Earth's Best Chlorine Free Wipes (Review)

The following review was written by a guest-blogger, Deanne.

We usually buy a popular name-brand baby wipe, that is perfume-free for Eli. He has sensitive skin, so we try to avoid things like perfume and dyes that could irritate him. I’ve been happy with my wipe. It didn’t smell weird, it was nice and thick, it got the job done with just one or two wipes. That was BEFORE I tried the Earth’s Best ChlorineFree Baby Wipes though!

The website says that these wipes are “chlorine free and alcohol free” which is great for Eli’s sensitive skin. They are also free of perfumes. After pulling a wipe out of the pop-up box, I immediately noticed how soft and thick they were. They were plenty wet enough, too, where my previous favorite wipe tended to be a little dry until you got to the bottom of the container. The Earth’s Best wipes also contain an aloe vera and vitamin E formula to help protect baby’s skin. It makes the wipes feel “lotiony”, which I loved.

These wipes clean so well, I consistently only had to use one wipe for dirty diaper clean-up! This means that even though the wipes are a little more expensive than other brands, it is more acceptable, since you end up using less of them per diaper change. They also worked great for washing faces and hands, and since there is no alcohol in them, they won’t cause chapped cheeks! Overall, I absolutely loved these wipes and can’t think of anything bad to say about them.

 Disclosure: Sample(s) were received for the purpose of testing and review, but this did not sway the opinion on the products. These opinions are Deanne's own and may differ from those of your own.

Earth's Best Disposable Diapers

The following review was written by a guest-blogger, Deanne.

After reading the package of the Earth’s Bestdisposable diapers and looking at the Earth’s Best website, I was pretty excited to try the diapers out on my baby. 

While I most often use cloth on my son, we do sometimes use disposables while we are going to be out of the house or for the church nursery on Sundays. Most of the diapers we have tried, either give Eli a rash, or they just don’t absorb enough pee! The Earth’s Best website says that their diapers are “chlorine-free, are made with fewer petro-chemicals, are latex and dye-free and contain natural materials such as wheat and corn”. So that, along with the suggested retail price, made me think that these must be WAY better than the diapers we have been using. 

 

With much anticipation, I opened the package of diapers and pulled one out. I was immediately a little disappointed. It looked just like the “cheapie” store-brand diapers you can get at Wal-mart or Target. I pulled the diaper open and sniffed it. It smelled just like a “cheapie” diaper too! You know that smell…kind of like formaldehyde? Now, I don’t know if there is actually formaldehyde in these diapers or even other brands, all I know is that “cheapie” diapers have that smell. I decided to try them out on Eli anyway. 

 

I put the diaper on, and since I have a somewhat skinny baby, I tried to overlap the tabs. They would NOT stick at all! The side panels of the diaper are nice and stretchy though, so I just didn’t pull them as tight and stuck the tabs down on the “strip” on the diaper instead. They stuck, but not as tight as some other brands I have used. It still fit well enough on my skinny babe, and there were no gaps around his legs. I would say that these diapers fit true to the weight range on the package. Eli is about 16lbs and I used a size 3 diaper on him, which says it fits from 16-28lbs.

 

A few hours later, before Eli’s nap, I changed him and was pleasantly surprised that he wasn’t sopping wet! Normally, if I leave him in a disposable diaper for more than an hour, the diaper is either bulging with pee, or his clothes are already wet. After a few more changes throughout the day, the Earth’s Best diapers continued to prove themselves to be super absorbent. During the week that we used them, we only had 2 leaks, both of which were caused by Eli drinking a huge amount of liquids. He also did not break out in any rashes during our trial run!

So in conclusion, this is my list of pros and cons for Earth’s Best Chlorine Free diapers:

Pros:

• No chlorine
• Fewer petro-chemicals
• Dye and Perfume-Free
• Super absorbent
• Didn’t cause a rash

Cons:

• Tabs do not overlap for skinny babies
• Looks cheap
• Smells cheap
• Has a high price-tag  

 

I would not personally buy these diapers again, as they are just out of my price-range. But, if you are very concerned about chlorine, dye and perfume, and you aren’t concerned about price, these might be a good buy for you! 

