Missing a Survey?

Is there a survey on this site that you think we need to add? Email me at paddedtushstats@gmail.com or post a comment anywhere on this blog and I will set up a survey for that diaper ASAP

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Best Bottom Diapers Review

For information on how I attempt to ensure to produce reviews as honest and fair to diaper creators  as possible, please click here.

I have a lot of criteria on what I consider to be a perfect all in two diaper. When I was writing a review of another all in two diaper a few years ago, I thought, ‘Why isn’t there an AI2 out there that has a TRULY wipeable inside while still a snap in insert?’ The flip had a more wipeable inside (as opposed to the Softbums and the Gro-Via, which held some stink), but you couldn’t snap in the insert. So then I consulted my BFF, Google. Google told me about how a new diaper was coming out from Nicki’s Diapers called the Best Bottom Diapers and it had a wipeable inside. But dang it, it wasn’t out yet. I soon forgot about that and went on my merry (yet irritated with stinky AI2s) way, until I was researching diapers for Padded Tush Stats and found it again.  So of course I had to try them out.

So in this personal review of the diaper (as opposed to my statistical reviews that are based on a bunch of survey responses) I am going to tell you how I would respond to a Padded Tush Stats survey if I were filling it out for my kids.

Video Review

Let’s first look at the basics on this diaper:
* This is a one size diaper, which means it fits from roughly the newborn to 35 pound range.

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Left: On largest setting. Right: on smallest setting

* There is a little double gusset going on around the legs to help keep “stuff” in

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* The diaper comes in snap and hook and loop (velcro---why do I always have to clarify this? Why don’t I just say Velcro…it’s like Rachael Ray having to always say “EVOO- Extra Virgin Olive Oil”….what was the point of saying EVOO if you still say Extra Virgin Olive oil? I guess it is to make 1 million dollars selling EVOO t-shirts. So I guess I better get a t-shirt that reads “Hook and Loop” or “Aplix” and make my million).

* The colors are inspired by (wait for it…..) ICE CREAM. Mine is my second favorite ice cream…mint chocolate chip. (Given that a diaper is something pooped in, I am terrified of a “Rocky Road” one)

* I love how this diaper has SIZED inserts. It allows for a great fit with no folding an insert or anything. The sizes are…Small: birth-14lbs, Medium: 11-22lbs, Large: 16-35lbs. I found these to be SUPER affordable. However, when I am out and about, I like to have a one size insert because I don’t know which of my babies will use the diaper, so SHHHH I have a secret for you…Softbums inserts fit the snap in this diaper! So for out and about, I like to use a Softbums Opod or Bamboo pod.

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* There are three insert materials you can get with this diaper:

- The Stay Dry insert – this has 4 layers of microfiber and then a no-pill fleece on top that wicks moisture from your baby (so it feels dry)

- Hemp/Organic Cotton insert – 5 layers of hemp/certified organic cotton topped with hemp/certified organic cotton fleece.

- Overnight Insert – The overnight insert has 6 layers of microfiber

* There is also a doubler option. What I like about this is the doubler is actually underneath the main soaker, that way you can snap the soaker on top (whereas if it is the other way around, you would have a snap on the main insert and therefore touching the baby’s bum. Make sense? The doubler has two layers of microfiber.

* You can also purchase waist extenders, which is great if you have a larger sized baby (or larger-waisted baby).

* The outside is made of a polyester fabric and the inside is made of two layers of PUL (although the inside is a sticky feeling fabric. It kind of feels like the inside of my wetbags. It is kind of shiny like a garbage back and has a little stick to it).

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* The front of the diaper has four rows of three snaps, so get a customized fit.

