Cottontail Babies Fleece AI2 Review

Our go to diapers have always been bumGenius.  Unfortunately the last few months have required some changes to our typical diapering routines.  It's a long story (that I'll tell another day) but one of the things I finally figured out was that Little Bear needed some more airflow during the long night.  I've tried wool in the past (again, another story for another day!) but I wanted to try something new and decided to give fleece a go.  Interestingly fleece diapers (not soakers) are not as easy to find as I thought.  In my search I discovered Cottontail Babies and decided to try out their fleece AI2.  I ordered a custom fleece cover/AI2 with 2 additional snap in soakers (the diaper does NOT come with a soaker, they must be ordered separately).

Blue and green argyle cover

The cover is sized and comes in small, medium and large.  According to the site, the size guidelines are as follows:

Small: 8-15 lbs.
Medium: 12-22 lbs.
Large: 20-30 lbs.

Since Little Bear is hanging right around the 20 lb. mark I decided to go with the large in the blue and green argyle pattern.  As I expected, Little Bear is currently wearing the large on the smallest setting.  Most likely he could also have worn a medium but since he would be outgrowing it soon, I decided to go a size up.  Even with the larger size, there are no gaps around the legs or the waist and we have not had any trouble with leaks.

Rear view with snap for soaker visible

Side view shows that the diaper is somewhat bulky with the soaker snapped in.

Front view

A nice feature of this cover is the elastic on the top back - this has been key for preventing blowouts.  Personally, I prefer velcro to snaps because I find it easier to do fast changes on a squirmy toddler and I tend to get a better fit.  With snaps I have to try and remember what setting to use each time I change diapers and its different for every style.  However as far as snaps go, the side snap is a nice feature because it is easier to snap than front snaps without pinching baby.  Also having the double row of snaps allows for a slight adjustment between waist and thigh measurements.  Using the smallest snap setting does create a somewhat thick overlay in the front of the diaper when using the snap in soaker but it has not created any problems, as long as I am sure to tuck the excess flap material behind the soaker.

This is the cover with the soaker attached and set on the smallest setting.

The Cottontail Babies store website describes the diaper as follows: "The outer print is antipill fleece, and the inner layer is matching blizzard or antipill fleece.  There is a snap in the back for attaching a snap in soaker (Snap-in soakers are not included - they are available here.  Just snap the soaker out, replace it with a new one, and reuse the shell!)"  The fleece has been excellent for containing wetness while still allowing airflow.  I have not had any issues with wicking even after a full night.  With the increased airflow that the fleece provides compared to PUL, Little Bear has also avoided the rashes that were plaguing him.  In addition, the fleece tends to clean up well and avoid stains.

Inside of cover shows back elastic and snap for soaker.

Snap in soaker

Cover being used as an AI2 with soaker attached

I chose to use the diaper as an AI2.  The soaker was nice and squishy.  The Cottontail Babies store website describes the insert as follows:  "This contoured, snap-in insert is constructed of two layers of Zorb, sandwiched between two layers of bamboo fleece, and topped with a layer of ProCool wicking jersey (keeps baby dry!)."  I personally love bamboo and zorb for my inserts, so I was thrilled!  I was also very pleased with the stay dry layer as Little Bear does not like the irritation caused by a wet feeling against his skin and the ProCool did an excellent job of maintaining that stay dry feeling, even overnight.  The soaker is contoured and snaps into the cover.  The snap is completely covered by the soaker and did not come in contact with Little Bear's skin.  For daytime and even naps, the single insert worked well and was very absorbent.  I was also able to swap out the insert for a new one without having to wash the cover, however I did let it air out and typically I think that I would prefer to wash it  (but being fleece, I was even able to throw it in with a regular load of laundry!).  For nighttime I added an additional bamboo soaker and we were good to go for 12 hours.

Overall I found the diaper to be an excellent nighttime solution when used with an additional soaker.  While it is not as trim as the pockets that I would typically use during the day, a bulky diaper is expected for overnight.  If I were to use the diaper as an AI2 for daytime use, I would probably size down (since Little Bear was in between sizes).  The construction was excellent and I loved that it was so easy to care for!

Disclaimer:  This is my personal and honest opinion of this product which I purchased independently.  I was not provided with any compensation or products for this review.