(Seen here in the Cow Print with Grobaby and Baby Kanga cloth diapers.)

The Happy Heinys Reusable Cloth Diaper is produced by Happy Heinys, a division of MLB Industries Inc but despite its big name, it is still a company made up of mothers and families. Apart from its one sized diaper, Happy Heinys also manufactures mini one size, pocket, fitted, trainers and diaper covers as well as accessories like wetbags, wipes, bum spray/wash and get this, cloth diaper advocacy keychains! It is one of the few brands out there which allows you to adjust your diapers to four different sizes and thus is suitable for newborns all the way up to toddlers.

Each diaper comes with one (1) one size insert and one (1) newborn insert so you have an option of using either one during the day or both for night time use. For more on the design, features and look of the diaper, do refer to Happy Heinys’ website here.

Style
One size pocket and comes in either aplix (velcro) or snaps

Cost
I bought this in M’sia as part of a package so it was cheaper but otherwise, it retails for around RM82 to 85 depending on if it’s solid or printed. In Singapore, it costs around $35.

Accessories & additionals
Their inserts comes in the usual microterry or hemp for heavy wetters called hemp Stuffins™ which is an insert with a variation to the design whereby there is a pocket for you to slide in the small oval inserts. This is to remove excess bulk while giving you that extra absorbency factor.

Care info
All Happy Heinys diapers and inserts must be washed at least TWICE before the first use with 1/2 to 1/4 of the recommended amount of additive free detergent (no enzymes, phosphates, softeners, bleach and optical whitening agents). The amount depends on the load of your wash. After each use, knock off poo solids into the toilet, remove the inserts, fasten the laundry tabs and place in a wet/dry pail (depends on your system) until washing day.

Although Happy Heinys recommends a pre-cold rinse cycle before the actual wash, I have washed the diapers with a normal wash cycle and on regular water temperature. (Here in the tropics, we are not able to choose the temperature of the water for most washing machines so worry not.) Hang out in the sun to dry (fleece-side up for the diaper shells) – this is important as the heat from the sun will not only dry your inserts and diapers faster but it will “bleach” away stains too.

Note that Happy Heinys suggests washing hemp products separately from fleece products as hemp contains natural oils which may coat your fleece diapers and affect their absorbency performance.

Verdict
General
This is a diaper that is meant for big sized babies as the cutting is very generous. Yet, despite that, it fits Eva quite well – she doesn’t look like she’s drowning in the diaper. Also, if you were to take the colour choices into consideration, this is one brand with A LOT of colour options, not to mention prints. Still, in terms of prints, I’d stick with the ones that look cute – cow and cheetah spots are nice. Note that Happy Heinys suggests solid coloured diapers for night time use and prints for day time as their print diapers are made from cotton fabric and some people may experience wicking (slight leaks) when inserts are full.

The sizing snaps were easier to adjust – they come in four sizes from x-small which is perfect for newborns up to large which is more for toddlers or bigger babies. Eva settles nicely in the medium setting and I love how good she looks in them – not too bulky but still quite trim and fitted.

Application (stuffing/removal, use, fit and bulk)
The main thing with bigger diapers is getting the fit right. Even after stuffing the pocket with its one size insert put to small/medium setting, it fits Eva nicely around the thighs – she has a 9″ thigh measurement – without being too tight and around the waist without her looking as if she is swimming in it (a sign that it’s too loose).

I found it quite easy to stuff the pockets and remove them without worrying about spillage or leaks. In fact, my entire hand could fit into the pocket, allowing me to adjust the inserts and lay them flat as bunched up inserts can affect absorption. I felt that it was easier to slide the inserts in and out despite rubbing up against the PUL.

