Soft Bums One Size Echo AI2 Review and Giveaway

For this review, I was sent a Soft Bums Echo shell and one Dry Touch Pod for review from All About Baby Boutique.  All statements are my own opinions and observations.

Price Per Diaper:  ★★☆☆☆  This diaper can be a little pricey when you initially look into these diapers.  The Echo shell alone retails for $21.95 and one Dry Touch pod retails for $4.95.  This means the entire diaper would cost approximately $27 for just one.  However, since this is an AI2 diaper, the savings occur when you buy more than one.  You can purchase packs of one shell (to reuse) and three dry touch pods for only $35.95 which comes out to just $11.98 for three diapers!  And, this diaper comes with some extremely unique features that may work well for your diapering style!  So don’t count this diaper out based on initial pricing!

Cross-over Tab.

Leaks:  ★★★★☆  This diaper is amazing at absorbing and not leaking.  However, for night time use, I did find that this diaper needed a doubler or extra insert.  Soft Bums does make Super Dry Touch pods, Organic Bamboo pods, and Dry Touch mini pods that can either be used as a doubler or newborn pod.  Any of these would probably have fixed our night time leaking, but I did not have these on hand to test.  I was sent the Dry Touch pod for this review.  This pod is made of 4 layers of microfiber and topped with microfleece to sit next to baby skin.  These inserts are extremely soft and comfy for baby while being very absorbent too.

Fit:  ★★★★★  Can I give this diaper more than a five?  Wow.  That is all I can say.  When the diaper first arrived, I knew next to nothing about Soft Bums and I thought “Ha!  That will never fit Miss A, it is too small!”  Then I discovered the pull strings in the leg gussets and decided to do a little internet searching.  Slide2Size technology is BRILLIANT!!!  This diaper has elastic strings in the leg gussets and a little tiny slide clamp (like you would find on a bookbag) to size the diaper to your child.  You can slide it the entire way in to fit a newborn or slide it out to fit a toddler.  Soft Bums does not list a weight minimum and maximum for this diaper, but rather leg measurements due to this unique system.  This diaper will fit legs from 4 inches to 14 inches without causing red marks and without allowing leaks!  You truly can customize this diaper to fit your baby!  So as soon as I realized that the diaper came to me on the smallest setting and that I could let it out, I was absolutely amazed!  And it fit Miss A like a glove!  Even better, because of the way this diaper is made, it is extremely trim on any size child!

Ease of Use:  ★★★★★  This is one of the easiest diapers to use!  Once you snap (the one snap) in the insert, it is a simple on/off baby at diaper changes.  Not only that, to reuse the shell is a simple one snap out and one snap in! Perfect for squirmy kids!  The adjustment of the leg gussets is a simple pull of the string and clamp to the desired size and they are easily accessible through a small opening in the front of the diaper!  My only warning is to watch the insert in the front of the diaper.  Since the insert snaps at the back, the insert may poke out at the front and cause leaking.  For smaller sizes you can fold the insert to prevent this problem.

Washing:  ★★★★★  This diaper was extremely easy to wash.  Simply undo the one snap that connects the insert to the shell and toss it in.  No need to touch messy inserts.  The laundry tabs are a simple fold back kind that may through time start to show wear, but in the time I used this diaper, I did not see any wear or tear on the aplix or laundry tabs.  All in all, I was quite impressed with how well this diaper washed and how easily staining came out with normal wash routine.

Elastic let out the whole way for toddler.

Elastic drawn in the whole way for NB.

Overall Performance:  ★★★★★  Like I mentioned above, when the diaper arrived, I thought this was going to be BAD but once I realized the unique sizing of the diaper, I was in LOVE.  This diaper is extremely trim and will fit any baby and any stature with just a quick adjustment of the Slide2Size elastic.  This is a brilliant design and a well made diaper.  This would make an excellent addition to any cloth diaper stash or would do well as a one and only kind of diaper in your stash!  There aren't many OS diapers that I truly feel would fit from birth to potty training, but I really do think this one would!  I am excited to try out my theory when number two gets here in June!

Total Stars:  26/30

icaughtsanta Review and Giveaway!!!

