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Product Reviews

Bambino Mio Two-piece Nappy

Number of reviews: 29
Overall score:

Re-useable nappy
Available from www.bambinomio.co.uk, price From Ł10.95

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Easy Peasy!

Parent Panel review by Natalie - review date 20 February 2007

My husband & I decided early on when I was pregnant that we wanted to use reusables. We did lots of research & Bambino Mio seemed to come up trumps. We've used them since Isabella was a few days old. They are really easy to use & once you get into a routine the washing/folding is easy peasy! It helps to be organised so you never run out of nappies or covers, so I would recommend you get into good habits from word go and that once the nappies are washed, fold them & wrap a liner around them so they are ready for action.

Both covers & nappies dry very quickly. We've never had any problems with leaks out of the nappy covers onto clothes but on the odd occasion where there has been a leak onto the inside of the cover they are very easy to clean quickly.

They fit well & aren't too bulky. The quality is good & they are still as good as new despite all the washing so will be used for any brothers or sisters that Isabella has in the future. Plus, Isabella has never suffered from nappy rash, we've saved a fortune & are doing our bit towards helping the environment. I would recommend the Birth to Potty Pack. Give them a try!

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About the reviewer:

Mum of Isabella aged 6 months

These pants are PANTS!

Test length: 2 years on and off
Parent Panel review by Caroline - review date 21 September 2006

Unfortunately we've never got on with these nappies. I've given them a good go for several periods during the last 2 years and the only thing they've been good for is for giving an extra boost to my Bumbles and Tots Bots at night and the covers are used if we run out of the better wraps. Can't honestly work out who would find them a good system - they're rubbish for newborn poo (explosive or simply runny), fiddly, not absorbent enough for a boy who can wee for Britain, and the wraps haven't kept their waterproof-ness like the other brands I have. Lucky that I was given them as a gift and didn't buy them myself or I really would be peeved!

Best Feature: 2 parts mean you can supplement a better nappy system!

Worst Feature: Rubbish containment of wee and poo

Verdict: Pants pants, they just don't come up to scratch

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About the reviewer:

Mum to Xander & babyworld's e-commerce manager

Member reviews

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"Brillant product"
Love this nappy system, easy to wash and dry, very comfortable for baby to wear. Had no problems with nappy rash or leaks like an other brand I've tried.
Member review by Kirsty - Mother of one 8 week old boy - review date 10 September 2008

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"not worth the hassle"
I found these very difficult to use, especially for wriggly and small babies - I must admit, I haven't tried again as my son got bigger, although I imagine it would be even more difficult as he moves around more now.

They are also very bulky - at least 3 times more bulky than disposables, and make it difficult for the baby to move their legs.

Also, our son had a herniated belly button, and the top of the covers which were quite thick and unforgiving rubbed over it.
Member review by maria - review date 20 April 2008

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"Best ever! Buy these now!"
I've now tried 5 different types of reusable nappies (Motherease, Kushies, Bambinex and Supersoft. Bambino Mios) and Bambino Mios come out tops in all cases. Admittedly, they were my first nappy, and I've been using them for 15 months.

Pros:

1) Easy to use. Once you've figured out the best way to fold the nappy for your baby (depends on sex and poo style!), they are much quicker to put on your baby than any of the other separate nappy and wrap systems. Even though they consist of 2 parts (nappy and wrap), you make these up before getting you baby on the changing mat, and then it;s just the same as using an all-in-one nappy. I found this much easier than having to fasten a nappy on and then fight with limbs to fit a wrap on over it (as required with Motherease).

2) Washability: the nappies are small in comparison to other nappies, and so they don't take up so much space in the nappy bucket - I find this the rate limiting step for other nappies. Also, they can go on at 60C and 90C if necessary.

3) Drying time: They are by far the quickest drying nappy I've tried. The wrap is also very quick drying.

4) Small, and lightweight: not as bulky as other nappies, which is not only a winner for your baby's clothes, but also for carrying them around in the nappy bag.

