AppleCheeks Washable Swim Diaper: Review and Giveaway! (Closed)

If you've been kicking around for awhile here at M2M, you'll know I loooove AppleCheeks cloth diapers! I've had the opportunity to review both their Microterry and  Bamboo "Little Bundles" (i.e. envelope cover + absorbent insert) and awarded both extremely good scores via my cloth diaper evaluation system.

I'm happy to be teaming up with AppleCheeks again now by reviewing their Washable Swim Diaper!


Product Information:

AppleCheeks Washable Swim Diaper is a super soft, super cute swim solution! As we know you LOVE the styling of the AppleCheeks Envelope Cover, we’ve translated the design to a product that really works for the pool, the lake or the beach!

Two layers of 100% polyester Canadian-milled mesh allows water to comfortably move through the diaper while keeping any solids, should they occur at an inopportune time, out of the water.

Our diaper is completely designed and manufactured right in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, just like the rest of our AppleCheeks line.

And our signature two-size system with snaps at the waist and separately adjustable snaps at the thigh means your little one is guaranteed a comfortable, long-last fit.

• Size 1 fits approximately 7 – 20lbs
• Size 2 fits approximately 18 – 35lbs

My Review:

For review purposes, I chose the Samoan Sunset colour swim diaper in Size 2. Similar to their standard diapers, their swimmy comes with minimal packaging, which I always like to see!

A closer-up shot, sans insert:

True to description, the design of the swim diaper is very similar to their envelope cover. The same two-sized system is used (except their Size 2 envelope cover goes to 40 pounds, whereas the swimmy goes to 35), two rows of firm (but not ultra-tight) snaps are included and the signature super-stretchy & "ruffly" waist and leg elastics are incorporated here as well.

One difference is that there are only three sets of snaps on each size, whereas the envelope cover has four on each side. However I don't see this being an issue given the stretchiness of the waist elastic.

Given this is a swim diaper, the standard microfleece inner has been swapped out for a polyester mesh, which you can kinda-sorta see here. In hindsight, getting closer for a macro shot would have provided a better idea of the material's texture, but hopefully you can get a decent idea with this one.

 

All in all, the diaper is soft and incredibly light weight. Perfect, because the last thing you want when kickin' it at the pool is heavy, wet material hanging off your derrière!

Let's take a look at how the AppleCheeks swim dipe fits on our li'l princess! (18 months old and just over 20 pounds.)

Front view:

Side view:

"Mostly back" view:

Close-up of a leg gusset:

C'mon Mommy - are we going to go swimming already?!?

S has been in the 20-21 pound range during the review period, so she's at the lower end of the recommended weight spectrum for Size 2. That said, the waist and leg elastics still create a nice, snug fit on her so we haven't had any concerns that the diaper wouldn't contain at least a semi-solid mess (though I'm mostly happy to say we haven't had to test the theory out. Yet. :). The only fitting "imperfection" we've noticed (and it's probably due to the weight range thing) is that the diaper is a bit baggy in the back, especially when she's been playing for awhile. Here she is "helping" Mom & Dad in the backyard, and you can see that she has a li'l extra junk in the trunk.


At this point, I'd like to stop and thank AppleCheeks for their patience during this review period, as S has now been using the diaper for over two months. (Various personal factors have made it challenging for me to crank out reviews lately.) On the flipside, a longer review period = that many more opportunities to use the product, which is of course awesome assuming the goal is a thorough, detailed review (which you all know is my shtick. ;)

On the above note, S has now worn her swim diaper in the following scenarios: at the public (indoor) pool during her "Duck Tots" swimming lessons, in our own above-ground pool, on the sandy beach / wading in the shallow water at the cottage, and just mucking around in our backyard. As mentioned earlier, it's awesome in the water as it's so lightweight, and it fits nicely under a bathing suit which you can see from the following video taken during her swimming lessons.


When we remove the diaper, there are never any marks on her waist or legs, so we're confident that she's nice & comfy in there.

I'm also happy to report that it's quite durable. Aside from water (both chlorinated and fresh), our little munchkin's swimmy-clad bum has spent abundant time in sand, weedy grass, gravel and other less-than-gentle surfaces and the diaper hasn't sustained any damage or even noticeable wear.

On a related note, it's super-easy to care for. If it isn't visibly dirty after a wearing, we simply rinse under running water and hang to dry (and it dries fully in a few hours). We'll even do this if she's had a pee in the diaper, because there's no absorbent material which needs to be cleaned thoroughly. (On this note, swim diapers are not designed to contain pee. So yup, it's true - the more li'l kiddos in a pool, the higher the urine to water ratio. Yay!!) If the diaper is dirtier and/or she has worn it a few times, we just throw it in a load of cloth diaper or regular laundry and it comes out good as new!

All in all, I love our AppleCheeks Washable Swim Diaper, and would definitely recommend it to parents looking for a well-fitting, comfortable, attractive, durable swimmy for their little one(s). The only criticism I can think of is that it only comes in three colours, so it would be nice to see a few more options here, and possibly a print or two! But otherwise, two enthusiastic thumbs (bums?) up!


Buy It:

AppleCheeks sells its products exclusively via 3rd party retailers. Visit their Find a Store page to find retailers in your area.


