Posts Tagged ‘diaper cover’

We have 10 free diaper covers to give away with orders over $50 (US and International).

Use coupon code freecover to get your free diaper cover with any order over $50.  The diaper cover you get will be our choice (brand and colour), but please be sure to tell us if you prefer girl, boy or gender neutral colours in the comments when you check out, and we will try our best to honour that request. Please also let us know the size of your infant and we will try to make sure you will get a cover of the size of your baby or one that baby can grow into.

This coupon code cannot be combined with any other offer.  This offer cannot be used on previously placed orders.  This coupon code will only work 10 times.  If it comes up with an error it means that we have given away all of our freebies.

Only one per customer/household etc.  Please note that the $50 does not apply to shipping/taxes etc.

Chances are you have heard of an all in two, which is generally a cover with a pad/insert that is often snapped into place or laid into place.  The Sweet Pea AI3 is denoted such because it’s pad is actually a two part system in itself.  But in reality, I use it like an AI2 when I use it on Braden.

A customer recommended the Sweet Pea AI3 to me, so I decided to try out their diapers, and I like them.  They are a Canadian made diaper, one that to me is better that some of the better marketed brands out there.

It is one size.  We did find it a little big on newborn Rylan (we tried it at around 6-7 pounds), so I don’t suggest it for a tinier newborn.   But then most one size diapers are not the best choice for tinier newborns.  It does have a great rise on it so that it is good for larger babies, and should do well up to the suggested 35 pounds.  Braden is wearing it on the medium setting in the photo below.  Braden is nearly 30 pounds at time of writing.  If I use it at night with an extra insert in there, then I put it up to the larger setting.  Braden is kind of in between the two settings right now.  It is really nice that there is room to grow in this diaper.

It is snap closing, which means no hook and loop diaper trains in the wash, and snaps are more durable.  But it is one that my husband the snap phobe will not use.  However, if you are comfortable with using snaps, this diaper is no different or harder to use than any other snap closing diaper.

The cover is made of PUL and as such can be easily wiped out if lightly soiled.  The cover is designed to be re-used with just the pad being washed most of the time.  The pad doesn’t snap directly on to the cover like most AI2 diapers, but rather on to a flap that is sewn into the seam of the diaper.  It does snap directly at the front where there is extra PUL for the sizing snaps anyway.  This minimizes the risk of snaps pulling through the PUL.

I love that there is a hook on the back of the diaper for easy line drying, and even storage.

The pad is a good one too.  I know my inserts, and I know what fabric combination’s work well together as the maker of the G-Flapper.  I did a lot of testing with Braden when I was trying to make good inserts to work for him as he is a heavy wetter.  I like this insert because it uses the magic hemp and microfiber and microfleece combination.  There is three layers of hemp on the bottom layer of the pad.  The pad is sewn so it is curved.  There is a microfiber pad topped with microfleece pad that snaps on to the hemp pad, so if you didn’t want to use either of the pads, you do not have to.

I have tested this pad system at nap time with Braden and it passes. It passed the night time test too, but Braden is not as heavy at night as he once was, so it might not work for a super heavy wetter.  But that being said, you could always add in a G-Flapper insert to the combination at night.  The pad did shrink a little over time, and I found that it makes the diaper pucker a little when both ends are snapped up.  I solved this by just snapping it in at the front.  It doesn’t shift of anything inside the cover once it is done up.  The pad just gets more absorbent with washing too.

This diaper is pretty trim, of course that comes down to what you put in it.  Add more padding, and you will get more bulk. But when using the pad it comes with, it is nice and trim.

The diaper retails for $18.95 and it comes with the cover and one pad.  You can buy more pads separately.  The cover will also work with gDiaper flushables, Gro-Via biopads, G-Flappers and flip inserts.  I have even put a Thirsties Hemp Pre-fold in it.  Oh and it will work over a fitted too :)

This pattern has several types of diapers in size newborn to X-Large.

I love to sew.  I learned how to sew in high school in home ec, where the teacher was one of the students mothers who had a passion for sewing, and shared that enthusiasm with the kids.  I sewed alot of my daughters clothing (she is now 22), and then later turned to quilting.  Now, I am sewing inserts, diaper bags, and diaper accessories.  I have not actually made alot of diapers though.  I have bought alot of diaper patterns though, and I plan to try and sew each and everyone one of them :)

My first one I loved so much, I had to stock it for the DIY section of the store.  It is the pattern by Jalie and it is great value.  It includes patterns for a pocket, AIO, fitted and cover.  I have tried out the pocket in this pattern so far.  I took the plunge after I saw how easy it was with the videos that Jalie had posted on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/user/jaliepatterns

You can find most if not all of what you need to make the diapers from this pattern from the DIY section of Nappy Shoppe.

Braden wearing his Jalie pocket Diaper.

I made the pocket diaper using 2mm PUL and Microchamois.  I use the elastic that I stock in the store and I used the pre-made tabs on most of the diapers I made.  One or two of them, I cut the tabs to shape because I wanted to try out some of the coloured aplix I had on hand.  Following along with the video really helped.  I put it on my phone beside the sewing machine and paused while I did each step. 