It’s not too difficult to put on Eva – I just snapped the diaper to the medium setting and put it on her. Of course the insert is already in as I usually stuff the pockets right after they are done drying. Removal is easy as well; just remove the velcro and slide it from under her. I changed her diaper after four hours and discovered that her bottom was dry while the insert was slightly damp. The inner fleece fabric was slightly dry to the touch as well so that’s definitely a plus point. Pretty good absorption if you ask me since all cloth diapers reach full absorption after six washes!

Washing & drying
The aplix version comes with laundry tabs so I just fasten them, remove the inserts and dumped them in a dry pail until wash time.

It takes a night for them to dry and in the sun, less than a day! Talk about super fast drying!

What’s next?
This is definitely on my “To order more” list! In fact, I just ordered another three pieces!!!

Here is some rattle-grabbing action for your pleasure!

She started making a grab for her rattle on Sunday and then yesterday morning, I caught her doing the same thing in her bouncer after her 9am feed.

Things are definitely going to get more interesting around her! Wakakakaka!

…is the stroller fan.

Since she discovered she had fingers (!!!), Eva has been busy trying to grab and reach out to things like her toes, me, the small desk fan and so forth. While I got her some wrist rattles and foot finders from Lamaze, it would appear that my daugther’s favourite toy at the moment is a cheap $6 fan.

This week, I noticed that during my quick evening showers after our stroll around the neighbour (I leave her in the car seat still strapped in), she keeps herself occupied by grabbing its soft blades and then letting it go. Previously, she would stare at the lights and start fussing after a while. Now, she finds it amusing to play with the fan.

Today, however, I ran out (all wet, and in a towel) upon hearing a crash only to discover that she kicked it off the car seat. When I put it back again, she started her finger play and kicking again…as you can see in the video above. The expression on her face is just priceless!

Looks like fun, no?

Mommy’s Touch Easy Clean Snap Diaper is an American product by Mommy’s Touch that features a two row snap sizing (small or regular) instead of the common three row snap size. Like a lot of the other brands in the market, it comes with the usual gussets, inner fleece layer and two openings (instead of one) to allow easy stuffing & cleaning. All Mommy’s Touch diapers come with a six month warranty. For more on the design, features and look of the diaper, do refer to Mommy’s Touch’s website here.

Style
One size pocket and comes in snaps although it’s available in aplix as well.

Cost
I bought this in Singapore for $33 (with the GAD microfibre insert) but am not too sure if there is a stockist in Malaysia.

Accessories & additionals
Mommy’s Touch’s inserts are made by Green Acre Designs (GAD) and come in both microfibre & hemp. Unlike other brands which feature either a full one size insert or snap one size, GAD’s one size inserts come in a loop shape to allow for quicker drying.

Care info
Unlike other diapers where you have to prewash twice, Mommy’s Touch diapers and inserts must be washed at least ONCE before the first use with 1/2 to 1/4 of the recommended amount of additive free detergent (no enzymes, phosphates, softeners, bleach and optical whitening agents). The amount depends on the load of your wash. After each use, knock off poo solids into the toilet, remove the inserts, fasten the laundry tabs and place in a wet/dry pail (depends on your system) until washing day.

Although Mommy’s Touch recommends a pre-cold rinse cycle before the actual wash, I have washed the diapers with a normal wash cycle and on regular water temperature. (Here in the tropics, we are not able to choose the temperature of the water for most washing machines so worry not.) Hang out in the sun to dry (fleece-side up for the diaper shells) – this is important as the heat from the sun will not only dry your inserts and diapers faster but it will “bleach” away stains too.

Verdict
General
While the cut is large and similar to bumGenius plus the colour and print choices are varied, I felt that the design was a little too different for my taste. The two openings on both ends never fails to worry me every time I use the diaper and the way you go about sizing the diapers were, well, awkward. I had to snap it down to the small size and then fold the inner fleece portion inwards. Then upon removal, I would find that sometimes the inner fleece would scoot out a little because of Eva’s movements and such. Because there are openings on both ends, imagine what would happen if the inserts will overflowing? Disaster really…although I could be just over-imagining things.

