bumgenius – BabyCostsMoney

Back to Cloth.

Published on February 16, 2017February 16, 2017 by Darlene Dee7 Comments

With few exceptions, Babystar has been in disposable diapers for about a month now. I started when I packed the bag for the Women’s March last month and disposables were so much lighter. I kept her in disposables through a bathroom renovation that took away my access to the diaper sprayer for a week. Then we all got sick and now we are better but yet the disposable diapers remain on the baby.

I’m not gonna lie — I don’t hate them. They are not as cute as the cloth diapers, but they definitely have their benefits.

But today we are back in cloth. Let’s do this!

We bought eleven packs of diapers during this glorious, lazy month. The Target brand was somehow always on sale for $4.99. Score! So $54.89 for almost a month. Eh. The fancy cloth we use costs $30-35 each. I think you CAN save money using cloth but I definitely did NOT.

(We still have disposables left but we also still use them at night and on Sundays in the church nursery.)

RAISING BABYSTAR: $14,738.38

Ikea > Disneyworld.

Published on September 22, 2016September 19, 2016 by Darlene Dee3 Comments

I went to Ikea again the other day. And by the other day, I mean two months ago. Or was it three? The POINT is, I went to Ikea and I was reminded how much I FREAKING LOVE IKEA.

I had read on dirtydiaperlaundry.com that Ikea was selling a thing that was not called a flat diaper but basically was a flat diaper so I went to check it out. I use all-in-one (AIO) cloth diapers for Babystar, but I have a stack of leaky BumGenius Elemental diapers and I was looking for a fix. I bought a two-pack for $4.99 (one is plain white but the other has stars – swoon) and just so you know — no, they did not fix my problem. Folding up the flat and adding it behind the attached cotton of the Elemental DID stop the pee from leaking but it made the diaper too puffy to be practical. I guess I could cut the flats in half. Or buy half-size diaper flats online somewhere. Or cut the cotton out of the Elementals to turn them into covers. But then I’m no longer really using AIOs which I have kind of gotten used to so I will probably just sell the BumGenius Elementals. I have enough Smart Bottoms and Blueberry Diapers now. And the stupid Smart Bottoms are leaking now too. Long live Blueberry.

BUT I DIGRESS.

Ikea is my bae. Which is teenspeak for luv-ah. I think.

I also bought a pack of popsicle makers for $2.99 to save for when Babystar starts teething. Which is right freaking now as she is getting eight teeth all at the same time. Poor Babystar. So I had to find the popsicle thingies which reminded me that I bought them hence this post.

If you are wondering, I made the popsicles using some of the frozen baby food cubes from the freezer (thawed in fridge then repurposed) from her puree protest from the summer. I mixed pureed fruit with yogurt and swirled it a bit before refreezing. She enjoyed it but wouldn’t hold it by herself. Lazy baby.

I have loved Ikea since we met many years ago, but my love has def grown deeper wandering that Cave of Wonders with a smol one.

First of all, there is nothing more boring than waiting in line while your mother returns something. Oh, but look, there is a cool giant toy thingy to play with over here. Nm, take your time, mom.

Did you guys know about this secret room for parents with a comfy chair for nursing and a play table to occupy older kids and a changing table with mobiles hanging over it and FREE FREAKING DIAPERS if you run out and books to calm a cranky toddler and this room is a miracle and I never even noticed it until I had Babystar with me and was looking for a place to nurse her. I think it’s some sort of Hogwarts-esque (or would that be Durmstrang?) Room of Requirement that you can only see/enter with a child. I am only 70% joking. (For those of you Woodbridge Ikea patrons, it’s near the restrooms that are near the restaurant that is near the children’s section.)

And speaking of the children’s section.

This is the greatest high chair ever and it’s only $19.99. Don’t be fooled by that sign that shows $14.99. The tray is an extra five bucks. We had this high chair long before I was even pregnant with Babystar because my niece visited enough that she needed her own place to sit. And it’s minimalist enough to just blend into the house without screaming BABYBABYBABY.

Same deal with these bowls and forks and spoons and plates and stuff. So cheap. So useful for when Littles are visiting. I have bought a few more packs now that Babystar eats here daily. And I can toss a bowl and fork or whatever in the travel bag and if it gets lost, ok. Not ideal, but ok. They are so inexpensive and perfectly sized. Thank you, Ikea.

This little boat is the best bath toy ever. My sister bought it while visiting with her son and left it and it is super cool. The little cups stack on top and one pours and one has holes in the bottom to make a shower in the bath when filled with water. Plus it’s a boat. Babystar loves it.