The end result was a pocket diaper that has been in Braden’s stash for coming up a year.  I like to use it at night as it is a good sized pocket and I can fit around 3 hemp and microfiber G-Flappers in it. 

Using 2mm PUL, Microchamois, premade tabs and aplix, and elastic from the DIY section of the store.

This pattern makes cloth diapering very affordable if you have the time and the skills to put into it.  In my opinion an absolute beginner sewer may find this challenging, but if you have some good basic sewing skills, you should be able to follow this pattern and video just fine.  It helps to be familiar with your machine.  The first diaper I sewed, the thread kept breaking as I was putting in the leg elastic.  It turns out the timing was off, and the making of this diaper made this issue come to the fore, so I took the machine in to be serviced, and subsequent diapers went together without a hitch.

Rylan, at 5 pounds in the newborn pocket.

My friend Ashley has made a few diapers from this pattern too.  She started out in my sewing room trying out the pattern, but loved the pattern so had to get her own :)  She even made some of the newborn size ones, and they work great on her newborn.

She also made the largest size for her older son who is 30 pounds and it was big on him, so if you have a larger baby, this pattern will cover that size too.

Well it’s official. I care more about the fashion on my son’s butt than in what I wear myself :) Check out Braden’s pumpkin butt!

This cover he is wearing is made by a fellow WAHM friend, Ashley Beal of Baby Bug Creations. I stock her mama pouches (double wet bags) and will soon have in stock her night time fleece covers (which have gone through a bout of Braden testing at night time). Ashley is making fleece covers for daytime use that have a holiday theme. So if you are like me and have to have a diaper for every occasion (forget the purse and shoes for every occasion!), then these are an affordable must have.

Keep an eye out for her very cute night time fleece covers coming soon! They will feature the ever popular ooga booga print!

(Oh and that red spot on Braden’s nose, and fading brusie on his forehead … he finally got to play outside after weeks of rain here in Texas, was so excited, he face planted into the concrete patio.  It doesn’t seem to bother him though.)

So the burning question, which biodegradable insert/pad is better? To be honest I like both so this is a tough one to say either way. There are advantages to both, so let me lay out my observations from having used both on my son.

gDiapers were my first system, and I am very loyal to them as a product line. But I am going to try and be very objective here.

gDiapers
* Larger Pad so takes up more space in your bag.
* Simple rectangular shape (which is one of the reasons why it is so easy to find cloth inserts to fit the gDiaper system).
* ALL of the unit is flushable, not just parts of it. (Though our cheap builders grade toilet never coped with flushing).
* Compostable (as is the Gro Baby)
* I have to use half a flushie or a small flushie folded in half under the main flushie to get good absorbency for my heavy wetter. I only had to use one of the Gro Baby.
* No adhesive which is both an advantage and disadvantage. The advantage is it doesn’t need it to do its job in a gDiaper pair of pants, but it is nice to have the adhesive on the Gro Baby when sticking it in other covers. That being said I have successfully used gDiaper flushies in other covers. I just have to be careful when putting them on the baby as nothing is really holding it in place.
*48 cents each for medium/large size. That being said you can get some good deals on them when on sale and you can buy them in bulk that will bring down that cost.

Gro Baby
* Shaped into a U with built in gussets. This means poop was caught by the insert rather than the cover itself, though not always.
* Smaller when folded up so fit in your diaper bag better.
* Adhesive holds the insert in place in the Gro Baby shell and other covers. That being said, the gDiaper inserts do not NEED any adhesive for them to work in gPants. The adhesive is actually a bit too strong as sometimes it sticks so well the plastic pulls away when trying to remove it from a cover. The paper that covers the adhesive is a little annoying though. They seem to manage to avoid getting thrown in the rubbish and I found them tucked in funny places in the bathroom. It is another part to dispose of.
* Very absorbent, but I have not done any measured tests.
* Only the paper core is flushable, which means you have to pull it away from the plasticy part and discard the plasticy part in the rubbish.
* Fully compostable just like gDiaper flushables.
* 40 cents each — so cheaper unless you get a good deal for by the case of gDiaper brand.

Size 2 Gro Baby on the left and medium large gDiaper on the right. The Gro Baby is folded into three and the gDiaper folded in half.

On top is the gDiaper pad opened out, and below is the Gro Baby pad. The Gro Baby will keep trying to curl back out. The gDiaper relies on the white liner component of the gPant to form the U shape.

Edit: I was asked if a Gro Baby pad will work in a G-Diaper. Well it would go in there, but would be more effort with the adhesive etc than what it is worth. The white liner already does the curving part and you would be applying another curving pad into it. I personally wouldn’t run with that unless there was nothing else to put in Braden’s diaper. ie I was stuck out and about and everything was dirty bar a pair of gPants and a Gro Baby bio pad :)

So end result, which ones will I use on Braden? To be honest I will have a packet of both on hand. I have both brands of diapers in his stash so it makes sense to have them both for me. I like both brands.

