Mummy's Reviews » Whoopeekiddies

[Potty Training] Daddy-approved pull-up pants (Kissaluvs Pocket Trainers)

MieVee @ MummysReviews.com — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 23:00:52 +0000

More on training pants options — this is a review of Kissaluvs Pocket Trainers, provided by Milagro Trading.

Potty training is a long journey, and it’s great when hubby chips in to help, especially with boys. When outdoors, hubby’s in charge of bringing Vee to the toilet and teaching him how to relieve himself “men’s style”.

Kissaluvs Pocket Trainers are certainly Daddy-approved, with their trim fit and ease of pulling up and down. If you’re looking for training pants for day-time and outdoors, read on.

About Kissaluvs Pocket Trainers

These are the main features of the pocket trainers:

Outer fabric: 100% custom milled PUL
Inner fabric: 100% cotton flannel
Soaker: Microfiber (2 sewn in layers)
Closures: 4 side snaps. 2 snap settings per side.
Country of origin: Made in the U.S.A.

They’re available in 2 sizes; and 4 colours with printed cotton flannel inside.

First Impressions

These are unique training pants with prints on the inside instead of outside. Haha… my mum thought that it’s a reversible underwear. And the dinosaur prints would be a hit with boys!

They’re very trim and side snaps make them suitable for pulling up and down during potty training.

There’s 2 layers of sewn-in microfibre, and a back pocket opening for stuffing more inserts to boost absorbency.

Our Detailed Review

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

(a) Prewash & Laundry: ★★★ I prewashed the Kissaluvs Pocket Trainers by hand in warm water. There was slight colour run by the dark brown fabric, which cleared up after 3 rinses.

Unfortunately, the training pants can’t be washed with hot water.

Subsequent laundry is very easy because of the 1-piece design. They dry quite fast too, within a sunny day.

(b) Ease of Use: ★★★ There’re only 4 side snaps to handle. For short hours, no insert is needed — very easy to use.

Even though Vee’s rather chubby, they’re easy to pull up and down, almost like a regular underwear. This is why Daddy loves using this outdoors when bringing Vee to the toilet.

But the pocket is very narrow and feels stiff inside; it’s hard to stuff an insert in. So I’d use it as it is, without adding absorbency.

(c) Fit / Trimness: ★★★★ Vee wears size 3T and is on the smaller waist setting. They fit well at the waist and thighs, while the rise is slightly too long.

They’re very trim (though look puffy in the photos) and fit well under pants for outdoor trips.

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 trainers rest nicely under his tummy.

Here’re his sexy bums…

(d) Performance: ★★★ The trainers have 2 layers of microfibre and 1 layer of cotton flannel, that can hold 1 of Vee’s pee. This is suitable for potty-training in the day and outdoors.

As mentioned, the pocket is too narrow. I managed to stuff in our narrowest insert (Knickernappies LoopyDo) plus a hemp booster, to last through Vee’s nap. Generally held in well with an occasional leak.

Since these are training pants, I like the feel-wet inner cotton flannel layer.

Personally, I won’t use these for overnight potty training yet until Vee’s dry for more nights in a row.

We didn’t get to test them with poo.

(e) Quality: ★★★★ The sewing and workmanship is excellent. We haven’t used them rigorously enough to judge the long term quality.

(f) Overall Value: ★★★ Each pair of Kissaluvs Pocket Trainers retails at SGD21.50. In the U.S., the suggested retail price is USD14.95.

My main gripe about these trainers is the overly-narrow pocket. Otherwise, they’re easy to pull up and down — great for potty training in the day and outdoors. Not for long naps and overnight, unless you want to catch just one pee, or you manage to stuff additional inserts in.

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What we like about it:

Ideal fabrics for training pants — waterproof PUL to contain a pee accident and feel-wet inner fabric
Easy to pull up and down by adult and toddler (nearly 3 years old)
Gentle leg and back elastics that leave no red marks on chubby toddler

What can be improved:

Widen pocket for easy stuffing of inserts
Use fabric that can withstand occasional hot washes
Indicate waist, thigh and rise dimensions for easier choosing of size

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Get Your Own (with Discount!)

To get your own Kissaluvs Pocket Trainers and other cloth diapering products, visit Milagro Trading.

Special Treat: 10% discount off regular priced cloth diapers products
Discount Code: MUMMYREVIEWS12
Validity Period: Until 30 June 2012

Live outside Asia? You may also check the price at Amazon here: Kissaluvs Pocket Trainers*
—

P.S. Coming up next is an article on More Potty Training Tips, the sequel to 18 Sure-Fire Tips for Early Potty Training Success.

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Disclosure: I received 1 pair of Kissaluvs Pocket Trainers from Milagro Trading 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: [Potty Training] Daddy-approved pull-up pants (Kissaluvs Pocket Trainers). Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited.

[Potty Training] Cloth diaper that can be used as training pants (Blueberry Basix AIO Cloth Diaper)

MieVee @ MummysReviews.com — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 23:00:37 +0000

Happy 2012 to you! For the first post this year, I’m reviewing Blueberry Basix AIO Cloth Diaper, provided by Milagro Trading (previously known as Whoopeekiddies).

Vee has been day potty-trained since 23+ months old, and we’re still working on getting him dry when he’s asleep. He’s using this diaper as training pants for night-time potty training.

After 4 months of testing, I like the Blueberry Basix for its comfortable fit and versatile absorbency. It’s among our favourite cloth diapers that dual-functions as training pants.

About Blueberry Basix AIO Cloth Diaper

These are the main features of the AIO (All in One) cloth diaper:

Outer fabric: PUL
Inner fabric: Microfleece
Soaker: Microfiber terry (3 sewn in layers)
Closures: 4 side snaps. 3 snap settings per side.
Country of origin: Made in the U.S.A.

They’re available in 3 sizes; and a variety of colours and prints.

First Impressions

The colourful owl print is super-cute! Being a side snapping diaper, it’s trim and suitable for pulling up and down during potty training.

Though the diaper’s an AIO, there’s a back pocket opening for stuffing more inserts to boost absorbency.

It comes with a soaker that’s sewn in yet can agitate out during wash for quick drying. There’s a front pocket opening for the soaker to escape.

Our Detailed Review

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

(a) Prewash & Laundry: ★★★★ I prewashed the Blueberry Basix by hand in warm water, and it started absorbing. Unfortunately, the diaper cannot be washed with hot water.

Yes, the sewn in soaker does agitate out during washing. I’m still fascinated by the convenience. It takes about 1+ days to dry when it’s cloudy.

(b) Ease of Use: ★★★★ There’re only 4 side snaps to handle. For short hours, no insert is needed for the AIO — very easy to use. We add in a hemp insert to use it overnight, so that’s like a pocket diaper.

Vee’s rather chubby, so it’s ok (not super easy) to pull up and down.

(c) Fit / Trimness: ★★★★★ Vee wears size Large and is on the largest waist setting. The rise is just nice for him, not too long, unlike some Large cloth diapers.

Side snaps provide a very good fit on him. I love this.

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…

(d) Performance: ★★★★ Vee likes the owl design so much that he’s wearing them to bed every alternate night, once they’re dry.

The microfleece inner layer feels damp when pee-ed on, which is fine to aid in potty training.

The sewn-in soaker is only 3 layers of microfiber terry, so it isn’t for heavy wetters during sleeping time.

The size of the pocket opening size is generous. We add in a hemp insert to use it overnight. We’d no leak for a few months until Vee’s pee volume increased during a recent period. Now, he has improved and the diaper is able to hold overnight again. (Our night-time potty training journey is like a yo-yo.)

On some mornings, he’d “apologise” to the owls for wetting them, and that he’d try to keep them dry the next time!

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

(e) Quality: ★★★★★ The sewing and workmanship is excellent. After many washings, the diaper still looks and performs as good as new.

(f) Overall Value: ★★★★ Each Blueberry Basix retails at SGD30. In the U.S., the suggested retail price is USD16.95.

Over the entire diapering period, sized diapers usually requires a larger investment than one size diapers. Yet I’ve always loved sized diapers (especially side snapping ones) for the great fit and ease of use. The Blueberry Basix is a good choice for potty training toddlers, even overnight.

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What we like about it:

Cloth diapers that double up as training pants
Large pocket opening to add inserts for overnight use
Sewn-in insert agitates out in the wash for shorter drying time
Gentle leg and back elastics that leave no red marks on chubby toddler
Lovely prints

What can be improved:

Use fabric that can withstand occasional hot washes

—

Get Your Own (with Discount!)

To get your own Blueberry Basix AIO Cloth Diapers and other cloth diapering products, visit Milagro Trading.

Special Treat: 10% discount off regular priced cloth diapers products
Discount Code: MUMMYREVIEWS12
Validity Period: Until 30 June 2012

Live outside Asia? You may also check the price at Amazon here: Blueberry Basix AIO Cloth Diaper*
—

P.S. Coming up next is a review on Kissaluvs Pocket Trainers, for day-time and outdoor potty training.

—

Disclosure: I received 1 pair of Blueberry Basix AIO Cloth Diapers from Milagro Trading 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: [Potty Training] Cloth diaper that can be used as training pants (Blueberry Basix AIO Cloth Diaper). Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited.

Review: weehuggers Diaper Cover is too gorgeous for pants

MieVee @ MummysReviews.com — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 23:00:48 +0000

As promised, this is the review for weehuggers Diaper Cover, provided by Milagro Trading (previously known as Whoopeekiddies). It’s a rare diaper cover with leg gussets, rise adjustments AND gorgeous prints, which fully accentuates the 5th reason on Why I Love Cloth Diapering.

About weehuggers™ Diaper Covers

These are the main features of the diaper cover:

Fabric: PUL (polyurethane-laminated) polyester solids or designer cotton prints
Closures: Hook & loop or snap
Rise settings: 3 x 3 snaps
Additional: Built-in laundry tabs, leg gussets & stay-put laminated bamboo/organic cotton flaps to hold inserts in place
Country of origin: Made in the U.S.A.

They’re available in 2 sizes:

	Size 1	Size 2
Waist	11″-19″	15″-23″
Thighs	3.5″-10″	6″-13.5″
Rise	12.5″-15″	15″-19″

First Impressions

When I first touched the diaper cover, I love the cotton printed outer, which is so comfy compared to polyester ones. My only concern was whether they’d leak more easily, as cotton printed fabrics typically do.