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* The insert snaps into the diaper at both the front, and the bag (so no dangling insert)

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About My Babies

  Baby #1 (Toddler) Baby #2 (you will see the / for when things CHANGED at 5 months)
Is your Child a Heavy Wetter Yes Yes/No
Do you have a chunkier sized baby for his/her age No No/Yes
Do you have a skinny baby for his/her age Yes Yes/No
Does your baby have chunky thighs? No No/Yes
Does your baby have skinny thighs? No Yes/No
Is your baby prone to rashes Yes Yes
Please indicate the weights of your baby when using this diaper 16-20 pounds; 21-25 pounds 10pounds – 15 pounds
Please indicate the ages of your baby when using this diaper 18-24 months 2 months-6 months
Size used One Size One Size

Survey responses on how this diaper worked on my babies:

Ratings
(On a scale of 1-5…1 being low score, 5 being high)
Baby #1 Baby #2
Absorbency 4 4
Fit 4 4
Worth the Price 5 5
Trim 3 3
Liked by Skeptics 4 4
Daycare-worthy 4 4
Naptime 2 5
Night-time (using regular insert) 1 2
Would Recommend 4 4
What are the PROS of this diaper? I love that the inside of this is wipeable. I also like that the insert snaps down in two places, so I don’t have to worry about it shifting. I like that the inserts come in different sizes, so I don’t have a bulky fit on a smaller baby. I also like that the snap down rise makes it easy to adjust between babies when out and about.  
What are the CONS of this diaper? Sometimes the edges of the to front of the diaper can poke up when snapped (see video). It’s kind of a double edged sword with the inside of the diaper, I feel like the waterproof fabric is a little cheap, BUT I love that it is wipe down. I kind of wish the wings of the diaper had a different fabric so that sticky fabric isn’t up against their skin.  
Are there any other comments or tips you would like to add about this diaper? (for example, a particular stuffing method you found helpful, or anything else!) This is such a great diaper to have for diapering two at once. I think the inserts are affordable, but for out and about use, I would invest in some Softbums Opods.  

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Have you tried out this diaper?
If so, then please fill out the survey for this over here. Aside from personal reviews that I do (such as this one), I also do reviews based on survey responses from people who have used the diapers on their babies. Therefore, by filling out surveys you help contribute to more comprehensive reviews that are sorted by baby characteristics (so thanks in advance!).


Pricing
Cover: $16.97

Inserts: $3.95-$7.90

Where to buy them
* You can find a list of retailers here.

Although I received this diaper for review from Best Bottom Diapers, all opinions in this post are my own.

Monday, August 29, 2011

July/August Sponsor Love

All right, all right, I'll accept the bitter truth: I am a nerd who likes cloth diapers and numbers. Running statistics makes me happy and if it is about cloth diapers, well giddy me! Running these statistics takes a lot of time, but I have some wonderful sponsors that make it so that I can help support my family in exchange for all that fun, nerd-filled work.

So I want to give some love to my amazing sponsors. These are ALL companies that I believe in. These are all people I seek out as sponsors because they are people whose products I truly believe in. So I want to tell you a little big about them.

Applecheeks
You can see my review of Applecheeks here. I love these diapers. LOVE LOVE LOVE. I think the insert is soft, absorbency is great (you can even see it recommended on my "favorite things" page), and colors are cute. I have found the customer service to be outstanding. This is one of my favorite diapers to use on my babies, especially at night on my little guy. The prints/colors on the diapers are FABULOUS. I also like that there are waist extenders on the diapers so that you can get a little extra life out of them. They also have a swim diaper, which I am testing right now.


Green Diaper Demos
This company is fantastic. You will get wonderful customer service and if there is ONE person I could assign the "Cloth Diaper Expert" award to, it would definitely be Michelle at Green Diaper Demos, hands down. She also has lots of specials that she posts on her facebook page, so definitely get that in your newsfeed.
Here are some of the things she has:
She also has a neat cloth diaper trial program, so if you aren't quite sure if cloth is gonna be your thing, her program is a great way to test it out.

