Bumgenius Freetime

I haven't posted for a week or so because I've been spending all my free time feverishly knitting! I started knitting a pair of socks in July, intending to give them to my baby sister who is spending a year in Canada this year. But the socks weren't finished by the time she left! So I created a new deadline - my parents are heading out to visit her on Thursday, so they could take the lovingly knitted socks to her then? Nope. I'm not going to get them done in time. So I'm cutting my losses and getting back to the things I actually need to get done. Like the washing up, admin for events I'm running and blogging!

This is the brilliantly named Bumgenius Freetime. It truly is what it says on the tin. There is no faffing or stuffing with this nappy, it is just ready to go. One of the easiest nappies I've come across.

Bumgenius is a US brand which have a few different styles of nappy, including the Freetime, Elemental and a pocket style. The pocket style is their original and they've been through a few generations. I have tested out all three, but the Freetime is my favourite, so that's what I'll be reviewing today.

You can buy these for £22, or £20 which is preeeeetty pricey, but they are excellent quality and really easy to use.

Here it is. GASP!! Is it a poppered nappy that I actually LIKE?? Yep, it's that good, guys.

It is a birth to potty (8-35lbs), all in one nappy, with 2 microfibre flaps that overlap. These can be 'unflapped' for quicker drying. And this baby is QUICK, you guys. In our (reasonably warm) house, it dries in less than a day, possibly waaaay less, but I haven't checked.

There's those poppers. 2 rows for fastening helps with adjustability, and the 3x3 rise adjusters. Tricky to see with that swirly pattern, sorry.

Here you can see the absorbent flaps overlapped as they are when the nappy is worn. The upper layer of each is a fleecey type material that wicks away moisture. This means that bums stay drier, but as it is on the top of both layers, there's no need to think about which one goes on top - they're identical.

That being said, if you wanted greater absorbency in certain areas (for example, I'm told boys need more absorbency up front), there are fold lines, so you can fold these to put greater oomph where you need it. Smart, huh? The nappy lady has an excellent video that demonstrates this. (Follow the link, then click the 'show video' button under the picture.)

Here is the nappy with the flaps folded out. The bottom of the nappy has another thin layer of absorbency sewn in. This doesn't seem to have a negative effect on the drying time, but it does give an extra boost of protection.

And those flaps are also pockets, which helps to speed up the drying time AND I imagine you could put more inserts in there if you needed it, and they wouldn't shift about.

Seriously. How clever is this nappy?! So very very smart.

The concept behind the name is that you don't need to stuff these nappies. Or spend ages waiting for them to dry. Or even spend a long time putting them on. And that gives you more FREETIME, geddit? 

And it is true. They're the quickest drying, quickest to prep and quickest to put on that I've come across. And that's with my detested poppers. 

Issues:

I don't like poppers. BUT. Those white tab bits? They're stretchy! Which makes fitting these much easier in comparison to other popper fastening nappies.

Overall:

Pros

Fast drying

No stuffing

Reasonable fit

Cute prints, including my absolute fave - the Albert!

Easy to put on

Easy to shift absorbency to where you need it

Cons

Poppers? 

Microfibre only, so less absorbent than bamboo and has the potential to leak if compressed.

In case you weren't clear on this, I really like this nappy. It lives up to the name. It is a shame that it is about double the price that I feel comfortable buying nappies, but on a splurge day this is likely to be one of the ones I would go for. At the moment I only have one, but it is mainly the poppers holding me back from buying more. Is it weird to ask for nappies for Christmas presents...?! ;p