Rarpz One Size Pocket Nappy Review

Emma from Rarpz Designs was very kind to send me two of her gorgeous nappies and a pack of cotton reusable wipes.  One nappy from their Characters range with snuggly yellow minkee and a very cool "Prince Charming" cotton print panel across the back  and wings.  It also has a light blue inner which is a nice change from white.  The other nappy has smooth fluoro orange PUL - beautifully bright for happy and colourful nappy changes!
One of the best features of these nappies, in my mind, is that they are hand sewn, so you know you are getting quality workmanship, attention to detail and supporting a Mum and her family :)

Features:

Waterproof outer with different fabric and print options
Cuddly microfleece inner

OSFM with 3 snap up size settings (3.5 - 17+kg)

Option of Snaps or Velcro closure

Elasticised back pocket
Insert Stopper

Large square bamboo trifold soaker included
Reinforced tabs for durability

First Impressions:
Upon first inspection, these nappies are beautifully made with high quality materials. I love that there are so many different colour and fabric options, as well as the choice of velcro or snaps. They have an elasticised back pocket to keep the insert in place as well as an "insert stopper": a 2nd row of stitching at the front to keep the insert just below the top of the nappy to avoid leakage on tummy sleepers - ingenious!
The cotton wipes are un-dyed natural cotton with rainbow coloured edging.  They're not too thick, smooth on one side and terry on the other - perfect for sticky messes!

Size/Fit:

These Rarpz nappies are a good length and should fit to a good age.  Cross over snaps mean they will also fit a small bub (down to 3kg).  I was able to easily get a good fit on both my 7 month old and chubby 2 1/2 year old.  They are a trim fit nappy, which is great under all types of clothes.  I love that they come in either snaps or velcro - the velcro is great for getting a snug fit on a wriggly newborn, which snaps are perfect for older children with clever fingers who would prefer to run wild and nappy-free ;)

Absorbency:

The trifold soaker included with the nappy is generously sized and made up of 2 layers of  thirsty bamboo.  I didn't need to boost it for either of my girls, even my heavy wetting ChaCha which was a great bonus for me! 

Washing/Drying Time:
The nappies come apart easily for washing and the shells, like all pockets dry very quickly - the cotton and minkee taking just a little longer than the smooth PUL.  The bamboo boosters also dried quite quickly for a bamboo fabric an arvo in the sun or a day on the clothes horse inside.

Summary:
I've loved using these nappies and wipes on my girls.  They've been very reliable and super cute to boot!  I would definitely recommend them!

Destination Green One Size Pocket Nappy Review & Giveaway!

Well this review has been a while in coming, but I've had a great chance to try out this nappy on both my girls, and must say, I really like it!...  And what's more, Emma from Destination Green has kindly sent me an extra nappy to give away to one lucky person!... but more about that later - first let me tell you about this awesome nappy!

 
Features:
One Size Pocket nappy with 3 (snap up) size settings

PUL outer with micro suede lining

Elasticised pocket opening

2 rows of  snaps on wings for separate leg and waist adjustment

2 boosters included: 3 layer bamboo terry & 3 microfibre.

Cute prints

First Impressions:
Upon first inspection the nappy looks well made and durable, as well as very cute.  The PUL layer is single rather than sandwich PUL, but since its hidden away in the pocket it shouldn't see much wear and tear. I like microsuede as a lining as it is thin and light but also seems to repel stains better than microfleece.  The boosters are thick and soft but not bulky. 



Size/ Fit:  

Cha Cha at 9 months

Average length - about 1/2 way between a Bum Genius (long) and a China Cheapie (short)

The smallest size setting and overlapping snaps will allow it to fit a small bub and it still fit My chubby Lou Lou nicely at 2 1/2. :)

The best part about it though?  Separate hip and waist snaps!  This means that it will easily fit bubs off all shapes and sizes and is a definite advantage!

