 DEFINITELY Worth the Price! |
| Review Date: June 20, 2007 |
| Reviewer: TNCorgiLover, |
These diapers are fabulous! I have the bumGenius 2.0 (paid $17.95) I thought the adjustable sizing would case the diaper to leak when my child was small, but it didn't. These diapers have worked great and not leaked even as we have changed sizes (up to 17 lbs). The leg openings are snug, but do not leave marks. There is also elastic in the back of the diaper, which has resulted in no "up the back" accidents.
I personally prefer the velcro tabs over the snaps that are on the Fuzzi Bunz diapers. The velcro makes it easier to fit the diaper, especially if your child is moving around. During the day, I use only one insert with the diaper and have not had an issue with leaks. To insure that I did not have leaks with the Fuzzi Bunz, I had to use 2 inserts. The Bum-Ware diapers completely soaked through.
The fleece interior of the Fuzzi Bunz was softer than the bumGenius material, but bumGenius was still much softer than the BumWare diapers and all disposables.
One negative is that the bumGenius is only available in a very limited number of colors and no prints. Happy Heiny's has a much wider selection of colors and some very cute prints. I have not used #1 Rated Diaper Happy Heiny's Pocket Diaper with Free Insert to comment on the quality.
All of my bumGenius diapers are colored and I have had them a couple of months. So far, the colors have stayed true and not faded. The diapers have washed well in that neither the diapers nor the liners have stained. I am very conscious about using the velcro tabs before washing them, so I have not had a problem with the diapers sticking together and creating a snake.
Overall bumGenius is my favorites by far! I like bumGenius AIO's because of the convenience, but the ability to modify the diaper size as my child grows makes more sense financially than having to purchase new diapers.
Updated: April 8, 2008
Below I have specifically addressed some of the issues expressed in other reviews with my personal experience.
Length of time owned - over a year and used daily
Size - 24 lbs they still fit great
Fraying tabs - I have one diaper where the tabs have frayed a little, but not enough to impact the function of the tabs.
Piling - All of my tabs have some degree of piling next to the Velcro. It is not pretty, but you can not see it when the diaper is on the baby. It has not impacted function.
Colors fading - No colors have faded. My stash includes multiple pinks, yellows and whites. I also have a blue and one green. The whites are dingy/grayish. I only wash in cold and hot water might help resolve this problem, but I do not recommend purchasing the white color.
Elastic around the legs and back - I have not had ANY elastics break or stretch on any diaper. I do wash my diapers on the gentle cycle.
Suedecloth lining - For my baby the fleece lining of the Fuzzi Bunz caused diaper rash. For us, the suedecloth lining has worked better. However, I have friend who loves the fleece lining. It probably depends upon your baby's skin as to which will suit you best.
Snaps vs. Velcro - I prefer the velcro better because I feel like you can adjust the diaper to fit your baby better and it is faster with a moving toddler. My snap experience has only been with Fuzzi Bunz not with Mommy's Touch One-size Snap All in One - Cloth Diaper, which I have been told is more adaptable.
Bulky - Yes they are bulky. In some pants/outfits you may need to go up a size to accommodate the size of the diaper.
Odors - this can happen to any cloth diaper. I have found the longer they sit unwashed the more likely they will hold odors. At times some of my diapers have held odors, but not the point that they have required stripping. The odor has subsided with subsequent normal washings. However, the dirty inserts must always be removed from the diaper (can be gross) or they will not get clean. I use All Free and Clear, which does contain an optical brightener (this is against Mfg recommendations). I have not tried the Flushable Diaper Liners that were mentioned, but they might help too.
Current opinion: Still love them!!! So much so that in Dec. I added some 3.0s (paid $17.95) and a bumGenuis wet bag. The 3.0s are even better! The biggest drawback is the price, but they are worth it.
UPDATE Dec.7 2008
30lbs still fit
Leaks: No problems with diapers leaking. I don't know if this has contributed to their longevity in this area, but I line dry the covers and put the inserts in the dryer.
