I started our cloth journey when my son was 2 weeks old. I'm a 2nd time mum, and after becoming much more environmentally aware in recent years, I decided to take the plunge! Now my little one is 6 months old, and we've certainly explored ALOT of different combinations with some being more successful than others! I came across bellsbumz when looking for a reliable night time nappy, our sized 2 parters were getting small, and I sat trawling facebook groups and forums whilst doing some research on what to buy! There are several factors that I considered, one main aspect that attracted me was the price. As lets face it, maternity pay isn't the most generous of incomes! Upon ordering, I also added a 'Z booster' to my purchase as my bubba is a VERY heavy wetter! When it arrived I was impressed with its look and feel, and the stay dry coffee fleece all over was a genius idea! With other nappies we had experienced some sore skin from prolonged wetness, whereas this one keeps my little man feeling nice and dry. We tried it out after just one prewash (up to 10 washes are required for hemp to reach its full absorbency) and I was seriously impressed, no leaks and on for 12 hours!! I then found the Bellz Bumz group on face book and loved seeing everyone's prints and cute photo's, so when Chloe (Owner) launched her brand rep search, I applied at lightning speed! I looked up the brand online, and was really moved by Chloe's story and how finding herself and her gorgeous boy being a family of two led to her creating an affordable and quality range of reusables to help more people be able to afford cloth nappies. Chloe's ethics are very similar to my own, and her attention to detail in design, quality manufacturing and environmentally friendly outlook had me sold. So upon being accepted to join as a rep, I put in an order to explore more nappy options and how they would fit into our collection! So here is what we have tried alongside the night nappy: 1) POCKETS - I am a self confessed pocket nappy ADDICT! I ordered a beautiful Dinosaur print with a matching wetbag (Zachary's Dinosaur adventures) and also purchased the 'Cloth Nappy, Earth Happy' print too. Upon first impressions I loved how soft they felt in comparison to some of my other brands. When I put the nappy on my baby, the elastics felt nice and gentle, but fit beautifully around the legs still. There is a built-in double gusset which I love (and being in the weaning stage, this is a bonus for poo containment!!!) The snaps / poppers are positioned nicely and I was able to get the perfect rise straight away. The insert that came with the pocket is a bamboo and hemp mix, and with only one prewash, this lasted us 3.5 hours!! I have since tried using these pockets in the sling and jumparoo and they are great at preventing compression leaks also! The best thing about the pockets in my opinion is how slim they are, meaning that my little man can wear leggings in his actual size, without being drowned in the next size up to accommodate his cloth bum! I love them so much that I have bought some additional pockets (at full price) as some of the retailer exclusives that have come out in March. Some bunny loves you and Lunar rose are the names of the prints, and I can't wait for them to arrive!! 2) Z WRAP as All In Two - Rainbows and space prints were my choice for these, and the vivid colours look amazing! The wraps can be used over fitted nappies / prefolds etc or with the Z Booster and Z soaker with their cleverly placed poppers. It's the first time I had tried anything like this, and found it surprisingly simple to snap together. Whilst not as soft as the pockets, the performance is incredible. These are now my go-to combination for long walks or nap time because they just NEVER leak! The absorbency with the Z booster and Z soaker combined is awesome. I have one soaker with coffee fleece lining and one with white fleece, both are fab although a huge bonus of the coffee fleece is it hides any possible staining ! I have since ordered another wrap to use over our night nappy, and at £7.99 , they're super affordable too! As well as the wetbags and night nappy that I have already mentioned, I will be trialling an 'All in one' soon which will be my first attempt, after a bad experience with another brand during the newborn stage. I'll be sure to share how we get on ! All in all, I thoroughly recommend the brand, and also the retailers who stock the range are just so welcoming and accommodating, that I already feel part of the bells bumz family, and I will continue using the different ranges , long after my rep time period ends! Written by Emma Martin (Mum of two, Maternal mental health supporter, Mindfulness practitioner and cloth bum mum!) www.emmamartinmindfulness.com www.instagram.com/emmamartinmindfulness
