Sue

I am a huge fan of baby-wearing and used to carry my daughter around in a sling all the time when she was a baby. However, as she got bigger and more wriggly, I found my original ring-sling and wraparound slings just too uncomfortable. I thought that our babywearing days were over, but then I was asked to try the Scootababy Carrier, available from Slumber-Roo. I have had the carrier for two weeks now and have carried my 18 month old daughter nearly every day! It has been great and I am so pleased to have found a comfortable, easy to use carrier that my daughter seems to enjoy using as much as me!

Ease of Use

The Scootbaby is a hip carrier, designed to hold your baby/toddler on your hip, just as you would if you were carrying them by yourself. There is a very comfortable padded hip belt which you fasten into place first. You then hold your baby into place on the carrier on your hip, pull the back up around them and slip the shoulder strap over your head and onto your shoulder. It then has a simple strap which can be pulled with one hand to tighten the carrier and hold your baby in place. It took a couple of attempts to get it right, but I can now put the Scootbaby on in seconds and don’t even think about what I’m doing. I really can’t emphasise enough just how easy the Scootbaby is to put on and adjust. It’s wonderful, and because it’s so quick and easy to use, it’s perfect for quick trips into shops and on the school/nursery run, when you don’t want to spend ages putting a sling on and getting comfortable.

Comfort

The Scootbaby is very comfortable, both for your baby\toddler and for you. I wore it for nearly an hour on several occasions, and it always felt just as comfortable at the end as it did when I first put it on. The hip belt is nicely padded and can be tightened up so that most of your baby’s weight is carried on your hips. The shoulder strap is padded with beautifully soft fleece, and this can be spread out over your shoulder so that the weight is distributed evenly. This supports your baby as they lean back into the carrier, leaving your hands and arm free as you don’t need to support your child.

It also seems to be comfortable for my daughter as she is always happy when I carry her in the Scootababy. I especially like the fact that the Scootababy has a very wide seat for her to sit in, meaning there is no strain on her back.

Appearance

Although baby carriers and slings are all about carrying your baby, no-one can deny that looks are also an important factor! I tested the Wall Street Scootababy design (shown in the main photograph at the top) - a very simple black version with small white flecks on the body of the carrier. It’s very stylish and is one that both men and women will be happy to use, so ideal for dad to help too. There are several other beautiful designs available on the Slumber-Roo website. My favourite is the very funky Picadilly Circus (shown in the photograph right) - absolutely gorgeous!

Portability

The Scootbaby comes in a small, black drawstring bag. Although the carrier is quite substantial, I was pleasantly surprised by how small it was when folded up, and I found it easy to pack it away into it’s bag and keep it in my changing bag / car so that it was always available when I needed it.

Value For Money

The Scootababy costs £66.99, which is slightly more expensive than other slings. However, I do think it is worth the extra money. It is very well made. The baby seat section and straps are beautifully soft and padded, and all the buckles are very substantial - they will certainly last well even if the carrier is worn again and again.

Overall

I have been very impressed with the Scootbaby, so impressed that at the end of the two week product test, I decided to purchase a Scootbaby from Slumber-Roo myself. It is so nice to carry my daughter around next to me when we are walking around, and to chat to her and point things out. She always ‘chats’ back and our walks and shopping trips are so enjoyable.

If you would like to try the Scootababy before you purchase, Slumber-Roo also offer a sling hire service, so you can see just how good it is yourself!

Verdict: 5/5 - a very comfortable, well-made hip carrier

Natalie writes…

I’m a big fan of Ella’s Kitchen, an organic range of baby food that comes in these fab little pouches that you can squeeze the pureed food out of. The food is yummy, wholesome, and made purely of the food so nothing artificial whatsoever has been added.

They were brilliant when we were on the go with the bambino and I’ve missed them since she became too old for them, so of course I was delighted when Ethical Superstore sent me a few smoothies and one of their sauces to try out.

