Gearhead Mom

Monday, November 26, 2007

Huggies, Seventh Generation and Fuzzi Bunz, Oh My!

Posted by Missy W. @ 12:59 PM

We’ve gotten some requests to review diapers, so here are some of our oh-so-humble opinions.

I think we’ve tried every brand of diaper out there. When Sy was little, we used the Huggies Preemie (red package), then onto the Huggies newborn. The newborn diapers have a little portion cut out of the front to enable the umbilical cord stump to dry off and heal more easily. Once Sy put on some weight and her umbilical cord scab fell off (eeyuw), we switched to a combo of Fuzzi Bunz fleece pocket diapers and Seventh Generation no bleach disposables for day, along with Huggies Overnites for night. Pampers never fit Sy right, they seemed too boxy for her small person. Since babies come in all shapes and sizes, you may want to try these, too. I like that the Seventh Generation diapers are not as processed and have no characters on them. The ink on printed diapers smells so weird, it always sort of grosses me out. Like Huggies and Pampers, Seventh Generation diapers also have the absorbent gel in them, so they hold about as much liquid as their counterparts. I have found that I have to move up a size earlier than the stated size range on the SG diapers.

My friend Andie has used Fuzzi Bunz from the get go, her review after the jump.

Andie on Fuzzi Bunz:

Fuzzi Bunz have a soft fleece lining that wicks the moisture away from the baby’s bum. They’re known as “pocket diapers,” meaning they have a slit in the back between the outer waterproof material and inner wicking material in which you insert any form of absorbent material (in my FBs, I insert two thin hemp soakers). The best thing about Bunz is that you get the benefits of dryness common with most disposables, but you’re not filling the landfill or using all those resources to make so many diapers.
Fuzzi Bunz are also way more comfortable and easy to put on—they have several snaps on each side to make the perfect fit. My son wears his for about two to three hours. When I’m out, I store the used diaper in a waterproof bag until I can place it in the diaper pail at home.
To clean, you simply shake the poop into the toilet (you can also do this with disposables) and throw into a scent-proof “dry pail” until you’re ready to wash them. I had my plumber install a sprayer with a shut-off to the toilet’s water valve so I could just blast the poop off and skip a pre-wash in the washing machine. Honestly, folks, it’s no big deal once you get the routine down. And I’ve saved so much money by not having to buy Diaper Genie-brand bags and disposable diapers and rash creams. My son has never developed a diaper rash while wearing these (this is the case for many Bunz users). And his bum’s skin always looks smooth and flawless—no “pickling” of or bumps on his skin.
If you buy enough diapers to last you a while so you’re not doing laundry all the time, they are indeed more earth-friendly than their disposable second cousins (including Seventh Generation). Fuzzi Bunz aren’t cheap, but they have excellent resale value if you care for them properly. You can also buy them used online. Another option is to look into “one-size” pocket diapers. A few new ones have hit the scene lately and look promising (check out sites like punkinbutt and softclothbunz).
My son has been wearing his current size Fuzzi Bunz for over a year. They’re still in great shape, stain-free and soft. Missy uses them part of the time and Sy actually requests them, saying, “I want soft, cozy diapers, Mama!”

Missy on Fuzzi Bunz:
I am way too lazy to ever do a pre-wash on Sy’s pocket diapers. I usually just throw them in our dry pail (once I’ve knocked poop out of the poopy ones) and don’t think about them again til I do the wash, which is about every other day. I use some Oxy-Clean or Dreft spray on both the diaper and the insert and just throw them in the wash. I don’t have a stain on any of them! Oh, except one from diaper cream. Make sure you do not use diaper cream with Fuzzi Bunz as it does not come out (this is clearly noted on the label, but I don’t read directions, now do I?). I also use the hemp inserts, they seem to be much more absorbent than the terry liners that come with the diapers. Sy loves to pick out what color diaper she’s going to wear when we get dressed. With so many color and design choices, I had a lot of fun when I ordered them.

If you are unsure if you want to make a full commitment, just order a couple and see how you like them. It’s so much easier than using a cloth diaper service and you get all the benefits of reusable diapers. If you plan on having more than one child, you can easily reuse these as they hold up really well to repeated use.

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