Buy 5 Get 1 FREE ends TOMORROW!

Don't forget to stock-up and take advantage of this amazing deal from BumGenius! The sale on the 4.0 One-Size Pocket Diapers and 3.0 All-In-Ones (excluding size xs) ends TOMORROW!!

Wednesday Winner at Nicki's Diapers! Week 7

Boise Wiebers is the winner of Bumkins Super Bib Pet Parade! Please contact us at media@nickisdiapers.com with your address. You have 7 days to claim your prize.

Rumparooz Diaper Review!

I picked up a Rumparooz One-Size Pocket Diaper to try out, and I'm in love.  The first thing that caught my eye was the cover patterns -- how CUTE!  When I started to look at the features of these diapers, I realized how awesome they are.

First -- double inner gussets.  What!?  So amazing at keeping in poo!  I really like this feature, and am impressed that they don't leave marks or anything on my little guy.

The sizing is fairly generous, and I admit that I haven't tried it on my big boy, but I can venture a guess that it would fit him fine.  There is still a lot of room to grow for my 22lb boy.

Another unique thing about this diaper is the soaker system.  The insert has several different options based on the size and absorbency needs of your child.  You can snap the insert into small, medium, or large.  You can then add the contoured doubler for even more absorbency in the front for a boy of in the middle for a girl -- where it counts!  With both inserts, it's pretty bulky but VERY absorbent and still awesome for daytime.

I personally love it as a naptime diaper.  Have you tried a Rumparooz?

Nicki's Weekly Giveaway: Bumkins Super Bib Pet Parade

Ready for your chance to win a Bumkins Super Bib Pet Parade? There are a few ways you can enter. You can do each one of the entries however you must post back here to our blog and tell us WHAT you did. Be sure you follow the Nicki’s Diapers blog - publicly for your chance to win! 

We will post our winner on Wednesday, December 29th. 

How do you enter to win? (Each worth 1 entry per day unless otherwise stated)

• Follow the Nicki’s Diaper blog publicly.
• Blog about our giveaway and link back to our site.  When you post back here you must link to the URL where you blogged.  (2 entries)
• Follow Nicki’s Diapers @nickisdiapers and Best Bottom Diapers @best_bottom on Twitter and Tweet about this giveaway.  Leave the URL where you Tweeted.
• Tweet @best_bottom and @nickisdiapers #clothdiapers (1 entry for each unique tweet)
• Tweet @planetwise #clothdiapers #wetbags (1 entry for each unique tweet)
• Like Nicki’s Diapers, Planet Wise and Best Bottom Diapers on Facebook - Be sure to state your facebook name when you post back here.
• Suggest the following facebook pages to your friends:  Nicki’s Diapers , Best Bottom Diapers , Planet Wise.  You must post back here telling us which friend accepted your page suggestion.  (1 entry per page for each person you suggest that LIKES us)
• Grab our button and place them on your blog.  Post a link to the blog here. (2 entries per blog - per button)
• Start or comment on a discussion on the Nicki's Diapers facebook page discussion board. 
• Blog about your choice to cloth diaper and include a link to www.nickisdiapers.com (2 entries)
• Tag @nicki's diapers or @best bottom diapers in a facebook post.
• Have a friend subscribe to our blog. Post their username in your comment. You can do this as many times as you can get friends to subscribe! 
• Talk about Nicki's Diapers on any forum and include a link to www.nickisdiapers.com.
• Sign up for the Nicki's Diapers newsletter (enter your email address on the top right of our homepage).
• Start a thread about this giveaway on any baby or cloth diapering related forum and include a link to your thread.  (2 entries)
• Place an order at nickisdiapers.com, myswimbaby.com or clothdiaperclearance.com between 12-23-10 and 12-28-10. Include   your order number in your entry.

Good luck to you all! 

Babysitters and Cloth Diapers

When I first started cloth diapering my daughter over a year ago, I thought that I might be the only person willing to change her diapers.  The words "cloth diapers" have a scare factor for many people.  At first, even my husband was skeptical about my decision to use cloth.  However, I have found that my husband, the grandparents, and even babysitters are quite willing to change cloth diapers, as long as I make it easy for them.

When I first started leaving my daughter in the church nursery in cloth, I told the nursery workers that they could just page me if she needed changed.  I didn't know if they would be willing to mess with an unfamiliar way of diapering, and I knew that they had several children to watch.  The ladies quickly told me that if I would tell them what to do, they would be willing to do it.  They just didn't want to get it "wrong."  From that point on, I realized that if changing my baby isn't really any more trouble than any other diaper change, people will give cloth a try.

So what is my routine for sitters?  First of all, I make sure that anyone watching my daughter knows how to change her.  I usually demonstrate a diaper change in front of anyone who hasn't seen her cloth diapers.  I also keep it simple.  Even though I love to use snap diapers, I know that most people are more comfortable with velcro; it is just so much more familiar, and it's easier to get the fit right on the first try.  So I only leave hook and loop closure pocket diapers, like Bum Genius or Thirsties Duo Diapers, for babysitters.  (And I do stuff my pockets ahead of time!)  Also, I don't expect anyone to pull out the inserts or dump the poop out of the diaper.  I just ask them to place it in a medium-size wet bag, and I deal with that part later.  That way, a babysitter only has to take off one diaper and put on a clean one - just like any diaper change.  What could be easier?

By Guest Blogger: Angel N.

Love your Cloth Diapers!

When my twins were newborns prefolds and covers were all we used! We love prefolds, they are easy to use and dry extremely fast, so you don't need to have a ton. However, when it comes to prefolds, in my experience they get wet a lot faster, thus you end up using a bunch through the day. When the babies were a few months old we decided to branch out to other cloth diaper styles. After much research, we made the decision to add Bum Genius to our prefold stash.

