Little Kite Girl's Reviews

Yes, we bottle fed.  No, I don’t want to debate about it.  But what I DO want to talk about is my experience with formula.  We tried a few different kinds during the last year- but it’s important to remember that any formula out there is guaranteed OK for your baby by the FDA or the baby FDA or whoever is out there checking on baby formula.  That means whether you’re using WalMart Brand or Similac- your baby should be getting what they absolutely need from the formula.  Obviously, there is no formula that is as close to breastmilk as it claims to be- it’s impossible to mimic the benefits of milk designed by the mother’s body for the baby’s body.  But we all know that sometimes the ideal situation isn’t possible- and I’m grateful for an available and nutritious alternative to breastmilk.  No guilt.

We started with:

Similac.  Becuase they sent us some formula in the mail before Camper was even born.  And beacause you can buy it at Costco.  We eventually switched from the regular newborn formula to Similac Sensitive because Camper had GERD.  It helped, he liked it.  I liked the container, it smelled fine and shook up well.  I think this is my #1 because of…well…the fact that it didn’t make him smell weird and it didn’t get clumpy at all.  It also comes in travel packets…which looking back…was a waste of money.  But they were cool when we got them!

Good Start Gentle Plus: We used this one for awhile as well.  I liked it just as much as Similac…I just like the Similac container better.  This one had a weird scoop that you had to dig for and then pop out of a plastic thinger.  The formula was just fine.  I’m starting to think this review might be the most boring one I’ve ever written.  Haha.  Really, the formulas are really so close to each other.  This one shook up well, as well.  Smelled fine.  Contained infant nutrition.

Enfamil GentleEase Lipil:  When we first moved out here from Utah we went to the pediatrician and I told her about Gamper’s GERD issues.  She recommended this formula, and then proceeded to give us two cases of it.  I held onto it FOREVER, and only started using it when he was about 8 months old when I realized that it was going to go to waste.  It’s lasted forever.  Honestly, I think this is one of my least favorites just and only because it smells yucky and makes the bottles feel greasy.  Other than that, it was just fine.  We used it as a supplement to his real food, so he was never just on this formula.  Again, perfectly nutritious for what it is.  Just stinky.

and finally…

Target’s Up and Up: Oh yes.  Now that Camper is one and doesn’t NEED formula…I basically use it as a sleepy potion to get him to go back to bed if he wakes up at 4:30 or 5 am.  An akward time for some toast, really.  I also relied on it at night this last week as he had JUST turned a year old, promptly got the flu?teething?cold?agecrisis? and stopped sleeping and eating well.  It’s cheap.  It provides a bit of comfort to a baby that doesn’t need it anymore, and AGAIN, is nutritiously sound.  I’ve never, ever put him to bed with a bottle.  He always eats drinks his bottles on my lap sitting up, and so goes my justification for helping him sleep for a couple more hours in the morning.  I probably just need to suck it up and start my day at 5am so that I can cut out the one last lingery bottle.

Yeah.

So that’s that.  And even as I write it I feel inclined to include this little pearl of wisdom from Dr. Sears on choosing a formula:

Let baby be the judge. With current knowledge, it’s impossible to rate one formula higher than another, and they’re all likely to change with time. While the three main brands seem to be nutritionally similar, it all comes down to which formula works better in your baby’s intestines.

When it comes to bottlefeeding, I have a few soapboxy opinons for ya.

-You can still “nurse” your baby.  You might not be breastfeeding for whatever reason, but you are responding to a need.  Always hold her while she eats, never prop a bottle.  Take the time to have skin to skin contact and remind her that you are there to take care of her needs. ENJOY it.  Enjoy the fact that you can share feeding with other people who love your baby.  Don’t feel guilty, thousands of millions of babies have grown up on formula.  That said, don’t limit yourself.  You can breastfeed AND bottlefeed, or even exclusively breastfeed future babies.  Just do what you can and what you feel you need to, and keep your mind open.

-If your baby cries while eating, talk to the doctor.  We went through weeks of GERD before we finally got medicine.  Camper could have been much happier much sooner.  And so could we.

