**CLOSED** CushyTushy.ca -- Product Reviews & Giveaway!

I am so thrilled to be working with Cushy Tushy again to bring you a set of upcoming reviews & giveaways (this is number 1 of 3!) highlighting a wide variety of amazing but lesser-known products that are available in today's modern cloth market. Since our site's early onset, Megan of CushyTushy.ca has been one of our earliest friends in the biz (read an earlier feature here). We connected early on as we are both based out of Canada (Cushy Tushy operates out of Parksville, British Columbia), and Megan has shared a wealth of helpful information with me in my own journey deep into the world of cloth diapering.

Megan's know-how of products, techniques, and budgeting are is some of the most extensive I've ever seen, and her shop is one of the first that comes to mind as someone who is constantly staying current in this ever-changing market. She is constantly updating stock, especially bringing in many of high quality, domestically-made products. I like that when I visit Cushy Tushy, I don't only see the one or two common brand names that I see in every other online diaper shop out there. Instead, I see locally-sourced, unique names like Rearz, Mother-ease, MiniMaestro, Monkey Doodlez, and more, as well as some of my favorite, tried & true pockets, like KaWaiis and Hipkiddos. Drop by CushyTushy.ca, and you'll be amazed at the hundreds of catalogue items as Megan stocks everything from fitteds, prefolds, pockets, accessories, swim diapers, training pants, and so much more! Megan also makes sure to keep her Clearance ($10 or under) section well-updated. Here you can grab some pretty crazy deals on new or gently-used diapers, often at over 50% off!

So, all that being said, I was thrilled when Megan wanted to work together yet again, and sent me a real goodie basket of things to review and share with all of you, dear readers! In this set of reviews, I'm sharing with you some terrific RearZ Terry/Velour cloth wipes, a GEN-Y Classic Diaper Cover, and a Mother-ease Sandy's Unbleached Cotton Fitted Diaper.

Unpacking my parcel, the first thing I pulled out of the package was a very cheery, vibrant set of cloth wipes! These wipes come in sets of 5 (for only $7!) and are available in a variety of vibrant color sets. Manufactured by RearZ, a Canadian company, they adhere to the same standards as all of RearZ's products, which I love. RearZ always promises:

Our manufacturers are required to offer oeko-tex, organic certified or independently lab tested materials in their construction. They are sweat shop free and ISO certified textile facilities. We deal directly with fabric producers overseas to ensure fair trade and anti-child labour practices are in effect. Any dyes that are used are low impact, non resource draining eco-reactive dyes.

These wipes in particular are completely free of all chlorine and have been organically dyed. The wipes do not bleed or fade in the wash, and I have found that they continue to get softer with increased use and washing. I like that these are on the larger side (nearing the size of an adult washcloth); their thick plushness and large surface area make them my favorite new wipe to grab for very messy diapers. Though the terry side can be great when you need a bit of a "scrub" on a very dirty bum, I find that I almost always use the softer velour side--its pile is short, dense, and very, very soft and cozy on tender skin. These are a great quality wipe that is manufactured in a very conscious and ethical way, and they are super cheap to boot! I love that when folded in half, they also fit perfectly in my wipes container, making them easy to store and put away.

Apart from the wipes, Cushy Tushy also sent me plenty of other fluffy goods from other great, domestic North American brands like Mother-ease (Canadian-made) and GEN-Y (American-made). What I love about Megan is that she knows just how to recommend the perfect product pairings. If I had ordered Mother-ease diapers on my own, I probably would have ordered their covers or wraps to go along with them. However, Megan raved about what a great pairing Mother-ease diapers and GEN-Y covers make together. She let me know that they have a great fit together and work perfectly in combination. It's great to have a real expert looking out for you when you are trying out new products! So, at Megan's recommendation, I was excited to try out several pairings, and decided to feature one of my favorites in this review--the GEN-Y Classic cover and the Mother-ease Sandy's fitted!

 I'll start with this fitted diaper--it is so different from other fitteds that I have tried, which are most often made of a very tight, rigid weave of cotton or hemp. Though many other fitteds are made of soft natural textiles, sometimes their structure can feel a bit tough and tight. This fitted is made of unbleached cotton terry and is created to be a very flexible, stretchy diaper. As a result, it's super soft and stretchy, which I loved! All the elastics are sewn into the soft fabric, so they never dig in, and they provide a great fit. This diaper also has extra layer of absorbant terry on the inside, so it is thick, plush, and super, super absorbant. In fact, Mother-ease states that it can hold a full 15oz of liquid (that's nearly 2 cups!). Of course, being a fitted diaper, this has no waterproof layer, so you'll want to make sure that you always pair it with a cover for extended use, or you will eventually start to feel moisture coming through the layers.