Fraying tabs: A couple of tabs have fraying, but not enough to impact functionality
Colors: pink has faded slightly; white looks dingy/grayish; yellow, blue and green still look true
Odors: In the past few of months, the diapers have started holding odors. I called Cotton Babies and was advised to wash them with 1/4 of a cup of bleach in your hot wash routine once a month. I now use bleach on the inserts about once a month. However, I do not use bleach on the covers that often.
Elastics: In the past couple of months, several of the elastics have lost their elasticity. I called Cotton Babies and after a few questions I was told that the problem was likely caused because I had switched to 7th Generation detergent. I was told that the diaper covers have a year warranty, but all of mine that had problems were outside the warranty time frame. The representative did email instructions on how to replace the elastics. I have not attempted this yet, so I can comment on the process. She also sent me a list of approved detergents. For us, both the odor and elastic issues started appearing about a month after switching detergents to 7th Generation. We have gone back to All Free and Clear now.
Stripping: The bumGenuis website specifically says not to use vinegar or baking soda on the diapers, which is the most common way to strip cloth diapers. It might be ok with the inserts, but I definitely would not use it on the covers as it would probably void your warranty. These are the instructions sent to me for stripping when I contacted Cottonbabies about my issues:
For leaking issues: 1. Wash once in hot water with Dawn liquid dish detergent in the original blue formula (yes, it must be Dawn). Use one tablespoon for regular top loaders and one teaspoon for high efficiency machines.
2. Do two additional hot water washes with no detergent, just clear water.
For smell issues:
1. Wash inserts once in hot water with Dawn liquid dish detergent in the original blue formula (yes, it must be Dawn). Use one teaspoon for high efficiency machines or one tablespoon with a regular machine. Use ¾ cup of chlorine bleach for a top loader and ½ cup for a high efficiency machine.
2. Do two additional hot water washes with no detergent, just clear water.
3. Normally, covers do not hold odors as inserts can, however, you may strip them using the instructions that apply for leaking issues.
Current opinion: I still love these diapers and I want some of the new colors! I don't like that I am going to have to repair the elastics, but I still feel they are cheaper and healthier than disposables.
|
Best diaper I've found
|
| Review Date: June 10, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Shirleen Rodrigues, Los Angeles, CA |
| These diapers are "genius" -- for so many reasons. One size makes them very economically attractive. My daughter is growing so fast she is out of the sized diapers so quickly and at average $18 a diaper this gets painful financially. These diapers are very well made, user friendly and most importantly keep the runny poops in! They fit snug and cosy, clean up nicely and don't leave nasty red marks around her legs. I've tried prefolds and diaper covers(Bummis Whisper light) as well as Happy Heinys pocket diapers. I found the BumGenius by far superior. |
One-size pocket diapers are the way to go!
|
| Review Date: June 15, 2008 |
| Reviewer: E. M. Dusen, Chicagoland, IL |
SUMMARY: Great diapers, very economical (in the long run) and very easy to use, contain messes better than disposables, dry quickly in the dryer, can look bulky, washing routine can be complicated
When I first began looking into cloth diapers, it was mostly out of curiosity. I wanted to be environmentally friendly but I assumed cloth diapering would be too inconvenient. Why else would disposables have the corner on the market? My research turned my assumptions on their head. With modern cloth diapers, you can avoid pins and leaks - and still save money! (Some also say less diaper rash and earlier potty training. It's only been three months for me, so I can't comment on these supposed benefits yet.)
There are several types of cloth diapers. Read a summary here: http://diaperpages.com/cd_article.php. I decided that pocket diapers were the way to go for me. They offered the convenience of not using pins or a cover, but they dry much faster (and reportedly hold up better) than all-in-ones.
I did my research and decided to buy 24 BumGenius 3.0s. Since I bought in bulk, I paid only $384. That sounds like a lot, but I expect these to last until my baby is done with potty training (about 2 years old). If I spent $40 a month on disposable diapers, in two years I would have spent $960. (And beware the hidden costs of fitted diapers. Although fitted diapers may be a little cheaper than all-in-ones, remember that you'll have to buy new fitted diapers when your baby outgrows that size. Additionally, fitted diapers typically require covers, which are also sized.)
I began using these diapers when my baby was about a week old. I told my husband it was because I didn't want to stain the diapers with sticky, black newborn meconium, but really the diapers looked so big and I just couldn't imagine them fitting my tiny baby. But my fears were unwarranted. She weighed in at just over 7 pounds and although the diapers were a little bulky, they fit her perfectly and did not leak. (We used disposables again on a week long car trip. We splurged for the expensive name-brand, but even then they didn't contain any of my baby's explosive poops.)
Washing gets a little complicated. We remove the inserts and spray poopy diapers with Biokleen Bac-Out Stain & Odor Eliminator 32 oz.before placing in a Bummis Waterproof Bag (Large 10 Gal. Diaper Pail-23"X22"). Every other day we place that in the washer and run one cold cycle with half the recommended amount of Country Save HE Laundry Detergent, Powder, 160-Load, 10-lb Boxes (Case of 4). (Be sure to choose a powder detergent with no additives. Liquid detergents and additives have a tendency to stick in the fabric and cause staining and stink issues.) Then we run the diapers again in a hot cycle with no detergent. (NEVER run a sanitary cycle or you might ruin your diapers!) Finally, we place them in the dryer for 30 minutes. (If you have the time, line drying helps with stink and stains and saves energy.)
Final tip: The price currently listed on Amazon is over $36. Do NOT pay that much. On most other sites, they are listed for about half that. |
love these!!!!
|
| Review Date: January 8, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Gaylin Maghupoy, Kodiak, Alaska |
| I have tried the Kidalog Baby Love diapers 3 Baby Love All-in-One Cloth Diapers, the Fuzzi Bunz(not recommended!!!), and Happy Heiny's one-size#1 Rated Diaper Happy Heiny's Pocket Diaper with Free Insert, and also a different (off) brand that caused my son to break out in a serious rash. I think the Bum Genius are the best!! They do leave a red ring around my son's legs, but they are far more absorbent than Fuzzi Bunz. With the Fuzzi Bunz, I had to use a prefold as an insert that made it extremely bulky. The Happy Heiny's have a softer fleece than both BumGenius and Fuzzi Bunz. I think that the BumGenius is softer than the Fuzzi Bunz though. I bought the one-size diapers because I am due with another baby in April. I wanted to do cloth with my son from the beginning, but the day care that he went to required disposables. After I stopped working, I decided to go ahead and get the cloth diaper stock pile. The Kidalog's are great. They have a sewn in panel so you don't have to stuff. I would recommend getting the bleached cloth because the panel is a little more narrow and doesn't leak, the natural unbleached are still great though! I also have Kushies AIO premie size, but haven't used them yet.....BumGenius now has a 3.0 version out that is also great. It allows you to make the diaper XS for newborns. I got mine from Kelly's Closet. I would rate the diaper brands in the following order: Bum Genius, Happy Heiny's, Kidalog Baby Love, Fuzzi Bunz. The Fuzzi Bunz leaked a lot, the snaps come undone with active babies (a 17 month old running and climbing everywhere), and just not a quality diaper. If you decide to try some Happy Heiny's, I have heard that the prints do not last very long and fall apart. Also, the insert started falling apart at the seam after the second wash (before I even used them!). I also used the Bum Genius diaper doublers which are great for naps/over night for heavy wetters. |
What a fabulous diaper!
|
| Review Date: January 8, 2008 |
| Reviewer: SillyZippyCat, Canungra, Australia |
| I purchased several bumGenius 2.0 diapers just before my son was born so that we could start using them on his little newborn tush as soon as possible. While we're still experimenting with other cloth diapers and covers as well, I've found the bumGenius diaper to be both super-convenient to use and very well constructed, too. They look a tiny bit bulky compared to the disposables, but they fit very snug and secure on my 8-lb. week-old boy, and they are easy for both myself and my husband to change. My also son seems to be happy wearing them. I took a chance and bought these based on very good customer reviews, and I'm glad I did. Although a bit pricey compared to separate fitted diapers/liners/covers, they are worth investing in if the budget allows, even if only for use when out with baby or when people not versed in cloth diapers need to change (i.e. grandparents). Highly recommended by this first-time mom! |
|
No video reviews found for this product.