Which would I recommend to someone starting out and wanting to choose which system?

I think it would come down to this factor. GDiapers is a more flexible system in that you can use so many different cloth inserts in them. Most of the insert brands I stock will work well and effectively in gPants without any major modifications. Gro Baby pads have snaps on them to hold them in place and they are not the standard snaps that most DIY folk have in stock — most DIY folk will have a snap press that uses size 20 KAM snaps. The Gro Baby system uses YKK snaps.

So I would go GDiapers if you want a more flexible system, and Gro Baby if you want to use just their system.

The long awaited Gro Baby Biodegradable Soaker pads finally arrived late September 2009. I only ordered a couple of boxes because I wanted to be sure that these worked before I made a big time commitment to the product for the store. I love the Gro Baby diapering system already. It is a trim one size shell that you snap organic cotton pads into. You change out just the pad after baby pees, and the put in a fresh pad. I generally only needed to wash the shell after Braden would poop. There is a choice of snap or hook and loop closure. The only beef I have had with the system was a lack of colour choices! Functionally they are a great diaper. But Gro Baby is planning prints by the end of 2009, and I cant wait for those!

So I put Braden to work testing out these biodegradable inserts. Our first “cloth” diaper with Braden was the gDiaper system using their flushable inserts. So the concept is not new. And it is great that another company is coming to the green party of offering up choices for those who do not want to do laundry, or for travel and out and about. They inserts comes in two sizes. Given that Braden is 24 pounds at time of testing and wearing his Gro Baby diapers on the largest setting, we went with the size 2.

The biodegradable insert is very small when taken out of the pack folded (about 5 inches square), so they would pack into a diaper bag nicely and take up very little space. They are folded into thirds, and you unfold them and they look alot like the inside of a high end disposable diaper. They have a plastic back (which is biodegradable) and a paper front. There is a gusset edge on the pad for poop catching.

To put into the Gro Baby shell, you have to peel away the adhesive strips on the back. There is one at each end of the back of the pad. These stick to the mesh inner of the Gro Baby shell just fine. Its quite strong. A bit too strong in fact because I found if it gets a good hold on the snap at the back, you can tear the plastic backing of the diaper when trying to pull it off. This gets a tad tricky if the insert is full of poop!

The built in gusset does its job. I have not had any leaks with this insert in the Gro Baby shell. The pad holds quite a bit of pee too. We put it on Braden at nap time, the pad was full and heavy when I took it out after his nap. No leaks. Braden is a heavy wetting baby too.

I took the test a little further and tested the insert out in some other covers I have here. I tried it out in Otter Blotter covers and Thirsties Covers, and it worked well. If I placed the adhesives on the shiny side of PUL it did however stick a little too well and it was a little tough to get the insert out.

A pack costs $19.99, and there is 50 in a pack, so they work out to 40 cents each. So this system will cost you like a disposable does. BUT here is the big difference. This insert is compostable and biodegradable. Meaning it will not clog up a landfill for the next 500 years like a disposable will. You can also flush away the paper part of the unit. You still need to throw away the plasticy outter.

So what place will this have in Braden’s cloth diaper stash? For travel, for out and about, I will keep a couple in his diaper bag. Also when he gets a teething rash, I will use these as I don’t like to put creams on my cloth diapers as it can ruin them.

The addition of the Gro Baby Biodegradable Soaker pads to the Gro Baby line up makes them a very versatile cloth diapering system that should last most of baby’s diapering career.

Wool is an amazing fiber. Where I come from, Australia, wool is a major industry. My primary degree is in Agriculture, so I have worked alot with sheep. Even shorn them :) Back home, on my bed I had a woolen underlay, and it was on there year round, it kept the bed cool in the summer and warm in the winter. One of my old cars, I had a sheepskin cover on the steering wheel, and that thing was wonderful for keeping me from burning my hands in the middle of summer. The sheepskin covers on my old leather car seats were great for the same reason. So I always knew those benefits of wool, but I learned a new one for wool last year. And no ironically I didn’t use wool covers on my daughter over 20 years ago …

Wool does a fantastic job in absorbing and holding moisture. I read that it can absorb up to 30% of its weight in moisture without feeling moist or clammy. So in the case of a wool diaper cover, that moisture is pee :) Wool covers are what I recommend when a mother is at her witts end with a wet baby in the morning. The wool covers I stock from Covered Caboose are fantastic for night time use. There are one or two customers who use them for day time use, but I don’t like it personally because it makes for a huge butt, and its hard to get regular clothing over the top. (The picture is of Braden at around 10 months and 17 pounds in a size medium).

Couple a wool cover with a fitted diaper and you have a good night time option. If you have a super super heavy wetter, you can even put hemp inserts between the fitted diaper and the cover in the wet zone. Bulky yes, but effective. I have even tried putting a wool cover over a regular pocket diaper like a bum genius for insurance. A few of my customers do that.

So in short a wool cover is bullet proof or should that be pee proof? yet bulky solution, ideal for night time use.