Absorbency:
I was unsure how it would go for absorbency having only 2 long boosters, but it was fine for Lou lou during the day both when she was awake and during nap time.  I was less confident when trying it on my heavy wetting Cha Cha, as she was using a 2 layer bamboo trifold and long bamboo booster inside a double gussetted cover at the time, but it stood up to the test and worked well for day time; not so much for naps.  I did mostly use it as a lay in system on ChaCha, just for peace of mind, and it worked well like that, while other pockets were not so effective.  The separate hips snaps meant I could get a really good fit around the legs to keeps her "floods" in long enough for the bamboo to soak them up ;)

Washing/ Drying Time:
Being a pocket nappy, it comes apart easily for washing.  Both boosters dry in a reasonable time - 1/2 day in the sun or full day inside.

Summary: I've been pleasantly surprised by this nappy.  It comes across as a fairly standard pocket nappy, but I really like the separate leg & waist snaps and the 2 boosters stay nice and squishy when wet, unlike flat bamboo boosters - even my husband commented on it!

Giveaway

Here's your chance to get your hands on this cute nappy!
The winner will be drawn at 12pm on March 21st and notified by email.
Best of luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Baby Beehinds Magicall All in One Cloth Nappy Review

About time for another nappy review, I think :) And next in line according to the votes is the Baby Beehinds All In One.  First up, I've got to say that these are one of my go to nappies when we go out and I want something cute and reliable. They're easy, trim, and I know that apart from the worst poo-plosions I don't have to worry about leaks.
Ok, so into the review.

Purple: small on 5mth old ~ Red: medium on 2yr old

Features:
PUL outer in smooth or minkee

Inner and pocket - excuse the bad lighting - it's not that stained! ;)

Micro suede inner
2 layers of microfibre sewn in with a pocket behind
 Bamboo booster included
Leg gussets
Velcro or snap closure
Sized S, M, L

First impressions: 
Great quality, as all Baby Beehinds products are.  Good thick PUL, strong elastic, soft minkee.  Gotta love 'em!  You don't see many nappies with leg gussets like these ones.  The leg elastic is in a little from the edge of the leg hole fabric creating a flared effect, like a flower around bub's leg.  That may sound a little strange, but it's saved my girls' clothes from escaping poop numerous times! ;)

Size/ Fit:
The best thing about sized nappies is the trim fit and lack of tummy bulk and these are no exception.  They're not the trimmest nappy around, but for the sake of reliability, I'll take the extra height and leg gussets any day!  The overlapping snaps allow for good tummy adjustment on a newborn, but I did find that the leg holes on the small took a little growing into, but that does also mean that my chubby 2 year old still squeezes into her mediums :) 

Absorbency:
The 4 layers of microfibre sewn into the nappy were enough for Cha Cha for the first couple of months, but now that she's almost 6 months she needs the included bamboo booster in her smalls.  She wets through almost anything, though, so I'm getting the feeling she might be a heavy wetter.  Lou Lou, on the other hand still only needs the included booster in her mediums even though she's now 2.  The mediums have a larger section of microfibre and a larger booster pad, but I'm wondering if Cha Cha might need more than that.


Washing/ Drying:
I love that there are only 2 pieces to wash and dry.  I turn mine inside out so that the sewn in microfibre gets a good wash and sees some sun, and hang them sideways or in the middle to save the leg elastic.  Because there are 4 layers sewn in they do take a little longer to dry, but not much longer than a bamboo trifold.

 Summary:
These really are one of my favourite nappies.  I got mine second hand and they're still going strong and wearing really well.  Most of mine are minkee with snaps, but I do sometimes wish they were velcro when bub's wriggling round on the table :)

Nappying my Newborn - Prefolds, Fitteds & Covers

Intro:
In my stash of Newborn Nappies, the majority (and the ones that I use the most) are 2 piece systems - prefolds or fitteds with a separate cover. I prefer these for a couple of reasons:

• They're cheap,
• Interchangeable
• More realiable (2 layers of leak protection)
• Good fit / less bulky
• Less to wash when the cover doesn't need changing
• Prefolds can be re-used as boosters in larger nappies

There are also a few cons though:

• They can be fiddly - hard to get both pieces on properly when bub is wriggling
• Disposing of the soggy nappy
 

