Tuesday, April 19, 2011

The Cloth Diaper Dictionary

As I am sure many of you are discovering or already know, the world of cloth diapering sometimes seems to have its own language. We here at The Lazy Mom want to help translate for you. Of course, this list is not conclusive, but we will update whenever we stumble across a new term. Please feel free to add comments or e-mail us with definitions of your own! And of course, we will link back here often to make it easy to come back to.

  • Diaper Options
    • All in One
    • All in Two
    • Pocket
    • Fitted
    • Contour
    • Prefold
    • Flat
    • Cover
    • Hybrid
  • Size Options
    • One Size (OS)
    • Sized/Perfect Size
  • Closure Options
    • Aplix/Velcro/Hook and Loop
    • Snaps
    • Pin
    • Snappi
  • Cloth Diaper Extras
    • Doubler
    • Insert
    • Liner
  • Cloth Diaper Materials
    • Bamboo
    • Hemp
    • Microfiber
    • Microfleece
    • Microsuede
    • Minky
    • OBV (Organic Bamboo Velor) 
    • Organic Cotton
    • PUL
    • TPU
    • Wool/Fleece
      • Longies
      • Shorties
      • Skirties
      • Soaker
  • Miscellaneous Terms
    • Inner
    • Outer 
    • Stay Dry
    • Wet Bag
    • Pail Liner

Monday, April 18, 2011

Kelli's Kawaii Pocket Diaper Review

It is kind of ironic that I am doing a diaper review when I have only technically been cloth diapering for one week, but I represent the moms out there who are new at this whole cloth diapering thing!

My diaper review will focus on areas that I find important as a newbie to the cloth diapering world:
Cost, Reliability, Ease of Use, Fit, and Cuteness.
I will give a little background of my experience with the diaper and I will rate each category from MY perspective as a user. No research, no big fancy case report, just my experience. I will rate each category on a scale of ONE (bad) TO FIVE (awesome) and I will total the categories up for a GRAND TOTAL SCORE OUT OF 25. I hope the readers find this system easy to compare and contrast different brands!

Here is my review of Kawaiis:

Background: When I decided to get into cloth diapering, I decided to go with Kawaiis as a beginner. They are very similar to disposables. I bought 5 Kawaiis to begin my stash of diapers, so these are the diapers that I use on a daily basis as of now.

Cost: This is one of the MAJOR reasons I decided to go with Kawaiis when I began to Cloth Diaper. I needed cheap diapers that would be functional. When I first saw how cheap Kawaiis were compared to other diapers I wondered, "Okay, what is the catch?" Most other diapers seemed to be $15+ while Kawaiis were HALF of that! These diapers are great for new cloth diaperers because they allow you to test the waters and get a feel for it without spending a fortune!
RATING: 5/5

Reliability: I have had NO problems with leaks in these diapers. In fact, they are better than disposables in my opinion. Eli has gone up to 14 hours overnight in the "Goodnight Heavy Wetter" option of Kawaiis and I have allowed him to go 5 hours during the day... all without leaks! The good thing about these is that they all come with two inserts (the absorbent pads that you put inside the pocket), so if you have a heavy wetter you can just put in two inserts.
RATING: 5/5

Ease of Use: Kawaiis come with either vecro or snaps to fasten the diaper. No pins needed. This makes it easy to do diaper changes and get a good fit. After washing the diaper you "stuff" the pocket area with an insert which absorbs the waste. Some may consider "stuffing" diapers an extra chore, but it is really easy for me and I don't think of it as a hassle. The snap fasteners took a while to get used to and the more that you use them, the easier and quicker you will get at it. The velcro fasteners are VERY easy to use and make it very easy to get a good fit on your baby. However, I have had problems with the velcro's stitching coming loose and fraying (I'm about to send those back to the company and have them replaced though!)
RATING: 4/5

Fit: When comparing disposables to Kawaii cloth diapers, you will look at your baby and think their butt looks HUGE!!! Cloth diapers add bulk, in my opinion there is no way around it! This is why we call babies in cloth "fluffy butts"! Kawaiis are pretty bulky and the amount of fabric between their thighs seems like a lot, but it allows for FULL coverage! The fit on Eli is great! They are like high-rise woman's jeans! They rise high enough on both his back and tummy so that there has not been any diaper blow outs! They also fit perfectly on his thighs. The snaps on the body of the diaper allow for you to adjust this area so it fits snuggly. I need to add that Eli has very chunky legs, but is very slim in other areas of his body. Every baby is different, so you won't really know about fit until you try it for yourself!
RATING: 4/5

