Review: Bummis Easy Fit

Bummis EasyFit by Tots Bots - $23.95 

Materials:  The outer material is PUL, The attached absorbent layer is 1 layer rayon from bamboo fibers and microfiber on the outside and 1 layer of microfiber on the underside.  Surrounding the built in soaker of the diaper is soft brushed polyester to prevent wicking or leaking.  Aplix closure and snap one size settings.

Fit:  8 - 30 lbs.  (However, there is a Tini Fit diaper for babies 5-12 lbs. that is $18.95.)

How it works:  Bummis Easy Fit is a unique AIO Tongue Pocket diaper.  HUH?!  ;)  I believe I can best explain this with a picture:  

  As you can see the front portion of the soaker is sewn into the diaper itself with the rayon fibers from bamboo on top and the microfiber underneath.  The back portion of the soaker agitates out in the wash and stick out the back of the diaper and is to be stuffed back in before it's next use.  This is to help with faster drying time.  Having the pocket area in the back also allows you to stuff the diaper with more inserts or doubler for added absorption, although this diaper does not come with any extra inserts or doublers.  The soaker/insert/tongue (whatever you want to call it) can be folded varying ways to create more or less absorption where needed.  The diaper closes with aplix at the waist, and has snap up/down one size rise setting.

Thoughts from Amanda:

Aesthetics -  The Bummis EasyFit diaper comes in the colors you see at the top of the page plus white.  The colors are bold and beautiful, and I have not run into any bleeding problems with the ones I have.  With that said, there are not any particularly "girly" colors.  I would say their color line leads towards neutral to boyish.  I have the Blueberry and Orange which are gorgeous and I will be using them on my daughter but they don't scream girl.  There are also not any prints.  I found this surprising since EasyFit by Tots Bots is actually a brand brought over from Europe in which they have prints with polka dots and stars.  So, overall, cute vibrant colors but I hope for more choices in the future.  A nit picky thing for me is that I hate the Tots Bots tag in the front center of the diaper.  I don't know why...it just bugs me.  lol

Also with a thin tongue liner this diaper is very trim in the diaper bag.

Functionality -  I guess lets start with the outside and work our way in.  This diaper does have a low rise, so I agree with the up to 30 lbs. on the fit.  My son is on the second rise setting at 24 lbs., but often times the snaps will pop open when I'm putting the diaper on him.  However, on the largest setting they are too wide in the thighs on my son.  Once I get the EasyFit on him it's fine, but it does become annoying having the snaps pop open at times.  The aplix closure is very very very durable.  This is some of the strongest velcro I've encountered.  It does not come unstuck from the laundry tabs in the wash.  However, I do find the folding over of the tabs for the laundry to be a pain as you literally have to fold the velcro in half on one side.  It just makes it a little more awkward.  But, it holds up well.

On the inside of the diaper it is important to keep in mind that the rayon fibers from bamboo (man that's a mouthful) is up against baby's skin.  Which is fine, but the EasyFit will NOT leave your baby with a stay dry feeling.  If that dry feeling is important to you or your baby this is NOT the diaper for you.  If your baby doesn't mind the wetness, you like to use fleece liners, or you are potty training with a smaller child then this diaper will be fine for you.  I find this diaper to be very absorbent even on my heavy wetter, and I was very skeptical.  I disgree with Bummis that you can get up to 6 layers of absorbency by folding the tongue more.  You can only fold the tongue so far before you're practically turning the diaper inside out.  But, the 4 layers I'm getting now seem to be working for us during the daytime.  (I have yet to try this diaper at night.)  They do claim that the polyester lining around the soaker will stop compression leakage.  I am skeptical about that as polyester isn't waterproof, but maybe I'll be brave one night and give it a try.

I do like that the tongue insert agitates out on it's own, because once your baby poops in this diaper with a soft mushy poo you will understand.  The back flap that covers the pocket opening is very...generous, we shall say.  That's another way of saying it's freakin' HUGE!  That's great for stuffing the diaper, especially if you have large hands, but I find that it actually catches poop under the flap if your child is having one of those soft poo days.  Talk about nasty.  And it makes it a lot harder to spray off of the diaper when you are trying to lift up a poopy pocket flap to spray the inside of the diaper some.  Yuck!  If you're only dealing with nice shake off poops then this won't matter to you, but when teething we still encounter the soft mushy poops and this has been something I don't enjoy contending with.

But, the EasyFit is easy to stuff and it's great that it agitates out for you.  The drying time on this diaper is LONG.  I hang dry until damp with this one and then toss it on the dryer on medium for 10-15 minutes, because I would be waiting two days to use it again if I let it line dry the whole way.  

Durability -  The EasyFit diaper has held up well to many washings.  And it does become it's most absorbent around 10 washes or so.  Be prepared to change more frequently if you are using it before those 6-10 washes.  

My only qualm with the durability of this diaper is that the inner soaker/tongue is a magnet for other aplix diapers.  Every single diaper I have has found it's way to the EasyFits.  And it makes me nervous to pull the aplix off of the rayon fibers from bamboo.  So far my EasyFits still look great, but this is something that makes me nervous for a year down the road.

I really have mixed feelings about this diaper.  The colors are cute and bold, the idea is fantastic, the absorption is wonderful, and it's easy to use and stuff.  But, I wish there were more colors or patterns, that the soft poops didn't get caught under the pocket flap at times, and that it wasn't a magnet for other aplix diapers.  I'm not sure the EasyFit diapers are worth their price point, but it's fun to have a couple of them floating around in my stash and I will be holding on to them for those times when I'm fairly certain I won't be dealing with a poopy diaper.

Review: Bagshot Row Bamboo Ultimate Fit (BSRB)

Bagshot Row Bamboo UF Diapers (BSRB) - $20.00 ($4.00 to add snaps at the waist)

Materials:  The outer material is usually a cotton knit print of some kind and insides/soakers of organic cotton and bamboo.

Fit: 8 - 35 lbs. (If I recall correctly.)

How it works:  Bagshot Row Bamboo UF (Ultimate Fit) diapers are a fitted diaper that has a snap in organic cotton/bamboo soaker.  When folded in half this soaker provides 12 layers of absorbency.  These diapers are not waterproof and will require a cover when used under clothing as they will become wet to the touch.  To close the diaper you will either need to use a Snappi or diaper pins.  A snap closure can also be added at the waist for an additional $4.00.  The rise is adjusted by folding down the front center of the diaper as needed prior to fastening.

Thoughts from Amanda:

Aesthetics -  Bagshot Row Bamboo diapers are definitely fun.  They come in many varieties of cute print fabrics in both boyish and girly prints.  There's definitely something for everyone here.  I did find after owning three of these, that being WAHM (Work At Home Mom) diapers meant that, the size of each diaper and the width of the crotch was variable from diaper to diaper.  This was an issue for me, but is also to be slightly expected when buying a WAHM diaper.  

I also thought it was a bummer that for this diaper to be waterproof the cute diaper fabric needs to be covered by a...cover.  lol  That is a shame when they're so darling, but at times a necessary evil.

Functionality -  Bagshot Row Bamboo (BSRB) diapers do take a bit of practice, patience (at times), and a cooperative baby.  This diaper works like most other diapers in it's shape. The rear of the diaper has wings and this part goes under the baby.  You would pull the center front of the diaper up to the baby's waist and then if the diaper is too large you would fold down the top front of the diaper away from the baby adjusting the rise.  Holding the center front in place you would then grab the wings of the diapers pulling them across (and overlapping if necessary) tightly then securing the wings in place with either a Snappi or diaper pins.  To make this process a little easier you can have snaps added at the waist.  

BSRBs are an absorbent diaper.  With a potential 12 layers of organic cotton/bamboo in the soaker (depending on how you fold it), how could it not be?  Unfortunately, my son was a forceful peer, thus not allowing the diaper to absorb properly and to get wet on the outside very quickly.  This wasn't a problem around the house so much but made for annoyingly frequent changes when out and about.  These were definitely a stay at home diaper for us.  Because the BSRBs do not have a waterproof lining anywhere in them the outer diaper will get wet and will need a cover if you plan on putting clothes of any kind on top of it.  This also became frustrating for me as I enjoy more of a one step process when diapering my son.

