I have been eyeing up these beautiful Storkcraft Convertible Cribs since I first found out I was expecting again, and as luck would have it...today I found a contest to win one!!

If you would like to have a chance to win a Stork Craft 4 in 1 Fixed Side Convertible Crib worth over $400 head over to True Cuddles http://www.truecuddles.ca/?p=4914 to find out more details on exactly how to enter!!

True Cuddles offers us Moms a "Cuddle of the Week" (deeply discounted Baby/Kids item every week until it's gone!).  They also often offer great contests, giveaways, sales and other fun stuff!  http://www.truecuddles.ca/
Check out their Blog and sign up for the E-mail Alert, which will give you first heads up when a new cuddle arrives.  You can also become a Facebook fan at: http://www.facebook.com/TrueCuddles?ref=ts

As well entering the Storkcraft contest, make sure you check out the contest to win every cuddle for a year.  Wouldn't that be great to win!!

Good Luck everyone!! I am heading over to enter now myself!!! :)

I am a big fan of Monkey Doodlez products (the Monkey Doodlez Micro Doodlez and Bamboo Doodlez being amongst my favourites when my daughter was younger), so I was super excited when they contacted me and asked me to review one of their swim diapers.  I finally got to try out the cute little Pink diaper with white spots on my daughter at the pool last week, and then spent further time testing at home.  Please see the following review, for my experiences and opinions about the Monkey Doodlez Swim Diaper:
 
Features:*Monkey Doodlez Swim Diapers are made out of a special fabric that is designed to keep all messes contained in almost any water environment, but still let the water flow through the diaper so it doesn't weigh down your child, making it uncomfortable and unsafe for them to swim.
*The Monkey Doodlez Pull Up Swim Diaper has soft elastic around the legs and waist ensuring a great fit for your child, and obviously to keep the mess in if your child does have an accident!  NB: Monkey Doodlez has also released a new snap style swim diaper that is currently available for pre-sale.
*Monkey Doodlez is a proudly Canadian Company and all diapers are manufactured here!
*Last but not least, Monkey Doodlez Swim Diapers come in a variety of super cute colours and prints!  There is guaranteed to be a special design to tickle your fancy!!! :)
 
How easy is it to use?
The Monkey Doodlez Pull Up Swim Diaper is super easy to use, and pretty self explanatory.  Just slide the swim diaper up your child's legs until it fits snuggly around his or her bottom.

How well does it fit?
I was sent the Size Medium to review on my 1 year old 20lb girl, who has always been a little on the small side, and it fit perfectly with no issues at all.  What I would suggest though is to check out Monkey Doodlez size chart at http://www.monkeydoodlez.com/resources.php#sizechart.  They have Weight, Waist, Legs and Rise measurements there for eash diaper, so you have no excuse not to find the perfect diaper for your little one!  (This is a resource I did not check when I ordered a size small Monkey Doodlez Swim Diaper for my daughter when she was younger.  If I had, I would have realized that she was far too skinny at the time for that diaper to fit her correctly!)

How well does it work?
I am lucky enough to be a mother of a young girl who has not pooped in her swim diaper since she was 6 weeks old, so when we use a swim diaper it is literally just in case of an accident!  For my situation the Monkey Doodlez Swim Diaper is perfect!  I love that the soft elastic around my daughters legs does not leave big red marks like another snap swim diaper we use, and that it does not have velcro tabs that she can easily undo, leaving her naked and the pool not protected!  I also love the colours and designs of these diapers, they are so great, that you do not need to use a swimsuit over top of them.  You are going to want to show the world!! :)  The last thing I love about the Monkey Doodlez Swim Diaper is that because it is designed not to absorb water, it dries super super fast!
 
Now because I like to make sure my reviews are as complete as they possibly can be, I decided to create my own little explosion of blended banana and kiwifruit and put the Monkey Doodlez Swim Diaper to the test!  As you can see from the lovely pics I have taken, the diaper easily held in the yummy mess out of the water with no problem. 

Once the diaper entered the water, you could see how the water easily flowed through the diaper and mixed with the mess, but not one little seed or blob of banana got out.  When the diaper was pulled from the water, the water flowed back through the diaper leaving the mess behind and the sink clean.  So I would say, the diaper passed my little test with flying colours!
Now there are a couple of things I will mention.  I believe if I had to pull this banana and kiwifruit filled diaper off my daughter after a swim, that we would likely have the mess all down her legs as well, as she is very very wriggly and will not stay still for change time!  However as I mentioned above, Monkey Doodlez now has an option of snaps on your swim diaper as well if you have a little one who is likely to go every time he or she enters the water.
Lastly, just a little tip for everyone out there.  If you dress your child for a swim before going to the pool or beach, please remember that the Monkey Doodlez Swim Diaper is designed not to hold liquid, so it is a good idea to pop a cover or diaper over top of the Swim Diaper or a small insert inside to catch anything that may leak through on the way.

