We’ve had a few questions of late about using the bumGenius Pocket Diapers for newborns and here’s what we’ve been saying.
There are pros and there are cons.
Let’s start with the Pros:
This diaper comes bundled with a newborn insert (the absorbent part of the diaper) that is small and trim so it doesn’t overwhelm your baby, make his or her bum too huge.
This diaper also comes with a one size insert that will grow with your baby. Usually parents switch out the mini newborn insert for the one size insert at about 10lbs and this will take them right throught. There may be a point where you’ll need a boost of absorbency (toddler naps & nights) at which point you can pull out that mini insert and use it as a booster.
It will grow with your baby and you won’t need to purchase another size of diapers. You won’t have any “diaper clutter”.
If you have two in diapers (a newborn and toddler), you can use the same set of diapers for them both.
No learning curve for the other diaper-ers in your life, as they only have to learn one style of diaper (and then they get to perfect it by practicing 7000 times!)
Now, let’s take a look at the Cons:
As with any One-Size Diaper, it needs to have extra material to accomodate for it’s growth up to fitting a toddler. This can make it seem overwhelming to figure out how to put it on a teeny little newborn.
They do have a little more “poofiness” to them because of this extra material. If the inner material is not well approximated to the baby’s skin, this can be a cause for leaking (but this can be remedied – see the video for a tip).
While we typically recommend a set of 24 diapers, we recommed 30 if you are going with a One-Size to decrease the wear and tear over 2-3 years. This will be a higher up front cost, but over the course of your diapering days, you’ll still be ahead for only having purchased one set of diapers.
Have a look at the Learning Series Video Tips for using a bumGenius Pocket Cloth Diaper with Newborn to learn two specific hacks to make this diaper fit well and decrease the incidence of leaking during the newborn phase. The video was created before the 4.0′s were released but the concepts are transferable and work well on both the 3.0s and 4.0s.
It’s time once again for one of Vancouver’s premiere “mom to be” events – the Bellies to Babies Celebration! Don’t miss this spring’s show THIS SUNDAY, April 10. All the fabulous details can be found at the event website – www.belliestobabiescelebration.com.
The Bellies to Babies Celebration is a one of a kind event, offering a unique opportunity for new and expectant parents and grandparents to explore and shop for trendy baby fashions, décor and so much more! Community resources and support services will be on hand to answer questions for new and expecting parents.
New & Green will be on hand to answer questions, show off our favourite diapers, and let you in on the latest and greatest in the cloth diapering world. Make sure to come find us at Booth #42.
And best of all, in amongst all the other fabulous exhibitors and demonstrators, we’ll be on the mainstage at 1:00 with “Cloth Diapering 101″ – a FREE mini-workshop, just like our popular Cloth Diapering 101 workshops.
Because this is such an popular event, pre-registration is recommended, so check out the various ways to register today. And there’s no set admission fee – admission is by donation to The Greater Vancouver Food Bank “Basics for Babies” Program. In lieu of admission, donations of monies and baby supplies will be accepted.
Mark your calendars now and we look forward to seeing you there!
PS – We have an awesome draw happening at our Booth. Come by and enter to win. You will love it! And did we mention the prize is worth more than $375?!
Birth Fest is an annual festival of all things related to belly, baby and family. I went for the first time 4 years ago with my firstborn tucked into a sling and walked around thinking to myself, “Wow, this is a whole new world! There are so many things out there to access in the way of support and great products that I had no idea about”. Fast forward a couple years, New & Green was born and I found myslef on the other side of the “table” still with a baby on my back (just much bigger) and talking to lots of pregnant and new families about how to cloth diaper. The next year, New & Green was on the organizing committee. This is our third year being a part of the Birth Lounge Collective and the 5th annivesary of this great event.
What I love most about this event is that it is like a giant party where you meet new friends, catch up with old ones and really feel the love. It feels a bit silly to say it, but really, it’s true. Folks that get into the world of supporting new families do it because they love it right down to their core, and it shows.
So if you are in town on February 26th, come on down to Birth Fest at Britannia Community Centre on Commerical, say hi to us and check out the amazing folks that can support you on your parenting journey.
Introducing our newest Cloth Diaper 101 location in North Vancouver, the Notable Kids Kindermusik Studio on Lonsdale, just off Hwy 1. The owner of Notable Kids, Carolyn, has been a part of my life for the last four years. I started taking our first daughter Ella there when she was still a wee babe, not yet crawling (and still doing those explosive breastmilk poops!). I remember our fair share of signing and laughs and diaper changes in the early days. We continued along and learned lots together and we now go to Family Time – Ella, Clare and I and I get a workout bouncing two kids on my lap!
Beyond the musical influence this program has had on my kids, I really value the inclusive participation and respect for both children and adults in the classes. Carolyn has always recognized and respected each child’s sensory thresholds and physical development, offering ways to adapt the moves or participation to suit your child. Nursing, diaper changes and running off steam was always just a part of class, never viewed as an interruption. It has been a place where I can create joy with my children.
I’m sure all moms (and dads too) can see value in this, but there is more for me. As a mom who works a lot from home, there is the tempation to try and “do it all” at home – play with the kids, cook for the kids, keep the home, do the laundry, answer email, answer phone calls and the list goes on. My time at Kindermusik is protected and very special. It is focus time. No distractions. Pure play. I wish I could do that more at home but I think I need to develop a tad more discipline.