Application (stuffing/removal, use, fit and bulk)
The sizing snaps were bizarre – I had to take a peek at the website to figure out what exactly to do. While stuffing and removing the inserts were easy, it was a little tad TOO easy for my liking (see comment above). Like with the other brands, it wasn’t too difficult to put on Eva and of course the insert is already in as I usually stuff the pockets right after they are done drying.

Removal is easy as well; just unsnap and slide from under her. I changed her diaper after four hours and discovered that her bottom was dry while the insert was slightly damp. After Rump•a•rooz®, FuzziBunz and bumGenius inserts, you could say that I was pretty impressed with this brand. The microfleece fabric was almost dry to the touch as well so that’s definitely a plus point. Pretty good absorption if you ask me since all cloth diapers reach full absorption after six washes!

Washing & drying
Because these are snap diapers, there are no laundry tabs. So just remove the insert from the shell and put it aside until washing day.

Like the other brands, the diaper shell and inserts dry pretty quickly – I do my baby laundry at the end of the day and in the morning, I have clean and dry inserts & shells waiting for some sun therapy.

What’s next?
The two end openings are definitely a turn-off for me and add the fact that they don’t come with inserts? Gah. Nah, I wouldn’t order this again. If I had to choose between brands of pockets that don’t come with inserts, I’d pick Baby Kangas. At least I won’t have the risk of spillage occurring at both ends of the diaper instead of just one!

Sometime nearing her third month, she discovered her fingers and have been busy toying, tasting and flexing them since.

Last week, she realised that it was fun trying to grab her toes as well!

This week, she decided to use her fingers to reach out to things, take a slap at them and well, just touch them.

This evening, I discovered her grabbing her stroller fan blades (which are very soft and therefore painless for her – no worries there) to stop it, then release it, watch it spin a few times and grab the blades again. She would do this for a few minutes, taking it every thing. Pity I didn’t have the camera with me then.

But this video is, urm, a mix of some tongue action (yes, she discovered that she could stick her tongue out and it’s fun about a week or two ago), finger discovery and toe grabbing!

Do enjoy!

(Seen here with Happy Heinys (cow print) and Grobaby (lavender).)

The Baby Kangas One Size Pouch Diaper, a creation by JamTots, hails from Canada and is one of the many baby-related products that the company churns out regularly. It is the only diaper in the market that features a front zipper to allow easy removal of inserts. This means no more sticking your hands into icky pockets and such to remove soiled inserts. To prevent wicking or leaks from the zipper, a flap has been added to the inside of the diaper to cover the zipper.

All Baby Kangas come with a 90-day warranty on the elastic, workmanship and fabric plus a lifetime warranty on the snaps. For more on the design, features and look of the diaper, do refer to Baby Kangas’ website here.

Style
One size pocket and comes in snaps.

Cost
I bought this in Malaysia and it retails for around $70 depending on which store you bought it from. I didn’t find any supplier that stocks this here in Singapore.

Accessories & additionals
JamTots inserts are made from either hemp, hemp fleece or bamboo and come in sizes or one-size depending on what you like. Depending on how you fold their inserts, you can get up to nine layers instead of the usual 3 layer per insert like with other brands as each insert consist of at least 2 to 3 layers.

Care info
Like all other pocket diapers, Baby Kangas is a single use diaper so the shell and inserts must be washed at least TWICE before the first use with 1/2 to 1/4 of the recommended amount of additive free detergent (no enzymes, phosphates, softeners, bleach and optical whitening agents). The amount depends on the load of your wash. After each use, knock off poo solids into the toilet, remove the inserts, fasten the laundry tabs and place in a wet/dry pail (depends on your system) until washing day.

Although Baby Kangas recommends a pre-cold rinse cycle before the actual wash, I have washed the diapers with a normal wash cycle and on regular water temperature. (Here in the tropics, we are not able to choose the temperature of the water for most washing machines so worry not.) Hang out in the sun to dry (fleece-side up for the diaper shells) – this is important as the heat from the sun will not only dry your inserts and diapers faster but it will “bleach” away stains too.