The glove-shaped aplix tabs up the cute factor by a notch and they feel very strong.

I like to use diaper covers with leg gussets on newborns, so I’m glad these covers match my preferences.

The laminated bamboo/organic cotton flaps are unique as this is the first time I’ve seen them in a diaper cover. The laminate is hidden inside, so only cottony soft fabric would touch baby’s skin.

Our Detailed Review

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

(a) Style: ★★★★★ The entire diaper design is very clean and well thought out. The prints and unique tab certainly make it outstanding.

(b) Prewash & Laundry: ★★★ I first handwashed it in cold and then on warm after use. I like the built-in laundry tabs with large surface area that means no “aiming” is needed when closing the tabs.

The bamboo/cotton flaps tend to catch some lint from other washes. These flaps also lengthen the drying time compared to diaper covers without them.

(c) Ease of Use: ★★★ Vee uses the weehuggers Diaper Cover with prefolds, Kissaluvs fitted, and Flip disposable inserts. A two-piece system coupled with the need to choose the correct rise setting means some practice is needed.

The most important use for us is with Flip disposable inserts during our Perth trip. The hook and loop closures makes diaper changes a breeze during flight.

(d) Fit & Trimness:★★★★★ The cover gives a very trim fit; the hook and loop closures ensure a perfect fit around the waist. Disposable inserts require a shorter rise setting than usual, so the rise settings provides a very snug fit too. That’s why when we need to use disposable inserts during travel, this is my favourite diaper cover.

The gentle elastics and the back and thighs also leave no red marks on chubby Vee.

Here’re his sexy bums…

(e) Performance: ★★★★ Vee tried using the diaper cover with a prefold plus stay-dry liner for his nap. He rolls about during sleep and the bamboo/cotton flap kept the prefold in place. But part of it became damp, so I washed the cover instead of reusing it. To reuse the cover more frequently, I prefer not to use the flaps to hold the prefolds / soakers.

Most of the time, there weren’t any leak, even through naps. There were twice when the diaper cover leaked at the thigh area when the prefold was saturated with pee. (Vee’s a heavy wetter.) This is expected of a cotton printed fabric. Yet I love this cover enough to use it during plane rides, so I simply put fleece shorts instead of pants over them and change Vee every 2 to 3 hours.

Tip: If you’re concerned about leaks when the diaper is saturated with pee, then choose solid colours instead of cotton prints. Otherwise, just change baby before the diaper is saturated.

We didn’t get to test the diaper with poo, yet I’d expect the leg gussets to be rather foolproof. (Super looking forward to trying them on the next baby.)

(f) Quality: ★★★★ The sewing and workmanship is excellent. The hook & loop closures are very sturdy and hard for toddlers to undo. However, the edge of the tab started curling out a little and ould scratch me when carrying Vee, so I just got to be careful. Also, the aplix tabs don’t stick very well to the laundry tabs anymore. Fortunately, there’s a snap version for consideration.

(g) Overall Value: ★★★★ Each weehuggers Diaper Cover retails at SGD28.50 each, which is at the higher-end among diaper covers. With the gorgeous designer prints, leg gussets, great fit, and sturdy hook & loop closures, it’s a premium diaper cover that I like to use when travelling. I wished the laundry tabs were stronger though. (At 20% discount now, it’s a real steal!)

—

What we like about it:

Rare diaper cover with leg gussets and rise adjustment
Gorgeous prints for the style-conscious Mummy
Gentle leg and back elastics that leave no red marks on chubby toddler
Sturdy hook & loop closures

What can be improved:

Make the laundry tabs stronger
And if only someone could invent 100% leak-proof cotton prints!

—

Get Your Own (with Discount!)

To get your own weehuggers Diaper Covers and a WIDE range of products for babies, kids and Mummy, visit Milagro Trading (previously known as Whoopeekiddies). Currently, it seems that only the snap version is available, at 20% discount. If you’d like the hook and loop version, just drop Yee Ling an email for information on the next shipment.

Special Treat: 10% discount on cloth diapering products and accessories (regular items only)
Discount Code: MUMMYREVIEWS11
Validity Period: Until 31 August 2011

Live outside Asia? You may check the price at Amazon here: Weehuggers Diaper Covers*

—

Disclosures: I received a weehuggers Diaper Cover for review.

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

—

P.S. Catch all my Cloth Diapering Tips HERE. There’d be more tips coming up soon, so stay tuned!

© 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: weehuggers Diaper Cover is too gorgeous for pants. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited.

Review: Kissaluvs Fitted Diapers helped Vee to potty train

MieVee @ MummysReviews.com — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 18:39:20 +0000

Today, I’m reviewing Kissaluvs v2.0 Cotton Fleece Fitted Cloth Diaper, provided by Milagro Trading (previously known as Whoopeekiddies). Kissaluvs has been a highly popular choice for cloth diapering newborns. Before Vee was born, I wanted to buy Size 0, but they were out of stock. This time, I’m excited to try it on 2-year old Vee.

After 4 months of testing, I like Kissaluvs v2.0 for its ease of use, breathability and durability; it’s very good for aiding potty training too.

What’s a Fitted Cloth Diaper?

