Blueberry Minky OS Pocket Diaper Review and Giveaway

Swaddlebees and Blueberry Diapers was started by Margarita, a mom of 3 who, after using cloth diapers from other companies, wanted to offer moms something better than plain, boring cloth diapers.  After making and selling her first 12 diapers, she started the Blueberry brand, which offered some of the best prints on the market.  In the first month, they sold all 2000 diapers in their first production run!  Today, Blueberry offers high quality products with features you won’t find on other diapers made in the USA such as sourced fabrics from the USA, latex free elastics, and materials guaranteed to be free from lead, pthalates and BPA. Buying Blueberry or Swaddlebees products means you are supporting safe products for babies and jobs for both the company’s workers and the retailers that sell the products.  Combine that with a full one year warranty and a 90 day "satisfaction guaranteed or your money back” policy to round out the reasons why Blueberry diapers are one of the most sought after diapers on today’s market.  When you really look at what you are getting, these products are more than worth the few extra dollars you’ll spend compared to other cloth diaper brands.  Blueberry is dedicated to “bringing the joy back to being a mom.”  With so many adorable prints, what mom wouldn’t be filled with joy at the prospect of using a Blueberry or Swaddlebees diaper? 

Blueberry Minky in Green Camo
 on a 30”, 24 lb. 15 month old
set on the medium rise setting.  

I had never used a Minky diaper before this review.  I wasn’t sure how I’d like having a “fuzzy” diaper.  While I thought the prints were absolutely adorable, I wondered about issues like fading and/or pilling, which would decrease the diaper’s “cute” factor.  Let me assure you I was pleasantly surprised when the Green Camo Minky Diaper I used for this review came out looking perfect wash after wash.  I love the softness of the minky fabric, as does my toddler who likes to “pet” his diaper!  Each pocket diaper comes with 2 very absorbent microfiber terry inserts, a 3 layer small insert and a 4 layer longer insert that is adjustable for the medium and large sizes.  The small insert also acts as a doubler when extra absorbency is desired with the 4 layer insert, which is a must with heavy wetters and toddlers.  Another surprising find with this diaper is the thickness of the PUL lining.  The Blueberry Minky Diaper has the thickest PUL lining of all the pocket diapers in my stash and yet is still very pliable.  There is also plenty of growing room with this diaper.  My 36” 2 year old can wear this diaper on either the medium rise snap setting for a trimmer fit during the day or the large rise snap setting for a higher rise to prevent stomach sleeping leaks during the night.  

  

Blueberry Minky in Green Camo set on the
medium rise snap position on an active 36”,
 32 lb. toddler. Note the trimness even 
with both MF inserts. 

Daytime Test:  During the day, I went ahead and used both inserts since I was testing it on my 2 year old son.  The diaper has a great fit even with both inserts in the pocket.  No gaps in the legs or waist which means less chance of leakage, especially for active toddlers who are running, climbing, jumping and squatting throughout the day.  I changed the diaper at the 4 hour mark, which is generally my cut off for diapers during the day.  The inserts could have held more fluid so I really think I could have gone another couple of hours without changing the diaper, which is good to know in a pinch!  Nothing is worse than being away from home longer than you expected only to discover your little one’s diaper is leaking too.  While it is always a good practice to change your child’s diaper every 2-3 hours during the day, sometimes life just happens and your usual routine gets shot down in flames!  The second time I tested out the diaper during the day, I had to deal with a messy toddler poop.  For some reason, my son’s stools were pretty soft that day and definitely put the diaper’s mini leg gussets to the test.  I am happy to report that while the poop spread out to the leg opening, the gussets kept it from leaking out.  Phew!  Dodged a bullet with that one! 

Side view of the diaper on a 15 month old
toddler. Note even with both inserts, the
diaper remains trim on this model as well. 

Nap Time Test:  The diaper held up beautifully during my son’s 3 hour afternoon nap.  Again, the inserts were not soaked so they would have held up even longer if needed.  The Stay Dry lining is so soft and did a great job at wicking moisture away from his skin.  Maybe that is why he slept an extra hour the day I did the nap time test!  Talk about a win-win situation.  I got an extra hour to get things done while my son woke up well rested and in a great mood! SCORE!!!!  

Fluffy Camo Bum! Even when bending
forward, the diaper covers the entire
bottom. This helps prevent poop from
coming out of the top of the diaper. 

Nighttime Test:  Since my son sleeps 10+ hours per night, I went ahead and added a Swaddlebees Bamboo Doubler just to make sure he didn’t have any leaks during the night.  Even with the doubler and both microfiber inserts, the diaper remained relatively trim and fit great.  The night I did the test, my son slept right at 10 hours.  I knew the diaper would be full but I wasn’t prepared for just how full!  The inserts were soaked to the point that they were heavy and very wet to the touch. But my son’s skin was dry and there were no leaks!  Finding comfortable, absorbent overnight diapers for heavy wetters and toddlers can be challenging since the wetness or leaks can potentially cause them to wake up.  I was very happy that my son slept comfortably all night and woke up dry.  The best way to start off each day!

Overall, I am impressed by the fit, absorbency and softness of the Blueberry Minky Pocket Diaper.  While it can be hard to get a good fit with a OS pocket diaper because either it doesn’t fit small babies well or it doesn’t fit toddlers well, this diaper fits well on both.  I definitely recommend adding some of Blueberry’s functional and cute diapers to your stash! 

To give our fans the opportunity to shop at our local or online store, we are giving away a $20 Go, Baby, Go! gift certificate.  If you would like to purchase a Blueberry Minky OS Pocket Diaper, you can find them here.  Thanks for taking the time to read my review! --Gina       

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Knickernappies Custom Fit Diaper Review and Giveaway

CLOSED     WINNER: Kelsea Y.  