-No matter what anyone tells you, switching to cow’s milk earlier or starting solids earlier has nothing to do with sleeping well.  Some babies sleep through the night.  Some don’t.  Follow your doctor’s guidelines for your baby and your own instincts, and don’t let anyone pressure you into starting things you don’t want to.  If someone is too persistent, just say, “Thank you for your input, I don’t agree.”  And move on.  Whether it be pressure to try formula (your breast milk is enough) or solid food too early (formula is enough), it mostly likely won’t make any difference at all.  My baby boy was still a short sleeper after we switched to formula and solid foods.  (Notice I said “short sleeper,” not “bad sleeper.” I promise that your newborn waking up every 2 or 3 hours doesn’t mean that he or she has sleep problems.  You might, but he or she is just fine.) If your new baby is waking up a lot, it’s because he is a new baby and he needs you.  It is your job as the person who donated half of the genetic code (in coordination with the person who donated the other half) to take care of the child’s needs.  (The rules still applies to adopted children, as well.)

So that’s it! The end.

The long awaited diaper post.  Well, long awaited for me, anyway.  We’ve been using cloth diapers for about a month? now? maybe? two?  For the record, I didn’t start until just before Camper’s first birthday.  My review is therefore a bit skewed…because although I think I could really get into the whole prefold diaper thing with a less mobile baby…his age and wiggliness means that I kind just skipped those.  I just moved onto to AIO’s and fitteds.  I also tried a very limited selection and just hoped they worked.  I didn’t have a lot of time or money to try out different systems.  I got lucky with some advice from friends, help from (and free shipping from!) momsmilkboutique.com, and reading reviews on diaperpin.com.  Here are my favorites:

bumGenius Deluxe Bamboo Fitted: If I only owned one kind of diaper- this would be it.  I’m sure that there are other good fitteds, but I love how soft this one is, how easy to get clean, and how well it fits.  I have my 22+ lb. baby in larges- and there are no leaks with room to grow.  I find these so easy to put on, even with the added step of using a cover as well.  My husband prefers these, too.  The only drawback is how long it takes to dry.  I send them through one hot cycle in the dryer and then hang them overnight to get them the rest of the way dry.  But they are worth it because I don’t worry about leaks AT ALL.  EVER.  I’ve never had a blowout of any kind in these diapers…and my kid is a mover. If I had to wear diapers- this is what I would choose.  Yup.

Thirsties Duo Wrap: I like the regular Thirsties as well, but the Duo Wrap is just as great with the added bonus of fitting a wider weight range in one cover.  Again, never had a blowout of any kind.  They are comfy and make his butt look cute and fit my kiddo well.  Sometimes he gets red marks where the elastic hits- but it doesn’t seem to bug him.  I would LOVE to try wool soakers, and those Imse Vimse covers are so cute…but starting so late in the game I just wanted to find something that worked well and stick with it.  I own a few Duo Wraps and one or two regular Thirsites covers, and I want for nothing.  Except for maybe a cute pattern.

Natural Baby Dream-Eze All-In-One: I got these AIOs at a recommendation of a friend- and I am very, very pleased with them. They have snaps, and it’s nice not to have to worry about the Velcro in the washer.  They also have flap-like inserts that are connected to the diaper, which makes them wash and dry really easily while still being all one piece.  The colors are cute, I got the biggest size and Camper has tons of room to grow with no leaks or blowouts.  I worry that a really gross poop could work it’s way out of these…but it hasn’t happened yet.  These ones seem to take a bit more pulling/tugging to get into place just right, but it’s not rocket science or anything.  They are really trim and fit well under clothes.

So that’s it.  Those are my favorites.

On to the others.

Thirsties Fab Fitted: I like these, I do.  I just like the bumGenius fitteds more.  These wash up and dry really well, the Velcro is good, the colors are cute.  They are SUPER trim.  Never had a leak or blowout.  The only reason that they come second is because they aren’t made of (I don’t believe) natural fibers.  And because they aren’t quite as soft.  I have a feeling that the people that said they have blowouts in these don’t change their baby’s diaper enough.  A good sturdy diaper.  I got these from a local store, and I’m glad I got to try them out.

Snug to fit: I own one of these.  I picked it up because it was super on sale and I liked the idea.  I’ll stick this one on Camper when he JUST pooped or if we have to leave to go somewhere in an hour or so and I’ll have to change him again anyway.  I’ve never had a leak (I think owing to the Thirsties covers…really) but it gets SO WET.  Like…his skin feels wet.  It’s sad because it does fit SO WELL and never leaves red marks.  A good diaper- but not the best in my opinion.

