Note: Review made at the time was without the use of diaper creams.
The Bumwear One Size Pocket Diapers is produced by Rita at Bumwear. It is a Singaporean product that started off from way before 2005. Apart from its one sized pocket diaper, Bumwear also stocks fitted pockets, fitter diapers, diaper covers, prefolds and training pants together with accessories like wetbags or pail liners as well as items like pantyliners!
Each Bumwear diaper is made up of the waterproof (PUL) layer which is either available in solid or print fabric (the print fabrics are handpainted batik fabrics whereby some designs are from Rita’s children!) and an inner fleece layer which is buttery soft to the touch.
Diaper covers are sold separately from its inserts but Bumwear offers interesting packages that bundles at least two inserts per cover. For more on the design, features and look of the diaper, do refer to Happy Heinys’ website here.
Style
One size pocket and comes in snaps
Cost
I bought this in M’sia as part of a package but in Singapore, it costs around $27 for the shell and $7 for each insert. You can save up to 13% if you take up their diaper packages which start off with a 4-diaper pack going all the way up to a 15-diaper pack.
Accessories & additionals
Their inserts comes in the usual microfiber which is 3 layered to ensure maximum absorbancy while retaining its softness – great comfort for babies!
Care info
All Bumwear diapers and inserts must be washed at least THRICE before the first use with 1/2 to 1/4 of the recommended amount of additive free detergent (no enzymes, phosphates, softeners, bleach and optical whitening agents). The amount depends on the load of your wash. After each use, knock off poo solids into the toilet, remove the inserts, fasten the laundry tabs and place in a wet/dry pail (depends on your system) until washing day.
Bumwear recommends that you use Country Save detergent or cheap store bought powder detergent – the cheaper the better as additives, and other ingredients cost money to incorporate into a detergent. No Dynamo and no baby detergent!
Bumwear also recommends that you do not wash on HOT or HIGH heat as this could destroy the waterproof (PUL) layer and to ensure maximum absorbancy, no diaper or barrier creams. Nappy liners are a must if you really need to use creams as they will prevent the cream from getting onto the fleece layer of the shell.
Verdict
General
Despite people’s reservations about a locally made brand, this diaper which has been in the scene for a while is a good buy for those on a budget. Its application is slightly different from other brands as it only has of snaps in the front. Rita recommends that you start your babies on the one size diaper only when they are above 5 kg for a better fit. Colour- and print-choice wise, this is one brand which has them all although the prints are not your typical commercial spots or flowers type. I actually fell in love with a number of its prints and solid colours.
Its inner fleece layer, taunted to be stay-dry and non-staining, really lives up to its name. Despite after being on Eva for four hours and the insert soaked with pee, the fleece was dry to the touch. As for the poop stains, there weren’t any at all after washing. This is very unusual as other brands do end up with mild staining which requires me to give them the sun treatment.
Application (stuffing/removal, use, fit and bulk)
The initial start was a little confusing as its snap application design differs from the other brands that I’m currently using on Eva. But after we got that underway, it fitted Eva well without being too tight, roomy or bulky. The inserts were trim – I used two – and it was easy to stuff the pockets without having to worry about spills and such.
What I love about it was the fact that the inserts were barely damp after four hours and the inner fleece was super dry! All this means is that there is more room for more to absorb, no?
Washing & drying
Just remove the inserts from the shell and dump them into a pail – if you’re using a dry pail system – until washing day. Then just dump them in – no snaps or aplix to fasten! Also, it takes a night for them to dry and in the sun, less than a day!
What’s next?
If I hadn’t filled up my quota for diapers, this would definitely be on my to-order more list! The price, the materials, the convenience, etc…
December 21st, 2009 at 9:15 pm
Hi Mabel,
How many bumwear does Eva use each day? I’ve used to solely using bumwear on my boy but though it keep him dry on the outside but not on the inside and i noticed he hv diaper rash if i dun change him often. So i make it a point to change him after every feed. But still at times, he seem to develop diaper rash. And also, if i dun change him often, his urine tends to hv a more distinctive smell.
Now i am using disposable diaper cos i dun need to change him as often. At time it can last up to 10 hrs, helps me to lessen the load esp when my hubby is away.
Mabel Reply:
December 22nd, 2009 at 4:34 pm
I usually change her after every 3-4 hours. She cycles through about six diapers a day and washing is done every two days. I used disposables on her when she was younger like in her first two months because she pooped almost after every feed and it was really money flowing out the window so we made a switch to recyclables. I only use one disposable a day and that’s from midnight till 530am. Even then I’ll be phasing that one out and replacing it with a recyclable diaper soon.
I read that it’s best to change them often especially when they are young to avoid diaper rash especially if they are on disposables – after all, it’s like letting your baby sit in their waste for hours on end; not very comfy. :P
Btw, are you in SG? Oh, forgive me if you mentioned it before but how old is your little one?
