Exciting news! Today, I’m reviewing the fantastic Karen Tyler Montessori Teacher Training Program, and 1 lucky Mummy (or Daddy) stands to win a seat in her online class, worth USD150!

I’ve been attending the program since 1 December 2011. It complements The Shichida Method that we’re using very well, provides a comprehensive homeschooling curriculum, saves me TONNES of time researching, and Vee’s enjoying the activities every day.

If you’re passionate about teaching your child at home, do check this program out…

What’s the Montessori Method?

The Montessori Method is popular among many preschools and parents nowadays. The method is “characterised by an emphasis on independence, freedom within limits, and respect for a child’s natural psychological development, as well as technological advancements in society.”

Read more Montessori education at Wikipedia here.

About Karen Tyler Montessori Teacher Training Program

These are the main features of the program:

• Instructor is Karen Tyler, who is AMS-certified and has been teaching for over 30 years
• Suitable for homeschooling families and existing Montessori educators
• Learn the Montessori Method to teach children aged 2 to 6 years old
• Receive a 12-volume set of Montessori Albums covering Astronomy, Botany, Ecology, Geography, Geology, History, Language, Mathematics, Physical Science, Practical Life, Sensorial, and Zoology.
• Entirely online, with no tests, assignments, and time limit
• May make comments or ask questions by posting to the class Yahoo Group or contacting Karen
• Choice of Standard Program (24 months) or Fast Track (12 months)

For more details, visit the course specifics here. You may download the Table of Contents for the albums here.

Our Detailed Review

Rating Guide: ★ Oh no!     ★★ Poor     ★★★ Fair     ★★★★ Good     ★★★★★ Excellent!

(a) Program Contents: ★★★★★ I signed up as a Fast Track student to complete the course within 12 months. Vee’s almost 3 years old and learning like a sponge. I need to make full use of this “sensitive period”. If your child is younger (say less than 1 year old), you may choose to complete the course over 24 months.

The 12 albums contain thousands of pages of activities, all in PDF files. I like that they’re very comprehensive, even covering subjects such as Astronomy. This way, I can choose the activities based on Vee’s interest at that point in time.

Even on the Fast Track route, I find the readings very manageable. I usually spend 15 to 30 minutes a week on the assigned readings (mainly presentations of activities in 1 to 2 albums). I prefer to read them using my iPad anytime, anywhere, instead of printing them. Once I identify suitable activities, I’d proceed to prepare or buy the needed materials.

I love the many FAQs that Karen has uploaded at the beginning of the course. These gave me a good idea on implementing the Montessori Method at home.

(b) Effectiveness: ★★★★★ These few months, Vee’s very interested in imitating adult activities such as pouring, sweeping the floor, and using locks and keys. The ideas in the Practical Life album are perfect for us now.

I’ve effectively taught him how to cover his nose when he sneezes, stand up properly, walk in a straight line, etc. Before using the Montessori Method, it could be frustrating teaching him these seemingly simple things.

Our homeschool organisation system has been revamped using the Montessori way. Now, I lay many activities on the shelves using trays. Then when I need to attend to baby Jae, Vee would work independently. Very peaceful! (I’d be getting more shelves and materials, so stay tuned for updates.)

Karen’s albums provide step-by-step instructions on how to present each activity. These are very easy to follow.

I like that our homeschool environment is now much more effective, and Vee has become a more independent learner.

(c) Service: ★★★★★ Karen’s very responsive with questions asked in emails and the Yahoo Group forum. She usually replies within a day or two. And if she’s on vacation, she’d inform everyone, and even clears emails during vacation!

(d) Overall Value: ★★★★★ The price of the program ranges from USD150 (paid upfront) to USD240 (paid monthly). The albums, which are packed with activities, are already worth the price. Moreover, it frees up my time researching, thus spending more time implementing the activities instead. At this price, I can’t find any other comparable course.

The program is superb value for money and I highly recommend it.

—

What we like about it:

• Comprehensive albums and notes for educating a child from 2 to 6 years old
• For the busy mum — no tests and assignments
• Quick email and forum response
• Superb value for money

What can be improved:

• Some typo errors in the albums

—

Win Your Own

To thank supporters of Mummy’s Reviews™ Parents Club, this Giveaway is EXCLUSIVE to Parents Club members. ONE (1) lucky member will win a seat in Karen Tyler’s Montessori Teacher Training Program that starts on 1 March 2012, worth USD150!

How to Participate

1. Join Mummy’s Reviews™ Parents Club here or below (existing members counted)

2. Fill in the online form HERE

Other Information

• This Giveaway is open to subscribers worldwide (except in countries that don’t allow participation in lucky draws / sweepstakes).
• I’d choose the entry with the best supporting reason to win the seat. If I really can’t decide, then the winning entry will be chosen randomly.
• It will run until 10 February 2012 (Friday) 2359hr (GMT +8).
• The usual Giveaway Terms apply.

Submit your entry now and good luck!

—

Get Your Own

To join Karen Tyler’s Montessori Teacher Training Program, visit World Wide Montessori Online.

For enquiries, you may email Karen at karen [at] amontessorimarketplace [dot] com.

—

P.S. Read more on homeschooling.

—

Disclosure: I paid for my own training course and did not receive anything from Karen Tyler for this review. I simply love it very much and wish to share this information with other parents.

Mummy’s Reviews™ is a review site that receives compensation if readers make purchases from affiliate links (these are marked with an *). If we receive compensation from the companies whose products we review, this would be disclosed. These compensation help to maintain and grow Mummy’s Reviews™. We test each product thoroughly and give ratings according to our experience with it. We are independently owned and the opinions expressed here are our own.

© 2009-2012 Veezian Pte. Ltd. | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Mummy's Reviews™ subscribers. If you like this post, you may share its link: Learn how to teach your child math, science, language & more [Giveaway #22: Karen Tyler Montessori Teacher Training Program]. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited.

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Many mums are interested in GroVia All-in-Two Hybrid Cloth Diapers. Finally, I get to review the Hook and Loop version, with a sample provided by Mummy Knows Best Shop.

After 3 months of testing, I like that the GroVia AI2 diaper is trim and absorbent. The soaker pad is especially well-designed.

What’s an All-in-Two Hybrid Cloth Diaper?

Well… “All-in-Two Hybrid” can sound overwhelming. Let’s break the terms down…

All-in-Two (AI2): This is a 2-part diapering system, with an absorbent soaker (usually snapped onto) a waterproof diaper shell.

AI2 is a modernised version of the traditional prefold / flats + diaper cover system. The soaker typically doesn’t need folding and is kept in place by being snapped onto the diaper shell. If the soaker has a stay-dry layer, then no liner is needed.

To add absorbency, you may lay extra soakers or boosters on top.

When the soaker is wet, you can reuse the diaper shell by snapping or laying on a clean soaker. Change the diaper shell when it’s soiled or after reusing it several times.

This means a more economical system than pocket diapers, where the entire diaper pocket and inserts are replaced during each diaper change. You may cloth diaper full-time with several diaper shells and a large stash of soakers and boosters.

Hybrid: The option to use a cloth or disposable soaker with the diaper cover or shell.

GroVia offers disposable one-size BioSoakers that can be used with the AI2 diaper shell.

In fact, you may use a disposable soaker with most one-size diaper covers and pocket diapers. I’ve done this regularly during our travels when doing laundry isn’t convenient.

About GroVia AI2 Hybrid Cloth Diaper

These are the main features of the diaper:

• Diaper shell: TPU (Thermoplastic polyurethane) outer, mesh inner (100% polyester)
• Closures: Hook and Loop, or Snap (Overlapping wing flaps)
  
• Rise: 3 x 3 snaps
• Soaker: Main body: Certified organic cotton (5 layers); Leg gussets: 88% polyester, 12% cotton; 100% polyester TPU waterproof backing
• Country of origin: Made in China

.

The diaper is available in a range of colours and prints.

There’s one year warranty on snaps, lining, elastic and waterproofing. But this is void if the diaper shell has been washed in hot (above 54.4°C). Read more at GroVia’s warranty page here.

First Impressions

The Hook and Loop closures are the STIFFEST I’ve handled. I was so paranoid of ripping the diaper apart!

The design of the soaker pad is well thought out — unique waterproof backing and leg gussets to keep the diaper shell as clean and dry as possible, for further reuse.

Our Detailed Review

Rating Guide: ★ Oh no!     ★★ Poor     ★★★ Fair     ★★★★ Good     ★★★★★ Excellent!

(a) Prewash & Laundry: ★★★ I prewashed the GroVia AI2 diaper by hand in warm water, and the soaker pad started absorbing.

The laundry tabs are very sticky, which is good. But they’re supposed to be tucked under the loops, which is quite tricky. I don’t bother doing that and hubby certainly won’t bother with such a detail. Anyway, I wash the diaper shell in a laundry net and it’s been turning out fine.

The diaper shell dries very fast, within a few hours under the sun. The soaker pad has a loop design, yet it often takes up to 2 days to dry.

Washing the diaper shell in hot water voids the warranty. I don’t like this because when Vee gets fungal outbreaks, I’d have to wash his diapers in hot. For a premium brand diaper, I’d expect it to withstand hot washes.