Verdict
General
Like FuzziBunz, this is not a very popular brand compared to bumGenius and Rumparooz. One of the reasons, I suppose, is that they do not come with inserts. You have to purchase the inserts separately and while some may prefer this, depending on the cost of the insert, you may end up paying more than what you would for brands like bumGenius and Rumparooz.

In terms of prints and colours, Baby Kangas only come in 14 solid shades – not a lot if you ask me.

I’ll be honest, I really like the idea of a front zipper although at the end of the day, it doesn’t really affect anything MUCH as I’d still have to remove her diaper and thus find myself removing the inserts from the pockets. Of course, so far, Eva has just been peeing and if the diapers were covered in poo, I may just sing a different tune.

In terms of sizing and cut style, this is almost the same as bumGenius and FuzziBunz. Just snap down to the appropriate size and voila, you’re done.

Application (stuffing/removal, use, fit and bulk)
It has quite a number of snaps compared to FuzziBunz but it’s the standard method – snap down to the right size and snap on her. It is quite trim and roomy – the cut style is similar to bumGenius, I feel and the elastics around the waist and legs are just nice. Eva came away without any red marks at the so-called tight spots.

With the front zipper, I found it very easy to stuff the pockets and remove them without worrying about spillage or leaks. In fact, there was much more room in the pockets compared to other brands, allowing me to adjust the inserts and lay them flat as bunched up inserts can affect absorption. I felt that it was easier to slide the inserts in and out despite rubbing up against the PUL compared to other brands.

It’s not too difficult to put on Eva although some people may find snaps to be quite challenging once their babies start to wriggle about. Of course the insert is already in as I usually stuff the pockets right after they are done drying. Removal is easy as well; just unsnap and slide from under her. I changed her diaper after four hours and discovered that her bottom was dry while the insert was slightly damp. The microfleece fabric was almost dry to the touch as well so that’s definitely a plus point. Pretty good absorption if you ask me since all cloth diapers reach full absorption after six washes!

Washing & drying
Because these are snap diapers, there are no laundry tabs. So just remove the insert from the shell and put it aside until washing day.

Like the bumGenius and FuzziBunz, the diaper shell and inserts dry pretty quickly – I do my baby laundry at the end of the day and in the morning, I have clean and dry inserts & shells waiting for some sun therapy.

What’s next?
It’s a pity that these don’t already come with inserts. I would have ordered more but after adding up the cost of getting the inserts separately, I decided that it just wasn’t worth it.

The FuzziBunz® One Size diaper is the product of Mother of Eden, another American company that is dedicated to churning out cloth diapers. Its inventor, Tereson Dupuy, started churning out cloth diapers in 1999 and is still actively working out new designs/prints for her cloth diapers. It has been granted a US patent for its unique Stay Dry pocket design and features adjustable waist AND leg settings, which is not common with other diaper brands. This is super for babies who have a slim waist but chunky thighs or vice-versa instead of either fixed waist or leg sizes. You have up to 8 leg and 4 waist settings for getting that perfect fit. On top of that, FuzziBunz® provides warranty for its snaps, and leg & waist elastic – from 60 days to 18 months.

Each diaper comes with one (1) toddler size insert and one (1) infant size insert.

For more on the design, features and look of the diaper, do refer to FuzziBunz®’s website here.

Style
One size pocket and comes in snaps.

Cost
I bought this in Singapore and it retails for around $35 to 36.50 depending on if it’s solid or printed. In Malaysia, prices start from RM88.

Accessories & additionals
Their inserts, the FuzziBunz® Micro-Terry Inserts comes in three sizes (0, 1 and 2 – newborn, infant and toddler) and is made up for 4 layers of microfibre terry cloth. One insert is usually enough for daytime use and the smaller insert can be used as a doubler.

