Cloth Diaper Retailer Cooperative

Giving Thanks at Cottontail Baby

2011-11-11T01:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Veteran's Day!

I am Kathleen, owner of Cottontail Baby and its sister site, Mamaclothonline and a proud member of the Cloth Diaper Retailer Cooperative. This is usually my favorite time of year. My young sons get so excited about Halloween and all three of them have birthdays in October or November. Those celebrations plus all the family fun of Thanksgiving make these late Fall weeks party central around here. So, all happiness, all fun, all the time. All the time, that is, until I read the newspaper.

The news many days is bleak and sad, unfortunately. Not many truly joyful things make the front page. However, lately, everything just seems particularly bad. The tragic and unbelievable activities unfolding at Penn State, the sordid accusations in the Presidential campaign, the teetering economy in Greece, earthquakes in Turkey, flooding in Thailand, even pox parties. What is going on?

I noticed that several of my friends are updating their Facebook statuses each day with an item for which they are Thankful. A wonderful November tradition. Instead of writing this month's blog about Happy Heiny diapers, which was my original intention, I decided instead to write about what I am thankful for. Thankful both as a mom and as an owner of a Cloth Diaper business. I am still going to do a Happy Heiny giveaway so one of you can have something to be thankful for as well.

I am Thankful for the following Cloth Diaper products

1. Happy Heiny reusable training pants that can be customized to fit any child no matter how big or how small

2. Kozy Designs Wool Shorties with whimsical designs always make me smile

3. Mommy's Touch mamacloth in luxurious, gorgeous, bright brocade

4. Lori's Nursing Necklaces customized with each child's name make breastfeeding easier

5. Swaddlebees wipes in lime and lemon make even messy jobs fun

6. Northern Essence products...all of them....can't choose a favorite they are all so good

7. Imse Vimse cloth trainer three packs in jungle and Magic Dragon. So much more fun than the ubiquitous cartoon characters or disposable training pants

8. The wonderful utility of a prefold diaper. We use them for EVERYTHING around here

9. The new bumGenius 4.0s in Einstein and Lovelace. LOVE the new prints and LOVE their inspiration

10. Leslie's wet bags in each and every size. We use them for diapers, for wet swimming suits and for snack bags.

As a Mom I am Thankful for

1. Healthy and happy kids

2. A wonderful husband

3. Great schools and teachers

4. Supportive mom friends. No mommy wars in my world, THANKFULLY

5. Fun and friendly neighbors who are always willing to lend a hand

6. Tuesday and Thursday morning spinning classes

7. Other parents who volunteer to coach, be room parents, chaperone the field trips and carpool. My life would be so much more difficult with them not in it.

8. Sherri the barrista at my local Target's Starbucks. She always remembers my order and greets me with a smile

9. The Math Bingo app on my iPad which has lived up to its billing as a truly educational and fun tool

10. Date Night!!!

Giveaway

This month, we are giving away one of Happy Heinys super cute and super fun holiday One Size diaper. This cute bright green diaper with red snaps will be perfect all December on your little one. In order to enter the giveaway, please

1. Comment below about why you are thankful

2. Fan Cottontail Baby on Facebook

3. Fan the Cloth Diaper Retailer Cooperative on Facebook

4. Join the Cottontail Baby mailing list

Moms and Bums Inventory Clearance Sale!!

2011-10-18T00:00:00.000-07:00

Brampton's Biggest and Best Charity Mom Sale

On Saturday, Oct. 22th, Moms and Bums will once again sponsor the Mom Sale. Join us in the new larger location at the Brampton Fairgrounds (12942 Heart Lake Rd, Caledon, ON L7C 2K5) from 930 am – 130 pm.

www.momsandbums.com

The semi-annual sale sponsored by Moms and Bums natural parenting shop gives families the opportunity to get rid of those outgrown and no longer needed children's toys and clothing, while donating admission proceeds to charity. The Mom sale features over 150 vendors with used children's toys, shoes, strollers and clothing as well as a business marketplace filled with 25 local family related businesses.

We are proud to once again be sponsors of the upcoming fall Brampton Charity Mom sale. This time we are going to do things a bit differently and will be holding our year end inventory clearance at the sale. We will have some great pricing on your favorite name brand items. Nothing over $15!!!

Come visit and see our products in person! If you are looking for something specific this sale, make you sure you contact us ahead of time to let us know what you want us to bring, otherwise you will only get to see the clearance items.

$3 admission fee (grandparents and children free!) will once again benefit The Peel Children's Safety Village, a non-profit organization built by the community on land donated by the City of Brampton. The Safety Village aims to reduce the alarming rate of preventable traffic accidents, the leading cause of death for children aged one to nine.

For more information about the sale please visit The Mom Sale. Join their facebook page for $1 off admission coupon.

How Undercover Mama Saved My Baby from Chickenpox!

2011-10-16T01:21:00.000-07:00

Hi! I'm Bayla from Soft and Cozy Baby in Baltimore, MD.

A few weeks ago I noticed 2 itchy spots on my belly and back. I thought it was mosquito bites but had no idea how they got to my belly! Someone suggested it was poison ivy but again, almost impossible. A couple days later it turned into a blistery rash. As we were going out of town the next day, I decided to go to Patient First being that it was quite uncomfortable and I wanted to make sure it wasn't contagious.

The Doctor at Patient First took one look at it and announced, "That is definitely Shingles." Shingles?! I thought that's for old people! She said that she's seen a few young people with it lately. So am I contagious? Only if someone comes into direct contact with the lesions. But I am nursing a baby! She said my baby was likely already exposed so there's nothing I can do about it anyway. Someone can contract chickenpox from shingles, but they wouldn't contract shingles. But my 8 mo old nursling has not had the chickenpox or the vaccine, and he's the only one who has been in direct contact with my belly!

Her only advice was to keep it covered, wash my hands, and take an antiviral. I was taken off work for a week as I'm a midwife and don't want to expose my patients - just in case. I called my pediatrician who wasn't concerned. It's not dangerous for a baby at 8 months to get chicken pox.

So we went on our trip as planned. And my baby never got the chicken pox!

I attribute it to my Undercover Mama! I LOVE theUndercover Mama and wear one all the time! It is great because it just hooks to your regular nursing bra and is much cheaper than a nursing tank. I like that it keeps my belly covered while I'm nursing as I wear a lot of T-shirts. I also wear it to sleep because nursing in bed makes for a cold tummy! I think because my Undercover Mama kept my belly covered all the time, my baby was never exposed to the shingles lesion.

Another great benefit of the Undercover Mama!

Washing Diapers -- It is simple!

2011-10-04T05:34:00.000-07:00

Hi I am Sharni and I own the Nappy Shoppe in Allen Texas. We get a lot of people who come to the store or email me who want to use cloth for the various benefits but are concerned about the washing aspect.

It is easy! I promise you are not required to have a stream in the back yard with rocks to pound on the diapers. Your washing machine does all of the work! When I was washing diapers I was doing 2-3 loads of diaper wash a week, but on the other side of the coin, I was doing less clothing wash than I had with my previous baby in disposables, because I had far less blowouts and leaks with cloth. So I found that I was not doing many extra loads.

The keys to a successful washing routine are water and the right detergent. Diapers are dirty! Yes dirty! Someone just pooped and peed on cloth so they are dirty, and this takes water to clean out. So I ran a rinse before I did anything. I did a cold rinse, so I didn't set any stains with heat. Now I have removed the worst of the soil, I can then add my detergent to really clean the diapers.

I use an additive free detergent. There are several great brands on the market that are made for cloth diapers, such as Rockin Green, Thirsties liquid, Eco Sprout and Eco Nuts. And yes you can use these on your regular wash too. I found them to be comparable price wise so I no longer buy regular detergent.

I found I used far less detergent than I used to before I cloth diapered. One of the biggest mistakes that many make (including myself starting out) was that they use too much detergent. And the residue gets left in the fibers and reacts with pee and causes rashes. I found for my water, a tablespoon of Rockin Green worked the best for me.

Suds do not make for clean diapers. Suds mean there is residue to be removed from the water. The better detergents do not make suds. When you peek in your machine for the final rinse, suds is something you do not want to see. If you do, run a rinse cycle or full cycle again.

I use hot water for the wash cycle. My machine does a hot wash and cold rinse. This worked fine for me. Do not use the sanitise cycle on your machine, the water can be so hot it can ruin the elastics and the waterproofing of your diapers.

Do not use bleach or fabric softener. Keep it simple! These items will harm your diapers. All you need is water and your diaper safe detergent to wash your diapers. Do not use dryer sheets. Not only do these harm your diapers, but they also have harmful chemicals in them that are not good for you in general. Cutting out all these items keeps the cost of washing down too!

So keep it simple, a good detergent and lots of water, and your diapers should be clean.

Aubrey's Undies #4- Super Skivvies Convertible Trainer

2011-09-18T00:00:00.000-07:00

Super Skivvies

Convertible trainers for your little Potty Learner. Its a trainer... its underwear... Its Super Skivvies!

With their great prints and ultimate comfort, it was no surprise that Super Skivvies quickly became one of Aubrey's Favorite undies!

Pink Ooga Booga

What's so special about Super Skivvies?

They are made from organic cotton and they feature a no roll elastic encased in the waist and thigh bands, leaving no red marks on Aubrey's chunky thighs.

In the wet zone Super Skivvies have a built in rayon (from bamboo) and organic cotton velour liner, the perfect place to tuck in a little more absorbency for the training stages.

Butter Ooga Booga

Included is a removable insert consisting of three layers rayon (from bamboo)/organic cotton fleece. Just tuck the insert into the wet zone lining, and your undies are trainers! When your little trainer gets a bit bigger like my Aubrey, simply remove the insert and your trainers are now her big girl undies!

Its a zoo in here

Super Skivvies are not an alternative to diapers. Including the insert, there are five layers of protection, enough to handle a small accident. If your little one still needs more protection you can add a second insert.

Frogs in Cars

Find all of the featured Aubrey's Undies and more favorite trainers online at our Moms and Bums Family of Shops, or visit us in person at our Inventory Clearance Sale during the Mom sale October 22nd at the Brampton Fairgrounds (12942 Heart Lake Rd, L7C2J3) from 930-130. Admission $3 and all admission proceeds will once again be donated to Peel Children's Safety Village. Find more details on our Locals Corner page.

Have you enjoyed our Aubrey's Undies features? See Aubrey's Favorite undies featured on CityLine!

Why Shop Local

2011-09-15T20:16:00.000-07:00

Hi! I'm Bayla from Soft and Cozy Baby in Baltimore. I'm going to make you think a little!

In today's internet age, who shops local anymore? It's easier and quicker to hop online and search for the best price and have it delivered to your door a week later. No dragging your kids in and out of their car seats, finding parking, etc. Sounds good, huh?

So why shop local?

Sales tax - One of the main reasons for shopping online is to avoid sales tax. Sales tax is what supports our community. It pays for our firefighters, police officers, garbage collectors, street paving, schools, and all the things we complain about that the city isn't doing for us! We need taxes as much as we hate them!

Giving back to our community - It's nice to think we're getting a great deal when we save a couple bucks shopping at big box stores or conglomerates. But they don't appreciate you! When you walk into a local mom-and-pop-shop and spend an extra dollar, think of what you're getting: personalized, educated, hands-on assistance; a grateful shop owner who you might have helped put food on their table; helping your neighbor or friend make a living. Wasn't it worth that extra dollar for the smile you put on their face to receive that warm feeling in your heart?

Shopping in your community keeps money in the community. It helps create jobs and resources and grows other local businesses. Local businesses build strong neighborhoods by contributing to local causes and investing back in sustaining the neighborhood.

Reduces the environmental impact - requires less transporting of goods

Local businesses return 80% of every dollar to the community.

Small local businesses are the largest employer and they create the most jobs.

Although it might seem like you're shopping local when you go into your local big box store, actually most of the revenue of that store is not staying in your community.

Here are some of the ways my small, independent store supports our community:

I pay rent to a local landlord supporting his business and family
I hire local employees putting food on their table and their kids in preschool which supports the local supermarkets and preschools
I pay city and county taxes which improves city services and supports our city workers and emergency personnel
I pay unemployment insurance which creates a pool for those locally who are unemployed
My shop contributes to the atmosphere of our neighborhood, helping to make it a safe and friendly place to live and visit
We accept and distribute bNotes, a local currency which keeps money local to improve the local economy
We contribute to local charities, schools, and organizations, keeping the money in the community
We help sponsor local events, making our community active, thriving, and a fun place to live and visit
We provide hands-on workshops and support, ensuring that our customers are successful and informed; and we are available for troubleshooting
We are open to customer suggestions on the products we carry and try to support local artisans and manufacturers
Our pricing is as competitive as any internet retailer allowing customers to support local business

WHY? Because it really makes a huge difference.

When you shop local, you invest in your community, in your neighbors, and in yourselves. In this economic climate, the best return on investment is in local business. It is estimated that for every dollar you spend, twice as much will be reinvested in the community by a local store than a national store.

Pick 3 independent businesses that you would miss if they closed. Spend $50 there. Feel good that your purchases are what keeps these stores around.

Sources

www.spendlocally.com

www.shoplocalsf.org

www.staylocal.org

http://www.elephantjournal.com/2008/09/why-shop-local-local-businesses-return-80-of-each-dollar-to-the-community/

http://www.the350project.net/home.html -- This is an AMAZING website!

Why do you shop locally and how does that benefit you and your community?

Who is your local cloth diaper shop and do you support them?

http://cdretailercooperative.blogspot.com/2010/05/locate-retailer.html

September 11, 2011

2011-09-11T05:50:00.000-07:00

So, it is September 11, 2011, the 10 year anniversary of the horrible attacks on the United States in New York City, Pennsylvania and Washington, DC. It is also my day to blog on the Cloth Diaper Retailer Cooperative blog. I have been trying to come up with something appropriate to share with you all. However, despite my best efforts, writing about diaper rash salve or the best cloth training pant seems so trite and inconsequential.

I read an interesting article on how to talk to your kids about 9/11 and was all prepared when my young sons asked about it this morning (they wanted to know why there was a commemorative ceremony at the baseball game they were watching on tv). When I started to answer them using the words and tone the article suggested they replied "Oh, the Twin Towers? We learned about that at school." "Really?" I responded, "When?" "In Art class" they replied. Huh? In Art class? Has 9/11 and the wars that followed so desensitized us as a nation to the horrors of that day that 2nd graders are learning of it in Art? This was the defining moment of my adulthood. Like Pearl Harbor and the Kennedy Assassination that proceeded it, it is one of those days where everyone can tell you exactly where they were, what they were doing and how they felt when they first heard of it. It ended any innocence that remained and caused fear to be a unwelcome companion. Should something this consequential and life changing really be a topic in 2nd grade Art? Upon hearing of our sons' history lesson, my husband and I sat down with them and provided a bit more detail than I am assuming they received over finger paints and glitter.