Win It:

One lucky Manager to Mom reader will win an AppleCheeks Washable Swim Diaper of their own! Winner chooses colour and size.

To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Comments do not count as entries, however feel free to add a comment to remind yourself that you entered! 


 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure:  The prize is being provided and shipped to the winner by AppleCheeks.  I received no financial compensation for writing my review or offering this giveaway, although I did receive the sample items free of charge.  This is my completely honest opinion above and may be different from yours.

Grandma Catherine: A Memorial

Last week at the cottage, I wrote a memorial for my grandmother who passed away on July 10th. I thought I would share it here, along with a video of Grandma, my mom and S singing together. So glad I managed to capture such a recent, joyful moment!

The Lucky One

When it comes to sharing memories of Grandma Catherine, so many ideas come to mind. I could mention all the fun times growing up as a child, visiting Grandma on St. Leger and raiding her snack cupboard (though as Vanessa recently pointed out, we had to stay away from Uncle John's stash of Zehrs chips!) There were all the chaotically memorable Christmases, with the whole Geffros clan crammed around the kitchen table, fighting over the remaining stuffing. And how could I forget the annual multi-day sleepovers each Summer, spending days with Grandma at the Queen St. park and Market Square, scratching lottery tickets at the deli with the "A crowd" (Edna, Emma, Frieda, Verna, Hannah and I'm sure there were others!) 

But now that Grandma has passed on from this life and on to the next, what remains with me most vividly are the more recent years. Conversations with Grandma in her apartment, me on the couch and Grandma on her favourite chair, munching on Pringles with the news or sports on mute in the background. Being warmed by the sparkle in Grandma's eye and her joyful laugh as she watched my daughter toddle around the living room, getting into mischief. Grocery shopping for Grandma and never failing to see the ol' standbys on the list - bananas (for the potassium, of course), French bread, 4-5 slices of deli meat, pineapple cream cheese and a Farmer's Market pie. And then telling her that the total was way more (or less) than it actually was and seeing how quick she was to brush her hand at me, saying "Ohhhhhhh hush". (And then she'd always be sure to give a "tip" on top of the actual total!) But most of all, simply appreciating all of her MANY admirable qualities - wisdom, patience, caring, generosity, humour, strength of mind and body, sociability, determination, gratitude, forgiveness - and of course an unwavering love for her family and friends. 

Following Grandma's passing, many people thanked me for the time I spent with Grandma over the recent years, mentioning that she was lucky to have me close by. My immediate answer was that it was my pleasure to spend this time with her. Because it certainly was. But it was more than that. *I* was the one who was lucky to have such a wonderful person in my life for 33 years, and Grandma I thank YOU for all the time we got to spend together. You will be forever loved and forever missed. 

xxoo Kristy

If You're Happy And You Know It!

"S" at 18 months: Spirited Away

Oops - almost two months late on this latest "S" update! Bad Mommy!! But don't worry - I'll make up for it with the most adorable pics and vids yet - OK? :)

16-18 months was an incredibly fun, interactive, rewarding age. All of a sudden, we have a little chatter on our hands, and she continues to hone all her other abilities and develop new ones at an amazing rate. We didn't think it was possible, but we're finding ourselves falling more and more in love with our li'l monkey every day!

Look at S grow - she's officially past the baby stage now!

16 months: 

17 months:

 
18 months:

On her 18 month "birthday" S clocked in at just under 21 pounds. We didn't actually get her growth chart up until a month later, however, so our best interpolation for height at the time is 30-30.5 inches. All in all, 5-10th percentile for weight and about 25th for height. Pretty consistent with previous updates!

Lots of new tooth action during months 16-18. Like clockwork, her first top right molar came in soon after the left in her 16th month, and then the bottom ones erupted about a month later. Yay for a renewed interest in putting everything in her mouth! Luckily her emerging chompers haven't appeared to cause her direct discomfort, however we have had to wrestle with quite the rashy bum, poor thing! This amounted to lots of air time, which was timely as she was also beginning to show signs of potty training interest/readiness in parallel. So at about 16 1/2 months, we bought her two brand spankin' new Baby Bjorn Potty Chairs (red and blue) and borrowed her cousin's Potty Movie DVD which she took to right away, as evidenced by the fact that her first multi-word sentence was "Bye Bye Poo Poo!"

Holy jumpins that ditty gets into your brain. *nods*



We didn't get serious about potty training prior to 18 months, though she did have a few periodic "hits" which we gave her mad props for!

Back to the topic of language development, I began compiling a list of words she could say at 16ish months, but promptly tossed that aside when it became clear she was able to utter back, well, just about everything. For example, "dandelion" came out clear as day at about 17 months, and following her affinity for "Bye Bye Poo", two and three-word phrases became a dime a dozen. "Daddy's shoes", "Starryn's hat", "go outside" and "bike ride" to name just a few!

It's been interesting to see how her proficiency with individual words has progressed as well. For example, Daddy was originally "Dah", then Dada for the longest time, and finally Daddy at 16-17 months. I was still Mama for a few weeks after this, and then she prompty switched to Mommy. Aunt Tracey was originally something like "Tuh-sss", and it became "Tay-cee" by 16-17 months.