The play area is the bomb dot com. Yes, I know they are trying to sell me these things. (Don’t worry. I’m sure will buy them.) It is clean. Clean. I’m telling you, I have recently been paying attention and most ‘kid’s play areas’ are not very clean. And it’s full of actual fun things. I did not post those random kids there. In fact, I had to wait until none were showing their faces because I wanted a picture but wanted to respect other’s privacy. It took awhile because the kids were having so much fun. (I just pretended to be texting.)

These are the flat diapers sold as ‘burp cloths.’ Did you see the stars? You see the stars, right? Too cute.

I also bought Babystar a set of child-sized kitchen utensils for $3.99 that day a few months ago. I see one or two of them every once in awhile. She loves them but hides them all over the place like a squirrel. At least this one is in the kitchen, right?

RAISING BABYSTAR: $12,141.10

A Year in Cloth Diapers.

Published on July 20, 2016July 6, 2017 by Darlene Dee21 Comments

I have been cloth diapering Babystar for one year today.

OMG what happened to my tiny baby?? Hold on while I go cry now.

I started when she was exactly one month old mainly because I wanted cute pictures and have not really wavered from the cloth. Mostly. We currently use disposables at night. And I have been known to take disposables on vacation. I know that doing something for one year does not make me an expert. At all. But it does mean I at least kind of know what I’m talking about.

I would like to share four ‘lessons’ I have learned that I wish I knew last year.

But first, I just need to get this out of the way. My mother is a freaking badass. She had two babies in cloth diapers (my little brother and sister, born fifteen months apart) back in the early 80s and we did not have a washer or dryer. I repeat, we DID NOT OWN a washing machine. Luckily, the laundromat was only about a block away. She took the diapers and the babies (and me, but I was a big girl that could walk) in a red wagon to the laundromat and then brought them home wet to hang out on the line. OG bad ass mama right there.

And now, my dad is so fascinated by Babystar’s ‘fancy’ cloth diapers. It’s adorable.

We use all-in-ones (AIOs). I tried a few all-in-twos (AI2s) and I think I could have liked them but I found it difficult to match up the correct insides when I only had a few different types, and they were all different sizes and different snap set-ups. I did really like the Funky Fluff diaper and it’s actually the only AI2 that is steadily still in the rotation. That hip snap is SO SMART. Plus, I have used the unstuffed shell as a swim diaper the three times she has been in a pool because I have not purchased a swim diaper. I will look for one at MommyCon on Saturday. (Yep, I’m going to MommyCon DC! Are you?)

I started with about fifteen bumGenius Elementals. They are the ‘new’ style Elemental, which basically means that the outer (waterproof) PUL cover is not covered on the inside with cotton. The new style is on the left. See the difference? (I later bought four of the ‘old’ Elementals and they are waaaay better.)

LESSON ONE: DO NOT BUY ALL OF ONE KIND OF DIAPER TO BEGIN WITH.

I don’t hate the Elementals. In fact, they were perfect when she was super small because they are very trim and the tabs are very stretchy. But now that she is bigger (and peeing more at one time and her poop is no longer just breast milk poop), the Elementals do not work as well. They sometimes leak because the interior cotton gets pushed to the side as she crawls or walks around. The Elementals do still contain poop blowouts but they are a bitch to spray clean because it gets under the cotton and directly on the PUL and ew gross.

However, bumGenius Elementals might be your favorite diaper. And that is fine and ok and wonderful. I have learned that there is no ‘perfect diaper for every baby all the time.’ There is only a ‘best diaper for your baby for the moment.’

LESSON TWO: DIVERSIFY YOUR DIAPER STASH.

Once you find your favorite diaper for your baby, you should STILL not buy only that diaper. Especially if you like snaps. (I prefer snaps but they are less flexible with sizing than velcro.) There will be times when your favorite diapers just don’t fit as well as others. I like the idea of a cloth diaper stash with an equal mix of your three favorite brands. That’s not what I have; that’s what I think would be ideal. But definitely at least two different kinds. If you do covers, I guess you could go crazy and have all the brands. I’m not sure. My knowledge here is mostly limited to AIOs.

(I wish I had done covers and maybe like, flats. Flats or prefolds but probably flats. I think it would have been easier overall, and way more adaptable. And cheaper. But I didn’t and I’m a year in so I’m not about to switch it up now. Probably.)

I mainly use bumGenius Elementals, Smart Bottoms 3.1, and Blueberry Simplex for Babystar. Sometimes the Smart Bottoms fit like a dream and other times the Blueberry are clearly made for her. It changes over weeks though, not days. Thank goodness.

