Fuzzibunz vs. bumGenius

I think it is safe to say the 2 most popular brands of One Size Pocket Diapers are Fuzzibunz and bumGenius, but what causes moms to choose one over the other? Let's take a look at the differences and similarities of the Fuzzibunz One Size Pocket Diaper and the bumGenius 4.0 Pocket Diaper...

First of all, they look similar. Beyond the placement of the snaps which we will discuss later, they really look pretty much the same:

Fuzzibunz                                            bumGenius

But, don't be fooled by apperances, the only things these diapers share is being One Size, Pocket Diapers and having a Snap Closure! With a ton of small differences, you would think one would become more popular, but both diapers really are loved by all! Some moms prefer one over the other, and some moms have a nice stash of each! So, on to the differences:

Fuzzibunz is a snap only diaper, they do not come in a hook and look version. BumGenius, on the other hand, can be either a snap or hook and look closure. The hook and loop closure still has the snaps on the front for size adjustments, but closes at the waist with a hook and loop. The size adjustment is probably the biggest difference between the two. The Fuzzibunz uses the leg and back elastic to pull the diaper tighter for a little one. Then the lower "hip snap" can be snapped more or less tightly to allow for a snug fit at the thigh. All Fuzzibunz come with a replacement set of elastics which are easily changed out when the current set losses its stretch. The bumGenius use a 3x3 snap placement on the front of the diaper to fold down and snap for a smaller diaper. You can buy a refresh kit to replace both the elastic and hook and loop for $1.00, but as the elastic is not stretched like the Fuzzibunz, this is not a big deal.

      

Fuzzibunz                                                  bumGenius                   

The pocket opening on the Fuzzibunz is all the way at the top of the diaper, and there is no flap to fold over the pocket opening. The bumGenius starts about an inch into the diaper and has a flap to fold over the pocket opening. The Fuzzibunz diaper is about an inch thinner in between the legs, which makes for a trimmer fit, but also makes it a bit more difficult to stuff the inserts. It is not hard, just not as easy to stuff as the bumGenius.

With a polar-fleece inner, the Fuzzibunz is the softer of the two, but it is also thicker because of this inner. The fleece is also very stain resistant. The bumGenius is a microsuede which is a thinner material which is still very soft. The Fuzzibunz inner runs all the way from the front to back, while the bumGenius has a "waterproof insert stopper" at the front to help keep belly leaks at bay.

Both the Fuzzibunz and bumGenius One Size Pocket Diapers come in a variety of fun colors. At the present time (July 2011) Fuzzibunz has 14 colors. BumGenius has 12 colors and 5 fun prints.

Fuzzibunz                                                                 bumGenius    

All in all, there are quite a few subtle differences that make the Fuzzibunz One Size Pocket Diaper and the bumGenius 4.0 Pocket Diaper unique. Still, they run neck in neck for popularity, and many moms cannot pick one over the other. How do you decide? Put them both on that baby botton & see for yourself!

Cloth Diaper Cakes

As you know, I am a WAHM. I do have the luxury of working a couple days a week alone while my boys spend time with their grandparents, but between running a business and running after 3 boys, my crafting days have come to an end! Occasionally I get to pull out my yarn or my scrapbooks & spend a little time doing what comes natural to me, but not very often.

So, it was with GREAT pleasure that I pulled out some supplies and assembled these cloth diaper cakes using unbleached indian prefolds. The small one is 6 infant prefolds & 3 Thirsties wipes, perfect to introduce a new mom to cloth. The medium has 12 prefolds and 6 wipes which will start a nice stash of prefolds. The large is 24 prefolds, 6 wipes and 3 Thirsties duo wrap covers, a good amount to get started in the world of cloth diapering. I am planning to continue my crafting with a Kissaluvs Cloth Diaper Cake, a Fuzzibunz Cloth Diaper Cake, a bumGenius Cloth Diaper Cake and a Flip Cloth Diaper Cake. Who knows where it will lead? If you are interested in a cake from a specific type of diaper or accessory, just let me know. I can always work up something special just for you!

Imagine how cute this prefold cloth diaper cake will look in the middle of the gift table at a baby shower. Or how much fun it would be to present this to a mom you know has been wanting to try cloth but has been hesitating! If you are already using cloth diapers or plan to do so when your baby is born, the cloth diaper cake makes a wonderful conversation starter, so why not get one to put on your table while you await your own bundle of joy?