Ella’s Kitchen The Indian One Kids Sauce is a mild korma-style curry sauce which contains organic tomatoes, carots, sweet potatoes, coconut milk, onions, coriander, and dashes of lemon juice, cinnamon, and cumin. It tastes fab! How do I know this? I ate some of the bambino’s food of course! My local Indian takeaway could take a few tips from these guys! This is one of three sauces (there’s Indian, American, and Italian) which you can just squeeze over their food such as rice and pasta plus meat and veg, and voila, their meal has gone to a whole new level. The bambino is going through an awkward dinner phase where she wants food on her terms but once I got a mouthful in, she chomped down the rest! The sauces are £1.59 each

She also tried out their smoothies The Red One and The Green One, which are made up of crushed fruit and nothing else, so they aren’t even diluted with water. The Red One for instance contains strawberries, raspberries, apples, and bananas. The fact that the bambino sees one of these and opens her mouth for me to squeeze some in, is testament to how much she likes them! These are 75p per pouch.

Value for Money - Like most ready made food, if you were to use it day in day out, it would be pretty pricey, however, as organic baby food goes, I think that the range is overall excellent value for money and certainly one of the cheaper options. You can put them in fridge and use within 24-48 hours, depending on which product it is as well.

Overall - I’m still as big a fan of Ella’s Kitchen as ever and I think their sauces are yet another innovative idea because they’re brilliant for when you go travelling or just want to make a meal totally different. They’re Soil Association certified and suitable for vegans so you’ve got peace of mind too.

Major thumbs up from me with a 5/5.

See the range at Ethical Superstore.

I love the idea of baby wearing and I’m the owner of 4 different slings/baby carriers to prove it. Somehow the perfect sling has so far alluded me, so I was keen to try out the Sleepy Nico carrier. For the first 6-8 months of my son’s babyhood, I used a hand me down Mothercare baby carrier which was quite functional, but not what I would have chosen if I had been buying for myself. Once my baby got heavier I found it more difficult to use (even though he was still well under the maximum weight recommended), but my husband persevered for a few months longer. I bought another carrier/sling, but found the instructions too complex. Now we use a Quinny Curbb for going round art galleries, museums, stately homes, etc. and a hand me down basic backpack for country walking. Both work adequately for those needs, but they aren’t very adaptable and are rather bulky. I really missed having a sling I could use on a daily basis, but was worried about wasting money on something else that didn’t really work for me.

Testers: Me, 5ft 7 average build, my man 5ft 9 average build and our 18 month old Mr Active weighing in at a healthy 26 pounds. We used it for about a week both at home and out and about including a weekend trip to London.

Appearance: I tested the Broderie Noire fabric combination which was made of a soft black corduroy with broderie detailing. The detailing is quite low key making this carrier appealing to both mummies and daddies. Bebe Cannelle sell a range of fabric choices of which my personal favourite is the Murmure option, which is stylishly stripy limited edition in cream, moss and chocolate.  Being handmade and ethically produced, the quality shows and I think you could get a lot of wear out of these carriers and they would still look good.

Instructions: Very easy in fact I managed to use it correctly without looking at them first - this was quite a relief as I was a bit apprehensive of having to get my head round some complicated boy scout procedure.

Set up: To carry the baby at the front you simply clip the waistband around you, hold baby facing you and put on arm straps. To finish off you clip the horizontal strap across your back. To carry baby on your back the same process is the same except the you hold the baby in a piggy back position and clip the strap across your chest.

I think it would be easy to use the front position from birth and it would be easy to use the carrier without assistance. Carrying baby on your back is only recommended from 6 months and this could easily be done with help to get the baby in and out. I had no problems getting my 18 month old into it without assistance, but he was able and willing to hold onto my neck while I got the straps sorted. I don’t think I would attempt it with a 6 month old if I was alone and I know that my bambino would not have been happy with the front position when out and about from that age onwards.

There is also a hood designed to stop your baby’s head rolling backwards when asleep which fastens with velcro.  I did try this but found it wasn’t strong enough to support the large head of my 18 month old, but I can imagine it works better for a newborn.