 Disclosure: Sample(s) were received for the purpose of testing and review, but this did not sway the opinion on the products. These opinions are Deanne's own and may differ from those of your own.

Welcome to the (Un)Baby Shower!

Welcome to the (Un)Baby Shower! Just what IS an (Un)Baby Shower, you ask? Well, it is very much like a baby shower... but YOU get the presents instead! As you know, we are expecting Squiggle to come this summer. We can't think of a better way to celebrate than to let my readers try all the great things I've been reviewing! Many companies have been gracious enough to hop on board to celebrate with us, so we have three lovely prize packs that you could enter to win!

Yes, you read right... THREE prize packs!

• PRIZE PACK A: 1 Moby Wrap (your choice of colour), 3 Kissaluvs NB AIO & 6 kissaluvs Wipes,  1 Episencial Cheeky Salve, 1 bag Rockin' Green Detergent (45/90) (winner's choice of formula/scent), 1 NoseFrida, 1 Snappi (Purple, size 1), 1 Intelligender kit, 1 Thirsties Duo Wrap & 1 Fab Fitted (winner's choice of colour/size), Baby Bum Drops complete starter set (Baby Bum Drops [full size box], Spray bottle with label & directions, ready for you to fill with wipe solution
  3 soft cotton knit wipes)

• PRIZE PACK B: 1 Balboa Sling (winner picks colour), 1 TotsBots Easy Fit (winner's choice of colour), 1 RumpArounds RAA Diaper (winner picks colour), Lansinoh HPA Lanolin & 1 Lansinoh mOmma Feeding Bottle with NaturalWave Nipple (specifically designed for breastfed babies), 1 bag Rockin' Green Detergent (45/90) (winner picks formula/scent), 1 Rumpkinz OS diaper, $25 Mom's Milk Boutique Gift Certificate, 1 Rock-a-bums Cloth Diaper (red) & 1 wetbag (red), Born Free breastfeeding pillow

• PRIZE PACK C:  1 Changing Diapers Book, 1 Grandma El's Diaper  Rash Remedy & Prevention jar, 1 Hip Baby Cloth Diaper  T-Shirt (in size of winners choice), 1 BG Freetime AIO (Dazzle), $50 GC for Lunapads, LooHoo Dryer Balls Deluxe Starter Pack (3-pk), 1 bag Rockin' Green Detergent (45/90) (winner picks formula/scent), 1 newborn GroVia (Cloud), a bag of wipes cubes, and two (WAHM) cloth wipes

Talk about some great prizes!

You can enter to win as many or as few times as you like, just make certain you complete ALL of the REQUIRED entries. Please be sure to thank the sponsors (or at least follow on FaceBook) for all the lovely prizes they've offered! After all, without them, this giveaway wouldn't be happening!

You might notice that some of the items have not been reviewed on my blog yet. They will be coming in the near future (after Squiggle is born), so please keep an eye out for those, too!

Sit back, kick your feet up, and enjoy the festivities!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Balboa Sling (Review)

I was given the opportunity to try out the Balboa Sling for review, and happily picked out an adorable print called Lime Poppy. Admittedly, it was difficult to pick out just one print from all these cute prints!

I was planning on using a sling with Squiggle who, obviously, is yet to come... but the Balboa Baby Sling has a weight range of 8lbs - 35lbs, so it held Bobble since he is only 30 lbs. More product usage and safety information can be found HERE, then select the Care & Safety Tab on the far right.)

I had never used a sling carrier before, so I did a lot of reading up on it via the literature provided with the sling, and studied the web page a bunch too. Here's a close-up of the sturdy ring part of the sling that allows you to adjust the strap to fit you:

I had no problem getting Bobble in the sling, nor did I have a problem adjusting the sling. Bobble wasn't much a fan of it, however, but that's because his back wasn't supported all the way up (which he is used to with carriers) and he had NEVER been in a carrier like this one before. I understand his reluctance to enjoy the carrier. It would work much better if he had been accustomed to the sling style carrier before this. It also would be a lot easier if he were smaller and could fit as easily as one of the cute pictures on the box (and website) show!

