BumGenius 3.0 and FuzziBunz Cloth Diaper Review

This video demonstrates the differences and similarities between bumGenius 3.0 and FuzziBunz cloth diapers. 

bumGenius 3.0 Cloth Diaper Review

bumGenius Organic Cloth Diaper Review

FuzziBunz Cloth Diaper Review

bumGenius Organic Cloth Diaper Review

Check out my video review of the bumGenius Organic Cloth Diaper on YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cznJJUZ6Ko

Towels and Cloth Diapers Don't Mix

The main downside to using cloth diapers, really the only downside I have found up to this point, is the extra laundry.  Last week in an effort to save myself some time I decided to throw in a few cloth diapers with a load of towels I was washing.  Big mistake!  When I took them out of the dryer the towels had a funny smell.  I put my sweet husband to the test.  I gave him one of my "clean" towels after his shower.  I asked him if  he smelt something.  At first he didn't notice it but as he was finishing drying off he could smell urine.  Needless to say I had to rewash them.  So much for saving time!  At least I only had to wash one extra load because the cloth diapers smelt just fine.  Go figure.

Book Giveaway - Will the World End in 2012?

Recently I reviewed the book Will the World End in 2012? by Raymond C. Hundley, Ph.D.  I am now giving this book away.  If you would like to try and win this book, please visit my musings blog here.  The contest is open to everyone and is not limited to residents of the US or Germany.  Happy reading and good luck!

My first thoughts on cloth diapers

Last Thursday was the first day we used cloth diapers except for two disposables I put on my son when we went out.  Since then he has only worn cloth, including this morning at church and to lunch afterward.  My first impression is I really like them.  Not only are they better for the environment but they are simple to use.  The only complaint I have is the extra laundry - a small price to pay.

I bought three different kinds of cloth diapers: bumGenius Organic All-in-Ones, bumGenius Flips, and FuzziBunz Perfect Size.  The first night our baby wore FuzziBunz to bed and when he woke up was all wet.  Not good.  The next night we double stuffed a FuzziBunz and he was dry in the morning.  Yay!  Last night we double lined the Flips and his diaper didn't leak, now we know Flips work at night too.  We have not tried bumGenius Organic All-in-Ones at night yet.  Mainly because I don't want him to feel wet at night.  One thing I LOVE about the FuzziBunz and Flips stay dry is that the diapers are dry except for that one night when we only had one liner in and it filled up with pee.  Also his little bottom is rash free. in spite of the fact that we aren't using diaper rash cream anymore (we aren't supposed to use rash cream with the cloth diapers we purchased).  All of the diapers we bought are high quality and soft.

I do not know which is my favorite yet.  Each serves a different purpose.  Here are my thoughts on each thus far.

bumGenius Organic All-in-Ones - super easy to use. You don't have to stuff or take apart anything.  Everything is connected in one diaper.  The only downside is it takes a LONG time to dry.  I dry them on two cycles and they are sometimes still damp.  I bought twelve of these and they were the most expensive.  One cool thing is you can adjust the size and use them for your baby until they are potty trained.  We spent $264.95 for 12 diapers ($22.07 per diaper).  These are my husband's favorite.

bumGenius Flips - These are great for going out.  We have two covers and six liners.  You simply remove the liner and replace it except when the baby goes number two, then you replace the cover.  It's easy to carry the whole system in our diaper bag.  You just have to make sure the liner is in correctly before putting it on your baby, very simple to do.  They also dry super fast and are the least expensive of the three.  Another plus for the Flips is you can buy disposable liners to use when you go out too.  It adds waste to the landfills but not as much as a whole diaper would.  Flips are also adjustable to use from birth to potty training.  We spent $49.95 for two diaper covers and six inserts ($8.32 per diaper when reusing the covers).

FuzziBunz Perfect Fit - These are pocket diapers which means there's a liner to stuff in the diaper.  They are super soft and the baby stays dry.  These are perfect for at night or when you'll be away from the house.  They also dry fast.  The only down side is removing and reinserting the liner.  They cost somewhere between the Organic All-in-Ones and Flips.  However, if you buy the Perfect Fit they will end up being the most expensive as they have three sizes unless you buy the FuzziBunz One Size.  I bought four medium FuzziBunz and two large.  We spent $95.70 for six diapers ($15.95 per diaper).