Care info
Like all other pocket diapers, FuzziBunz® is a single use diaper so the shell and inserts must be washed at least TWICE before the first use with 1/2 to 1/4 of the recommended amount of additive free detergent (no enzymes, phosphates, softeners, bleach and optical whitening agents). The amount depends on the load of your wash. After each use, knock off poo solids into the toilet, remove the inserts, fasten the laundry tabs and place in a wet/dry pail (depends on your system) until washing day.

Although FuzziBunz® recommends a pre-cold rinse cycle before the actual wash, I have washed the diapers with a normal wash cycle and on regular water temperature. (Here in the tropics, we are not able to choose the temperature of the water for most washing machines so worry not.) Hang out in the sun to dry (fleece-side up for the diaper shells) – this is important as the heat from the sun will not only dry your inserts and diapers faster but it will “bleach” away stains too.

Verdict
General
It’s not a very popular brand compared to bumGenius and Rumparooz. I didn’t really go all out to look for it but merely bought one just to try out. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I love this diaper despite the fact that it has only four print and 16 solid colour choices, and that it only comes in snaps. While Nil finds aplix diapers easier to put on – he has big hands and all – I quite like the snaps for daytime use.

The fact that the legs and waist can be adjusted is a big plus point for me because Eva has chunky thighs but a slim waist and I wanted something that didn’t look bunched up around the waist. Also, as I discovered upon removal, the elastic around the waist was so gentle that even though it fitted her well, it didn’t leave any red marks. Awesome really!

The sizing is slightly different from other diaper brands because there isn’t any – you don’t have to snap down the front and all. It is done via the waist and leg elastics. For Eva, her waist elastic was at 3 and the leg setting at 4. You adjust them, hide the elastics in the appropriate hide-away holes and snap them on correctly!

Application (stuffing/removal, use, fit and bulk)
It’s not a fancy looking diaper with snaps everywhere compared to other brands and it truly is trim. Much trimmer than bumGenius or Rump•a•rooz®. The elastics are pretty stretchy yet not too loose, if you know what I mean, and they don’t leave marks around the legs or waist – a good indication that they fit her well.

I found it quite easy to stuff the pockets and remove them without worrying about spillage or leaks. In fact, my entire hand could fit into the pocket, allowing me to adjust the inserts and lay them flat as bunched up inserts can affect absorption. I felt that it was easier to slide the inserts in and out despite rubbing up against the PUL compared to other brands.

It’s not too difficult to put on Eva – I just adjust the leg and waist setting before use (you just adjust it once and that’s it – no need to adjust any more until she outgrows her current size). Of course the insert is already in as I usually stuff the pockets right after they are done drying. Removal is easy as well; just unsnap and slide from under her. I changed her diaper after four hours and discovered that her bottom was dry while the insert was slightly damp. The microfleece fabric was almost dry to the touch as well so that’s definitely a plus point. Pretty good absorption if you ask me since all cloth diapers reach full absorption after six washes!

Washing & drying
Because these are snap diapers, there are no laundry tabs. So just remove the insert from the shell and put it aside until washing day.

Like the bumGenius, the diaper shell and inserts dry pretty quickly – I do my baby laundry at the end of the day and in the morning, I have clean and dry inserts & shells waiting for some sun therapy.

What’s next?
This is definitely on my “To order more” list despite the fact that it has very little choices of prints. In fact, I just placed an order for four pieces!!!

The bumGenius 3.0 diaper is the one of the many baby products under Cotton Babies Inc., an American company that churns out both cloth diapers (bumGenius, Flip Diapers and Econobum) and other gears/items for babies and mums alike. Their products are made both in the US and yes, Egypt as well. It is taunted to be the most economical and easiest to use diaper in the market. The 3.0 version is an improvement over the old design and features trimmer patent pending stretchy tabs, wider insert slot, a new patent pending insert stopper and a grippier aplix.

