Glow Bug Cloth Diaper Review #gbgreenfam

It's definitely no secret around here that I love cloth diapers, and am very enthusiastic about debunking common stereotypes surrounding them. Yes, there are plenty of false assumptions about cloth, and before I tried them, I had these preconceptions, myself!

We began cloth diapering out of necessity. When our daughter was only 3 months old, we discovered we were pregnant again. Doing the math, we realized that our babies would only be 12 months apart in age. Well, being a one income family, we had to find ways to save money. The first concern was diapering. Can you imagine what it would cost to keep two very different sized babies in disposable diapers? By our calculations, this would cost HUNDREDS of dollars every single month! And this was a cost we certainly couldn't afford without my husband getting a second job, or me finding work at night. Neither idea seemed overly appealing to us, so at the urging of a friend, we began looking into cloth diapering.

I will admit, we were very reluctant at first. I had images of big prefolds, gigantic, sharp diaper pins and squeaky rubber pants running through my mind. I also had the notion that cloth diapering would be messy, hard to get on a squirming baby, and that they would be a nightmare to clean. I imagined that I would be a veritable laundry machine, needing to wash stinky, oozing diapers day and night just to keep up with the demands of two babies. It's safe to say, I was definitely a skeptic.

And then my high school friend came to town with her family. Her two youngest daughters were in cloth at the time, and it was the first time I had actually seen modern cloth. I was amazed at the plush materials, the vibrant, fun colors and prints, and most of all, I was shocked at how EASY they were to put on a baby. Modern cloth diapers were nothing at all like I envisioned them! And this is where my love affair with all things fluff began.

I started doing more research about cloth-diapers, and even got a few to try out, and I quickly learned that everything I had assumed about cloth diapering was outdated and just plain wrong. Is cloth difficult to use? Not at all! Modern Cloth diapers look and act much like their disposable counterparts. They are easy to fasten, even on a wiggling baby, and they are not complicated for the parent to figure out. (Even clumsy husbands!) Are cloth diapers stinky? Well, this is an unfair question, because ALL diapers smell when they're soiled. But I have found that cloth diapers tend to be LESS smelly than disposables, probably due to the fact that they're not full of the chemicals found in disposable diapers that just tend to amplify odors. When switching to cloth, I noticed that my baby smelled like a baby...Not like some off concoction of artificial, perfumey substances mixed with the unmistakeable smell of urine. Yuck! Are cloth diapers hard to clean? Not at all! Sure, it takes some getting used to. Yes, you need to use a cloth-friendly detergent. But once you get a good routine in place, it becomes second nature. And it's only a couple extra loads of laundry per week!

Another important benefit of cloth is that by using cloth diapers, you're doing a big part in helping the planet. Did you know that BILLIONS of disposable diapers are thrown into our already overflowing landfills every year? It can take up to 500 years for these diapers to biodegrade. So when you think of all of the diapers sitting there in landfills, not breaking down, you can see what an impact this has on the environment! Since cloth diapers are reusable, you're doing your part in helping to keep unnecessary waste out of the Earth's landfills. If properly cared for, cloth diapers can last through several babies' diapering careers. Think of the thousands of diapers you could keep out of the landfills by using cloth!

But the thing I love the MOST about cloth is that they're stinkin' cute and my babies love them! With so many vibrant colors and prints and plush fabric options, cloth is a fashion statement in itself. Not to mention, they are much more comfortable for baby. Wouldn't you rather sit on soft, velvety cloth than on scratchy, mushy paper? Guess what? So would your baby! So really, cloth is a no-brainer in my mind. It's more economical, it's better for baby and for the environment, and it's so easy to use. The only downside? It's addicitive! But that's not really a bad thing at all, if you ask me!

I am always on the lookout for awesome cloth-diaper retailers. I recently discovered Glow Bug Cloth Diapers. This company was founded by Sarah and Neta, two amazing mamas. They actually became friends in a prenatal yoga class. Over the course of their pregnancies they became very close friends.  They were thrilled when Sarah's daughter Amelia was born only weeks after Neta’s daughter Ela in 2007.  They  both discovered and enjoyed using cloth diapers on their girls. After the birth of Neta’s son Edder and Sarah's daughter Gloria in 2010, they were both looking for new cloth diapers.  Both women shared the same concerns with the available brands.  All they wanted were good quality, affordable cloth diapers but  were really frustrated that the product they were looking for did not seem to exist.   What better solution to their  dilemma than to start their own company that would sell amazing quality cloth diapers at a great price?

