Tuesday, October 23, 2012

OsoCozy Fitted Diapers: A Review!

I don't know about you, but one of my favorite things to read on a blog is a review! I love hearing how real people, especially real moms, like or dislike products. I love when they are able to share their experiences and I think those kinds of posts more than anything help me make decisions on what I would or would not like to try. One problem I run into though is that some bloggers get all excited about being offered something to test and they give it a positive review, or spin the review in such a positive way, even if they really don't like whatever it is or won't use it ever again after the trial period. Not all bloggers are like this, some won't even review something if they don't like it, as mama always said, if you don't have something nice...but there are some awesome bloggers who will be honest with you about a product or service's flaws, it's cons as well as it's pros! This is the kind of blogger I want to be, and plan to be. If you would like to partner with me for a review please email me at blueturtlesweetie@gmail.com or get a hold of me through my blog.
 
This blog is brought to you by the letter M...Just kidding, it's done with the cooperation and support of Mama's Emporium!
 
Mama's Emporium is a delightful store run by an awesome mama. The owner, Amanda has a brick and mortar store in Aurora, CO, but she also has an online store which I frequent all the time! I love her site because she uses customer input to decide what she will and will not carry, and she uses almost everything she carries so she stands behind her products 100%. I also love that you earn rewards points for each purchase, which can really add up! I have used my points to get a FREE baltic amber teething necklace and am currently saving up for a shark teething toy/baby toothbrush! Or maybe just a gift certificate! Mama's Emporium also has AWESOME customer service and is very knowledgeable about cloth diapering and parenting in general. She doesn't just carry cloth diapers and accessories either! She also carries teething remedies, toys, books, essential oils, cloth diaper detergents, lotions, CD safe diaper rash creams, natural cleaning products, baby wraps and carriers, and so much more! PLUS she does registries and layaway! I have never had a negative experience with her, and I swear I'm not just saying that because she's sponsoring this review. I would tell you if I'd had a bad experience because this blog is all about learning and growing in my cloth diaper journey and helping others to learn and have a positive experience in theirs!
 
So...on to the good stuff, the diapers!
 
I was originally looking into fitteds because we are still searching for a good nighttime solution. The problem is fitteds are generally more expensive. I started cloth diapering because, well, we needed to save the money! So I am very budget minded when it comes to cloth diapering. I prefer prefolds and covers just because it's cheaper. I prefer china cheapies, again, because they are cheaper. But neither of those have been working for nighttime, no matter what I stuff pockets with or how well I use the prefolds. When I got the chance to do a review, I of course jumped on it!
 
OsoCozy is supposed to be a more budget minded brand of cloth diapers. They are less expensive than other brands for sure. I've always assumed you kind of get what you pay for with fitteds. I've heard of a lot of mamas having problems with cheaper fitteds and I will be honest, I was skeptical that these were going to work. We put it on my son one night with a simple Econobum cover. Cheap but works. I'll say this, my son is a heavy wetter and he's also a tummy sleeper which makes finding a good diaper to last the night even more difficult. Even disposables don't work very well overnight and it seems no matter what we put on him he ends up waking up to wet sheets. We literally have been waking him up twice a night to change him. So back to the night we tried them. Well when he woke up the next morning he was happy and his sheets were dry! He seemed like he was in a much better mood and I was happy because I didn't have to change his sheet, and I didn't have to wake him up twice to change his diaper! The fitted and cover held it all in and were easy to take off! I thought maybe I was just lucky, so I washed a load of diaper laundry and tried again. Same results! I've now tried it four different nights with three different covers and I can say for sure that OsoCozy fitted diapers are awesome!
 
I already loved OsoCozy better fit prefolds, but now I am very happy to say I think OsoCozy is a great brand. It's the best of both worlds because they obviously make quality diapers that work well but they also will not break the bank! I honestly think we have found our night time solution! I seriously cannot think of anything I didn't like about the diaper's use. I will say the laundry tabs don't keep the velcro hooked and the velcro ends up sticking to things in the laundry, but it is such a minor annoyance in a big long list of pros, it won't keep me from buying more at all!

 

 
 
You can buy OsoCozy fitteds or add them to your registry at Mama's Emporium
 
Don't forget, if you'd like to partner with me for a review and/or giveaway, let me know! blueturtlesweetie@gmail.com

UPDATE: OsoCozy will no longer be making velcro closure for their fitted diapers. This is really saddening to me because I love that feature, it makes it easy to take off and put on. Mama's Emporium still has some velcro, I would get in on that while you could.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

All About Accessories - Rash Creams and Liners!

By now in your CD journey, you've probably read or heard that most traditional rash creams that you use with disposables like Desitin and Butt Paste don't work with CD. Or you may not. If you haven't, here it is: Traditional rash creams are NOT safe to use with cloth diapers. Why? From what I understand it's the zinc which is a big main ingredient in most that harms the diapers. Those creams can cause diapers to repel. Repelling means instead of absorbing liquid (aka Pee) like they should, the diapers will begin to repel. You have a few options on what to do if your baby gets a rash while cloth diapering or if you just want to prevent a rash. I'll explore a few of the more common options in this post.
 