Some of you may recall the I caught the Easter Bunny giveaway....well, here is the next chapter...I caught Santa!!!  This is just such a darn cute idea!!  I am so excited to show Miss A.  She has quite the love for Santa this year and this will just make her screech with delight!!!  I just love that you can take a picture of your own tree, stockings, whatever you want...insert santa and have an ADORABLE photo to give your child.  This will be a cherished treasure in our home for years!!!  This is just a plain old fun and cute idea for any kid!  (or adult...I am pretty darn excited about it too!)

To make your own I caught Santa photo, you can go to icaughtsanta.com.

Or, Giveaway below!!

New Product - Fluff Bling!!!

I have been anxiously waiting to tell you guys about something exciting!!  The newest invention in the cloth diapering world is FLUFF BLING!  How cool is this!?  If you have drab diapers or plain colored ones that you want to jazz up, this is a simple and inexpensive way to give a little bling to your diapers!!  For only $2.75 you can purchase one of these adorable little snap on blings to jazz up your diaper.  These do not work on all brands of diapers, so check with Fluff Bling before purchasing!

You can visit their website here to see styles and order - Fluff Bling Website

Or their Facebook Page here for more information - Fluff Bling on Facebook

This product is brand new!  They are still taking design ideas and are still releasing information on the product!  So stay tuned!

Fuzzibunz Trickle Free Trainer Review and Giveaway

Small – Fits 18-23 pounds

Medium – Fits 20-30 pounds (this is what I reviewed)

Large – Fits 32-45 pounds

Price Per Trainer:  ★★★☆☆  The Fuzzibunz Trickle Free Trainer retails for anywhere from $15.95 to $22.95 depending on size and solid/print.  Most trainers average $16-20 in price, so this is an average and fair price.  Plus this trainer has a lot of nice features.

Fit:  ★★★★★  This trainer has what many other trainers do not, adjustable snaps.  There are two rows of snaps on each side to give you a little more customizable fit and makes the trainer fit longer as your baby grows.  I love that the snaps give you the ability to make the leg casing looser or tighter depending on your child’s build.  The snaps also give you the ability to change your little one easily if he/she has an accident or if he/she is wearing complicated clothing and needs to go NOW!  I did find that the sizing is generous on my skinny child.  She is already 29 pounds and has a lot of room to grow in her size medium.  Check the Fuzzibunz website for further details on the fit specifics of this trainer in order to decide which size is best for your child.

Accident Absorbency:  ★★★★☆  This trainer has a PUL outer and a minky fleece inner.  This extremely soft fleece is not only comfy for your child, but it is also absorbent while allowing your child to feel wetness.  The entire trainer is lined with the minky fleece and there is also an extra absorbent padding in the wet zone to absorb accidents.  This trainer is more absorbent that regular underwear would be, but it will not absorb more than just a little accident.  This would be perfect for more advanced potty learners that are not prone to accidents or who might just have tiny ones.

Washing:  ★★★★★  Like most other Fuzzibunz products, this trainer is top quality!  The print on the outer PUL are digitally printed to prevent fading and peeling and the PUL itself and inner fleece are top quality to prevent wear and tear!  After many washes, this trainer looks and feels brand new.  I do not see any signs of wear and it washes/dries perfectly.  It is simple to wash this trainer, simply toss in with your diaper laundry and tumble dry.  This trainer dries quickly and is ready to go again!

Overall Performance:  ★★★★★  I love this trainer and all of its features.  I love the adjustable side snaps to adjust the trainer to your child as he/she grows.  I love how well this trainer fits.  I love the soft inner fleece and the cute outer prints.  I love how trim it is under clothes and that it has a little bit of absorbency to catch those accidents and feel wet to your child.  And I feel that this trainer would be especially appealing to young children and give them that extra incentive to potty train.

Total Stars:  22/25

CLICK ON THE "READ MORE" FOR THE GIVEAWAY!!

Reuseit Nalgene Bottle Review

You are all quite aware of my journey into everything natural and reusable.  One of my newest favorite things is to take drinks where ever we go.  This way we aren't drinking who knows what and paying a huge price for it.  My daughter loves to take milk (she is addicted to milk) where ever we go.  So not only do I have to travel with milk, I also need something that is spill proof and fits nicely in a small cool case with an ice pack.  I don't want to be lugging a huge cooler everywhere I go.