How long will it last for?
The Monkey Doodlez Swim Diaper is an excellent quality diaper, which your child will outgrow into the next size, or potty train before the diaper needs replacing.  You could easily use this swim diaper on more that one child!

Is it good value for money?
The Monkey Doodlez Swim Diaper is priced at about C$20 which is well in the price range of other cloth swim diapers out there, however I believe that it is a superior quality to many.  It is definitely good value for money, as you are able to use for more than one child, and the resale value is great too!
I also believe that any cloth swim diaper is better value for money than the disposable options out there which are literally like throwing your money away.

Overall:
I love Monkey Doodlez Swim Diapers.  They are super cute and the colourful designs mean you don't need to cover them up.  I love the fact the leg and waist elastics don't leave nasty red marks on my daughter.  I love that they are Canadian made and buying them is supporting a Canadian company which is getting rather hard to find in the marketplace today.  I love that the fabric does not weigh down my daughter in or out of the pool, and that it is super quick to dry.
I love that they are super easy to use - easy enough for a non-cloth diapering family to use.  (I mean what a great gift to your non-cloth diapering friends.  These are so cute and easy to use, they really don't have any excuse!)
 
If you would like to pick up your own Monkey Doodlez Swim Diaper, you can purchase from www.monkeydoodlez.com or from your local/online retailer.  Take advantage of the special deal that Monkey Doodlez has offered my readers!  Use code: ecbabies15 for a 15% discount off your Monkey Doodlez diapers for the next 10 days!

WOW - I hope you are as excited as I am!!  Mother of a Sale has just annouced that they are having a huge Cloth Diaper Sales Event and Giveaway coming up!

3 brands of cloth diaper yet to be disclosed - Brand new to Mother of a Sale (and maybe Canada??) are going on sale tomorrow, February 22, 2011.

As well as this exciting sale, they are also offering a prize of $250 worth of these new diaper lines for one of their lucky Facebook fans.  Here's details on how to enter:
WIN a $250 Cloth Diaper Start Up Set!!!!
MOAS is giving away 3 new lines of cloth diapers to one lucky MOAS fan worth $250.00 .......Way’s you can win:
*Share our facebook event on your wall to all your friends
*Blog about Mother Of A Diaper Sales event starting Feb 22nd
*Post on our FB page “MOAS I want to win the $250 cloth diaper set”
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/MotherOfASale

And for any Bloggers out there.  If you post about Mother of a Sale's Cloth Diaper event, you may also receive a sample of the new line of cloth coming to Mother of a Sale for a review!
Email your post to [email protected] (limited samples)

For those of you that are not already receiving updates from Mother of a Sale, I would get your cute little tush over there right away, to make sure you don't miss out!!!
http://www.motherofasale.com/

Mother of a Sale http://www.motherofasale.com/ is one of my favourite daily deal sites!!
There are always fabulous deals, which are deeply discounted, and usually a chance for you to win the daily deal by sharing on Facebook.  http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/MotherOfASale

Today's deal is a Scratch and Dent sale from Fuzzi Bunz Cloth Diapers!!
Brand New Fuzzi Bunz Diapers, that have just been mislabeled.  (Size Large instead of Medium/Large)
These diapers come to you today at the amazing price of only $9.99 each!! How crazy is that!!
Get in quick before these all disappear!! :)

If you are interested in reading a review about the Fuzzi Bunz One Size Diaper, check my review out here: http://ecbabies.weebly.com/1/post/2010/11/fuzzibunz-one-size-pocket-diaper-review.html

Mother of a Sale, also has a sister site called Mother of a Discount: http://www.motherofasale.com/Mother_of_a_Discount_s/20.htm where all the sales from that week that have not sold out are available for purchase!

Every purchase I have made with Mother of a Sale has arrived on my doorstep in days!!  I love that your purchase is held for a few minutes while you are going through check out, so you are unlikely to miss out like other deal sites!  I am super impressed with the personal customer service, quick shipping (which is usually flat rate) and great deals!!

Make sure you sign up for their e-mail alert, and they will email you an alert when a super sale comes up!!  Otherwise check every day (usually in the evening) to be in first for your chance to purchase!!