Large

Medium

Small

The Benefits of Babywearing

There are tons of studies on the benefits of wearing your baby - from the day of birth on! Soon after baby is born, many moms feel they do not get a single minute to "do" anything. Don't mind we are always doing something! Snuggle your baby in a Moby Wrap or Dolcino and be hands-free. When you feel like you need to get something done, do it together. Experts suggest another great reason to start carrying early is to help ease your muscles into the extra weight of a toddler.

Studies seem to focus on the benefits of carring a newborn. I am one of those mama's who can't resist a newborn snuggled up against my chest, so it has always seemed natrual to me. And, with so many health benefits (see below), I had the perfect excuse if I needed one. I LOVE to wear my boys. But, I am only 5'1" and my littlest is getting to long. No to heavy, with my Moby Wrap, the weight is distributed so well, I do not have any trouble carring his 27 pounds - even for several hours at the hilly zoo.

While at the zoo, we turned our stroller into a sit & stand, meaning the 2 older boys can get in and out of the stroller by themselves, which makes the little one think he can too. Besides running him down or belting him in, both of which caused a major meltdown, the only other solution was to wear him. He loved it! He could see everything the big boys could see & then some. My husband loved the lightened stroller load & I loved the bonding time! WIN, WIN, WIN. In this video, you will see another reason why worn babies get to learn more. They just experience more. If I didn't have him in the Moby, I would have left him belted in the stroller to stay with Dad. But, this way he went right up to the giraffe with us (check out the concentration on his face)!



A few reasons why it is so healthy:

1. Babies cry about 50% less on average. This benefit alone is worth it to me!
2. Babies spend more time in the quiet alert stage, ideal for learning.
3. Babies feel secure and become independent at an earlier age.
4. The upright position aids in babies digestion.
5. The upright position helps baby adapt to life in the real world.

A few reasons why it is necessary:

1. Mom actually has 2 hands to get things done.
2. You choose who touches your baby when you are out & about.
3. Helps curb post-partum depression by being close to baby but not having to interact
4. Allows for discreet nursing.
5. Created confidence as baby is calm and content

Testing the Affiliate Program

Just wanting to test the affiliate program.

The Pool & Swim Diapers

OK, Where did spring go? We are flip-flopping between 50 & 80! But, I am debating getting out our little pool for the hot days! My boys LOVE the pool. With pool weather, comes swim suits. I don't know about you, but I HATE disposable swim diapers. Even when I was a disposable mama, I hated swim diapers. They get all wet & droopy, and they have got to be one of the hardest things to put on a baby. So, when I started using a snap-on cloth swim diaper, I was in love with the benefits. Our 2 favorites are the Bummis Swimmi & the Apple Cheeks Swim Diaper. Let me also recommend the Summer Swim Set which includes a Wet/Dry bag and matching Changing Pad, and the Planet Wise Swim Bag which is a life saver at the pool!

First of all, let's discuss what a swim diaper is for. It is not to absorb urine or bowel movements the way a regular diaper does. This would weight your baby down in a pool full of water, creating a very unsafe situation. The only purpose is to keep the BMs contained long enough to remove your child from the water and change the diaper. I know, kind of gross, try not to focus on this part. Surfice it to say, cloth swim diapers are equal to disposable diapers with the task at hand.

Now, let me tell you the benefits of the cloth verison:

1. Money Savings. Aren't we all looking for ways to save money without doing less? Here you have it. A cloth swim diaper which will last 1-2 summers depending on the size of your child costs between $12.75-18.99. A pack of 9-11 disposable swim diapers is $11.99. Think about how many you use, especially on vacation when you use 3 or 4 in one day.
2. Less bulk under a swim suit. Both disposable and cloth swim diapers can be worn alone, although many parents prefer a traditional swim suit over the top. With only 2 layers of fabric and no inner material, the cloth swim diaper does not create any bulk under your babies suit.
3. Snap on for easy on/off action. We frequent the lake during the summer, and that means swimming morning, noon & night with naps and eating in between. Trying to pull an 'underwear' style diaper on and off a crawler is the worst! Cloth Swimmies closure is similar to regular diapers in snap or hook & loop style. This is especially important if you have ever tried to remove a soiled disposable swim diaper, even ripping the sides seems to make a huge mess! 
4. Always at the ready. Just like disposable diapers, you will eventually find yourself running to the store last minute to get the disposable swim diaper. With a cloth, just toss in the wash with your other pool laundry & it will be ready when you are.
5. Cute, Cute, Cute! I will let this picture speak for itself. This is an Apple Cheeks Swim Diaper.