So what is spill proof, easy for Miss A to use on her own in the back seat, easy to clean, and will withstand whatever my toddler does to it?  Enter Reuseit.com.  I was recently sent a Reuseit Nalgene 12 oz Kids MiniGrip Bottle with ATB cap to review.  When I received the bottle I thought "ha, my kid will kill this thing in 0.5 seconds."  I was incredibly wrong.

First off, the bottle is pink!  It is adorable!  Miss A loves anything pink or purple so this was an immediate hit!  The bottle had a tag on it that said "dishwasher safe" which is a HUGE plus and so of course before I would let Miss A use the bottle, it had to be washed!  So the first test was the dishwasher, which I must admit, I was skeptical putting this bottle in the dishwasher.  But, it washed nicely and had no damage or melting coming out!  This bottle has a very wide mouth for getting ice cubes and such into the bottle but this also makes washing (either dishwasher or by hand) a ton easier.

The pop top is amazing.  Miss A can simply pop the top up to drink her milk, juice, water or whatever she is drinking and then close the cap.  When you close the cap, it pushes the pop top down in case you forgot, so no leaking!

And guess what, mom uses it too!  With being pregnant, I find myself thirsty ALL of the time and I crave water!  So I have taken to carrying a water bottle with me at all times!  This water bottle is designed for kids and their lunch boxes, but it also fits perfectly inside of purses and diaper bags! :)

This bottle is free of BPA and Phthalates and made in the USA!

Overall, I absolutely love this bottle and so did Miss A.  There are so many uses that you can find for a nice bottle like this and it has taken every beating that we have given it.  I would highly recommend this bottle and other products from Reuseit.com.  Reuseit sells much more than just bottles, they also sell totes, bags, cleaning items, laundry items, food savers, kitchen items, and more all designed to be reusable!

Total Stars:  ★★★★★

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Pregnancy Wednesday: 14 weeks

Another week has gone by and we are another week closer to finding out what this little munchkin is and closer to holding this little one.  I cannot wait.  We still have a long winter to get through before June gets here.  I will be so happy to see the weather get warm this spring because it will mean this baby is coming soon!

Nothing too interesting to report this week.  Getting bigger and feeling more movement more frequently.  That is about it.  Miss A has finally started pointing to my belly and saying "baby."  I don't think she has a clue as to what is happening and what changes she will have in her life come June, but it is cute and it is one more step for her toward recognition.

I am feeling good.  The tiredness seems to have completely faded now and I am sleeping MUCH better at night, probably because my 4-5 trips to the bathroom has reduced to 2-3.  I feel like I am getting better quality sleep and I am sleeping like the dead!

No strange food cravings or aversions this week.  Still enjoying my dill pickles and colby cheese, but nothing else.  I have found that spaghetti is not on my list of wants.  I can eat it, but we generally have some sort of spaghetti or pasta with red sauce once a week, I just don't want it that often right now.  Ah well!

Any guesses on this baby?  I am thinking boy, but who knows!

How are you this week?

Grandma El’s Diaper Rash Remedy and Prevention Review and Giveaway

As cloth diapering parents, we are always looking for a great diaper rash ointment that is cloth diaper safe and WORKS!  To find one that is both CD safe and actually clears up a rash, can be difficult.  I have heard wonderful things about Grandma El’s Diaper Rash Remedy and Prevention Ointment, but I wasn’t a true believer until I had the opportunity to review it for myself!

Grandma El’s is an all natural, and USA made, ointment that creates a breathable barrier that soothes, calms, and heals any rash that your baby may develop.  It is Pediatrician recommended and it is free of Parabens, Phthalates, and SLS so it is perfectly safe to use with every diaper change.

So, all of this sounds wonderful, but how did it honestly do? 

Straight from the tube, I had concerns.  This ointment has the consistency and appearance similar to Vaseline.  I was quite concerned that it would harm my cloth diapers.  To the internet I went to seek out other mamas and their experience before I actually put this ointment in contact with my diapers.  I could not find one negative experience between the ointment and the cloth diapers.  So, I applied it to Miss A’s bum, said a prayer, put her in cloth, and down for a nap!