In use: I used the carrier in both positions at home. For part of the week I had a rather clingy teether on my hands and found that short periods of time in the front position helped sooth him. It was particularly useful after he woke from a nap as I carried him around until he had fully come to. If he went to sleep whilst being carried, it was easy to either keep carrying him or take the carrier off without waking him. Cooking was easy with bambino in the back position keeping him safe and allowing me to get on with things.

Back carries were the order of the day when out and about as this gives the baby a better view of the world. Neither of us had any problems carrying our little boy for quite long walks.

The Sleepy Nico is recommended for use up to 3 years of age and we were testing a baby at the half way point, but I feel confident that we could use this carrier for many months to come, especially when you consider that toddlers gain weight relatively slowly.

Any negatives: As I said earlier, I would have doubts about using the back position for a 6 month old unless I had help. Potentially this could mean that you have a gap of some months where you couldn’t fully use the carrier.

I also feel I couldn’t use this as my only baby wearer because I don’t think the baby or toddler can see enough in certain situations. We took our baby round an exhibition and found it difficult to show our son all the things we wanted to.

Price: From £64.99 from Bebe Cannelle.

Overall: A well made comfortable carrier which is very easy to use. Great for travelling as it folds up nicely and is stored in a handy bag. There are also no trailing straps and it is machine washable.

Verdict: 4/5 for very young or older babies and toddlers. 3/5 for babies around the 6-12 month age range.

Rachel writes…

The concept
Imagine a cross between a blanket and a pramsuit, and you’re starting to get your head around the Bug in a Rug. Billed as ‘Australia’s favourite way to wrap a baby’, it’s a hooded blanket with two little feet on the bottom, and wrap-around Velcro sides.

I have to say, I was initially a little bamboozled. When would I use it? What was it for?

In use
Undeterred, I wrapped up the little one in my Bug in a Rug, and we ventured out in the pushchair. Getting your baby in is simplicity itself, especially since the ‘legs’ on the blanket have elasticated ankles so that little wrigglers can’t kick their way out: a nice touch.

Once she was all wrapped up, I realised that the design of the Bug, seemingly so simple, is actually more ingenious than it looks. Because of the legs, and the wrap, you can pick your baby up, strap her in and out of the pushchair or carseat and the blanket stays put. This was reasonably handy as I left the house with a kicking three month old on a day with a nip in the air… but it would have been an absolute gift from god if I’d had a tiny newborn in the winter.

The Bug rates pretty highly on the cuteness factor. Not only is it satisfying to wrap up your bundle of joy in a bundle of fleecy fabric, you can also choose ‘arms in’, or ‘arms out’. My determined finger sucker was very clear that her arms were staying out, thank you very much, but the design means if your baby is smaller, more sleepy, or less opinionated than mine, you can wrap their arms by their sides. This means your baby ends up as a little legged-cocoon of fleecy blanket, upping both cuteness and snuggliness in one smooth move.

The full range
The little one and I tested the ‘Extreme’ Bug in a Rug, which is navy water-resistant fabric on the outside, and coloured fleece on the inside. Although ours was lined with the dreaded baby pink, the hearty outdoorsiness of the navy counterbalances this somewhat, and the product is available lined in mint, white or red if you’ve had it with pastels.

The full range includes the ‘standard’ Bug, without the waterproof outer cover, which comes in a pleasing array of colours. If you get the bug, so to speak, there is even a summer wrap in lighter cotton, or a summer wrap with sun protection. The summer sun wrap comes in plain colours, but also in stripes. They are all are sized as per baby clothes: small (0 – 3 months), medium (3 – 6 months) and large (6 – 12 months).

Out and about
The lightweight ‘polar fleece’ fabric makes this machine washable, and (crucially) quick to dry. It also folds down very small, so is super-transportable. I put it into the basket at the bottom of the pushchair, where it takes up almost no room, and is ready to be whipped out when the British weather turns at a moment’s notice.