I purchased 18 Bum Genius 3.0 - 9 boy colors & 9 girl colors! When a friend of mine (we'll call her Jane) found out that I was cloth diapering my infant twins, Jane decided that she would give cloth diapering a try with her 13 months old. We each placed our orders at the same time. Jane's diapers ended up arriving about 10 days before mine did.

When mine arrived, I read the manufactures guidelines and washing instructions. Then I did about 8 prep washes to ensure they would absorb as much as they possible could.

But...Jane washed them once. She told me she didn't think it was really that important to prep them and all she really wanted to do was "get the factory smell" out of the diapers.

Life is busy, having kids is hectic, and living in 2 different states, Jane and I ended up not talking for a few months.

During those few months, when one of the twins would poo, I would spray it out and if there was staining I would use a scrub brush and try to get the stain out, then wash it with in 2 hours. When the diapers were wet I put them in a wet bag until, the wet bag contained a full load (12-24 dipes). My diapers were ONLY washed with other diapers. ONLY dried with other diapers. I only used laundry soap made for cloth diapers...if for some reason we were out I would use a tiny amount of a natural free and clear. I NEVER used bleach or any other harsh chemicals. I NEVER EVER would use a dryer sheet. If my diapers were not absorbing like before , I would simply do 3 hot loads with NO laundry soap, they would always be back absorbing like before, they had just a little build up...happens to the best of us!

When I finally got a chance to talk to Jane, all she did was complain about the diapers, how horrible they were, how they leaked everywhere, and how they smelled so bad. I just listened to her rant. After she was done, I asked her how she had been caring for the diapers. "How I've been caring for the diapers?" she asked me, like I was crazy. I explained what I meant. As she shared with me, I was HORRIFIED! Jane told me this: When her baby would poo, she would shake to diaper over the toilet to remove the poo...Ok, that's good! Then, She would toss the dirty diaper in a laundry basket with all the dirty clothes, bath towels, and anything else that needed to be washed. Every diaper that had been wet would be tossed into the laundry basket as well, again with everything else that was dirty. In addition to this, when Jane would do her laundry load, EVERYTHING would go in together. No separation of diapers and other items. I started to get a little concerned about the condition these diaper were in. Jane also regularly used these Bleach, heavy duty laundry soap, liquid fabric softener, and fabric drier sheets. I understood now why the diapers were leaking so badly. I gave her a few suggestions, like: doing a soak and maybe a few strip loads with no soap. I also encouraged her to stop using the bleach and fabric softener. Most importantly, I told her to wash her diapers with only diapers. She told be she would give those suggestions a try. We chatted about our kids, then hung up.

A few weeks later, the phone rang...it was Jane! She told me that my suggestions had totally transformed her diapers. They had been holding up over night, they weren't leaking & most importantly they didn't stink! Then out of the blue she said: "I need your address" -"ok, why" I asked. Jane responded "I decided that cloth diapers aren't for me and I just want them gone". I was actually really surprised by this. When I shared that I was confused, she told me "we'll they were transformed for about a week, then I decided to go back to washing the way I was, it is just so much easier that way" My first thought...UGH. I gave a few suggestions, she responded back. I knew there was no point, her mind was made up. I gave her my address and that was that.

I received a box of 5 Bum Genius 3.0's soon after. Call me naive, but I was shocked at the condition of these diapers. When I compared my BG 3.0 to Jane's BG 3.0's, I was surprised. My diapers looked like they were maybe 6ish months old, Jane's looked like they were about 5 years old. (both mine and Jane's dipes were 10 month old in the photos) On my diaper the velcro was still stiff and held the diaper wonderfully together. The velcro on Jane's was almost unrecognizable as velcro, horribly curled & pilled, and not 'sticky' at all. In addition to this the inserts were rough and almost blue from all the bleach. Note: In all photos my diaper is the Dark Green, Jane's is the Light Green.

My husband looked at these sad diapers and told me: " Well if anyone can bring these back to life, its you". On a positive note the PUL was actually in pretty good condition. So I set out on a journey of repair. After 8 washed the water was still coming out soapy, it took 12-14 for the water to be 100% soap free...whoa. The smell of harsh cleaner was still too strong. I did a over night soak, and that really seemed to help with the chemical smell. I tested the diapers out on the twins, they don't leak, honestly I am stunned. However the velcro is pretty shot, and doesn't hold at all. With a little more TLC I know these Diapers will be back in great working condition, in addition I have plans to convert them to snaps.

I share with you this story, not to bad mouth Jane, but to share the importance of proper diaper care. It takes a little extra work, but done correctly, diapers can stay in beautiful condition for years. I also understand that cloth diapering can be difficult, and may not be for everyone, but if it is something you are considering, do your homework, know the Do's and Don'ts of Cloth Diapering. Cloth Diapering can be a wonderful and even fun experience when the proper care is taken!

Loving my dipes,

Britni
Mama of 3, cloth diapering Twins

Blueberry Diaper Review

Blueberry is one of my favorite diaper brands.  I just love the quality and fit of their diapers.  I bought a few of the One Size Deluxe Pocket diapers for my youngest son, and I love them.

The fit is excellent on him. I would say that this probably isn't the best option for tiny newborns, as the sizing is very generous.  My 25lb one year old still fits in the medium rise and the second to smallest waist snaps!  I really like that this is one diaper I never feel concerned about leaving red marks on legs or belly.

Excellent absorbency.  I use both microterry inserts with my heavy wetter, and I haven't had a leak yet.  I do like that there's an option for bamboo or microfiber/hemp as well.

The fleece inner is great for wicking moisture away from baby and the gussets do a great job at holding in messes.