(b) Ease of Use: ★★★★ The Hook and Loop version is rather easy to use. Just snap on the soaker, fix the Aplix tabs and baby’s free to move.

When reusing the diaper shell, you’d have to unsnap the soaker and snap on (or lay) a new one. In the meantime, baby would have to wait, so it’s easier if she’s patient.

Alternatively, grab another diaper shell with snapped on soaker pad during diaper change. Then deal with the wet/soiled one later.

The Hook and Loop closures are very strong, and difficult (yet still possible) for toddler Vee to undo. He’s a strong bull!

Because I only have 1 GroVia soaker pad, I reuse the diaper shell with other soakers or prefolds without snaps. I need to ensure that the different brand soaker is long enough. If it’s too short, the back snap button on the diaper shell may press against Vee’s skin.

Note: Lay on only natural fibre fabrics such as cotton or bamboo, or soakers with a stay-dry layer (e.g. fleece or suedecloth). Don’t lay on microfibre because this would dry out baby’s skin.

The soaker pad has NO stay-dry layer. For day-time, this feel-wet feeling is good to aid potty-training. For nap or overnight, I need to add a stay-dry liner, which is an additional step.

(c) Fit / Trimness: ★★★★★ The GroVia AI2 with Hook and Loop closures has a very trim fit, which I like.

The elastics at the back and thighs are sturdy yet gentle without leaving red marks. Vee has a big belly, so it’s good that the diaper rests nicely under his tummy.

The diaper fits Vee very well — the beauty of Hook and Loop closures. He’s on the highest rise, with room for growth at the waist.

If you’ve a huge toddler, you may find the cutting too small though.

Here’re his sexy bums…

(d) Performance: ★★★★ Vee is day-time potty-trained, so we tested this diaper during his nap and for overnight.

For nap, the diaper surprisingly holds up well. Vee’s a heavy wetter plus tummy-sleeper, and we’ve faced only 1 minor leak (at the waist area) once. This is commendable because Vee usually leaks through various brands of pocket diapers during sleep-time. (Only pocket fitted diapers plus fleece shorts are bulletproof for him.)

Since Vee loves to sleep on his tummy, I prefer more absorbency in front. The fixed design of the soaker pad doesn’t allow me to adjust.

The waterproof layer behind the soaker pad effectively keeps the diaper shell dry, so the shell can be easily reused. No need to wipe or air-dry it.

For night-time, I’ve tried using a different brand stay-dry soaker plus a hemp insert. Amazingly, the diaper shell had no leak through the night!

For more absorbency, GroVia offers a Stay-Dry Booster (SGD22.90 for 2 pieces).

We didn’t get to test the diaper with poo. The soaker pad has leg gussets to help contain poo. Hopefully, this can prevent poo from getting onto the diaper shell. I’d only know if this is effective when baby #2 arrives.

(e) Quality: ★★★★ The sewing and workmanship is excellent. After many washings over 3 months, the diaper still looks and performs as good as new. I’m not sure how the Hook and Loop closures would hold up over a longer time though.

(f) Overall Value: ★★★★ Currently, the retail prices for GroVia products fall over a big range, depending on where you shop at.

At Mummy Knows Best Shop, each GroVia Diaper Shell Set retails at SGD45.90. Additional Organic Cotton Soaker Pads are at SGD32.90 for 2 pieces. Package discounts of up to 20% available. In the U.S., the retail price is much lower at USD16.95.

With an AI2 system, it’s most economical to get a big stash of soakers and boosters to reuse with several shells.

Personally, I still prefer pocket diapers, because I like to adjust absorbency easily by mixing and matching different inserts. As always, there’s no perfect cloth diaper, just what suits your family’s preferences best.

GroVia AI2 Hybrid Cloth Diaper is a good choice for mums who like the AI2 system and want organic fabric next to baby’s skin.

—

Updated Review (Tried on Newborn Baby)

Baby Jae has been trying out GroVia AI2 over the past 1+ month.

• The trim cutting fits him very well.
• Aplix tabs give a good fit for newborns and are WAY easier than snaps to put on a screamy newborn.
• The washable soaker is able to catch runny breastfed poo. Sometimes, the diaper shell may get dirty, which means it can’t be reused. Overall, no leak for pee and poo.
• The disposable GroBaby and GroVia Biosoakers only worked well for us in the first 3 to 4 weeks. Like his brother, Baby Jae’s also a heavy wetter. When he reached 4 weeks old, the biosoakers leak after 2 hours (about 2 pees). Once saturated, the sides tear and gel escaped.

What we like about it:

• Trim yet absorbent design
• Very strong Hook and Loop closures
• Waterproof backing and leg gussets on soaker pads keep diaper shell clean and dry for reusing
• Gentle leg and back elastics that leave no red marks on chubby toddler
• Wide range of choices: Hook and Loop, snap, colours and prints

What can be improved:

• Use fabric that can be washed on hot, without voiding warranty
• Is the loop on the laundry tab really necessary?

—

Other GroVia products we’ve tried but not reviewed yet:

1. GroBaby BioSoakers (Size 2): This is the previous version of GroVia BioSoakers. Vee used them during a few trips and leaked through them after 1 to 2 hours. Worse, the thin seams tore when the diaper was saturated, and SAP gel beads leaked onto the diaper cover. Not for heavy wetters! Still, I’ve bought 2 boxes of Size 1 and 1 pack of the newer GroVia BioSoakers One-Size , for baby #2. Reasons: (1) newborn should be a light wetter (2) these are gentler on the skin and greener than regular disposable diapers (3) there was a good promotion.
   
2. GroVia BioLiners: Vee uses these at night to protect his diapers from diaper cream buildup. Each liner is wide enough to be folded and has stay-dry effect. I like them and have bought more for baby #2 as well.
3. GroVia All-in-One (AIO): Easily pulled up and down, great for day-time and outdoors potty-training. But 1 leg elastic has shot only after being gently used for a few months.
4. GroVia Cloth Wipes: I use these to wipe Vee’s face. Very soft and economical in a pack of 12. The first pack I bought in Year 2010 were made of 100% cotton, which is what I like for Vee’s sensitive face. But the recent 2 packs I bought says “88% polyester, 12% cotton” instead. I got a shock. Duh, please bring back 100% cotton!
5. GroVia Tiny Bubbles Detergent: I’ve started testing this for handwashed items, including cloth pantiliners. So far so good, gentle on our sensitive skin and no buildup. Would be testing it for regular laundry and cloth diapers.

—

Win Your Own

To thank supporters of Mummy’s Reviews™ Parents Club, this Giveaway is EXCLUSIVE to Parents Club members. THREE (3) lucky members will win one GroVia Diaper Shell Set worth SGD45.90 each!

How to Participate

1. Join Mummy’s Reviews™ Parents Club here or below (existing members counted)

2. Fill in the online form HERE

Other Information

• This Giveaway is open to members with a mailing address in Singapore.
• If you’re a winner, the colour / design of your prize depends on the stock available.
• It will run until 11 November 2011 (Friday) 2359hr (GMT +8).
• The usual Giveaway Terms apply.

Submit your entry now and good luck!
—

Get Your Own (with Discount!)

To get your own GroVia and other Mummy and baby products, visit Mummy Knows Best Shop.

• Special Treat: 20% discount on all GroVia regular-priced items
• Discount Code: GRO112011
• Validity Period: Until 30 November 2011

Live outside Asia? You may also check the prices at Amazon here:

GroVia Diaper Shell Set (Hook & Loop)*
GroVia Diaper Shell Set (Snap)*
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P.S. Read more on cloth diapering here.

—

Disclosure: I received a GroVia Diaper Shell Set from Mummy Knows Best Shop for review.

Mummy’s Reviews™ is a review site that receives compensation if readers make purchases from affiliate links (these are marked with an *). If we receive compensation from the companies whose products we review, this would be disclosed. These compensation help to maintain and grow Mummy’s Reviews™. We test each product thoroughly and give ratings according to our experience with it. We are independently owned and the opinions expressed here are our own.

© 2009-2012 Veezian Pte. Ltd. | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Mummy's Reviews™ subscribers. If you like this post, you may share its link: Review: GroVia All-in-Two Hybrid Cloth Diapers [Giveaway #21]. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited.

Related posts:

1. Review: Bottombumpers Side Snapping AIO Cloth Diapers [Giveaway #9]
2. Review: Bouncy Baby One Size Cloth Diapers & Wet Bags [Giveaway #11]
3. Review: Moms & Tots Cloth Diapers [Giveaway #4]

As you may already know, Vee and I have eczema, so I’m always looking out for high quality natural / organic skincare products that would soothe our sensitive skin. And I’m thankful to review the luxurious Baby Wash and Calendula Remedy provided by Four Cow Farm.

About Four Cow Farm

At Four Cow Farm, a Mother, Grandmother and former Midwife began making creams and balms which were as good and natural as possible for her two little grandchildren. The family decided it was time that other parents had access to baby creams and balms made from only pure, genuine, natural, naturally derived and organic ingredients and nothing else. No artificial additives or chemical hazards whatsoever.