OTHER STUFF:

Wahmies Pail Liners: I’ve only used Wahmies Pail Liners- and I like them a lot.  I wash them with the diapers and they hold up well.  They’re cute, too. I have two for the pail and two smaller Wahmies wetbags for my diaper bag.  I like that they have a little piece of fabric sewn inside that you can put essential oil on.  Makes the diaper pail smell better, and Tea Tree Oil has some natural antisomethingorother properties that make me feel like the laundry comes out cleaner.  Just two or three drops in each bag keeps the pail smelling better and then leaves the LIGHTEST of scents on the diapers themselves after a wash.

Safety 1st Diaper Pail: I’m not a big Safety 1st fan normally- but this diaper pail is EXACTLY what I needed.  It only fits about two days worth of diapers in it, thus forcing me to wash before I run out.  It sits close to the toilet so that I can change Camper and then dump and flush and stick them right in.  It works well with the Wahmies pail liners.  It’s cheap and clean and easy to wipe down.  Real winner.

Diaper Sprayer:

Some people don’t think these are necessary…but I do.  It was easy to install…it’s great for cleaning the toilet as well…and it means I can spray off gross poops before putting the diapers in the pail.  This means less stink, less staining, and an easier time getting them really, truly clean.  Sometimes I don’t need it, but for those days when I do…I’m glad I have one!

*Wipes: I bought a few bamboo wipes, but honestly…I just use washcloths.  I got out those previously useless baby washcloths, bought a stack of 100% cotton ones from WalMart for $1, threw them in a basket and keep them near the sink.  When it’s time for a wet down, I just use warm water to wash, use a dry one to dry, and throw them into the diaper pail.  Works perfectly.  I wash Camper’s butt every day in the bath with soap- so I don’t worry about soap in between unless things are really sticky.

Confession: I’m Not 100% Cloth.  I often get caught up thinking that I have to be 100% devoted for something to make a difference.  But it’s not true.  I carry disposable baby wipes when we’re out.  I still use Nighttime Huggies for overnight, when I don’t want to worry about wet cloth next to Camper’s skin.  If he were younger and I had to change him more often, I’d probably do cloth overnight because it’s just as easy…but 8 hours in a long time for a cloth diaper.  As he gets older I notice that he’s waking up dry a lot.  I’ll probably go to cloth when that’s more consistent.  But for right now, this system works for us.  And we’re still contributing less trash and wasting less money.  It works for us, so don’t be intimidated by the fact that you might still want to use disposables overnight or send some with your kid to the babysitter.  I figured it out, and even with using 2 overnight diapers a night (we usually only use one) we STILL spend less on diapers with the cloth system.  And I think I have enough wipes to last through two more kids…just because YO…a lot of those things come in a box.

UPDATE: All cloth all the time!  So since I wrote that last post, we actually HAVE gone 100% cloth.  I went into some forums and did some investigation, and found a foolproof nighttime method.  It is the following:

Fitted Diaper (BumGenius Bamboo)

1 Doubler (we use a hemp because that’s what I found on sale.  A prefold will do just fine.)

Fleece Liner.  Put it in between the baby and the diaper and it will keep the baby dry, no matter how wet the diaper and doubler become.

Wool Cover.  Now that Camper is in his diapers for 8-12 hours, I worry about the plastic pants aspect of it all.  So we got a wool cover to allow for breathing, which helps his skin AND the stink issue.  Air is only good.  We got the Imse Vimse Wool cover, and I like it a lot.  Although I covet the Aristocrats Soaker.

So there ya go!  That’s our overnight solution, and aside from being a little bulky (the child still maneuvers fine) it works really well.  I’d totally use the fleece liner for car trips and stuff, too.  For sure.

So that’s it!  Those are my reviews.  Again, I got lucky in that I didn’t HATE anything that I bought.  So I don’t really have any “bad” reviews for you.  But if you’re looking for a few different kinds of natural fiber diapers that fit well, fit for a long time, don’t leak, and wash and dry well…those are my recommendations.

UPDATE: If you want to order from Mom’sMilkBoutique use this link to get there: HERE! and enter this discount code: MMB10.  You’ll get 10% off any FIRST order of $65 or more.