The fit also gave me some issues.  While the rise was always high enough when we used them (6 mo. - 10 mo.) I don't see it making it to 35 lbs. on a baby.  Also because BSRBs are handmade I did find that some of the crotches were too narrow and that the soaker barely fit in them.  If any shifting occured this could lead to a potential leakage situation.  However, the mommy behind Bagshot Row Bamboo is wonderful to work with and incredibly helpful if a situation like this should arise.  

For me I couldn't make it past the 10 month mark with these diapers.  My son became so squirmy that it was taking more time and energy to Snappi this diaper on than it was worth to me.  And to have it get soaking wet in an hour (remember...I have a super soaker though) or less just made me frustrated.

Durability -  As with any diaper, but especially handmade specialty diapers, it is essential to follow the directions for care given by the WAHM.  BSRBs are to be hung to dry.  The soakers may be placed in the dryer with other inserts/soakers.  When the cute diaper shell is almost dry (damp) you can throw it in the washer for a quick 10 min. on medium heat to complete the drying and fluff it up.  

If you skip this last step of a few minutes in the dryer your diaper will have a stiff crunchy feeling to it, and not something I would want to wear if you catch my drift.  Drying the entire diaper in the dryer each time will leave your cute diaper very faded looking and can often wreak havoc on the stitching.  So, these diapers are a bit "drama queen"ish if you catch my drift.

But, they are cute to look at.  

Review: SoftBums AI2

SoftBums - Pricing is a little complicated due to varying insert types.  But, a single shell plus one microfiber soaker is $25.95.  A single shell with a bamboo soaker is $30.95.  Basic Packs which are 1 shell, 3 interchangeable soakers, and 1 doubler are:  $36.95 microfiber, $52.95 bamboo.

Materials:  Outer layer PUL, with an inner liner of microfleece, double long snap in soakers made of microfiber with stay dry microfleece on top, or oganic bamboo with either a velour top or stay dry microfleece.  Velcro or snap closure.  OS adjustment through an elastic and toggle system in the legs of the diaper (more on that later).

Fit:  5 - 40 lbs.

How it works:  SoftBums are an AI2 (All In Two) diapering system.  The diaper consists of an outer shell with a PUL outside and microfleece inside for comfort.  The diaper absorbs by the means of a snap in soaker.  This soaker can be taken out when wet or dirty and replaced with a new soaker, allowing the same shell to be used multiple times.  If any poops get on the shell though the shell must be put in the diaper pail to be washed.  Don't attempt to use it again in that situation.  If the shell is slightly damp from pee just lay it out to dry and use another shell or diaper in between uses.

Thoughts from Amanda:

Aesthetics -  SoftBums come in nice bold or soft colors, as well as prints.  They also come in either Aplix closure or snap closure.  The snaps come in cute coordinating colors to the outside of the diaper.  This is a very trim diaper making it great for the diaper bag.  My only qualm would be that the top tends to roll a little bit and expose the microfleece on the wings with the snap version, but that hasn't caused us any problems.

On another side note I am often asked if the knotted elastic and toggles inside of the diaper are annoying for my son as they may seem bulky to others.  But, with the comfy soaker in between my son and the shell he doesn't even notice that they're there.  And the diapers is also left with a very trim look.  I never notice bumps in the front from the knotted elastic or the toggles.

Functionality -  I am in love with this diaper.  But, that doesn't mean it's perfect.  It just works well for me.  Lets talk about the most obvious feature...the snap in soakers.  We'll break this down by section.

SOAKERS:  I like that you have a variety to choose from when purchasing per your baby's needs, and you also have the option to buy a SoftBums package that contains 3 soakers per shell.  That makes this system very convenient to try out.  The soakers come in:  Dry Touch (microfleece top with 2 layers of microfiber-terry for absorption), SUPER Dry Touch (microfleece top with 3 layers of microfiber-terry for absorption), Organic Bamboo Velour (this one will not leave baby with a dry feeling...3 layers of bamboo fleece topped with velour), Dry Touch Organic Bamboo (just replace the velour layer with microfleece for the dry touch feeling).  The doublers are:  Dry Touch - 3 layers of microfiber-terry; Bamboo - 3 layers of Bamboo.  Okay?  Confused?  lol  