December 22nd, 2009 at 11:53 pm
My son is 2 mths 3 wks old.. growing like a weed. He and Eva looks quite alike jus Eva looks more ger ger and he more boi boi. Heee…
I calculate each of my diaper cost S$0.133.. and i usually use 2-3 diaper per day. Usually my son tends to poo everyday and at times i will change his overnight diaper and put on bumwear and nappy liner.. i figure i might use approx. $15 on diapers. Do u think by using bumwear really saves $$. Cos water & electricity also cost $$ and if u calculate it in, it probably plus minus around the same.
I live in SG. Maybe we can catch up over coffee one of these day. Heee…
Mabel Reply:
December 23rd, 2009 at 8:51 am
LOL…you’re one of the few people who say that Eva looks like a girl. Everyone I meet thinks that she’s a boy! =.=
Cost wise, I discussed this with another reader over in another post. For me, each disposable diaper costs me about 15-20 cents as I change her very frequently – about 7-8 pieces a day. After doing the math and including the cost it takes to manufacture disposables – the bleaching, and so forth – as well as the clean-up (where all the disposable goes after we trash it), it’s actually cheaper to get recyclables and wash them. I don’t use a lot of detergent – a 1 plus liter of detergent can last me for nearly 3 months – water and electricity. In fact, just the other day, my bill came and it dropped!!!! I’m spending only half of the national average for water, and gas and about 2/3 of the national average for electricity. Also, because CDs require a different detergent for care, most people end up getting environment friendly detergent.
In the long run, with good care, I can use her diapers until she about 2 years old or potty trained which means that I can save up to $2000 on diapers alone! Plus if I have another kid and they are still in great shape, I can reuse them on my 2nd one which means no to little added “capital”. Even Nil who is the ultra thrifty, sceptical and calculative type (he’s an engineer so it comes with the territory) was immediately sold – I didn’t even have to pull out a calculator!
Rita over at Bumwear has put out a rough cost sheet over on her site here – http://www.bumwear.com/shopping/clothdiaper/pages/dollars.htm while Whoopiekids has a calculation here as well – http://www.whoopeekiddies.com/store/index.php?main_page=page_3#dpwhycloth
For me, the system works – I think it’s probaby cheaper for you to use dips because you’re not changing your boy frequently. :P I can’t – need to change her every three-four hours otherwise she’ll start fussing. :P
Yeah, we could catch up on coffee – with our kids on the side watching on. LOL! (But after the New Years, la…holiday first!)
December 27th, 2009 at 10:20 pm
Hi Mabel, this is MieVee (previously Mummy to Baby V) from MummySG forum dropping by your blog.
Very detailed review of Bumwear. This is one cloth diaper I’ve yet to try, cos of mixed reviews. Glad that it works for your girl.
To Diana: changing diapers frequently is important for both disposables and cloth because sitting on pee is very unhealthy for baby’s skin. It doesn’t matter whether the diaper is soaked or not, I’ll change baby every 3-4 hours. The only exception is his special night-time cloth diaper combo which is breathable yet designed to last 12 hours.
Disposables has chemicals that may harm baby’s skin, so it is even more important for frequent changes to prevent nappy rash.
My blog reviews some cloth diapers too, so feel free to visit. My baby is on cloth round the clock and we love it!
Mabel Reply:
January 3rd, 2010 at 8:17 pm
Thanks! I think it doesn’t suit some because of the style – it’s very different from other cloth diapers but I guess we were lucky in the sense that it worked for us.
Btw, what would you recommend for night-time diapering? Eva is now sleeping through from midnight till 6am and I’d really like to phase out the disposables completely. More inserts or…?
And I’m with you on the disposables – I diapered Eva on disposables for our trip to Bali and by the end of the trip, I was starting to see tiny dots around her butt – and I was changing her around the clock and regularly as well. You could say that I was really glad to return home and back to cloth diapers! :P
December 31st, 2009 at 10:09 pm
Hello Mabel Mummy,
Happy New Year to You & Your Family. May the year of tiger filled with joys & good fortune.
Busy with christmas, now new year…. we shall catch up after all these festive celebration. heee..
Cheerios~
D
January 3rd, 2010 at 10:18 pm
Hi Mabel, for long-hours night-time diapering, besides higher absorbency & water resistance, breathability is also important to ensure baby’s skin remain healthy. The options are mainly zoomed down to fleece or wool as the outer layer.
I prefer fleece since it can be washed in the same manner as other diapers.
Wool can be washed less often but needs to be lanolised once in a while. Some children are also allergic to wool.
From 2-9 months old, my boy was on Drybees Fleece Pocket Diapers. The review is at http://mummysreviews.com/2009/07/21/drybees-fleece-pocket-diapers-night-time-diapering-solution/
As his pee volume has increased with age and he outgrew the Medium Drybees Fleece, I just started a new combination with him. Going to review this soon.