Still, I was able to get an idea of how the sling would be used, and definitely think it would be more handy with a smaller child! It was a bit difficult for me with my gigantic pregnant belly... I imagine that was part of the discomfort Bobble had when trying to sit in it... he had no place for his leg!

I'm excited to try this out with Squiggle when she gets here (and meets the weight requirements), as I think this will work much better. Still, it felt very secure with my 30 lb toddler in it, and it was nicely padded across the strap so it didn't dig into my shoulder. 

Balboa Baby doesn't just make slings, though! They make a variety of products that are designed to make life simpler for parents and better for babies. These products are both fashionable and functional, and are approved by Dr. Sears.

You can buy your own Balboa Sling online or in a retail store. To locate the store closest to you (or to find an online retailer), check out the Store Locator on the Balboa Baby website.

Disclosure: The product mentioned above was provided to me by Balboa Baby for review. This did not influence my opinion of the product in any way. My opinions are my own and may differ from those of your own.  

TotsBots Easyfit Diaper (Review)

I've tried many diapers from various brands, but one brand I kept hearing a lot of buzz about was TotsBots diapers. People seemed to love them regardless of the build of their baby. Skinny baby, chunky baby, tall baby, short baby.... they loved them! A diaper that pleases that many people has to be worth trying! I was ecstatic when I found out I would have the opportunity to review one of their Easyfit diapers, and picked one in Aplix so I could test it out for childcare as well.

When the package arrived, the first thing I noticed, aside from the absolutely amazingly vivid colour of the Pomegranate diaper, was a big caution sticker on the diaper. To ensure that nobody prepping the diaper accidentally ruins any other items in the wash, TotsBots definitely went out of their way to get your attention for this!





I prepped the diaper with a bunch of bath towels (dark navy blue) to make sure there was no bleeding issue, and anxiously got the diaper out to test. It was sooooooooo soft! All of the diapers come with a very soft liner, too.

It boggled my mind a bit that it was a pocket diaper, but it was an AIO at the same time. Sound a bit confusing? It really isn't... the "insert" is attached on one end and just folds into the pocket. This gives you the opportunity to stuff the pocket for more absorbency if you need it, but you can't lose the original insert since it's all one piece.

The diaper was very trim fitting and held up very nicely for both home and childcare use. One thing I noticed, which was the only negative I heard from other people, was that it seems to be a bit on the smaller side in terms of fit. While it is a one-size diaper and it has rise snaps, Bobble is actually wearing it completely unsnapped in the rise, and the aplix is further out (closer to hipbones) than it is with any of his other one-size diapers. He is normally snapped down a rise on all other OS diapers, and many times the aplix touches with other diapers. He is 30lbs, but these won't fit him much longer. Good thing I have another one on the way!

One thing I can't test, in regards to size, is if that means it fits tiny babies better than other OS diapers in the beginning. I will try this out on Squiggle when she is born and see if we can get a good fit as a newborn since it seems to run smaller, where as I know other brands that won't be able to fit for a while that are OS.



I also ended up getting a TotsBots Easyfit in snaps shortly after getting the Pomegranate. It was in the print "Nature Girl" (got it for Squiggle, but tested it on Bobble to compare snaps vs. aplix fit).  I wasn't able to get as good of a fit on Bobble with the snaps, but it did still hold anything and everything in without any leaks.

You can purchase a TotsBots Easyfit for around $23.95 at many retailers both online and in store. Check out the Find a Retailer tool on the Bummis / TotsBots page and select either online or the local store option to best suit your needs!

Disclosure: The product mentioned above was provided to me by Bummis / TotsBots for review. This did not influence my opinion of the product in any way. My opinions are my own and may differ from those of your own. 