Features:
Prefolds
I've been using Hemp Babies Little Weeds and the Peapods Bamboo trifold boosters as my prefolds, which I fold into a triangle and put in the cover. (see pictures). I also have some proper cotton prefolds (with the thicker middle third, but find them more bulky and less absorbent)

Hemp Babies Prefold & Weehuggers Cover

To get a nice fit around the legs and create a bit of a poo-pocket, I roll the sides in a bit at the arrows.  Since Cha Cha is still quite small, I can fastened them at the front with a snappi. I like doing it this way because they are trimmer and fit more snugly around the legs, leaving less room for leaks onto the cover, but I often find that as I go to put the cover on, she wriggles and it all comes apart, so I sometimes end up just wrapping it around her and putting the cover on as tight as I can to hold it in place :s

 I've found that already at 8 weeks, I'm needing to boost my Hemp Babies, but the Peapods are still lasting the distance.  I'm boosting them with the bamboo boosters from the small Baby Beehinds Magicalls (All In Ones)  and Pikapu microfibre boosters.

Fitteds:

Geobels

I managed to find some Geobels Fitteds second hand on Used Nappies and I really like them. They are bamboo terry fabric and come with a little booster. The wings are quite long and overlap across the front and I use a snappi to keep them in place and then the front of the nappy folds down over the top, to give a great adjustable fit. They are a little bulkier than a (snappi-ed) prefold and take a bit longer to dry but are very absorbent, rarely leak and aren't as fiddly to put on.

Bum Cheeks make a newborn prefold that I also love - bamboo fleece, with a snap in booster and snap closure - they fit really nicely and hold quite a lot - haven't had any leaks yet.

Thirsties Fab Fitted

While I'm here, let me quickly tell you about the Thirsties Fab Fitteds as well. They're made of microfibre wich and extra layer sewn in the centre and fasten with velcro - I have the small size and they're still a little big for Cha Cha, but I loved them on Lou Lou and almost ditched the rest of my stash and bought a whole set. The thing I love about microfibre on little bubs is that it's so lovey and squishy even when it's wet - not solid like bamboo - it seems so much more comfy :) 
UPDATE:  At 9 weeks they're fitting quite well and I still love them!

I also have a 2 tots Bots but they're still a bit big... more on those later


Covers:

Thirsties X Small (and gussets), Thirsties Size 1, Baby Beehinds, Imse Vimse, Pikapu, Weehuggers

I have so many - all PUL some velcro and some snaps

Thirsties Size XSmall and Size 1 - lovely thin stretchy PUL and soft elastic. Velcro closure. Double Gussets. The Size 1 has sizing snaps and the other doesn't, cute colours and prints.

Baby Beehinds Newborn - PUL sandwiched between 2 layers of polyester to protect the PUL coating (good quality!) and wide leg elastic, Strong velcro closure. Cute colours, prints and minkee! Although this one doesn't have double gussets, the wider ealastic makes a good, comfy fit around the legs.

Imse Vimse Organic Cotton Premmie - PUL with organic cotton outer (the PUL side of the polyester is sandwiched between the layers so the PUL isn't exposed.  Lovely and gentle, with wide wings, elasticised waist and velcro closure.  Great fit right from the beginning. Double Gussets

Pikapu Newborn & Blueberry Mini Coverall - These 2 are very similar, the Blueberry is slightly bigger.  They are the same style as the Thirsties with sizing snaps, but not quite as thin and stretchy -  stretchy PUL, velcro closure, sizing snaps, double gusset.

Weehuggers - snap closure, double gussets, gorgeous prints! This one has an inner flap at the front and back to tuck the prefold into, which keeps it nicely in place, however, if used with a fitted it gets soggy.

Bum Cheeks Newborn - PUL with snap closure. A little bigger leg holes, was too big over my prefolds at 5wks, but fits better now (8wks)  3 snaps on each wing to combat wing droop.

I like and use them all, but prefer the softer , stretchier ones - they seem more comfy. Generally, the thinner the cover the stretchier it is and therefore it's easier to fit and seem more comfy, but if the laminate layer is exposed, it could potentially deteriorate quicker. Although, because these are only used for a few months, that shouldn't be too much of a problem.