Several people have asked how much everything costs.  It is expensive to get started with cloth but in the long run you will save money.  We bought some of the more expensive cloth diapers and have spent $410.60.  Along with the cloth diapers we bought two reusable trash liners, bottom wash, and two diaper wet bags to go which cost $48.78.  Like I said, there are cheaper cloth diapers out there but since we are planning on using these for more than one child we wanted to make sure we bought something that would last and be super easy to use.  Considering we used to spend around $75 a month for disposables, in less than six months we will have spent the same minus water and electricity.  So I think overall this was a good choice for us even though saving money wasn't our main reason for switching.

The cloth diapers have arrived!

Most of my cloth diapers have arrived.  I received the bumGenius Organic All-in-Ones yesterday and today my FuzziBunz arrived in the mail.  We have not tried them out on the baby yet because they need to be washed 5-7 times before wearing.  Tomorrow the fun begins.

Here are my bumGenius Organics.  Is it weird to get this excited about diapers?

He asked "are you going to put all those diapers on me?  Oh no!!"

My First Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mamas out there.  Yesterday was my first Mother's Day and it was wonderful.  My sweet husband and son bought me some beautiful flowers and a new wallet.  My new wallet actually fits Euros in it.  

I was sick with a horrible migraine Saturday night and ended up throwing up.  We all didn't get much sleep so we ended up staying home yesterday and resting.  We don't like missing church but I wanted to make sure I didn't have a virus and my throwing up was due to my migraine.  It turns out it was.  

My darling husband cooked me breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  He called to make reservations at one of my favorite restaurants Saturday but they were booked all day Sunday.  We considered going to one of the restaurants at Luisenpark but it was raining.  We enjoyed spending time together at home.  Plus my husband is an awesome cook and I enjoy his cooking more than most restaurants.

Our sweet baby took his first big fall.  He fell and bumped his head pretty bad.  Thankfully he's okay and so are we.  It is so scary when they fall.  Poor sweet baby.

I hope you had a great day yesterday too.  I think one of the best blessings in life is to be a mom.  I am so thankful to my mother, step-mother, grandmothers, mother-in-law, and all the other women who have helped inspire me and shape me into the woman I am today.  I truly am blessed.

Cloth Diapers in Germany

Do stores in Germany sell cloth diapers?  I have visited two stores so far this week looking for cloth diapers.  The first store was Kaufland, which is kind of like a Walmart but a lot smaller.  They did not sell any cloth diapers.

Today I went to Toys R Us and they only sold one kind.  It was a rather large piece of fabric thing.  I talked with three employees, I'm glad they weren't busy because they were all trying to help me.  The one who spoke English the best tried to explain how the fabric worked.  Apparently you tie it around the baby multiple times.  He said, however, that most Germans do not use cloth, they use Pampers.  I asked if they knew of any stores in Germany that sold cloth.  He said no and to try online.  I told him I was surprised more Germans did not use cloth considering how small our trash cans are.  I said once my son was born we had to trade in for the largest size (which is about the size of our small in the States).  The trash men also only come every other week.  The employee said, "yeah, I know, but Germans are lazy and just use disposables diapers."  I asked them if they knew of any stores that sold cloth diapers and that I was specifically looking for some that functioned like a disposable.  None of them knew of a store that would sell cloth diapers nor have they ever heard of a cloth diaper that looked and worked similar to disposables. 

When I got home I was determined to find a cloth diaper retailer who would sell and ship inexpensively overseas.  And I found one, Mom's Milk Boutique.  The cool thing about this company is it is owned by two sisters who are also mothers.  Their employees are able to bring their babies to work with them and they encourage you to bring yours too if you visit them.  Their brick and mortar store is located in West Frankfurt, Illinois.  But the BEST thing about this company is they offer free shipping.  There is no minimum purchase on most items.  All US orders qualify for free shipping in the USA and to military addresses.  Another neat thing is they ship to almost any address internationally.  There are some brands that they cannot ship internationally.  But many products they ship for FREE internationally, which is very rare.  So expat friends, if you have been considering cloth diapers and want to pay cheaper USD prices for them, check out Mom's Milk Boutique.  They also sell other products besides cloth diapers.