Knickernappies is a cloth diaper and accessory company that was purchased and reinvented in 2006 by Shannon and Heather Hicks. The couple was introduced to cloth diapering out of necessity when their newborn daughter developed a diaper rash almost immediately after her birth.  By the time their daughter was 7 weeks old,  Shannon and Heather had tried a couple of cloth diapers and went on to purchase their first “stash”.  Their daughter’s diaper rash cleared up within a few days of using cloth and they have never looked back!  Not only are they cloth diaper advocates, they are committed to making, distributing, and selling over 20 quality products that are proudly made in the beautiful state of Oregon.  Though the business has grown by leaps and bounds in the past 6 years, Shannon and Heather still run their business from home and even have a custom built garage they use as a warehouse for their wonderful products.  From diaper rash to family owned business, a true American success story! 

I am not new to Knickernappies products.  I have several of the One Size Pocket Diapers (OSPD) and both Loopy Do and Super Do inserts along with the Stay Dry Nursing Pads, a Doorknob Diaper Pail, a Diaper Sprayer and a Baltic Amber Necklace for my son.  However, until Liz brought in the Custom Fit Pocket Diaper to Go, Baby, Go!, I had never had the opportunity to try one.  Like many cloth diapering moms, I thought the OSPD would give me more bang for my buck since they fit babies up to 40 lb and are side snapping, which generally have a trimmer fit and make it harder for toddlers to escape from their diaper.  But, to my dismay, my baby’s legs were to skinny to fit into most OSPDs without leaking until about the 3 month mark.  This is where sized diapers, like the Custom Fits, come in handy. 

For this review, I tried a Medium sized Custom Fit Pocket Diaper with a medium LoopyDo insert during the day and a medium SuperDo insert at night.  In case you are not familiar with the “Do” inserts, they are made from 2 (LoopyDo) or 6 (SuperDo) layers of thirsty, pre-washed, hemp french terry plus 2 layers of ultra-thick white microfiber.  These inserts are one of the best on the market today and have received rave reviews from cloth diapering mamas!  Plus, they are made to fit perfectly in the Custom Fit diapers, which makes stuffing the pocket a breeze.  Custom Fits do not come with inserts so they are cheaper than their OS counterparts ($16.95 compared to $21.95).  This gives you the option to really customize the diaper based on your needs.  Why pay for inserts you don’t really need or want? Makes perfect sense to me!     

                                                            

Knickernappies Custom Fit Pocket Diaper
 in Melon with a LoopyDo insert on a
30 lb., 36 inch active toddler
Note the trimness of the diaper. 

The first thing I noticed about the Custom Fit is it’s buttery soft fleece lining.  It felt so nice when I rubbed my hand across it, I can only imagine how soft it must feel on a baby’s sensitive bum.  But, it’s not soft when it comes to doing it’s job.  It kept my toddler’s skin very dry, which to me equals greater comfort and better sleep.  Something all of us tired parents could use!  I have to say I was quite surprised when a medium, which fits babies approx. 15-28+ lb., fit my 30 lb toddler with room to spare!  I had two rows of snaps left on both top and bottom.  This is wonderful because instead of having to buy 3 sizes as your baby grows, you can save money by only having to buy 2 sizes, all while reaping the benefits of a sized diaper.  During the day, the Loopy Do insert made for an extremely trim yet highly absorbent diaper.  It passed the “pants test” with flying colors, which as you know, can be quite difficult depending on the diaper and cut of the pants/shorts.  I was able to go about 3 hours before having to change him, making this combo excellent for both home and out of the house use.  I probably could have gone longer but I didn’t want to risk having leaks.  

For nighttime, I found the SuperDo just as easy to stuff into the Custom Fit diaper as the LoopyDo even though it is considerably thicker.  I was already familiar with the SuperDo insert because I use them in my Knickernappies OSPDs.  They are my absolute favorite insert for overnight, especially for heavy wetters and toddlers.  As I expected, the SuperDo lasted 10 hours with no leaks.  Of course, that was one HEAVY and completely saturated insert in the morning but it did the job!  

With a SuperDo insert for nighttime and naps.
A bit more bulky but still relatively trim. 

The thing I like best about the Knickernappies Custom Fits over the OSPDs is the trim fit.  Even with the SuperDo insert, the diaper remained trim on my 36 inch, 30 lb. 2 year old.  This makes it super easy to dress your child for both play and sleep without having to worry about which outfits or pajamas will fit over the diaper.  I also like not paying for inserts you really don’t need.  You can use a variety of inserts in these diapers, including a trifolded prefold, hemp or bamboo inserts, combo MF/hemp inserts like the LoopyDo or SuperDo, or just plain old microfiber if you wish.  Overall, I would definitely recommend this diaper.  Whether you have a little squish or an active toddler, Knickernappies Custom Fit diapers will not disappoint!  And, with 17 colors to choose from, you’ll never be without a diaper to coordinate with your child’s clothing (if you do that sort of thing, of course)!  I also love that Heather and Shannon stick by their products with one of the best warranties in the industry, 1 year on the diaper, 2 years on the elastic and lifetime on the snaps!  Impressive to say the least!   

To give our fans an opportunity to try one of these fabulous, made in the USA diapers, we are giving away one Custom Fit Diaper in the winner’s choice from our in-stock colors and sizes.  If you would like to purchase one of these awesome diapers, go here or if you want to purchase a SuperDo or a LoopyDo insert, you can find them here.  Good luck and thanks for taking the time to read my review. --Gina   

      

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