BumGenius Elementals are made with all organic cotton and the stretchy tabs really do help them fit well. I far prefer the old style Elementals that I own, but I only have four. We use the new style Elementals as a last resort when diaper laundry is late. I have tried stuffing them behind the cotton and it does stop the leaks but first of all, who wants to stuff AIO diapers, and second of all, they get waaaay too puffy.

Smart Bottoms 3.1 are made with the softest organic cotton in the galaxy. They also have the cutest prints by FAR. I love solid color diapers but I don’t own a single Smart Bottoms solid because the prints are STOOPID CUTE. The fit is very particular, though. Sometimes they fit really really well. Right now they are leaving red marks on her back but if I loosen the diaper rise or waist snaps she either gaps at the leg or waist. Which means she sometimes leaks. (Not badly but still.) But I know she will fit them perfectly again. It’s a cycle.

The soaker on Smart Bottoms 3.1 can be folded however you like. I suggest tucking it under to make cleaning poop easier, but you might need different absorbency if you have a baby boy.

And I wasn’t lying about those cute prints!

Blueberry Simplex are our current favorite but they are not our always favorite. I love the design of the waist snaps; they are on a diagonal so that the top row of snaps closest Babystar’s waist can be a little tighter than the lower row near her legs. This usually seems to fit her the best. For her body shape. Not every baby’s body shape. I also love the flexibility of the Blueberry Simplex. They are made with a soaker that can either stuff behind the built-in pocket or lay on top of the cotton. If the soaker is stuffed inside, the cotton is next to baby’s skin and we usually choose that option. However, if we are going out and I know I might have to wait a few extra minutes (like 60) to change her diaper, then I can lay the soaker on top of the cotton and there will be stay-dry microfleece next to her skin to help her stay comfy. (Blueberry also makes an Organic Cotton diaper without the microfleece option. We have one and it’s great but it is not as soft as the organic cotton in Smart Bottoms and it’s the most expensive diaper I have ever purchased at $35, so I stick with the regular Simplex.)

In the pictures below, the soaker is lying on top of the cotton on the left, but tucked in on the right. I love options.

And this is what I mean about the diagonal snaps. Brilliant.

LESSON THREE: BUY A DIAPER SPRAYER.

As a small child in the 1980s, I always had to check the toilet before sitting down to pee. More often than not, there was a cloth diaper soaking. Sometimes, I could make it to the upstairs bathroom but sometimes, I just peed right on top of the diaper. (Sorry, mom.) I hope I was the only one in the family that did this, but I sort of doubt it. We made mom’s job triple gross. (Sorry again, mom. And dad. Sorry sorry sorry.)

I am not about that Dunk and Swish Life.

I do not think I could have continued with cloth diapers after Babystar started solids if it wasn’t for my diaper sprayer. The change in poop is astounding. I never thought I would be nostalgic for poop but now SEVEN MONTHS LATER I still miss the newborn poop. Comparatively, I mean. (I have the bumGenius sprayer and I highly recommend it but I don’t really know if it is better or worse than any others. Just get any sprayer before baby starts solids.)

LESSON FOUR: RESIST THE AFTER MARKET.

Did you know there are Limited Edition diapers? Exclusive prints? Solid colors specific to one retailer? Did you know there are diapers that sell out within a literal minute and then are sold for twice the retail price on swap pages or eBay?

Hey, I’m not hating. Babystar has a few of those limited edition diapers because they are usually suuuuuuper cute and if I’m going to buy diapers anyway, I might as well get the cute limited edition ones. If I can. But I will only pay retail. (That does not in any way make me better than anyone that chooses to pay more for something they really want.) Just be careful because it is very easy to become addicted to diapers.

(I know that real addiction is a serious thing and I do not at all mean to belittle that.)

Some people have hundreds of diapers. For one baby. And I get how it happens. It can be really exciting to be one of a few (hundred? thousand? I have no idea) people that get something that sells out so quickly. And they do look so freaking cute on the babies. Especially in the summer time. Babystar’s uniform is basically just a t-shirt and a cloth diaper. But just remember that you aren’t WINNING the diaper. You get to PURCHASE it. Yay? There are actually many contests that you can enter to win a ‘right-to-buy’ a diaper (or a baby carrier or a special magic blanket) and ok, I really do get it, but also, WHAT.

My personal solution is to try to buy the diapers that I want at retail when they are released but stay off the Buy/Sell/Trade aftermarket sites where the prices skyrocket. EVEN FOR USED DIAPERS. Think about that for a moment. Then stop because you might get mad.