Great site - I highly recommend!! :)

Felizzy Mei Tei Baby Carrier Review:

I was so excited to be one of the lucky ones chosen to review the Felizzy Mei Tei Baby Carrier from Snaps and Snails Natural Family Products, which is a family run online boutique based out of Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada.  http://www.snapsandsnails.org/index.html
As well as the Felizzy Baby Carriers, Snaps and Snails also sells Cloth Diapers, Covers, Wetbags and even Leg Warmers.  You can check out a review I did of their Tetro One Size Fitted Diaper here: http://ecbabies.weebly.com/1/post/2011/01/post-title-click-and-type-to-edit.html
Once again the service from Snaps and Snails was fabulous and my brand new baby carrier arrived in days!  I was lucky enough to test this carrier out over the holiday period, while travelling.  Check out my experience with it below! :)
 
Features:
The Felizzy Mei Tei Baby Carrier is a Hand Made (Fair Trade) Product from the Men and Women Artisans in the Peruvian Mountains.  The front panel of this Mei Tei is made out of hand woven wool, and the inner panel, as well as the waist and straps are made out of super silky soft padded cotton.  Felizzy Mei Tei Carriers come in 5 wonderfully bright colours including Strawberry, Mango, Cinnamon, Blueberry and my personal favourite Blackberry!  The carriers come in only One Size, that will fit most people, so all you have to do is choose a colour!  Felizzy also makes Pouch Carriers and Premium Ring Slings that are all also available for sale at Snaps & Snails: http://www.snapsandsnails.org/baby-carriers.html

How easy is it to use?
Just follow these simple steps and you are done:
1)  Tie the shorter padded waist tie around your waist with a double knot and the front panel hanging down in front.
2)  Hold your baby close to your chest with his/her legs around your waist, then pull up the front panel around his/her back.
3)  Holding front panel and baby together, then cross each longer strap across your shoulders making sure ties are not twisted or folded.
4)  Grab the ties crossed across your back, and bring them up under your babys legs, and tie a double knot under his/her bottom.
5)  Ensure baby is well supported in the fabric, and you are the baby are comfortable, and you are off!!! 
 
As with trying any new carrier it will take a little while to find the best fit for you.  For me it took a few tries to get the carrier feeling perfect for me, but once I did, I found the Felizzy Mei Tei Carrier super easy to use in the chest to chest position, and my husband liked it too, although he wasn't confident enough to put the Mei Tei on by himself.  If it was up to him, he would choose a soft structured buckle carrier instead!  I have not yet tried this carrier in the back position, so can't comment on how easy that is, but the directions look pretty simple! (It is a carry I am going to try over the bed at home first though! :)
 
How comfortable is it?
 I must say the first few times I wore this carrier, I had the ties twisted and not sitting quite right, and it was not very comfortable to use at all, but once I had figured out what I was doing wrong, it was really a dream to wear!  When you get it right, your baby just becomes an extension of your own body, and it doesn't strain your back or shoulders at all! 

How well does it work?
Just after Christmas, my family and I headed to Calgary to spend New Years with friends before we headed down to visit family in Texas.  Unfortunately we all come down with colds, and were feeling terrible just before our flights down to Texas.  As well I think my daughter Rylee was going through some kind of separation anxiety, wanting to be held 24 hours a day!  Needless to say, it was a trying time!!  Luckily for us, we had just received the Felizzy Mei Tei Baby Carrier in the mail from Snaps & Snails!  I was able to easily march through airport after airport, with my little girl happily strapped to my chest.  Thankfully she was soo comfortable throughout the journey, that she slept most of the way!!  Even through 2 takeoffs and 1 landing.  NB: You are not allowed to have your baby strapped to you for take off and landing, so I would just leave her in the carrier holding her tightly against my chest so she would not wake up, then undo the front knot, which meant she was not attached to me if anything were to happen to the plane.  Once we had taken off, I would do the ties up again, leaving my hands free to have a drink and eat the nibbles provided.  I also used this Baby Carrier in restaurants all through Brownsville and South Padre Island, allowing us to go out for dinner after Rylee's bedtime and letting us all eat at the same time!  The Felizzy Mei Tei Baby Carrier is soo handy to have, and the great thing about it, especially when you are travelling, is that it folds down to be so tiny when you are not using it.  I also have a Beco Gemini Baby Carrier, which I absolutely love as well, but when you are not wearing it, it takes up about 3/4 of my backpack.  The Felizzy Mei Tei Carrier wraps up so small it can fit into my oversized purse!  I like to keep my Felizzy in the back pocket of the seats in the car, or in the bottom of my stroller, that way it is always at the ready, and I don't have to worry about every leaving home without a baby carrier!

What is the best age range for this carrier?
Mei Tei's are usually recommended for baby's around 4months old, right through to toddlers.  They are very versatile carriers, allowing a front, back and hip carry!  Most do not have enough support to offer safe carry for a newborn, although Felizzy does suggest if you are carrying a younger baby, to tie the knot behind baby's back instead of underneath the bottom to give baby more support.
 
Is it good value for money?
At CAD$75 for a Hand Made, Comfortable,  Fair Trade Quality Baby Carrier, it is one of the most competitive priced Mei Tei's I have seen.
You can feel good about buying Felizzy products too, as all money spent on these products is going directly back to the families and communities in which they were made!  The Felizzy Baby Carrier is absolutely great value for money!

Overall:
I am very happy with my Felizzy Mei Tei Baby Carrier!  I love the fact that it folds up so small, and lives in my car or diaper bag without taking up a bunch of space.  I love that it is a Fair Trade product and that it is Handmade!  You can see the beautiful workmanship on this carrier, and can tell it was made with pride.  I think it is great that all the money from these carriers goes back to the communities in Peru where they were made, and most of all I LOVE the colour!!  My daughter loves being in this carrier and I feel good about recommending this product to anyone looking for a Mei Tei Baby Carrier.
 
I was not compensated for this review.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Tetro One Size Fitted Diaper Review:
When Courtney Gieg from Snaps and Snails Natural Family Products http://www.snapsandsnails.org/index.html contacted me about reviewing the Tetro Fitted Diaper, I was very excited and a little dubious all rolled into one!  I had never before used a Fitted Diaper or any diapers that needed covers, so needless to say, was a little worried.  I checked out the details of the Tetro Diaper online, and then picked the colour I wanted and let Courtney know.  (These diapers come in 6 great colours with exciting names like Dance Trance, Jazzy and Summertime!!)  I chose Lemon Tree and the cute little diaper arrived only days later (just before Christmas) and came with a free surprise Christmas gift!
 
Snaps and Snails is a family run online boutique that is based in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada.  Their goal is to provide you with eco-friendly products for the whole family that are stylish and functional!  As well as the Tetro Fitted Diaper, they also sell other products like Pocket Diapers, Prefolds, unique Wool Covers, Inserts, Doublers, Wetbags and even the Felizzy Mei Tei, Pouch and Premium Ring Sling Baby Carriers.  Courtney provides fabulous customer service, and it is nice to have that warm personal touch when you are purchasing online!!
 
Anyway, luckily for me (as I am sure many of you are already aware) the Tetro Fitted Diaper was super easy to use, and has quelled my fears of using diapers without covers!  Check out my thoughts below:
 
Features: 
The Tetro Fitted Diaper is a One size Diaper with 8 layers of soft absorbent cotton flannel.  It features a unique tie design to help ensure a great fit every time on all babies from 5-30lbs and also has an innovative flap design, which pulls down for quick access for those who are potty training or using elimination communication.  It is handmade in Poland and certified EU Standard "Safe for Children" as well as OEKO-TEX Standard 100 (first class) certified.  It comes in 6 different cute colours, some of which are very unique for cloth diapers! It is not a waterproof diaper, so will need a cover unless you are using for potty training or elimination communication.

How easy is it to use?
This diaper took me a couple of tries to get the best fit for my baby, but as soon as I figured it out, it was actually very simple!
To adjust the rise on the diaper, you just need to pull the flap up around your baby, then fold down to the perfect size for you.  Once you have folded to the correct size, all you need to do is tie the unique tie closure shut.  Easier and quicker than tying a shoelace!

How well does it fit?
The Tetro Fitted Diaper fits my daughter like a glove!  I have been using this diaper now for well over a month now, in which time I swear my daughter has almost doubled in size!  The unique way to size and tie the diaper means that I get a perfect fit every time!  There is no way that your baby can be in between sizes or snaps with this diaper!  It is also truly one of the trimmest diapers I have ever seen.  In fact, when I use this diaper with one of my FLIP covers, it doesn't look like there is a diaper underneath at all!

How well does it work?
I use elimination communication part-time with my little girl, and so was personally able to use this diaper in two different ways.  When I had the time to take her to the potty every time she needed to go (which is an awful lot lol), I used the Tetro Fitted Diaper with no cover, and when I would not be able to pay close attention for a couple of hours, I would use this diaper with a FLIP cover.
The Tetro Fitted Diaper is perfect for Potty Training or those using Elimination Communication, as there is an innovative flap that can be pulled down for quick access without untying the diaper.  I found that when my daughter shows the signs that she needs to go, there is plenty of time to get her diaper off and sitting on the toilet before she will go, so I did not need to use the quick access feature very often.  However if my daughter was already walking, I think this feature would be a godsend!!!
Another reason this diaper is perfect for Potty Training and E.C is that if you have an accident, there is plenty of absorbency in this Fitted Diaper (Without a cover) to easily hold at least 1 Pee without making a mess in your living room!  (Diaper will get a little damp on the outside, and you will be able to see/feel this, so you will know when to change your child if you missed it!)
One thing to note though.  Cotton Flannel is not a stay-dry product.  Your child will feel the wetness when they go.  (A definite plus if you are potty training!)  However if you would like to use this diaper for longer periods of time, but want a stay-dry feel, you can easily place a fleece liner inside the diaper which will fix this issue!
This diaper can also be used overnight!  Add a Doubler, hemp or bamboo with the fleece liner to wick away wetness, and a wool cover, and you have an almost bulletproof breathable night-time solution!

How long will it last for?
The Tetro Fitted Diaper is an exceptional quality diaper that is handmade in Poland.  It is designed to be used and last forever!  The fact that it is made with 8 layers of cotton flannel will mean, this diaper is never going to loose its absorbency.  In fact if anything, this diaper will probably get more absorbent with age.  There are no snaps on this diaper, that could be faulty or break.  There is no velcro that is going to scratch your baby or create long diaper chains in the wash.  There is elastic in the legs and waist of this diaper, but the function of the elastic is different to other diapers.  You will never need to worry about the elastic on this diaper loosing its bounce over time and needing to be replace like many others.  The sewing and workmanship on this diaper is impeccable!!  And if you did need to strip your diapers, (eg To get rid of a yeast infection or such) because this diaper does not have any PUL or TPU on it, it is theoretically capable of being boiled.

Is it good value for money?
The Tetro Fitted Diaper is priced at C$19.95 and can be purchased from Snaps and Snails: http://www.snapsandsnails.org/fitted-diapers.html.  I think this is very comparable in the marketplace, and for such a unique quality product, it is a great price. 
 
Overall:
There are so many unique features on this versatile diaper that you won't find anywhere else.  This is a diaper that is going to easily fit your baby from birth through potty training, never being between sizes.  You can use with a cover as a regular diaper, without a cover for Potty Training or Elimination Communication, or add a doubler/stay dry insert with a waterproof cover or wool for a night-time solution.  The Tetro Fitted Diaper is really a steal of a deal!  I have had a lot of fun using this diaper, and I don't know if it is the ties on this diaper, or just that she likes the feel of it, but when I let my daughter pick which diaper goes on her bottom, she always grabs at the Tetro! :)  This is a great diaper to round out your stash, and one that I am very happy to have added to mine! (It is here to stay!)

Little Tush One Size Diaper Review:
Crystal Shields is the wonderful lady behind the Little Tush Diaper Company!  Little Tush was born after the birth of Crystal's second son Nolan! 
After initially not really liking the idea of cloth diapers, she was completely on board after only one month, once she had tried them and found out how easy it really was!!!  She did find however (as I am sure many of us do) that she spent a lot of money, paying between $17-$27 per diaper she tried, and having to try so many different brands and types of diaper before she finally came across an option that worked great for her!
Crystal started Little Tush Diaper Company to provide an environmentally friendly and inexpensive way to cloth diaper so many more families were able to help save the environment and live a healthier lifestyle one cloth diaper at a time!
 
You can purchase your Little Tush Diapers at: http://www.littletushdiaper.com/index.php
 
Features:
Little Tush Diaper Company's One Size Diaper is a Pocket Diaper made with heavy duty waterproof PUL material and a Stay dry Suede cloth inner.  This diaper has 3 rows of 3 snaps on the front of the diaper to change the size (like many other one size diapers on the market today!) and is designed to fit babies from 7-35lbs.  The diaper comes with 2 Microfiber Inserts, and is also currently available in 4 different colours.

How easy is it to use?
Little Tush's One Size Diaper is very simple to use!  There is only 2 snap closures on each tab to fasten the diaper to your baby, and the standard 3 snap rise is easy to set and forget about until you need to up the size!  The snaps on this diaper are high quality snaps and are not going to come unfastened in the wash. (Like I have experienced with some other more expensive brands!).  One thing I also noticed right away is that the inside of the PUL is not shiny, now this may not seem like much, but I often find when stuffing my other pocket diapers, that the inserts tend to stick to the shiny PUL.  It is a pain to get them to sit right and I often feel like I have to be careful in case I tear the fabric.  This is not going to be an issue with the Little Tush One Size Diaper. I do not think I could tear the fabric if I tried, (I did try) and the inserts are very, very easy to slide in and out!
 
How well does it fit?
This diaper is a great fit on my skinny daughter now at 8 months old (about 17lbs).  We were successfully able to use this diaper with no leaks on both the small and medium settings. (My daughter is actually probably currently in between settings!)  This diaper is designed to fit babies from 7-35lbs, however for young babies, I believe this diaper would work better on babies with chunky legs.  Because my daughter had such chicken stick legs when she was younger, I do not think there would have been a great fit on her.  In saying that I believe that most of those babies with skinny legs will need newborn diapers for at least a few months before they progress into the One Size Diapers. 
Now a common complaint I hear in the industry today is that people out there who have larger babies have trouble finding One Size diapers that will fit their babies into the toddler years....Little Tush is the Solution!!  The largest setting on this diaper is one of the best I have seen in a One Size Diaper!  For those that are familiar with it, it is a little larger than the Bum Genius 4.0. YAY Finally!!! :)  And it looks great too!

How well does it work?
With it's Stay Dry Suede cloth inner, and Super Absorbent Microfiber Inserts, the Little Tush One Size Diaper is quickly becoming one of my favourites for a Night Time Diapering Solution!  I can easily use this diaper with only one insert at night, but if you have a super heavy wetter, you could double up your absorbency by adding the extra insert!  I tend to like to save this diaper for nights, but also have no problems using this diaper during the day when my daughter to rolling and wriggling all over the place as well.  The diaper stays in place without any ugly red marks no problem at all!!
 