The natural and organic baby skincare line is made out of their farm in Australia.

Our Detailed Review

(a) Four Cow Farm Baby Wash

About the Baby Wash:

• Purpose: For babies as an all-over body wash that’s richly soothing and moisturising. Suitable for irritated skin, dry hair or scalp or those sensitive to chemicals. May be used on skin affected by hives or eczema.
• Ingredients: Purified water, saponified 100% olea europaea (olive) oil, certified organic echinacea augustifolia extract, citric acid (from citrus fruit).

Rating Guide: ★ Oh no!     ★★ Poor     ★★★ Fair     ★★★★ Good     ★★★★★ Excellent!

(a) Packaging: ★★★★★ This largest size (485ml) comes in a squirt bottle, which is very convenient during bath time. One squirt is enough to clean my entire body. (Vee loves squirting the bottle so much that I’ve to stop him from wasting the precious baby wash!)

(b) Effectiveness: ★★★★★ I like that there are minimal ingredients in the baby wash — important for delicate baby skin and in ruling out skin allergies. Hubby and I are impressed by the super moisturising effect from the saponified 100% olive oil. The whole family has been using it as a body wash, and we feel absolutely pampered by it. Hard to swop back to our previous wash (a pure castile soap).

We also use it to wash Vee’s hair, which leaves it very moisturised. I’d definitely use it on baby #2 as well.

(c) Overall Value: ★★★★ Each 485ml bottle of Baby Wash retails at SGD32.90. As a comparison, it’s about the same price as Vee’s previous organic baby wash and double the price of our pure castile soap. Since it’s a lot more moisturising than what we’ve been using, the price is well justified.

A fabulous head-to-toe wash for babies and those with dry or sensitive skin.

—

What we like about it:

• Very moisturising
• Minimal ingredients, with only the bare essentials (less is more!)
• Can be used from head to toe

What can be improved:

• Offer the baby wash in large 1-litre bottles for bulk purchase savings

—

(b) Four Cow Farm Calendula Remedy

About the Calendula Remedy:

• Purpose: For calming inflamed or irritated skin. Can be used on skin affected by eczema, hives, bites or contact dermatitis or for soothing minor cuts and scrapes.
• Ingredients: Certified organic calendula officinalis (calendula) in olea europaea (olive) oil, beeswax, cetearyl alcohol (veg. fatty alcohol), d-alpha tocopheryl acetate (vitamin E non-GMO), certified organic simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) oil, certified organic chamaemelum anthemis nobile (roman chamomile) essential oil, parfum (natural preservative).
• Note: As the Calendula Remedy is over 80% organic calendula-infused olive oil, it will turn a little liquid when it’s hot. To add to its itch-soothing abilities, you can keep it in the fridge.

Did it say “parfum”? Where there is a reference to ‘parfum’ in our ingredients lists, that actually refers to a 100% natural essential oils-based preservative (one of the most expensive in the market!) which we use for its naturalness, safety and efficacy. (Source: Four Cow Farm – Our Ingredients)

Rating Guide: ★ Oh no!     ★★ Poor     ★★★ Fair     ★★★★ Good     ★★★★★ Excellent!

(a) Packaging: ★★★★★ The round jar is quite standard and suitable for such balms. I always wash my hands clean before scooping a little out. Or use a small spatula.

(b) Effectiveness: ★★★★★ I was hit by a persistently dry and ITCHY eczema patch on my shin recently, so it was a great time to test out the Calendula Remedy. Every evening, I’d rub some of the balm onto the dry patch and the itch does go away with the rich moisturising effect. If the itch is really bad, I’d apply some in the morning as well.

After 2 months of using the balm, I’m glad it keeps the itch under control without me relying on steroidal creams, especially during pregnancy.

Vee saw me use the new balm and he wanted to try too. I applied a little on an eczema patch behind his neck. No adverse reaction, good. Since he doesn’t have dry, itchy skin, I didn’t let him continue using it.

(c) Overall Value: ★★★★ Each 100gm jar of Calendula Remedy retails at SGD28.90. In Singapore, it’s about 10-20% cheaper than a popular brand of calendula cream we’ve tried (but which contains methyparaben).

Great for soothing dry and itchy eczema-prone skin.

—

What we like about it:

• Very moisturising, suitable for soothing dry and itchy skin

What can be improved:

• Beeswax is added to make it a balm and to add to its emollient properties. If possible, use a non-animal related substitute?

—

Win Your Own

To thank supporters of Mummy’s Reviews™ Parents Club, this Giveaway is EXCLUSIVE to Parents Club members. TEN (10) lucky members (5 from Singapore and 5 from Malaysia) will win one Four Cow Farm Baby Kit worth SGD49.90 each!

(Note: Of the 4 items in the Baby Kit, we’ve only tried the Baby Wash.)

How to Participate

1. Join Mummy’s Reviews™ Parents Club here or below (existing members counted)

2. Fill in the online form HERE

Other Information

• This Giveaway is open to subscribers with a mailing address in Singapore or Malaysia.
• It will run until 28 October 2011 (Friday) 2359hr (GMT +8).
• The usual Giveaway Terms apply.

Submit your entry now and good luck!
—

Get Your Own (with Discount!)

To get your own Four Cow Farm natural baby products, visit Four Cow Farm.

If you’re from Singapore:

• Special Treat: 10% discount AND free delivery for purchase over SGD35
• Discount Code: MUMMYSFARM
• Validity Period: Until 17 November 2011
• How to Order: Visit Four Cow Farm Singapore Online Store (indicate discount code upon check-out)

—

P.S. Read more on 29 Tips to Fight Baby’s Eczema here.

—

Disclosure: I received these items from Four Cow Farm for review — Baby Wash (485ml) and Calendula Remedy (100gm).

Mummy’s Reviews™ is a review site that receives compensation if readers make purchases from affiliate links (these are marked with an *). If we receive compensation from the companies whose products we review, this would be disclosed. These compensation help to maintain and grow Mummy’s Reviews™. We test each product thoroughly and give ratings according to our experience with it. We are independently owned and the opinions expressed here are our own.

© 2009-2012 Veezian Pte. Ltd. | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Mummy's Reviews™ subscribers. If you like this post, you may share its link: Review: Four Cow Farm Baby Wash & Calendula Remedy [Giveaway #20]. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited.

Related posts:

1. Giveaway #20 Winners & Baby Fairs Update
2. Review: Luxurious Cloth Wipes for Baby (Angel Mel Organic Bamboo Baby Wipes)
3. Review: Pupsik Studio Baby Pouch Carrier [Giveaway #10]

Here comes the review of SgBum Cloth Diapers that were launched in 2010. Maria, Singapore-based designer and owner of SgBum, provided me with a range of her products to try out on Vee.

After several months of testing, I especially like the Grande Suede Cloth Diaper for its trim fit and functionality. The good news is that 3 of these diapers would be given away, so read on…

About SgBum Cloth Diapers

SgBum offers 3 types of pocket diapers. This is a summary of the main features:

.

PUL is more commonly used than TPU on cloth diapers. SgBum’s brochure mentions that TPU is soft, elastic, and has good stain and abrasion resistance. The process of TPU lamination is low in toxicity and TPU will biodegrade in 4-5 years if it lands up in the landfill for composition one day.

As for manufacturing in China, I clarified with SgBum and got this reply, “Our mass production is done by established manufacturers in China who have many years of expertise in cloth diapers and believe in fair trade. This way, we ensure our products are manufactured ethically without compromising the quality.”

The diapers are available in a range of colours.

Our Detailed Review

Rating Guide: ★ Oh no!     ★★ Poor     ★★★ Fair     ★★★★ Good     ★★★★★ Excellent!

This review covers:

• Grande and Petite Suede Cloth Diapers
• Naturelle Bamboo Cloth Diaper
• Premium Diaper Inserts

1. Grande and Petite Suede Cloth Diapers

First Impressions

This is a rather frills-free two-size cloth diaper, suitable for mums new to cloth diapering.

I like suede cloth as an inner layer for newborns fussy with wetness, especially over longer hours.

(a) Prewash & Laundry: ★★★★★ I prewashed the pocket diapers and inserts by hand in warm water — no colour run even for the red diaper. The microfibre inserts started absorbing well from the start.

For normal laundry, I’ve been washing them on warm and sometimes on hot. It’s good that the PUL is made to withstand hot washes because I need that whenever Vee’s eczema and fungal infection flare up.

(b) Ease of Use: ★★★★ Hubby certainly prefers the Aplix version, while I’m fine with both. Since the diapers come in both versions, you can have your pick or have a mix.

(c) Fit / Trimness: ★★★★ SgBum Suede Cloth Diapers are designed for a trim fit. The original Petite Suede version has a relatively small cutting compared to other one-size diapers — good for getting newborns into a cloth diaper with adjustable rise. It also reduces bulk for petite babies and toddlers.

(I managed to squeeze chubby 13kg Vee into the Petite diaper for the photos below. He’s certainly too big for it!)