Cuteness:
When it comes down to it, cloth diapers are just way more cute than your generic disposable diaper! You get to pick out colors, patterns, prints, and textures! It makes diaper shopping fun! I must admit that I don't think Kawaiis offer the biggest selection of styles, but there are still plenty to choose from! I have often seen a lot cuter and original prints from different brands of diapers. You also can not custom choose fabrics with Kawaiis, there is a limited selection. most of my stash are solid colors because when I went to order mine a lot of their cute prints were back ordered.
RATING: 3/5

Grand Total: I love my Kawaiis. They are a great beginner diaper and they have made my transition into cloth easy! They are simple to use and VERY affordable for the average mom. I highly recommend them to any newbies out there!
TOTAL RATING: 21/25

Kat's Kawaii Pocket Diaper Review

After many (many, many, many) hours of research as to what diapers to try first, I finally decided on Kawaii's. They are the only diapers we use (as of now) and we have been using them for the past 7 months.

We will start off with a review on all things diaper related (fit, cost, reliability) and then rate them on a scale of 0-5 (0 being "very much dislike" and 5 being "everything I've ever wanted in a diaper")

This particular review will cover all of the diapers in one group as my experience has been they all work the same whether they be the Bamboo Minky, Goodnight Heavy Wetter, etc. The difference is in the closure and it is addressed below:


Type: Kawaii OS Pocket

Fit: I am and always have been a very big fan of the way Kawaii's fit. Though not the trimmest of diapers they don't add so much bulk that you have to go up a size in your child's clothing (something that really turns me off of a diaper). They fit nicely around the stomach and throughout the thighs and legs. One thing I would like to see Kawaii incorporate into their diapers is leg gussets. This is the only thing I see worth changing with these diapers.

Cost: Priced only at $6.25-$11.20 (currently) this is a STEAL! You could cloth diaper your child from birth to potty training for as little as $75.00. The fact that they are OS (one size) and each diaper comes with two bamboo or microfiber inserts makes this deal all the sweeter. Short of making your own diapers and covers you will be hard pressed to find a better priced diaper.

Reliability (snap): I have used this diaper both during the day and at nighttime with minimal to no leaks. Providing that I have made sure to put it on my child correctly and have no gaps between the liner and the diaper he could stay in it all night (12 hours) and wake up with dry clothes. I am very very pleased with the reliability of this diaper. There is nothing I would change.

Reliability (velcro): I am very disappointed in this diaper. I can only keep my child in it for a maximum of 1 hour and a half before it leaks. I have tried everything I can think of to make it perform as good as it's counterpart with the snap closure. I have added more liners, taken away liners, secured looser, secured tighter and all to no avail. This diaper LEAKS in a very big way. It does contain poop though. I have never had a blowout or poop leak from this diaper, but it CANNOT contain pee for any significant amount of time.

Ecology: Kawaii diapers are 100% organic and contain no harmful substances. The liners are made from bamboo and microfiber. Kawaii's goal is to "reduce consumption of non earth-friendly items and simultaneously offer an alternative toward a more natural choice of products in the living and parenting world that is better for the planet. "


Overall I feel comfortable rating the Kawaii OS pocket diapers with Snap closure at a firm 5. I don't believe I could be any happier with a diaper and I whole-heartedly recommend it!

Overall I feel comfortable rating the Kawaii OS pocket diapers with Velcro closure at a 2.5. While the cost, fit and ecology are all 5's- if the diaper is not reliable at keeping the contents safe inside it is of little use to me. I would not recommend this diaper.

You can find more Kawaii products at: www.theluvyourbaby.com

The staff and customer service there are excellent! You will not be disappointed :)


-Kat

Amy's Kawaii Pocket Diaper Review

To start, here is my disclaimer: I know many many people, Kat and Kelli included, who swear by Kawaiis and love them. I represent the rest of us--the group of people who had a less than idea experience with Kawaiis. The one thing I have come across are many people love them, and those who do not, hate them.

As this is my first diaper review, let me explain the rating system here at The Lazy Mom. Kat, Kelli and I will each come up with our own rating system, one that works best for our individual style. As we each have our own opinions, I feel like this will give us each independence in describing diapers for you. However, we will each stay consistent to our own scale as we review different diapers. That way, if you begin to realize that your baby is a lot like Eli (Kelli's baby) you can follow her ratings, which will remain consistent. Of course, we encourage you to skim through all of the ratings, as I will reiterate time and time again, every baby is different and what works great on one might not work great on another.