In case you were wondering, a fitted cloth diaper is a one-piece diaper that has all-round absorbency, not just in the middle. Some fitted diapers allow you to increase absorbency with snap-on or lay-in soakers. This makes it a good diaper for tummy and side sleepers, or babies who roll all over the bed when asleep. It prevents leakage at the waist area.

It’s breathable and doesn’t have a waterproof outer layer. So when waterproofness is needed (for e.g. during sleep), you’d have to add a cover over the diaper.

A popular night-time cloth diapering solution is to use breathable fleece or wool cover over a fitted diaper with stay-dry layer and extra soakers. This provides high absorbency and breathability all-night long — fantastic for heavy wetters and babies with sensitive skin. More information on night-time diapering would be covered in future.

About Kissaluvs v2.0 Fitted Cloth Diapers

These are the main features of the fitted diaper:

Outer fabric: Cotton fleece (90% cotton, 10% recycled polyester)
Soaker: Microfibre (hidden)
Closures: 4 front snaps. 1 row of 8 waist snaps. Overlapping wing flaps.
Country of origin: Pocket diaper made in the U.S.A. and Egypt; Microfibre inserts made in China

They’re available in 3 sizes, differentiated by the colour of the stitching. It comes in unbleached and colours.

First Impressions

I’ve heard so much rave about Kissaluvs’ softness and it was indeed very soft when I received it! However, there’s a good chance that it’d stiffen up after line-drying.

I adore the side ruffles and rainbow stitching. It’s a very girlish-looking diaper in pastel purple. Oh whatever… I’ve enough boyish-looking diapers and welcome the change. I dress Vee up in pink and purple sometimes; his fair skin looks great in these colours.

It has a lifetime snap guarantee, which speaks volumes about how confident Kissaluvs is about its product.

Our Detailed Review

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

(a) Prewash & Laundry: ★★★★★ I prewashed the Kissaluvs fitted diaper by hand in cold water, and it started absorbing. For normal laundry, its one-piece design means ultimate convenience — no need to handle separate inserts or soakers. It takes about 1+ days to dry when it’s cloudy.

After line drying under the hot sun, it stiffens up a little, yet still considered soft.

Tip: To soften stiff diapers and inserts, throw them into the dryer (if you’ve one) for a few minutes occasionally.

(b) Ease of Use: ★★★★ When waterproofness is not a priority (for e.g. potty training at home), then Kissaluvs is very easy to use, with only 4 snaps in front, and no rise settings to handle. Even hubby finds it easy.

It’s a good alternative to cloth training pants, minus the ease of pulling up and down. We like to use it without a cover for breathability and convenience, so I’m giving it 4 stars.

If you need waterproofness, then this diaper needs a cover, which means baby has to stay still for a few more seconds. This would be easy for a newborn, but more challenging for an actively-moving baby or toddler.

(c) Fit / Trimness: ★★★★★ Kissaluvs v2.0 is Vee’s first fitted diaper, though we’ve long been using semi-fitted or pocket fitted diapers for night-time. I like its trimness and Vee’s fluffy bums with ruffles are soooo pretty to look at. Another reason not to put a cover over it!

There’s also no wing droop problem, which can happen in diapers with only a single row of snaps.

Size 2 (Large) is wide and isn’t easily covered by most one-size and medium diaper covers. The collage below shows Kissaluvs v2.0 used with a Weehuggers Diaper Cover (review to be posted very soon).

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…

(d) Performance: ★★★ As mentioned, I used this Kissaluvs fitted diaper during the potty training stage, without a cover. With 1 hidden microfleece soaker, this diaper can work for a newborn but isn’t very absorbent for a toddler. Most of the time, it can absorb one of Vee’s pees.

On 2 incidents, Vee did a “forceful” and voluminous pee, which overflowed onto the floor. Vee got a little shock because he hates wet floors. I took the chance to make a small deal out of the pee puddle, reminding him to tell me before pee-ing in future. Ever since that couple of accidents, he became day-time potty trained! Woo hoo! This is THE type of cloth diapers that help in potty training success:

No stay-dry suedecloth / microfleece inner layer means child can feel the wetness immediately
No waterproof PUL outer layer means the caregiver knows immediately when the child pees, to remind him to use the toilet / potty in future
Absorbent enough for only 1 pee

I tested it for a nap by laying a stay-dry fleece liner on top, adding a soaker behind and wrapping it up with a PUL diaper cover. It worked but the 4-piece system is too troublesome.

We didn’t get to test the diaper with poo. From my observation, if the Kissaluvs fitted is used with a sturdy diaper cover, there’d be 2 elastics — hardly any room for the most explosive poo to escape.

(e) Quality: ★★★★★ The sewing and workmanship is excellent. After many washings, the diaper still looks and performs as good as new.

(f) Overall Value: ★★★★ Each Kissaluvs v2.0 retails at SGD21 each. In Singapore, I can’t really compare because hardly any store retails fitted diapers. In the U.S., the suggested retail price is USD13.95, which is at the lower end of fitted diapers, probably because of its low absorbency. It’s a good choice for light wetting newborns or during potty training.

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What we like about it:

Gentle leg and back elastics that leave no red marks on chubby toddler
Very cute design — loves the ruffled hems in rainbow stitching and fluffy bums
Easy to use — Daddy-approved
Lifetime snap guarantee

What can be improved:

I like it as it is for potty training. For heavy wetters, I’d suggest taking a look at Kissaluvs Organic Cotton / Hemp Fitted Diapers.