At this point in time, we had been having extreme problems with ammonia in our diapers and Miss A had some ammonia burn on her tush. L  It makes me feel like a horrible mama when she gets even a little rash, but ammonia burn makes me feel just terrible.  For the purposes of this review, it was perfect that her tush was a little red, because…

When Miss A woke from her nap, I went to get her.  I feared the worst that the ointment had made my diaper repel and there would be a huge mess.  Not only was there no mess…but the redness on her tush was GONE!  My fears were completely put to rest and I was amazed at how well Grandma El’s worked!

Cost:  ★★★★★  A 2 oz tube of Grandma El’s (exactly like I reviewed) retails for $7-9.  With this tube, a little ointment goes a long way and after using this ointment regularly for over a month, I do not see the tube being empty any time soon.  If you prefer the jar, a 3.75 oz jar retails for $13-15, also a fantastic price!

Ease of Use:  ★★★★☆  Obviously, this is a tube of ointment, so you are going to get it on your hands.  But it is easy to slather onto baby and easy to wash off!

Smell:  ★★★★★  This ointment has Vitamin E, Lanolin, and other ingredients that somehow mix together and smell fruity.  It is a very nice, not overly powerful, clean smelling yet minutely fruity scent.  It is very nice.  I would warn that with the nice fruity smell, keep this out of reach of small children, they might eat it.

Effectiveness:  ★★★★★  As I mentioned above, Miss A had a rash, I put Grandma El’s on, and by the next change the rash was gone!  It was like a magic act!  It worked that well!

Overall:  ★★★★★  I was completely impressed and fell in love with Grandma El’s Rash Ointment.  I have used it repeatedly with different brands/types of cloth diapers, and there is no residue or problems with my diapers.  Even better, Miss A’s tush has never looked better!  One application of Grandma El’s and her rash was completely gone.  I highly recommend that every parent of a child in diapers (cloth or disposable) keep Grandma El’s on hand!  It really is a miracle ointment!!!

Total Stars:  24/25

You can purchase Grandma El's from Drugstore.com, Target, Babies R Us, CVS, Rite Aid, Diapers.com, and from Grandma El's direct website.

CLICK ON THE "READ MORE" FOR THE GIVEAWAY!!

MyClyns Food Wash Review

As you guys know, I am on the all natural cleaning products kick and love it!  When I was given the opportunity to try and review MyClyns 100% Natural Food Wash, I just couldn’t pass it up!  We eat a lot of fresh fruit, veggies, and meats in our house, so this was perfect for us!

MyClyns is made from 100% natural ingredients, so you don’t have to worry about nasty chemicals getting on your food and it also washes away any residue or chemicals that might be there from pesticides or other chemicals that can get on your food through production and packaging.  The MyClyns wash can remove 98% more chemicals, wax, and contaminates than just water alone, so this can be a very handy tool to have sitting by your kitchen sink! 

MyClyns comes in a simple and easy to use spray bottle.  You simply spray the entire surface of the food you are cleaning, rub the wash over the food for approximately 1 minute, then rinse with water.  Simple as that!  Honestly, it does not take any longer than rinsing your food well with just water and you are removing 98% more chemicals and other harmful products.

Overall, I was extremely pleased with this product.  I love that it removes so many more chemicals and harmful products than just water and I love that it is so easy to use!  This is just one more product in my natural cleaning products armada and I love adding to the crew!  My only warning when using this product, it does foam a little when you wash foods, especially fruits.  So be sure to rinse rinse rinse.  It is all natural, so it would not hurt you in the least if you ingested it, but I was still fanatic about making sure that I rinsed it all off!

Note:  Since this wash is made from all natural sources, it is completely organic and vegan.

Total Stars:  ★★★★★

You can purchase this product here.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Smart Bottoms Trainer Review and Giveaway

Small – Fits 20-30 pounds (I was sent a size small)

Large – Fits 30+ pounds

Price Per Trainer:  ★★★☆☆  This trainer retails for $18 direct from Smart Bottoms.  Other popular trainers retail for $16-$20 so this seems to be an average and very fair price.  Plus this trainer comes with some additional features and benefits that other trainers do not have.

Fit:  ★★★★☆  I was surprised, for a trainer with no possible adjustments, it fit well on my daughter at 24 pounds and at 29 pounds.  Since she is so tall, as she approached the 29 pounds, the rise is extremely low on her.  This is not as important since a trainer is not meant to absorb a ton, but it does sit pretty low on her.  Around the legs and around the waist, this trainer is quite stretchy to fit any stature of child.  This also makes this trainer extremely comfy for the child.

