One Size Pocket Cloth Diaper Options + Alva One Size Giveaway!

Ask any cloth diapering mommy and it's likely they use a different cloth diaper from the next. With the number of cloth diapers on the market, there's a type that will work for any baby but usually it's a trial and error game because there's not enough information on the details of the diapers to choose what fits each individual baby. I'm gathering up my criteria for rating diapers in hopes that it helps someone else who wants to use my chosen variety: One Size Pocket Button Snaps.

Here are the things I would consider in cloth diaper options:

1. White snaps or colored snaps. White snaps are easy to replace if you own a snap button tool but colored snaps make it easy to make sure the cloth diaper is centered. There are also velcro options to avoid the snap issue all together but the velcro doesn't last as long as the snaps and can cause pilling when washed with certain cloth diaper fabrics.

2. Size and elastic of leg opening. Some babies have chunky legs, others have skinny legs. Though the leg openings are adjustable, different leg openings are better suited to various types of legs.

3. Size at the smallest settings. For the most cost effective long term use of cloth diapers, being able to use them in the newborn months of 12+ diaper changes a day is important and some cloth diapers get down smaller than others.  The larger ones may be to bulky to be comfortable when put in the smallest setting also.

4. Size at the largest settings. The other cost effective long term aspect of a diaper is how long it will fit a baby.  Most of us hope it'll take baby into the potty training years.  Some diapers are too small for larger babies to fit in the later diapering years.

5. Single or double gusset. Cloth diaper makers try to make best design to prevent poopy blowouts. Many companies have developed double gussets, as in another elastic gusset inside the diaper to hold waste before it even gets to the elastic leg opening (much like the design of the typical disposable diaper.)

6. Back, front or two sided opening. With pocket diapers, the insert needs to be stuffed into the cloth diaper shell.  Some have the insert opening at the back, others at the front and others are open at both sides.  The ones with the back opening may be better at containing waste but almost guarantees have to touch poop when removing the insert to launder the diaper.  A front opening helps to avoid needing to touch poop but often results in an uncomfortably bulky front of the diaper.  The two sided opening is a great development but often requires a button snap to hold the insert in place which means having to use proprietary inserts or having to put snaps into inserts yourself.

7. Inner lining. Pocket diapers are usually lined in fleece or a stay dry material. Some materials are better at allowing liquid to pass through quickly to the insert to be absorbed.  Others are prone to build up that causes liquid repelling.

8. Front barrier or none. Some cloth diapers have an extension of the waterproof liner to create a front waistline barrier.  I'm not sure why not all cloth diapers don't have this because it makes a big difference in preventing clothing from touching any wet part of the diaper and wicking liquid into the clothing.

9. Price. Pricing varies wildly in this arena from $4 per diaper for bulk purchases from China to $30 for top of the line uber engineered diapers.  I'll take a look at which diapers are worth the money.

Luckily, my dear friend Megan is running a cloth diaper giveaway.  The best part?  It's of my favorite kind of cloth diaper: One Size Pocket Button Snap! Visit her blog or enter below.

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Good luck and let me know in the comments if you have any criteria you'd like me to add to my coming cloth diaper reviews.

Noxicare™ Natural Pain Relief Cream + Giveaway

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.
I used to think that gardening was hard on my back. Turns out, nothing does a number on your body like growing, birthing and taking care of a baby. I went to chiropractor visits during my pregnancy, have back pain from the epidural spot and constant backaches from breastfeeding positions and carrying a now 16, almost 17 pound baby!

Now, typically, when having muscle and back pain, DH would just rub some tiger balm on the spot, the area would get warm and relaxed and I would spend the rest of the day smelling like ... tiger balm. When I was younger, it was all about eucalyptus oil in a green bottle that was my mother's cure all.  And then I'd go around smelling like koala bait.

Regardless, they were the solutions I would turn to over some of the more chemical based products like Bengay (the Methyl Salicylate is toxic in large quantities) which also smells terrible or even oral pain relievers.  I belief is that treating the site of the pain with increased blood flow to the area is the best way to quickly heal.  Oral pain relievers mask the symptom, topical creams help cure the problem.   

I was excited to try Noxicare when they sent me their product.  Unfortunately, I'm breastfeeding and Noxicare is not approved for use on pregnant or nursing women.  Luckily, DH is an avid cyclist and regularly has leg and knee pain so he tried this product out for me.

Now, Noxi is an unfortunate name choice in an all natural health related product.  It imparts the image of noxious smelly gases and other toxic things.  Turns out, however, that Noxicare is a natural product.

The active ingredients from as described on their website includes:

• Turmeric Extract: one of the powerful healers found in nature, recognized for its anti-inflammatory properties.
• Willow Bark Extract: has been used to treat pain and inflammation since the time of Ancient Egypt and Greece.
• Ginger Extract: helps alleviate muscle strains, arthritis and rheumatism, and is a catalyst for improving the effectiveness of other herbs.
• Holy Basil Extract: properties include anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial and antiviral.
• Rosemary Extract: has served a variety of purposes including topical use for joint or musculoskeletal pain.
• Alpha Lipoic Acids: antioxidants used to treating diabetic neuropathy and increasing blood flow to the nerves.
• Boswellia Extract: an anti-inflammatory used to treat arthritis and joint pain.

I've recently been very conscious about my smell because babies are very sensitive to smell.   I want BB to be able to comforted by my smell and was concerned that when DH put this product on and came to bed, the smell would be unpleasant like so many other natural products.  We were both pleasantly surprised that this cream smelled like nothing.