5) Absorbancy: Once the sloppy poo stage was over, I've never had a leak. They are also good at night, as you can easily double up by slotting in an extra nappy if needed.

Cons:

1) They are not so good at containing poo in the younger months. Unless you act fast, the wrap also becomes soiled. I recommend buying more than the allocated 3 wraps for the early months.

2) Worth investing time in learning how to use them optimally for your baby. There are different folds for boys and girls, making them very versatile.

Member review by Seirian - Mother of one, Ruben, aged 15 months - review date 28 October 2007

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"Don't let Bambino Mio put you off reusable nappies!"
I believe there are much better reusable nappies than bambino mio!

pros...

*cheap

*easy to wash and dry

*attractive and slim fitting nappy wraps

cons...

*very leaky with runny poo

(I found them smaller than terrys nappies and was unable to fold in the traditional way to combat leaks)

*the wraps had a short life span-most only survived one month of laundry and were nolonger waterproof. (I had to replace them with motherease rikki which are excellent)

conclusion...

Bambino Mio = false economy = you get what you pay for.

****TRY BEFORE YOU BUY****
Member review by Elizabeth - mother of one toddler and expecting - review date 16 October 2007

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"Awful - pointless - don't bother"
Cheap and that's all I can say that's good about these. Oh, plus they're very useful as window cloths, sick cloths, changing mat liners... everything but nappies! They're bulky, they leak, they're not soft and they are not comfortable. Highly UNrecommended!
Member review by Cassie - Mum of one - review date 15 October 2007

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"My favs..."
I have tried numerous re-usables and these are my favourites by far. The only ones I have tried that never leak. I guess it depends on your baby but I have a skinny toddler and a chunky 4 month old in these and they work well for both. I even use the same size nappy. Brilliant!
Member review by Susan - Mum of 2, both in nappies - review date 12 October 2007

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"Great nappy once you have worked them out"
I was a bit confused how to use these nappies at first and it took me a while to get the hang of them but once I did they were great.

I had a few leaks with them and the absorbancy was not as good as with some other nappies but they are great for just chucking in the washing machine and dry very quickly.

I really liked the fact that they are so small and so easy to take in your changing bag without taking up too much space.

Once I had worked out how to put them on they had a really good fit.
Member review by Anne - Anne mother of 2 (10 months and 2 years) - review date 12 October 2007

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"Take a little time to get used to..."
The Bambino Mio system consists of prefolds which fit into aplix fastening wraps. The prefolds were quite soft, and the covers had lovely designs and soft cotton outers, they seemed really good quality. At first I found the fitting of these to be fiddly, and the pad seemed bulky between Alfies legs. However, after persevering with them, and trying out a couple of new folds I found them to be easy and quite effective. Alfies clothes seemed to fit better over these as well as the prefold sits between the legs, leaving the waist area with just the wrap. Absorbency was great once I had mastered the boy fold, although poo containment was not the best. I would not be confident using one overnight, but the prefolds are a great way of boosting a pocket nappy for overnight use. Both prefolds and wraps washed well and with good drying times, and the more the they are washed the softer and more absorbent they become. This system I think is very good value for money, and could be quite effective full time, but a little perseverance is needed to get the right folds and fit.
Member review by Sarah - Mother of Holly (6) Sasha (2) and Alfie (7 months). - review date 11 October 2007

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"Agreat nappy system"
*Ease of Use – It took me a little perseverance to get the hang of a fold which suits me and my baby – but once I got one there was no stopping me! There are different folds for boys and girls and so long as you fold in the right way I don’t think you can go far wrong. It does take some getting used to as at first I felt like I needed 3 hands – but it is second nature to me now.

*Absorbency – The nappy part of the Bambino Mio system is a prefold and has a thicker layer down the length of the middle, when folded in the correct way it is extremely absorbent and you wouldn’t need to change it any more often than any other nappy.