The newer Grande Suede version has a more generous cutting, yet the crotch width is narrow enough to provide a trim fit on Vee. This is why he uses it when wearing long pants outdoors. I like it, especially when red is his favourite colour!

Comparing Grande and Petite Suede diapers

The Petite Suede snap diapers come in a single row of snaps closure. For a slim and mobile baby in Petite Suede, there may be a wing droop issue, so just be aware of this. Otherwise, Petite Suede in Aplix is a safer choice.

As for Grande Suede snap, it has 2 rows of snaps closure. The cutting is similar to the Naturelle Bamboo Cloth Diaper reviewed below. We didn’t get a good fit with the 2 by 2 snaps design, so I’d certainly prefer the Aplix version. Oh, and the Aplix version allows overlapping flaps for the perfect waist fit, which you can’t get from the snap version.

The elastics at the back and thighs are sturdy yet gentle without leaving red marks. Vee has a big belly, so it’s good that the diaper rests nicely under his tummy.

Here’re his sexy bums…

In Grande Suede Cloth Diaper

In Petite Suede Cloth Diaper

(d) Performance: ★★★★ Since Vee is day potty-trained, I tested the diapers during his nap. They held up well with 2 regular microfibre inserts. Because he’s a heavy wetting tummy-sleeper, my top preference for his sleep time is still diapers with front elastics. So these diapers will get more use from baby #2 during the day.

(We didn’t get to test the diaper with poo.)

(e) Quality: ★★★★ The sewing and workmanship is generally good. The only flaw is a row of thread sewn too close to the edge of the front Aplix, which led to fraying after several washes. This could be easily mended though. Otherwise, the material has withstood a good number of washes.

(f) Overall Value: ★★★★ Each Grande Suede Cloth Diaper retails at SGD28 while the Petite Suede retails at SGD24. For a petite baby or toddler, the Petite Suede is indeed good value for money because other one size diapers of similar quality are priced around the Grande Suede.

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What we like about it:

• Aplix version gives a very snug and trim fit
• PUL fabric able to withstand hot washes
• Gentle leg and back elastics that leave no red marks on chubby toddler
• Choice of Aplix or snap closures to suit different preferences
• Option of a lower-priced petite-sized cloth diaper for smaller babies

What can be improved:

• Sewing of Aplix tab should be further from edge, to prevent fraying
• Include prints in future?

Back to top

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2. Naturelle Bamboo Cloth Diaper

First Impressions

The inner bamboo layer is super-duper soft and would be a luxury for any baby!

The leg gussets are designed to keep messes in. This reminds me of explosive breastfed-baby poo…

(a) Prewash & Laundry: ★★★★ I prewashed the Naturelle Bamboo Cloth Diaper and inserts by hand in warm water, and they started absorbing.

For normal laundry, the laundry tab says warm wash while the packaging says hot washes are fine. I haven’t used this diaper extensively, so am not sure if the waterproof TPU and bamboo layers can truly withstand hot washes.

(b) Ease of Use: ★★★★ The Aplix version would definitely be easier to use than the snaps.

(c) Fit / Trimness: ★★★ The 2 by 2 snaps closure at the waist didn’t work out for Vee’s shape. Somehow, the inserts would slip downwards from the front. Since he’s a tummy-sleeping boy (meaning very heavy front wetter), we can’t use this successfully for his naps.

The Aplix version which is similar to the Grande Suede reviewed above should fit him better.

The crotch width is slightly wider than the Grande Suede (perhaps due to the leg gussets?), so it’s puffier.

The elastics at the back and thighs are sturdy yet gentle without leaving red marks.

Here’re his pictures…

(d) Performance: ★★★★ The fit issue affected performance because we could only test it during naps and Vee would wet the front too much. If it were in Aplix, I’m rather confident it’d fit and perform better. Plus considering there’re leg gussets to contain messy poo, I’m still giving this 4 stars.

(We didn’t get to test the diaper with poo.)

The inner layer is bamboo, which would feel damp when pee-ed on, so this is more suitable as a day-time diaper. For use over long naps and overnight, I’d suggest adding a stay-dry microfleece liner.

(e) Quality: ★★★★ The sewing and workmanship is excellent. I’d need more usage and washings over the next baby to know the long-term quality.

(f) Overall Value: ★★★★ Each Naturelle Bamboo Cloth Diaper retails at SGD32. This is SGD4 more than the Grande Suede Cloth Diapers, likely due to the natural bamboo fabrics and extra materials from the leg gussets. Despite this, it’s still competitively-priced.

—

What we like about it:

• Very soft bamboo inner layer for baby’s comfort
• Gentle leg and back elastics that leave no red marks on chubby toddler
• Leg gussets to keep messes in, especially for poopy breastfed-newborns
• Choice of Aplix and snap closures to suit different preferences

What can be improved:

• Reduce crotch width for a slimmer fit
• Include prints in future?

Back to top

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3. Premium Diaper Inserts

SgBum also offers 2 types of premium diaper inserts:

1. Premium Diaper Insert: 35cm x 13cm (3 layers)
2. One-Size Premium Diaper Insert: 35cm x 30cm (2 layers that become 6 layers when tri-folded)

The materials used are 60% bamboo, 30% organic cotton and 10% Coolplus. (More information on Coolplus here.)

I found these inserts interesting because they’re different from all the others I’ve tried. Primarily, I use them as boosters behind regular microfibre inserts.

(a) Prewash & Laundry: ★★★★★ I’ve been using them regularly, washed them on hot and they hold up well.

(b) Ease of Use: ★★★★★ Because these inserts are 90% made from bamboo and cotton, they can be laid right next to baby’s skin (unlike microfibre inserts).

(c) Trimness / Performance: ★★★★ These are trim and thirsty, perfect as boosters during naps and even overnight. I especially like the one-size insert that can be tri-folded to give 6 layers of high absorbency. The only downside is they feel rather stiff on their own (still softer than hemp though), another reason why I use them as boosters rather than as standalone inserts.

(d) Quality: ★★★★ The sewing and workmanship is excellent. After many washings, the surfaces have started pilling a little, not a big issue though.

(e) Overall Value: ★★★★ Each Premium Diaper Insert retails at SGD9 while the One-Size version retails at SGD12, a reasonable range for such absorbent inserts. I’d certainly recommend the One-Size insert as a booster for super heavy wetters for naps and overnight.

Back to top

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Win Your Own

To thank supporters of Mummy’s Reviews™ Parents Club, this Giveaway is EXCLUSIVE to Parents Club members. THREE (3) lucky members will win one SgBum Grande Suede Cloth Diaper worth SGD28 each!

How to Participate

1. Join Mummy’s Reviews™ Parents Club here or below (existing members counted)

2. Fill in the online form HERE

Other Information

• This Giveaway is open to members with a mailing address in Singapore or West / East Malaysia.
• If you’re a winner, the colour / design of your prize depends on the stock available.
• It will run until 9 September 2011 (Friday) 2359hr (GMT +8).
• The usual Giveaway Terms apply.

Submit your entry now and good luck!

—

Get Your Own (with Discount!)

To get your own SgBum Cloth Diapers, visit SgBum. There’s a promotion going on until 31 August 2011. And it actually carries the Rockin’ Green Detergent, which I’ve heard so much about but yet to try!

You may also check the prices at Amazon here:

• SgBum Naturelle Bamboo Cloth Diaper*
• SgBum Natural Fiber Insert Pack of 2 (Prefold – 35 x 30 cm)*

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P.S. Read more cloth diaper reviews here.

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Disclosure: I received these items from SgBum for review — Grande Suede Cloth Diaper, Petite Suede Cloth Diaper, Naturelle Bamboo Cloth Diaper, Diaper Cover, Premium Insert and One-Size Premium Insert.

Mummy’s Reviews™ is a review site that receives compensation if readers make purchases from affiliate links (these are marked with an *). If we receive compensation from the companies whose products we review, this would be disclosed. These compensation help to maintain and grow Mummy’s Reviews™. We test each product thoroughly and give ratings according to our experience with it. We are independently owned and the opinions expressed here are our own.

© 2009-2012 Veezian Pte. Ltd. | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Mummy's Reviews™ subscribers. If you like this post, you may share its link: Review: SgBum Cloth Diapers [Giveaway #19]. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited.

Related posts:

1. Review: Bouncy Baby One Size Cloth Diapers & Wet Bags [Giveaway #11]
2. Review: Moms & Tots Cloth Diapers [Giveaway #4]
3. Review: Moo Moo Kow™ One-Size Cloth Diapers

Here’s Part 3 of Mum’s Special series covering a review of Angel Mel Collections Mama Wonder Wet Bags designed for baby and Mummy. baby-mel.com provided me with 2 small wet bags to review, and that completes my wet bags stash. *Grins*

Uses of Small Wet Bags for Baby & Mummy

In case it’s the first time you’ve heard of wet bags, here are some fabulous uses for the small ones:

• Store baby’s wet and dirty bibs, hankies and cloth wipes
• Store baby’s used cutlery after a messy meal
• Store pacifiers, teethers and other small baby items
• Store Mummy’s used cloth pads

To date, I’ve a “collection” of 1 large and 1 medium wet bags for wet clothes after swimming, 1 medium for cloth diapers, 2 medium ones for Vee’s dining stuff, 1 small for tiny baby stuff, and these 2 new ones for cloth pads.

