Changing BumGenius 3.0 from Velcro to Snaps

Before my daughter was born I spent a small fortune on cloth diapers in many different brands and styles. It has been over a year and all of my diapers have been worn and washed hundreds of times and now, as is expected, they are showing a bit of wear and tear.

The Bum Genius 3.0 diapers have especially shown a lot of wear. The Velcro hook tabs are beginning to roll and the loop strip has begun to fray and pill so bad nothing will stick to it unless you used glue.

I have heard other parents who use the Bum Genius 3.0 diapers complaining about similar problems. Recently, Cotton Babies sells a Bum Genius refresher kit which includes 2 pieces of legs elastic, 1 piece of back elastic, 2 laundry tabs, and 2 tab closures for $1.00. Plus, it includes sewing instructions. And you can easily replace the hook strip. It is a 9.5in long piece of loop Velcro 1.5in wide. You can purchase it by clicking here or visit your local fabric and craft store.

Another option is to replace the Velcro all together with snaps. Snaps last a lot longer than Velcro and are not very expensive. Usually, you can't get plastic snaps at local craft stores and you also need snap pliers or a snap press to apply plastic snaps.




This is before. You can see how worn the loop Velcro is.




This is after I removed the Velcro and added snaps.
Yes, it is a different diaper but I ran out of clean diapers
 and needed the white one.
I had already finished that one and forgot to take a photo.
But you can see how much nicer the snaps look.

 I got my snaps and pliers/press at KAMsnaps. They have everything you'll need to use snaps. You'll need 24 caps, 4 studs, 20 sockets in size 20 snaps for your diapers (I would have a few spare just in case), an awl, and snap pliers (or press).

1. Remove the old Velcro tabs and strip with a seam ripper being careful not to tear the fabric. (I also removed the laundry tabs but you do not have to.)
2. Put the diaper in the dryer on high heat for about 10 minutes. This helps to seal all the little holes from the Velcro thread.
3. Mark the spots wear you will put each snap with a fabric pen. There will be 2 rows of 10 snaps each. There must be an inch space between each snap and between the rows. 2 snaps will also be on the tabs and need to be close the the edge of the tabs an inch apart.
4. Place a piece of card board inside the diaper's pocket to prevent the awl from puncturing the liner.
5. Puncture the fabric where you marked with the awl so there is a defined hole.
6. On the front of the diaper place a cap on the inside of the fabric and a socket on the outside. Insert the cap prong through the hole you created with the awl and place the socket on top. Use the pliers to press the snap together. Repeat for all 20 holes. Use a caps and studs for the tabs.
7. Snap the snaps together to make sure they fit together. You should hear (you got it) a snapping sound when the snaps are correctly put on. Refer to KAMsnaps tutorial videos if you need further instruction.

GreenCheeks One Year Warranty

I have never attempted to walk on water because I know I would fail. I am not perfect. I make mistakes. There's no way around it. After all, I'm just human.

If I were perfect I would have made the perfect diaper the first time around but it has taken a year and many pattern alterations to get my diaper to what it is today and I'm sure there are still many improvements I can still make.

This is one of my very first diapers. I had made the tabs too short and had to add extra fabric to ensure that it closed. I used a thin elastic that has a tendency to twist. And I fleece for the lining that pills like you wouldn't believe.

This is a diaper I made today. Size small pocket diaper. It has adjustable tabs for a great fit, a flannel lining that doesn't pill, and braided elastic that I thread so it never twists.

I've made a lot of improvements to other products like my wipes and inserts. This is a learning process and I can promise that I will make mistakes. It's just the way life is.

So, why am I telling you this? Because I want you to buy my diapers and products with a sense of security that they are good quality. I am offering a ONE YEAR warranty on all GreenCheeks products. If the elastic breaks, the threading comes undone or some over problem that is a quality issue and beyond normal wear and tear I will fix it, or replace it free of charge. 

Because I'm not perfect but I still want you, my customer, to have a quality product.

Essential Oils

If you are a regular reader of my blog you will know that in some of my products I use essential oils. In fact, I am a strong advocate for the use of essential oil for babies. Recently, I had a customer buy a tube of Baby Booty Balm and she asked why I used that specific combination of essential oils for the fragrance. It was then that I realized that most people do not know that the main purpose of essential oils is not fragrance but medicinal.

 Essential Oils are used for therapeutic and medicinal purposes ranging from depression to eczema and even to indigestion. Many oils can be used topically, internally or as aromatherapy.

As I have stated before, I am partial to do Terra essential oils. All their products are Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade (CPTG) and I personally have had great results with their oils. Do Terra does run a little higher than other brands but I think its worth it. But I do feel that using any essential oil is better than nothing. I have had good results with Aura Cacia and Nature's Alchemy as well.

 
I use many different essential oils in my day to day life. Lemon essential oil is my favorite cleaning agent and Lavender essential oil helps calm my little girl (topically on her feet, aromatherapy in a diffuser or in her bath) right before bed. But on this blog I use four essential oils most commonly for my wipe solution and my Baby Booty Balm: Melaleuca (Tea Tree), Lavender, Geranium, and Rosemary. Below is each of these essential oils and their purpose in my products.

Melaleuca Properties
Antifungal
Anti-inflammatory
Antiviral
Astringent
Disinfectant

Used to keep baby's bottom clean and  to kill any fungus that is diaper rash.

Lavender Properties  
Analgesic
Antibiotic
Antidepressant
Anti-inflammatory
Antiseptic
Diuretic
Disinfectant
Sedative


Used to calm inflamed skin, to disinfect baby's bottom, and keep skin clear
 

Geranium Properties
Analgesic
Antidepressant
Antiseptic
Astringent
Diuretic
Sedative

Geranium is used to maintain healthy skin very similarly to Lavender. It has remarkable abilities to calm inflamed skin due to diaper rash or other skin ailments. 

 Rosemary Properties 
Analgesic
Antioxidant
Antiseptic
Antispasmodic
Astringent
Diuretic
Stimulant

 Rosemary is also great for diaper rash and irritation. It helps to clean and heal the skin.

As you can see the essential oils that I put in my products are not just for fragrance although I do find the smell quite pleasing. Without the essential oils in the wipes solution or Baby Booty Balm there's almost no point. 


One of my favorite websites for essential oil use is Everything Essential. It has been a great resource for natural healing methods with essential oils. Almost any health issue I have encountered I have searched on this website and found an oil combination or blend to help. It also has an entire index of do Terra oils and their purposes.


If you are interested in purchasing any do Terra essential oils or products for your own use please visit http://www.mydoterra.com/donnavickery/.