 
Liners
 
One option to consider is using the traditional creams and use a liner for your diapers. A liner is a barrier that protects your cloth diaper. You can use disposable liners which you can just throw away after using, a fleece, flannel, or other fabric liner that you can make or buy, a paper towel, baby wash cloth, or even cut up a shirt or something. I have never done that because I've found CD safe rash creams that work well so that I've never felt the need to try liners.
 
Coconut Oil
 
Coconut oil is supposed to work on getting rid of rashes and be great for preventing them. They make solid pressed coconut oil so you just swipe some and put it on babies bum. I, again, have never tried it because I've found other creams that work well but I've heard it works great. You can get it at walmart or at Mama's Emporium! (Remember you get reward points from Mama's Emporium that you can use towards free stuff!)
 
CJ's BUTTer
 
CJ's BUTTer is probably the most well known diaper rash cream for cloth diapering mamas! I've used it on eczema and it has helped, diaper rash, and as a diaper rash preventative. I thought it was amazing and really don't have a complaint but when I tried LuSa Organics Booty Balm I preferred that. But I would still use CJ's and still do sometimes. I love all the different scents they come in, my favorite is Green Irish Tweed, Sweet Orange, Pink Sugar, and Love Spell. Monkey Farts is also very popular.A little goes a long way!
 
LuSa Organics Booty Balm
 
I got a sample size of this in my Stash Surprise from Mama's Emporium. At first I was like "I don't need this, I've got CJ's!" But one day CJ's just wasn't doing it for my little baby. Something had to be done and I was willing to try anything to ease his agony. So I broke this out and tried it. We haven't looked back since. I will say it is kind of pricey, and I am VERY cheap, but I will still buy this! In fact I just ordered some from Mama's Emporium last week! It's also good for cuts, scrapes, mild burns, drool rash, and much more. It definitely helped my son's rash, and I've used it on my toddler's eczema with great success! Plus it smells amazing! I recommend you buy a sample and try it, you'll never go back to anything else. I will say I do still use CJ's if  I can't find the LuSa or out and about because I keep a CJ's sample in the diaper bag and CJ's is still good, I just really would prefer to spend my money on this!

Diaper Rash Cream Samplers
 
So are you still not sure which rash remedy/preventative to choose? Try a Rash Cream Sampler from Mama's Emporium! It contains: 1 GroVia Mini Magic Stick
1 Punkin Butt Bottom Balm Pocket Size
1 Lusa Organics Booty Balm Travel Size
5 Grandma El's Samples (1-2 uses each)
And you have the option of trying out liners for an additional cost (reusable AND disposable!) so it's the perfect chance to see what method is best for you!

UPDATE: Mama's Emporium now sells CJ's BUTTer! You can find it here.

I Recommend

CJ's BUTTer
LuSa Organics Booty Balm
Both can be found here.

Bottom Line

I use mostly CJ's BUTTer. I like the sample sizes and buy mostly those because a little goes a long way and they are the perfect way to try out different scents, plus they are great for the car, diaper bag, first aid kit, babysitter's house, or anywhere!

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

All About Accessories - Wet Bags/Pail Liners!

I bet, if you are new to Cloth Diapering, you're wondering "what do I do with the dirty diapers until I do laundry?!" When I first started I thought you washed diapers after each change. I thought for sure I was missing something because of how much water and detergent I was going to waste! Come to find out you don't! You wait until you have a full load to do! I do diaper laundry every other day. So if I do it Monday, I don't do it again until Tuesday. Sometimes I do it more often if my son goes through a lot of diapers, like if he has diarrhea, or when he was a newborn.
So where do the dirty/wet diapers go when you are done changing a soiled diaper, until laundry day? Well there are options. You can do an open pail, a closed pail, or a wet bag! In this post I'll explore the pail/pail liners vs using a wet bag. I will admit I am not to familiar with pails or pail liners because I have never done anything but a wet bag!
 
Wet bag 
 
I personally like wet bags. I don't like to look at or smell dirty diapers. Wet bags are simple, they are waterproof bags that you stick your diapers in and zip them closed. Then when it's time for laundry I open the bag, take out the diapers, separate the inserts from the diapers (you can do this as you put diapers in the bag if you would like, but I just do it as I'm tossing diapers in the laundry), pull the bag inside out, and toss it in the was with the diapers.
You can get by with one wet bag, but I have three. I have two large Planet Wise wet bags, and one small Super Green Label wet bag for when we are out and about. I use one wet bag and when it is in the was I use my second one. All my wet bags have little handles you can hang them from and I love that. Super Green Label's bag is the perfect size for the diaper bag and fits 3-5 diapers depending on type. The large PW wet bags hold an entire day to two day's worth of diapers, once again depending on the type and how often you change.
If you are trying to be more economical you can use large zip lock bags or plastic grocery bags or even trash bags!
 