This is a side-snapping fitted, which I have never tried before. As such, I do find that it has a bit of a higher rise (comes up higher on the tummy) and that is roomier in the front. Although it may not look quite as fashionable as the fancy little diapers that lay lower on the hips, it actually looks far comfier and cozier on my chubby-tummied baby girl as it doesn't dig in anywhere, and doesn't create a bulging "muffin top" effect like some diapers do ;)

I used this diaper coverless during playtime, and with a cover during outings and naps. It never disappointed me, never left any red marks, and was never fussy to launder! Because of the natural fibres, I did find that it did stain more easily than my polyester-based diapers; however, it also sunned clean and bright very easily, so it never concerned me!

Because this is a bit of a bulkier, bigger diaper (and also because it's side-snapping), I found that Megan was absolutely right--some other covers like Thirsties or some WAHM brands may not have quite the right fit with this diaper (the ruffles may have a hard time being contained by the leg gussets, or--more likely--the high rise may stick out at the tummy. Of course, this is a huge no-no; fitteds must always be completely hidden within the cover or you will get a soaking wet baby/lap/bed afterwards. However, just like Megan recommended, the GEN-Y Classic Cover (also side-snapping) was the perfect shape and style over the Sandy's! I received this cover in the cute "Gridlock" pattern, which is an organic cotton print which covers a PUL inner. It is a nice, thin, waterproof cover with soft, covered elastics. Because Aurelia is kind of on the border of two sizes right now, I found that I had to pay special attention to making sure that the leg gussets fit just right as I think this cover won't fit perfectly until she gains another couple pounds ;) However, it still did its job, and even though I was worried the legs might leak, they did not, and they also didn't dig in like some of my other covers' elastics do.

This side-snapping cover still has three columns of snaps on either hip to adjust for sizing (and each side snaps at both the hip and the waistband). I like that this side-snapping cover is roomy enough to accomodate lots of bulk underneath, as sometimes fitteds and prefolds and flats can be on the bulkier side. Having a roomy tummy means that this would also easily accomodate a Snappi or pins within, and wouldn't push on those fasteners or cause them to dig in at all, since there are no front snaps to constrict.

Overall, Megan was right--this did make a fabulous combo, and these are also priced very well! The fitteds start at only $11--a great deal for such a workhorse of a diaper (and you can pay a little more to get them in bamboo as well!). The covers, available in a variety of cute prints, start as low as $18. Keeping in mind that covers can also be reused through many different diaper changes (as long as they are not soiled), these inexpensive wraps would go a long way (you could likely own as few as 3 or 4 of them to cover your entire stash of prefolds or fitteds--a very cheap option!).

It's always exciting to discover some great new names and products in diapering, and Megan is often the first to let me know about these fabulous domestic buys! Read on to find out how you can buy or win something for your own personal stash!

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BUY IT:
Head over to Cushy Tushy right now and buy your very own diapers, covers, or accessories at great everyday low prices. The Rearz cloth wipes featured in this review are a steal at only $7 for a pack of 5!

WIN IT:
Megan of Cushy Tushy is also offering one lucky winner a GEN-Y diaper cover of their choice (based on available stock)!


GIVEAWAY ENDS 7/30/11 at 11:59 PM MST
OPEN ONLY TO CANADA & THE UNITED STATES
Please read all the Giveaway Policies and Rules before participating.**EACH comment must have an easily accessible email address**

REMEMBER:
- leave a separate comment for each action completed
- don't forget your email address for each entry

WAYS TO ENTER:

1. Follow the Cloth Diaper Contests & Giveaways blog with Google Friend Connect (leave username in comments if not obvious)
2. Visit Cushy Tushy's online shop and mention another item you would be interested to try out
3. Make a purchase from the Cushy Tushy and allow yourself one extra entry per item purchased!
4. ‘Like’ Cloth Diaper Contests & Giveaways on Facebook
5. 'Like' Cushy Tushy on Facebook and leave a quick comment on their wall
6. Follow @CDcontests on Twitter and leave your Twitter username in your comment
7. Follow @cushytushybum on Twitter and leave your Twitter username in your comment
8. Tweet this contest and tag @cushytushybum and @CDcontests (max. 1 tweet per day). Leave the permalink in the comments section. (1 entry each tweet) You may use the following tweet if you wish:
#Win a GEN-Y diaper cover from @cushytushybum via @CDcontests (7/30) http://bit.ly/q1ZCt6 #clothdiapers #baby #contest #giveaway
9. Subscribe to email updates from the CDC&G blog
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11. Share a link to this review & giveaway on a message board and leave us a reference link to where it's been shared
12. Vote for our blog on Picket Fence Blogs - can be done once daily (1 entry each time)
13. Grab our blog button and post it on your blog. Leave a link to where I can find it (add 3 entries)
14. Blog this giveaway and leave a link to the post in the comments section (add 3 entries)

Final details: I received no financial compensation for this review or giveaway, though I did receive the sample items free of charge. All opinions shared are my own, and I was not persuaded to share anything other than my own thoughts.  Other users may have different experiences with this product than what I have shared. This giveaway will end on July 30, 2011 at 11:59pm MST and is open to residents of Canada and the USA 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.