So, on this 10th Anniversary day, I will not blog about diapers but I will do a giveaway as we all need something fun and happy to which we can look forward. One of our favorite Made in the USA diapers, Thirsties, has recently added new prints to its diaper cover line. They are sweet and delightful and make me smile whenever I see them. We will give away one of these new covers (you pick the size and print) via a random drawing from the entrants.

In order to enter, please do one or all of the following (doing all four gives you four entries!):

- Comment below on how you discuss 9/11 with your children

- Fan Cottontail Baby on Facebook

- Fan the Cloth Diaper Retailer Cooperative on Facebook

- Join the Cottontail Baby mailing list

To Size Or To One Size.. That Is The Question!

2011-08-18T07:25:00.000-07:00

Every month I hold a free cloth diapering class in Toledo to help people see, touch, and feel the diapers from my website and get a better understanding of how each diaper or diapering system works. My hope is that the class will help them to realize cloth can be just as easy as disposables with the right system in place.

One of the questions that often comes up in my class is the advantages and disadvantages of using a sized diaper vs. a one size diaper. I'd like to review a few different options for you in this post to hopefully help you on your way to becoming a cloth diaper expert!

There are several advantages to using a one size diaper. Most one size diapers are designed to fit baby from birth through potty training. If you utilized all one size diapers from birth through potty training, you may only need 20-30 total diapers and would not need to buy more. They may even last through one or more additional children. One disadvantage to a one size diaper is that they may be a tad bit bulky on a newborn. The typical range for a one size diaper is 7-35 pounds, but on the small end the amount of fabric in a one size diaper would still typically be a bit bulky on a newborn. I had to leave my daughter's snaps in her sleepers unsnapped for a few months.. but it didn't bother me since we were at home most of the time anyway. Another disadvantage of one size diapers is that if your child is a bit on the large side, they may end up growing out of their one size diapers before they potty train. My son was 3 before he potty trained and had long since grown out of his one size diapers. The sized diapers, however, continued to fit him into potty training years.

The diaper that I carry that is one size and has the largest weight range is the Wahmies One Size diaper shown here:

This diaper is very trim fitting and versatile. The sides hook onto themselves to prevent wing droop, and the fold to fit bamboo and cotton insert makes this as trim fitting as possible. At 17.95 this is also on the lower price range for most of the one size diapers. And when baby approaches the toddler years it can be great for another use.. keeping diaper ON baby! The hooks definitely make it a great child-proof diaper!

Now what if you'd like something a bit more trim for the first few months? I think it's a great option to use a sized diaper in the beginning and then transition to a one size diaper for the toddler years. There are several great options for a newborn.

First there is the FuzziBunz XS Perfect Size diaper. This is such an adorable little diaper with a weight range of 4-12 pounds. You could even try a small size with a weight range of 7-18 pounds and then you would need less sizes overall. In my experience most of the sized diapers are generous in their sizing.. my son could still wear his large FuzziBunz when he was 3.. and we bought them for him when he was 10 months old! If you solely use a sized diaper option the diapers would also see less use compared to a one size diaper and hopefully last through more subsequent children. FuzziBunz also has a great sale going on right now.. buy 6 in any combination of Perfect Size or One Size and get 2 free diapers directly from FuzziBunz!! A steal of a deal!

Another sized diaper option for newborns is investing in some duo wraps and prefolds. This is a very inexpensive option, since you can buy 20-30 infant prefolds to have on hand for those frequent newborn messies without breaking the bank. I usually recommend having 4-5 covers on hand and 20 prefolds to start.. and if you need more you can always add more! The disadvantages of using a prefold are that there are two steps to the process - the prefold goes on baby and then the cover, making the process a bit more time consuming, and the prefold might be a bit more bulky on baby than a diaper like the FuzziBunz Perfect Size.

The Thirsties duo wrap is an excellent option to use for a cover because it comes in velcro or snap closure, and is designed to only require the parents to invest in two sizes instead of three of four sizes of covers. As with any Thirsties product the covers are excellent for holding in leaks with their great leg gussets and are available in some adorable prints too!

Another great option for a newborn is the Happy Heinys Mini One Size. This is what it sounds like.. a mini version of a traditional one size diaper. The idea is that you would use the mini one size from 4-16 pounds (it snaps down in the rise) and then size up to the regular Happy Heinys One Size diaper, which are available in velcro or snap. The mini one size still costs 18.95 so it is a bit on the pricier end for newborn options.. but is super easy to use since it is a pocket diaper, especially in those bleary-eyed first few months. It is also available in adorable prints including owl (pictured below) and glow in the dark skull.

What if you find that your toddler is a tad big in his potty training year(s)? Some manufacturers such as Happy Heinys do make XL diapers that run from 30-40 pounds. These are pocket diapers that I'd be happy to special order for you. Otherwise give the size L a try in any sized diaper.. hopefully you'll find that they are a bit more generous in size and they can last through potty training!

Want to stay in touch?

Like Tender Loving Cloth Diapers on Facebook

Join my mailing list at www.tlcdiapers.com

Have a wonderful weekend!

Amanda

Owner

Tender Loving Cloth Diapers

www.tlcdiapers.com

Should We Trick Our Kids?

2011-08-11T00:05:00.000-07:00

My name is Kathleen and I am the owner of Cottontail Baby and Mamaclothonline. I live in Minnesota with my husband and our three young, active, sports-obsessed sons. Like many moms out there, I try my best every day to live a green life and do right by my family, friends and community. While I often fall short of my ideal, I always keep trying.

I have been struck recently by the number of articles and self-help books that advocate tricking or lying to our children in order to get them to do what it is we want them to do. Trick your kids into eating their vegetables. Trick your kids into thinking school is cool. Trick your kids into reading. Trick your kids into helping around the house.

I am rather astounded at all of this. Why do we have to lie to get our kids to do what we want them to do or what is best for them? How do our children benefit from our manipulation and subterfuge? (Full disclosure: I live in a house in which Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy are very much alive and present. That might make me a hypocrite and I can live with that.)

If you want your children to eat their vegetables than make them a part of every meal and model eating vegetables. Grow them in your garden and have your kids help. We have a four colors on your plate every meal rule and often talk with our kids about what colors would be fun to eat at dinner and pick the appropriate veggie (orange - bell peppers or carrots, green - beans or asparagus, red - tomatoes or beats, blue - corn or potatoes, yellow - summer squash). Have them help prepare the meal. Even a toddler can hang beside mom or dad with his or her own little bowl and spoon -- who cares if it messy? In my experience most of parenting is.

I never did understand how children would benefit, in the long run, from hiding pureed carrots in the chocolate chip cookies or spinach in the brownies. What is the end game here? If kids don’t ever eat vegetables as vegetables what happens when they are older and their parents no longer sneak them into their sweets? Will they miraculously start enjoying vegetables and make them part of their daily diet then? Perhaps. But not likely. Sending the message that desserts are good and veggies are bad doesn't help anyone. When they find out that their parents have been lying to them all these years, what will that do their parent/child relationship now that trust has been violated? Finally, you take away from the child the ability to actually develop a love for vegetables. Who knows, maybe they will surprise you and end up liking it but you never gave them the chance to do so. Let's all remember the often quoted parenting philosophy that you must try a new food multiple times before you develop a taste for it. Don't take that opportunity away from them.

I feel the same way regarding tricking your kids into reading or helping around the house. They should develop a love of reading for readings sake and not because they were manipulated into it. In our house, my husband and I model reading and our children follow. Even when they were little bitty toddlers they would pick up books and point to words and mutter jibberish in an imitation of my husband and me. Cute. For parents who trick or bribe their kids into reading, how will they maintain the passion and joy once the subterfuge has ended?

Children should help around the house because they are part of the family and not because they were tricked into it. We don’t do allowances in our home. Our children help with chores because they live here too and everyone pitches in. If they need something, they receive money for it as we are a family and we do our best to meet each others needs. If they want something that is not a need, they can wait until their birthday or Christmas or a particularly indulgent grandparent comes to visit (it helps to be part of a culture in which cash is often given as a gift). Often, a little waiting allows them to realize they really didn’t want it after all.

Recognizing the best laid parenting plans get blown apart as our little ones imprint their own personalities on our ideals, what are your plans? As your infants turn into toddlers and breast milk makes way for solids, are you going to obscure the vegetables on your child’s plate? Are you going to trick them into the behaviors you want or encourage them on their own?

GIVEAWAY

Our giveaway this month is a FuzziBunz Diaper Tote. We LOVE and I mean LOVE the bright, vibrant colors FuzziBunz is using these days. Is there anything more gorgeous than their Crushed Berry or as fresh as their Apple Green or more luxurious than the Choco Truffle? Yum! In order to win one of these bags, please

Join the Cottontail Baby mailing list
Fan Cottontail Baby on Facebook
Fan the Cloth Diaper Retailer Cooperative on Facebook

Loving Naturals Sunscreen now goes on clear!

2011-08-08T04:55:00.000-07:00

When we first started using sunscreen on our daughter, we used specially formulated "baby" versions. I felt these would be safer and contain less chemicals than regular sunscreen. As I researched and my knowledge grew, I realized that many of them contained the same ingredients. We tried out different sunscreens and tried to find one that we felt was easiest to use for the whole family.

The next summer, we noticed that my daughter was coming home from the beach with a very red face each day, despite applying plenty of sunscreen. It wasn't sunburn-it would quickly fade once she took a bath. It turns out that she was very sensitive to many of the ingredients in these "natural" sunscreens. Mineral sunblocks and products with zinc were fine, while traditional sun'screens' seemed to set off the reaction.

Last year, we found Loving Naturals sunscreen and immediately fell in love. It worked well for the whole family, even my sensitive daughter and surfer husband. He felt that it worked even better than some waterproof and sport sunscreens designed for heavy activity. No rashes, no sunburn, no chemicals! We were in love...except for one downside. The sunscreen went on white and left us all looking a little pale and ghostly. It would mostly sink in, but there was still that "white shadow."

Since we really liked it and wanted to use it regardless, I was so excited when I saw that Loving Naturals reformulated the sunscreen to go on clear. It still offers the same great protection without chemicals, but now easily rubs in clear. They've also expanded the line to include a clear face version and baby versions. The sunscreen sticks also go on clear. It's really the best of both worlds!

If you've been looking for a natural sunscreen but wanted to avoid the white shadow, this is a great product to consider. We apply it without any worry-all of Loving Naturals products received a '0' toxicity rating from Environmental Working Group.

In August, use code 'summer2011' to save 5% on your order (bumGenius, Flip, GroVia, specials excluded)
In addition to some great new products at Snooty Booty Diapers, there are some amazing deals this month! GroVia ice and cosmos products are buy 2, get 1 free and bumGenius 4.0 pockets are buy 5, get 1 free. Some other items are clearing out, so check out the sale section for the latest deals. Looking for some smoking hot deals on clearance items? Use codes:
'clearance' -take $5 off a clearance purchase of $25 or more
'clear40'- take $10 off a clearance purchase of $40 or more

Help me clear out some products to make room for new ones this fall!
Enjoy the rest of your summer :)
Michelle
http://www.snootybootydiapers.com/
www.facebook.com/snootybootydiapers
www.twitter.com/snootybdiapers

Made in the USA

2011-07-08T12:32:00.000-07:00

Over the next several weeks, Snooty Booty's blog, Cloth Diapers Made Simple will be highlighting cloth diaper companies that manfacture in the USA. The first highlight goes to Knickernappies. Find out a little more about this great company and how to support US-made products.

Michelle

Snooty Booty Diapers

www.facebook.com/snootybootydiapers

www.twitter.com/snootybdiapers

Babyette Waterbabies Ring Sling

2011-07-05T06:04:00.001-07:00

Guest Poster: Patti Dallhoff

Patti works at the Nappy Shoppe and is mother to Carson, 4.5 months old

Baby Wearing experience with: Ergo (used newborn insert as well), CatBirdBaby Pikkolo, Moby Wrap, and the Babyette Waterbabies Mesh Ring Sling.

Texas summers are already hot enough without having to strap on a 16 pound 4 month old while going about my everyday life. He rarely lets me put him down so I have been trying several different baby wearing options. The Babyette Waterbabies Ring Sling is so far my favorite. It takes up very little space in the diaper bag (it could ﬁt in a quart size ziplock with room), is light weight and doesn’t make you sweat. Plus, you can wear it in the pool! How cool is that? I just dropped it in my wetbag for the ride home.

If you have multiple children and are trying to have a pool day, this sling is a must. It is very hands free, light, and secure. It dries quickly and you are not left dripping everywhere.

Having never worn a ring sling before I had to do a little research. Time for youtube! Then a trip to the Nappy Shoppe to try it on. It was super easy to put on for the ﬁrst time with no direction and just the few pointers I had obtained on youtube. Carson loved the kangaroo carry that has him facing out and we walked around the Nappy Shoppe getting use to it. I also turned him around and did the tummy to tummy carry and he quickly fell asleep. Sold!

There is also the option of a back carry once he is a little older. This sling is really quick and easy to get Carson in and out. If for some reason he is SUPER cranky and doesn’t want to be in there, I didn’t waste forever getting him in.

All the slings at the Nappy Shoppe come in a standard size and many beautiful bright colors. I was a little worried this wouldn’t ﬁt my husband, who wears a 52 inch suit jacket, but I was pleasantly surprised. There was at least a foot left to work with.

The very best thing about this sling is we don’t overheat wearing it. My little guy puts off a lot of heat and we stopped wearing our Moby two months ago because of that. This material is light, cool and nice against the skin. It easily washes and dries.

Happy Baby Wearing,

Patti

Fourth of July Savings at Snooty Booty Diapers

2011-07-01T06:24:00.001-07:00

‎4th of July Specials have begun!

Save up to 15% on Flip products
20% on SoftBums super dry touch and mini pods (including packages with these pods).
GroVia orders over $30 receive a free GroVia wetbag (while supplies last), ice and cosmos colors are on sale
10% on most other items using code "july411"

offers expire 7/5/11

Have a wonderful Fourth of July...enjoy food, fireworks and family!

www.snootybootydiapers.com

Circumcision - Whose Choice is it to Make?

2011-06-11T00:00:00.000-07:00

I am Kathleen, owner of both Cottontail Baby and Mamaclothonline and, most importantly, mother to three young boys. It is in my Mom role that I have been reading with great interest the news that San Francisco is considering a ballot initiative that would outlaw circumcision for boys under 18. The ban would make circumcising minors punishable by a fine of $1000 and up to one year in jail. There would be no religious exemptions. The more I read and the more I learn, the more I am finding myself quite conflicted about this proposed ban.