Each diaper now comes with one (1) one size insert and one (1) newborn insert which is supposed to be trimmer.

For more on the design, features and look of the diaper, do refer to bumGenius’ website here.

Style
One size pocket and comes in aplix.

Cost
I bought this in M’sia as part of a package so it was cheaper but otherwise, it retails for around RM83-85 depending on the store. In Singapore, it costs around $35.

Accessories & additionals
Their one size inserts are are only available in the usual microfiber but is taunted to be rated at 15 oz. absorbency and can be snapped down into three different settings. Their newborn inserts, which are made from microfiber as well, can be used as doublers as well.

Care info
Like the Rump•a•rooz® diaper, all bumGenius diapers and inserts must be washed at least TWICE before the first use with 1/2 to 1/4 of the recommended amount of additive free detergent (no enzymes, phosphates, softeners, bleach and optical whitening agents). The amount depends on the load of your wash. After each use, knock off poo solids into the toilet, remove the inserts, fasten the laundry tabs and place in a wet/dry pail (depends on your system) until washing day.

Although bumGenius recommends a pre-cold rinse cycle before the actual wash in hot water, I have washed the diapers with a normal wash cycle and on regular water temperature. (Here in the tropics, we are not able to choose the temperature of the water for most washing machines so worry not.) Hang out in the sun to dry (fleece-side up for the diaper shells) – this is important as the heat from the sun will not only dry your inserts and diapers faster but it will “bleach” away stains too.

Verdict
General
It is unfortunate that bumGenius diapers only come in solids and aplix – unless you’re eyeing their Organic All-in-One series which comes in snaps. Their colids comprise of mostly pastels with the darker shades being new additions to their colour choice.

The inner lining layer is quite soft compared to other diapers (but of course is not on the same league as the Rump•a•rooz® diaper). Like Rump•a•rooz®, the bumGenius 3.0 diaper also comes in four sizes from x-small which is perfect for newborns up to large which is more for toddlers or bigger babies. Eva settles nicely in the medium setting and in terms of cutting, you can clearly see that bumGenius has a bigger cut style compared to other diapers.

Application (stuffing/removal, use, fit and bulk)
No, bumGenius isn’t bulky at all. I simple snap the one size insert to its small/medium setting and stuffed it into the insert which is cleverly hidden away. Because of its bigger cut style, it is roomier around the butt but still fits Eva very nicely around the thighs and waist, leaving no red marks upon removal.

I found it quite easy to stuff the pockets and remove them without worrying about spillage or leaks. In fact, my entire hand could fit into the pocket, allowing me to adjust the inserts and lay them flat as bunched up inserts can affect absorption. I felt that it was easier to slide the inserts in and out despite rubbing up against the PUL compared to other brands.

It’s not too difficult to put on Eva – I just snapped the diaper to the medium setting and put it on her. The stretchy tabs make the job oh-so-easy. Of course the insert is already in as I usually stuff the pockets right after they are done drying. Removal is a buzz as well; just remove the tabs (again, easy to “pull” off) and slide it from under her. I changed her diaper after four hours and discovered that her bottom was dry while the insert was slightly damp. The inner lining was dry to the touch as well so that’s definitely a plus point. Pretty good absorption if you ask me since all cloth diapers reach full absorption after six washes!

Washing & drying
The bumGenius 3.0 comes with laundry tabs so I just fasten them, remove the inserts and dumped them in a dry pail until wash time.

Because the shell is less bulky than the Rump•a•rooz® diaper, I had expected this to dry quickly and true enough, it did. After washing them at night (and hanging them up to dry), I woke up to already dried diaper shells and inserts. During the prep washes, the inserts and shell dried in around four hours – on a hot and sunny day, that is.

What’s next?
This is definitely on my “To order more” list! Now if only the colours were prettier!