My rating system will focus on the three initial factors most people consider when deciding to cloth diaper: financial (for your individual family), environmental, and ease of use. I will also focus on economics (the big picture), fit, reliability, availability,customer service, and of course, style! At the end, I will give you an overall rating and sum up my thoughts. Another thing to note, for every individual, the weight of each category will be different, for some, financial may trump everything else, but for other, environmental issues may be most important, while for still others, the style and cuteness of cloth is what got them here. I'm here to be 100% unbiased and non-judgmental. Whatever your reasoning for choosing cloth, I'm just happy you made the choice, or are even considering it, and I'm glad that you're here. Alright, here we go!

Financial: Priced between $6.25 and $11.20, Kawaiis are perhaps the best "bang for your buck" diaper on the market today. Save for using all prefolds and inexpensive covers or making your own diapers, you will be hard pressed to find a diaper that is less expensive. Add in the fact that pocket diapers, once stuffed, are about as easy to use as disposable, even for babysitters, and these diapers are truly a great deal.

Environmental: Here is the deal: We're talking about cloth diapers. Comparing the eco-friendliness of different brands of cloth diapers is like comparing the deliciousness of different kinds of chocolate: they're all good, it's just that some are a little bit better. Someday, I would like to do a comparative analysis of the least eco-friendly cloth and the most eco-friendly disposable diaper. I think that the cloth would still come out on top, but that's for another day. Back to the Kawaii, it is made in China, and not North America (mostly the US and Canada), so the carbon footprint of a Kawaii is greater than that of a lot of other made in America (or Canada) diapers. The shipping alone is a substantial increase, added to lower environmental standards in production in China as compared to the US. That said, the waterproof material inside a Kawaii is called TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane), which is actually more eco-friendly than PUL (polyurethane laminate), a waterproof material used in some other diapers. TPU is created using high heats to bond the waterproof polyurethane (or plastic, for all practical purposes) with the fabric, while PUL is created using a chemical bonding method. That is probably more information than you ever really needed, but I won't mention it in future posts except to say what is used and link you back here. In summary, environmental costs in shipping: bad. Environmental aspects of the materials: pretty good.

Ease of use: Kawaii pocket diapers are, as the name indicates, pocket diapers. There is a waterproof cover with an attached layer of stay dry fabric (either microfleece or microsuede), and a pocket opening between the two layers. Kawaii diapers come with two microfiber inserts which are stuffed into the pocket and act as the absorbent material of the diaper. The diapers can be used with either one or both inserts to customize the absorbency. Once stuffed (which takes seconds per diaper), they act almost exactly like disposable diapers. Before being washed, though, the inserts should be removed from the diaper (again, a very quick and painless process taking about a second). While pockets are not the easiest type of cloth diaper (that award belongs to all in ones, which we will get to later), they are just a hair more difficult. Overall, these diapers are very simple and easy to use!

Economics: As I mentioned previously, these diapers are made in China, meaning their manufacturing does little to sustain the American economy (though, if you aren't from America, this probably does not matter to you). However, they are sold on many American sites, so their retail profits would flow into the American economy. Additionally, they are a commercial diaper and not a small business or a work at home company (WAHM). 

Fit: This is the category in which I am truly biased. Kawaiis had a horrible fit, on any setting, on my son. He wore them three or four times well over a month ago and still has bright red scars from the leg elastic. This is not an isolated incident, as I have talked to other moms who have had this same issue. However, this problem does seem to occur in the minority of children. In our experience, though, it is the fit that led me away from Kawaiis. 

Reliability: As I stated above, I used Kawaiis three or four times. Each time, though, the worked great! I had no leaks or blow outs, and once I used the diaper overnight (10 or 12 hours) with no leaks. They are a very reliable diaper!

Availability: I am not sure if this is a common occurrence, but I do know that at the moment these diapers are back ordered on most retail sites. However, I have not heard of this happening often. As far as cloth diapers go, I would guess that they are middle of the road in availability. Not always available in every color/print/style, but often available, and definitely not as unattainable as some other cloth diapers to be discussed at a later date.

Customer Service: Of course, I am non-judgmental and unbiased when it comes to your personal priorities in diaper choices. I truly am. I will just mention that FOR ME, customer service is very important. It will often determine whether I am willing to buy a diaper, even used. That said, customer service for a specific diaper is often difficult to determine as there are many many stores that carry each diaper (come back on Saturday for store reviews). Therefore, when I discuss customer service with regards to a diaper, it is only in reference to the company that manufactures or the main distributor of that diaper. In the case of Kawaiis, I am referring to http://www.theluvyourbaby.com/. While I have never had to deal with the company personally (I bought one of my Kawaiis new from craigslist and another I got with a free one size diaper coupon at Kelly's Closet), they have a wonderful reputation for have phenomenal customer service. With that being said, I am very confident in saying that the customer service for Kawaiis is exceptional

Style: As far as commercial diapers go, Kawaiis offers a huge assortment of styles, colors, prints, and materials to choose from. They have some adorable diapers! While they don't have the huge variety and customization options of many WAHM sites, they have many cute diapers and tons of options. 

