So I got a few of these in the closing down sale of the UK Itti Website and I wish I'd bought more! I really like them!
Fit - 5/5
Now when I first started our cloth journey I had an Itti Tutto, and I sold it on after a few wears because I didn't like the fit. Turns out I just didn't get it. Itti's are meant to be trim fitting. They're really narrow between the legs, slim fitting so they fit nicely under trousers. The Medium on Squishy Bear fits a dream. He's a 16lb 9oz chunk with a little waist and thunder thighs so he can be quite awkward to fit, but the D'lish fits him really nicely without giving him an enormous bottom. I have also borrowed a large D'lish out of curiousity from the Nappy Library, so see how the fit was on Baby Bear. I was pleasantly surprised that he also fits well in them, despite his big bum and skinny waist.
Absorbancy 4/5
Even without the mini boosters, the D'lish last about 3 hours on SB, and bout 2.5 on BB. Impressive! I think I'm going to buy some mini boosters when they come back into stock everywhere.
Containment 4/5
Few nappies without a double gusset contain breastfed baby pooplosions. And given SB saves up a good 5 days worth before he explodes so I can only pray its in a decent nappy. And the itti isn't bad! There's no poo fence, so although nothing escapes out of the sides a small amount did a Houdini and escaped up the back and onto his vest, but it was only a tiny bit and nothing compared to some others! We've had a few pooplosions since which have been completely contained so I'm pretty impressed.
Ease of use 3/5
So stuffing isn't hard. Unless you find yellow poppers to yellow poppers and purple poppers to purple poppers hard... There's two inserts, a bamboo trifold and an hourglass one with a staydry top that lays on top. Simple. It's the putting on that gets DB. He can do poppers. Ish. But where the D'lish is so trim, you need to run your finger around the leg elastic to tuck it right into the knicker line to get a nice fit, and that's to complex for him.
Drying Time 3/5
I tumble the inserts for half an hour on high, pop them over the radiator and they're dry in a day. Lovely stuff. They will dry in about a day and a half without a drier, which is still fine!
Overall 4/5
Love them. Want more! Might not be fantastic for childcare/daddies but I love them and the prints are amazing! We have red, orange, zebra, stripes and giraffe print, and I have plans to collect many more, mwahahaha!
Thursday, 24 January 2013
Wednesday, 23 January 2013
Tots Bots Easyfit v2 Review
Okay so I figured it was time to start reviewing my vast collection of cloth... I know I'm a relative newbie, I clothed BB from 14 months, and SB from 2 weeks, but I've tried a fair few types of nappies, plus I help out at our local nappy library - does that qualify me??
Tots Bots Easyfit v2
Fit - 4/5
These fit both my long skinny toddler and my chubby baby. They're quite chunky poppered down on a diddy baby, which makes for huge bottoms but I find that quite cute ;). Admittedly, whilst they do fit BB (Who is a 30lb 21 month old) they're getting a bit tight but they still go on comfortably, and cover his tush nicely. The rise is still poppered on the smallest setting on SB (16lb 4 month old), but he's' starting to get a builder's bum so i guess it's time to change ;)
Absorbancy 3/5
So I have two heavy wetting boys. They pee like racehorses. I can get two hours out of an unboosted Easyfit on BB but for us, they are useless for naptime as he drinks milk before he sleeps and wakes up soaked. However, during the day, I tend to pop a bamboo booster in an they last three hours :). SB also gets about 2-3 hours.
Containment 5/5
Have had no issues with my Easyfits containing, the flap at the back catches the most explosive of poos, and despite the lack of a second gusset there haven't been any accidents :)
Ease of use 5/5
These get full 'dad-proof' marks. I wash all nappies, and stuff when dried, which simply consists of folding the insert in half and stuffing it in the pocket, therefore all DB has to do is velcro it onto one of the Bears. Simples.
Drying Time 3/5
Once wash I throw them in the tumble drier on low for 20 mins, naughty I know. But with two in cloth and endless loads of washing to do it's the only way I don't end up running out of nappies! Bamboo does have a longer drying time than microfibre, so hanging over my radiator airers has them dry in a day and a half-ish.
Overall 4/5
So they're not the most absorbant nappies, but they are easy to put on so brilliant for daddies/childminer/nursery, they're not bulky so they fit well under clothes and don't take up too much room in your changing bag, and they come in cute patterns! They are easy to boost too so you can adjust them to your LO's needs.