Wet bags are definitely must-haves for an organised diaper bag. Simply use different prints or colours for different purposes.

How to Handle Cloth Pads Outdoors?

Since I’ve introduced you to cloth pads in the previous 2 articles, some Mums are wondering what to do with used cloth pads outdoors. For each trip, bring sufficient clean cloth pads or liners. Cloth pads can be snapped up into a cute bundle, while liners are more space-saving. Place them in any pouch or wet bag compartment.

After a change, snap or roll the used cloth pad or liner into a bundle and place into a cloth wet bag with waterproof lining. Handle the cloth pad upon reaching home. That’s it, very simple.

About Angel Mel Collections Mama Wonder Bags

This is a summary of the 2 small wet bags I’ve tried:

First Impressions

Both wet bags come in lovely designer prints. Trillbrook Pink is very sweet while Chillis make me feel like a hot mama.

The size looks roomy, especially the double zippers type.

I like the handle, which is useful for a quick trip to the washroom for working mums.

One thing that bothered me is the zips that are sewn too far away from the edges. This means odour or wetness could escape, so I can’t place anything too wet in the bag. Luckily cloth pads aren’t very wet items.

My Detailed Review

Rating Guide: ★ Oh no!     ★★ Poor     ★★★ Fair     ★★★★ Good     ★★★★★ Excellent!

These reviews are based on using the wet bags for cloth pads only. Of course, you may use the bags for other purposes mentioned above.

1. Angel Mel Collections Mama Wonder Bags (Small, Single Zipper)

(a) Laundry: ★★★★ This wet bag can be washed on warm or handwashed. Since it’s small, I’m fine with handwashing it together with the cloth pads. After several washes, it has held up well.

(b) Capacity: ★★★★ The waterproof compartment can hold 3 Fresh Moon AIO 11″ cloth pads or 2 Fresh Moon 11″ fleece bodies and 4 x 11″ soakers. For shorter or trimmer pads such as the Lunpads Maxi Pad & Liner, perhaps 1 more could be stuffed inside.

The outer compartment with snap can hold 1 clean pad or 2 soakers.

(c) Performance: ★★★★ My trips are usually very short, so I didn’t experience any odour issue upon reaching home.

As mentioned, the zip leaves a gap at the edge, so avoid using the wet bag for very wet items.

(d) Quality: ★★★★ The wet bag is generally well made, except for the zip that’s off-position. I’d need to use them over more cycles to see if the quality lasts. So far so good.

(e) Overall Value: ★★★ Each Angel Mel Collections small wet bag retails at RM49.90. The price is a little steep for a small wet bag with an off-position zip. (I prefer the double-zipper bag reviewed below.)

—

What I like about it:

• Attached handle for added convenience
• Beautiful designer prints
• Thick 2 mil PUL to last through more washes
• Machine-washable for easy maintenance

What can be improved:

• Position the zip for a more secure closure

2. Angel Mel Collections Mama Wonder Bags (Small, Double Zippers)

(a) Laundry: ★★★ I’ve handwashed the wet bag several times. The red dye bled a little the first time; the water turned clear upon the fourth rinse.

The unique 2-compartment design is a little tricky to dry, so I flip it inside out to dry the PUL faster.

(b) Capacity: ★★★★★ Each waterproof compartment can hold 3 Fresh Moon AIO 11″ cloth pads or 2 Fresh Moon 11″ fleece bodies and 4 x 11″ soakers. So both compartments can hold about 6 medium AIOs, definitely enough for a full day out.

(c) Performance: ★★★ Like above, my trips are usually very short, so I didn’t experience any odour issue upon reaching home.

Also, the zip leaves a gap at the edge, so avoid using the wet bag for very wet items.

(d) Quality: ★★★★ The wet bag is generally well made, except for the zip that’s off-position. I’d need to use them over more cycles to see if the quality lasts. So far so good.

(e) Overall Value: ★★★★ Each Angel Mel Collections double-zippered wet bag retails at RM63.90. I like the roominess of 2 compartments, and find it better value than the single-zippered bag.

—

What I like about it:

• Attached handle for added convenience
• Beautiful designer prints
• Thick 2 mil PUL to last through more washes
• Machine-washable for easy maintenance

What can be improved:

• Position the zip for a more secure closure
• Prewash Chillis print until no more colour runs

—

Win Your Own

To thank supporters of Mummy’s Reviews™ Parents Club, this Giveaway is EXCLUSIVE to Parents Club members. FOUR (4) lucky members will win one Angel Mel Collections Mama Wonder Bag each!

• 2 winners: 1 x Mama Wonder Bag (Small, Double Zippers) worth RM63.90 each
• 2 winners: 1 x Mama Wonder Bag (Small, Single Zipper) worth RM49.90 each

How to Participate

1. Join Mummy’s Reviews™ Parents Club here or below (existing members counted)

2. Fill in the online form HERE

Other Information

• This Giveaway is open to subscribers with a mailing address in Singapore or Malaysia.
• If you’re a winner, the colour / design of your prize depends on the stock available.
• It will run until 29 July 2011 (Friday) 2359hr (GMT +8).
• The usual Giveaway Terms apply.

Submit in your entry now and good luck!
—

Get Your Own (with Discount!)

You may get your own Angel Mel Collections Mama Wonder Bags at baby-mel.com (Malaysia):

• Special Treat: 15% discount on Angel Mel Collections Mama Wonder Bags
• Discount Code: HYS1HNI4008
  
• Validity Period: Until 31 August 2011

—
Disclosure: I received 2 Angel Mel Collections Mama Wonder Bags for review.
—
P.S. Coming up next in this Mum’s Special series: Game to try a menstrual cup?

Catch the entire Mum’s Special series here.

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Related posts:

1. [Mum's Special #2] Fresh Moon Cloth Pads – AIO vs SnapOn
2. Review: Angel Mel Hot Mama Organic Nursing Pads
3. Review: Bouncy Baby One Size Cloth Diapers & Wet Bags [Giveaway #11]

I’m excited to share this review on KidzGrow Online with you! Like many parents, since Vee was born, I’ve been tracking his developmental milestones. It isn’t about reaching his milestones earlier than anyone else. Instead, it’s about helping him reach the best of his potential while being amazed at how fast a baby grows.

Now, I’m using KidzGrow Online to achieve this easily at home. No need to read thick parenting books, scour the Internet for information and getting overloaded, or engage a home-visit nurse. What’s more, I’ve got a GREAT deal to give this to you free of charge! Read on…

About KidzGrow Online

This site offers a comprehensive child development tracking programme designed by a team in Singapore. It aims to empower and equip parents in their personal involvement of their children’s development from 3 months to 6 years old.

For a one-time fee, parents can access all 6 years of professional advice, suggestions and recommendations covering Gross Motor, Fine Motor, Cognition, Speech & Language and Social Skills development.

It’s supported by a group of therapists and professionals in physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech-language therapy, psychology, education and teaching, I.T. and Management. The programme has undergone a trial involving more than 800 parents, and has shown positive results mentioned here.

First Impressions

Until Vee was about 20 months old, I engaged a professional home-visit nurse to check his development every month. This service was very useful in the early months when I was grasping the ropes of motherhood. However, it reached a point where Vee has progressed very well and the nurse is unable to give us much value-added information anymore. That’s when I decided to stop the RM100 monthly visits.

Shortly after, KidzGrow Online approached me for a review and I found it an interesting way to keep up with Vee’s development. After some Googling, I realised that 60% of the project’s funds were contributed by The Enterprise Challenge (Prime Minister’s Office of Singapore). Read details here.

Registration: There were some initial hiccups while registering for the service. Perhaps because I was using an Apple MacBook, I received an error message when keying in Vee’s birth date. After I tried using a Windows PC, there was no confirmation page and email after clicking “Check Out”. The project manager promptly asked the developer to send me a confirmation manually.

Our Detailed Review

Rating Guide: ★ Oh no!     ★★ Poor     ★★★ Fair     ★★★★ Good     ★★★★★ Excellent!

(a) Design: ★★★★ There’re slight design issues such as the ones I faced during registration. After successful registration, I could log in using an Apple MacBook, but the logout button doesn’t work, so I’d to simply close the window.

Upon logging in, I was impressed by the colourful animation, clear instructions, and simple layout. The animation is very kids-friendly and attracted Vee’s attention every time he sees me checking the programme for updates.

Only once, a task couldn’t load, so I’d to exit the window then it worked when I logged in again.

(b) Ease of Use: ★★★★ The programme is easy to navigate, from 3 months to 6 years old. It clearly shows Vee’s exact age and suggests the months that I should be reviewing. Updating particulars and password is a breeze.

Initially, I kept forgetting to log in to use the software. Then I set my electronic calendar to remind me to log in every 2 weeks.