The Rump•a•rooz® G2 diaper is the baby of Kanga Care, an American company that churns out both cloth diapers and other gears/items for babies and mums alike. It is the only cloth diaper which features double internal gussets like in your disposable diapers, which helps keep poop contained in the middle of the diaper. The G2 design is supposed to be trimmer, has an inner micro chamois fabric to minimize pills from the velcro, as well as the new 6•r Soaker which is adjustable (making it suitable for both boys and girls – apparently the pee concentrates in different areas) to 6 sizes/absorbency factors – the first in the market.

Each diaper comes with one (1) one size insert and one (1) newborn insert which is supposed to be trimmer and countered around the legs to remove bulk, so the end result will not be too overwhelming for your little one – butt bulk is a big issue with a number of mums when it comes to picking the right cloth diaper.

For more on the design, features and look of the diaper, do refer to Kanga Care’s website here.

Style
One size pocket (but you can use it as an AI2 if you like) and comes in either aplix (velcro) or snaps

Cost
I bought this in M’sia as part of a package so it was cheaper but otherwise, it retails for around RM89-98 depending on if it’s solid or printed. I couldn’t find a store which stocks this in Singapore.

Accessories & additionals
Their inserts, the 6•r Soaker comes in the usual microfiber or hemp for heavy wetters and can be snapped down using their paired snap into three different settings. Alternatively, you can opt for Rump•a•rooz® Hemp Inserts which can act as doublers.

Care info
All Rump•a•rooz® diapers and inserts must be washed at least TWICE before the first use with 1/2 to 1/4 of the recommended amount of additive free detergent (no enzymes, phosphates, softeners, bleach and optical whitening agents). The amount depends on the load of your wash. After each use, knock off poo solids into the toilet, remove the inserts, fasten the laundry tabs and place in a wet/dry pail (depends on your system) until washing day.

Although Rump•a•rooz® recommends a pre-cold rinse cycle before the actual wash, I have washed the diapers with a normal wash cycle and on regular water temperature. (Here in the tropics, we are not able to choose the temperature of the water for most washing machines so worry not.) Hang out in the sun to dry (fleece-side up for the diaper shells) – this is important as the heat from the sun will not only dry your inserts and diapers faster but it will “bleach” away stains too.

Verdict
General
I must admit, I’m not a big fan of Rump•a•rooz® prints (with the exception of a few) and therefore, prefer their solid colours. I had a choice between the snaps and aplix (velcro), and after hearing that velcro is easier for potty training as well as for the zombie parent (lack of sleep, early morning hours, etc – you know what I mean), I settled for the aplix, which may not look as chic as its snap counterpart but I feel is easier to handle.

The inner micro chamois layer is oh-so soft compared to other brands; when I first examined it, I actually rubbed it against my face and was pleasantly surprised by how luxurious it felt against my skin. The sizing snaps were easier to adjust – they come in four sizes from x-small which is perfect for newborns up to large which is more for toddlers or bigger babies. Eva settles nicely in the medium setting although compared to other brands like bumGenius, the Rump•a•rooz® diaper may seem to have a smaller cutting.

Application (stuffing/removal, use, fit and bulk)
Despite its smaller cutting, the Rump•a•rooz® diaper isn’t bulky at all, even after stuffing the pocket with its one size insert put to small/medium setting. It fits Eva around the thighs – she has a 9″ thigh measurement – although at a glance, it looked a little on the tight side. Around the waist, it’s fitted her quite well too even though it may look a little bulky.

I found it quite easy to stuff the pockets and remove them without worrying about spillage or leaks. In fact, my entire hand could fit into the pocket, allowing me to adjust the inserts and lay them flat as bunched up inserts can affect absorption. I felt that it was easier to slide the inserts in and out despite rubbing up against the PUL compared to other brands like Happy Heinys where the PUL sort of “stuck” to my skin.