Monkey Head Winner Is...

True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 4 Powered by RANDOM.ORG

#4 ~ E said...

Following Nell's Natural Baby with GFC

Congrats "E" and Thanks to you all for getting in on the fun. Hopefully I will find something else to give away soon! I would love to add a pick to your little one in his/her new hat.

Prefolds & Covers Detailed

I got some great feedback about the Fuzzibunz post. So I thought I would continue to detail the types and brands of diapers for you. Let me know if you like it, or if you don't...I don't want to bore you with details you don't want.

Prefolds and Covers are the most inexpensive and versitile way to cloth diaper. These diapers will last child after child after child. With our Infant Prefold Package, and our Baby Prefold Package, you can have an entire cloth diapering carreer (for multiple children) for about $250. Think "Grandma's way", now, stop thinking that! Although this is the way that Grandma probably diapered your mom, it had come - A VERY LONG WAY!

Let's start at the beginning. What is a prefold diaper? A prefold is a rectangular piece of cloth that is sewn with several layers of cloth, usually cotton or hemp, in such a way as to have twice as many layers in the middle as there are on the side. A 4x8x4 would have 4 layers on each side and 8 down the middle, right where absorbtion is most needed. This is an important number to consider, as all prefolds are not created equal. Just as an FYI, a flat is a cousin of the prefold, but with the same number of layers across the entire diaper.

We prefer Indian Prefolds, as opossed to Chinese. As the name suggests, these are made in India instead of China. They generally are less pilly and shrink a bit more than Chinese prefolds. Unbleached Indians are softer, especially after the first few washes. The fabric on the Chinese is woven a little denser, so they will shrink slightly less and feel less soft. They ‘quilt up’ a little less than the Indian Diapers, the Indian diapers get a more ‘quilted’ appearance. Indian diapers having a softer weave, tend to have a more frayed appearance at the ends of the diapers and an occasional loose thread. This is normal and expected and does not affect the diapers durability or usability. Frayed edges do not make a defective diaper. We have heard many storys of Indian Diapers lasting through several children and then making the rounds as a cleaning rag for years after.

Bummis



Thirsties



Now, lets talk covers. The two most popular are Thirsties and Bummis. Flip Covers are a somewhat new cover from Cotton Babies, and they are catching on very quickly too. A cover is needed with all prefolds.This is the waterproofing layer. Although the prefold/cover may be a little much for the new sitter, you will get the hang of a prefold & cover system very quickly.



Flip Cover



Thirsties come in 2 sizes, and in both snap and hook and loop closure styles. Size 1 covers 6-18 pounds, and Size 2 is 18-40 pounds. Thirsties Duo Wrap Covers use only 2 sizes because they utilize the same snap structure on the front as a one-size. Bummis has 4 sizes. This is the cover I recommend for all preemies and tiny newborns. The newborn is 4-9 pounds, small 8-16 pounds, medium 15-30 pounds and large 27+ pounds. Bummis are only hook & loop closure. Flips Covers are one-size, and come in both snap and hook & loop closure syle. All covers wipe clean, meaning there is no cloth on the inside of the diaper. If it is wet or lightly soiled, it can be wiped clean and reused.

Here is the thing that scares most people off... There are tons of ways to fold a prefold. Don't panic! The simplest is to fold each side over the middle, lay it in the cover and snap onto baby. If you baby is tiny, fold in forths along the short side. But, if you are adventurous, and most of you will get there once you get the hang of prefolds, you can try different folds for different uses. You can find my blog on ways to prefold here: http://3babyboysandabusiness.blogspot.com/2011/04/how-to-fold-prefold-cloth-diaper.html

Snappi

Pins are a thing of the past! Snappis are used to secure prefolds on baby. But, these are optional! Some moms prefer to put on a prefold and allow the cover to keep it in place. Other moms like the security of the snappi holding the diaper in the correct position. Either way, pins are no longer needed with prefolds. If you choose to use a snappi, simply put on one side, stretch to the other and stetch the bottom down. That's it!

Overall, prefolds may be the most versitile and long-lasting way to cloth diaper. It is definately the most inexpensive. There is a huge following of devoted prefold parents out there, are you one?