(c) Effectiveness: ★★★★★ At every 2-week age group, there are several ideas on age-appropriate activities. This is very useful for any parent — either homeschooling or simply finding meaningful activities to do with your child after work. For each task, there’re detailed steps, things you need, animation, choice of appropriate response, therapist’s comments and suggested activities.

Besides Shichida classes 1 hour a week, Vee is homeschooled. The various areas on motor, cognitive, speech and language, and social skills give me ideas on new activities to try out with him. As an example, it took much practice before he could thread a lace through 3 consecutive beads.

Sometimes, it’s easy to get used to mothering a child and some gentle reminders are useful for helping him instil independence. For instance, the programme prompted me when was a good age to let Vee start putting on his shoes and pulling down his pants.

Because I can view activities for all age groups, in areas where Vee is more advanced, I can move on to the activities for higher age group. Where Vee is behind, we can simply keep reviewing and practising the activities.

I like that the indication of a “normal window” for a child to achieve the task. This way, I’d know if Vee needs any special intervention by a therapist.

Here’s the module introduction for a 28 months old:

And a summary of tasks for a 29 months old:

(g) Overall Value: ★★★★★ The fee of the programme depends on the subscription length — from as low as USD72 for 72 months (average USD1/month) to USD22.50 for 6 months (USD3.75/month) for the first child. Subsequent children can be enrolled at a discounted fee. Considering I’m getting so much ongoing information from KidzGrow Online and was paying RM100 per month for nurse visits, this is superb value for money!

With a big range of suggested activities, easy navigation and an attractive fee, I’d highly recommend using KidzGrow Online through a child’s first 6 years.

—

What we like about it:

• Big collection of age-appropriate activities, with therapist’s detailed comments
• Easy to navigate
• Excellent value for money

What can be improved:

• Slight design hiccups — ensure the programme functions well with Apple computers

—

Get Your Own (FREE for Parents Club members!)

To get your own account to track your kid’s development, visit KidzGrow Online.

EXCLUSIVE privilege if you’re a Parents Club member:

You’d receive an email on 21 June 2011 (Tuesday) 0700hr (KL/Singapore time) giving you an exclusive discount code. The code would be valid until 30 June 2011. You may choose to get a free 6-month membership worth USD22.50 or 35% discount off USD72 (worth USD25.20) for a 72-month membership.

• If you’re receiving this article with a Parents Club logo right on top, then you’re already in the club and simply need to wait for your special email.
• If you’re reading this article with no Parents Club logo on top, then join in the club now before the email is sent out. Submit the simple form below or visit here.

—

Disclosures: I received a 72-month KidzGrow Online membership for review. I found it of great potential to help parents, so also provided marketing consulting service to KidzGrow Online.

© 2009-2012 Veezian Pte. Ltd. | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Mummy's Reviews™ subscribers. If you like this post, you may share its link: Review: Track kid’s development with KidzGrow Online. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited.

No related posts.

Spinkie gave me the opportunity to review The Butterfly Pillow. I’ve fallen in love with it, so it forms Part 4 of the popular Stylish Mum’s Essentials series!

About The Butterfly Pillow

These are the main features of the pillow:

• Upper layer: Made of 100% cotton designer fabric
• Lower layer: Made of minky-dot fabric
• Contents: Polyester fiberfill is recycled, washable, and non-allergenic
• Country of origin: Handmade in the U.S.A.

The Butterfly Pillows are co-designed by Mutya (who co-started Spinkie) and are available in a range of lovely designer prints.

First Impressions

The Butterfly Pillow looks stunning and stands out among the mountain of bolsters and pillows on our family bed. One side is the same type of soft and plush dotted minky fabric as the The Pat-a-Cake Baby Blanket. The other side is made with beautiful designer fabric, which I adore.

There’s a little card explaining the various ways to use The Butterfly Pillow. And I’m happy that the laundry tab says it’s washable!

How We Tested It

(a) Uses & Effectiveness: There’re many ways to use the pillow and I didn’t simply follow what the little card mentioned. Here’s how our family has used it:

1. Relieve blocked nose when sleeping: Occasionally, my sinus problem returns and I get blocked nose at night. Placing The Butterfly Pillow on top of my pillow helps to lift my head up by the much-needed inches and I get to sleep soundly. Its firmness and contour supports my neck well, so I don’t get any stiff neck in the morning. Wonderful!
2. Neck / shoulder support when sitting on the bed: I frequently use the laptop on the bed and The Butterfly Pillow keeps my neck and shoulders comfortable while lying against the wall. There were nights when Vee had blocked nose and hubby had to carry him to sleep while sitting up. The Butterfly Pillow has been a total saviour for his poor neck through the night.
3. Neck support during long car rides: During our 4-hour road trips between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, Vee loved using The Butterfly Pillow in his car seat. Since young, he prefers to sit up REALLY straight than recline on any bed, stroller, car seat or high chair. The pillow supports his neck, allowing him to sit up straighter, and he insisted on using it through the journey.

(b) Laundry: I was eager to try the pillow during our long road trip, so didn’t prewash it. Oops! At the end of the trip, Vee dropped it onto the floor in the car and I subsequently dropped it onto the car park. Gross! Finally, I handwashed it in cold water with a little mild detergent. It was heavy to wring the water off the pillow at the final rinse. Then I laid it flat to dry under the sun for a couple of days. And it looks as good as new.

(c) Overall Value: Each Butterfly Pillow is USD25. It’s multi-purpose, beautifully-designed and very well-made. Anyone in the family from young to old can use it, so I definitely find it value-for-money.

—

What we like about it:

• Provides comfortable neck / shoulder support in various situations
• Beautiful design for stylish mums
• Washable for easy maintenance

What can be improved:

• Instructions suggest folding the pillow into half for neck support. I find it too stiff to stay in place after folding, and am happy to use it without folding.

—

Win Your Own

To celebrate the launch of Mummy’s Reviews™ Parents Club, this Giveaway is EXCLUSIVE to Parents Club members. TWO (2) lucky members will win one gorgeous The Butterfly Pillow worth USD25 each!

How to Participate

1. Join Mummy’s Reviews™ Parents Club (existing members counted)

2. To get 1 extra entry: ”Like” Spinkie Facebook page (existing fans counted)

3. Fill in the online form HERE

Other Information

• This Giveaway is open to subscribers with a mailing address worldwide (except in countries that don’t allow participation in lucky draws / sweepstakes).
• If you’re a winner, the colour / design of your prize depends on the stock available.
• It will run until 25 February 2011 (Friday) 2359hr (GMT+8).
• The usual Giveaway Terms apply.

Send in your entries now and good luck. Feel free to get your friends to join in the fun too!

—

Get Your Own (with Discount!)

To get your own The Butterfly Pillow and a wide range of stylish products for baby, visit Spinkie. Be prepared to drool at all the designer prints!

• Special Treat: 20% STOREWIDE discount
• Discount Code: 20MUMMYBP
• Validity Period: Until 15 March 2011

—

Disclosure: I received one The Butterfly Pillow for review and Spinkie is a banner ad sponsor at the time of writing.

—

P.S. If you’re a new reader, catch the entire Stylish Mum’s Essentials series HERE.

© 2009-2012 Veezian Pte. Ltd. | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Mummy's Reviews™ subscribers. If you like this post, you may share its link: [Stylish Mum's Essentials #4] Review: You’ve got to see The Butterfly Pillow [Giveaway #17]. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited.

Related posts:

1. Winners of The Butterfly Pillows (Giveaway #17)
2. [Stylish Mum’s Essentials #1] The Pat-a-Cake Baby Blanket [Giveaway #13]
3. [Stylish Mum’s Essentials #2] The Pat-a-Cake-Baby Wet Bag [Giveaway #14]

Welcome to Part 4 of Mummy’s Reviews™’ Bummis Review Series! Tiny Pants provided me with a Bummis Large Fabulous Wet Bag to try out. It’s indeed large and fabulous, doubling up as a diaper pail liner!

About Bummis Large Fabulous Wet Bag

These are the main features of the wet bag:

• Material: 1 layer of laminated polyester (same as Super Brite diaper cover), guaranteed lead, phthalate and BPA free
• Closures: Pull-strings AND zipper
• Dimensions: ~ 23″ x 23″ (58cm x 58cm)
• Country of origin: Made in Montreal (Canada)

The Large Fabulous Wet Bag is EXCLUSIVE to Bummis Organic Cotton Diaper Kit. Small and medium Fabulous Wet Bags are available, featuring a snap-able handle and a zipper.

First Impressions

This is the LARGEST wet bag I have seen! I was totally blown over when I first opened it up. It fits nicely into my existing dry diaper pail, with ample excess fabric. I like the choice of closing it with either pull-strings or a zipper and was eager to test it out during our 1-week Perth trip, with an aim to cloth-diaper Vee as much as possible!

Moreover, it’s in the same familiar Bummis Super Brite print, which livens up Vee’s room.

How We Tested It

(a) Prewash & Laundry: As with any new laundry items, I handwashed it in cold water once before initial use. After that, it’s very easy to wash and dry after use. The laminate has withstood more than 2 months of regular use, and looks as good as new.