At around 17 months she began to sing as well, and it's the sweetest thing! Aside from "Bye Bye Poo", she's also been keen on belting out parts of Baby Beluga, The Alphabet Song and Happy Birthday (though note this video's "cheating" a bit as she's a little over 19 months here :).

S loves working on her language pretty much all the time! It melts my heart listening to her chatter and sing herself to sleep at bedtime.



Another language-related development beginning close to 18 months: her ability to "fill in the blanks" when it comes to reading and singing. She loves helping Mommy & Daddy read One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish (and this makes the experience more engaging for us too) and she has memorized all items in the Phonics Song.



It's so rewarding being able to communicate back and forth verbally with our daughter, and this area just continues to blossom!

On the topic of books and toys, her tastes continue to evolve. She's into longer stories now, like Dr. Seuss (OFTFRFBD, Green Eggs & Ham, Oh the Places You'll Go), Robert Munsch (More Pies, anyone?) and this old, out-of-print Dogs book I still have from my childhood. She's all about building toys, like her WEDGiTS and Melissa & Doug Jumbo Cardboard Blocks, and she's beginning to dabble in make believe play. For example she gives her baby doll milk and "feeds" the animals from her Fisher Price Little People Zoo. She also enjoys scribbling and other early art 'n' crafts, and bath time has become much more interactive as she's become adept at pouring and dumping water into/from her various containers and toys. She continues to enjoy her chunky puzzles from time to time, though she's ready for more advanced variants as she can do her current ones in about 30 seconds each!

The warmer weather has given lots of opportunites for outdoor play, and she's eating it all up!

Rockin, Rollin' and Ridin' on her Fisher Price Trike!

Lovin' the swing set at the park. "Higher, Daddy!"

Picking dandelions with Granda. (Yes, our yard needs "a little TLC", to put it mildly.)

Helping Daddy with our weed-tuation.

Contemplating the enjoyment of a "long, thin, slimy one".

Physically, she can now climb up onto the ottoman and our bed, and can use the swing and slide of her Little Tikes SwingAlong Castle by herself (about 17 months). She performed her first somersault at 16-17 months, has developed sort of a "toddle run" and has begun learning the mechanics of jumping. Here, her little friend Sam encourages her to bounce with him on his trampoline!



At 16ish months, her increasing fine motor control allowed her to discover a new "game" - getting into mommy's purse and spreading its contents around the room. Fun stuff! :) At around 17 months, she also began taking off her own shirts, shoes, etc. and attempting to put things on (shoes, in particular!)

We took her for "Duck Tots" swimming lessons between 16 and 19 months, and she loooved it! The splashy slide in particular - no surprise there. :)



Emotionally, she continues to be a happy, easy going "sunflower" child for the most part. She went through a physically sensitive stage for about a month following an altercation with a sharp coffee table corner (at 15 1/2 months), during which injury-related references and pictures of children crying or looking afraid got to her quite a bit. Thankfully this passed and we don't think she was left with any longterm emotional scarring! (And the physical scar is slowly but surely fading as well - yay!)

Closer to 18 months, she began showing us a more spirited and determined side. Mini-tantrums were a  common reaction upon moving her away from a forbidden area or object she was determined to explore, and she became insistent about feeding herself at every opportunity, gosh darn it! The latter we were generally happy to accommodate, and her adeptness with spoon and fork increased quite quickly (though she does still prefer to use her hand, the most efficient utensil of them all!) There were also a couple weeks during which she reaaallly didn't want to go to daycare, so that was tough. But overall, no major complaints. We think we'll keep her. :)

Next update due in just over a month. Here's hoping I manage to be a li'l more expedient on that one!

Wordless Wednesday: My Beloved Grandmother

My amazingly loving and strong grandmother passed away yesterday morning (June 10th) at 1:10 AM surrounded by close family. She lived an incredible 95 years and I feel blessed by every moment I got to spend with her. Grandma, you will be greatly missed, though I know you are happy now as you are with God, and your beloved husband and sons.

Happy Canada Day!

Teeming with #2 - Week 16 update!

As you might have seen on my FB page the other day, this mama's been busy "cooking up another one"! Little Bean #2 is due on December 2nd, 2012!

Here's a nice closeup of the kiddo from our dating ultrasound on June 5th (13 1/2 weeks along):

And here are a couple belly shots - 13 weeks:

(...yup, I know the sticker says 12, but early on I had my dates wrong! Ooops!)

And 16 weeks.:

(I look HUGE here! Must've been extra bloated that morning as it's now a week later and I'm not nearly as big!)

I have to say the first trimey of this pregnancy hit me a li'l harder than when I was expecting with S. For several weeks there I was SUPER tired, and had a lot of weird food-related symptoms. Huge cravings for certain foods combined with totally feeling turned off other foods - including those I usually love! For example, I got really grossed out by the idea of one of my favourite salads - spinach with chopped almonds, feta and balsamic vinagrette. Cravings were generally for carbs and rich, fatty foods like dim sum. (MMMMmmMMM!) Probably makes sense; I weighed about 10 pounds less at the beginning of this pregnancy than last time, so my body's been telling me to gain some damn weight! Once into about week 13-14, cravings began to ease but not my overall appetite! I'm still eating like a horse and have put on about 10 pounds overall.

The tiredness thing really sucked. All of my available energy was going to caring for Starryn and work, so when the evening rolled around I'd basically be useless, either crashing super-early or couching out infront of the TV. Blogging? Out of the question on most days! Managing to post once every two weeks was about all I could muster. I'm very appreciative of my review/giveaway sponsors who have been very patient and understanding through all this! Now that I have some of my energy back, I should be able to get back to more regular blogging. *fingers crossed*!

(On a related note, if you're wondering how I managed to review The DivaCup so recently, well, let's just say the testing period wasn't so recent! I used it during my final period back in March, and then boom - positive preggo test! It just took my exhausted self 2 months to do the writeup, lol. :)

Another sucky thing? Hubby ended up selling our Chili Peppers tickets because I felt too crappy to go myself, and he couldn't find someone else to go with at the last minute. Boooo! (But we did see Dave Matthews earlier this month, w00t!)

Other physical symptoms from the first trimey - overactive bladder, super-vivid dreams and some general nausea (but thankfully just a few appointments with Johnny himself). Oh yeah, and a few awful headaches. Strangely, my boobs didn't start getting big & sore until the last few weeks. I spotted just a tad during weeks 5-7, but it didn't really concern me as it happened last time around as well.

All in all, though it was challenging at times, I'm sure my 1st trim symptoms were nothing to write home about compared to the stories I've heard from many other women!

Emotionally, I've been pretty level so far in general, though I have had a few completely out-of-the-blue crying spells. Good ol' hormones!

In terms of prenatal care, I'm going with the St. Jacobs Midwives this time around. I've been hearing Amazing Things about them, and so far I haven't been disappointed. I was initially assigned to Stephanie Gingerich who is AWESOME, but then a few weeks back (when I realized I'd miscalculated the first day of my last period by a week), they reassigned me to Katie, a new midwife who I will be meeting at my next appt, since Steph will be on vacation on my revised estimated due date.

I'm sooooo happy to be taking the midwife route for this pregnancy! Don't get me wrong - I did have a generally positive experience with my OBGYN last time, but the philosophy and standard of care offered by midwives just resonates so much more soundly with me. Midwives place greater emphasis on birth being a natural, healthy event (as opposed to a "medical situation") and foster informed choice for the mother, which I *heart*! For example, I was 9 days overdue with S. Thankfully I went into labour on my own, otherwise I was scheduled for an induction the very next day - something I really wanted to avoid, but I felt powerless against going the OBGYN route. I asked my midwife specifically about this, and she reassured me that while induction might be recommended at a certain point, it certainly wouldn't be forced, and more gentle methods would be suggested first prior to resorting to the more aggressive approaches (cervidil & pitocin, specifically) that the hospital regularly administers. We're also considering a home birth; I pretty much burst into tears every time I watch a video or read a story of a home birth as it's such a gentle, loving way to bring a new life into the world!

So what else? Well, next midwife appointment is on July 12th, then we're off for a week of cottage-y g00dness, then back to find out whether S will have a brother or sister on July 25th! (Yup, I'll share. ;)

How many of my readers are pregnant right now? How far along? How are things going for you?

Wordless Wednesday: Mommy Snuggles!

A rare photo of a not-so-rare moment. Love this one!

KinderGlo Night Light: Review & Giveaway! (Closed)

Our 18-month-old daughter S has long mastered the "fine art" of sleeping through the night, however sometimes it takes her a little while to settle down in her crib. We often hear her talking to herself, singing and sometimes crying a little bit before she drifts off to dreamland, and this can can go on for 30 minutes or longer. To help her transition, we started giving her a few "stuffies" and a plush sound machine to play with in bed (once she was no longer at risk of SIDS). However, with all the lights off she couldn't really see all her little friends! Due to this, we ended up buying her a plug-in night light which fascinated her greatly, but also frustrated her since it was all the way across the room and she couldn't explore it directly. Another issue was that it stayed on indefinitely so we had to remind ourselves to shut it off once she was asleep so we didn't waste unnecessary power.

When I discovered the company KinderGlo and its line of portable LED night lights, I knew I'd found the perfect pre-bedtime lighting solution for our daughter! 

KinderGlo night lights are designed to be played with and snuggled by your little one directly. They never overheat, they're made of soft and durable, BPA and lead free material and they hold a battery charge lasting 8-10 hours. Each one is equipped with four different colour modes (solid blue, green, red and a rotating colour spectrum) and two power settings (stay on mode, and 30 minute "gradual fade") mode. Both of these settings are easily controlled via a single button at the bottom of the unit. The KinderGlo is super-easy to charge - just plug in the charging base and set the unit on top. And, to top it all off, it's available in the most adorable selection of characters!

 

Take a look at the following video for more product information on the KinderGlo, as well as some cute clips of toddlers enjoying their li'l glowing pals!

The company offered me the opportunity to review a KinderGlo portable night light of my choice. Naturally, I let my daughter choose, and she pointed at the elephant with a big grin on her face. ("Guess she's over the Hickory Dickory Dock incident!" I noted.)

Here's a product photo showing the elephant in its charging base.

And here's the actual night light and charging base that we received. Nice & simple!

The KinderGlo comes fully charged, so we were able to get "testing" right away.

It was love at first sight for our daughter! S was immediately transfixed by the colours and wanted to snuggle and kiss her new "Elphie"!