Tots Bots Easyfit v2
Fit - 4/5
These fit both my long skinny toddler and my chubby baby. They're quite chunky poppered down on a diddy baby, which makes for huge bottoms but I find that quite cute ;). Admittedly, whilst they do fit BB (Who is a 30lb 21 month old) they're getting a bit tight but they still go on comfortably, and cover his tush nicely. The rise is still poppered on the smallest setting on SB (16lb 4 month old), but he's' starting to get a builder's bum so i guess it's time to change ;)
Absorbancy 3/5
So I have two heavy wetting boys. They pee like racehorses. I can get two hours out of an unboosted Easyfit on BB but for us, they are useless for naptime as he drinks milk before he sleeps and wakes up soaked. However, during the day, I tend to pop a bamboo booster in an they last three hours :). SB also gets about 2-3 hours.
Containment 5/5
Have had no issues with my Easyfits containing, the flap at the back catches the most explosive of poos, and despite the lack of a second gusset there haven't been any accidents :)
Ease of use 5/5
These get full 'dad-proof' marks. I wash all nappies, and stuff when dried, which simply consists of folding the insert in half and stuffing it in the pocket, therefore all DB has to do is velcro it onto one of the Bears. Simples.
Drying Time 3/5
Once wash I throw them in the tumble drier on low for 20 mins, naughty I know. But with two in cloth and endless loads of washing to do it's the only way I don't end up running out of nappies! Bamboo does have a longer drying time than microfibre, so hanging over my radiator airers has them dry in a day and a half-ish.
Overall 4/5
So they're not the most absorbant nappies, but they are easy to put on so brilliant for daddies/childminer/nursery, they're not bulky so they fit well under clothes and don't take up too much room in your changing bag, and they come in cute patterns! They are easy to boost too so you can adjust them to your LO's needs.
Wednesday, 16 January 2013
Babywearing - trials and tribulations of a toddler tantrum in public
Babywearing 1 - toddler 0....
Baby bear isn't such a baby anymore. And the older he gets, the more stubborn he gets.
He wasn't impressed we had left nanny's house early to run errands so decided at the end of nanny's road he didn't want to walk. Squishy bear was snoozing in the pram ( a rare sight, he usually refuses point blank to sleep in the pram so I rarely take the double).
Mb: bb why are you stopping? Come on let's go home!
Bb: no.
Mb: come on bb...
Bb: no.
Mb: do you want to go in the pram?
Bb: NO!! Cue foot stamping, screaming etc etc
Mb: okay, let's walk then.
Bb: mummy carry?
Mb: (looks at the 30lb toddler staring back at her) erm...
Bb: carry me mummy?
Now I was wearing the wrap around my neck as a scarf as that way it does take up room in my bag, so I took it off, removed his reins, wrapping it around him and super manned him onto my back without him even dropping his biscuit. Now I was quite impressed. I can do a double hammock in my sleep but with a four month old baby, not a 21 month old toddler... He's only ever been on my back once for all of five minutes so he was quite confused and wriggled as I did the quickest ruck of my life. Once he was in place I started walking, and he was happy enough talking to passers by and shouting at birds in trees. Now it wasn't the best of carries, the seat wasn't as deep as I'd have liked it and we both had coats on so it all felt a bit loose but it held all the way home! Can honestly say carrying a child that large was much harder but the ellaroo is only cotton do with a more supportive wrap I think we would do better. I look forward to carrying him more, I think I'm going to attempt a tandem next!
Baby bear isn't such a baby anymore. And the older he gets, the more stubborn he gets.
He wasn't impressed we had left nanny's house early to run errands so decided at the end of nanny's road he didn't want to walk. Squishy bear was snoozing in the pram ( a rare sight, he usually refuses point blank to sleep in the pram so I rarely take the double).
Mb: bb why are you stopping? Come on let's go home!
Bb: no.
Mb: come on bb...
Bb: no.
Mb: do you want to go in the pram?
Bb: NO!! Cue foot stamping, screaming etc etc
Mb: okay, let's walk then.
Bb: mummy carry?
Mb: (looks at the 30lb toddler staring back at her) erm...
Bb: carry me mummy?
Now I was wearing the wrap around my neck as a scarf as that way it does take up room in my bag, so I took it off, removed his reins, wrapping it around him and super manned him onto my back without him even dropping his biscuit. Now I was quite impressed. I can do a double hammock in my sleep but with a four month old baby, not a 21 month old toddler... He's only ever been on my back once for all of five minutes so he was quite confused and wriggled as I did the quickest ruck of my life. Once he was in place I started walking, and he was happy enough talking to passers by and shouting at birds in trees. Now it wasn't the best of carries, the seat wasn't as deep as I'd have liked it and we both had coats on so it all felt a bit loose but it held all the way home! Can honestly say carrying a child that large was much harder but the ellaroo is only cotton do with a more supportive wrap I think we would do better. I look forward to carrying him more, I think I'm going to attempt a tandem next!