So where do I get one?
Available online from Baby Rug, the standard Bug is £21.99, and the Extreme one goes for £27.99, with p&p at £3.95.

Overall
So it’s good value, cosy, and definitely useful. I’ll finish by saying that when we wore it out to baby massage, a complete stranger ran across the room to admire it, and demanded to know where I got it from: probably the best recommendation of all!

4 out of 5

A big welcome to Rachel, our latest addition with a big shopping habit - This was her first post!

Natalie writes

I recently wrote about Cheeky Wipes, a washable wipes system that I’d been sent for review and I’ve finally had a chance to try it out.

Why would you want to try out washable wipes? Well a good incentive is saving around £200 a year which is what they believe you’ll spend on the average baby wipes. It’s also kind to the environment and a gentler on your baby’s bum.

What do you get? Each kit which contains:

25 - soft Terry towelling cloth baby wipes, 15 cm x 15 cm

1 - Fresh baby wipes container

1 - Mucky baby wipes container - with mesh bag insert

1 - Fresh baby wipes waterproof out and about travel bag

1 - Mucky baby wipes waterproof out and about travel bag - with mesh bag insert

1 - 10 ml bottle of Lavender & Chamomile Fresh Baby Wipes Essential Oil Blend

1 - 10 ml bottle of Tea Tree & Tea Tree Lemon Mucky Baby Wipes Essential Oil Blend

How do Cheeky Wipes work?

You fill the fresh wipes container with 2 cm of water and a few drops of the fresh wipes essential oil blend and then pop your towelling cloths in and you’re ready to wipe. Fill up the mucky wipes container with 3 cm of water and the mucky essential oil blend and when you’ve wiped your baby’s bum, put the wipes inside the mesh bag insert so that you don’t have to handle them again. Pop them in the washing machine in the bag by loosening the mesh bag a bit and wash on 40 degrees. Don’t wait for them to dry; take out of the washing machine and put into your fresh wipes container.

Setting Up

It’s all very straight forward because it’s very well labelled with a colour code for fresh and messy. The only thing was that I admittedly spent about 20 mins looking for the ruler that the bambino had been messing with because I admit to being a bit anal retentive about measurements and wanted to ensure I didn’t under or over fill it.

In use
The bambino I think thought she was getting a top and tail so she kept trying to get me to wipe her hands and they smelt great afterwards! Oh and her bum did too. I couldn’t really fault the process. It’s a simple but very much needed idea that even as as the time poor, resistant to too much housework woman that moans about too much laundry can’t really fault. It was a bit whiffy when I took out the messy bag but so is her nappy bin when I empty it. They washed well and smelt great too. I did a couple of outings with the travel bags and even for me it was a doddle. But…I have forgotten them at home quite a few times so I’m not converted on the travel front.

Any negatives
It would be great if there was a marker on the tub but it’s not critical.

Price: £29.95. Prices for refills of the oils start from £4.95

Overall: I’ll continue to use Cheeky Wipes although I still need to use other wipes for when she’s at the childminders and I’m not quite converted to using them when I’m out, but that’s not the wipes, that’s my mush brain and disorganisation. But for at home, I think they’re fabulous!

Rating: 5/5

Buy them direct at Cheeky Wipes.

I have a few eager beaver Bambino Goodie readers trying out possibly the most talked about and in demand nappy rash cream ever, Boudreaux’s Buttpaste, and we’ve finally got our first review of it through and it seems, it more than lives up to the hype! Shame it keeps selling out though…

Suffolk based Zoe Crane is mum to 2 year old Sophie.

Any experience with nappy rash before?

Sophie has had bouts of nappy rash over the last two years, generally when she has been unwelll or when she has been teething. The first tooth that she had coming through caused a very nasty nappy rash that had me trying lots of different ideas from people. Its horrible to see such a sore nappy rash and not know the best way to soothe her skin and make it heal.

She had started getting nappy rash more recently again and we switched to re-useable nappies in the hope that her skin would be able to breathe. It seems to be working, but a week ago she had another bout of nappy rash and so we managed to test the butt paste!

Products tried previously and success:

We initially tried Bepanthen which smelt of a cross between plasters and playdough and I found that it was quite greasy against her skin.

We tried Sudocream and stuck to that for quite a while. It works well and the only negative we found was that you end up with it all over your hands and its then very hard to wash off.

Sudocream is great to use at home but I found it hard to take out and about because of its container. After managing to get the cream all over a set of clothes in the bag I gave up carrying it with me. A friend recommended Lanes tea tree and witch hazel cream. The smell is very strong but not unpleasent and it was the kindest to her skin. A small amount goes a long way and it blends in well and quickly clears the rash. I keep a tube of this in the bag and its been useful for grazes too.

What did you think of Buttpaste smell and feel? Was it easy to apply? What was it like to wash off? Basically your experience of using it.

Buttpaste smells like aniseed or cinamon and feels like a paste. Its beige in colour and very thick. I was worried it was going to be a bit like cement against her skin as I put it on - it didn’t seem to blend in very well but was providing a really good barrier! It was easy to wash from my hands though the smell did take a while to wear off.

The product warns that it can stain clothes so I was a bit worried that it would stain the re-useable. When I changed her nappy the buttpaste had marked the nappy but it washed out without a problem. I felt that it was strange that buttpaste didn’t all soak into the skin but stayed on and was not easy to rub in. I was worried it would be hard to take off again but it wiped off easily.

Most importantly, did it do the trick? Is it really an amazing nappy rash cream?

It did do the trick! This is a very fast acting cream, more so than any of the others we had tried previously. Sophie’s skin was soon back to a lovely smooth bottom and the rash had disappeared. The way it does the job is very good and I would use it without hesitation. The way that it feels and is applied is different to many nappy creams but is easy to get used to!

How to buy? Oh that is the eternal question. The best thing to do is go to the Buttpaste site and send them an email via the contact page which effectively puts you on the waiting list. Each time a batch comes in, they dispatch. They retail for about £4.99 and when they are available, it’s in 2oz or 30g tubes. Failing that, tap us US friends or relatives (you can get them in places like Target), or buy via ebay.

Kat writes…

I have to admit to being skeptical about video baby monitors in general - what’s the point? That’s what I thought before I was offered the opportunity to road test the ADW Digital Baby Camera. Now I am a total convert and don’t want to give the test model back! The ADW stands for Advanced Digital Wireless technology which is what makes this monitor so good.

Appearance: It is simple and functional. I particularly like the fact that the hand held unit is small and so doesn’t take up loads of space or look untidy.

Instructions: Aside from PapaGeek getting confused about a technical term :0) the instructions were straight forward and comprehensive.

Set up: Easy peasy - even I could do it!

In use: Once it is set up you use it just like a normal audio monitor. The benefit is you can see the baby as well as hear them. I have found this especially helpful in a few situations. Restless Napper: I have been looking after a baby who takes a while to settle down for a nap rather than disturb her by peeking round the door I watched on the monitor. Three Storey House: who wants to be up and down the stairs at every peep? Keep a watchful eye on them from afar. Beautiful Baby: is it just me who could spend hours watching them sleep? Although it excels in these situations, I have found it useful in my run of the mill terrace especially now ToddlerGeek is quiet when she wakes up.

This monitor uses wireless technology but is not affected by interference from other devices (phones etc). The picture is sharp and it has a night vision function which has a 5m range - we found this worked very well in our tests. The camera (baby’s end) is just like a webcam so easy to position and move.

Any negatives: It also has a function which enables you to activate music remotely but this didn’t go down well with the babies!

Price: £149.99 from Swann.

Overall: If you want a video monitor this one efficiently delivers everything you need. Both units are compact without compromising quality of sound or picture.

Verdict: 4/5

If you would like to get your hands on one of these babies keep an eye on Bambino Goodies next week. To celebrate the launch of our latest website we will be offering you the chance to win your very own ADW Digital Baby Camera Monitor!

Kat writes…

Little Life provide practical and stylish bambino goodies for the great outdoors. We recently featured their Daysacks (The Bambino and ToddlerGeek have matching ones!) which are super cute and very popular with the toddlers.

I was lucky enough to be able to try one of their travel cots, the Arc-2, and I must say I was impressed. It sleeps children from birth to 3 years, has a super compact lightweight design to make for easy travelling and is fully enclosed with mosquito nets. For me - the Little Life Travel Cot range is the perfect solution to travel cots.

The Testers: This has been tested by several wriggly babies aged 6 - 14 months.

Appearance: The first thing that attracted me to these travel cots was their funky design. As they utilise tent technology, the main poles arc over the body of the cot providing both stability and design. The colours used are neither garish nor dull - I like the blue of the Arc-2.

Instructions: The instructions are comprehensive and easy to follow. You do need to make sure you read the instructions to make sure you get everything in the right order.

Set up: Pretty easy, Ok, I admit I was ‘helping’ from the sidelines. If you have ever put up a dome tent it will give you an idea about how it goes up. A note to users: easier to get up outside rather than in :0) When using it indoors it does need some hefty furniture to anchor it (al fresco this is done with pegs).

In use: We really don’t have enough good things to say about this. There is as much space as you’d expect from a travel cot. It opens at both the top and the side - this is possibly my favourite feature as I hate bending over travel cots. Not only is this brilliant for getting them in and out but it means it can be used as a day tent with the sunshade (sold separately) over the top. The fact that all the openings have mosquito nets makes it great for international travel as well as camping. At 2.5kg it won’t hammer your luggage allowance either.

Friends of ours recently spent several months working abroad and packed an Arc-2 for their, then, six month old bambino. They came back raving about it - the lucky Mama said it was the best piece of baby equipment she has ever bought.

Any negatives: The only negative (and it is minor) is you need a heavy bit of furniture to weight it down indoors.

Price: £53 from the Bambino Goodies Store

Overall: This is a brilliant bit of baby kit - it looks cool and is supremely practical. I think I may be in the market for one myself or maybe the Arc-3 or Arc-4…. 

Verdict: 5/5 I couldn’t love it more.

Kat

Your bambino is super and feeding them superfood is bound to be important to you. Plum baby foods are packed full of organic superfood yumminess which will nourish your bambino from the day they start weaning.

This summer they are introducing some exciting new flavours to the range: Carrot, Apricot & Fennel, Pumpkin, Carrot & Mango and a summer pudding containing Raspberris, Blackcurrants, Strawberries and Pear all of which sound delicious.

ToddlerGeek has been lucky enough to try their new Muesli for toddlers. It contains Oats, Amaranth, Quinoa, Wholegrain Rice with Apricot and Banana puree. This combination of organic whole grains provides a slow release of energy for the most active of toddlers and is suitable from 12 months. ToddlerGeek absolutely loves it and certainly has bags of energy - it is her new breakfast of choice!

You can buy Plum baby foods from your local supermarket or check out their full range online at Plum where you can also sign up to be a Plum Mum and use Plum Vision, the new free online picture book to enjoy with your baby.

Later on today I will be introducing you to the Mumprenuer behind the brand and giving you the opportunity to win some Plum goodies!

So I’ve been trying out a couple of ‘real’ nappies for the past few weeks courtesy of one of my favourite stores, Fill Your Pants.

Let me give you a bit of background to me: I have a one year old (the bambino) and the boyf, who goes through phases of travelling a lot with work. I’ve been self-employed for 5 months, and I wonder how the hell any working mum copes with work, housework, and a baby. It’s like having three jobs and moving from one shift at one job to the other…

When I was pregnant, we did consider the ‘real’ nappy route, but when I started thinking about washing the suckers, it occurred to me that much like a puppy, the fun would quickly dissipate when I realised that I was shouldering the burden of cleaning them. My fears were confirmed when we had the bambino and the kitchen started looking like Dot Cotton’s launderette…

But my conscience has been biting at me…OK, that and the fact that real nappies are getting sooooo stylish looking! But we are recyclers, conscious of turning off things at the mains, and all that jazz!