Mom's Milk Boutique Natural Parenting Store

There are many awesome stores online that can help you complete a stash of fluff. One of my go-to stores (and I really only have a couple, actually) is Mom's Milk Boutique. You can find so much more than just cloth diapering items at MMB! From baby carriers to body wash, natural tableware to nursing bras, Mom's Milk Boutique has it all!

I've been continuously amazed at the variety of items they have to offer. I started out ordering my Tiny Bubbles detergent from them when my original go-to store was out of stock and I needed some asap. This turned out to be the start of an amazing customer relationship, as I received my package literally 2 days later. I did not pay for any special shipping or anything, they just shipped my package out THAT FAST! Since then, I've ordered lots of different items, and have always had an amazingly fast turn around.

If you are looking for a special item, say..... a Ju-Ju-Be diaper bag, for example. Say you wanted one but in a special print that Mom's Milk Boutique doesn't have. Not a problem, just let them know and they'll order it in for you, and it's all yours. Amazing customer service to say the least!

Their FaceBook page is always active with customers chatting about products and answering questions others might have on products. You can always get suggestions on there for nearly anything you want! The lovely ladies (sisters Abbie & Bonnie) that started at MMB are always around trying to answer questions as well. If you need, there is a "live chat" feature at the top of their web page to assist you with ordering, though they are quick to help via e-mail or over the phone as well.

They also have a blog you can check out (recipes, ideas, giveaways, etc), a brick and mortar store (which I have never been to, it being in West Frankfort, IL and me living a couple states away), and an awesome layaway program! Speaking of programs, they have a rewards program called Milk Miles. This allows you to get points for purchases made, then redeem them later for store credit! Don't forget to check out the main page with the current coupon code(s) and sales they have going on! Just linger a minute to see the rotating banner to make sure you don't miss an offer!

Disclosure: I was not compensated in any way for this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own, and based on my personal experience(s) with Mom's Milk Boutique as a customer.

Snappi Review

A little over a year ago, I tried a Snappi for the first time. I was strictly a pocket-diaper user at that point, but my little guy had a rash, and I had to give him some air-time (as the entry points out). Since then I have gotten to use a Snappi many a time, and it got easier and easier each time.

I love how simple they are to use. When you first get them, you need to slowly stretch the sides out so they are a bit more elastic for you when you need to use them.

They have little tabs that can come down and over the hook parts so you can ensure that nobody gets cut or snagged on one when they aren't in use. This is a FANTASTIC feature, as Bobble likes to just grab things and run with them before I can grab him. He probably would have scratched himself up a million times by now if they didn't have those little protectors!



Through trial and error, I quickly learned the best way for me to use the Snappi is slide a finger between the diaper and Bobble when hooking the Snappi into the material. This allows me to ensure that I can hold the material up enough just in case I go through too many layers so I don't scratch any skin.

Snappis come in two sizes, Size 1 and Size 2. Size 2 is for toddlers. This image from the Snappi Website shows a comparison between the two sizes.

The Snappi has no latex, no silicone, and is CPSIA compliant. They are made from a stretchy, non-toxic material. Snappi Fasteners are inexpensive and help a parent cloth diaper for less by allowing for use of prefolds/flats and a cover instead of a more expensive pocket or AIO diaper.  A cover is essential over the Snappi® fastener to prevent it from catching onto something and coming undone. 

Snappi Fasteners are super easy to use. If you can use the fasteners on an ACE Bandage (or any of those wrap-bandages), you can use a Snappi Fastener. You simply hook into material, stretch, and hook the other end. Voila!

As shown on the SnappiBaby website!

You can follow SnappiBaby on Twitter, FaceBook, or Pinterest to keep up with all the current happenings. To find a Snappi Retailer, use the Snappi Store Locator found on their website.

Disclosure: The product mentioned above was provided to me by SnappiBaby for review. This did not influence my opinion of the product in any way. My opinions are my own and may differ from those of your own.