I find the velcro is heaps easier to fasten on a small and wriggly bub, but it can sometimes rub on their tummy, which must be unpleasant.

The sizing snaps are handy and make the cover use-able for longer, but add bulk and warp the leg holes a bit.

Double gussets are ingenious and fit so beautifully snug around the legs!  A definite must for keeping in newborn poo-plosions!

Summary:
So, as you can probably tell, I'm having a hard time picking my favourites, I love the trimness of the hemp prefolds with the Imse Vimse cover, but the asorbency and fit of the Geobels with the soft thirsties covers is great for longer periods.

As I mentioned before they can be fiddly, which is annoying especially in the middle of the night, and I've also found it slightly more tricky to dispose of the soggy nappy. I use mainly pockets on my 21mth old, Lou Lou, and when I change her, I just roll them up and fasten the wings together, so I have a nice parcel to put to the side (or on the floor!) while I dress her. But with these, when I re-use the cover, I have a soggy prefold to deal with. I have been hanging a wet bag off the corner of my change table and putting them in there, but an icecream bucket would be another option. Or I could use a clean cover for each change, and then after I take the nappy to the laundry, I could bring the cover back and load it with another prefold, ready for the next change. This would give the cover time to air and would make the next change easier... I like this idea - I'm going to have to try it :)

So they're my thoughts on my collection of prefolds, fitted nappies and covers. Let me know if you have any questions :) Or leave a comment and let me know how you nappy your newborn. Which nappies are your favourites?

Peapods One Size (OSFM) Pocket Cloth Nappy Review

Peapods OSFM (One-Size-Fits-Most) Pocket / AI2 (All-In-Two)

Features:
PUL outer, stay-dry microfleece inner.
Bamboo tri-fold insert topped with microfleece for use as a snap in (All-In-Two) booster
Unique slide on leg elastic for size adjustment with 4 marked sizes.
2 rows of snaps for separate leg and waist adjustment.
Comes in a range of colours, and one print (swirl).
Very reasonably priced!

First Impressions:
At first glance this nappy looks identical to the original Sized Peapods Pocket Nappy, but once you open it up, you see that it's different.  I love the idea of the adjustable leg elastic - it takes away the bulk from the front of the nappy - and along with being able to use it as a pocket or AI2 makes this one of the most customisable nappies I've come across.  I'm just wondering if the slide will move in the wash - I don't want to have to re-adjust it every time.
UPDATE: The slides stay put just fine :)

Design:
So let me explain the design in more detail.  It starts out as a normal pocket nappy with a trifold bamboo booster.  There is an opening in both the front and back to make for easy insertion (pic 1).  The bamboo booster is topped with microfleece (just the top 1/3 when folded) and equipped with snaps so it can also be snapped into place at the front of the nappy for use as an AI2 (pic 3).  When not used as an AI2, a layer of microfleece covers the snaps, so they don't irritate bub (pic 2).
Right near the snaps there is also a slide on the leg elastic which can be pulled up or down to tighten or loosen the leg elastic and at the same time the rise of the nappy.  XS,S,M, L are marked on the elastic so you can easily make both sides the same (pic 4). 

Size/ Fit: 
With 4 size settings, and separate leg and waist adjustment, you should be able to get this nappy to fit most bubs.  I reckon on an older/taller child it might become a little hipster though - it doesn't seem as long in the rise as some of my others.
It fits my 18mth old very nicely on Medium so she's got a bit of growing room yet. She's a little chubby, but there's still plenty of room.


Absorbency:
The tri-fold absorber is 2 thick layers of bamboo - lovely and soft but holds a lot of wee :)

Washing/ Drying Time:
Easy to pull apart and wash.  The covers dry in no time at all and the boosters take a full day in the sun (not that we get a full day of sun that often here :))  I guess that's the bonus about AI2 and pocket systems - you can buy extra boosters and re-use the covers while the others are drying.