DH was particularly impressed because Noxicare created a warm sensation in the areas he applied it in, which to him felt like increased blood flow to the area, without the telltale menthol smell that tiger balm, green eucalyptus oil and Bengay reeks of when applied. He could actually use this at work and not offend his co-worker's noses.

Was it as heating as the aforementioned alternative options?  No.  Did it do a good job?  Yes. Would DH use this instead of Tiger Balm?  Yes, simply based on the effectiveness of the product partnered with the lack of detectable smell.

But you don't have to take my review for it.  Try it for yourself for free if you win the giveaway below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Remember, I have such a small but awesome group of readers that if you enter, you'll have a darn good chance of winning. Contest ends January 24, 2014.

Good luck! 
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Bamboobies Giveaway and Discount Code

My dear friend Staci is giving away $25 to spend at Bamboobies.  In my best Billy Mays voice (may he rest in peace), that's not all.  She's also throwing in a coupon code! LUK20 good through 1/31.

So what are Bamboobies?  They're reusable washable nursing pads in cute shapes and great colors.  Staci does a great review of them which you should go to because I can't review them.  I never had the awesome problem of leaking boobies!

Oh the woes of a low supply mommy.  Ok, well regulated supply now but oh the times I spent stressing over my supply.  And how silly of me!  I bought boxes of Lansinoh disposable nursing pads in preparation for the famed leaking booby problem that I never ended up needing. 

I'm going to give those away in the near feature so lookout for that giveaway.

In the mean time, if you've been blessed with leaky boobies, enter below for a chance to win free washable nursing pads!

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Greatest Naps, Vol. 2: The Best of Jammy Jams Review + Giveaway

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial. 

Every night, as part of Baby Buckshot's bedtime routine, we play him some classical music to help lull him to sleep.  But I have to be honest, Mozart and Beethoven don't always do it for me.  During the day, I'll dance around the BB to the tunes of Jack Johnson and Hall and Oates. But I'll admit, that might be a bit much for night time.

Naturally, when I saw the opportunity to score a Jammy Jams album for myself and my readers, I jumped at the chance.

 Here's the list of songs on the album:

1. Get Lucky (originally by Daft Punk)
2. Wrecking Ball (originally by Miley Cyrus)
3. Send Me An Angel (originally by Real Life)
4. Groove is In The Heart (originally by Deee-Lite)
5. Ready Or Not (originally by Fugees)
6. Champagne Supernova (originally by Oasis)
7. We Are Young (originally by Fun.)
8. Hysteria (originally by Def Leppard)
9. Drunken Lullabies (originally by Flogging Molly)
10. I Will Always Love You (in the style of Whitney Houston)

New eternally-unhip-mom Me groaned when I saw that Miley Cyrus was on the playlist.  I mean, sure when BB is wearing a long sleeve onsie with no pants, it looks like he's donning the Miley Cyrus style but do I really want to expose him to a teddy bear humping, tongue sticking out, can't stand her parents popstar?

I was very excited over the jams by Oasis and the Fugees, as old pre-baby-loving-the-90s-music Me loved the idea of endearing BB to some of my favorite music.

Lucky for me, "Wrecking Ball" was changed enough so that only the best qualities of the song stuck through.  In fact, all of the songs really captured the essence of the songs through the melodies but mixed enough lullabyness (yes, I just made up a word) through the instrumentals and digital mixing to make them soothing and sleep worthy.

I do have to warn that parents who may not be fans of electronic music might find the songs a little synthetic in sound but in our household the songs were great. DH is a huge fan of electronic music and I spent enough time in the club scene to be able to appreciate a remix. As for Baby Buckshot, here's a video of him hanging out while listening to the album.  He was much more mellow than when he is normally listening to music.

I can't say that the Jammy Jams got BB to sleep any faster than his usual classical music at night but it was a nice change of pace for me.  In fact, it was as effective as Baby Mozart.  And I'm holding out hope that one day, when he listens to the real Champagne Supernova album, he'll think it's cool instead of lame and by the transitive property, think his old mom is pretty cool too. If they're still using the word cool to mean a good thing.

And I do have to admit, Wrecking Ball ended up being BB's favorite song on the album.  Which is fine except now I'm going to have to keep teddy bears away from him and each him to mimic with some other way than sticking out my tongue.

But why listen to my opinion?  Try out the album yourself by searching for Jammy Jams on iTunes or entering below to win the album by digital download for free. And again, my blog has a small but awesome following so your chances of winning are big but also awesome.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
The giveaway runs from December 31, 2013 to January 7, 2014.  Yes, it spans 2 years but lasts only 1 week. My inner geek is beaming.

Cloth Diaper Giveaway

I might have an online shopping problem.  No, not that I shop online too much but apparently I don't read descriptions well enough.  I ordered a bunch of cloth diapers online and one of them came and was unusually small. Much smaller than all the other One Size diapers I ordered.

This diaper is too small for my baby!

Turns out it's a newborn diaper.  And Baby Buckshot is almost 15 lbs so that's just not going to fly.

And I could return it but I thought, nah, you know who would like this adorable dinosaur covered newborn sized Alva cloth diaper with insert?  My small but awesome reader base. Why not do a giveaway?

So I am.  It runs from December 10, 2013 at 12am to December 17, 2013 at 12am. And odds are good if you enter, you'll win, mainly because my blog is new much like this diaper.

Checkout how to enter below!

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