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Get Your Own (with Discount!)

To get your own Kissaluvs v2.0 Cloth Diapers and a WIDE range of products for babies, kids and Mummy, visit Milagro Trading (previously known as Whoopeekiddies). Currently, it seems that only Size 1 in unbleached is available. If you’d like other sizes and colours, just drop Yee Ling an email for information on the next shipment.

Special Treat: 10% discount on cloth diapering products and accessories (regular items only)
Discount Code: MUMMYREVIEWS11
Validity Period: Until 31 August 2011

Live outside Asia? You may check the price at Amazon here: Kissaluvs v2.0 Cotton Fleece Fitted Diaper*

—

Disclosures: I received a Kissaluvs v2.0 Cloth Diapers for review.

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

P.S. Catch all my Cloth Diapering Tips HERE. There’d be more tips coming up soon, so stay tuned!

© 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: Kissaluvs Fitted Diapers helped Vee to potty train. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited.

Review: bumGenius 4.0 One Size Cloth Diaper

MieVee @ MummysReviews.com — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 01:00:12 +0000

Finally, I’m reviewing bumGenius 4.0 One-Size Cloth Diaper, provided by Milagro Trading (previously known as Whoopeekiddies). bumGenius is a BIG cloth diapers brand, yet I’ve not tried it on Vee before, until this 4.0 snap version came along. Many mums starting out on cloth diapering would think about getting bumGenius, so I thought it’s better to review it for your consideration.

After 4 months of use, I’m glad to report that bumGenius 4.0 has become a reliable diaper for Vee’s outdoor trips, with zero leak experience.

About bumGenius 4.0 One-Size Cloth Diaper (Snap)

These are the main features of the pocket diaper:

Outer layer: Waterproof PUL fabric (100% polyester)
Inner lining: Suedecloth (100% polyester)
Inserts: Microfibre (80% polyester, 20% nylon)
Insert (One-Size, Microfibre): 3 layers of microfibre, 3 snaps
Insert (Newborn, Microfibre): 2 layers of microfibre
Closures: Vertical front snaps. 2 rows of 10 waist and thigh snaps. 5 possible settings.
Rise: 3 x 3 snaps for 3 settings
Country of origin: Pocket diaper made in the U.S.A. and Egypt; Microfibre inserts made in China

There’s also a a hook/loop (or velcro tabs) version. Both are available in a range of light or pastel colours and prints.

First Impressions

Ordering bumGenius is a little challenging because of the way the colours are named as “Bubble”, “Noodle”, “Sweet”, etc. without full pictures of the entire diaper. It’s quite hard to imagine and choose. Finally, I got the Butternut, to match Vee’s yellow clothes.

When Vee was a newborn, I loved using diapers with suedecloth on him because they’re very stay-dry and keep him happier. After he started potty-training, I switched to microfleece, bamboo and cotton diapers to help him feel the wetness. Touching bumGenius 4.0′s suedecloth layer brings back memories of Vee’s early months. How fast 2 years fly by!

Being a one-size diaper, its rise is adjustable by 3 settings. I found this interesting as many major one-size brands such as Happy Heinys and Rumparooz use 4 rise settings instead. The “missing” row is the Newborn setting for thinner babies.

There’s a cover at the pocket opening, which would help to keep the insert in while baby stays dry. The 2 inserts seem rather generic though.

One attractive point is the easily replaceable elastic in case it gets “shot” after many months of use. This feature is still uncommon among cloth diapers.

Our Detailed Review

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

(a) Prewash & Laundry: ★★★★ I prewashed the diaper and inserts by hand in cold water. Even after 1 prewash, the inserts started absorbing, which was a pleasant surprise!

Then here’s a strange observation: the laundry tabs says the diapers and inserts can be washed 60°C. But the website says to wash in hot at 40°C. From my understanding of laundry instructions, 40°C is warm, not hot wash. Then the warranty page says warranty is valid up to 60°C washes. Anyway, it’s a load of conflicting laundry information.

Over the past 4 months, I’ve washed at 40°C (my usual routine) and 60°C, when Vee had yeast infection on his eczema patches. Until now, the diapers are still fine.

(b) Ease of Use: ★★★★ The diaper is easy to put on with only one column of 2 snaps to fasten per side. Since I’m familiar with rise settings on one-size diapers, it’s easy to figure them out.

Tip: If you’re new to cloth diapering, or another caregiver is changing baby, try out 1-2 hook/loop diapers first. They’re easiest to use. When you’re more confident, then move on to snaps, and decide which type you prefer.

(c) Fit / Trimness: ★★★★ Generally, it’s harder to get a nice fit with snap diapers — if baby is in between snap sizes, the diaper becomes either too tight or too loose. With the unique stretchy tabs, the snap diaper fits Vee’s chubby tummy (think 20″ waist for a 2-year old!) very well. I like the gentle encased elastics that leave no red marks on Vee’s chubby thighs and back.

Vee has grown into the largest rise setting. Then, when he slimmed down a little due to the recent bout of diarrhoea, I adjusted the rise down to the medium setting for a better fit at the thighs. This adjustability is an advantage over sized diapers (with no rise settings). Overall, it fits him fine though he’s in an awkward stage when I sometimes couldn’t decide on his rise settings. Hmm… the paradox of having choices.