How long will it last?
The Little Tush Diaper seems to be very well made!  The PUL is heavy duty and the Snaps are high quality.  I must say that I put my diapers through the wringer when I do my reviews as I do not want to recommend any inferior products, and my Bright Blue Little Tush Diaper still looks Brand New!!! I am confident this diaper will easily last through to potty training and beyond for multiple children!  Little Tush is also so confident in the product that they are selling to you, that they offer a 45 day warranty in the event of Elastic or Snap Failure!
 
Is it good value for money?
Wait for it.....These diapers are a whopping CAD$9.00 each!!!!  Can you believe it? Only CAD$9.00 for a brand new, high quality, stay dry, snap closure diaper that does not need a cover.  This is not a special price.  This is the regular price!! WOW
Yes these diapers are incredible value for money.  And a very very affordable option for those maybe wanting to try cloth diapers, but are not wanting to spend a lot of money in case it does not work for them!  I mean when you try cloth diapers, you are not going to go back, especially if you start out with these ones.  If you did however decide you did not want to cloth diaper, how easy is it going to be to on sell these diapers on the gently used market!!!!???

Overall:
Little Tush's One Size Diaper is an incredibly affordable cloth diapering option!  They work fabulously and come in some great colours (with more to be added in the not too distant future).  I find that they have a little more room than most of my other One Size Diapers, so will fit a lot longer!  (Great for big babies and older toddlers too!)
Also any orders you make from Little Tush are going to be packed and sent out within 1-2 days, so your Fluffy Mail will be sure to arrive quickly!  I definitely think this diaper is a great one to add to your stash, or to get a few of if you are starting out!
 
I was provided 1 Little Tush One Size Diaper Free of Charge for the purpose of this review, but was not compensated in any way.  All opinions are honest and my own!

Eco Nuts Organic Laundry Soap Review 
 
When Erica from Everything Mom and Baby Shop sent me some Charlie Banana Diapers to review from her store, she also sent me a trial package of Eco Nuts to wash them in.  I had not heard much about Eco Nuts before this point, and must confess that I had some incorrect pre-conceptions about the product!  Hopefully my experience and the following review will help clear some of the misconceptions you may have!
 
Everything Mom and Baby http://www.everythingmomandbabyshop.com/ is an Online Store run by Erica Ashmore.  Erica is a stay at home Mom to a very active 2 year old.  She started blogging in January 2010 about her passion for toddlers and to share her latest favourite product finds.  Everything in Erica's store, she has personally tested, blogged about and LOVED!!  Apart from Eco Nuts Organic Laundry Soap, she also carries the Charlie Banana line, Glup Bebe Drool Bibs, Zoe Organics Skincare, soon to come Manduca Baby Carriers from Germany and more.  You can check out Erica's blog and her reviews at http://www.everythingmomandbaby.com/.
You can also check out my review of the Charlie Banana One Size Diaper here: http://ecbabies.weebly.com/1/post/2010/12/charlie-banana-one-size-pocket-diaper-review.html
 
What are Eco Nuts?
Eco Nuts are not actually nuts!  They are dried fruit shells that come from the Sapindus Mukorossi tree in Nepal, India and Indonesia.  These fruit shells contain Saponin, which is a natural cleaner.  The Saponin works as a surfactant. (making the water wetter) It's natural softening ability opens up the fibers in your diapers allowing them to actually become *more* absorbent.  Because the water is able to penetrate the fibers in your fabrics, it easily lifts stains and washes the dirt away!
 
Eco Nuts are Antimicrobial, Hypoallergenic, Biodegradable, Fragrance Free and are a completely sustainable product!  They are gentle enough to be used on baby clothes and strong enough to be used on Cloth Diapers.  They are ideal for people (and babies) with sensitive skin, eczema and allergies!

How Easy is it to use?
Eco Nuts are super easy and simple to use!  All you need to do, is put 4-5 Eco Nuts in the reusable wash bag provided, place into the washer with your laundry and wash as you normally do.  Remove bag at the end of the wash, and set aside to dry or re-use in another load.  You can re-use at least 5-7 times in hot water and up to 10 in cold water!
(And don't worry, you do not have to remove the bag of Eco-nuts for the rinse cycle!  Very little of the Saponin is release in the cooler water....just enough to make your clothes and diapers soft and fluffy!)
Eco Nuts can be used in any and all washing machines, front loaders, top loaders, HE Machines, Standard Machines, and even hand washing at any temperature!!  Eco Nuts are so multi-purpose, you will never need another cleaner, they can be used to wash anything from cars, RV's, equipment, jewellery, pets, people, dishes, clothing, diapers and more!!
How simple is that!!
 