*Comfort – Folded properly the prefolds are not bulky and do not sit as large between baby’s legs. The wrap it Velcro fastening and has gusseted legs to ensure containment. The wraps also come in pretty patterns to cheer them up and have no edges etc to make them sharp or uncomfortable against baby’s skin.

*Fit – The nappy and wrap are nice and slim fitting and do not make clothes look too tight etc.

*Drying time / washability – As they are simply cotton the nappies themselves can be washed as hot as you like although I do them at 60 degrees. The wraps need to be done at 40 degrees. I found that the nappies took just over a day to dry indoors, but would probably dry quicker outside. The wraps dry really quickly and so turnover for them is very good.

*Quality – The prefolds are pretty much the same whatever brand you buy and I am sure that they can be bought cheaper from another source, but they are very good quality and wash up well. The wraps are a nice quality and feel well made.

*Value for money – The Bambino Mio nappy system is good value for money in that you can get a small amount to try and then if you get on with them you can add to them.

Overall the wraps fit well, are good quality and the nappies work. Once you get the fold right you are sorted!
Member review by Ellen - Mum to Oliver 3 months - review date 10 October 2007

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"Too fiddly!"
I think these are probably great nappies if you can get on with them, but we just couldn't!!

They were lovely and soft and washed and dried well. They were also quite slim fitting. However, they were not terribly absorbant and seemed very prone to leaks! As an experienced shapped nappy user, I found them to be quite fiddly to put on (particularly on a wriggly 15 month old) and they didn't seem to stay in place! Maybe they would work better on a younger baby??
Member review by naomi - Mum to Asher, 15 months. - review date 10 October 2007

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"value for money"
This is an easy to use pre-fold system. The pre-folds are of a good quality and wash well and dry quickly. Once you get used to the different folding techniques they are highly absorbent and everything is well contained with no leaks. The fan fold comes in handy for those more explosive nappies and does seem to make the difference. The wraps do seem to come up small however, Logan was wearing a 16lbs upward wrap and he is only just 16lbs however this already seems to be on the small side. The wraps are aplix and come in a variety of designs.

Value wise this is a good nappy system as because everything dries so much quicker than shaped nappies you don’t need to have as much.

Overall a very good nappy system.

Member review by kirstie - mum to logan 4 months and joseph 3 - review date 9 October 2007

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"good and bad!"
I have used another brand of prefolds since Isobel was born so am already happy and familiar with the system. I found the pads to be much softer and of a better quality than my current brand. They wash really well and dry very quickly which is why I have always prefered prefolds. Like others have said explosive poo can be a problem so you will need more wraps than you do with shaped nappies. I even use these at night and have never had a problem with leaks. I did find the wraps very snug though. my daughter weighs 7.2kg but getting the 7-9kg wrap on her was a bit of an ask!
Member review by sara - mother of 1 - review date 7 October 2007

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"Easy & Neat"
I found the Mios to be an easy to use nappy system. I do have to agree that explosive poo can be an issue from time to time, but it hasn't bothered me too much. They are easy to keep clean, quick to dry and despite other complaints about the velcro, I have found that as long as you a) put the velcro on securely and b)launder following instructions - that this hasn't been an issue. Highly recommended.
Member review by amber - review date 7 May 2007

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"Bambino Mio reusable nappies"
I brought the birth to potty back for our daughter and used it from when she was 2 days old. We have been happy with this product though at first with the runny poo it did leak onto the wrap but very rarely onto her clothes (the disposable nappies we used leaked more).

They do take time to get used to but as said in a previous review, if you put the whole lot together first then it is easier to put on. The Velcro is quite hard and does bunch a little but it has never irritated my daughters skin. We use paper liners and just buy what we can get locally and when she was a small baby we cut the liners in half as they were too big as a whole.