Certainly, on the one hand, circumcision is a form of mutilation of the body of a very much innocent and helpless infant. If God made it this way, why do we need to tamper with it as the actor Russell Crowe infamously tweeted earlier this week? I agree with this and feel the same way regarding this and a whole host of cosmetic procedures.

On the other hand, I do understand all the studies that indicate the health issues related to circumcision (some studies in Africa suggest that circumcision helps stop the spread of AIDS). I also understand the cultural and religious rituals associated with circumcision especially amongst Muslims and Jews and the importance placed on this rite of passage in both religions. Circumcision is so important to both groups that a ban of the practice could be seen as violating one's First Amendment rite to practice one's religion as one sees fit.

One study I read indicated that while only 30% of males world wide are circumcized, over 80% of males in the US are circumcized. Clearly, this is a US cultural issue in many ways. I am curious to know why this is so important and prevelent in our country but significantly less so world wide? Does it have something to do with our anti-septic, shrink wrapped culture? Are we just a nation of conformers and afraid, even for our tiny infants, to go against the norm? Are we lemmings who do not think for ourselves but just blindly and unquestionably approve unnecessary procedures?

One issue in the debate that I find most interesting is the dichotomy between what is good for the males and what is good for the females (female genital mutilation). Female circumcision (the removal of the clitoris) is illegal in this country. The San Francisco ban would simply provide males the same protection that is already enjoyed by females. I have yet to speak to any parent who believes in circumcision for boys who feels the same way for girls. Why is that? Is it that the process for girls is so much more barbaric (done when they are so much older and in such a crude fashion leading to significant illness, disfigurement and, occasionally, death)? I think that has to be part of it. In addition, for boys, circumcision is done for religious and health reasons but for girls, it is a cultural practice designed to repress women by eliminating their ability to experience sexual pleasure.

In the end, is this simply a parents rights issue? Does the government really need to legislate every choice parents make for the children? Is this just another in a long line of Big Brother laws such as outlawing spanking, criminalizing parents when their children misbehave (many laws that penalize and, in some cases, jail parents for having truant children for instance) or criminalizing parents who smoke in cars in which their children are riding.

What do you think? Is this a clear cut issue for you or are there many shades of grey? What would you do if you lived in San Francisco and this law passes?

GIVEAWAY

In terms of a giveaway for this sunny month of June, I would like to give a Thirsties Fab Duo. The relatively new Fab Duos are so soft and squishy and remind me of wrapping up in a towel after a long day at the beach. They come in fun, summertime colors such as mango, ocean and honeydew. No matter what you choose to do in regards to circumcision, these are great, comfy, wonderful diapers for your children.

So, to enter the drawing, you need to do the following by June 25, 2011:

Comment on this blog post and tell us what you think
Fan Cottontail Baby on Facebook
Fan the Cloth Diaper Retailers Cooperative on Facebook
Join the Cottontail Baby mailing list

Good luck!

What we bring to the beach

2011-06-08T09:29:00.000-07:00

Summer is here and I'm fortunate enough to live within a couple of miles of the Jersey Shore. (For those of you that have never been here, many places are completely UNlike the Mtv hit show.) Looking at my beach bag this past weekend, I realized how many beach products are a throwback to my cloth diapering love. Whether you're hitting the beach, the community pool, or even the park this summer, there are many great products to make your outings easier.

Reusable s wim diapers - Cute and functional, swim diapers are a no brainer for cloth diapering families. S nooty Booty Diapers offers three different brands- Bummis Swimmi, AMP swim diapers and bambino mio swim diapers. Each adjusts or closes a little differently, giving you a full range of diapering options for the water. If you only hit the water once or twice a season, consider using a pocket diaper with no insert.

PlanetWise Beach Bag - This is the best beach bag I've ever had! Fully lined with waterproof/wickproof PUL, this bag will easily hold a couple of wet beach towels and bathing suits. There's also a dry compartment that holds my keys, wallet, cell phone and book. It's so handy to be able to use one bag for wet and dry items.

Loving Naturals Sunscreen - My daughter used to come home from the beach with a red face. We thought that the hat and sunscreen weren't cutting it until we realized that she was reacting to the sunscreen (within minutes of a bath, the redness would disappear). That hasn't happened since we started using Loving Naturals. It is really smooth, goes on easily and doesn't smell like regular sunscreen does. It does leave a 'white shadow' for about 20 minutes after applying, so I tend to put it on before we head out. It lasts a while before we need to reapply and my very fair daughters stay burn-free! 100% natural and vegan, this really is an amazing sunscreen.

June 8-15, save 5% on the above products with code 'cdrcsummer' Free shipping during the month of June!

~Michelle
Snooty Booty Diapers
www.facebook.com/snootybootydiapers
www.twitter.com/snootybdiapers
Cloth Diapers Made Simple

We're 4 months old now! Duo Fitted and GIVEAWAY!

2011-05-16T00:07:00.000-07:00

Hi! I'm Bayla from Soft and Cozy Baby in Baltimore, MD. I wrote about my Newborn Picks in February and now my baby Netanel is 4 months old already!

Wow! Babies grow so fast! And with them, their diapers! It's so sad that I have to start putting away my adorable newborn diapers. Some still barely fit - like the Kissaluvs 0 and the Thirsties XS. But we've basically moved into smalls otherwise. bumGenius AIO smalls (hand-me-downs from my older son as they dont make them anymore), Thirsties Duos and One-Size diapers. We've also upgraded to Bummis and Thirsties small wraps. And my favorite, once again, is Thirsties duos. We use the Duo Fitteds, Duo wraps, and Duo diapers. I know this topic has been discussed before but this is what I'm excited about now!

I have the original Thirsties fab fitteds from my older son and the Duo fab fitteds are much better! Besides the adjustability which allows them to grow from 6-18 lb, they also have a second liner which increases absorbancy, allows you to add stuffing, and lets them dry quicker. Plus the colors are so adorable that you really don't want to cover them up.
And get this - Size 1 is 6-18 lb and Size 2 is 18-40, right? Well I was running low on dipes so I pulled out a Size 2 Duo Diaper from my 3 year old's stash. It was a little big but still worked perfectly on my 3.5 month, about 15 pounder! No leaks or anything! We do have a few Size 1's but I'm going to start increasing my Size 2 stash instead!
So for our GIVEAWAY (YAY!), you can win a Duo Fab Fitted!
You get one entry for doing each of the following things and then commenting below that you did it. Please make each entry a different comment. Each comment counts as 1 - we wont be going through if you did multiple things but put them all in one comment.
The contest ends Saturday May 28 2011 at midnight. We will pick one comment with random.org as a winner. Let us know what color/closure duo fitted you'd prefer and a second choice.

1. Go to our New page and let us know what your favorite product listed is that you might want to try some day.
2. Follow Soft and Cozy Baby on Facebook and say hi on our page
3. Follow CDRC on Facebook and say hi
4. Tell us which page we have an ad in April's Pregnancy and Newborn magazine (look at your OB or midwife's office!)
5. Follow us on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway with a link. You can tweet once a day and put a comment below each time you tweet.
6. Post this giveaway on Facebook with a link. You can post once a day and comment below each time.
7. Visit the Cloth Diaper Retailer Cooperative 'Locate A Retailer' page and find the cloth diaper retailer closest to you. Visit their website, and leave a comment below with BOTH the name of the store AND whether or not you have ever ordered from them before.
8. Let us know what size/color/closure you want. You can see the options here

Good luck!

Mom Products I Found Through Cloth Diapering

2011-05-08T08:24:00.000-07:00

When we started cloth diapering my oldest daughter, I was hooked right away. I loved the decline in trash, the cuteness of her bottom, everything! When I started looking at the sites we were buying from, I saw there were other great reusable products for the whole family. More reading on cloth diapering blogs and diapering forums introduced me to lots of great ideas. Cloth diapers set off a chain reaction that will last long after my younger daughter is out of diapers. Here are some products I found through cloth diapering and love!

Reusable nursing pads: The first time around, I used those disposable pads. They were itchy, uncomfortable and expensive. By the time my younger daughter came, I had a supply of reusable nursing pads. Made of organic cotton, bamboo or microfleece, these pads were far superior, more comfortable and easier to hide under clothing.

Cloth menstrual pads: I am SO glad that cloth diapering led me to learn about cloth menstrual pads! They have made each month a more enjoyable experience, and I have none of the previous irritation I used to suffer. Just like a cute diaper makes changing more fun, pretty cloth pads help during an otherwise 'blah' time.

Dryer balls: We have about 6 dryer balls in our dryer at any one time. They help to make the laundry softer without chemicals, residue and scents. They are great for cloth diapers and make our towels a lot softer.

Reusable snack and lunch bags: As my daughters start to go to preschool, I've found that I need to have easily portable snacks ready to go. Resuable snack bags are easy to open, help keep food fresh and are fun to use. I love the fact that whether my husband needs to wrap his sandwich or my daughter wants raisins in her lunch box, I don't have to worry about running out of plastic bags.

What are some products you'll reach for after diapering is over?

~Michelle
Snooty Booty Diapers
www.facebook.com/snootybootydiapers
www.twitter.com/snootybdiapers
Cloth Diapers Made Simple

Sweet Pea One Size Diaper

2011-05-05T05:37:00.000-07:00

Hi I am Sharni, I own the Nappy Shoppe in Allen Texas. If you are local to the North Texas area, please be sure to stop by to say hi, if not, stop by our Facebook Page and say hi :)

I stock quite a few brands of pocket diapers , and sometimes you have to wonder what makes one pocket diaper stand out from the rest. What feature makes the Sweet Pea pocket diaper worth stocking when I have others? This diaper has become commonly reached for diaper at night for us, and I do own more than one (which says something about a diaper when I bother to buy a second after I product test with the first and Braden has enough diapers to diaper triplets for a week without washing).

The Sweet Pea Pocket Diaper is a one size diaper. While I have not actually tested it on a newborn, or not necessarily recommend it on a newborn, babies are not that tiny for long, so even if it doesn't fit on that first diaper change, or even for the first couple of weeks, this pocket is an incredible value for money. If you are looking for a pocket to last through to potty training then this one will fit the bill for most babies. Braden at 35 pounds still has room to grow in it.

This pocket closes with snaps, and while my husband is not a fan of snaps, he has managed to put this one on Braden with success. Snaps are far more durable than hook and loop and will not need replacing. There is two rows of closing snap. I really like the way this diaper fits. Even when stuffed with two G-Flappers for night time, it is still trim looking. It has a good rise on it and a decent size pocket which allows for it to be stuffed for night time. Stuffed for day time use, it is a trim diaper.

So what makes this unique? Well it has a feature that I like about the Thirsties DUO Pocket diaper , and that is the fact that has openings at each end for the stuffers, and inserts will work their way out in the wash, so you do not need to unstuff this pocket before washing. While I love the Thirsties DUO Pocket Diaper for night time, it is only available with hook and loop closures, so when someone tells me they love the idea of the Thirsties DUO Pocket, but do not want hook and loop, I point them in the direction of the Sweet Pea Pocket. The other advantage this diaper has over the Thirsties DUO is that it is one size, not split into two diaper sizes. So this diaper will go all the way through from birth to training. I have however tested Size 1 Thirsties DUO Pockets on newborns and I know they do work from around 6 pounds. This diaper does say it will fit from 8 pounds though, which covers a lot of newborns. It has 4 size settings, which is more than some other brands.

What else do I like? This diaper comes in a colour not commonly seen in other brands. Yes it has the standard blues and greens, but it also had BLACK! While black on babies is not for everyone, for those who like it, this is one of the few brands that offers it.

The other thing that makes this diaper great value for money is the inserts. While most pockets at this price point of $18.95 offer two inserts, in general they are just microfiber. This diaper comes with a microfiber insert and a hemp insert. These two fabrics work great together, and for many babies these inserts would be sufficient for lasting the night. For those that need more, just add an all bamboo G-Flapper and you will find that will do most heavy wetters.

So when looking for a one size pocket, be sure to consider the Sweet Pea One Size Pocket. With its snap closures, no touch insert removal, and hemp and microfiber inserts, its great value for money.

My First Friend

2011-05-02T13:49:00.000-07:00

Little Joe

Every baby needs a friend, The Friendly Pacifier™ is the new “must-have” in pacifiers. This patent pending concept combines a soothing pacifier with a plush toy to maximize security and comfort for baby helping her calmly discover the world around her.

Little Kate

Having one of the cutest little animal faces combined with the silky softness of fleece and satin is just what any baby would want. The great attributes of this new plush toy are:

Calms a fussy baby for longer periods of time and promotes self-soothing.

Offers a temporary distraction while boosting a baby’s motor skills.

No longer have to search, dig or reach for dropped pacifiers.

These are a must have for you and your little one and a perfect gift for that upcoming baby shower.Our little friends Kate, Jack, Joe, Lex, Louie and Annie are just waiting to come play with you.

We are offering 10% off these great First Friends no need for codes, just click and save.

Aubrey's Undies #3 - Imse Vimse Trainers and Aristocrats Wool Soakers

2011-04-18T00:00:00.000-07:00

Aubrey is now 3 and has been day trained for some time, but with her kidney problems having an easy to use night time solution was hard to find. It was important that we use something that would breathe well, but still help keep her sheets and bed dry at night. Most important for her was that she was able to use it by herself! So when she needed to get to the bathroom quickly she could easily pull them down and make it on time.

Aubrey will tell you that she loves her big girl undies! She loves the fun designs and that they pull on just like her big sisters undies do. I love how trim they are, fitting easily under her clothes. ImseVimse Training Pants are functional and stylish and are made with organic cotton.

What are they made of?
Organic cotton knit outside with two layers of absorbent organic cotton terry on the inside, and one inner layer of PUL. ImseVimse training pants absorb just enough to protect clothes from getting wet when small accidents happen.

Although they are recommended for day-time use only, we add an aristocrats wool cover for the perfect nap time and overnight combo.

Aristocrats pure wool pull on diaper cover is made of stretchy, double layered knit wool. Designed for extra absorbency and protection.

Why wool?
Wool is breathable, helping to maintain normal body temperature. Wool can actually absorb a third of its weight in liquid before it feels wet.

It's that time again! Moms and Bums will once again be sponsoring the upcoming Mom to Mom Charity Sale being held on Mother's Day Weekend, Saturday May 7th from 9am to 1pm at Judith Nyman Secondary School (formerly North Peel). Come on out and support Peel Children's Safety Village!

Sustainablebabyish Knit Underwoolies REVIEW and GIVEAWAY (closed)!

2011-04-17T17:25:00.000-07:00

Hello! Noreen from Merrimack Valley Diapers here. I have a confession to make...

I am addicted to wool!

Now, I don't own any wool for myself to wear... all of the wool that I own is for my son, Wesley, who recently turned two years old. As a cloth-diapered baby, he has had the great luck to have a godmother who can knit custom longies and soakers like nobody's business! We have a pretty good selection of hand-knit wool, as well as some fabulous interlock wool soakers that I have bought from my favorite WAHM on Etsy.com.