How well does it work?
My personal experience with Eco Nuts Organic Laundry Soap has been extremely favourable!  Before Erica from Everything Mom and Baby Shop sent me a sample of Eco Nuts to try, I was getting a little frustrated that I was having to strip my diapers every few weeks or so as they were starting to develop a smell when my daughter peed in them.  After just one wash with the Eco Nuts I found that the smell had almost gone, and after a few more - no smell at all! (And I didn't even have to soak or strip my diapers to get this result!)
My diapers are all still incredibly absorbent, and come out of the wash each time, soft, fluffy and smelling fresh and clean!
Environmentally Friendly Eco Nuts are also beneficial for those with septic or grey water systems!
 
How long will it last?
Your little re-usable bag of Eco Nuts that you pop in the wash each time is good for 5-7 washes in hot water and up to 10 in cold water!  
 
Is it good value for money?
At about C$13.50 for a box of Eco Nuts that will last you for approximately 50 hot washes and 90 cold washes, it is fabulous value for money!!  I have already ordered myself two boxes, to continue using this product on all our washing!

Overall:
I Love Eco Nuts!  I have had a great experience trying out their product, and after just a short time I am delighted I have already seen unexpectedly awesome results!  I can't wait for my order to arrive to see what the long term effects are on our clothing and diapers!
I also love how clean the product is!  Never again am I going to have to clean up the laundry after my husband has attempted to wash his clothes, spilling the liquid or powder detergent everywhere!  Never again will I need to use Fabric Softeners or Dryer Sheets to maintain the softness of our clothes, sheets and towels or keep the static away!! :)

Charlie Banana One Size Pocket Diaper Review:
When Erica from Everything Mom and Baby Shop contacted me about reviewing the Charlie Banana One Size diaper for her, I was super excited as I had heard some great things about this diaper, and I was not disappointed!!
 
Everything Mom and Baby http://www.everythingmomandbabyshop.com/ is an Online Store run by Erica Ashmore.  Erica is a stay at home Mom to a very active 2 year old.  She started blogging in January 2010 about her passion for toddlers and to share her latest favourite product finds.  Everything in Erica's store, she has personally tested, blogged about and LOVED!!  Apart from the Charlie Banana line, she also carries Eco Nuts Organic Laundry Soap, Glup Bebe Drool Bibs, Zoe Organics Skincare, soon to come Manduca Baby Carriers from Germany and more.  You can check out Erica's blog and her reviews at http://www.everythingmomandbaby.com/.
Erica also sent me a sample of Eco Nuts Organic Laundry Soap to try at the same time as the Charlie Banana Diapers.  I was so impressed with Eco Nuts, that I have already ordered two bags to start using!!  See my review of Eco Nuts Organic Laundry Soap here: http://ecbabies.weebly.com/1/post/2010/12/eco-nuts-organic-laundry-soap-review.html

Features:
The Charlie Banana is a One Size Cloth Diaper that offers a lot of flexibility and options!  
* It is a One Size Diaper, but unlike most on the market today, it is not adjusted by snaps on the front.  This diaper has an elastic leg adjustment similar to the Fuzzi Bunz, Softbums, Lollidoo and Rocky Mountain One Size Diapers.  There are 8 slots in the leg elastic, with an opening and button at the front of the diaper allowing you to create a perfect fit around your baby's legs!  The sizing on this diaper fits 0-36 months.
* It is a Pocket Diaper, with the opening of the pocket being at the front of the diaper, which allows for easier/cleaner extraction of the insert when you have a messy diaper!  The pocket opening is also an interesting design!!  The opening is actually an overlapping flap, which leads into our next feature....
* This is also a Hybrid Diaper!  The overlapping pocket flap design allows you to easily tuck a disposable insert under the front panel, securing it in place and now you have have a Hybrid Diaper, great if you are travelling and giving you the best of both worlds!
* You don't have to worry about diaper chains in the dryer with these diapers!  The Charlie Banana has high quality snap closures, featuring a leg and hip snap as well as a cross over waist snap for the extra skinny little one's!  I was really excited by this feature, as my daughter Rylee was born at 6lbs 12oz, with a tall skinny frame, and I had a lot of trouble finding diapers that would actually fit around her legs and waist neatly. (And this extra snap also allows you to wrap up diaper securely once used!)
* Other features include Stay-Dry Micro fleece inner, Wide Back Elastic allowing greater comfort and a slimmer fit, Wide comfortable Elastic Leg Casing that helps contain all messes!
* It comes with 2 Microfiber Inserts, (One One Size and a Smaller Insert) and you can also buy disposable inserts to go with it as well.
* Lots of great bright colours and prints! Boy prints too! :)

How easy is it to use?
The Charlie Banana One Size Diaper is very easy to use.  Once the slotted elastic has been set to the size you need, you can just forget about it, and use the diaper like a sized diaper until you need to go up a size!  (If you have more than one in different sized diapers, you will have to fiddle with the elastic each time to set the correct size, OR you could just use different colour diapers for each baby!)
As I mentioned above, the Charlie Banana One Size Diaper comes with high quality snaps.  Snaps on a diaper usually mean that Daddy stays well away, but Daddy seemed to be able to use this diaper no problem at all, and Daddy Approved diapers are always welcome in this household!! (Although, I am sure he has no idea that the diaper is adjusted by elastic, he just puts it on! lol)  There are a total of 6 snaps to fit, but these are not sticky snaps, they are very easy to click in and out.