She quickly learned how to change the colour modes via the button at the bottom of the light. I like how the same button controls the stay-on vs. fade off setting but requires a 3-second press. Both a simple approach, and effective at allowing little hands to control the "fun" colour setting, but making it more difficult to activate the other one, which most parents would probably prefer to keep control over!

The product video mentions that the KinderGlo is tough enough to withstand teething and slobbering. Snotty noses too, apparently! :)

Elphie has definitely made a welcome addition to S' crib ensemble. When I peek in on her just before she nods off or when she's beginning to stir in the morning, I often catch her snuggling her glowing pal or changing the colour mode. Though sometimes she prefers to play "toss Elphie out of the crib" - usually when she's a little on the crabby side and wants to get Mommy or Daddy's attention! (Evidently she's learned that her elephant makes a much louder thump than her stuffies in this scenario!) I'd be a little concerned by this if the KinderGlo weren't so durable; clearly (in addition to saliva and boogies) it can handle prototypical toddler abuse as well!

So far, Elphie has stayed with S in her bedroom (aside from a trip to Gramma's for a sleepover) however I can definitely see bringing the light on a long car ride for a little extra entertainment and comfort, and I like the concept of it being a portable travel night light for potty-trained toddlers and preschoolers heading out on a late night bathroom trip.

As for battery life, I was super impressed by how long the KinderGlo's first charge lasted. We got over 2 weeks of regular use before the light started to fade! When it does need a charge, the process is indeed as simple as advertised. That said, I did find a few details on this missing from the instructional booklet (which is otherwise clear and comprehensive), so my PR contact filled in the blanks. It takes 4-10 hours to charge fully (depending on the starting battery life) and the light turns from red to green when fully charged. Periodically letting the battery drain fully is recommended as well to extend its life. Since other parents might have the same questions, I recommend that the company adds these details into the booklet and on their website.

We've run into one minor snag with the KinderGlo so far. When the battery life was getting low, it got stuck in a state with the light on, and the button had no effect. According to the instructions, this is known but rare behaviour, and inserting a paper clip through the pin hole at the bottom is advised to reset the device. Thankfully this worked for us, and following another charge Elphie was back to her old self. When I let my PR contact know this happened, she was apologetic and even offered to replace the light if it continues to happen for us! Clearly this is a company which takes pride in their products, and strives to ensure their customers are 100% satisfied. Now that's what I like to see!

All in all, I think the KinderGlo portable night light is a wonderful product. It is fun, versatile, cuddly, cute and practical, and completely safe for babies and young children. Two thumbs up from this mama!


Buy It:

To purchase a KinderGlo portable night light for your own sweet li'l monkey, you can choose your favourite (or better yet, let the little one pick!) directly from the KinderGlo store, or visit their Where to Buy page to find an online or local retailer.

Bonus: KinderGlo has generously offered M2M readers a discount code worth $5 off each night light ordered from their web store! To redeem, enter HES6HKNHCA2J as your coupon code at checkout!


Win It:

One lucky Manager to Mom reader will win a KinderGlo portable night light of their own! Winner selects style.

To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Comments do not count as entries, however feel free to add a comment to remind yourself that you entered! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure:  The prize is being provided and shipped to the winner by Blue Moon Lites Incorporated.  I received no financial compensation for writing my review or offering this giveaway, although I did receive the sample item free of charge.  This is my completely honest opinion above and may be different from yours.

The DivaCup Review & Giveaway! (Closed)

Along with cloth diapering, eco-friendly cleaning and healthier, more sustainable food choices, another "green" step I've been eager to take is switching to a reusable solution for my period. I first discovered there were many alternatives to throwaway pads and tampons early last year when I began entering blog giveaways, and I was certainly interested in giving 'em all a try! And then came The Tale of the Moldy Tampon - even further incentive that it was time to ditch those disposables. (Yuck!!)

One of the products I came across that I was most intrigued about was The DivaCup. Simply put, it's a reusable silicone cup which is worn inside the vagina during a woman's menstrual cycle to collect fluid. Various other brands offer a similar product, however The DivaCup appears to be among the most popular and well-reviewed, plus it's made right here in Canada! Since first discovering The DivaCup, I've learned that several people I know personally (my naturopath and a coworker, to name a couple) use the product and LOVE it!

As it turned out, I had to wait awhile to try one out for myself as dear ol' AF decided to delay her return until over 13 months after our daughter was born. When she finally announced her arrival earlier this year, I wasted no time contacting the folks at The DivaCup to see if they'd be interested in partnering on a review/giveaway. Lo and behold, they were. Yay!!!

Before I get into my own experiences with the DivaCup, let's look at some product details.

First of all, the DivaCup comes in two sizes. Size 1 is for women under 30 years old and who have never given birth, and Size 2 is for women over 30 years old and/or who have given birth. Model 2 is slightly larger in diameter than Model 1, though both are approximately the same length.

The cup comes with a handy little drawstring storage bag, keeping it clean & dry between uses.

When inserted properly, the DivaCup cannot be felt and can safely be worn for up to 12 hours (including overnight) for a completely leak-free experience. It is worn low in the vagina (not near the cervix) so it is easy to remove. Finally, it is made from durable top quality, healthcare-grade silicone that is free of latex, plastic and BPA. More information can be found on the Product Features and comprehensive FAQs section of the DivaCup website.