Accident Absorbency:  ★★★★★  This trainer is lined with 100% Organic cotton and the exterior is fleece with a hidden layer of PUL in the wet zone.  Additionally, there is a snap in/out insert to add 4 layers of absorbency.  This would be perfect for those early trainers that are still prone to accidents.  My daughter is still not ready to potty train so we had many accidents in these and they absorbed extremely well!

Washing:  ★★★★☆  This trainer washed up very well.  Since the interior is 100% organic cotton, it is prone to stains.  So if your child had a #2 accident, it would stain easily but it could be sunned out.  I was also sad at how pilly the fleece got after washing.  Neither of these problems would affect function of this trainer.  It is very easy to wash.  You can snap out the soaker if you desire but is not necessary.  And if your child just had a little dribble on the insert you can replace with another insert and keep using the trainer or just take the insert out and use the trainer without.  Very easy to use!

Overall Performance:  ★★★★★  I love how easy this trainer is to simply pull up and down for potty runs, I love the added absorbency, and I love how comfy it is for baby.  Highly recommend!  These trainers also come in some adorable (and child pleasing) colors that might make potty training that much easier!

Total Stars:  21/25

You can purchase this trainer direct from Smart Bottoms here.

CLICK ON THE "READ MORE" FOR THE GIVEAWAY!!

Pregnancy Wednesday: 13 weeks

13 Weeks.  How did that happen?  I know I say that every week, but seriously...the weeks are just flying on by.

The biggest development this week is the bump!  I cannot fit into anything that is either not maternity or not elastic waist and there is definitely a noticeable bump there.  Not so noticeable that passersby would know for sure that I am pregnant, but they would wonder!  It is so fun to start "showing" and actually feel pregnant.  I didn't really show with Miss A until 14 weeks, so 13 weeks doesn't sound too strange!  It just seems SO early to be sporting a bump.

And it is official, I am definitely feeling movement.  Last night I was sitting in bed and I felt the baby completely roll over.  This little FLOP from within and I knew exactly what it was.  Every time we have looked at this little one on Ultrasound, it has been VERY active, so I am not terribly surprised that I am feeling movement early.  And every time I use my doppler to listen to the heart beat, I feel movement as the baby tries to run away from the doppler! LOL

Nothing else big has happened this week.  Baby seemed to really enjoy turkey on Thanksgiving.  But, my mom put a ton of fresh cracked pepper in the potatoes and the baby (and my stomach) did NOT like that.  Little bit of nausea, some water and tums, and I was back on track for Thanksgiving dinner...I just avoided the potatoes!  Funny how little things like that affect you so much more when you are pregnant!  That is really the first nausea that I have felt the entire pregnancy, so I cannot complain!

Otherwise, still feeling great!  Still tired on and off, but still manageable.  I was really tired the other day (after a bad night of sleep) and I was a bad girl and had a Dr Pepper.  Boy, that tasted good!  With Miss A, I did not have one drop of caffeine my entire pregnancy.  I had planned to do the same this time, but sometimes a little tiny pick-me-up is needed.  My one little Dr Pepper was still less than the pregnancy daily recommended amount and I was out of the first trimester, so I took the chance.  Plus, I actually split it over two days.  Baby and I both enjoyed it!

Something funny:  I kept making a repeated typo while typing this post...I kept typing "boy" for any "b" word. Trying to tell me something fingers?

Food cravings this week:  Dill pickles, Colby cheese sticks, and Fruit Snacks.

Aversion:  Pepper.

How are you feeling?

Smart Bottoms Swim Diaper Review and Giveaway

Small – Fits 8-16 pounds

Medium – Fits 16-24 pounds

Large – Fits 24+ pounds

Price Per Diaper:  ★★★★☆  This swim diaper retails for $12 direct from Smart Bottoms.  For a swim diaper, this is an average price and for the quality of this swim diaper, the price is fair!  For comparison, a 24 pack of disposable swim diapers costs approximately $10-12.  Buying a reusable swim diaper can save you money and waste.