(b) Effectiveness: During our 1-week trip to Perth, my plan was to cloth-diaper Vee whenever possible, so we chose a service apartment with a washing machine and dryer. I hung the pull-strings on a door knob to use it as a hanging laundry bag. When doing so, it was difficult to use the zip, so I fastened the pull-strings each time after dumping a cloth diaper or soiled laundry in. It has a HUGE capacity and can hold 1-2 days’ worth of cloth diapers.

It’s very sturdy and is currently my preferred diaper pail liner.

(e) Overall value: There is NO price for this Large Fabulous Wet Bag because it’s available exclusively in Bummis Organic Cloth Diaper Kits. Being somewhat of a mathematical freak, I derived the value of the wet bag by taking the price of the diaper kit and subtracting the total value of all the other items in the kit.

To see the workings, click the thumbnail here:

Value of 1 Large Fabulous Wet Bag in:

• Infant Diaper Kit: S$19.80 (what a steal!)
• Baby Diaper Kit: S$42.50 (still reasonable, considering the bag is so big)
• Infant & Baby Diaper Kits: S$16.65 (great to have 2 diaper pail liners to rotate!)

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What we like about it:

• Very generous size
• Doubles up as a diaper pail liner
• Option of using pull-strings or zipper to enclose it
• Easy to wash and dry

What can be improved:

• Offer it for individual sale!

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My Opinion on Bummis Diaper Kits

Getting a Bummis Diaper Kit is a convenient way to have the complete diapering system in place — diaper covers, prefolds, liners and wet bag (cum diaper pail liner). Before Vee was born, I was shopping all over the place for the various items. The number of items included in each diaper kit is reasonable for starting a stash.

Personally, I prefer to have more Infant-sized than Baby-sized prefolds (because they’re slimmer and more versatile) and find diaper covers a MUST for my newborn baby. Most newborns don’t fit into one-size cloth diapers until they’re 5kg, about 2-3 months old. At the newborn stage, the prefold + diaper cover system is economical since soooo many diaper changes are needed. (FYI: Vee’s highest record was 11 poos in ONE day, right after the confinement lady left. I nearly freaked out!)

Conclusion: if I were to choose right at the start, the Infant Diaper Kit would attract me more.

Thank you for reading this special Bummis Review Series covering the prefold + diaper cover system in detail. To catch previous parts of this series again, here are the links:

• Part 1: Compare Bummis Diaper Covers: Super Brite vs. Super Whisper Wrap
• Part 2: Compare Bummis Organic Cotton Prefolds
• Part 3: Compare Bummis Liners: Fleece vs. Bio-Soft Liners

Happy diapering!

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Win Your Own

FOUR (4) lucky subscribers will win ONE of these prizes:

• 1st Prize: 1 Bummis Super Brite Diaper Cover + 3 pieces of Bummis Organic Cotton Prefolds
• 2nd Prize: 1 Bummis Super Whisper Wrap + 3 pieces of Bummis Organic Cotton Prefolds
• 3rd Prize: 1 Medium-sized Bummis Fabulous Wet Bag
• 4th Prize: 1 roll of 5 Bummis Fleece Liners + 1 roll of Bummis Bio-Soft Liners

How to Participate

1. Subscribe to Mummy’s Reviews™ via email or in a reader (existing subscribers counted)

2. To get EXTRA entries:

• 1 extra entry: “Like” Mummy’s Reviews™ Facebook page (existing fans counted)
• 1 extra entry: “Like” Tiny Pants Facebook page (existing fans counted)
• 1 extra entry (unlimited total): For each participant referred by you (e.g. through sharing the Giveaway on Facebook / Twitter / email)
• 3 extra entries: Share this Giveaway on your blog / website

3. Fill in the online form HERE

Other Information

• This Giveaway is open to subscribers with a mailing address in ASEAN (Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam).
• Winners can state their preference of print /colour of their prizes. The Sponsor will try its best to accommodate; the actual print / colour received depends on stocks available.
• It will run until 7 January 2011 (Friday).
• The usual Giveaway Terms apply.

Send in your entries now and good luck!
—

Get Your Own (with Discount!)

To get your own Bummis cloth diapering products for baby, visit Tiny Pants (distributor for South East Asia). For information on the Diaper Kits, go to “Products” and then “Bundle Kits”.

• Special Treat: 15% discount storewide
• Discount Code: MV15C
• Validity Period: Until 3 January 2011, 2359hr

You may also check the price at Amazon.com here: Bummis Organic Cotton Diaper Kit*

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Disclosure: I received 1 Bummis Large Fabulous Wet Bag for review.

*: affiliate link to support the growth and maintenance of Mummy’s Reviews™

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P.S. Need help on cloth diapering? Read all our Cloth Diapering Tips.

© 2009-2012 Veezian Pte. Ltd. | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Mummy's Reviews™ subscribers. If you like this post, you may share its link: [Bummis Series #4, Giveaway #16] Bummis Fabulous Wet Bag. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited.

Related posts:

1. [Bummis Series #1] Compare Diaper Covers: Bummis Super Brite vs. Whisper Wrap
2. [Bummis Series #3] Compare Liners: Fleece vs. Bio-Soft Liners
3. [Bummis Series #2] Compare Organic Cotton Prefolds

Two months ago, Etonia (a physiotherapy centre for pregnant women, based in Singapore) invited me to review its BellyFit™ programme.

Before agreeing to the review, I thought about my existing concerns:

1. During pregnancy, I experienced severe aches on my left hip. It was so bad that I’d to wear a strong maternity support belt whenever I went outdoors. Climbing the stairs at home was a major torture.
2. This situation was probably worsened by my slightly curved spine (scoliosis).
3. After delivering Vee (a big baby for my petite size), my tummy muscles were overstretched. Even after reaching my pre-pregnancy weight quite easily with breastfeeding, it seemed impossible to regain a flat tummy. (I used to be a sports player with super-toned abs, and definitely miss those times.)

I seemed to be the perfect candidate to try out BellyFit™.

Before accepting the review, I read up on Etonia and its services. The educational background and professional experience of the physiotherapists (read their profiles here) convinced me that this is the right place to visit for help.

About BellyFit™ Programme

The 1-hour personal BellyFit™ assessment and exercise session is one of the services that Etonia provides. BellyFit™ offers tailored one-to-one session to assist in correcting pregnancy-related musculoskeletal problems (be it prenatal or postnatal) through specific exercises. Once the client is able to perform exercises well without substitutions and without pain, she will be recommended to join the BellyFit™ class. This BellyFit™ class is usually more for prenatal women; postnatal women are usually referred to the Core Fundamentals classes.

If the individual already has some form of pain, she will usually be treated first, before any commencement of the exercise session.

First Impressions

Even though I was in Kuala Lumpur, Cheryl (head of the Etonia division) efficiently confirmed the time and venue of my review session via email. My Singapore trip would be very short, I’d to arrange for someone to babysit Vee, and I could reserve only 1 time slot for the session. Thankfully, Cheryl could accommodate my time well and she started the session rather on time (I only had to wait for 5 minutes). She’s a very cheerful lady, who made me feel at ease on my first physiotherapy session.

The clinic at Novena Square is right in front of a lift, and easy to find. The treatment and exercise rooms are small and clean, just the right size for a personal session. Group classes are held at the larger clinics at Tras Street and Orchard.

My Experience with BellyFit™

(a) Explaining Common Pelvic Pains

Cheryl explained 2 common pelvic pains to me: PPP (Posterior Pelvic Pain) and SPD (Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction).  After that, I was quite certain that my severe ache during pregnancy was PPP. You may download the patient education brochures (in PDF format) at: PPP and SPD.

(b) Analysing My Concerns

Then, I described my concerns mentioned above to Cheryl. She checked my scoliosis curvature and overstretched tummy muscles. The gap between the muscles that meet over my tummy was still 3 fingers!!! In fact, after delivering Vee, my gap was almost 5 fingers and I’d to walk around with a tummy belt for support. This condition is known as diastasis rectus abdominus. To check your own tummy muscles, read the steps at babycenter.co.uk.

(c) Recommending Exercises

To target my overstretched tummy muscles, Cheryl recommended a few simple exercises and showed me clearly how to do them:

1. Kegel (pelvic floor exercise): She checked the way I do Kegel, and concluded that I could hold well up to 4 seconds. She suggested that I concentrate more on the horizontal muscles across the front of my uterus and target to hold up to 10 seconds.
2. Pelvic Tilts
3. Supine Marching

After practising the exercises at the clinic, my “gap” was down to 2-fingers width. Cheryl said this is due to my muscles being activated again. My goal is to reduce the gap to 1-finger width.

As for scoliosis, I’d to shift my weight more to the left, push my left hip down, and rotate my left side backwards. She corrected the way I walk, advising that I shift some of my body weight away from my right foot.

Just before the session ended, I told her that my knee joints tended to click when I move from a squatting to standing position. (This happened many times a day when taking care of Vee. Just think about potty-time, changing diapers, picking up trails of toys, etc.) She advised me to strengthen my thighs and use my thigh muscles instead. Otherwise, I could face degeneration of my knee joints.