But, up until now, we didn't have any wool that was trim enough to fit under my son's regular pants. So I was very excited when Sustainablebabyish | Sloomb introduce their newest item - Knit Underwoolies!

These little underpants are just the perfect cover to a prefold diaper with a snappi (my husband's favorite diaper!) or a fitted diaper (like the Sbish snapless-multi, my favorite fitted!).

From the manufacturer:

sustainablebabyish knit underwoolies are made from öko-tex certified wool yarns and are double-layer knit in the wetzone, making them trim, breathable, soft, and comfortable–perfect for cloth diapered children from newborns to toddlers.

They come in two sizes (size 1 for 0-12 months, and size 2 for 12 months+) and currently only come in natural wool, but I am thinking seriously about getting another pair and hand-dying them. (I'll probably let Wesley decide what color he wants his new underwoolies to be!) Hmmm... now that I think about it, I like this cover so much that maybe I'll get two more! In the meantime, you can win your own pair of underwoolies...

______________
The GIVEAWAY! (closed)

Merrimack Valley Diapers is giving away one pair of Sustainablebabyish Knit Underwoolies! You choose the size (size 1 or size 2). Giveaway ends Sunday April 24, 2011.

To enter:
(Mandatory Entry) Visit the Cloth Diaper Retailer Cooperative 'Locate A Retailer' page and find the cloth diaper retailer closest to you. Visit their website, and leave a comment below with BOTH the name of the store AND whether or not you have ever ordered from them before. (If you do not complete this entry, all other entries will be void.)

Follow @MVDiapers on twitter and tweet this giveaway. Please tweet, "Win a pair of Sbish Knit Underwoolies from @MVDiapers! http://bit.ly/i2WKmc #clothdiapers http://bit.ly/cdrcoop". Leave a comment below with a link to your status.

You can tweet once each day for the length of the giveaway. Leave a comment below with your status for each daily tweet.

Follow this blog via Google Friend Connect. Leave a comment below.

Become a fan of Merrimack Valley Diapers on facebook. Leave a comment below.

Become a fan of Cloth Diaper Retailer Cooperative on facebook. Leave a comment below.

Noreen

Helpful hints and other fun stuff on our blog: http://merrimackvalleydiapers.com/blog

A few fun new products...

2011-04-15T02:00:00.000-07:00

I've had a chance to try out a few new products lately here at The Green Baby Store. And to my surprise I really liked all of them! Here are a couple of my new favorite products:

The Charlie Banana Traning Pants. These are fantastic! They are super trim, and fit only slightly thicker than regular undies. They are organic cotton with a hidden PUL layer, so they are waterproof, comfortable, absorbant and oh so trim. I tried them on both my 35 pound 3 1/2 year old daughter (the second picture)--who is already potty trained but agreed to be a model for them--and on my 26 pound, 17 month old son (this first picture). They fit both kids well with a little bit more room to grow. I would put the weight range on these at 20-40 pounds; however, as with most diapering products fit can vary based on baby's shape as well. I only washed the training pants once before trying them out on my son and they worked great. He wore them for about two hours like a diaper under pants, and they held everything in. His clothing stayed dry and his skin felt dry to the touch after removing the wet trainer. He has worn them a little more after additional washes and they have become more absorbant and haven't leaked at all for us. We love this new trainer for daytime use on all toddlers, but it may not be aborbant enough to heavy wetters to wear to bed. The only other downfall is that the leg elastics are a little on the small side, so if your child is at the top of the weight range and has thicker thighs the trainers may be too tight around the thighs for him or her.

Another new product we have from Charlie Banana are the swim diapers. Just like the trainers they are super trim and fit great under bathing suits. But they are cute enough to wear without a suit too! They come in small, medium and large and each suit has a drawstring waistband (hidden inside the diaper) to make sure you get the perfect fit everytime.

The inside of the swim diaper is lined with a light weight cotton fabric making it more comfortable for baby then an unlined PUL diaper. What makes this swim diaper even more exciting is it has a small sewn in soaker. Just enough to protect your lap during those preswimming moments when baby is changed and ready to go but hasn't gotten wet yet. The absorbant strip helps keep accidents contained to the diaper and not dripping down their legs onto the pool deck or your lap. The absorbant strip is thin enough that it won't weigh down the diaper when wet. I can't wait for our weather to warm up so we can try these out in the pool, the bathtub trial wasn't nearly as fun.

And finally we are exciting to be carrying the itti bitti tutto one-size diaper. These are true luxury diapers for your little one. The itti bittis are super soft, squishy, luxurious diapers. They come with a set of three different organic soaker pads that you can snap in to customize absorbancy for your little one. The two larger pads are both topped with a stay-dry layer to keep wetness off of baby's skin, something rare in organic inserts. The diaper has a waterproof outer topped with wonderfully soft minky fabric. And the minky stays soft wash after wash. The diaper can used as an all-in-one with snap in soaker that does not need to be removed for washing, or as a hybrid system. You can purchase editional soaker pad sets and reuse the shell a few times, or you can match the shell with any brand of disposible inserts. This diaper will make you want to cuddle your baby in your lap all day long.

We are celebrating Earth Day all month long with a different sale each week. See our homepage and facebook pages for more details. And don't forget to order the special edition Charlie Banana and Fuzzibunz one-size diapers to show your support of our great planet.

A chance to save: Enter to win a 50% off coupon code on one product from our store (some exclusions apply). Like our facebook page and the Cloth Diaper Retailers Cooperative facebook page and then post below what product you'd love to try at 50%!

Thanks for reading!

Melissa, Owner of The Green Baby Store

To Spray Or Not To Spray.. That Is The Question!

2011-04-12T00:00:00.000-07:00

Are your cloth wipes getting the most bang for their buck? Perhaps you are a bit intimidated by the little cloth wonders or don't know what to use with them. Let me be the first to recommend trying some spray solution with your wipes. There are some great benefits to using cloth wipes and a spray solution as well.

If you are already a cloth diaper user, you already have a system in place to store dirty diapers and launder them. Usually you have a wet bag for travel and a dry pail or hanging pail at home. When you use cloth wipes you can save a large amount of money over time since you do not have to keep buying disposable wipes. Also, since you already have your cloth diapering system in place all you have to do is put the dirty wipes in your pail and launder them with your diapers.

Some people prefer to use just plain water or essential oils with water as their wipe solution. I truly love using a spray solution with my cloth wipes. First, it travels well. Stick it in the diaper bag and you're good to go! Second, it's easy! It's right there on the changing table ready for use. I just spritz it on baby, wipe, and then throw the cloth wipes in with my cloth diapers to be washed. Very easy and extremely affordable! No more trips to the grocery to pick up more wipes!

Happy Heinys makes a nice organic wipe solution. The solution is derived from plants and is completely safe for baby's skin. Available in 8 oz amounts for your changing table and 4 oz for your diaper bag!

Thirsties also has a 4 oz and 8 oz wipe solution called Thirsties Booty Luster. This solution is non-irritating and 100% biodegradable. The luster is blended by hand in small batches and cleans, moisturizes, and helps protect against diaper rash.

**Giveaway closed ** Want to win some Booty Luster? Here are a few ways to enter. You may leave a comment for each item that you complete.

*Like Tender Loving Cloth Diapers on Facebook

*Like Cloth Diaper Retailer Cooperative on Facebook

*Follow This Blog

The contest will end 4/24/11 and the item will be shipped free to the winner!

Amanda

Owner

www.tlcdiapers.com

Doing it yourself

2011-04-05T01:33:00.000-07:00

Hi, I am Sharni, owner of the Nappy Shoppe. Nappy Shoppe was started with my making my own inserts. And it has since evolved into making my own diaper accessory product line that employs 4 other girls to help me do it. I stock a lot of brands, but I love the fact that when someone buys a product made in my store, it helps to keep several families in my community fed!

If you have the ability to sew, you can make your own diapers. Although I found that if you walk into your local Joanns and ask them for hemp fabric, they will look at you like you are smoking its close relative! So for many of you, the better diaper making resources will need to be found on line. Those local to the Dallas Fort Worth area, can get them from my store in Allen Texas.

There are many free patterns out there to make cloth diapers, but I found a couple of great patterns that really worked for me, and I now sell them because I know that the average sewer will find these patterns easy to follow.

The first is the Jalie diaper pattern. For the price, I think it is great value as it has 4 different kind of diapers that you can make on it. A cover, a fitted, an all in one and a pocket. Here is my son Braden wearing the first pocket I made from this pattern. This pocket was so good, it worked at night on him!

All that pocket took was some PUL, Microchamois, elastic and Aplix. It was very affordable to make. I already had inserts from other diapers, but you could easily buy absorbent fabrics to make your own inserts.

Another great line of patterns is the Little Comet Tail Patterns. I have made several of these and they have fitteds, trainers, covers, diapers and more.

Common Materials

PUL - The common waterproof yet breathable outer layer for diapers, trainers, wet bags and more. Can be tricky to sew with (see my tips below). I believe some fabric stores have started stocking it, but it can still be tough to find locally, so your best source is going to be on line.

Microchamois or microfleece - The stay dry inner layer. Be careful when choosing your fleeces as some fleeces actually are a water proof barrier, and make great diaper covers instead. For instance polar fleeces make great diaper covers.

Aplix/Hook and Loop - The regular velcro brand is going to be too stiff for diapers. I personally have not found this kind at my local big box sewing supplies store. I was only ever able to find it online. I stock by the yard and tabs that I had die cut.

Snaps - There are two common methods for applying resin snaps. A snap press which is a heavy iron press. I have two of these in my store because we apply a lot of snaps, so the cost made sense for us. Snap pliers are great for those who only apply snaps casually. They take up far less room too. Snaps typically used for diapers are size 20 and come in a wide array of colours.

Absorbent fabrics - Cotton, hemp, bamboo and microfiber are common choices. You can pick up microfiber cleaning cloths at walmart. It is rather thin, but it can work. Cotton towels and receiving blankets can be cut up for inserts etc. Organic cottons, hemp and bamboo are easier found on line. Whenever I have sufficient I offer it up for DIY in limited supplies, but another great source is Natures Fabrics.

Elastics - Regular elastic will work. I like polybraid myself, but your pattern may call for a different kind. In generally this is the easiest material to be found in a sewing supply store.

FOE - Fold Over Elastic - This elastic is a binding and elastic combined. It is nice and soft against babies skin. There are some great youtube videos out there on how to apply FOE.

So if you sew, give diaper sewing a try. It can be a lot of fun :)

This picture is newborn Rylan at 5 pounds wearing a pocket diaper made from the Jalie pattern.

QUICK TIPS.

Be sure when making cloth diapers to use polyester thread and not cotton thread. Cotton thread will wick moisture.
Use a finer needle on PUL like an 11 so that you make as small a hole as possible in the PUL.
Run your diaper through the dryer after making it, to help seal up the holes.
When sewing on PUL, try to put the shiny side down towards the Feed Dogs of your machine. The shiny side will stick to the foot of your sewing machine. If you have no choice but to sew with the shiny side up, use a walking foot or a teflon foot. If you have neither of those available, laying tissue over the top of the PUL will help and you can tear it away afterwards.

CDRC Retailers Hosting the Great Cloth Diaper Change!

2011-04-04T01:06:00.000-07:00

Many of you have probably heard about the Great Cloth Diaper Change taking place on April 23, 2011. From the Great Cloth Diaper Change's site: "Cloth diapers have come a long way in past 10 years, and it’s time to stand up and be noticed. Celebrate Earth Day, by joining the North American and International cloth diaper community on April 23rd, 2011 at 9AM PDT to set the world record for the most cloth diapers changed simultaneously."

Sounds like fun, right? No matter your location, it's sure to be a memorable day. In order to support the event, many CDRC retailers are hosting or sponsoring events:

~Florida (Orlando area):

Wee Willie Winks

event information

~Maryland (Baltimore):

Soft and Cozy Baby

event information

~Massachusetts

Merrimack Valley Diapers

~Minnesota (Minneapolis/Western Suburbs area):

Cottontail Baby

~New Jersey (Central Jersey/Shore area):

Snooty Booty Diapers

Event information

~Texas (Dallas Fort Worth area):

The Nappy Shoppe

Some events are still in need of the 25 required babies and some have limited space. If you're interested, be sure to contact the host today!

CJ’s All Natural BUTTer, Creamy Lotion, Carcass Cleaner and Deodorant - with a Giveaway!

2011-03-24T21:20:00.000-07:00

Hi mommies and daddies! Christy from Gorgeous and Green here. What got me started using natural body care products was going to EWG’s cosmetics database site over a year ago. I was appalled at the horrible ratings of products that I thought were “natural” and “safe”. I was using this stuff on my kids! I was determined NOT to use “mainstream” products again. In my opinion, if you can’t pronounce the ingredients and/or they’re more than 4 syllables long per word, then they can’t be good for you. Ever since I’ve been on a continuous search for natural products and I’ve found several. CJ’s All Natural are by far my favorite! Every single ingredient is listed and reading the label is so simple. It’s refreshing to have products whose ingredients are clear!

CJ’s makes many different products, all of them in over 20 delicious scents, but I limited my review to the ones I used personally.

Let’s start with the Creamy Lotion and the BUTTer. I am in my third trimester of pregnancy so having a good lotion is a must. My kids have sensitive skin, and eczema, so I also needed something that I could use all over on them without worrying about what was in it. Plus, this past winter my skin was a bit dryer than it usually is and I was SO itchy! Needless to say I was pretty excited to get these products and find that they are wonderful! They are both lotions, but the BUTTer is not as thick and from what I’ve experienced (and heard from others) it’s more moisturizing. Because of that I’ve been mostly using the creamy lotion on myself and the BUTTer on my kids (especially since the BUTTer is great for the diaper area too!). I do always have a couple of spots of dry skin right around my eyebrows, so I used the BUTTer there and it worked beautifully! My daughter had a diaper rash from her overnight diaper and for some reason one day several weeks ago she decided to scratch it and gave herself horrific cuts and made the rash worse. This was thankfully right when I started using the BUTTer and I just continued using it. The rash went away very quickly and the scratches she'd given herself healed within a week or so. I was thrilled at how well it worked! The ingredients of the lotion are: Water, shea butter, coconut oil, E-wax (emulsifier), stearlic acid, veg glycerin (moisturizer), cornstarch, phenoxyethanol (preservative), caprylyl glycol (skin conditioning agent) and sorbic acid (preservative) Another great bonus for me is that they aren’t too “smelly” at all. I have an extremely sensitive nose and can’t tolerate too much scent. These smell divine!