Other Comments:
I'm looking forward to seeing how this fits on my newborn - only 6 weeks to go! - I reckon it'll be one of the earlier fitting One-Size nappies.  The quality of material seems good, although I think I personally prefer micro-suede to microfleece as an inner layer - my micro-suede nappies don't seem to have stained as easily, but that might be coincidence :)

UPDATE: I had this nappy on Cha Cha at 5wks and 4kgs. It fit her nicely on the XS setting both around her legs & tummy. The trifold bamboo insert seemed like overkill at that stage, a Peapods night booster would probably have been enough, but the nappy still wasn't too bulky for an OSFM. There was a bit of excess material at the front, but it didn't affect how well it worked. It was nice to be able to make the legs fit exactly right and still be able to snap the tummy to fit right too.

Summary: 
 I really like this nappy so far!   I love how customisable it is and it's very practical for Tassie weather.  The price is also very reasonable! I'd definitely recommend it!

Bumpy Buns Reviews Intro and Index

I've been thinking for a while now, that I'd like to go through all my stock and try out each product to see how it works, so that I can make better recommendations to people who ask. 


So I've decided to go through my shelves, in no specific order, and try out nappies, accessories and products for Mum and write reviews as I go.  I'll also be reviewing a few popular brands that I don't sell (yet) to see how they compare.

It's a good time for me to start actually, as my first daughter is now 18mths, and I have another on the way (Due in December!), so over the months I should be able to try out all the different products in different sizes, including Newborn!
If you're after specific information on Newborn Nappies, here is the link to: Nappying my Newborn - Intro and Index

I'll keep this blog as the introduction and put links up to all the different reviews and products for easy reference.  Clicking on the Title will bring up the review. Clicking on the picture will take you to that product for sale at Bumpy Buns.


If you would like a specific product reviewed, let me know via the comments section and I'll see what I can do :)

The first cab off the rank:  Pikapu OSFM AIO!

Pikapu at Bumpy Buns

• Pikapu One Size (OSFM) All in One (AIO)  

Peapods One Size at Bumpy Buns

•  Peapods One Size (OSFM) Pocket/All in Two (AI2)  

• Newborn Prefolds, Fitteds and Covers
  

Baby Beehinds Magicall

• Baby Beehinds MagicAll All-In-One (AIO)

Pikapu One Size (OSFM) All in One (AIO) Review

Pikapu OSFM AIO (One-Size-Fits-Most All-In-One)

Features:
PUL outer, sewn in microfibre layer with a fold out booster all topped with stay-dry microfleece.
4 rows of sizing snaps, velcro fastening, double gussets.
Comes in a range of colours, but no prints.

First Impressions:
On first inspection it's a good looking nappy!  Beautifully soft and squishy, practical and quick drying, but doesn't seem to have heaps of absorbency - maybe 4 layers of microfibre altogether in the wetzone.  We'll see how it goes!

Size/ Fit: 
Great size range, with 4 rows of snaps, giving 4 size settings!  Looks like it could be bulky on a newborn, but fits my chubby 18mth old beautifully on the 2nd setting.  The velcro tabs come round her tummy well, so there's room to grow there too.  Of the nappies I currently own, this one has the most room around the waist, but is on par with BumGenius, Baby Kanga and Peapods One-Size for rise.  The double gussets give a really good fit around the legs.


Absorbency:
Well, although I was doubtful, I haven't had any leaks - I'll need to try it over a day sleep to test it though... will do that and update soon :)
UPDATE:  Although I haven't had any leaks (I think the double gussets are at work!) it does seem very wet when I take it off, so I've started boosting it with a small bamboo booster under the flap.  

Washing/ Drying Time:
Easy to wash - and I love that you don't have to put it back together afterwards!  Dried in a similar time to the microfibre boosters I have - 1/2 day in the sun or full day in front of the heat pump.

Other Comments:
Seems to have "pill-ed" quite a lot after only a few washes, perhaps I need to wash it in a laundry bag, but my other microfleece nappies don't have the same problem...

Summary: 
 All in all, a great nappy!  Well made, good size for my 18mth old and lots of room to grow :)  Great for Tassie climate and very easy to use :)