It’s not too difficult to put on Eva – I just snapped the diaper to the medium setting and put it on her. Of course the insert is already in as I usually stuff the pockets right after they are done drying. Removal is easy as well; just remove the velcro and slide it from under her. I changed her diaper after four hours and discovered that her bottom was dry while the insert was slightly damp. The micro chamois fabric was slightly dry to the touch as well so that’s definitely a plus point. Pretty good absorption if you ask me since all cloth diapers reach full absorption after six washes!

Washing & drying
The aplix version comes with laundry tabs so I just fasten them, remove the inserts and dumped them in a dry pail until wash time.

I had expected the diaper shell to take longer than normal to dry due to the double gusset which results in more fabric bunched up in the middle of the shell. But after washing them last night (and hanging them up to dry), I woke up to already dried diaper shells and inserts at 6am. Of course, I still sun them anyway to make them extra dry and bleach/kill any stains/germs.

What’s next?
I’m seriously considering ordering more of these; just need to see the sizing again as the cut style is smaller compared to bumGenius and FuzziBunz.

UPDATE: The cut is definitely on the smaller size compared to bumGenius, so I’ll only get more of these as a last measure. BUT if I need extra inserts, Rump•a•rooz® inserts are the way to go!

We took the plunge recently and bought a couple of cloth diapers to start Eva on, seeing that we were spending quite a bit on disposable diapers. At around 20 cents per piece, we were looking at spending at least close to SGD20 every two weeks just on diapers alone! Thankgoodness I’m breastfeeding her, otherwise, her “needs” expenses would climb higher!

What kept us from starting her on CDs were a few things – the move from Switzerland and her age. The move would make it nearly impossible to keep up with washing the CDs and drying the inserts (terminology explanation to come soon). Her age? Well, since birth, she had this nasty habit of poo-ing after a feed and it was clockwork right up till she hit 2 months plus. Since she’s now over 3 months and her pooping habits have sort of hit once daily to every two days, I figured now would be just great to start her on CDs.

Now, I’ll be honest. The initial start-up costs for these diapers is crazily huge. You’ll be looking to spend anywhere from SGD27 to 50 per CD – this depends on the brand, design and so forth. There are a few difference styles (AIO – All In Ones, AI2 – All In Twos pocket, fitted) out there as well as brands but I settled on the pocket and AI2 style. Pockets allow me to remove the inserts for washing and this means they usually dry faster than AIO (non-removable inserts – they look just like disposables except that you don’t trash them!). AI2s have the same concept except that instead of stuffing the insert into a pocket (like pocket diapers, hence the name), you lay them on top of the shell. All you do is change the inserts more often and reuse the shell – of course you have to wash the shell but you don’t need to do it each time you change the insert (like the pocket).

Then of course there is the issue of sizing. You can buy sizes for CDs but I am looking for more bang for my money, so I settled for one size designs which means that the CDs can be adjusted by snaps and you can use it on newborns all the way up to toddlers! Some people will argue that one size CDs don’t really fit their babies well and it causes leaks & such but this really depends on the baby.

Brand-wise, there are the ones from the US and of course, there are the rest. In terms of feedback and reviews I received from others, the American CDs score higher in terms of material breathability, absorption factor and fit. Popular brands that I know of are Happy Heiny, bumGenuis, Swaddlebees, Blueberry, Grobaby, Rumparooz, Fuzzi Buns, Mother’s Touch, and Bumwear.

Anyway here is a list of my purchase and do watch out for reviews to come as I put them to the test!

• bumGenuis 3.0 One Size (aplix) (pocket)
• Rump•a•rooz® G2 One Size (aplix) (pocket/AI2)
• Gro Baby Shell Set (aplix) (AI2)
• Happy Heiny One Size (aplix) (pocket)
• Baby Kangas One Size (snap) (pocket)
• Fuzzi Bunz One Size (snap) (pocket)
• Mommy’s Touch One Size (snap) (pocket)