YOU GUYS SHE’S SOOOOO BIG NOW!! Where did my baby go? Also, literally, where is my baby going?? 😉

tl;dr: my mama is a badass, cloth diapers are easy now, get a diaper sprayer, be careful the diapers are addictive.

RAISING BABYSTAR: $10,702.55

Ruffle Butt.

Published on April 22, 2016April 23, 2016 by Darlene Dee4 Comments

Summer is coming.

I fully expect to dress Babystar in t-shirts and diapers. Half of the appeal of cloth diapers is the incredible cuteness.

But. You guys. YOU GUYS. What if they could be even CUTER?

OMG THEY CAN.

The Internet led me to a wonderful woman named Ruth with a wonderful online shop called Wiggly Bugs Fluff. I sent her a few of Babystar’s diapers and she added snaps to them so I could attach ruffles. She also made four ruffles. And she also embroidered Babystar’s name on the back of a diaper and it’s so pretty and the A in Star is actually a star and I love it. She did all this for $43, which included the cost to ship the diapers back to me. Plus $12 to ship the diapers to her in Maine.*

I’m totally going to get more diapers fitted with snaps and more pretty ruffles.

RAISING BABYSTAR: $6,856.68

*I’m not sure that $12 is completely accurate but when I asked the Husband how much he paid for shipping, he said it was twelve bucks. I decided not to hackle him for the exact amount. He did take diapers to the post office after all.

Cloth Diaper Dreams.

Published on March 10, 2016April 23, 2016 by Darlene DeeLeave a comment

Cloth diapers.

Oh, the looks I sometimes get when I mention that Babystar wears cloth diapers.

I knew when I was pregnant that I wanted to use cloth diapers with Babystar. I vaguely remembered the Perpetual Pampers Parade of the late 20th century. The Diaper Genie sausages of the past did ring a smelly bell. I vividly recalled my brother talking of the recent daily diaper blowouts of my darling niece. So I hopped aboard the cloth diaper buttwagon.

My husband was, shall we say, skeptical.

Then the baby was born. And I was, shall we say, freaking terrified.

There were so many diaper changes. And her diapers weren’t that full anyway. And I was so tired. And we brought tons of newborn disposable diapers* home from the hospital. And I was so tired. And she was probably too little anyway. And I was SO TIRED.

But one must make sacrifices for fashion.

I wanted cute pictures for Babystar’s one month ‘photo shoot’. I mean, it was just me taking pictures on my iPhone, but it was still kind of a big deal. We had fourteen or fifteen brand new BumGenius Elementals sitting in a box in the laundry room at that time. A few were baby shower gifts and most were the dozen that I ordered (what seemed like) a mere seconds before birthing this baby. None were prepped but such is life. Here she is at one month old in her very first cloth diaper.

Aw. So little. So squishy. So PINK.

So cute.

And that was that. The beginning of the obsession. I sort of couldn’t believe that they fit, and then I felt stupid for buying Size 1 diapers when I already had a box of perfectly good cloth diapers. And did you see how CUTE!? I prepped them all immediately and made the change. We used cloth night and day (with a Canadian exception) until she started sleeping through the night. I use disposables overnight now for my comfort. I am much more comfortable when I don’t have to wake up enough to function to change a diaper. ‘Boob out of shirt and into mouth’ is at about the max of my preferred level of 4 a.m. functionality.

I now know that the BumGenius Elementals are about the trimmest diapers out there, and that is probably why they fit so well on my one month old baby. We didn’t buy any newborn sized diapers, so she went straight to the one-size. I have changed my mind just about every month about what brand makes the ‘best’ diapers. (Well, the best one-size all-in-one or all-in-two diaper.) My dream diaper would have BumGenius’s trimness and stretchy tabs; Smart Bottom’s super soft, absorbent organic cotton and gorgeous prints; and Blueberry Simplex’s encased leg elastic and genius lining design.** Someone please make this diaper and send me one or twenty of them, thanks.

Until that happens, my Dream diaper today is this one. I have not bought a new diaper yet this whole year! (Shhh, I know what month it is.) Smart Bottoms have been fitting better these days so, you know. Plus just look at it.

“Though she be but little, she is fierce.” ~A Midsummer Night’s Dream

RAISING BABYSTAR: $6,146.66

*Only Cloth Diaper Mamas ever use the qualifier ‘disposable’.

**Do you cloth diaper? What would be your favorite Frankenstein diaper??