All that sounds pretty good in theory, right? So the big question - how did everything work out when put to the test?

Admittedly, I was a bit nervous at first. I'd read a few reviews and forum posts from women who'd had some difficulties, at least getting used to things initially. And lemme tell you, I'm not the most physically adept person myself. Given all this, I was pleasantly surprised to discovered that my own learning curve wasn't steep at all!

To keep things organized, I'm going to break down my experiences (and the review in general) into four sections: Insertion, Wear, Removal and Cleaning/Maintenance.

*********************************************************

Insertion

My first thought upon studying the cup was "How the heck am I supposed to get this thing in?" It's not the tiniest li'l doohickey, after all. (Note - I received a Size 2 given I'm a mama and, yup, the other "condition" is true too! :)

Thankfully, the product directions (which are quite clear and easy-to-follow) quickly solved this "mystery". You first pinch the cup into a u-shape which makes the whole thing narrower and more solid.

As you insert the pinched cup, you rotate it at the same time which causes it to unfold and maneuver itself into the right spot. You continue to insert until the cup has fully reopened, the "stem" is at (or just inside) your vaginal opening and you can't really feel anything. All in all, I was happy to find the insertion process quite easy, and I was readily able to gauge when the cup was in the right spot.

Wear

The DivaCup is, indeed, very comfortable to wear when it is properly in place. Physically, it's not really noticeable at all, though doing a kegel makes you go, oh yeah, there is something in there. :) I did find I was quite mentally aware of it the first few times I wore it, but that's probably expected because, well, I had something new hangin' out within a very sensitive bodily area! But this awareness lessened with each subsequent usage.

Apparently the length of the stem can result in a little discomfort for some women, in which case the stem can be trimmed down. I didn't find this myself, however.

As for performance, I'm happy to report no leaks so far! Granted the longest I've worn it was about 8 hours and I have yet to wear it overnight, however I don't see wearing it those extra few hours being a cause for concern, at least not for most women. The cup holds 1 ounce of fluid, and evidently the average woman flows only about 3-4 ounces during her entire cycle. My own flow is probably on the low-ish side, which was echoed by the amount I'd find in the cup upon removal - always well below the half way mark. As for activity level, while I can't vouch for its performance during scuba diving or extreme sports, The DivaCup did stay in place just fine during mild to moderate activities such as walking and household chores.

Note that while my cup didn't leak per se, I did find that a tiny amount of fluid would sometimes sneak downward, presumably because it was kicking around below the inserted cup. Given this, I did feel a little more comfortable wearing a pantyliner during the heaviest parts of my period. This will likely be something that improves as I continue getting used to the product, however.

Removal

Of all the stages, I'd say I find removal the most awkward. While it's not incredibly difficult or messy per se, it does take a little getting used to. First of all, the inclination is to pull the stem, however this isn't effective. You need to grab the base of the cup, pinch it and wiggle it a little to break the suction before the whole thing can be pulled out. I found this part a tad uncomfortable at first, but it got easier with each subsequent attempt. Second, as you're guiding it out you need to be careful to keep it upright so the fluid stays inside. Again, not an arduous task but something which requires a bit more focus than removing an absorbent device (i.e. a tampon).

Cleaning/Maintenance

This part is super-easy! To reuse, simply dump existing fluid down the toilet, wash with a natural, non-fragrance soap, rinse and you're good to go! DivaCup sells a product called The DivaWash for this purpose, however I didn't have this myself so I decided to use my daughter's body wash which appears to be working well. I've read some comments that the holes just under the rim of the cup can get clogged quite easily so special attention needs to be paid to these, however I haven't noticed a problem with this myself yet. In the event they do become clogged, a procedure for dislodging the residue is described within the Cleaning and Care section of the product's FAQs page.

While I haven't run into the following scenario, I could see the cleaning process becoming a bit awkward if a change was required in a non-empty public bathroom. I mean, most women would probably rather not deal with those inevitable curious/odd glances, though some might look at is as an educational opportunity. (I'd fall into the former group myself most often, though might dabble in the latter when feeling particularly peppy. :) In any case, carrying a small container of natural wash is a good idea for those occasions when you do need to do a public change, so that you're not forced to choose between the always-questionable bathroom soap and a water-only cleanse.

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All in all, based on my limited experience so far, I am definitely pleased with The DivaCup. I have found that it performs well, is easy to care for and the learning curve was surprisingly gentle. And it's great knowing that I'm no longer exposing myself to potentially dangerous chemicals and throwing out unnecessary waste with every change.  I'll definitely continue using this as my go-to "monthly solution" and will recommend it to other women looking for an alternative to 'sposies.

Before closing things out, a few comments on cost savings. The DivaCup retails for about $39.99, and the manufacturer's suggestion is to replace it once/year given it is a personal hygience product. Prior to The DivaCup, I'd estimate I was spending $6-7/month on disposable products, or around $80/year. So assuming I do replace it every year, I'm already cutting my costs in this area by close to 50%. That said, given the replacement guidelines are fairly conservative, my guess is that with proper care and maintenance, I could reuse the same cup for 1.5-2 years or longer, in which case costs savings increase up to 75% (or more). That's pretty sweet, as I'd consider saving $$ a fringe benefit on top of the more pertinent health and environmental benefits inherent in making this switch. The DivaCup website actually suggests that the average woman spends closer to $150-200/year on disposable products, which could again reflect that my own flow is lower than average (and/or that I do a particularly good job of sourcing out bargains ;). In any case, however you slice it you're definitely going to save money making this switch!