We still use diposable (eco-fiendly) nappies if we are away overnight and at night just because it is easier. The nappy pad can become quite hard but doesn't seem uncomfortable for our daughter and we usually put a little fabric conditioner in the wash even though it isn't recommended.
Member review by Jane - mother of one nearly one, year old - review date 13 March 2007

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"Not keen!!"
I wanted to be more eco friendly having my second child but I can honestly say I find the Bambino Mio just far to hard!! I've just gone back to using them as I didn't like them when my son was tiny but I find they are so bulky he can't move his legs as freely as he can in disposables.

The fact that you have to put the cotton wrap in first then add the liner is also hard to come to grips with as the velcro bunches up and leaves horrible red marks on my sons belly and as for his sloppy poo's its just a no go area, my mom brought the birth to potty pack and I feel so guilty about wasting her money but they are just not at all great. My advice is to TRY BEFORE YOU BUY!!!
Member review by shez - review date 3 February 2007

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"I LOVE BAMBINO MIO!"
We struggled for the first few days as the nappies leaked and we had to change clothes every time we changed the nappy- however !!! Hang in there... We found once we got used to the nappies they were easy to use/ quick to dry and appear comfortable- also our son looks really cute!

We didn't start using them until our son was weaning so his poo was more solid-this was a good decision and would never turn back now. Try with a paper nappy liner and that and the wet wipe can be flushed in the toilet. Also we use strips of fleece which does not absorb the poo and it can be dropped down the toilet.

We use these because of the environmental impact of normal disposables but they have worked out cheaper as well which is a bonus. I would suggest you do what you can- you don't have to use them exclusively but can inter-change them with disposables or as we do use biodegradable disposables (from Sainsburys or www.spiritofnature.co.uk) on holiday etc… I feel we need to take responsibility for our choices today and consider the impact they have on our children's future!

Member review by KATE - MOTHER TO dYLAN AGED 8 MONTHS - review date 1 February 2007

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"So far - not bad!"
We started using these nappies on day 2, and have had no problems at all with containment of wee or breastfed poo - I think the way you fold the prefold makes a big difference here. We rarely get a leak onto the wrap and when this happens, it comes clean easily. We use fleece liners - I tried the bambino mio paper ones and thought that they were horrible.

Although I am happy with the effectiveness of the nappies, I really don't like the wraps as the velcro doesn't remain flat, bunches up and can rub on her tummy. Until I have found an alternative wrap, we will leave a bit of fleece liner sticking out the top to prevent the rubbing. I would discourage anyone from buying a birth to potty pack and to try some out before they make a big investment.
Member review by carla - mum of an eleven day old! - review date 31 December 2006

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"We really like them"
We have been using Bambino Mio since Alice was 4 days old and have got on really well with them.

I have found them very easy to use and really lilke the fact that they are quite a slim nappy meaning that Alice can fit into her clothes quite easily as they don't take up too much space.

The wrap seems to fit her shape well (although I'm aware that they don't fit every baby well) and we haven't had many problems with leakage onto clothes except in the very early days, however occasionally we need to change the nappy and cover when she has done a poo but it has never leaked out of the cover onto her clothes.

Overall I'm really happy with these nappies and will continue to use them.
Member review by Fiona - Mum of one 4 month old - review date 7 December 2006

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"fab napies"
Best cotton napies I have used
Member review by Kerry - mother of 2 - review date 14 October 2006

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"waste of money"
I bought these for my daughter. I was a first time mum and had to do everything 'right'. Only used for a very short while. Found them fiddly and left red welts on her tummy.
Member review by Candice - mother of 2 - review date 11 July 2006

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"best I've tried so far"
i've used mios for ten months whilst trialing other nappies for my sister's antenatel class, none came close for ease of use and washing and if you shop around the price is highly competitive. We bought the birth to toddler pack which was the most economic way to buy them. As a tiny baby Rebecca did leak a few times but fleece liners did the trick on most occaisions. I think all washables take a bit of perseverance but the benefits are worth it.
Member review by Su - mother of one - review date 6 May 2006