(d) After the Session

For the past 2 months, I’ve been practising Kegel exercise, correcting my scoliosis alignment, putting my weight on both feet, and avoiding clicking of my knee joints. I certainly feel improvement in my Kegel, holding for longer than 4 seconds. The occasional aches on my knee joints are also gone.

Shortly after the session, I became unwell for many weeks, so did not practise the Pelvic Tilts and Supine Marching. From now on, I’d need to dedicate 10 minutes daily for the exercises. It’d take 4-6 weeks to see the results.

Conclusion

The session was very informative and professional, with effective follow-up exercises that I can easily repeat at home. I feel at ease under the care of a professional physiotherapist specialising in pre- and post-natal concerns. If I’d knew of BellyFit™ earlier, I’d have tried it during pregnancy and after delivering Vee. This would have alleviated my severe aches and improved my overstretched tummy muscles.

BellyFit™ sessions are priced at S$135 (personal), and S$300 for a set of 6 sessions. Each treatment session costs S$90. The rates are very reasonable since I used to pay S$100 per hour for private Pilates sessions.

—

What I like about it:

• Detailed analysis of my concerns, with personalised actions to take
• Prudent recommendations — to let my body improve before trying more challenging exercises
• Clear and patient explanation

What can be improved:

• Overall, I was very satisfied with the professionalism of the session. If I’d to be extra picky, then perhaps start the session on time (I waited for only 5 minutes though), and set up a branch in Kuala Lumpur (where I’m residing now).

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Win Your Own

TWO (2) lucky subscribers will win a BellyFit™ personal class worth SGD135 each! Winners would attend the BellyFit™ class in one of Etonia’s clinics in Singapore (at Novena Square, Tras Street or Parkway Parade).

This is how to participate:

• Subscribe to Mummy’s Reviews™ in a reader or via email (existing subscribers counted)

• Send an email to me (MieVee [at] MummysReviews.com) with the following information:
  • Method of subscription: in a reader or via email
  • Your name
  • Your name in Facebook (to get extra entry mentioned below)
  • Visit Etonia and tell me (in your email) why you would like to win a free BellyFit™ class
  • If you are a new reader, mention how you got to know of this Giveaway
  • Blog / Website URL, if any (to get extra entries mentioned below, indicate URL of your exact post)

• To get EXTRA entries:
  • 1 extra entry: “Like” Mummy’s Reviews™ Facebook page (existing fans counted)
  • 1 extra entry (unlimited total): For each participant referred by you (e.g. through sharing the Giveaway on Facebook / Twitter / email)
  • 3 extra entries: Share this Giveaway on your blog / website

Other Information

• This Giveaway is open to subscribers who reside in Singapore.
• It will run until 31 December 2010.
• The usual Giveaway Terms apply.

Send in your entries now and good luck!

—

Get Your Own (with Discount!)

To get your own BellyFit™ class or treatment session, visit Etonia.

• Special Treat: 10% discount on physiotherapy treatment for pre- and post-natal women
• Discount Code: ETONIAJOY
• Validity Period: Until 31 January 2011

—
Disclosure: I received a 1-hour personal BellyFit™ assessment and exercise session for review.

© 2009-2012 Veezian Pte. Ltd. | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Mummy's Reviews™ subscribers. If you like this post, you may share its link: Review: Regain Your Pre-Pregnancy Figure with BellyFit™ [Giveaway #15]. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited.

Related posts:

1. Winners of BellyFit Class (Giveaway #15)
2. Review: Protect baby from radiation during pregnancy with The Belly Band
3. Giveaway Winners and Pregnancy Updates

Welcome to Part 2 of Stylish Mum’s Essentials series! Spinkie gave me the opportunity to review The Pat-a-Cake Wet Bag, which is the perfect match to The Pat-a-Cake Baby Blanket in the same Alexander Henry’s popular “Juicy Jungle” print. In case you’re new to Mummy’s Reviews™, read the many uses of wet bags and why I never have enough of them here.

About The Pat-a-Cake Wet Bag

These are the main features of the wet bag:

• Outer layer: Made of printed cotton fabric
• Inner layer: Made of waterproof ProCare fabric
• Loop handle: Yes, with snap button
• Dimensions: (Large) About 14.5″ x 14.5″
• Capacity: 4 to 6 cloth diapers (Actual test: up to 8 cloth diapers)
• Country of origin: Made in the U.S.A.

The wet bags are available in 2 sizes (small or large), and a range of lovely designer prints.

First Impressions

The wet bag is beautiful, big and roomy. I like the snap handle, which means it’d be easy to attach it to the stroller, diaper bag or virtually anywhere convenient.

The is the first time that I try a wet bag with ProCare as waterproof barrier. ProCare feels thicker than polyurethane-laminated (PUL) fabric. It also gives off an odd smell, which is common with new plastic items. Suddenly, a thought ran through my mind, “Please don’t let this contain PVC!” If it contains PVC, I wouldn’t use it (see note at the bottom).

As a cautious Mummy, I did a search on ProCare. Wazoodle says that it contains 25% polyester and 75% vinyl. It is a proprietary formulation that does not contain DEHP, Phlalates or BPA plasticizers. Furthermore, the barrier fabric comparison page mentions that ProCare is of higher duty than PUL and can withstand more washes. This convinces me that ProCare is a safe fabric to use and puts my mind at ease. Phew!

How We Tested It

Laundry: Before initial use, I handwashed it once. I didn’t like the lingering odd plasticky smell, so aired it by the window for 2 days. After another wash, the smell finally disappeared.

Performance: During our recent trip to Perth, this became our spare wet bag in the diaper bag, since we went out every day for a week. It’s thicker than my usual PUL wet bag, so takes up a little more space in the diaper bag. But that’s a marginal difference.

It’s very spacious, and can actually hold up to 8 medium and large cloth diapers, instead of 4 to 6 as described. As what wet bags should do, it successfully keeps dampness and smell in.

Each large wet bag is USD25, while the small version is USD18. This is reasonable as it comes in attractive designer prints, quality fabrics and excellent workmanship, the same qualities found in The Pat-a-Cake Baby Blanket. For a short trip, it is pretty enough to hang on its own by the stroller. And yes, your fashionista girl-friend would definitely love it as a baby shower gift.

—

What we like about it:

• Loop handle with snap button for attaching to anywhere convenient
• Durable ProCare fabric that can last many washes
• Beautiful print that livens up the nursery or stroller
• Machine-washable for easy maintenance

What can be improved:

• Specify content of fabrics used
• Air the ProCare fabric beforehand to remove the odd smell

—

Win Your Own

THREE (3) lucky subscribers will win a The Pat-a-Cake Wet Bag (Large) worth USD25 each!

This is how to participate:

• Subscribe to Mummy’s Reviews™ in a reader or via email (existing subscribers counted)

• Send an email to me (MieVee [at] MummysReviews.com) with the following information:
  • Method of subscription: in a reader or via email
  • Your name
  • Your name in Facebook (to get extra entry mentioned below)
  • Visit Spinkie and tell me (in your email) your favourite print among the wet bags
  • If you are a new reader, mention how you got to know of this Giveaway
  • Blog / Website URL, if any (to get extra entries mentioned below, indicate URL of your exact post)

• To get EXTRA entries:
  • 1 extra entry: “Like” Mummy’s Reviews™ Facebook page (existing fans counted)
  • 1 extra entry: “Like” Spinkie Facebook page (existing fans counted)
  • 1 extra entry (unlimited total): For each participant referred by you (e.g. through sharing the Giveaway on Facebook / Twitter / email)
  • 3 extra entries: Share this Giveaway on your blog / website

Other Information

• This Giveaway is open to subscribers with a mailing address worldwide (except countries that don’t allow participation in lucky draws).
• It will run until 12 November 2010 (Friday) 2359hr (GMT+8).
• If you are one of the winners, the print of your wet bag depends on the stock available.
• The usual Giveaway Terms apply.

Send in your entries now and good luck!

—

Get Your Own (with Discount!)

To get your own The Pat-a-Cake-Baby Wet Bag and a wide range of stylish products for baby, visit Spinkie. Be prepared to drool at all the designer prints!

• Special Treat: 20% STOREWIDE discount
• Discount Code: 20MUMMY2010
• Validity Period: Until 31 December 2010

—

Disclosure: I received a The Pat-a-Cake Baby Wet Bag for review.

—

Read why PVC is known as “The Poison Plastic” here

—

P.S. More articles in this Stylish Mum’s Essentials series:

• The Pat-a-Cake Baby Blanket
• Diaper Mat Clutch

© 2009-2012 Veezian Pte. Ltd. | All rights reserved - This feed is provided for the convenience of Mummy's Reviews™ subscribers. If you like this post, you may share its link: [Stylish Mum’s Essentials #2] The Pat-a-Cake-Baby Wet Bag [Giveaway #14]. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited.

Related posts:

1. [Stylish Mum’s Essentials #1] The Pat-a-Cake Baby Blanket [Giveaway #13]
2. [Stylish Mum's Essentials #4] Review: You’ve got to see The Butterfly Pillow [Giveaway #17]
3. [Stylish Mum’s Essentials #3] Diaper Mat Clutch