Buy It:

To purchase a DivaCup of your own, visit the "Buy Now" section of their website where you can view a list of online retailers and find a store in your area.


Win It:

One lucky Manager to Mom reader will win a DivaCup + storage bag of their own! Winner selects size.

To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Comments do not count as entries, however feel free to add a comment to remind yourself that you entered! 


a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclosure:  The prize is being provided and shipped to the winner by Diva International.  I received no financial compensation for writing my review or offering this giveaway, although I did receive the sample item free of charge.  This is my completely honest opinion above and may be different from yours.

Swaddlebees Simplex 2.0 Diaper from Kissed by the Moon: Review & Giveaway! (Closed)

Kissed by the Moon is an online cloth diaper and natural parenting store based in Elk Grove, California. I was first introduced to this store earlier this year, when the owner Tami contacted me regarding a possible blog review/giveaway. Upon visiting the website, I was immediately impressed; in addition to featuring 20-30 premium cloth diapering brands (including AppleCheeks, Bummis and Thirsties, to name just a few), KbtM also offers previously loved diapers and a unique diaper rental program. To round things out, the store carries a selection of other products including Boba carriers & wraps, Planetwise snack and lunch bags and BabyLegs legwarmers. And if all that weren't enough, KbtM boasts an affiliate program, "Kissed Cash" rewards, a Gift Registry and free shipping on all orders within the United States. Whew!!!

I'm also a big fan of the site's organization - you can browse for items by manufacturer, product or price, or do a general search. Search results come up as you type, including customer ratings, which is super-helpful.

Tami offered me the opportunity to review a diaper of my choice, which made for a challenging decision indeed! I ended up choosing the Swaddlebees Simplex 2.0 sized AIO diaper for a few reasons:
1) I already own another Swaddlebees product - the EcoNappi - and love it
2) The Simplex 2.0 has a totally unique design that I was curious to try
3) The print selection is ridiculously adorable. And I'm a sucker for ridiculously adorable prints. *nods*

From the product description:

A unique all-in-one diaper design that combines the convenience of an all-in-one diaper while providing the absorbency adjustability of a pocket diaper.

It is made with a waterproof outer layer and 11 layers of 100% cotton birdseye fabric in the wet zone.

The diaper has pocket openings on both ends that allows you to increase the diaper's absorbency by adding extra inserts. This also enables any extra stuffed-in doubler or insert to agitate itself out in the wash. Half of the soaker pad is attached, while the other half also comes out through one of the pocket openings during the washing cycle. The result is a diaper that is thoroughly cleaned inside out and dries fast-either in the dryer or on the line.


(Approximate) sizing is as follows:

	SMALL	MEDIUM	LARGE
Waist	9" - 17"	11" - 20"	13" - 22"
Thighs	6" - 11"	8" - 13"	9" - 15"
Rise	14"	16"	18'
Weight	8-16 lb	12-25 lb	22-35 lb

Tami sent me a medium Swaddlebees Simplex 2.0 in the Monkeys print. Here it is!

The Simplex 2.0 is a "tongue-style" AIO; here you can see the absorbent tongue extended out and placed in "all in two" mode on top of the inner (respectively).

The diaper has a large pocket which can be used to house the absorbent tongue in pocket mode, or an insert/doubler for added absorbency.

Both the legs and back of the waist have strong and stretchy elastic. The front waist isn't elasticized.

One of the most unique aspects of this diaper is the side snap design. Rather than wrapping the back tabs over the front of the diaper and snapping in the middle (which is standard), with this diaper you wrap the front over the back tabs and secure at the sides, using one of four waist snap settings.

Neat, huh?

Before prepping the diaper, I was a bit put off by the "bunchiness" of the inner. It seemed like there was way too much inner material kicking around. Plus, the texture of the material was pretty rough - definitely not the buttery softness I've grown to expect from new fluff! But then I thought hey - the inner's made of 100% cotton. Wouldn't it behave similar to a prefold, shrinking upon prep and softening more and more with each wash? Happily, I was right! Here's a comparison of the diaper pre-prep and following about 8 washes:

Sadly, diaper changes have become somewhat of a chore with our 17 1/2 month old daughter as she does not want to lie (nor sit) still for the process, plus we've been "spoiling" her with a lot of bare bum time these days since introducing her to a potty. That said, she was actually fascinated by the monkey diaper when I unveiled it for the first time, and allowed me to snap her into it rather painlessly. And then, bless her li'l heart, she went & grabbed her own monkey! Ahhhhhh. :D

S was about 20-21 lbs here, so closer to the upper than the lower recommended weight limit, but still well within the range.

The diaper creates a smooth, trim fit which is flattering from all angles - front:

Back:

And side:

Notice that she's on the second tightest snap setting despite being on the upper end of the weight range, as she's a skinny minny.

The waist and leg elastics fit nice & snug. Arguably a tad too snug, though S didn't seem to mind this.