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"I liked this one"
I can see from the other reviews that opinions are mixed, but honestly, I had no trouble with this nappy and thought it pretty good. Yes, it does take a bit of practice as you do have to put the nappy and the wrap together to get it on, but it doesn't take long to get the nack. It was a super fit on my baby and I had no leaks. Nice and slim, it dried quickly after washing. If i had to criticise, i wasn't overly keen on the velcro band on the wrap, but Rosa didn't mind it. It wasn't my absolute fave, but I thought it was a good one.
Member review by Elizabeth - Mum to 8 month old Rosa - review date 23 March 2006

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"Fiddly nappies"
I'm afraid I gave up with Bambino Mio nappies after a few weeks. They aren't great for containment, and you have to put the cover, nappy and liner together before putting the whole thing on, and it can be hard to keep it all together with a wriggly baby. On the positive side, they aren't too bulky and dry quickly compared to shaped nappies. But overall they are the most expensive baby buying mistake I've made.
Member review by Joanna - mother of one - review date 21 March 2006

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"not the best"
I found this bunched up a lot during use, as it is not held in place well by the wrap. this must make it uncomfortalbe for the baby, as well as not great absorbency (though no leaks).
Member review by emily - mother of William - 19 months - review date 9 March 2006

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"GREAT NAPPY!"
REALLY EASY TO USE. V MOTHER-FRIENDLY WHEN U HAVE A WIGGLY BABY ON YOUR CHANGING MAT. THIS IS A WELL BRANDED PRODUCT. WELL DESIGNED. NICELY PRESENTED. GREAT FIT. REALLY WELL ENGINEERED. REALLY COMFY & ADJUSTABLE. FAB FIT. GOOD VELCRO WAISTBAND. SNUG ROUND LEGS. SEEMS PRICEY BUT WELL WORTH THE MONEY. YOU PAY FOR WHAT YOU GET! I WOULD DEFINITELY RECOMMEND THIS NAPPY TO ANYONE XXX
Member review by jo - mother of one - review date 2 March 2006

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"Not good for explosive pooers!"
Whilst this nappy has a number of good features (nice and slimline, a really nice cotton-based wrap and is easy to put on), it's not the nappy for you if you have an explosive pooer as we had a number of nasty accidents with this nappy, even when you fold the inset out at the back. If you are going to use this nappy, it is advisable to use a muslin too, but then this makes it less easy to use....
Member review by Vicki - Mother of 4 month old boy - review date 28 February 2006

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"Try before you buy!"
This nappy consists of a flat cotton pad made up of several layers which you fold into 3 to make a rectangle. This is then held in place with a gusseted velcro fastening wrap. It was easy to put on, but as with other velcro fastening wraps, the problem was that Olivia can take it off herself...and with this nappy once the wrap is undone the whole thing drops off! I found the Velcro quite hard - a thick band across her tummy which I didn't like. The pad took longer to dry than I'd have expected as it was quite thick in places. At first I liked this nappy as it gave a lovely slim fit, but the pad seemed to slide and squash out of shape when she wore it, and also (I think because Olivia is tall and skinny) the wraps didn't seem to be a good fit on her and I got leaks of both poo and wee - very rare with a shaped cloth nappy. Poo just seemed to 'slide off' the pad and straight out the leg of the wrap!! I'm afraid I gave up on it after a couple of tries as the leaks were so bad. The cotton pad got quite hard and 'crunchy' after a couple of washed, where the Nappy Nation Bamboo Prefold did stay softer. For me the poor performance of this nappy makes it a complete non starter. However, I do know people who use these nappies successfully so my advice would be most definitely to try before you buy to make sure your baby is the right shape for the wraps. Certainly don't invest is a full system until you are sure they will work for you.

Obviously for me they would be terrible value for money as they just don't work. However, irregardless of this I do feel they are quite expensive for what they are compared to a shaped nappy and wrap. Also, you'd probably need to buy more wraps if using this system as there would be more occassions when both the nappy and wrap had been soiled and needed changing, rather than just the nappy.
Member review by Amanda - Mum of one - 19 month old - review date 27 February 2006

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