The one-size diaper insert comes with snaps, which I find unnecessary. I simply fold the insert to the desired length. When using the 2 microfibre inserts, the diaper still fits inside his pants.

Tip: To boost absorbency while maintaining trimness, use 1-2 thin hemp / bamboo boosters behind a regular insert. This combination is great for outdoor trips or even overnight.

Oh, have a look at Vee’s sexy bums…

(d) Performance: ★★★★ For Vee’s outdoor trips, I like to use this bumGenius 4.0 with both inserts because it has not leaked before! I didn’t try it overnight on Vee because he sleeps on his tummy and needs fitted diapers or diapers with front elastics.

The suedecloth stays very dry indeed, good for babies fussy with wetness, though not recommended during potty training.

In the week we battled Vee’s diarrhoea, bumGenius 4.0 did stand up to the test of keeping the mess in. (In fact, EVERY modern cloth diaper we used during that awful week kept the explosive mess in. That’s the power of modern cloth diapers with high-quality elastics.)

(e) Quality: ★★★★ The sewing and workmanship is good. After many washings, the suedecloth has pilled just a little bit, yet more resilient than microfleece.

The laundry labels on the inserts have started rolling up and wearing out at the edges. This sounds very picky but I look for quality in every detail, especially if the price isn’t low.

(f) Overall Value: Each bumGenius 4.0 with inserts retails at SGD35 each, which is in line with the current market rate of one-size cloth diapers from the U.S.A. Thanks to the snap version in the 4.0 range, I’ve finally taken the leap to try out bumGenius. Though it isn’t the type of “wow” diapers I get all excited over, it’s very reliable for outdoor use.

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What we like about it:

Stretchy tabs that give a good fit at the waist
Gentle leg and back elastics that leave no red marks on chubby toddler
No leaks experienced so far — a diaper I’d use for outdoors
1 year warranty to give quality assurance

What can be improved:

Provide consistent laundry instructions — up to 40°C (on website) or 60°C (on label)?
Give clearer names for colours and show pictures of diapers in each colour
Use a better fabric for laundry labels on the inserts and sew them horizontally across instead (so that they don’t roll up)

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Get Your Own (with Discount!)

To get your own bumGenius 4.0 One-Size Cloth Diapers and a WIDE range of products for babies, kids and Mummy, visit Milagro Trading (previously known as Whoopeekiddies).

Special Treat: 10% discount on cloth diapering products and accessories (regular items only)
Discount Code: MUMMYREVIEWS11
Validity Period: Until 31 August 2011

Live outside Asia? You may check the price at Amazon.com here: bumGenius One-Size Cloth Diaper 4.0*

With the arrival of bumGenius 4.0 in Singapore and Malaysia, version 3.0 (hook/loop only) is also on clearance sale. I haven’t tried the 3.0s before though, due to mixed reviews on the hook/loop closures and smaller cutting. If you’re interested, check out:

Milagro Trading (based in Singapore): 35% off
Tiny Tapir (based in Malaysia): up to 30% off

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Disclosures: I received a bumGenius 4.0 One-Size Cloth Diaper for review.

*: affiliate link to support the growth and maintenance of Mummy’s Reviews™
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P.S. Catch all my Cloth Diapering Tips HERE. There’d be more tips coming up soon, so stay tuned!

© 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: bumGenius 4.0 One Size Cloth Diaper. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited.

[Stylish Mum's Essentials #5] Wet Bag that Transforms into a Diaper Bag

MieVee @ MummysReviews.com — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 22:00:31 +0000

Stylish Mum’s Essentials item #5 is weehuggers Wet Bag – Hobo Bag, retailed at one of my favourite stores, Whoopeekiddies (now known as Milagro Trading). Even before this article, I’ve been Whoopeekiddies’ regular customer, buying cloth diapers and even personal care products from there.

The weehuggers Wet Bag is a smartly-designed bag with an integrated wet bag compartment to hold wet or soiled baby items. Certainly a dream bag for cloth diapering mums! Even if you aren’t cloth diapering baby, this bag eliminates the need to bring plastic or ziploc bags to hold baby’s dirty clothes, bibs, etc.

This multi-purpose bag in a cheerful designer print has become my grab-and-go diaper bag for more than 4 months. I’m so000 grateful that Yee Ling from Whoopeekiddies sent me one for a review.

What is a Wet Bag?

Just in case you’re new to this, a wet bag is a cloth bag with a zip closure and waterproof inner lining. It was originally designed to hold wet or soiled cloth diapers when Mummy and baby are on the go. Since its invention by the cloth diapering industry, Mums have found a trillion uses for wet bags, limited only by your own imagination. Read some of the popular uses here.

About weehuggers™ Wet Bag

The brand, weehuggers, is owned by Blueberry diapers, which is famous for its minky cloth diapers. These are the main features of the wet bag:

Outer layer: Designer cotton fabric
Inner lining: Waterproof PUL (polyurethan laminate)
Handle: Yes
Dimensions: 16″ x 14″ x 3″
Capacity: Up to 10 wet diapers
Country of origin: Made in the U.S.A.; wee-be-gone™ patches made in Japan.