Next I’ll move on to the Carcass Cleaner. This product can be used as a body wash and/or hiney cleaner on baby’s bum with your cloth wipes. Right now I’ve been using it in the bath on my two older kids but when the baby’s born I fully intend to use it with my wipes. I tried it first on their bodies and hair but found that it made my daughter’s hair a little too oily. So I just use it on their bodies now. Their skin is now incredibly soft and smooth compared to when we were using products from Johnson&Johnson or any other baby/kid body wash. Even the ones marketed for dry skin and as “natural”. Ingredients are: pure olive oil castile soap, water, shea butter, coconut oil, aloe, castor oil and xanthan gum (corn sugar). Because this cleaner does not contain SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate), it does not lather up like soap or other washes, but still spreads out nicely when you use a washcloth.

Last but not least I’ll talk about the one I’m most excited about. CJ’s All Natural Deodorant! For the last several months I’ve been going deodorant-free because I could not find any alternative but yet I refused to put something on myself that had so many harmful things in it. The ingredients of most common deodorants is pretty scary. I learned that all anti-perspirants contain aluminum so I knew right away that I wasn’t going to have the luxury of those anymore and have since become more than ok with that. Then my mission was to find a deodorant that would make it possible for me to be anywhere close to another person without looks of disgust. I tried several different products including a Thai crystal stone. Nothing worked until I put on CJ’s deodorant for the first time. Fantastic! Now I smell great at the beginning of the day as well as the end! The ingredients are: lemon, lavender, tea tree, and clary sage essential oils, Beeswax, Cocoa Butter, Coconut Oil, Castor Oil, Sodium Bicarbonate and Cornstarch. An incredible combination!

Now for the really fun part! I’ll be doing a giveaway of one of the products mentioned above, or a $10 gift card to my store! To enter, follow the instructions below. Each item is worth one entry and you must comment that you’ve done that item (links must be included when appropriate). Complete every item for up to SIX chances to win! Shipping to US and Canada residents only.

• Mandatory – go to my website and find a product that you like and comment below what the product is.
• Mandatory – like Gorgeous and Green on FB
• Optional - post on Gorgeous and Green’s FB wall introducing yourself or about a fun product you found.
• Optional – go to CDRC’s FB page and “like”.
• Optional – suggest my FB page and/or CDRC’s FB page to your friends(or share on a blog or other fb page you may have) and comment below that you’ve done so.
• Optional – Share this blog post on your FB page, twitter or your blog.

Giveaway will run until Friday April 1st at midnight(EST) when I will do the drawing. The winner will be announced on my fb page as well as CDRC’s fb page. Hope you enjoyed reading my post and have fun!

Creating a Cloth Diaper Gift Registry

2011-03-19T07:57:00.000-07:00

Having a baby or do you have a special event coming up that you would like to create a registry for? Create a cloth diaper gift registry! That’s right, a cloth diaper gift registry. Give your baby shower guests a different option for choosing a gift for your little bundle of joy.

Need some ideas of what to add to your registry?

Here’s a few of our favourite things:

Flip by Cotton Babies: great for traveling.

Pocket Diapers: we love both bumGenius and FuzziBunz. Pocket diapers are the “workhorse” of the cloth diaper system. You can adjust the absorbency which is key in the first year.

Fitted Diapers: Sustainablebabyish Fitteds are amazing. They are made out of a cotton/bamboo blend and are bulletproof when matched up with a wool cover for overnight. They are also great in the summer when it’s just too hot out. These are super breathable and great on their own in the summer when you don’t even want to put a onesie on your little one.

Wool Cover: ultra waterproof amazing cover. Pop one of these over a fitted diaper, or even a pocket diaper for the ultimate nap- or night time leak prevention solution.

Diaper Sprayer: these are worth every single penny. Trust me, you’ll love it, particularly once you start introducing solids or if you use formula.

Wet/Dry Bags: these are so handy when you're out of the house. A pocket in the front to store your clean diapers and a waterproof pocket for the dirty diapers. Also available in a large hanging size for home or travel.

Gift Certificates: perfect for when it’s 6 months down the road and you need an extra wet bag or you want to try out the newest diaper we carry.

If you need any help in setting up your registry or planning your cloth diaper stash, send us an email, we are always happy to help and talk cloth diapers.

Julie
www.littlemonkeystore.com
Blog: www.littlemonkeystore.wordpress.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LittleMonkeyStore
Twitter: www.twitter.com/LMSDiapers

Teething Troubles - A review of Amber Necklaces

2011-03-18T00:01:00.000-07:00

Welcome back Katie and Ayden with another great product review!
Why I wanted to try an Amber Necklace
I had never really thought of what “style” of parenting I would use for my children. I knew I would breast feed my baby and I wanted to cloth diaper, as I am environmentally conscious and wanted to reduce the environmental impact of having a baby. It turns out those characteristics generally classify you as a “natural parent”. Once I discovered the whole world of natural parenting, I was instantly addicted. It fit so well with our lifestyle and how we wanted to raise our children. From breast feeding, to cloth diapering, to baby wearing everything clicked into place for us after my son Ayden was born.
As Ayden neared the four month mark friends started warning me about the next looming stage…. Teething. They regaled stories of sleepless nights, horrible diaper rashes and inconsolable crying babies. “Have the Tylenol and Orajel ready” they said. Now I work in healthcare, so I am not against medication when needed but I also don’t believe in giving medication to babies (or anyone for that matter) if there is another natural way to treat the ailment. So I talked to a couple of other “natural mommies” that I know and all of them highly recommended getting an Amber necklace to help with teething pain.
I am really excited to see how the Amber necklace helps Ayden as he goes through the teething process. I will keep you posted. Wish us luck, and not too many sleepless nights!!!

First week of using the Amber Necklace
There are so many choices when it comes to colours and styles of amber teething necklaces. I selected mixed amber necklace and was so impressed by how beautiful it was when it arrived. The beads were stunning and overall the necklace looked very durable. The clasp is very secure (plastic screw closure) and easy to put on a wiggly baby. When I put the necklace on Ayden I thought he might try to grab it and pull it off (try to keep a hat on this kid), but he didn’t really even notice. I was worried that it would not be comfortable underneath all of his chins (yes Ayden is a chunky monkey), but again he has had no complaints and never any red marks.
Amber necklaces are not to chew on, but rather work via contact with the skin. The necklace fits tight enough that it cannot go above his chin, and lays nicely under Ayden’s clothes and bibs. It looks so cute, and we have received many compliments since he started to wear it.
But of course the biggest question of all is… Does it actually work? And the answer is YES!!!! I was truly amazed at how well the amber necklace seemed to take the edge off Ayden’s teething pain. Prior to getting the necklace Ayden’s hands were his favorite teether, to the point where his thumbs were getting red and raw. After a couple of hours wearing the necklace I could see a difference in how often he was biting down on his hands and toys. If I forgot to put the necklace on him in the morning, I could tell by 10:00 as he was chewing on everything in sight, and overall not a happy baby. Within an hour of putting it back on him he was calm and able to play with his toys without each and everyone going into his mouth. I think the best testament to the amber necklace is that we have not had to break open the Tylenol (or any other medication), had no inconsolable crying or any sleepless nights while Ayden got his first 2 teeth.

If you have a little one that is teething, I would highly recommend getting an Amber teething necklace to help with teething pain. We have had great success using one to help with Ayden’s teething pain and plan on continuing to use it as he gets more teeth.

Breastfeeding Necessities

2011-03-16T19:09:00.000-07:00

Hi! This is Bayla from Soft and Cozy Baby, a boutique in Baltimore, MD specializing in Cloth Diapers, Babywearing, and Breastfeeding supplies.

My son is now 8 weeks old and I am LOVING breastfeeding my second time around! Breastfeeding should be simple, right. Just you and the baby. No bits and pieces to take along or wash. You're ready to go whenever baby needs with no cleanup required (except for the milk mouth)!

That is true and makes breastfeeding so much nicer than bottle feeding with all its included preparation and clean-up. But I want to share some of the gadgets that I've been using which is turning breastfeeding into almost as much of an obsession as cloth diapering! I just love all these things that I've found to make the experience that much more exciting!

The first is the Undercover Mama. This awesome invention keeps your belly covered while you nurse. Instead of buying an expensive nursing tank or forfeiting your favorite bra, you can keep your bra and save money with this product. It attaches to your own bra and drops down when you release the clasp on your bra! I am living in it these days! I wear it to bed too because my belly always gets cold when I'm nursing in bed at night!

Next is the Milkies Milk Saver which was mentioned in a previous post. This thing is ingenious. All you can think about when you take off your soaking breast pads is how much milk was wasted that is now going to be washed out. Especially when you need to pump and every drop counts! It is a little large and I would love one that I could wear all day long, but it's got a great design. You put it in your bra on the other side than you're nursing on. And it catches all the milk with let-down. I once collected 2 oz using this! It even comes with a heavy-duty case that acts as a stand to hold it upright.

My last ingenious invention is Milk Trays. With my first child, I couldn't believe how expensive those bags are to freeze breastmilk in. Were they really necessary? What's wrong with plain old freezer bags? Of course no one had an answer so I used them - protecting my precious breastmilk for my baby. I'd hate for it to get ruined or freezer burned. Then I saw Milk Trays. They are specially designed, made of medical grade plastic, with 1 oz compartments. You pour the milk into the compartments from the bottle that you pump into. Then you freeze it. When they're frozen, you pop out the one-ounce sticks and store them in a regular freezer bag. Date the bag by the week so you use up old milk first. To defrost just put as many sticks as needed into a bottle and defrost in warm water like you normally would. This way you save every drop and don't defrost more than you need and have to throw it away. Then just rinse out the trays and reuse!

Of course, I would be remiss if I failed to mention My Brest Friend as a true nursing necessity. It provides unbelievable support and comfort, even for the new breastfeeding mama with a tiny newborn. At that early stage you truly don't have enough hands and support to keep everything in place. This pillow wraps around your body and is very adjustable both in how high or low you set it and in how snug it fits around your belly. It has a flat surface so the baby doesn't roll in to you and supports your arms and back. The great thing I've found, even with nursing an older (relatively-speaking) baby, is that it comes in very handy when I'm nursing on one side and pumping on the other. I do that to maximize my pumping, which I need to do for work. The pillow completely supports the baby, so I don't need to use 2 hands to hold him, and I can hold the pump and usually still read a book or type on my laptop. For the modern woman!
My Brest Friend comes in super pattern choices, offers a plush deluxe cover option, has slipcovers that can be switched out, and even has a Twin Pillow!

Speaking of the modern breastfeeding mama, check out the Easy Expression by Medela. It comes as a halter or bustier and holds your pump in place so you're hands-free and can get things done! Truly vital if you're pumping at work. I have even heard first-hand of some women who pump in the car on their long commute. Have to be hands-free for that!

Happy Breastfeeding!

The Great Cloth Diaper Change

2011-03-12T00:00:00.000-08:00

Have you heard of The Great Cloth Diaper Change? If not you will hopefully be hearing more about it as we get closer to spring!

Cloth diaper retailers around the globe have signed on to be hosts for the The Great Cloth Diaper Change! This is a worldwide event dedicated to spreading the word about cloth on Earth Day, April 23rd.

Heather McNamara, of the Real Diaper Association, says that “our local volunteers are finding growing numbers of parents coming to find out about cloth diapers, whether it be for environmental, financial, or health reasons - - or even because these diapers are just plain cute!” It is the hope of the organizers that this event will be an eye opener and an inspiration for expecting and new parents to use cloth diapers.

Here are the details:

· Help set a Guinness World Record™! Follow the challenge on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/GreatClothDiaperChange and Twitter
www.twitter.com/ClothRecord and, for frequent updates,
greatclothdiaperchange.com.

· Date and Time is Saturday, April 23 at 9AM Pacific / 12PM Eastern ‐
which means that on a global level some CD enthusiasts will gather and
do the diaper change in the middle of the night. Exact information is
available on a local level so that all participants, no matter where
they live, can find the appropriate location and time.

· A multitude of locations will be available for families all over the
U.S and around the globe, across the ocean, in Europe, Australia, and
the list keeps growing. Parents, care givers, educators, retailers,
playgroups, day care centers – anybody can apply to become an
organizer and host a location.

· Each group/location will have a minimum of 25 participants to count
for the record. Each local event will be unique, with many hosts
planning fun family activities for parents, friends and older
siblings, leading up to the specific “change” time. You won't want to
miss the local action!

· This event is part of a larger (and growing) movement. Participants
may contribute $1 (or more) at all North American events to benefit
the Real Diaper Association, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
working to help families across the U.S. and Canada find and use
reusable cloth diapers.

I will be hosting a Great Cloth Diaper Change event in Toledo, and hopefully there is a retailer near you that is participating as well! For more information and to find a location near you visit www.greatclothdiaperchange.com

Here's to a great change!

Amanda
Owner
tlcdiapers.com

Travel with Cloth

2011-03-11T08:01:00.000-08:00

We, as a family, love to travel and have since the boys were itty bitty. Asia, the Caribbean, the Rockies, the beach, Grandma's house. It is just what we do as a family and how we spend our discretionary income. Often, I am asked about traveling with cloth. After many years and lots of trial and error, I have distilled my answer down to this: It is all about the washing machine.

Its all about the Machine

If the washing machine is one you trust (that of a family member or close friend), then I say go with it and there are lots of things you can do to make it easier. However, if you are relegated to using a public washing machine, I would say “Proceed with Caution.” While some public washing machine are spotless, top of the line, power houses, many are not. There is nothing worse than washing your diapers in a machine with loads of detergent build up or where the water temperature has been turned down to save money. Coming home from vacation with diapers that need to be stripped and smell as they didn’t get clean enough is no vacation at all. It can make even the most amazing trip memories turn sour quickly.

One issue to be mindful of when using a different washing machine is that the diapers might not smell and feel the same way they do at home. Water quality differs across the country. If you have soft water in your neighborhood but travel somewhere with hard water, there may be detergent build up. Perhaps you generally use the sanitize cycle on your washing machine but the one at your destination is more basic and does not have such a feature. Recognize that you may need to do an extra rinse or two and that is simply part of the adventure of travel. Don't forget to bring your detergent. We are big fans of RockinGreen and really love their sample sizes for travel.

What else do you need?

If you do have a good washer lined up and want to do cloth, there are some things that can make life easier. Invest in a great wet bag or for a longer trip, bring along a pail liner. Toss a citrus circle or diaper buddy in there in order to keep the smells down. One or both of these really are necessary for trips. You need a place to store all the diapers and the ability to keep any smells out of the hotel room or Grandma’s guest room. There are many great ones out there with my favorites being the whimsical prints of Leslie’s Wet Bags and the bright fun colors of the FuzziBunz wet bag.