Are you having leaky nights? She even has an OVERNIGHT cloth diaper trial program. I wish I knew about this when I was dealing with SO MANY leaky nights with my heavy wetter. You can rent 4 different diapers for 30 days for only $124.05. You return what you don't like and get 80% of that price back (of what you returned) OR you can get 90% in store credit!
She also offers cloth diapering classes, gift registry, demo parties, rewards for frequent customers, and a nice wealth of information on cloth diapers. 
Do me a favor and check her out and say I sent ya!


Softbums
You have heard me rave about these during my One Size Diaper project AND on my Favorite diapers page. The diaper has a unique internal toggle system that allows you to get a customized fit on the diaper without the cluttered look of a snap down rise.



I Love Cloth Diapers


I love the Opod inserts because they take up very little space in the laundry...meaning I can go a while between diaper changes. I also really like the super absorbent and trim bamboo inserts.
You get a very trim fit on this diaper. Softbums offers both the Echo (a more narrow diaper) and the Omni (which is a little less narrow but has a pocket opening so you can stuff in an insert). You can see my review of the Echo diaper here and the Omni here.

One of my favorite prints of this diaper is awesome print:
Curse me for having to have gender neutral diapers for my little ones! I SO want this one!
Not in the market to buy diapers just yet? Still head on over to their facebook page to give them love. Tell them Padded Tush Stats sent you.



Sew Crafty Baby
Photobucket
Love this company. This is where I first bought my cloth diapers from and the owner walked me through my options. She even, on occasion, has talked me out of certain purchases and directed me towards less expensive purchases to make sure I got what was best for me. That means I know that I can trust her. She puts careful thought into what she sells in her store. She is also launching a new line, Bee Green Naturals. I have the vanilla chapstick and I can't stop kissing my husband ;)

Here are some of the things she has:

Stinkerpants Diapers
Oh I am so sad. This company is closing. I really like CaraLin and how she runs this company. She is so sweet and kind. Right now they are selling everything. Free shipping (within US) and everything is 20% off with the code: Storeclose.

Photobucket"

Butterflygirlms Rambles On
Heather at Butterflygirlms Rambles On ROCKS. She got me all of my buttons for the Golden Diaper Awards so quickly and they are absolutely precious. She does lots of different blog designs that are so cute and she is very flexible. She is also doing the One Size Diaper project as well, so you can see pictures of her baby growing in different One Size Diapers. Here is her most recent work for me...a badge for diaper makers and sellers to put on their sites:
Head on over to my wonderful sponsor to send her your love!


Thank you SO MUCH to my sponsors. I appreciate all you do. Thanks for keeping this site running. Readers, if you like what this site has to offer, please do me a favor and check out these great sponsors. THANKS!







Friday, August 26, 2011

Softbums Omni–Statistical Review

For more information on how I try to ensure both fairness to diaper manufacturers and fairness in my reviews, please click here.

Padded Tush Stats recently released surveys for the Softbums Omni All in Two Cloth Diapering System. After numerous calls for survey respondents on social networking sites, blogs, and cloth diapering community forums, we received 48 responses.

In the survey, questions are broken down by the kinds of diapering issues faced by the babies. Before we look at the results of the survey, I wanted to provide some basic information on the diaper. You can also see this in the video found below.

Video Review

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* The diaper is an All-in-two diapering system,which means an insert will snap in and you can change it out so you get multiple uses for each cover

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* It has what is called a “Slide2Size” system. It is an elastic toggle system in the gussets of the diaper that allows you to customize the fit around the legs. I was reaching into the diaper to adjust the elastic, or doing it from the inside of the diaper, but the owner of Softbums taught me how to size from the outside. Check out my video on how I do this! 

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* This is a One Size diapering system, which means the diaper is intended to fit your baby from birth to potty training.

* The Omni system is a little different from the Echo system because it has a pocket that you can stuff. That way you can decide whether to use it as an AI2 or a pocket diaper.

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* Another difference between the Omni and the Echo is the width. The Omni has a little bit more width to it.