Saturday, 5 January 2013
So Christmas came and went in a rush of presents and E numbers.#
The kids were spoilt.
I ate too much.
There are even more toys in my tiny house.
And I am left feeling flat. There are no better words for it.
Or maybe one. Bleurgh.
And it isn't one too many quality streets that's making me feel this way. I wake up and I want to go back to bed. I don't, I get through my day in a blur of nappies, toys and baby sick. My children are played with, talked to, clean, fed, my house is immaculate, I'm getting dressed (which makes a change)...
And I still don't feel right.
*whispers*
I have a funny feeling it's a bit more than baby blues...
I cry. All the time. Not at films or TV, or when my toddler won't eat, or my baby won't sleep. But just randomly in the middle of the day. Or night. I don't want people around me, or touching me. I don't know how to fix it. I've suffered with depression in the past, but that was because my life was falling apart and I was in an unhappy relationship.
But I have two beautiful children (one is slightly insane but that's irrelevant), a wonderful partner who's trying his best to make me happy, I'm surrounded by friends and family.
WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH ME?!?!?!
I keep telling myself I'm tired. Hormonal. Having a bad day. Due on.
But there comes a point when I have to admit to myself it might be more than that. I have a doctor's appointment booked. I'm hoping they're going to tell me to buck up.
The kids were spoilt.
I ate too much.
There are even more toys in my tiny house.
And I am left feeling flat. There are no better words for it.
Or maybe one. Bleurgh.
And it isn't one too many quality streets that's making me feel this way. I wake up and I want to go back to bed. I don't, I get through my day in a blur of nappies, toys and baby sick. My children are played with, talked to, clean, fed, my house is immaculate, I'm getting dressed (which makes a change)...
And I still don't feel right.
*whispers*
I have a funny feeling it's a bit more than baby blues...
I cry. All the time. Not at films or TV, or when my toddler won't eat, or my baby won't sleep. But just randomly in the middle of the day. Or night. I don't want people around me, or touching me. I don't know how to fix it. I've suffered with depression in the past, but that was because my life was falling apart and I was in an unhappy relationship.
But I have two beautiful children (one is slightly insane but that's irrelevant), a wonderful partner who's trying his best to make me happy, I'm surrounded by friends and family.
WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH ME?!?!?!
I keep telling myself I'm tired. Hormonal. Having a bad day. Due on.
But there comes a point when I have to admit to myself it might be more than that. I have a doctor's appointment booked. I'm hoping they're going to tell me to buck up.
Tuesday, 27 November 2012
I fell off of the fluffy wagon :-(
So it appear I still have no immune system whatsoever and have been consistently ill since squishy bear was born. Coughs, colds and d&v (lush, I know) have become part of my life. Add to that a 19 month old tornado who needs three meals a day, two bottles of milk, bum changes and constant entertaining, an 11 week old baby who feeds on demand through the day, also needing nappy changes and my attention, the fact that I am on my own in the evenings when they both need bathing, feeding and putting to bed, plus cooking decent dinners, three regular playgroups a week plus doing bits for the local nappy library, my housework has become a little slack. We don't live in a pigsty by any means, nor is it a health hazard, but I am drowning in housework! I underestimated how much washing comes with a family of four. And how many dishes need washing. And beds made. And nappies washed. And the list goes on.
So anyway, my mother comes round on a rainy Monday, and takes one look around my flat. She sees the crumbs in the floor... The unmade beds... Dishes that needs washing from breakfast and lunch... The three loads of clean washing that needs folding and putting away...The boys in sposies because I was so behind on washing... (sob!)
And there I was being impressed that despite dying from a horrendous cold we were all dressed, clean (well the boys were, I was a usual mess of greasy hair, baby sick and porridge) and fed! Oh well, can't please 'em all!
All I want for Christmas is a decent immune system. And some more nappies. And a new sling. And a cleaner... Maybe a chef....,,
So anyway, my mother comes round on a rainy Monday, and takes one look around my flat. She sees the crumbs in the floor... The unmade beds... Dishes that needs washing from breakfast and lunch... The three loads of clean washing that needs folding and putting away...The boys in sposies because I was so behind on washing... (sob!)