My next suggestion is to Embrace the Disposable Liner. Disposable liners can be your best friend on trips. Being able to simply flush away the solids and not foul up the diaper too much with those can be wonderful. We know some people bring diaper sprayers along with them and attach to the toilet where they are visiting. That is simply too much work for us so the disposable liners are a great idea.

The diapers you bring with you can determine how much work you do. I am a big fan of the new hybrid diapers such as the Flip by Cottonbabies for travel. They offer several choices of inserts with the disposable being the easiest to use for travel. Just take out and toss the insert and put in a new one. Easy. Even if you choose to use the stay dry or organic insert, they are easy to wash and take up very little space in your luggage. The covers can be rinsed in the sink and hung to dry. So simple it is almost fun.

What not to bring?

Wool covers, while great and when properly lanolized, extremely waterproof, are hard to dry. They must be dried flat and can take a long time, particularly in humid weather. They do not tend to be a great traveling option. In addition, we have found that if being line dried, bamboo diapers can take a bit of time to dry in humid weather.

Whatever you do, have a safe and fun trip. Remember, the most important thing to bring is your senses of humor and adventure.

Happy travels!

Giveaway

Of course we have a Giveaway! We love Flip Diapers for travel and want you to try one too! So, a Flip diaper will be given away on Feb 25th to a randomly selected entrant. In order to enter:

- Fan Cottontail Baby on Facebook

- Join the Cottontail Baby mailing list

- Fan the Cloth Diaper Retailer Cooperative on Facebook

- Fan the Cloth Diaper Retailer Cooperative blog

Good luck!

Stripping? What's that mean?

2011-03-10T00:01:00.000-08:00

I couldn't possibly count the number of times I get this question from cloth diapering families. I remember my first experience with hear this word associated with cloth diapers when my first set of cloth diapers were leaking. I remember standing in the kitchen calling the previous owner of Wee Willie Winks and saying I think my diapers are defective. I had just started using them and they were leaking. Kristy assured me they were not defective, but I need to strip them. I have had the same conversation with many families.

How does build-up happen? First of all it comes from using too much detergent. When you think about washing dirty, stinky diapers you would naturally think to use more detergent, but with cloth diapers using less detergent is more. Using half of the recommended detergent from the label is standard. Secondly, build up can just happen from having hard water. Hard water has more minerals in it than soft water. The minerals trap dirt in the fibers. Lastly, maybe your wash routine is not effective. A wash routine should consist of a cold rinse cycle, a long hot wash cycle, and a cold rinse cycle. That's three complete washing cycles.

What's an effective way to strip diapers? There are many ways to strip diapers. One of the first ways is to add extra rinse cycles at the end of your wash routine. If you are still seeing bubbles in the washer after rinsing the diapers on the last cycle then you need to rinse again. Bubbles indicates detergent still in the material of the diapers. If the material is full of detergent residue then they will leak. If rinsing is not working for you then you may want to first check and see what the manufacturer suggest you do to strip them especially if your diapers are still under warranty. Check on the manufacturer's name below for their recommendations:

bumGenius

Thirsties

Happy Heinys

Bummis

FuzziBunz

AppleCheeks

Knickernappies

All the cloth diaper companies vary slightly in what they recommend for stripping which can make it difficult when your diaper stash is a mixed lot.

My favorite method for getting out detergent build up is to use regular blue Dawn. With this method, wash your diapers first then add 1 Tablespoon (about half with a front loader) to a long wash cycle. You will need to do many rinses until all the bubbles are gone and the water runs clear. This can be a very long process because it's dish detergent and it bubbles up more than laundry detergent, but it's worth it.

If mineral build up is the issue with your diapers, then using RLR Laundry Treatment will help. RLR removes minerals from fabric. It's amazing what it will do for microfiber inserts. To use RLR, do a rinse cycle, then add RLR and a little detergent to a long hot wash, then follow with rinse cycles until bubbles are gone.

Another method is to soak in Rockin' Green Soap. I've soaked my diapers over night in the washing machine with Rockin' Green. Using Rockin' Green fill your washer with hot water and 3 Tbsp* of Rockin’ Green, along with your diapers. Let it soak for approximately 30-60 minutes. Then launder as usual, skipping the soap. If you have a lot of build up you may need to repeat this process a few times. Because Rockin' Green brings all the build up to the surface your diapers may get worse before they get better, but don't give up.

Leaking, stinky diapers are never fun! So if you are in this dilemma don't despair ask your local retailer for help or contact the manufacturer for suggestions.

No Blues With This Denim Diaper

2011-03-08T13:17:00.000-08:00

It's no secret that cloth diapers are cuter than disposable diapers. While it's not the main reason why parents choose cloth, it is a nice benefit. Disposable companies may also have taken notice of cloth's cuteness, judging from last year's releases of "designer" and "denim" diapers.

Mommy's Touch has taken the cuteness to a whole new level, however. With the new Baby Blues Denim line it's possible to enjoy a denim diaper that's both adorable and resusable.

Available in all style lines (all in one, pocket, cover, trainer), the denim diaper features brass-colored snaps and a dimensional rear pocket. As cute as they are in the picture, they are even better in person!

Mommy's Touch one size Baby Blues Denim cloth diaper is the perfect diaper as we near warmer weather. This is one diaper that you definitely won't want to cover up.

Until next month!

Michelle

Snooty Booty Diapers

www.snootybootydiapers.com

www.facebook.com/snootybootydiapers

The making of a new product ...

2011-03-05T08:09:00.000-08:00

Hi my name is Sharni and I am the owner of Nappy Shoppe. At Nappy Shoppe, we don't just sell brands of cloth diapers etc, but we also make our own line of products. I started Nappy Shoppe with selling the G-Flapper, an insert originally designed to work in gDiapers. And the business grew from there. We added a line of wet bags, we started making organic wipes, breast pads, and mama pads. We also make custom diaper bags and quilts.

Recently a regular customer was in the store and was complaining about the lack of value in their nursing cover. They had paid $40 for a very flimsy piece of fabric that was less than a yard worth of fabric. I looked it over, I said I could make it better for the same money or the same for less.

So then started the process of making our own line of nursing covers. We had most of the materials already in stock from making things like wet bags and diaper bags. We made up a few demo models. We tried the single layer smaller version similar to the one that our customer had shown us. When customers who nursed came into the store we asked them to try it out. One girl who was on the larger side, said she didn't like how narrow it was as she felt exposed on the side. So back to the drawing board we went, and we made our covers wider so that girls of all sizes could feel covered.

Then another girl told us that single layer nursing covers flapped too much when she was watching her older child play soccer and the breeze would lift the cover. So we decided a lined product would be the way to go, to give the cover some weight. We did have some mums say that a cover got hot, but those that did got hot with a single layer as well as a double layer, so we decided that two layers were best as it made for a better quality product.

So the double layered, wider cover went out into the store for our nursing mums to test. And the feedback was great, they loved how it covered, they loved the prints, they loved the drape. Then one mum said, I would like the strap around the neck to be longer because I like to be able to stick my hand in the neck line to adjust my baby. So as the strap was something you could adjust to personal taste, we made it longer so that those who wanted it long could do so, and those who wanted it short could make it so.

Then we tested how big the curve of the boning around the neck would go. And we adjusted that until mums were telling us they loved the size of that.

So the end result? A well crafted, good quality, non flimsy, wider, longer strapped nursing cover in cute prints! We didn't get the price down, but we increased the quality of the product dramatically.

The proof was in the pudding when our original customer was in the store recently. We showed her the new product. And while her husband was checking out new diapers for her son, she tried out our cover. Later on, baby wanted another feed. She stepped outside to do it, and quickly came back inside, and instead of grabbing her own nursing cover, grabbed ours saying it was far better to use outside!!

We have a lot of fun at Nappy Shoppe making practical products for mums and babies. We hope you will stop by and shop with us. When you buy a Nappy Shoppe product you are buying something made locally in the US and help keep locals employed.

Potty Learning Season!

2011-03-04T08:00:00.000-08:00

Call it what you want, this is PRIME season for starting to get your toddler out of diapers. The weather is warming up and you can let them run around without pants inside or outside your house. Now I'm the first to say I'm not an expert on potty training, so I won't spend time writing on that topic. Though, I have certainly learned A LOT on the topic from going through it with my first child!

These trainers are like a fitted cloth diaper in that they won't leak if a little bit of pee ends up in the learner. It isn't, however, waterproof. Here are some top reasons why we love Little Beetle Trainers:

1. They are super soft organic cotton=comfortable and they feel it when they are wet.
2. They have snaps on both sides if your toddler decides to go poo poo in it-SO much better than sliding it down.
3. They can be worn like underwear underneath clothes AND can be pulled up and down by your child.
4. If you add a doubler and throw on a cover, you can use it if you want to take a break on the learning process and it is functional cloth diaper.
5. They look like big kid underwear (which for our daughter was a big deal)!
6. You're not throwing money in the trash for those expensive pull up disposables.
7. It's healthier against the skin compared to most disposables.

Whether you've never given a thought to cloth diapers and are hoping to encourage your toddler out of disposable diapers, or you are continuing cloth beyond the diapers, these trainers are a great option.

Finally, I have a couple accessories to recommend when you begin this process.

1. GroVia BioWipes- Made from a plant source, these wet wipes help the toddler (and you) with the poopies on the toilet. One last wipe after she/he has wiped himself, so you won't have messy underwear. We also used these when training "on the go".

2. GroVia BioLiners- Let's face it, the poopies at this stage are really not fun to clean up. These liners go on top of the trainer so in case they aren't comfortable yet pooping in the toilet, all you do is take off the liner and flush everything down.

3. Diaper Sprayer- If you haven't already purchased one of these yet, your experience during this process will be really enhanced with one of these. If you plan on using a portable potty seat, these sprayers are the BEST at cleaning it out. If you skip the Bioliners and have poopies in the underwear for awhile, a sprayer really does the job with minimal mess for you. We use the sprayer for many other uses to, so you'll have plenty of excuses to use it (cleaning the bathroom, filling up buckets, bidet, etc).

4. Prefolds- If you've already invested in prefolds, don't put them away yet. These are excellent at soaking up accidents in record time. We'd keep them in a bin around the house, so if we needed to wipe up an accident it was ready for use. And the bonus is that you won't need to buy a lot of paper towels and they can be washed with the trainers!

Good luck to you and your new adventure!

Peace,

Jen Starks
www.ecologicalbabies.com
www.ecologicalbabies.blogspot.com
www.facebook.com/ecologicalbabiesllc

Softbums Echo & Omni

2011-03-02T00:01:00.000-08:00

Softbums is a new diaper we have just added to our line of fantastic cloth diapers.
I must say I am sorry I took so long to add these diapers.

USA made diapers and a Giveaway

2011-02-26T20:19:00.000-08:00

Are you looking to build your cloth diapering stash with only USA made products? Are you worried that there simply won’t be enough choices? Guess again! There is actually a wide variety of styles of cloth diapers that are made solely in the USA. Some companies need to import some of their materials, while others are able to get all of their materials in the USA.

You can furnish your entire cloth diapering stash of cloth diapers made in the USA. Let’s start out with some newborn options:

Kissaluvs – all of their diapers, diaper lotion potions and fabrics are made right here in the USA. Kissaluvs size 0 fitted diapers are absolutely perfect for newborns. They provide plenty of absorbency, a great fit and even have a snap down for umbilical cord care. Pair these with our next company’s products and you have the perfect newborn combination.

Thirsties – An absolutely amazing company whose warehouse is 100% powered by wind energy! Thirsties products are also 100% made in the USA using components made in the US. Thirsties goal of becoming Carbon neutral is well underway with their new solar panel array producing more than enough electricity to power all their business needs!

Pair a Kissaluvs size 0 or a Willowpads Prefold with a Thirsties Duo Size 1 cover and you have a great newborn stash.

Willowpads – their amazingly soft, durable and absorbent prefolds are all made here in the USA. Willowpad prefolds are a combination of organic cotton and hemp and the most absorbent prefolds I have ever used. I used them on my son as an infant and then used them to stuff some of his pocket diapers with for overnights. They come in both infant and premium sizes.

Once your baby is out of the newborn diapers, there are quite a few choices for both one size diapers and a sized diapers option.

If you are interested in going the sized diaper route, try a Drybees! Made in the USA, this AIO hybrid is a nice, trim fitting choice. Drybees AIO's are an AIO but with a pocket in case you would like a little extra absorbency.

Are you more interested in one size diapers? You have quite a few options:
1. Knickernappies One Size Diapers: all of Knickernappies diapers, inserts and mama products are produced right here in the USA. In fact, right in Oregon! Knickernappies are one of my personal favorites as they provide a trim fit, especially for a one size diaper. Knickernappies One Size Diapers are also the longest fitting one size diaper as they fit well up to 40 lbs! Their award winning loopy-do and super-do inserts (also made in the USA) are amazing and number 1 and 2 on diaper pin!

2. Happy Heinys One Size and Sized Diapers: Not only are all of Happy Heinys products made in their own facility 3 miles from their home but all of their materials are from the USA as well, including inserts. If you check out where some of the inserts of other companies are made, you will realize how unusual this is. Only the hemp is imported due to government regulations. Happy Heinys recently revamped their one size diaper so that it now fits smaller babies just as well as larger babies. They are also the only company to sell a glow in the dark diaper! You can also find a nice variety of mama pads and breast pads also made in the USA.

3. Rocky Mountain One Size Diapers: As the name suggests, it is made here in the US. Rocky Mountain diapers are a one size pocket diaper fitting babies 5-30 lbs. They have incredibly cute contrasting inner microsuede and outer PUL colors. Rocky Mountain diapers are one of the few diapers that will fit a newborn. They adjust via snaps on the elastic in the legs.

4. Softbums: Similar to Rocky Mountain diapers, Softbums are one size diapers that adjust via elastic in the legs. However, rather than having snaps in the elastic, they adjust via a toggle switch on the elastic. This gives a perfect fit for all sizes of babies. They now have 2 USA made styles of diapers – the very popular Softbums echo system and the new Softbums OMNI that is a first of a kind. The Softbums OMNI can serve as an AI2 where you snap in a soaker or as a pocket diaper.

5. Wahmies: A unique one size pocket diaper that closes with hooks rather than snaps or hook-and-loop closures. Wahmies are the only diaper I have tried that is truly toddler proof! And of course, made in the USA.

6. Last but not least, my all time favorite nighttime diapering solution: Lollidoo! These miracle diapers are not only made in the USA with USA materials, but made from recycled pop bottles! Talk about eco-friendly! In addition, they are the ONLY diaper that gets my 3 year old heavy night wetting son through the whole night DRY! You can get them with “innies”, Lollidoo’s inserts. Lollidoos paired with innies are adequate overnight for many children. I use the combination of a super-do insert with 1 of the innies in my Lollidoo Overnight diaper and it is so wonderful! If you are waking up to change sheets throughout the night, do yourself a favor and try a Lollidoo Overnight.