The Studio is a new home for Notable Kids and we are honoured to be sharing space to provide Cloth Diaper Workshops there.
Carolyn is an amazing mom, teacher and fellow business woman. I recommend you all check out her services and jump on her free class offer. You’ll have a musical time!
Our first workshop is on February 22nd. Join us if you want to learn more about Cloth Diapering. Of if you have a fence sitting friend, send them along, and we’ll show them that cloth diapers are a doable option.
PS – that cutie with the blond ponies and blue eyes on the front page of the Notable Kids site, that is my sweetie Ella (quite a while ago, now).
If you haven’t been over on our Facebook Page, you won’t know about this yet.
We have selected 6 Parent Reviewers, all with cloth diapering experience, all with different sizes and ages of babies to give this diaper a test drive and report back to us. EasyFits will be landing on doorsteps across the country starting on Tuesday.
Watch our Facebook page for photos and reviews, coming shortly.
In the meantime, enjoy the video and if you have any questions about the EasyFit (8-35lbs) or it’s little sister the TiniFit (5-12lbs), drop us a line at customercare@newandgreen.com
Update August 29th: Reviews
From Jessica, one of our Newborn Reviewers:
We’ve been using the EasyFits for a few times now. Our Miss H is 6 weeks old 10 lb just looks so cute in it! There is never a leak yet and I don’t believe we will get any! The legs fit snugly! I love how easy it is to just toss to the washer without shaking out insert. Oh and how soft it is on her bum!
From Miranda, one of our Toddler Reviewers:
During the day the Easyfits are great. I can go out without worrying about leaks and don’t have to worry about unstuffing them in the middle of wherever I am changing him as they unstuff themselves in the wash. We haven’t had any problems with staining on these diapers, even with runny poops where they have stained others.
From Meaghan, one of our Older Baby Reviewers:
I like how easy it is to get a snug fit with these. With other diapers I have found myself undoing and redoing the velcro a couple of times to ensure a good fit, but this one seems to get it right the first time every time.
When we ask new parents what they rank number one as the most important feature of a cloth diaper, they almost always say “Easy to use!” or “Convenient”. I believe this comes from the fear rooted in the notion that cloth diapering is hard, not user friendly and terribly inconvenient.
While prefolds do require a bit of learning to get you to the stage of “Hey, that’s not difficult..at all!”, they are really a do-able diaper option. And they have lots of great benefits.
Here is a short list of our top 5:
Organic Cotton - one of the greenest, healthiest choice in textiles from production to end user
Very absorbent
Easy to wash and fast to dry
Simplicity means no technology problems (ie nothing to break on it)
Durable – many many babies can have these diapers grace their bottom and then they can be upcylced to cleaning cloths
So with all this behind us, lets take three minutes to look at Prefold Cloth Diapers in the Learning Series Video above. This is your intro to get you into your prefold zone.
AMP Duos are a relatively new diaper to the market and very innovative. These are one of the only pocket diapers that we have found that can work on a newborn baby and will fit them well right up until 18lbs. There is a trick we have found that will make the fit perfect on a tiny newborn (watch for an upcoming post to see this in action).
We love this diaper with BabyKicks Hemp as the insert as it provides a lovely, trim fit and the option of laying the insert inside the shell or stuffing it inside. The video discusses why you may choose one method or the other.
Enjoy and do let us know if you have been using this system. We love to get reviews from our families about how their diapers are working for them.
And just a little aside – JoeyBunz Hemp Inserts are truly fabulous and families are beginning to take notice of this. They are absolutely flying off the shelves!
We often get asked if it’s possible to start cloth diapering from day one or if it’s possible to cloth diaper a smaller newborn. In short, the answer is….YES!
The biggest consideration for diapering a newborn is containment. This is key to success (meaning no leaks and the ability to confidently say to nay-sayers that it IS working out for you!). In the newborn phase, your baby is changed often and their bladders are not all that big, so super absorbency is as high on the priority.
So how to you achieve great containment? A good fit, particularly around the legs and waist, the ability for the fabric to absorb readily and the two barriers that a fitted diaper (like a Kissaluv Size 0) and a Diaper Cover (like a Bummis Super Brite) go a long way in extra insurance!
And if you want to start from day one, you’ll need to consider having a diaper that allows your baby’s umbilical stump to be open to the air to heal. Once it’s healed (usually 1 – 1.5 weeks), having a diaper with a higher rise that covers the umbilical stump is absolutely fine.
Top rated on consumer sites like TheDiaperPin.com, the Kissaluvs Size 0 paired with a Bummis Super Brite is our first recommendation for parents wanting a functional and easy to use system for their brand new babies.
Have a look at the video (caution – I can speak very very fast) and let us know what you think. If you have any questions about your newborn diapering choices, email customercare@newandgreen.com for further direction.
It’s time once again for one of Vancouver’s premiere “mom to be” events – the Bellies to Babies Celebration! Don’t miss this spring’s show THIS SUNDAY, April 10. All the fabulous details can be found at the event website – 
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