baby girl grows into them.  She seems to be gaining weight rapidly, so I think she will be sporting her cute Fuzzi's real soon.

After a lot of research we decided to use Rockin Green Detergent. We ordered a whole year's supply and have already washed our diapers in it.  I LOVE the smell and the neat scent names, for example: Smashing Watermelons, Motley Clean, The Plain Green Tea's, Bare Naked Babies, LOL!  Aren't the names cool?  This detergent is obviously environmentally friendly and it works great!  Took the stains out of our diapers and I used it to wash my whites and it did a great job!  The price is right (ha), so I am really happy to have found this product.

Potty Pail

Overall, I am happy to have gone the cloth route and I can't wait to immerse myself full swing, once the bidet gets here.  Well, we Americans call it a hand bidet, but my husband informed me that the proper name in Europe is hand douche. I'm American, so a hand bidet it is :)

Cloth Diapering on CBS!

Hooray for Ebay!

My husband and I have been racking up on Ebay, our many coveted baby items.  We got a like-new, Arm's Reach Original Co-sleeper that retails for $209.00 plus S&H for only $101.00 including S&H.  It arrived a few days ago and is awesome!  I love it and will give a review on it when baby arrives.

We also got an Arm's Reach  Beautiful Dreamer Cocoon for only $73.00 including S&H, saving ourselves a whopping $87.00.

And today...drum roll please...I won FIVE, yes, FIVE AMP Stay-Dry All in One Cloth Diapers for only $23.00.  Helloooo, one retails for $20 - $25 bucks! Three of them are brand new and two are slightly used.

 I  am so happy!  I can't wait for the diapers and the cocoon to get here! 

Cloth Diapering

After MANY hours of research on the good, the bad, and the ugly, I have decided that I WILL try cloth diapering my baby girl.  I will do it in tandem with disposable diapers while I test drive it.  I just think it is healthier (no chemicals) for the baby and better for the environment, not to mention the pocketbook.  However, my sanity is also important, so I am not committing 100%.  I am test driving and we'll see how it works.  

Who knew the world of cloth diapering was so complicated?  There are so many brands and styles to choose from.  There are ways of cleaning them, special detergents to use and not use.  I think my organic detergent should work, but I will double check the ingredients.  I also need some accessories like a wet bag, a stain /odor sprayer, and a diaper pail with liner.  

After much deliberation, I have narrowed my selection to: FuzziBunz, Charlie Banana, and AMP Stay-Dry AIO.   The FuzziBunz and Charlie Banana are both pocket diapers with adjustable elastic and snaps.  This ensures a good fit and no leaks (so they say...) It's basically a waterproof cassing (diaper) with a pocket in the inside where you can slip in an insert (microfiber, hemp, or bamboo).  The insert is your absorbent layer.  Most moms rave about hemp and bamboo because it holds more and there is less / no odor.  The AMP diapers that I'm interested in are considered "AIO - ALL in Ones."  This is the closest you get to a disposable diaper and preferred by most dads, yes, I said dads...lol.  There are no inserts. 

I narrowed my choices down to these because after reading hundreds of reviews these three seem to have the most positive outcomes.  I am also going to email some moms who have bidded on homemade cloth diapers on Ebay to see how they like them.  These are so much cheaper and I would love to love them just to save some more money.  Will keep you posted on this very NEW journey...