GIVEAWAY!
Now for our giveaway! One lucky participant will win a Knickernappies One Size diaper with their choice of microfiber inserts or Loopy-Do inserts! To enter, simply “like” Simple Wonders Diapers on facebook and leave a comment here telling me your favorite USA made diaper! Giveaway ends March 10th, 2011

Sultana
www.SimpleWondersDiapers.com

Cloth Wipes & Cloth Wipe Solution

2011-02-18T22:35:00.000-08:00

Once you get into cloth diapers, most (if not all) parents tend to start using cloth wipes as well. Cloth wipes make sense – you’re washing diapers, so why not wash wipes at the same time? Plus, reusable wipes are one less thing to throw away and one less thing you have to buy all the time. You buy or make a couple dozen and you are good to go forever.

When I first started shopping for cloth diapers, it never occurred to me to use cloth wipes, until I came across a blog post somewhere talking about cloth wipes. I read it, read it to my husband, and we did the whole “why didn’t we think of that – it’s so obvious” discussion. So off I went looking for cloth wipes to buy.

Now if you can sew, you can make your own wipes. Some will make them out of old flannel receiving blankets, others will use old t shirts, or pick up some fabric at the local fabric store. I am not a sewer, so I bought mine. We have a few different types of cloth wipes available for you non-sewers out there

Once you get the “what to use for wipes” all sorted out, you need to think about what type of solution you are going to use on your wipes. There are quite a few sites that have a variety of recipes listed for making your own wipe solution. Basically, all wipe solutions are made of three (four) basic things:

oil: helps the wipe glide across the bum and helps give some extra moisturizing at the same time.
soap: to clean
water: to help clean and dilute the other ingredients.
essential oil: completely optional, but nice to add scent or for anti-bacterial properties.

We always kept our solution pretty basic. The great thing about making your own solution is that you know exactly what you’re putting on your baby’s skin. The skin is the largest organ in the human body and you really don’t want to put anything on an infant’s skin that you wouldn’t eat.

Here’s our recipe:

Little Monkey Cloth Wipe Solution

2 tbsp oil (we like grapeseed oil, it’s nice and light)
2 tbsp baby soap
2 cups water

And a few others to try out if you want:

Aloe Vera Wipe Solution

2 cups of hot water
1/4 cup of aloe vera gel (available at your local health food store)
2 drops of tea tree oil (great natural antibacterial essential oil)

Lavender Wipe Solution

2 cups of water
2 tbsp of baby soap
2 – 3 drops of lavender essential oil

Here’s some of our Facebook fan recipes:

Lee’s Wipe Solution

2 cups of water
2 drops of tea tree oil
2 drops of lavender oil

Zuri’s Wipe Solution

2 cups of water
2 tbsp of baby wash (she recommends Aveeno Calming Comfort)
2 tbsp baby oil (or olive oil)

Mix together in a medium ziploc container, then fill with a bunch of baby washcloths)

**************************

And for those of you who would rather not make their own, or make your own but you’re going to be travelling and it’s just not convenient to haul around wipe solution, we have Monkey Doodlez wipe cubes available. They are super easy to use, drop one cube in two cups of hot water, wait for the water to cool off, and they are ready to use.

We store our wipes, pre-moistened in a wipe warmer. I like the idea of warm wipes, and they are very nice for those middle of the night changes. You can also store solution in the peri-bottle you received from your midwife or at the hospital and moisten each wipe as you need it. Or, wipe solution kept in a spray bottle is handy too.

Let us know what your recipe is and we’ll add it to our list!

Julie
www.littlemonkeystore.com
Blog: www.littlemonkeystore.wordpress.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LittleMonkeyStore
Twitter: www.twitter.com/LMSDiapers

Another take on the 3G

2011-02-18T00:01:00.000-08:00

Meet Ayden, Moms and Bums Family of Shops newest tester and his mom Katie! Katie won our 3G Pocket tester contest. Here is her first impressions on the 3G:

I was like a kid on Christmas morning waiting for my fluffy mail to arrive after I heard I was selected as a tester for the 3G Pocket diaper by Babykicks.
I started to cloth diaper my son as soon as we brought him home from the hospital. At first it was only during the day, as I tested the cloth diapering waters, but I soon grew more confident in my abilities and my diapers and switched to cloth full time and have been hooked ever since!
The majority of our stash is made up of one size pockets, so when I had the opportunity to try 3G Pocket diaper I jumped at the chance.
When my 3G Pocket diaper arrived my first thoughts were:

I LOVE the colour – the Meadow (green) is beautiful and vibrant
This diaper is so soft – the inner layer of Bamboo/Fleece is amazingly soft and will feel so nice against my baby’s bottom
That is it?!? It is SO thin – The hemp/cotton insert is the thinnest insert I have seen in a pocket diaper so far.
This insert is also contoured so it will be less bulky
Hmmmm I have never had a diaper with fleece air gussets before, they look neat and will be very soft around the baby’s legs, but will they leak?

After a quick wash I was eager to try my new diaper on my son.
The 3G Pocket Diaper has the most sizing options out of any pocket diaper I have seen.
With 4 snap down sizes (3 snaps and unsnapped) PLUS a newborn snap closure gives you ultimate adjustability. This diaper really is a newborn to potty training one size diaper. I wish we had this diaper when we were brought my son home from the hospital, at just over 6 lbs he did not fit into other one size diapers right away, but I believe he would have fit into the 3G pocket diaper.
After a first use here is what I LOVED about the 3G diaper:

The inner lining was still so soft after washing
Finding the right fit was easy as there were so many snap options to choose from
This diaper is SUPER trim – no bulky bottom with this cloth diaper and no need to size up pants!!!
No leaks, I don’t know how they do it with the air gussets, but we had no problems at all
The hemp/cotton insert is very absorbent – I felt like it drew more moisture into it and away from baby’s bottom, leaving the lining feeling dry

Here is my son, at almost 18lbs, in the 3g Pocket diaper.

A great fit around the legs and waist.

A close up of the leg gussets – so soft and no leaks!
And underneath clothes – no puffy bottom!
I liked that this was a front stuffing diaper that way it is very easy to see if any insert is sticking out (especially for daddy), however this is the one downfall to the diaper as well. Given that it is so trim it is a bit harder to stuff then other pocket diapers. I am excited to test this diaper to see how it performs overnight.
Overall I was very impressed 3G Pocket by Babykicks on our first use, it is a great one size diaper and we will be adding more to our collection very soon.

Newborn Dipes

2011-02-16T18:29:00.000-08:00

Hi! It's Bayla from Soft and Cozy Baby in Baltimore, MD. We had our second son 4 weeks ago and I am LOVING cloth diapering a newborn. I have a lot of my first son's diapers saved but we started with a diaper service so the diapers I had are still too big on my newbie! Plus there are so many fun diapers out there that I needed to try! I consider him a business expense - to try out all my new products!

So Netanel was born Jan 17 weighing in at 7 lb 4 oz - perfect size! But he was also too small for some of the diapers that should fit a newborn. Plus we had the umbilical cord issue - what would fold down and not rub on it. So I'll share my faves!

Lil Joeys are awesome for newborns! They're a bit pricey, I agree. But they really fit perfectly. They're designed for 5-12 lb. We used them from the beginning, as they have a fold down for the umbilical cord. Plus they still fit great a month later, and I except to get at least another month or so use out of them. To top it all off, my 2 year old's favorite diaper is Rumparooz Ladder 6 - so now he has matching diapers with his little brother!

Tini Fits are also designed to fit 5-12 lb. They don't have the umbilical cut out and they were a bit big initially, but we love them now, at 4 weeks. Plus they're stuffable like a pocket!

FuzziBunz Perfect Size in XSmall is another great fit. I love pocket diapers in general as you can stuff them with extra absorbancy, which I've needed to do. Plus if you snap them all the way to the center, at the smallest setting, it pulls down the middle to clear the umbilical cord.

Kissaluvs fitteds in a Size 0 are a well-known favorite for newborns. They fit great, snap down in front and are trim. To go over it I used a Thirsties XSmall cover which fits great. I started with a Bummis Newborn Super Brite but he's basically outgrown that by now - except for very trim diapers. But it doesn't work over prefolds anymore.

Prefolds are also a great newborn option. They're economical, absorbant, and you can customize the fit. They are a bit bulky but fit fine under a onesie or stretchie. Babies look cute with a bubble butt! For overnight diaper changes I like Bummis Whisper Pants - you dont have to deal with pinching and tucking the prefold into a cover. They're not cute, but when you're bleary-eyed in the middle of the night, you just pull it up and you're done!

bumGenius XS All-In-One are also a great, easy newborn diaper option.

And coming soon are GroVia's newborn organic All-In-Ones! Can't wait to try it!

What's your favorite newborn diaper??
Check out our Newborn Diaper page!

Diapering A Toddler

2011-02-12T06:30:00.000-08:00

Good morning cloth diapering parents,
I was thinking this morning about how my son has reached toddlerhood (no matter how hard to am trying to keep him my little baby). And how my diapering needs are quickly changing. He is now learning to take off his diapers, he needs more absorbancy, and he will finally lay still for roughly 30 second so I can attempt to change him instead of rolling all over the floor. These milestones mean a change in our diapering routine.

Snaps: my new best friend. Although he still can't get the velcro diapers all the way off yet, it will only be a matter of time. I am careful to reach for my snap diapers like the Happy Heiny pockets, Fuzzibunz, and Flip systems when I know he is wearing an outfit that could lead to easy access to removing that diaper. I am sure in time he will figure out how to undo snaps too--he is after all mommy's little genius! ;) (aren't they all though!). But for now that is my plan. I remember when my older girls (pre cloth diapers) would wake up from their naps in disposible diapers and I would find them and their walls and cribs covered in all sorts of wonderfulness. My second daughter had even mastered getting the diaper off while wearing a onesie! I guess she really just didn't like those disposibles, hey. Too bad I didn't know the wonders of a snapped cloth diaper back then.

Absorbancy: man can organic inserts hold a lot of wetness. Whenever we need to go more than an hour and a half or so I reach for an organic insert. The Flips or a Thirsties Hemp Prefold are my current favorites. Although there are a lot of options out there, these ones work the best for us. I love that they can also be used in a pocket diaper so that he retains that stay-dry feeling even though we have a leakproof insert in there. Another thing the organic inserts can do for every baby no matter now old is reduce the "sponge effect." The sponge effect occurs when there is pressure in the diaper area by a baby carrier, exersaucer, jumperoo that type of thing. That pressure can cause the microfiber inserts to compress and moisture is squeezed out just like if you squeezed a sponge. That can cause leeks in some diapers. But the organic inserts don't usually have that sponge effect, what they soak up stays soaked up.

He lays still, well for a moment anyhow: When Greysen was about 6 months old he started to roll everywhere all the time. Which included diapering changing time. I had to move quickly or I had a half naked baby rolling across whatever floor we were on. That meant all-in-ones or pre-stuffed pockets with velcro closures. By the end I think I had that changing time down to the 10 seconds he would stay still for. But now I can engage him a little more and he understands the need to lay still--for 30 seconds at least--to have his diaper changed so I have a few more options in diapering him these days. And I have found my love for the Flip system. I already talked about the awesomeness of those organic inserts. I haven't really used the microfiber ones much so I can't comment on them, but the Flip with the organic insert is a magical thing. NEVER, EVER, NEVER in the 6 months we have used them regularily have I had a leak. Seriously, not even once! We use them for nap with just an organic insert in there, we use them for overnight with a microfiber tucked inside the organic, we use them for car rides and out and about town... never a drop of wetness out of that system. So this system has been our favorite for toddlerhood. Before about 9 months it was not as good of a fit for my son, the organic inserts were too bulky and I couldn't get the waist tight enough (not to mention he wouldn't lay still long enough to get the liner in position and then snap the system up). But now it is the perfect diapering system for us. I do still love the pockets, especially for the stay dry effect, but right now at 15 months of age the Flip is our go to diaper.

If I had to choose one diaper for the life of my baby it would be pockets, in a mix of velcro and snaps with a few organic inserts thrown into the mix. But one of the joys of my line of work is that I am forced to try out all the wonderful new items for diapering as they come onto the market. Some I don't care for and some I love. But it has taught me that there are subtle differences in diapering products and that each stage of a baby's life may require a little tweeking to your diapering routine. You may have to branch out a little, find something that works for that stage of your babies developement. For me, toddlerhood means something super absorbant with snaps. But it may mean something different for you, so don't be affraid to branch out a little and try new things with each new stage of your baby's development.

A coupon code: use coupon code NEWCUSTOMER on your first order from our store and save 10%. Only valid once per address.

www.thegreenbabystore.com

My Valentine to Northern Essence Diaper Products!

2011-02-11T08:41:00.000-08:00

So, Valentine's Day is just around the corner. Do you have plans? We do. Three class parties during the day all of which are joint Valentine's Day/Chinese New Year celebrations. Then, home for heart shaped cookie baking with loads and loads of sprinkles -- some on the cookies, most on the kitchen floor. Finally, the boys favorite meal for dinner. Yes, nothing says romance more than Tacos in a Bag!!! Can you feel the love? This is how we will spend Valentine's Day in snowy Minnesota with our three little boys. What about you?

For my Valentine's Day blog, I wanted to write a Valentine to my favorite product of all...Northern Essence balms and creams. I LOVE them. LOVE them. I am sure you do, too. What is not to like? Wonderful, all natural ingredients. Nifty smelling scents. Easy application...the Diaper Rash Salve tube is genius. It is ALL good.

While my children have grown out of the need for the Diaper Rash Salve and Better Butt(er) Cream, we still use the shampoo, foaming wash and lotions. In fact, I always have a container or two of the whipped lotion in my gym bag -- my favorites are Ginger Lime and Peppermint.

However, as this is a Cloth Diaper blog, I will save my love today for the Diaper Rash Salve and the Better Butt(er) Cream. The salve is genius with all natural ingredients and comes in both regular and sensitive skin (no lavender or tea tree oil) versions. As it does not contain any lanolin, petroleum or zinc, it does not gunk up your diapers like many salves do so no need to worry about temporarily switching to cloth. It does not cause repelling issues. The salve also does not stain. It really is genius.

The Better Butt(er) Cream is also amazing. This is the cream to use when your child has a yeast infection. Not only will it clean up the infection in a safe and natural way, it also won't gunk up your diapers. The cream is triple whipped and it is thick and luxurious while at the same time being light and fluffy. Really amazing stuff.

