MiniLaLa Review

Mini La La - Review

Style: 5/5

Fit: 5/5

Absorbency: 4/5

Ease of use: 5/5

Value for money: 4/5

The MiniLaLa is a one-size pocket nappy with a brushed polyester outer, suede cloth inner, two bamboo inserts and hook and loop fastening.

I confess I awaited the arrival of my MiniLaLa with lower than normal levels of excitement, I’m not an automatic fan of prints and none of the MiniLaLa ones caught my attention.  My opinion changed within seconds of opening the package.  The colours were bright and summery and the fabric was wonderfully strokable, although difficult to describe!

On inspection I found the hook and loop to be very strong, the suede cloth inner was lovely and soft, the rise adjustment was easy to use and the wide pocket opening made it easy to stuff.  As soon as I held the bamboo inserts I knew this would be a super absorbent nappy, most people would only need the small insert for a newborn then the two-fold insert on it’s own until toddlerdom.

And so to test.  Of course, as with any first try of a new nappy, the inevitable happened.  The difference is we didn’t notice!!  3 hours after putting Esmé in the MiniLaLa I changed her ready for bed, only to be taken by surprise by the worst teething poo to date – it actually made my eyes sting!  Not only had it contained an incredible explosion, the MiniLaLa had also contained the smell.
 
For the second test I was hoping to test the absorbency.  Baring in mind Esmé is a heavy wetter and I usually change her every 2.5-3 hours during the day, I was perhaps a little harsh on the MiniLaLa leaving it 5 hours.  By the time I changed her, Esmé was not at all uncomfortable and I was very impressed to find the suede cloth inner only slightly damp.  However it had leaked, not enough to soak her clothes but moisture appeared to have wicked through the outer where the inserts didn’t meet the leg elastic.
 
My ultimate test of looks is to send it to nursery.  They’d create a nappy for Esmé out of a plastic bag if it looked pretty.  The verdict is clear, every time it’s in the nappy bag it’s the first to be used.  The lovely summery colours brighten up the dull winter days, I only wish she got to show it off more!
 
Over regular use on a day to day basis I have been consistently impressed with the MiniLaLa.  I haven’t had any other leaks and on a normal 3 hour change routine the inserts haven’t been anywhere near saturated, I now have every confidence in it’s reliability.  My initial assessment of the fastening was spot on, finally a hook and loop nappy Esmé can’t undo!  The inserts and the inner suede cloth have stayed lovely and soft despite our hard water, which usually turns nappies crispy.  I did once catch myself using the clothes brush on the outer of the MiniLaLa, the fabric seems to pick up fluff but it doesn’t put me off, I love the feel of it but still can’t describe why!
 
At £18.00 a go I wouldn’t build a whole stash of these but 1 or 2 would make a worthy addition to any stash and cloth addicts can keep going back for more with the lovely range of prints.
 
Overall the MiniLaLa is a practical and reliable nappy with the added bonus of being incredibly pretty!