Overall, the diaper moves really well on her and we have yet to see any wing droop. Aside from looking cute, this appears to be another benefit of the side snaps!

Performance-wise, the Simplex 2.0 has been a winner. We've had perfect leak-free performance so far during both day use (7-8 occasions) and overight use (1 occasion, stuffed with a hemp insert). She pooped a couple times in the diaper and there were no concerns with containment either.

As for ease of use, the side snaps do take some getting used to, and are a bit tougher overall to secure than front snaps. I don't really mind them myself but my husband has professed that he isn't a fan. Caring for the diaper's pretty easy - just a single laundry cycle to prep, and wash & dry following your normal routine. Though you might want to prep a couple times to soften it (and get the material to shrink) which should be comfier for your little one, and probably result in a more absorbent dipe right off the bat.

Let's do our official evaluation, shall we?

Appearance/Style:
+ Super-trim fit
+ Side snaps create a unique and stylish look
+ Comes in the most ridiculously cute 'n' awesome set of patterns
+ Diaper moves well with baby; no wing droop or any other shifting
- Only a single solid colour available (white), so not a lot of options for matching with a "busier" outfit.
Score: 4.5/5

Performance:
+ Perfect performance so far - no leaks during daytime usage (7-8 occasions; no extra insert) nor overnight usage (single attempt; extra hemp insert)
+ Diaper achieves a snug tummy and leg fit
+ No problem containing solid messes. (Note - did not test with EBF poop.)
+ Diaper moves well with baby; no wing droop or any other shifting 
+ Side snaps are harder than front snaps for little hands to pull apart
Score: 5/5

Comfort & Health:
+ Diaper does not appear to cause/exacerbate diaper rash
+ Inner and insert material are made of cotton which is more breathable than a synthetic material like microfibre.
+ No buttons against baby's skin
+ Side flaps are nice & stretchy
+ Sized system, so no extra bulk due to rise or side adjustment settings.
+/- Inner material & insert are bunchy and a bit rough to the touch at first, but continuously smooth and soften with repeated laundering, similar to prefolds. 
- Moisture does not wick away from baby's skin; would need to use a liner to achieve this
- Waist and leg material feel a bit too tight (and not super stretchy)
Score: 4/5

Ease of Use:
+ Diaper is an AIO, so no stuffing or other prep required (for regular use)
+ Tongue-flap style allows diaper to dry quickly
+ Pocket provides flexibility; can stuff with an extra insert for night usage, or can stuff tongue flag insert into pocket if you prefer
+ Snaps are solid but not too tight
+ Double-opening pocket designed to agitate out its contents (tongue flap insert or double) on its own
+/- Diaper is pretty easy to care for. Only needs a single cycle to prep and can be machine washed and either machine or air dried. Spray down can be a little messier than average due to the bunchy material.
- Side location of snaps makes them more difficult to secure than the more standard front snaps 
- Pocket feels on the narrow side so can be a bit tricky to get insert to sit flat
Score: 3/5

Quality & Durability:
+ Overall, construction of diaper feels solid; snaps are strong & secure and elastics are tight & solid
+ Diaper outer looks & feels like new after several washings; inner actually continues to get softer and smoother!
- Noticed a few loose strands sticking out in various spots, though they don't appear to compromise the diaper's foundation.
Score: 4/5 
(Note - given I have only been using this diaper for a few weeks, I plan to update this section a few months down the road to get a true durability picture!)

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Total "Diaper Awesomeness" Score: 20.5 / 25 (Great diaper. Highly recommended.)
Overall Comments: The Swaddlebees Simplex 2.0 is a well-performing, trim, unique-looking sized AIO/pocket diaper which comes in the sweetest selection of prints! It's quite easy to prep and care for as well. Similar to a prefold, the cotton inner is a bit rough and bunchy at first, but continues to soften and smooth out with repeated launderings. I did notice some loose strands on my diaper, though this may have been a one-off and doesn't appear to affect the diaper's foundation. The side snaps are also a little more challenging to secure than standard front snaps, and the pocket's on the tight side. All in all, I do recommend trying this diaper, especially if you're looking to up the utter cuteness factor of your stash. :)

Approximate Stash Cost: $1364+
Calculation details: Assuming you would want 24 diapers within each size range (S, M, L), you're looking at $1364 for a full stash, plus the cost of any inserts/doublers for night diapering. So this is a pricier than average system to purchase in full, but on the flipside each diaper would be used less over the course of diapering a single child, so the full stash would be in better condition for use with another child, and/or would have better resale value than an OS system.

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Buy It:

Visit Kissed by the Moon to purchase some Swaddlebees Simplex 2.0 diapers of your own, and don't forget to check out all the other great merchandise while you're there! Shipping is free within the United States. International shipping is available as well (except for Rumparooz, Cotton Babies and GroVia products which cannot be shipped outside of the United States).

Note: Swaddlebees stock is currently low (because the products are so awesome, of course! ;) however Tami expects a new shipment early the week of May 21st. So hang tight!!


Win It:

One lucky Manager to Mom reader will win a Swaddlebees Simplex 2.0 diaper of their own, from Kissed by the Moon! Winner chooses size and style.

To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Comments do not count as entries, however feel free to add a comment to remind yourself that you entered!