The result? Amazing! Glow Bug Cloth Diapers offer  a ton of great features that make this a goof-proof diaper. From a convenient snap system that allows for error-proof sizing to double leg gussets that keep messes IN the diaper where they belong, this diaper is absolutely wonderful as well as affordable. Glow Bug diapers also have  the convenient feature that you don't have to handle soiled inserts - they come out by themselves in the wash! This diaper also has a snap that secures the insert to the diaper, should you choose to use it. Glow Bug diapers feature an extended sizing range, and truly will fit from birth to potty. The diaper  is designed to for babies from birth to about 35lbs!

Take a look!

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I love ths print! Notice the many sizing options!

The rear of the diaper

Here is the Glow Bug snapped down to a teensy tiny setting, perfect for younger babies. Yep, it gets really small! It almost makes me want to have another baby...Note, I did say almost.

To maximize durability, performance and softness, Glow Bug Cloth Diapers are made of polyester.  These diapers are 100% polyester laminated with polyurethane on the outside and the exclusive SlimDry material is 100% polyester on the inside.  Glow Bug's  inserts are 70% polyester and 30% nylon microfiber.

Notice the double leg gussets. This is a MUST HAVE feature in my opinion. These keep even the most epic of baby explosions IN the diaper where they belong!

MY OPINION:

I tested the Glow Bug on both of my babies. Sophie, my soon to be 3 year old, is 30lbs and Xander, my 20 month old, weighs about 24 lbs. I was able to achieve a perfect fit on both babies with very minimal effort. And the diaper allows for plenty of room to grow! I absolutely love the trim appearance of this diaper, and I also love the fun, fashionable print.

Looks aside, (and yes, looks matter) this diaper is also very effective for both day and nighttime use. I tested it on both kids during the day as well as overnight and had stellar results. Having a boy and a girl, my babies have different wetting patterns. My son tends to wet more towards the front of the diaper while my daughter wets towards the back of the diaper. I actually have noticed that some diapers in my stash are great for one baby but not the other due to this difference. This was not the case with our Glow Bug! This diaper held up beautifully with both of my babies! Even overnight! Of course for overnight use, I double-up on the inserts, since my daughter tends to be a heavy wetter. Better safe than sorry, right? And Xander seems to always wake up poopy. There have been many occasions that I have gone to change him and found a poop explosion that exited his diaper and went down his legs and up his back. Not the most pleasant thing to deal with first thing in the morning if you ask me! The Glow Bug diaper contains these messes perfectly thanks to the double leg gussets. Think of it as a second "wall" that poop has to overcome to make its way outside of the diaper. With 2 barriers in place, the poo doesn't stand a chance! The mess stays inside the diaper where it belongs, and I have a happy baby! Success!

Overall, I love Glow Bug!  I can use this diaper on both of my babies without having to worry about leaks, and I always get a snug fit with no guesswork involved. Since this diaper is so customizable, it will last from birth to potty-training! Add to that the awesome colors and prints, and you have a premium diaper at a fraction of the cost of other diapers. They are sold in bulk packages to keep costs low. You can choose Girl prints, Boy prints, or Neutral prints. Each year, a new set of prints is released, so this is a great way to add the hottest colors and prints yo your stash. Glow Bug Cloth Diapers are an economical choice that offer superior performance. Think of it as being like a fully-loaded car for base model price! This is definitely one of my most versatile diapers in my stash, and a favorite of my husband's because he doesn't have to think too hard when putting it on our babies.

HOW TO CONNECT :

You can check out the awesomeness that is Glow Bug Cloth Diapers on their website.

You can also check them out on Facebook to stay on top of their latest products and promotions!


***Disclosure: I received a product sample from Glow Bug Cloth Diapers to facilitate my review as part of the Green Family Event.***