These past few days as I continue researching cloth diapers, I have discovered the Flip Diaper.  It's a hybrid diaper that looks easy to use and is very economical.  I went ahead ordered a Flip Day Pack: Stay Dry today for $49.95, which basically is like buying six cloth diapers.  They are made by bumGenius.  I'm going to look at the bumGenius 3.0 tomorrow and am still considering buying some of those or the FuzziBunz to complete my stash of cloth diapers.  But for $50, I thought I'd go ahead and buy this day pack that seems like it will be great for overnight and day trips.  Another cool thing is you can buy disposable inserts if you want.  Right now I'm going to try the cloth inserts and see how I like them overall before buying any disposable inserts.  Once I receive the Flip, I'll let you know how I like it. This is what the Flip diaper looks like. 

I am super excited about trying cloth diapers.  Maybe that's weird, but I'm just tired of throwing away so many diapers.  It is probably just a personal thing but it seems easier for me to wash a load every other day or two then continuing to pile our trash with disposable diapers.   Of course once the washing begins that will probably be another story.  Remember, I hate doing laundry and my husband does take out the trash.  I'm sure my husband will be happy once we receive the diapers and I move onto something else to talk about.

Spargel for Dinner!

During this time of year, Spargel (white asparagus) is in season and becomes a popular seasonal specialty at restaurants.  You can also buy it at all the grocery stores and people even have spargel stands where they sell different sized spargel.  The thicker the stalk, the more expensive it is.

I went to the Kaufland today and could not resist buying some and making it for dinner.  We cooked it last year and although I honestly prefer regular green asparagus, I like to eat spargel when it's in season.  Here is how we prepared it.

First I washed the Spargel

Then I peeled the Spargel, similiar to peeling a carrot or potato.

Next I cut it up and steamed it on the stove.  We have also boiled them.

Then make or heat up your sauce. We like Thomy's Hollandaise sauce.

Add the rest of your food.  I heated up some ham and dinner was ready!  This is a common German dish, ham and spargel.  If we would have had pommes (french fries) we'd really be set.

Here is my sweet baby.  He had spinach for dinner tonight for the first time.  Thankfully he really liked it!

Entering the World of Cloth Diapers

Diapers are a necessity when you have a baby.  When my son was first born he went through what seemed like a pack of diapers every other day or two.  Not only are they expensive but they are hard on our environment.  Early on my husband and I talked about switching to cloth diapers but the thought of washing them was overwhelming.  Our house consists of four floors and our washer and dryer are in the basement.  So taking an extra load of laundry down three flights of stairs did not sound very appealing.  However, I'm starting to change my mind. 

I have become more "green" since moving to Germany.  Recycling is very big here.  You can recycle almost everything - except diapers.  The garbage men come every other week and pick up our trash and recyclables.  We have a very small trash container and once we had a baby it filled up pretty quickly.  But I also have my concerns about cloth diapers such as inconveniences when we're out, having to keep the dirty diaper with us, the smell, the poop, and time it takes to wash and dry them.  On the other hand the thought of diapers not decomposing in a landfill for 500 years is terrible. 

I have been reading a book called The Everything Green Baby Book, which describes the horrible chemicals that are used in disposable diapers.  Since there has not been adequate research done on the long term effect these chemicals may have on a baby, I am willing to do the work and try out cloth.  I have been researching cloth diapers and they have some fabulous choices now, including all-in-ones that are similar to disposable diapers and easy to put on.  They also sell one size diapers that will last from birth through potty training.  After comparing the cost of cloth to disposable diapers, cloth ends up being much cheaper, especially if you end up having multiple kids.  This is a perk too, especially as one who likes to save money when I can.

Yesterday I made my first cloth diaper purchase.  I ended up buying 12  bumGenius Organic all in one cloth diapers.  I have read a lot of reviews and talked with several people about cloth diapers and this is what I'm going to start with.  I plan on ordering 12 more diapers after I try these out and look at a few more styles that some of my friends have.  I'm thinking about ordering pocket diapers for the other 12.

Do you use cloth diapers?  What are your thoughts?  Is there a certain brand you really like?  As a cloth diaper newbie, I'm open to any and all advice I can get.