Snappi vs. Diaper Pins: Review and Giveaway

In order to compare the Snappi Diaper Fastener with good old fashioned diaper pins, I had to use some diaper pins. I was actually quite terrified about the prospect. My overactive imagination kept bringing up unsightly images of what would happen if my baby moved the wrong way at the wrong moment and the pin slipped and I had to call 911. Fortunately, nothing dire happened and I was able to get the pins on. However, I didn't get it tight enough. I didn't try again though, because I didn't want any accidents happening, and my wiggly daughter was already tired of my messing around down there. 

This is what it looked like:

Next I tried the Snappi. Ah... Just what (I think) a prefold should look like on a baby! The little plastic teeth caught onto the diaper easily, gripping just the outer layers of the cloth without any imaginary 911 calls going on in my head. Just as their website says, "Snappis have become the cloth diapering necessity that 'pulls it all together'!"

I only had one slight problem with the Snappi I reviewed. It didn't fit my toddler! Snappi DOES sell two different types of Snappis, one for a baby and one for a toddler. If you try to use the baby Snappi on a toddler, it will look something like this: 

                          

It will NOT stretch to fit your child, and diaper pins will have to do (unless you thought ahead and purchased a toddler Snappi!).

If you would like to try the Babu Snappi out for yourself, use the Rafflecopter below to enter my giveaway. Have fun!

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Cloth Diaper Confessions

This morning I thought I'd let you in on some of my cloth diaper secrets. My husband shook his head when I told him I was going to be sharing this, because he says I'll lose all my readers and will no longer be accepted in the cloth diapering world. But a girl's got to get things off her chest every once in a while.

1. I care more about my wallet than about being eco-friendly

If I were a perfect human being, I would care more about our world. The problem is, I'm not perfect. When my first child was born, I didn't even want to think about cloth diapering. Disposables were so much more convenient, and besides, we could afford them. When baby #2 came along and baby #1 was not even close to being potty trained, cost became an issue and I decided to switch to cloth (I was immediately hooked!). Only after the savings did I begin to realize how much better cloth diapers are for our world.

2. I care more about how a diaper looks than about how well it works

Whenever I shop for diapers, the companies that have the cutest prints are the ones who find a customer! I know I need to be more practical, because you "can't tell a book by it's cover." Just because a diaper is cute doesn't mean it is going to work the best, and it's very possible that some of those ugly ones work better than the cute ones. There's just something about a cute diaper though! It's one of the things that sets cloth diapers apart from disposable diapers. 

2. I hate prefolds

(Image courtesy of DailyClipArt.net)

I don't want to deal with pins. I don't want to deal with Snappis. I don't want to TOUCH a nasty wet diaper, which is what happens when I remove the Snappi or the pins. I was never good at origami, and I just can't get the right fold for my babies. It's too complicated and I don't like it. This is why my mother switched to disposables.
(Note: I love using prefolds in a gDiaper or a Perfect Bum, as spit-up rags, and as cleaning rags!)

3. I still love disposables

This is the one my husband told me not to share. 

"If you love disposables so much, why are you using cloth?" he asked. 

I love the convenience of disposables. I love that everyone in the church nursery knows how to deal with them. I love that I just throw them away and don't have to deal with them again. I love the way they fit and I love how absorbent they are. 

I also love a steak dinner at a fancy restaurant. I love the convenience of not having to cook and that I can order whatever I want to eat. But to indulge in a steak dinner every day would be stupidity because of the exorbitant cost.

Which loops me back to my first point. End of story. 

Perfect Bum Diaper Review and Giveaway: Perfect Bum vs. gDiaper

Review

 I had the privilege of testing a Perfect Bum diaper by Cocalo. According to Cocalo, "The Perfect Bum™ is an advanced reusable diaper system that offers style, functionality and comfort. It is the perfect eco-friendly alternative to traditional disposable diapers. The Perfect Bum reusable diaper system is a combination of fashion and functionality supported by years of research, testing and improvement. The Perfect Bum™ has four (4) unique patented features: Anchored-pocket, Hinged Closure on Tabs, Soft Edge Fastening Tabs, and the Tri-Fold Insert. The Perfect bum is the perfect choice for environmentally conscious, yet stylish parents."

 I received the Necklace/Leapord set, and it's incredibly cute, which was the first thing I noticed!

 The back of the diaper looks almost like blue jeans, with two little faux pockets....

And three belt loops!! (My husband does not understand why I'm so excited about the belt loops!)

The tri-fold insert surprised me by how absorbent it was, and how well the fabric against the skin wicks away the moisture. I thought my daughter was dry, but when I removed the insert, it was sopping wet! 

I had to know what was in the insert that was making it work so well:

 Unfastened, the front of the diaper has a wide white strip so you can attach the diaper as tight or loose as you need to.

The diapers come in three sizes: small (6-13 lbs), medium (12-20 lbs), and large (20-30 lbs). The Perfect Bum diaper we received is a medium, and my daughter weighs about 13 lbs. 

Here are some pictures of how well it fits her:

Comparison: Perfect Bum and gDiaper

 Here is the Perfect Bum diaper next to the gDiaper:

-The Perfect Bum fastens in the front (which I prefer) while the gDiaper fastens in the back (better for kids who have learned how to remove their diaper).

-The Perfect Bum's inner shell is sewn in, unlike the gDiaper's shell, which snaps in and out. The sewn in insert is not nice if you want to reuse the outer shell, but is nice because the gDiaper snaps occasionally rub against baby's sensitive skin.

-The Perfect Bum's inner liner is more snug and seems to hold in the insert better than the gDiaper's inner liner.

-BOTH come with disposable and washable inserts

-BOTH inner liners stained

 The Perfect Bum liner is sewn into the outer liner, which means it cannot be removed to be washed separately, but that it's more comfortable against baby's skin. 

The inner liner elastic on the Perfect Bum is soft, like felt, while the gDiaper's elastic is rubbery. 

The gDiaper is not always the best fit around my baby's skinny legs

Perfect Bum is more snug around the legs. 

 I almost forgot the best part:  Perfect Bum comes with a matching t-shirt!

Now, the only problem I had with the diaper was that the directions say to wash the diaper in COLD water. I wash my diapers in hot water, and I'm NOT going to wash one diaper all by itself! So I washed it in hot with the rest of my stash, and haven't had any problems with it (unless, of course, that's what caused the stain.)

Here's my summary:

PERFECT BUM                                               gDIAPER

      $16.99 (19.99 for t-shirt set)           PRICE PER 1 DIAPER                $17.99                    

           Y                                               FASTENS IN THE FRONT                           N

           N                                             INNER SHELL SNAPS OUT                          Y

           Y                                        LINER HOLDS INSERT SNUGLY                       N


           Y                                      DISPOSABLE LINERS AVAILABLE                    Y


           Y                                                     LINERS STAINED                                   Y
  
           Y                                        SNUG AROUND LEGS OF THIN BABY             N

          Y                                                      AWESOME BELT LOOPS                      N

Giveaway

You can buy a Perfect Bum diaper by going here, or you can win the Saving the Planet set below: