**CLOSED** Best Bottom Diaper System Review & Giveaway

I'm very excited to announce our third fluffy review and giveaway! I am thrilled to be reviewing the Best Bottom Diaper System! I was sent this sweet little 'Pink Giraffe' one-size shell with three separate sized inserts. I love this diaper because it functions entirely differently than all the diaper styles I've used up until now.

So far I have used prefolds with covers (love how inexpensive they are), fitteds with covers (love how easy these are to launder), and pocket diapers (love how they stay dry and air dry quickly!). Just like their website says, Best Bottom has taken the pros from so many different diaper styles but has eliminated the cons when they created this unique diapering system.

Basically, this system works on the idea that diapers should be inexpensive, convenient, versatile, and easy to launder. This diaper system definitely lived up to all of these components in my using it over this past week. I was sent one double-layered PUL shell (it is so lightweight and is highly waterproof) with three inserts in my choice of size (small, medium, or large). I chose medium inserts for my 5 month old (15 lb) daughter. The shell fits up to 35+ lbs, but I like that this company is honest about the size differences between an 8lb baby and a 35lb baby in terms of inserts! They are absolutely right when they say on their website that: "Newborns and toddlers are not the same size so in order for a one size insert to absorb enough for a toddler it will be HUGE on a newborn". I have found with some of my other diapers that when the rise is snapped to the smallest setting, the insert does bunch up funny inside because it is too long. With this Best Bottom shell and insert though, the fit was perfect and the insert didn't bunch at all.

The diagram below shows how the diaper works--basically you simply snap one insert into the shell and then snap it out once it is wet. If the shell is not dirty, you can simply snap out the wet insert, toss it in your diaper pail, and snap in a new, dry insert.



I loved this system so much! Although I don't mind my fitteds in certain circumstances, there is nothing more frustrating than being down to the final diaper or two before the laundry is done, laying a clean fitted diaper under my baby's bum only to have her pee on it before the diaper change is even finished. When that happens, there goes an entire diaper in the pail before it even had a chance to be worn. With the Best Bottom system, as long as you have a few spare inserts on hand, you are guaranteed that this diaper can last you for quite a few hours (as long as there is no major "poonami" as my brother has coined it!) ;)

The insert snaps in at both the top and bottom

Once it is fully snapped in, the insert lies nice and flat and is very slim

Inserts are available in your choice of "stay dry" microfiber or an organic hemp & cotton blend. I received the microfiber style and found it extremely soft and absorbant. It wicked moisture into the middle and down into the bottom of the insert so that the fiber on top stayed dry next to Aurelia's sensitive skin. I love that this diaper still wicks moisture away very effectively without needing the added bulk that many layers of doublers or extra stuffed inserts often add. It is a great diaper to wear under slim-fitting pants or for car rides in the dreaded winter garb--diaper, pants, snowsuit, all in a fluffy car seat bag. I don't know about you, but with the fluffier diapers that I own, I'm having a rough time even being able to do up Aurelia's car seat straps! I noticed that in this situation, the Best Bottom diaper system provided considerably less bulk than some of my other diapers.

Snapped to its smallest setting

I also like the versatility of the sizing. This shell had far more options for sizing than the other pocket diapers I own. The rise has 4 different size settings (as opposed to the 3 choices that most diapers have)--I am assuming these fit XS, S, M and L. I found the 'small' setting worked best for Aurelia at this point. The waist also had 10 different snapping options (plus the ability to cross over the tabs if need be), making it pretty much just as adjustable as hook loop, in my opinion (I'm trying to stick with all snaps at this point to keep laundry hassle free!). I did find that the waist seemed to fit a little snugger than I expected, though. I did Aurelia up on a much larger setting than on her regular pocket diapers (where her front tabs nearly touch). I partly wonder, though, if this is because this shell has a bit of elastic sewn into the waistband at the back AND at the tummy. I like this because as we know, blow-outs are not restricted only to the back! This kept the front of the diaper snug against Baby's tummy, leaving no room for leaks.

Snapped on its largest setting, you can see just how adjustable this diaper is!

Overall, I watched this diaper get wet and dirty time and time again, and it never leaked. I think part of this is because of the terrific leg gussets which really help contain any messes. On one occasion I suspected we might have had a really messy diaper on our hands though I didn't spy any leaks (which I had been worried about). When I unsnapped the diaper I was definitely surprised by just how much that little shell had been able to contain! Although the mess had spread off the insert, the waterproof shell was able to contain it all without getting any outside of the diaper or wicking it through onto any clothing. I think the double leg gussets are to thank for that perfect fit around the thighs. The inserts laundered very clean and, after a bit of sunning, came out without a mark on them. The shell, which I hang to dry, dries so, so quickly (faster than any of my other diaper items). This is always a plus as I always seem to be scrambling for clean laundry before things are ever even dry.

These leg gussets meant we never had a single leak!

Lastly, I should mention my favorite two applications for this diaper system. Even if you're not ready to go out and convert your entire stash to Best Bottom, you'll want to have at least two of them on hand for these two situations:

1. This system is terrific for laundry day. I love to wait until the very last second to wash diapers, and that means I'm often scrambling at the end (shoving random prefold rags into my least favorite covers to wait until the nice stuff is clean and dry!). Now that I have this Best Bottom system, I love that I can leave my one shell and three inserts clean until all else is dirty. With the three inserts handy, I am guaranteed to have a good 6+ hours covered with essentially only one diaper on hand while all the others wash and dry. I love this!

2. For similar reasons, I love to take this system with me in our diaper bag. Before, I would be toting around 3 separate bulky pocket diapers for trips to the mall. Though I love my pockets, they are just so fluffy at times, and last week I literally split the zipper on my diaper bag trying to stuff them all in. Now that I have this Best Bottom system, I can leave the house with Aurelia in the clean shell with one liner, and just shove two slim backup liners in the diaper bag with me (okay, and maybe one backup, in case of that aforementioned poonami occurance!). But having this has already reduced so much bulk from our travel system!

That being said, you've got to have at least a couple of these in your stash! They're too good (and cheap!) not to! ;)

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BUY IT:
Head over to Nicki's Diapers to purchase your own Best Bottom Diaper System starting at $20.90!

WIN IT:
Best Bottom Diapers is generously offering one lucky reader a diapering system of their own! (your choice of shell and size for 3 stay-dry inserts).


GIVEAWAY ENDS 02/20/11 at 11:59 PM GMT
OPEN TO THE USA & CANADA ONLY
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Final details: I received no financial compensation for this review or giveaway, though I did receive the sample item free of charge. All opinions shared are my own, and I was not persuaded to share anything other than my own thoughts. This giveaway will end on February 20, 2011 at 11:59pm GMT and is open to residents of the United States and Canada only. Winner will be chosen randomly using random.org’s services. The winner will be contacted by email and will have 48 hours to reply before a new winner is chosen. The prize will be supplied and mailed out to the winner by the sponsor of this giveaway.