Fit:  ★★★★★  This diaper is made of a PUL outer with Polyester Jersey material (similar to football jersey material) on the inside.  The waist and the legs are elastic to give a nice snug fit to contain messes while in the pool.  No matter the size of your child, the elastic will hug their waist and legs making this a comfortable and contained diaper.

Washing:  ★★★★★  Because there is no absorbent material to this diaper, you can simply hang to dry like you would a swim suit between uses.  If soiled, I hand washed and hung to dry.  This swim diaper shows absolutely no wear or tear from use, washing, or chlorine.

Overall Performance:  ★★★★★  This swim diaper is extremely comfortable for my daughter, it is nice and stretchy around the legs to contain messes but not so tight that it leaves marks or bothers her.  The material is nice and comfortable and it washes well.  Also, this is extremely trim for under swimsuits and easy up/down for potty learners.  Overall, I am in love with reusable swim diapers!

Total Stars:  19/20

Miss A is not feeling well today as you can tell from the pics, she just stayed however I put her...poor thing.  Evil mommy taking photos.

CLICK ON THE "READ MORE" FOR THE GIVEAWAY!!

Pregnancy Wednesday: 12 weeks

Bye Bye first trimester!!!!  Depending on which reference you use, some texts say that 12 weeks begins the second trimester and some say that 13 weeks begins the second trimester.  As a L&D nurse, we always go with 12 weeks beginning the second trimester...so I am celebrating!!!  WOOHOO!!!

I seems unreal to be 12 weeks.  It also seems unreal to realize how big the baby is already!  A plum!  My baby is the size of a plum!  That is BIG!  With Miss A, my pregnancy just flew by and was such an easy pregnancy...apparently (and hopefully) this one is going to be just as nice!  Although I am trying to take moments like this to stop and just enjoy this!  Life seems to get away from you, we all need to slow down and enjoy the moment!

My husband and I are quickly realizing the list of lasts...this will be our last Thanksgiving and Christmas with just Miss A.  Next year we will be a family of four!  I almost feel like we are taking something away from Miss A, almost like we are mourning the end of time with her as an only child.  But at the same time, we are so excited to expand our family!  Did anyone else feel this weird guilty feeling when adding to your family?  I mean, we are NOT waiting until she is 18 to have another!!!  Honestly, she will be just a few weeks short of 3 when this one arrives, so it really will be perfect timing!  She will be old enough to grasp a little of what is going on but not so old that she hates us!

I am still feeling great!  Still a little tired here and there.  This past week Miss A and I have had the most awful colds...so we are fighting those.  Tis the season!  If I weren't pregnant, I would probably be taking every over the counter cold medicine there is...but I am trying to fight through with nothing.  I know I could take something safe, but I haven't gotten that desperate....yet!!  It keeps getting worse, not better, so I may end up taking something.

And I SWEAR no matter what people say...I am feeling movement.  I feel little flutters and little flops...it is SO not gas!  Especially when I use my doppler to listen to the heartbeat...the baby tries to get away and I can feel the "flop" of the baby trying to roll away.  It is so weird but so wonderful!  I mentioned before, that with Miss A, I didn't feel movement until 22 weeks.  So I really never felt the flutters of early pregnancy.  By the time I felt her, they were for real kicks!  So this is amazing!!!

Still craving dill pickles...but nothing crazy that I just HAVE to have!

How are you feeling?

A peek at the little one...

Smart Bottoms AIO 2.0 Review

X-Small:  Fits 5-8 pounds

Small:  Fits 8-16 pounds

Medium:  Fits 16-24 pounds

Large:  Fits 24+ pounds

Note:  When I first received this diaper for review, my daughter was approximately 23 pounds and I was sent a Medium.  It fit her perfectly at that time and I will write this review based on that time frame.  Since then, she has grown like a WEED and is now 29 pounds.  The Medium still fits her skinny frame well, the rise is getting pretty low on her though.  Please note this for the pictures, she is wearing the medium but she should be in a large now.  When this diaper first arrived, the rise was perfect on her.

Price Per Diaper:  ★★★☆☆  The Smart Bottoms AIO 2.0 retails for $20 each.  For an AIO diaper, this is a fantastic price.  AIO diapers are generally one of the most expensive diapers and the average price is $28-$34.  You can purchase this diaper direct from Smart Bottoms.  Since these are sized diapers XS-S-M-L you will have to buy the next size as your child grows.