And there I was being impressed that despite dying from a horrendous cold we were all dressed, clean (well the boys were, I was a usual mess of greasy hair, baby sick and porridge) and fed! Oh well, can't please 'em all!
All I want for Christmas is a decent immune system. And some more nappies. And a new sling. And a cleaner... Maybe a chef....,,
Monday, 5 November 2012
Fluffaholics Anonymous
My name is Mummy Bear and I have a *slight* fluff addiction.
There is little that gives me more pleasure than a massive fluffy bottom.
I find myself stalking big bottomed babies at playgroup and wondering it they're wearing cloth.
I've actually had dreams about buying nappies. And woken up disappointed that I don't actually own them.
I'm not even monogamous to a brand, I'm a complete brand slut. Bumgenius, Tots Bots, Motherease, Onelife, Tiny Nippers, Alva, Cotton Bottoms, Blueberry, Bambooty, Rumparooz, Little Lambs... I don't even think that's an exhaustive list. And I still have a wishlist of brands I want to try! Gah!
Is it bad that part of me wants to go back to work so I can afford more? I haven't bought anymore since I've been on Statutory Maternity Pay. Actually that's a lie, I bought two more Bamboozle Stretchies. But they were preloved and I sold squishes Teenyfits for them. See? It's an addiction - I feel I have to justify buying.
Squishy Bear is full time fluffy bottomed. He doesn't wear fancy brands, it's generally Motherease Sandy's or prefolds in the day and Onelife Onesize at night. We don't get leaks very often (unless I haven't put the wrap on very well!) and my only issue has been clothes. He's a big boy anyway, 12lb 12oz at 7 weeks and pretty much at the end of 0-3 months clothes and therefore the clothes are pinching his nappies and wicking. My mother (who is not a cloth convert, she has a nasty habit of changing BB into a sposie as soon as he gets to her house) tried to put a pair of jeans over a Sandy and a motherease wrap and failed. So he pretty much lives in babygrows. Easy, comfy, and he's warm in the sling with a hoody and some booties on.
Baby Bear however wears sposies to bed at night. But we ran out the other day and I put him in a Tots Bots Bamboozle Stretch, two bamboo velour boosters and a flip insert with a Blueberry Coverall and a fleece sleepsuit. Watching him walk down the hallway like John Wayne was enough to make me fall off the loo laughing. He kept squatting to inspect his bottom and was quite befuddled at the size of it. Daddy Bear wasn't convinced at all. But it worked! The nappy was completely saturated but my fears of him waking up in a puddle of urine were unfounded. And the next night a similar combination worked again, but he's poorly and an unfortunately timed poo meant he woke up with a sore bum :(
I'll try again when its healed.
For now I'm just staying away from the preloved pages...
There is little that gives me more pleasure than a massive fluffy bottom.
I find myself stalking big bottomed babies at playgroup and wondering it they're wearing cloth.
I've actually had dreams about buying nappies. And woken up disappointed that I don't actually own them.
I'm not even monogamous to a brand, I'm a complete brand slut. Bumgenius, Tots Bots, Motherease, Onelife, Tiny Nippers, Alva, Cotton Bottoms, Blueberry, Bambooty, Rumparooz, Little Lambs... I don't even think that's an exhaustive list. And I still have a wishlist of brands I want to try! Gah!
Is it bad that part of me wants to go back to work so I can afford more? I haven't bought anymore since I've been on Statutory Maternity Pay. Actually that's a lie, I bought two more Bamboozle Stretchies. But they were preloved and I sold squishes Teenyfits for them. See? It's an addiction - I feel I have to justify buying.
Squishy Bear is full time fluffy bottomed. He doesn't wear fancy brands, it's generally Motherease Sandy's or prefolds in the day and Onelife Onesize at night. We don't get leaks very often (unless I haven't put the wrap on very well!) and my only issue has been clothes. He's a big boy anyway, 12lb 12oz at 7 weeks and pretty much at the end of 0-3 months clothes and therefore the clothes are pinching his nappies and wicking. My mother (who is not a cloth convert, she has a nasty habit of changing BB into a sposie as soon as he gets to her house) tried to put a pair of jeans over a Sandy and a motherease wrap and failed. So he pretty much lives in babygrows. Easy, comfy, and he's warm in the sling with a hoody and some booties on.
Baby Bear however wears sposies to bed at night. But we ran out the other day and I put him in a Tots Bots Bamboozle Stretch, two bamboo velour boosters and a flip insert with a Blueberry Coverall and a fleece sleepsuit. Watching him walk down the hallway like John Wayne was enough to make me fall off the loo laughing. He kept squatting to inspect his bottom and was quite befuddled at the size of it. Daddy Bear wasn't convinced at all. But it worked! The nappy was completely saturated but my fears of him waking up in a puddle of urine were unfounded. And the next night a similar combination worked again, but he's poorly and an unfortunately timed poo meant he woke up with a sore bum :(
I'll try again when its healed.