Overall: Okay, my quick and dirty summary of Kawaiis: almost unbelievably affordable, tons of cute options, super easy to use and very reliable; however, the fit is hit or miss, and can sometimes be painful, and they are made in China. As a result of the fit issues, I am rating Kawaiis a 3: I can't use them, but would recommend them for others to try! 

Amy

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Schedule

Monday: Diaper Review Day (reviews on diapers or accessories)
Tuesday: Tuesday Tips and Tricks
Wednesday: Ask Us Anything (questions answered!)
Thursday: Thoughtful Thursday
Friday: Fluffy Friday
Saturday: Sew Sweet Saturday (reviews on stores, WAHMs, etc)
Sunday: Grab Bag Day

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Hello Readers,

Thanks for taking the time out to come and visit our cloth diapering blog :) I'm Katryn, mom to a big bundle of boogers, Gideon!


Unlike fellow bloggers, Kelli and Amy, I am the epitome of The Lazy Mom. I will always mostly chose the easiest and cheapest route when it comes to cloth diapering. Gideon has, like Max, been in cloth diapers from the day he came home from the hospital. Here is a little background on why we chose to CD (cloth diaper) and how it works for us:
My best friend gave birth to her little bundle of love exactly 9 months before I had Gideon. She is the one who first introduced me to CDing. Like Kelli, I was of the mindset that no one really did that anymore. Why would they when we now have the "ease" of disposables? That certainly was not the lifestyle for me and I thought no more of it. Now this post could end here and that would be the end of the story except you know that that did not happen and so you must also know that I did give it more thought! After watching my friend change her daughter's diapers with such swift ease and NO mess I decided maybe it wasn't such a bad idea after all.


I began researching CDs and QUICKLY became very overwhelmed. There are more acronyms in the cloth diapering world than there are words to make up said acromyms (or so it would seem). Now, I can't tell you how many different ways there are to fold a flat and I can't tell you if WAHMs are better than store bought- but, what I can tell you is what works for us and why we chose what we did.


After realizing how many different diapers there are and double that many differing opinions I decided to start with one and work by process of elimination. I knew 2 things from the research that I did do: 1) I wanted pockets and 2) I wanted to get lots of bang for a little bit of buck.
Luckily for us, the first diapers we ever tried were without doubt the ones for us. I won't go into why they work for us in this post as this is more an introductory post than anything. I will tell you that it is not as difficult as it seems and you can do it! The benifits from cloth diapering are truly wonderful and while it is definitely not for everyone, I do believe that everyone should at least give it some amount of thought.

I look forward to sharing our experiences with you and hope that you come away from here having learned at least something! and to go along with the theme of Kelli and Amy's closing:

Love&Luck,
Kat

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

A Little Introduction - Kelli

Hi Everyone,

My name is Kelli and I am a first time mom to Eli Grey who is currently (almost) 7 months. I am loving each step of motherhood and feel completely blessed. I'm what most would consider a young mom at 23 years old, so I am still learning about my parenting style and I am overcoming obstacles/decisions as they come.

Unlike Amy for me diapering my child was not a matter of "deciding" WHAT to do but what brand to use, Huggies or Pampers? I wasn't ever exposed to the world of cloth diapering and like so many people out there I saw it as a thing of the past. Why would I want to do laundry all of the time and deal with poop firsthand when I could so easily pull off a diaper and throw it out??!

I was introduced to cloth diapering by Amy. She by no means forced it down my throat or preached about the environmental benefits, instead she just let me put one on Eli for fun. At that point the questions began.... and I don't think they've ever ended. I am constantly texting her and calling her; Where do I buy my diapers? What is a good price? What detergent do I buy? How many cycles of wash do I need to run again? Can I put them in the dryer?

Here on the Lazy Mom's Guide to Cloth Diapers I represent the majority of modern day mamas out there who didn't even know cloth diapers still existed. I serve as a testimony to those women who think that Cloth Diapering is nothing but a load of crap (literally) and 12 million loads of laundry!

Eventually I will find my way... and so will YOU!

Lots of Love and Luck,
Kelli and Eli