How well does it fit?
The Charlie Banana One Size Diaper is one of the best fitting diapers in our house!  The adjustable elastic and the hip, waist and crossover snaps ensures that this diaper will fit both very skinny babies, very chunky babies and everything in between.  I had trouble finding diapers to fit my little girl when she was born as she was soo skinny!  She didn't actually fit any of the One Size Diapers in our stash at the time well until she was about 6 months old.  I truly believe that this diaper would have fit Rylee in the first week (after her umbilical cord fell off).  To illustrate my point, I have taken a photo of the Charlie Banana on the smallest setting between the Lil Joey on the smallest setting (to the left) and the Bum Genius XS AIO (to the right).  As you can see the Charlie Banana One Size Diaper can get very tiny!  On the other end of the scale, when I compare the Charlie Banana One Size to a Bum Genius 4.0 or Rumparooz One Size Diaper, the Charlie Banana does not quite stretch to be as large as those diapers so may not fit for quite as long.  However in saying that, I know that the Charlie Banana will easily last until my little girl is out of diapers!!! :)  This diaper is also very, very trim and looks fantastically cute!

How well does it work?
Incredible!  The inserts in this diaper sure can suck up a lot of moisture.  It is always hard to tell exactly how much pee diapers can hold, so I decided to test this insert, and it came out with flying colours!  The One Size Charlie Banana Insert in my test showed it could easily hold 500mls of water. (That is 2 cups or 17ish ounces!!)
And the SUPER soft silky smooth stay-dry micro fleece inner of the diaper is going to pull that moisture away from your baby's bottom very quickly leaving your baby feeling dry!  In fact it works so well, that I had trouble telling if my daughter had actually peed in her diaper overnight until I pulled out the dripping insert! :)
The wide leg casings, and back elastic are going to ensure that you have no leaks or any of those gross blowouts up the back with this diaper and I can attest to that!! 
 
How long will it last for?
The Charlie Banana One Size diaper is a very well made diaper, that will easily diaper your child from birth through to potty training and the quality and durability of the diaper ensure you can use this diaper through multiple children!

Is it good value for money?
The Charlie Banana One Size Diaper is a very affordable high quality diaper at only C$22 for a solid colour or C$24 for one of the cute prints.  You will of course need to add more than one to your stash, as they are such great diapers, and at Everything Mom and Baby http://www.everythingmomandbabyshop.com/ you can buy a 6 pack of Charlie Banana diapers for only C$116.50.  This means you are paying under C$19.50 per diaper!!  (Basically that means you are getting 1 free - and you know we ALL like Free Diapers!)
This pricing is very comparable to most of the major players on the market, and in my opinion sooo worth it, especially as you probably won't need to buy newborn diapers or wait for your baby to fit into this One Size diaper!!!
 
Overall:
We love our Charlie Banana One Size Diapers!  I love how versatile they are, offering different options for different needs!  They are super absorbent, no additional cover is required, they come in great colours and look super cute!! If we could do things over again, there would definitely be quite a few Charlie Banana's in my stash.  In fact I may look in to getting a few more for baby number 2!  I highly recommend the Charlie Banana One Size Diaper and I can't wait to take it travelling with us and test out those disposable inserts on my very long flight to New Zealand in March!!! :)

I received 2 One Size Charlie Banana Diapers Free of Charge from Everything Mom and Baby Shop for the purpose of this review, but was not compensated in any way.  All opinions are my own.

Pros: I love the super soft organic bamboo velour. I really like that a soaker
is sewn in. I have the size 1 diaper and the fit is pretty trim. Canadian
product! (Made in Calgary AB)
 
Cons: The extra insert that comes with the diaper is very thin, but seems to be
absorbent enough for my daughter (she is not a heavy wetter). Compared to other
pocket diapers, I found it more difficult to get the flimsy insert to lie flat
in the pocket. These diapers are less adjustable than my other diapers, with
only three settings of snaps. Right now the diaper fits her well, but we'll see
if we have any leaks when we are between settings. Personally, I don't love the
shiny surface of the diaper, but they are cute for something different in my
diaper collection. (The shiny surface of the diaper reminds me of the old
plastic diaper covers, but my husband thinks they look like tiny leather
pants:)) I am not a huge fan of the color selection (lighter pastel shades),
but that's just my personal preference.
Review completed by Gillian L.  She was not compensated for this review.  All opinions are her own!