Leaks:  ★★★☆☆  For day time use, this diaper performed perfectly.  However, for long naps and night use, my heavy wetting daughter required a booster or else the diaper would leak.  This diaper is extremely absorbent and did amazingly well for awake times and short naps, but for long naps and night, it just didn’t have enough absorbency.  A simple booster fixed the problem and with the booster, it is a great night time diaper!

Fit:  ★★★★★  I know I have raved about the fit of Smart Bottoms Diapers in the past, but here I go again!  My tall skinny mini daughter has had troubles with some diapers fitting correctly and without leaks; not Smart Bottoms!  The creator of Smart Bottoms also has skinny children and was able to see a need where other cloth diaper companies did not.  This diaper has a 3 snap tab, two snaps at the waist and a hip snap.  The hip snap is perfect for skinny children with little skinny legs (like Miss A).  The waist is also wonderful due to a stretchy front and stretchy back, this gives the perfect waist fit!  Also, for those skinny minis, there is a crossover snap at the waist to give you an even smaller size.  Likewise, if you have a chunky kid, you can size up and not be worried about the fit since it is stretchy with hip snaps and crossover tabs!  Genius design!  Also, due to the brilliant design of this diaper, it is extremely trim and fits nicely under clothes!

Ease of Use:  ★★★★★  This diaper could not be easier!  It is an AIO diaper, so no removable or movable parts!  Just on baby and off baby…nothing more!  This also makes washing a cinch since you just toss it in the washer and don’t have to worry about unstuffing or removing anything!  Also, with the stretchy waist and perfectly located snaps, it is a breeze to get this diaper snapped and on unlike other snap diapers!

Washing:  ★★★★★  As I mentioned above, this diaper is a cinch to wash since it is an AIO you can just toss it in the washer and then into the dryer or onto the line.  When it is dry, there is nothing to prep or stuff, it is ready to go back onto baby.  The inner is a 100% organic cotton with synthetic core.  This is very easy to wash, stays very soft against baby’s skin, and stains come out in the wash or with a little sun.  The shell is made of PUL and washes perfectly.

Overall Performance:  ★★★★☆  Overall, I really love this diaper.  I love the design, how well it fits my skinny baby, the soft organic cotton inner, the great price, and how easy it is to care for this diaper.  I do wish that this diaper was a little more absorbent for naps and night, but this was easily solved with a simple booster.  Great diaper!  Made in the USA!

Total Stars:  25/30

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Pregnancy Wednesday: 11 weeks

Holy Moly!  11 weeks!  So crazy!  I can just see that second trimester on the horizon!!!  How is that possible?  June seems sooooo far away, but at the same time this pregnancy is just flying!!!

I am still feeling great!  A little tired still here and there but not all of the time!  The urge to pee every 5 seconds seems to be fading a little.  I am now able to sleep longer than 2 hours at night without getting up to pee!  YAY! And other than those two MINOR complaints, I have no other complaints!

It is kind of strange, I keep forgetting that I am pregnant.  It will just not occur to me for a little bit and then it will all come back.  I think it is because I feel so good!  However, I am now definitely needing pregnancy clothes!  At home, I wear sweats and a t-shirt so I don't notice it as much.  But going out, yeah, the pre-pregnancy pants just don't cut it!!!

No crazy cravings this week.  Just that I cannot get enough fruit.  Yum.  Doesn't matter what fruit, just give me any and all fruit!  And salads.  I am looking forward to making my salad at lunch today!!!  Hey, if the baby is going to crave fruit and salad...bring it!!!  Better than cakes and cookies...which I can also eat anytime!!! :)

The other funny part of all of this is Miss A.  She is still grasping to understand all of this.  Her new favorite toy is my "Pregnancy Week by Week" book.  This was my favorite book during my pregnancy with her and still is my favorite.  I like it better than "What to Expect."  I recommend this book to any and all expectant moms out there!  You can buy it from Barnes and Noble here.  Anyway, Miss A has latched onto this book as HERS.  It is so cute!  She sits on the couch and flips through the book like she is reading it like a big girl.  When she can't find it, she comes to me and says "My book?"  It is HER book.  And I don't mind, because I have it on my Nook too, so if she ruins it, oh well!  She learned very quickly that those pictures are babies.  She will point and say "dady."  She has her b's and d's backwards.  So I have been trying to explain to her that there is a baby in mommy's tummy too.  She just looks at me like I am nuts.  When I get bigger and she can feel the baby kick, I think it will be more real for her.  It is just so fun to watch all of this through her eyes and try to help her understand.

The weeks are just flying by!  Hard to believe that I am almost out of the first trimester and will soon be in the second!

If you are pregnant, trying, or just had a baby...how are you feeling?

Laura

Posting Delay.

Sorry guys.  I have a bunch of reviews to post...and my camera broke.  :(  So until I can get it fixed or replaced, reviews will be on hold.  Who knew that a camera was SO vital!

Please stay tuned.  And sorry for the delay/ quiet blog.

Laura

Pregnancy Wednesday: 10 weeks

10 weeks today...wow!  I am so excited and anxious to get to 20 weeks and see what this little one is and even more excited and anxious to hold this baby...but at the same time, how is it possible that I am almost done with the first trimester?  This pregnancy just seems to be flying!  I am already 1/4 of the way there!

Question: How early did you feel movement?  With Miss A, my placenta was anterior (in the front) and I really didn't feel movement until around 22 weeks.  It was a sad and LONG wait to finally feel those kicks and movements.  I know it is crazy because the baby is so tiny, but I swear that I feel movement at times.  It is probably all in my head though!

I am also excited to share a review with you...I am going to wait until later in the pregnancy and see how well it does at all stages, but I did buy a fetal doppler with my own money and I am excited with the results already!  As a Labor and Delivery nurse, I had the pleasure of being able to check on Miss A whenever I worked.  I was so nice to get to hear that heartbeat a couple times a week since I was working FT.  Now that I am only working casually (4 days a month) I wanted to get a doppler for at home so I could have the same comfort with this pregnancy of being able to check on the little one.  Working in the job I do, I see the good, the bad, and the really really ugly of pregnancy.  So with all of those experiences and memories, I sometimes have a very hard time just putting my faith in the fact that everything SHOULD be going ok with the pregnancy.  I have seen far too much to not have some control and be able to check in on the baby whenever I want.

So I did a ton of research and price comparison and then I stalked ebay for a good price!  I was shocked that I got it for such a great deal!  Yay Ebay!

Now, for those moms out there wondering...your uterus does not come up out of the pelvis until around 10 weeks.  So it is nearly impossible (and most practitioners will not try) to find the heartbeat with a doppler until 10-12 weeks.  With that knowledge in mind, my doppler arrived when I was 9 weeks and 2 days.  I wasn't going to try it out, but something in me just wanted to know!  So I decided to try and find the heartbeat the day that the doppler came.

I must say, it is hard to doppler yourself.  I am always standing over the patient and can visualize the landmarks and get the heartbeat right away.  But trying to do it to yourself it quite a bit more difficult.  So after a LOT of searching and feeling around for landmarks, I found it!  It probably took me 10 minutes, but at 9 weeks and 2 days, I was able to get the baby's heartbeat on my home doppler!  The heart rate was 125-130.  I was so excited to find it!

Now, for those of you wanting to buy a doppler and are hopeful that you can find the heart beat at 9 weeks, I want to warn you.  I am a Labor and Delivery nurse.  I know the landmarks and I know how to find the heartbeat.  At 9 weeks and 5 days, I could not find it.  It was very frustrating for me, but I was not surprised. Please do not expect to find the heartbeat until after 10-12 weeks.  More like 12 weeks for a home doppler. If you buy one and cannot find the heartbeat, do not get scared/worried/etc.  It can be very hard to find the heartbeat, especially before 20 weeks.  And depending on the position of the baby, it can be near impossible even with a good doppler; let alone a cheapie home doppler.

I am extremely excited to keep using it though and let you guys know what I find!  It was extremely affordable, so I am thrilled to share!  But not yet!  I want to thoroughly test it out first!

I am still feeling great!  I get a little tired at times but that is really my biggest complaint.  And I still can't get enough dill pickles.  I need to buy stock in Clausen!  Yum!

How are you guys this week?

Happy Pregnancy Wednesday!