The soakers are nice because they are double long so you actually fold them under in the front which will double your absorbency with every use.  So the two layers of microfiber-terry become 4, 3 layers becomes 6, and so on.  Add the doublers and you could end up with 9 layers of absorbency!!!  And all of the soakers are nice and trim even when folded.  I love the variety you have to choose from.  I have the Dry Touch Bamboo and the Bamboo Velour b/c my son is a heavy peer.  I have noticed that the Dry Touch doesn't stay completely dry, but after consulting with some people we came to the conclusion that he must pee very hard and fast not giving the dry layer an opportunity to really work well.  If he peed slower then this wouldn't be happening.  But, it's only a little damp and doesn't bother him.  And the bamboo velour doesn't stay dry at all and that doesn't bother him either.

SHELLS:  The shells are functional but take a bit of practice learning how to use effectively.  I find that the crotch of the shell is very narrow, which is nice but also means you have to check to make sure the soaker is covered by the shell around each leg.  I do a leg check every time I put these diapers on him because if even a little bit of the soaker is sticking out you will have a leak.  That's a bit of an annoyance, but with all of the other great features of this diaper not something that would keep me from using it.  The SoftBums shell is VERY stretchy.  You will need to size this diaper a smidge smaller than your other diapers.  When you pull it up over baby you will see that it has TONS of stretch.  This is a good thing in my opinion because it means the SoftBums will truly last you to potty training.  My biggest qualm about this diaper (which is also something I love about it) is the microfleece inner lining.  This lining is soooo soft, but if your baby poops this diaper will hold onto that smell until washed again.  I find that a sprinkle of Baby Powder helps with that issue.  It's not that the shell is dirty, but that the smell lingers.  

OS ADJUSTMENT:  I will say it right now and I will stand by it.  This is the BEST OS adjustment system ever!!!  Seriously.  Ever.  Softbums uses a very unique internal leg/diaper adjustment system.  At the front of the diaper there is an opening between the PUL and the microfleece.  You will find the two leg elastics knotted together.  If you pull on these and push the diaper shell back you will find two toggles.  One on each side of the diaper.  Now, this will take some practice.  I used another diaper of my son's and laid the SoftBums on top of it to help me find the right sizing.  Press and slide the toggles up or down the elastic making the diaper either smaller or larger as needed.  This diaper gets the smallest I've ever seen and the largest I have ever seen, and has infinite sizes in between.  This is truly a OS diaper.  The toggles will stay in place when washed so there is no need to mess with them again until your baby grows enough to need an adjustment.  

Now a little tip.  When sizing your diaper make it about a 1/2 an inch shorter than your other diapers.  This elastic is super stretchy and you will find it a little too loose in the legs if you don't adjust it smaller.  

TIPS - PUTTING ON THE DIAPER:  The SoftBums system is great but can take a little patience while getting used to it.  I find that it's nice to have the shells already ready to go with one soaker snapped in place.  Lay baby on the diaper and pull up the soaker only first.  Fold it down to double up and make sure that the important areas for absorption are properly covered.  Hold the soaker in place and using your free hand pull up on the SoftBums shell.  Make sure that the soaker stays nice and flat against the shell.  It is easy to get bunching if you're not paying attention.  Pull up tightly and secure in place.  Lastly check the legs to make sure they are fitting snuggly and tuck in any soaker that may be peaking out the sides.  I know it sounds complicated, but with a few tries this takes me no time at all now.  Even on a wiggly 13 month old.

Durability -  This diaper holds up very well to repeated use and washings.  The bamboo inserts will take 6-10 washes to be fully prepped so don't give up on them before then.  I started using mine at three and they did absorb well enough though.  The aplix is nice and strong, and the laundry tabs work beautifully.  Never a diaper chain problem with diaper in the wash.  The snaps are nicely placed and do give you the ability to cross the wings.  The elastic is of a good thickness and very secure.

This is a wonderful diaper and I HIGHLY recommend it.  Not only that but it is made in the USA!  So great.  SoftBums do take a bit of practice, but if you stick with them I think you'll love them as much as I do.  I can't wait to use this system on vacation.  It is going to make being out so much easier.