Tested gear: 1 X Bambinex Bamboo Nappy, 1 X Bambinex Teddy Nappy, and 1 X bumGenius One-Size Reusable Nappy (Grasshopper Green), 1 X bumGenius Microfiber insert, and 1 X Thirsties Nappy Cover (pink), all courtesy of Fill Your Pants.

First impressions: I was very excited when they arrived and wanted to use them right away. But of course you can’t because there is a bit of a washing procedure with ‘real’ nappies - basically they need a few washes without softener (they don’t need to dry in between washes) so that you get the absorbency right. Note - softener adds a layer that impinges on the absorbency so don’t go there!

Now, when it comes to trialing nappies, it’s not actually that eco friendly because the only way to make that washing economical is to wash other things without softener, which I only twigged on wash 3 or 4. I’m convinced my towels don’t feel ‘right’ though…

In use: I think there is something a little assumptive about ‘real’ nappies where it’s assumed that we will understand what to do and what all these ‘pieces’ are for. It was only after the third use that I realised that I was putting one of the inserts in the wrong place! Fortunately, the Fill Your Pants website has lots of handy, free, impartial, advice which I realise is a must for embarking on this path.

The boyf, not realising that I had put one on her, said to me mystified “Is it just me, or has the bambino got a huge bum all of a sudden?”

The bambino obeyed my instructions the first few times and did not poo in them but eventually, she blew caution to the wind and did an almighty one! Let’s just say that even Nappysan had some trouble parting that one from the nappy but a hot wash cleared it all up. They wash really well and look great considering the poo massacre and the lack of softener….

My favourite: Once I actually grasped the concept of what I had, (there was a nappy double up confusion), the bumGenius (£14) was by far my favourite. It’s a birth to potty Stuffable Nappy, shaped like a disposable, lots of adjustable bits to get just the right fit and suitable from 7-35lbs. You stick in the microfiber insert, fasten the nappy with the aplix (like velcro), and shazam, she’s ready to rock. I think in terms of simplicity, bumGenius would remove any stress you would feel about sending your bambino to the childminder in a real nappy.

I did like the Bambinex, which is £6.84 for the bamboo and £8 for the teddy but they’re a bit ‘puffier’ than the bumGenius and the bamboo definitely takes a little longer to dry due their absorbency. I would prefer to use these for nighttime and the bambino seemed to love the cosiness of them and weed like a trooper!

Any negatives: I do find the whole washing bit at the beginning rather tedious and I certainly don’t think it’s very eco friendly to do this, but in the medium and long run, it clearly pays off. Wear gloves when you take the nappy out of the soaking stuff because I broke out! Not the nappies fault though! The different parts to real nappies are a bit confusing so spend some time initially familiarising yourself with what you’ve purchased!

Overall: It’s a commitment and if you’re prone to letting your brain go mushy on occasion and losing track of the never ending todo list, real nappies are quite daunting initially - depending on what you buy, especially if use different brands and the various boosters etc.

You need to invest money up front (at least £100 depending on what brand and probably closer to £150 and even more if you treat nappies like handbags and shoes…) but you certainly save in the medium and long term plus you’re helping your baby’s skin and the environment, because nappy’s full of poo don’t exactly disappear!

Most importantly, real nappies definitely require an education and so a brain and time investment is needed.

Rating: BumGenius - A slight edge with 4.5/5 for simplicity, drying time, and convenience. Bambinex 4/5 Great for nighttime.

I will be continuing to try out nappies in an effort to educate myself (and you guys) about the joys (and possible) pitfalls of real nappies and it’s also a way of finding out what’s actually out there. If you’ve been trying out real nappies or you’re a company that has a real nappy you’d like us to try out, we want to hear from you.