There’s a larger version called weehuggers™ Laundry Bag. Both are available in 8 designer prints.

First Impressions

The bag is very pretty and does not look like wet bag at all. Who’d have guessed that it’s one?!?

There are 2 zippered compartments — the larger one is for wet stuff, the smaller one for dry stuff. Within the wet bag compartment is a unique wee-be-gone™ patch, which is supposed to “absorb the organic compound Trimethylamine – an ammonia-like gas present in soiled diapers”.

The bag is generally well-made, except for some loose threads inside 1 of the zips. Such threads risk jamming the zip, so I promptly trimmed them off.

How We Tested It

(a) Laundry: I handwashed it in cold before first use. After that, I flip the wet compartment inside out and throw it into the washing machine with Vee’s usual laundry, whenever needed. Ever since this wet bag became my staple grab-and-go diaper bag, I minimise washings needed by putting a wet bag into the wet compartment. Crazy, right?

(b) Capacity: This wet bag was tested heavily during our 1-week trip in Perth. Instead of lugging my gigantic LeSportsac diaper bag around, I used the weehuggers wet bag as a compact diaper bag.

It contained a full day’s travelling needs — 5 cloth diapers with extra disposable inserts, a few cloth wipes, a packet of wet wipes, an extra set of clothes, and a travel diaper mat clutch. Wet cloth diapers are bulkier and get squeezed into the wet compartment. At the end of the day, the wet diapers are empty into a large travelling wet bag or diaper pail.

Nowadays, I store 2 cloth diapers, several cloth wipes, a packet of wet wipes, an extra set of clothes and a travelling placemat in the bag. Anytime we’ve a short errand to run or to attend Vee’s Shichida classes, I simply grab the hobo bag plus my small handbag, and we’re ready to leave. With the wet compartment, it’s perfectly ok to forget to bring a wet bag along. Oh… how I love this!

Stylish Mum’s Tip: Carrying a diaper bag separate from your handbag makes it easier to change handbags to match your outfit for the day. It also means you can leave the heavier diaper bag lying around without the risk of losing your valuables. A small handbag also looks more elegant than a bigger one.

(c) Performance: So far, dampness is well-contained within the wet compartment. The wee-be-gone patch seems to do its job of absorbing odors, even after a day of travelling with wet diapers in it. I didn’t have the chance to test it with poopy diapers because Vee has been pooing into the toilet / potty since 10 months old.

(d) Overall Value: The usual price of a weehuggers Wet Bag is S$46, and it’s now at 15% off (S$39.10), which is a real steal, considering this dual-functions as a compact and stylish diaper bag. I’ve been using the weehuggers Wet Bag for more than 4 months and wish it’d never ever wear out…

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What we like about it:

Very pretty — I love designer prints!
Doubles up as a compact diaper bag (or multi-purpose bag for gym or swimming)
Machine washable for easy maintenance

What can be improved:

Trim away loose threads after sewing the bag
Hide laundry instructions inside bag for a more elegant look

—

Get Your Own (with Discount!)

To get your own weehuggers™ Wet Bags and a WIDE range of products for babies, kids and Mummy, visit Whoopeekiddies (now known as Milagro Trading).

Special Treat: 10% discount on cloth diapering products and accessories (regular items only)
Discount Code: MUMMYREVIEWS11
Validity Period: Until 31 August 2011

Live outside Asia? You may check the price at Amazon.com here: Weehuggers Wet Bag – Hobo Bag*

—

Disclosures: I received a weehuggers™ Wet Bag for review.

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

P.S. 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 #5] Wet Bag that Transforms into a Diaper Bag. Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited.

Review: Semi-Cloth Diapering During Travel (Flip One-Size Disposable Inserts)

MieVee @ MummysReviews.com — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 07:08:09 +0000

Perfect solution for semi-cloth diapering during travel

I have finally found a way to diaper Vee partially in cloth while travelling overseas! Vee and I love his modern cloth diapers — he has been in cloth-diapers round-the-clock for so many months that I cannot remember when he used a disposable diaper. When we travel 300+km to visit his grandparents in Singapore, a vacuum bag of cloth diapers and inserts follows us.

The Problem

We plan to travel overseas this year; his sensitive skin means using normal disposable diapers full-time for several days is not a viable option. I am also paranoid about exposing him to bleach, chlorine, dioxin, etc. from common disposable diapers. Cloth diaper inserts need about one sunny day to dry, and there would be no space in hotel rooms to hang them. Using hotel laundry services would be expensive and I think only cloth-diapering mums know the proper way to laundry diapers.

The Solution

I google-ed around for a solution and voila… stumbled upon disposable inserts! Three common brands are:

gRefills (by gDiapers)
Gro Baby Bio Soakers
Flip One-Size Disposable Inserts

After comparing reviews, prices and availability, I bought a pack of 18 Flip One-Size Disposable Inserts from Whoopeekiddies to try. (Usual price: S$7.50; special offer: S$6 including postage) The delivery was very fast, and I love shopping from Whoopeekiddies.

Why I Bought Flip One-Size Disposable Inserts

They simply replace regular diaper inserts, are dye free, fragrance free, and are made of only non-woven bamboo viscose, filler, wood pulp, SAP, and starch-based glue. (I like that the SAP content is low.) The price of S$0.42 (during promotion: S$0.33) per insert is also reasaonable.

