I’m Crunchy Mama and I have a problem… with buying lots and lots of cloth diapers! It’s a bit like Carrie Bradshaw’s shoe problem in Sex and the City except I’d like to think this addiction of mine at least has some benefits for the environment.
Today, I will be showing you one of the most popular cloth diapers on the market – the bumGenius Freetime.
Let’s take a close look…
This diaper is an All-In-One (AIO) meaning the diaper is completely in one piece so there are no separate pieces to fold, stuff or snap-in. It features a waterproof outer layer and soft stay-dry suede on the inside to keep baby’s bottom dry.
There are two absorbent microfiber inserts that are sewn into the diaper as flaps that give you the ability to fold and adjust absorbency for babies that have heavy wet areas in their diapers. The flaps also have openings you may use to stuff with extra inserts if you want to add even more absorbency although we never tried this.
The Freetime is also a One-Size (OS) diaper so fits most babies from 8-35 lbs. It features three rows of snaps that you can use to adjust the rise of this diaper to fit babies of different sizes. For the waist, you have a choice of either the two rows snaps or aplix for perfect fit.
How does this diaper fit and absorb?
I’ve never had to add any extra stuffing to our Freetimes. This diaper provides for the highest absorbency among the AIOs in my stash. The leg gussets are comfortable for baby and this diaper has contained some of the most impressive messes.
This has fit Emma from when she was 12 lbs to where she is now at 22 lbs.
It is my go-to diaper for naptime or when I know I have to go on a long drive because I know it NEVER leaks and will be my best bet in an emergency if I am unable to change her diaper in a hurry.
How does it look? Are there cute prints?
The Freetimes are really nice and trim for how absorbent they are! bumGenius offers a range of 13 solid and 2 patterns in their range. I am a huge fan of prints so I do wish they would increase their range.
What about care and durability?
Laundry is a breeze for the Freetimes. There is nothing special I need to do for them as part of my regular cloth diaper wash routine. Any solids need to be scraped off as much as possible in the toilet before throwing it into the washer. I follow a pre-rinse, wash and second rinse cycle. Then, the Freetimes are laid out to dry.
We’ve had them for about a year and they are holding up very well.
I’ve had to return one of them to the manufacturer because the seam of one of the inserts had come undone. The customer care and returns process was quick and painless and I received my replacement with no questions asked.
Final words…
This is one of our favorite diapers. I love AIOs for their convenience and I view the Freetime as a great “gateway” diaper for anyone thinking about trying cloth diapers. They work just like a disposable except you don’t have to throw them away (and you wouldn’t want to because they are so cute!). I have also heard that the Freetime in aplix is very popular with dads.
The price point of the Freetime puts it in the moderate-high range for cloth diapers but there are also bulk discounts offered when you buy 3 or more. In my opinion, the Freetimes have been worth every dime we spent.
You can find them at all popular online retailers and fantastic local businesses like Go, Baby, Go.
Emma wearing the Lovelace print
Do you wash your BGs and grovias together? Thank you!
Yes I do!
I now have an online store selling cloth diapers and baby carriers – kiwibabyshop.com.
You can chat to me there (there’s a little chat window on the bottom right)