Open Pail  
 
 
An open pail is just that, an open pail for diapers to go in. You can use a pail liner (like a wet bag that doesn't close), a plastic trash bag you dispose of every laundry day, or you can just put the diapers straight in the pail. A lot of people use kitchen trash cans with a pail liner or plastic trash bag. It holds plenty. You're probably thinking "Well isn't it gross? Doesn't it stink?" I personally don't want to see my dirty diapers. But I have been told by people who do it that the open air helps it not to stink. You can always try it for a bit, and get some Scentsy to make sure that you have some good smells going just in case. You can also use a pillow case as a pail liner. Planet Wise and many other companies make pail liners that are washable as well.
 
Closed Pail
 
A closed pail is the same as an open pail just with a lid on it. That way you get less smell and don't have to see your diapers. Plus it can help keep kids out of your dirty diapers! I've been told a closed pail makes them smell worse when you take them out and open the pail. I've also heard the same about wet bags and yes, when I do diaper laundry it smells, not so pleasant, but it's never bothered me too much and the smell comes out, it's only a moment. I don't smell things unless the bag is open. 

I Recommend

Super Green Label Large wet bags for at home and small/medium wetbags for on the go/in the diaper bag. You can find them here.
 
Bottom Line
 
I do recommend the Wet bag system, but as with most things in cloth diapering, it's whatever works best for you and your family! You may want to try all of them and see which works best for you!

All About Accessories - Fasteners!

So now that you know all about the different types of cloth diapers, you may want to know more about cloth diaper accessories. There are many accessories and many options you may want to consider before deciding for sure, just like you want to consider each type of cloth diapers before deciding which one is right for your family! Hopefully this post will give you a good idea of what you would like to try. Just like with each type of diaper, diaper detergent, etc, I recommend you try a variety to decide what you want to use. Just because something works for me doesn't mean it will work for you, and just because something works for your friend, your mother, your first child, doesn't mean it will work this time around! Each baby is different and you kind of have to find the right groove for you! For this post I would like to stick to fasteners!
 
 
Fasteners 
 
Diaper fasteners are very important if you are using or planning on using flats and prefolds! While you can fold them in such a way that you won't need a fastener I highly recommend having one on hand, or two, or three. I like to have one upstairs and one downstairs, as well as one spare. There are a few different options for fastening but I'm going to stick to the more popular three options.
 
Diaper Pins
 
Diaper pins are what our grandmothers, and in some case mothers used! They are simply safety pins that pin the diaper. Pins aren't used as much anymore because you can poke the baby or yourself very easily. They can be a little difficult because you have to un pin them, pin them back, and close them all on a wormy baby. I have not ever used pins because I don't like the idea of a sharp needle anywhere near my sweet baby or my clumsy fingers! Pins may enable you to get a tighter fit and are harder for older babies/toddlers to remove. I honestly do not know anyone who uses pins anymore but I know they are still available!
 
Snappi
 
I use snappi fasteners on my kiddo. Snappis are very user friendly and easy to learn, although it can be difficult to get a snug fit with some folds. It is possible to scratch yourself or the baby with the underside of the snappi but I have never had this happen and I think it might be difficult to do so.
 
A snappi fastener:
 
 
A Snappi fastener's underneath
  
 
 
Boingos
 
Boingos are two part fasteners. I have not tried them but I have heard good and bad things about them. Hopefully I will be trying them soon and can do a review for everyone! Some things that may be more difficult is you have to keep track of two separate pieces, you also have to fasten and unfasten two fasteners. I have heard some say they are easier than snappies and let's face it, they are way cuter than snappis. I'll know more when I try them! 
A set of boingos. One goes on each side so it's like the snappi without a bottom part that hooks to the crotch area.
 
So as you see there are a few different options to use as fasteners. You could try each and every one of them, or you can just try one and see how you like it and go from there. Whatever you do I hope you find what you need and that you have fun doing it!

I got my fasteners at Mama's Emporium! You can find them on her website: 

Click here to visit Mama's Emporium


UPDATE: I have since tried boingo fasteners. I like them but I prefer the snappi. They are very functional and quick to use, I just prefer the snappi because even if my little one is squirming and rolls around, it stays hooked and I just pull and snap. With boingos you kind of have to start over again. Honestly though I use both now.

Bottom Line

I use a mix of Boingos and Snappis. I prefer the snappis but I prefer either to pins.

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Mama's Emporuim, Twitter Party, and Phantom Fluff!

There's a mystery afoot! A cloth diaper mystery! Check out the video to learn more!

Tune in the the #phantomfluff twitter party to find out the type of diaper, brand of diaper, and win prizes while socializing with other cloth diapering mommies!
Mama's Emporium will have the fluff in stock and for sale after the twitter party ends on Oct. 4th. Mama's Emporium will be offering FREE SHIPPING on the phantom fluff and all phantom fluff purchases will come with a FREE raffle ticket! (Find out more about that here http://wwwdotmamasemporiumdotcom.wordpress.com/2012/09/29/mamas-emporium-grab-bag-special-and-october-raffle/)
Get more info and RSVP to the twitter party here: http://www.theecochic.com/2012/09/17/rsvp-phantomfluff-twitter-party-10412/
 
Find Mama's Emporium here
 
 
It's where I buy cloth diapers, snappis, teething items, cloth diaper safe creams for rash, and much much more! Check it out!