First Impressions

Each insert looks like… erm… a maxi pad. It is trim and long — covers the whole of Knickernappies 2G Large.

Simply lay insert on a cloth diaper

How We Tested Them

The inserts have been tried with:

Drybees (Medium) — no adjustable rise, scrunched up a little, fine for 1.5 hrs when changed
Moo Moo Kow — on lowest rise, usually maximum rise, fine for 3 hrs when changed
Happy Heinys — on lowest rise, usually second rise, fine for 2 hrs when changed

Poo was well contained and could be easily rolled off the insert into the toilet before disposing the insert. (Yes, poop belongs to the sewage system instead of the dustbin.)

After the experiments, these steps work best:

lay a fresh insert ON a cloth diaper with adjustable rise (such as Moo Moo Kow or Happy Heinys)
adjust the rise setting to 1 to 2 snaps SHORTER than usual (ensure a snug fit)
if the insert is too long, fold it a bit at the front or back
put the diaper on baby and he is ready to go

With a smaller rise setting, the insert is kept in place and can perform its job well.

Over one entire day outdoor, Vee needed only 2 pocket diapers to rotate and reuse, and 4 disposable inserts. For Vee, each insert could last up to 3 to 4 hours, when he would be changed. It would take little time to hand-wash and dry two pocket diapers in the hotel each day.

With the hybrid system (cloth diaper and disposable insert), most of Vee’s bums and waist are covered by cloth. The inserts have been gentle on Vee’s sensitive skin, and I am very relieved.

Flip disposable inserts can be used together for higher absorbency, which is essential during nights. (We have yet to test them out for night-time. Vee is a persistent-night-nurser-cum-super-heavy-wetter, and I am not ready to sacrifice previous sleep yet!)

Overall, I am very satisfied with these inserts and would be stocking them for our trip. While placing an order, I was informed that these are out of stock at Whoopeekiddies. A new version of wider inserts would be shipped and I hope to lay my hands on them!

How do you diaper your little ones when travelling overseas? Any tips to share?

—

What we like about them:

Trim
Long enough for Large diapers
Made of materials gentle to baby’s skin — no bleach / dye / fragrance, and little SAP
Absorbent
Stay-dry surface
Work with existing stash of one-size diapers
No pungent smell with urine
Can be combined for higher absorbency

What can be improved:

Scrunched up a little in front (Tip: use with one-size diaper and smaller setting on rise)
A little fibre stuck to genital
For a greener effect, I would prefer fully biodegradable inserts
Offer an option of larger packs (e.g. 30) for cost savings

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Update on 22 Dec 2010: A new and longer version of Flip disposable inserts is now available. We used it for one week in Perth and love it!

© 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: Semi-Cloth Diapering During Travel (Flip One-Size Disposable Inserts). Any reproduction of the content within this feed is strictly prohibited.

Review: Knickernappies 2G Pocket Diapers

MieVee @ MummysReviews.com — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:10:00 +0000

This is a follow-up of a previous article on my diaper hunt for larger pocket diapers that fit chubby-thighed Baby V. After trying out one Knickernappies 2G Pocket Diaper (Large) (listed price: S$26.50) on Baby V over the past month, I love it so much that I have bought five more from Whoopeekiddies during a recent sale.

It is very trim when used with LoopyDo 2G inserts and pants fit nicely over it — perfect for outings. Since it is a sized diaper, there are less snaps settings to figure out compared to a one-size diaper. Baby V is using only the second snaps in each row, so I am pleased that there is ample room for growth. Although the rise is a little high for him now, he will grow taller and this would not matter soon. I like the large coverage provided by the wide crotch and front elastics that prevent leakage when Baby V is on his tummy.

The inner fleece layer feels damp during diaper changes, so whether you like it depends on if your baby is particular about dampness. Personally, I find that dampness aids potty-training progress.

Being a side-snapping diaper, Knickernappies 2G offers these benefits:

Independent adjustment of the waist and thigh settings, which is exactly what Baby V needs
Diaper can be pulled up and down to be used as training pants later on, which saves money on getting cloth training pants, especially important since Baby V is already in the pre-potty training stage. (Update: Since he is very chubby, it is easy to pull the diaper now but hard to pull it up.)
Easy to put onto a super-active baby, even if he is standing (Just need to remember the settings, snap four times and the child is free to go.)

I am looking forward to pre-washing and using all the new diapers!

What we like about them:

Very trim (especially when used with LoopyDo 2G inserts) — great for outings and under pants
Gentle elastics that prevent red marks
Front elastics that prevent leakage when baby is on his tummy
Wide crotch provides large coverage

What can be improved:

Slightly stronger elastics at the thighs (I am not sure if the current ones can hold in explosive breastfed-baby’s poo.)
Introduce cute prints

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Get Your Own

I bought our Knickernappies 2G Pocket Diapers from BabeHause.com (Singapore / Malaysia) and Whoopeekiddies.com (Singapore).

You may also check the price at Amazon.com here: Knickernappies 2G Pocket Diapers*

Knickernappies is also now available in One-Size: Knickernappies One Size Pocket Diaper with Microfiber Inserts*

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

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