* The diaper has a velcro closure system and laundry tabs so you can fold down the velcro and it won’t snag in the wash (see video)

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* One thing that is pretty neat is Softbums has a whole book that you can look at for free that gives some great basics on cloth diapering. You can find it here.

* The diaper comes with five different pod options:

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(photo: left to right—Superpod, OLD Stay Dry pod, Organic bamboo pod, Redesigned Dry Touch pod)

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(photo: left—Dry Touch Mini Pod, right—Organic bamboo mini pod)

- Redesigned Dry Touch Pod: This is a rectangular-shaped pod and is made with 4 layers of microfiber and topped with microfleese. This is great because you don’t have to fold it down or anything.

- Superpod: This is for a more heavy wetter. The pod has 3 layers of microfiber and is then topped with a layer of microfleese. The pod is extra long in length so that you fold it in half as you customize the fit. This means that the number of layers will double.

- Organic Bamboo Pod: These are made with 70% Organic bamboo and 30% Organic cotton. They are very soft and very absorbent.

- Drytouch Mini Pod: These are made with 3 layers of microfiber terry and topped with microfleese. These are great as a doubler or for a newborn.

- Organic Bamboo Mini Pod: These are made with 3 layers of organic bamboo fleese. They absorb the same as the mini pod, but are more trim.

(If you buy used, you will find that there was a pod model prior to the Redesigned pod. It looks very similar to the Superpod, but it was slightly thinner)

The Echo is very similar to the Omni (except narrower and without a pocket), so you may want to check out that review here for additional tips and tricks.

Main Findings

This diaper received extremely high statistics for being recommended to a friend (a whopping 99%!).  The diaper performed well for naps (I would assume because of all of the insert options) and fit (I would assume because of the internal toggle system with the elastic). It performed well for babies with skinny thighs (possibly because of the adjustable elastic); however, statistics seemed very similar no matter what the babies’ characteristics were, with the exception of rash prone babies. The diaper performed lowest for rash-prone babies and also performed lowest in trimness and night time use.

Statistics

Click images to enlarge

StatsagesConsFitnapnightpriceProsrecommendskeptics daycaretrimweights

Comments from Survey Respondents

When stuffing the pocket, make sure the microfier side of the insert is facing up so the urine doesn't have to pass through two layers of microfleece.

Love the slide2size drawsting sizing... love the fit & materials used

For overnight, I've found 2 inserts to work the best. I have used one insert on top as the AI2 and one in the pocket or one on top and 2 in the pocket. Both ways seem to work fine with no leaks.

This is probably my number 1 diaper. I love the flexibility of the Omni. I have a pretty heavy wetter (I guess?) so I reach for the super inserts first, and use a doubler with a regular insert.

I love the Omni because I can have a diaper pre-stuffed for a sitter/grandma and not worry about leaking due to the insert being used improperly. I also like to stick a doubler in the pocket, then snap in an insert. Don't know why, this seems to work for me though. :)  

We had to make sure the the leg elastic was tight enough to prevent leaks & the waist was tight enough as well.  Once the settings were correct leaks are rare.  When the diaper does leak it is only pee, and not poo due to the leg elastic holding it in.  We use the newborn inserts, and the baby does not notice when he is wet and needs to be changed since the moisture is wicked away from his skin.  We can't smell it either, so we just have to remember to check him every so often.

I use two flats pad folded together.  Works great and is the only one size cover that fits my baby.  

This diaper is amazing!  I have referred it to all of my friends!  I can't believe how easy it is and the Slide 2 Slide technology for the legs is awesome.  Unlike other diapers, you don't have to worry about snaps and leaks.  This diaper is the best diaper for people that are new to cloth diapering and want something that is not only reliable, but user friendly!