For now I'm just staying away from the preloved pages...
Saturday, 3 November 2012
7 weeks on...
Yes, it really has been 7 weeks already. 7 weeks of broken sleep, a teething cheeky toddler and snapping at Daddy Bear. 7 weeks of squishy newborn cuddles, first smiles and watching my boys bond.
I could tell you it's easy, that its a breeze, that life is perfect.
But I'd be lying.
Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't change it for the world. When people ask me if I wish I'd waited longer before having another, the answer honestly is no. When Baby Bear wakes up in the morning, the first thing he wants is his brother. He runs into the living room, excited, and climbs on the sofa next to his brother with a huge smile on his face. Yes, I have to watch him because he does get overexcited and try to lay on him for a cuddle and has sat on him twice, but it's truly wonderful to see. Those are the moments I know I did the right thing.
Squishy Bear is a lovely baby. He's very placid, loves a cuddle and is quite happy to watch the lunatic that is my eldest son run around like a hurricane. I've chosen a more natural approach to parenting this time round and have discovered that apparently everybody gets a say in how you bring up your children.
'Cloth nappies are more trouble than their worth' - Really? Because both of my boys wear them, and it's pretty much just throwing them in the wash every other day.
'He's constantly attached to you' - If you can work out a better way of getting him to take a nap, be my guest. I can't spend ages settling him to sleep, I don't have the time. If I go into my bedroom and put him in the crib, BB comes running in and whispers 'shh, he's seeping. NUNIGHT!!!' Before pottering around my bedroom picking things up and generally just making lots of noise. I can't shut the door and leave a 19 month old unattended, and SB can't settle in the bouncy chair with the TV on and his brother making noise. So he sleeps in the sling. Big deal!
'Breastfeeding him will just make him a mummy's boy' - have you seen my other son? He was breastfeed (not for as long as I'd have liked) and I have a hard time getting a glance in my direction, let alone a cuddle!
'You'll never get him out of your bed if you don't do it now' - Rubbish. I'm pretty sure he won't be a teenager and still sleeping next to me. He's been in my bed since the day he was born and I love it. He slept all night in his crib this week and I really missed him but if he happily settles in there then I leave him but if he needs to be close to me I pop him in with me.
I can't wait to see what my family says when I get their amber necklaces.
I could tell you it's easy, that its a breeze, that life is perfect.
But I'd be lying.
Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't change it for the world. When people ask me if I wish I'd waited longer before having another, the answer honestly is no. When Baby Bear wakes up in the morning, the first thing he wants is his brother. He runs into the living room, excited, and climbs on the sofa next to his brother with a huge smile on his face. Yes, I have to watch him because he does get overexcited and try to lay on him for a cuddle and has sat on him twice, but it's truly wonderful to see. Those are the moments I know I did the right thing.
Squishy Bear is a lovely baby. He's very placid, loves a cuddle and is quite happy to watch the lunatic that is my eldest son run around like a hurricane. I've chosen a more natural approach to parenting this time round and have discovered that apparently everybody gets a say in how you bring up your children.
'Cloth nappies are more trouble than their worth' - Really? Because both of my boys wear them, and it's pretty much just throwing them in the wash every other day.
'He's constantly attached to you' - If you can work out a better way of getting him to take a nap, be my guest. I can't spend ages settling him to sleep, I don't have the time. If I go into my bedroom and put him in the crib, BB comes running in and whispers 'shh, he's seeping. NUNIGHT!!!' Before pottering around my bedroom picking things up and generally just making lots of noise. I can't shut the door and leave a 19 month old unattended, and SB can't settle in the bouncy chair with the TV on and his brother making noise. So he sleeps in the sling. Big deal!
'Breastfeeding him will just make him a mummy's boy' - have you seen my other son? He was breastfeed (not for as long as I'd have liked) and I have a hard time getting a glance in my direction, let alone a cuddle!
'You'll never get him out of your bed if you don't do it now' - Rubbish. I'm pretty sure he won't be a teenager and still sleeping next to me. He's been in my bed since the day he was born and I love it. He slept all night in his crib this week and I really missed him but if he happily settles in there then I leave him but if he needs to be close to me I pop him in with me.
I can't wait to see what my family says when I get their amber necklaces.
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