The Frugal Guy: Bamboo Changing Pads

Hey guys.  Got another product for free to test for sir Paul. This time it's bamboo changing pads, and they came just in time. Like the other baby freebies, these were also sent to me from Asani (the company that provided the swaddle blankets, the boppy pillow and the segmented glass containers) through MLC distribution.  Click here, here or here to visit my previous post about those items.

Being a new parent, most of these freebies are experiments for me. I never really thought much about changing pads before Paul came along (for relatively obvious reasons), but now that I've changed my fair share of poopy butts, these things are a life saver. To further prove this point, Paul decided testing the changing pads out was a joy we could both partake in (see Exhibit P below).

In Exhibit P above, you'll see that Paul decided he didn't like his diaper and wanted to go on the pad instead (promise this wasn't planned). The poop was pretty wet, so I just assumed it would go straight through the pad and cause a mess on the changing table (which happened to also be fabric...poop and fabric aren't the best combinations). But, to my glee, the pad absorbed all of the poopy liquid and nothing bled through to the other side.

The label describes these pads as super absorbent, but since they're relatively thin I figured that was just marketing that these companies throw on stuff to make you think all is okay (all diapers say they're good at absorbing). They were telling the truth though.  Cleaning wasn't very fun, but they are machine washable.  I ran these through the washer before I used them, and all three came out looking identical to when I put them in. I dried two and let one air dry, and the air dry one actually looked worse (the fabric looked weird), so for the first time I recommend drying these in a machine. See the label for the proper care.

They're very soft to the touch and Paul seems to appreciate this. They feel pretty durable, and there were no signs of wear after the first wash, though you'll have to check in after a few weeks and ask if they continued to hold up. Of all the products I've received from Asani thus far, these seem to be the best ones.  They are easy to fold and lay flat despite how much or how hard you fold them (as far as I've seen).

The label reports this as being bamboo, but note that it's not 100 percent bamboo (probably because the back half is polyester to prevent leakage). It is still mainly bamboo though, so I'm much happier with this then with the other products we use (all of the others are 100 percent polyester).

Overall I'd give this a straight up perfect score!  Love these so far and I'm enthused that there are three in a pack (lol Paul usually doesn't pee or poop on the changing pad, but as soon as I got these he pooped on one and peed on the other (back to back) so I guess God has been looking out for me 😃).

If you're looking for an effective and cost efficient changing pad, these are the ones you should buy. Click here to buy them on Amazon.  As always, thanks for reading. Stay tuned:  I'm hoping to receive a backpack diaper bag, so fingers crossed I'm able to get that. I invite you to ask any questions or leave your own experiences in the comments!  Until next time.

The Frugal Guy: Swaddle Blankets

Hey everybody.  I've been blessed to receive more products to test, and these are specifically for the little Guy.  These swaddle blankets were sent to me from Asani (the company that provided the boppy pillow and the segmented glass containers) through MLC distribution.  Click here or here to visit my previous post about those items.

Since these are swaddle blankets, they're designed to wrap up a baby as opposed to lay flat across them for warmth.  As such, swaddle blankets really shouldn't be heavy, though some can be depending on the company.  I'm not a huge fan of heavy blankets. They can lead to the baby overheating, but these from Asani are a great thickness (assuming the baby's crib isn't outdoors). They have the right amount of stretch to aid in the swaddle process. They breathe pretty well too, so if he were to somehow get this up and over his face he may not be in any danger (though, I'm not taking any chances and testing that idea).

Some swaddle blankets are basically just blankets that are easy to fold, but they don't necessarily stay on the baby if he's moving around a lot.  Mr. Paul is almost always kicking or waving his hands, so blankets tend to come undone unless I have the perfect wrap (which I rarely do since I'm new to all this). These Asani blankets stretch pretty well so I can wrap and worry less (they aren't elastic or anything so it's not stretchy like a rubber band, just not rigid like a regular blanket).

They're also large (48x48) so we should be able to use them for a good long while.

As far as the quality goes, they're 100% cotton, so they'll lose some threads after multiple washes. We washed these before using them and two out of the three came out looking perfect. The third had a single loose string, which overall isn't bad (it wasn't a run or anything that indicated it would create lasting damage). That's just after one wash so I can't say how they'll hold up with multiple washes, but I'm confident they'll do just fine.

If you're in the market for a good quality swaddle blanket that won't overheat your baby, check these out on Amazon and give them a try.  Click here to go to the product page.  Thanks again for reading and don't hesitate to let me know of any questions!