I find that the bamboo insert works well, and I don't think I've ever had a leak, but I often am not able to reuse the shell.  I exclusively breastfeed and often the runny EBF poo runs off the pod onto the shell. [Editorial note: The poop doesn’t leak out of the diaper, it just gets on the shell. This is pretty standard of a lot of AI2 diapers I have tried. I went through several covers of my AI2 when my little guy was younger]

Love, love, LOVE this diaper!  My son has always been a heavy wetter.  I couldn't find anything that worked for overnights.  I even went to using disposables for nighttime, and more than a few times he flooded those.  This diaper, when stuffed AND snapped the way I use it, can be quite bulky, but it works and that's what is most important to me.

I use a hemp mini insert in addition to the bamboo pod at night and get the right absorbency 

One Size Diaper Project

The Omni is one of the diapers featured in my One Size Diaper project. This is where I take pictures almost every other week of my little guy as he is growing into his one size diapers. This is a great way to see how a diaper works with the quickly shape changing abilities of a baby! Just go to the “Archives” section of my page to find the project.

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Pricing

Shell/cover for both omni and echo are $21.95 right now, and the omni is on sale for $18.95

Redesigned DryTouch Pod: $4.95

Superdry Touch Pod: $5.95

Organic Bamboo Pod: $9.25

Dry Touch Mini Pod: $2.95

Organic Mini Pod: $3.95

Made in the USA


Where to buy them
* You can find a list of retailers here

* You can get it on Amazon using Swagbucks (so you can get it for free)

* There is a great thread at Diaper Swappers about places where you can get get free shipping.


* I also like Sew Crafty Baby. Shipping is free and there is almost always some kind of discount on the Facebook page. The link here is an affiliate link so if you purchase using that link I thank you in advance! She is the person who recommended Softbums to me, so I know she is a great resource for them.

* Michelle at Green Diaper Demos is an expert on this diaper. She knows how to problem solve everything with it. So she is a great resource for troubleshooting, so it is worth a shot getting the diaper from her. She is one of my sponsors as well (but I get no profit from you buying from her).


Are you a Softbums Omni owner? Feel free to complete a survey if you haven’t already. Completion of surveys here at Padded Tush Stats give you extra entries in our giveaways.

Softbums is one of the sponsors of my site and they did provide me with this diaper for review, but all opinions in this post are honest and true. I hold nothing back.

Sunbaby 4.0 One Size Pocket Diaper Review

For information on how I attempt to ensure to produce reviews as honest and fair to diaper creators  as possible, please click here.

When I talk with non-cloth diapering parents or parents to-be about cloth diapering, one of the first things they talk about is their concern about the initial cost of cloth diapers. Of course I give my usual speech about how I think that you can accumulate half of your stash of diapers if you start using Swagbucks at the end of your first trimester. But for those who don’t want to use Swagbucks or who need diapers soon, there are also very inexpensive cloth diaper options, such as the Sunbaby diaper. You can score 12 diapers (with their inserts) for $60, which comes out to $5 a diaper. People generally recommend at least 20—so you can buy 24 diapers with inserts for $108, which is $4.50 per diaper and you are spending only $108 for a stash of diapers (that’s about how much I spent for 2 months of disposables for my little one). In this personal review of the diaper (as opposed to my statistical reviews that are based on a bunch of survey responses) I am going to tell you how I would respond to a Padded Tush Stats survey if I were filling it out for my kids.

Video Review

Let’s first look at the basics of this diaper:

* This is a one size diaper, which means it is intended to fit a baby from birth to potty training (7-35 pounds).

* There are three rows of two snaps, which allows you to adjust the fit to meet the size needs of your baby.

* This is a pocket diaper, which means you stuff it with an insert.

* The diaper comes with a microfiber insert.

* Back where you stuff in the insert, there is a backflap that goes over the opening. This helps to prevent leaks.

* The inside of the diaper is lined with a stay dry microfleese that wicks moisture away from the baby’s bum.

* Up by the tummy, on the inside of the diaper, is a thin strip of PUL that prevents leakage at the belly (this is especially helpful if you have a tummy sleeper).

* The hipsnaps allow you to get a snug fit across the legs and to help prevent the wings of the diaper from riding up or drooping down.

* The outside of the diaper is made out of a waterproof PUL

* There is elastic in the gussets (leg part) of the diaper, and across the back.

* The diaper closes with snap closures (there is a row of 10 snaps so you can customize the fit across the tummy)

* There are two snap closures on each side. These prevent the diaper wings from poking up.

How the Sunbaby 4.0 is different from the 3.0

* Hip snaps

* Wider and more comfortable elastic

* Thinner, higher quality PUL

* Softer microfleese inner

* Wider crotch

* Wider microfiber insert

Made in China

One of the controversies about this diaper is that the reason it is cheap is because it is made in China. I don’t have too much to say on this topic because I am not terribly sure how I feel about it, but here is the statement on the company’s website:

Sunbaby Diapers are manufactured in Shanghai, China. Our city has strict laws forbidding cheaper labor. People who use child labor will be put into jail or fined huge amount money. So buy confidently! Your Diapers are manufactured under fair labor conditions. I am the only seller of Sunbaby diapers in china, I never make wholesale business to retailers in china so that I can ensure that I have a reasonable profit and workers in our factory can get paid well and don’t have to work overtime.”

About My Babies

  Baby #1 (Toddler) Baby #2 (you will see the / for when things CHANGED at 5 months)
Is your Child a Heavy Wetter Yes Yes/No
Do you have a chunkier sized baby for his/her age No No/Yes
Do you have a skinny baby for his/her age Yes Yes/No
Does your baby have chunky thighs? No No/Yes
Does your baby have skinny thighs? No Yes/No
Is your baby prone to rashes Yes Yes
Please indicate the weights of your baby when using this diaper 16-20 pounds; 21-25 pounds 10pounds – 15 pounds
Please indicate the ages of your baby when using this diaper 18-24 months 2 months-6 months
Size used One Size One Size

Survey responses on how this diaper worked on my babies:

Ratings
(On a scale of 1-5…1 being low score, 5 being high)
Baby #1 Baby #2
Absorbency 3 4
Fit 5 4
Worth the Price 5 5
Trim 4 4
Liked by Skeptics 4 4
Daycare-worthy 3 3
Naptime 3 5
Night-time 1 5
Would Recommend 3 3
What are the PROS of this diaper? I like the affordability of this diaper. There are also some cute prints.  
What are the CONS of this diaper? When stuffing the diaper, I would always get the insert stuck under the fabric that holds the outer snaps in place.
The diaper has a much thinner PUL than other diapers I have, which felt a little cheaper (but I would expect this of a diaper that is the third of the cost of other diapers).
My older child leaked a lot at the legs, it went through the PUL at the crotch, which leads me to believe the issue is with the PUL (I contacted Sunbaby and they recommend experimenting with inserts. I am kind of limited on my insert stash, but I found that a lot of my inserts are too wide to stuff into the diaper).
 
Are there any other comments or tips you would like to add about this diaper? (for example, a particular stuffing method you found helpful, or anything else!) I think I would only recommend this as a budget-friendly solution for someone. The fact that you have to buy the diaper in large batches makes it difficult for someone to try out a new diaper to see how it works (you can probably get used on Diaper Swappers).  

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You can see how a baby grows into this diaper by checking out my One Size Diaper project, where I take pictures of my son in his One Size diapers on a bi-weekly basis.

Have you tried out this diaper?
If so, then please fill out the survey for this over here. Aside from personal reviews that I do (such as this one), I also do reviews based on survey responses from people who have used the diapers on their babies. Therefore, by filling out surveys you help contribute to more comprehensive reviews that are sorted by baby characteristics (so thanks in advance!).


Pricing

$60 for 12 ($5 a diaper)

$108 for $24 ($4.50 per diaper)

Where to buy them
* You can buy these at the Sunbaby website.

Although I received this diaper for review from Sunbaby Diapers, all opinions in this post are my own.

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