Just to show how much love we have for these products we will give away one container of Better Butt(er) Cream to a randomly chosen poster on February 25th. In order to enter, please do the following:

1. Fan the CD Retailer Blog on Facebook

2. Fan Cottontail Baby on Facebook

3. Follow the Cloth Diaper Retailer Blog

4. Join the Cottontail Baby mailing list

Raising a Green Family: Preview "Healthy Foods Seminar w/ The Kitchen Goddess"

2011-02-07T08:41:00.000-08:00

Raising a Green Family: Preview "Healthy Foods Seminar w/ The Kitchen Goddess"

New Product - FuzziBunz® Leggies

2011-02-06T00:00:00.000-08:00

Are you thinking spring yet? Depending on what your weather is like, you may be wishing spring was here already like I am! When I think spring I think cloth diaper bums and leggies! It is such a cute look and so easy too.. the leggies keep baby warm while the diaper is easily accessible for a change.

For a limited time FuzziBunz® is offering two adorable prints of their new Leggies. Pictured below are Butterflies and Happy Snail prints. The great thing about these prints are they are designed to coordinate with FuzziBunz® new diaper colors such as Buttercream, Tootie Frootie, and more.

Want to use these cute Leggies before spring? Use them as an extra layer under baby's pants to keep those legs extra warm! At just 10.00/pair these are an incredible value!

Want to try out another FuzziBunz® product? We will be giving away a pair of M/L 3 layer FuzziBunz® inserts. To enter the drawing please do the following (one entry per requirement):

Like us on Facebook
Comment about us on Facebook (post link here)
Follow this blog
Winner will be chosen 2/20/2011 by random.org and posted here

Thinking spring,
Amanda
http://www.tlcdiapers.com/

And baby makes four ... or more ..

2011-02-05T01:00:00.000-08:00

Hi, My name is Sharni and I run Nappy Shoppe Cloth Diaper store. I am the mother for 4 children, the oldest is 23 and the youngest is 2.

So you have brought home a brand new baby, and big brother or sister is not super thrilled to have to share your attention with this new baby brother or sister. They were so excited to be getting a baby brother or sister, but all it does is eat, sleep, cry and poop. It doesn't sit up and play. It just takes all of mum and dads attention.

While I have never had a toddler when I had a newborn, I did have a very jealous 9 year old when my second came along. I was also a nearly three year old when my first brother came along and boy was my nose out of joint. He arrived on the 9th of December, and apparently I was not very nice to this new baby. So my mother was smart. She went and got me a baby doll, complete with bath and accessories. It was my Christmas gift that year. I actually do have memories of that Christmas morning, just before I turned three (my birthday is December 28th). I remember coming out to the living room and up against the wall in a big pink box with a clear plastic top was this beautiful baby dressed in pink.

From then on, when mum bathed my baby brother, I bathed my dolly. When mum changed my baby brother, I changed my brother. There was a lot less hitting from big sister, because big sister had her own baby to care for while mummy was busy.

When I was pregnant with my third child, my daughter who was then nearly 14, gave her then nearly 5 year old younger brother a bunny to care for. She helped him diaper and dress the "baby". She used the toy bunny as a tool to help him prepare for the new baby brother that would soon arrive.

A mother was in recently with her newborn, and she had visited me several times while pregnant with her one and a half year old. A very sweet little boy. When she came in with the newborn, she came without little Knox, and I asked her how was Knox doing with his baby brother. She said, Knox was rather jealous of the new baby. My suggestion a baby doll. Don't worry about if Dad thinks boys don't play with dolls. But baby dolls can help both sexes just fine. Giving them something to care for while you care for the baby can help the older sibling feel useful. It doesn't have to be a doll, it can be a stuffed animal. Just something that is something special for them to care for.

I have stocked toys for quite some time now, but after the visit from Knox's mother I decided that we should add baby dolls and accessories to our line up. We have a lot of older siblings come in with their mums to the store, so why not help them kit out their "babies" too. We also make cloth diapers to fit the dolls we stock.

So here are some of the items we are stocking at the store for the older sibling:
Annie is a 12 inch doll complete with a cloth diaper, pacifier, bottle and potty. Having a potty makes her a great tool for potty training too.

Baby doll diapers, made by the sewing crew at Nappy Shoppe. We make the diapers from the left over fabric from making Otter Puddle trainers. They close with hook and loop so little fingers can easily close them. (We did test out a snap version on my two year old, but he had trouble doing the snaps up, but he was able to do up hook and loop just fine).

Diaper bag changing set. Complete with a bag, diaper, and cream. Only available in pink though.

Happy Heiny doll diapers come in a variety of colours. They will fit a 14-20
inch doll. We choose the colour/print.

An extra bottle and bib!

After all babies will drool .. especially when their little parent decides to share their morning snack with them.

A must have for all new Mom's

2011-02-02T00:01:00.001-08:00

Milkies Milk Savers

Milkies Milk-Savers is an item I wish was around when I was still breastfeeding my little ones, although I am glad I have found them now so I can share about them with the new moms I meet at my local LLL meetings or my neighbor down the street. I was always trying to figure out how to save up my milk in case I wanted to go out without baby or to use in their cereal. It would have been wonderful to simply store what had been leaking into my breast pads all that time.

Some of the great features of the Milk Saver are 1) Each Milk-Saver comes fitted with a handy travel case that also functions as a convenient stand. 2) The Milk-Saver is rigorously tested by an independent lab to ensure zero chemical leaching. It is BPA and phthalate-free as part of our commitment to health. 3) The Milk-Saver is made from comfortable, pliable material that allows it to discreetly collect extra milk wherever you are. It nestles easily into any snug tank top or bra cup.

We love Milkies so much we wanted to share them with you and hope you enjoy them. For those of you who would also love to no longer use disposable breast pads for those times in between using your Milkies, we are offering a set of Happy Heinys Hemp nursing pads.

Please do the following to be entered into the drawing:

Like us on Facebook

Comment about us on Facebook (post link here)

Comment here

Tweet about us on Twitter

Thank you for reading about this new great item that every breastfeeding mom should have. Winner will be chosen 2/16/2011 by randon.org and post here
**WINNER is Knocked up and Nursing!** Congrats

Duo Decisions!

2011-01-20T00:00:00.000-08:00

Thirsties diaper company has produced a great line of diapers and accessories.. all with the name Duo. A few of my customers have had some confusion over which "Duo" is the best option for them. In this post I will attempt to lay it all out for you and hopefully help you decide which Thirsties option will work for you and your baby!
The Duo Wrap - The "Duo" that started it all! The Duo Wrap is a diaper cover that is designed in two sizes instead of the traditional four (XS, S, M, L). Duo means two sizes.. size one and size two. The Duo Wrap is available in snap or velcro, and prints or solid colors.

The Duo Diaper - The Duo Diaper is a type of pocket diaper that is available in size one or size two. It comes with a two part insert made of microfiber terry and hemp, with seven layers of absorption. The outer sleeve has two openings which allow the insert to agitate out in the wash, which makes this diaper super easy to use. No pulling wet inserts out before placing the diaper in the pail! An excellent diaper all the way around. The Duo Diaper is available in prints and solid colors as well.

The Duo Fab Fitted - The Duo Fab Fitted is a two sized fitted diaper, which means that it does require a diaper cover to be waterproof. These fitted diapers are extremely soft on baby and very absorbant. I like using these without covers when we are home so that I can see as soon as baby is wet. The new Duo design allows you to add additional inserts to the diaper for naptime or nighttime. The Duo Fab Fitted is available in velcro or snap. Pair this with the Duo Wrap and you have an adorable combo!

The Stay Dry Duo Insert - This insert an excellent, trim option to use in your Duo Wrap. The insert is comprised of two pieces - one is made of microfiber with a stay dry microfleece top, and the other is a hemp insert made of 5 layers. One of my customers tried these with a baby who had diaper rash problems and her diaper rash cleared up quickly. Truly an excellent insert! Available in size one and size two.

The Thirsties Duo Hemp Prefold - Made of soft hemp jersey, this prefold allows for a more trim design in two different sizes. The Duo Hemp Prefolds allow for maximum air flow and minimal drying time. A great option to pair with a Duo Wrap!

So there you have it! I hope that this post helps to explain a bit about all the different Duo options from Thirsties. You can view all of these Thirsties Duo options on my site, tlcdiapers.com. Another great reason to try Thirsties? All of their products are made in the USA!!

Amanda
tlcdiapers.com

Cloth Diaper Accessories 101

2011-01-19T10:09:00.000-08:00

So you know you want to use cloth diapers or you have just bought your stash of cloth diapers and now what? What do you need to make cloth diapering easier for you and anyone else that will change your little one's bum? We've put a list together of what we think are the top five cloth diaper accessories that you need.

1. Diaper Sprayer. The diaper sprayer is one of those purchases that you think you don't need to make. But trust me, it is worth every single penny. If you exclusively breast feed you essentially don't need one. But as soon as you start solids or you bottle feed your baby, a diaper sprayer is worth its weight in gold. Rinsing off a soiled diaper is far easier and less messier than swishing in the toilet, which to be honest doesn't really work.

2. Wet Bags. Sure one wet bag is handy for going out. But you really need an extra. Once one is dirty, you don't want to reuse it the next day. You can... but it won't smell so great. So while one is in the wash, you have an extra. Plus, reusable wet bags go along with the whole reusable diaper thing. Doesn't really make sense to use a plastic garbage bag for your cloth diapers.

3. Bioliners. These are very handy for when you're out or in the beginning with a newborn. Newborns poop A LOT. Bioliners (if you don't have a diaper sprayer), make clean up super easy. Dump the soiled bioliner in the toilet and you're done. They are flushable and septic tank safe. Also very handy if you do have to use diaper cream as they will protect your diapers.

4. Cloth Wipes. Since you're washing diapers anyway, you might as well be washing cloth wipes. A dozen or two and you are good to go right up to potty training. Cloth wipes save you a ton of money and also go along with the whole reusable diaper thing.

5. Laundry Detergent. Cloth diaper safe laundry detergent is a must have. There are a lot of "natural" laundry detergents on the market, but most of them still have ingredients such as coconut oil in them. Coconut oil will leave a residue on your diapers which will cause them to repel. A good cloth diaper detergent is important. It will clean your diapers and keep away any smells.

What are your "must have" cloth diapering accessories?

For those of you in Canada, you can find all these great cloth diaper accessories and more on my site, Little Monkey Cloth Diaper Store.

Come check out our blog and enter our "Flash your Stash" photo contest to win a $25 gift certificate to our store.

~Julie
www.littlemonkeystore.com
Blog: www.littlemonkeystore.wordpress.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LittleMonkeyStore
Twitter: www.twitter.com/LMSDiapers

3G Tester Update!

2011-01-18T00:01:00.000-08:00

Last month we put a call out looking for a special tester for the new 3G pockets by BabyKicks. We got some great responses from you! In the end we chose Katie and her 6 month old son Ayden. Over the course of the next few months Katie will be sharing her experiences with all of us. Here is Katie's entry submission.

Why I want to test a 3g Pocket Diaper

I am a mommy to the cutest chunky monkey who is rapidly outgrowing the small size cloth diapers I have. Ayden is 6 months old and 17lbs. I started cloth diapering my son in August. I have used a small selection of pockets (BG, Fuzzi Bunz, and Monkey Doodlez) during this time. We are now cloth diapering full time with hopes of continuing until potty training. We are looking to expand our stash and replace the diapers that he is about to outgrow. I have experience with pockets, however the 3g pocket diapers offer some advantages I would love to try. The front stuffing pocket and side snaps look like awesome features to help with the ease of cloth diapering a baby that is always on the move! Sizing up for pants has been an issue for us in the past, and it would be great to find a solution to that. As an added benefit I LOVE talking fluff and spreading the word about my favorite store (Moms and Bums of course) and diapers, plus I think fluffy bum pictures are adorable so there will be lots of photo documentation if I am picked :o)

Overall I would be a great choice, as I have enough experience to be able to compare this diaper to other pockets but not so much that I have tried everything out there. I will offer a fair, well written review with cute fluff pictures to boot!

Katie

Stay tuned for more review posts from Katie!

Can I Register For Cloth Diapers?

2011-01-17T04:56:00.000-08:00

I've found that when you have a baby, people want to buy you gifts. Lots of gifts. I've also found from experience that a baby only needs so many onesies, hats, and socks! Here is where the baby registry comes in...

Today, most expecting parents register at major-name and big-box stores in order to make it easier for their friends and families to purchase gifts for their baby. My feeling has always been that if I'm going to buy you a gift, I would also hope that it is something that you need. The registry is there to help those of us who want to purchase something for the new mom get her what she wants and/or needs, rather than something that is going to have to be returned.

If you are planning on using cloth diaper once your baby is born, then the major baby registries aren't going to be very helpful to you. What you need is to find a cloth diaper store that hosts registries. (I suggest Merrimack Valley Diapers!) Once you have found a place to register comes the big question... 'What do I register for?'

Here are a few different registry ideas...

Registry #1 - Basic plan for a newborn

24-36 cotton prefold diapers. More diapers means more days between doing the wash!

4-6 waterproof diaper covers. Meant to keep your little one's clothes dry and contain poopy messes!

2-6 fitted diapers. These are great for use at night... who wants to be fumbling with pins or Snappis in the dark at 3:00 am?

1-2 Snappi diaper fasteners. These are great for holding prefold diapers closed - no need for pins!

Accessories: 1-2 diaper pail liners or hanging wet bags, 1-2 small wetbags for the diaper bag, 1-2 changing pads, 12-36 cloth wipes, etc.

Registry #2 - Basic Plan PLUS (great for dads/grandparents/caretakers)

12-24 cotton prefold diapers. More diapers means more days between doing the wash!

2-4 waterproof diaper covers. Meant to keep your little one's clothes dry and contain poopy messes!

1-3 fitted diapers. These are great for use at night... who wants to be fumbling with pins or Snappis in the dark at 3:00 am?

1-2 Snappi diaper fasteners. These are great for holding prefold diapers closed - no need for pins!

8-12 pocket diapers. Pocket diapers go on just like disposable diapers, making it easy for helpers to change the baby, too!

Accessories: 1-2 diaper pail liners or hanging wet bags, 1-2 small wetbags for the diaper bag, 1-2 changing pads, 12-36 cloth wipes, etc.

Registry #3 - Birth to Potty-Learning Plan

24-36 One Size (OS) diapers. These diapers can be adjusted for size, and fit most babies from sizes newborn through toddler. Never need to buy bigger sizes!

Accessories: 1-2 diaper pail liners or hanging wet bags, 1-2 small wetbags for the diaper bag, 1-2 changing pads, 12-36 cloth wipes, etc.

No matter which plan you prefer, register for you diapers early enough so that you can have all of your diapers washed and prepped before your little one makes her/his appearance!

Noreen

Helpfull hints and other fun stuff on our blog: http://merrimackvalleydiapers.com/blog

The Happy Heiny New Fit Re-Launch Party!

2011-01-12T07:05:00.001-08:00

Welcome to the Party! Here at The Green Baby Store we have fallen in love with the new Happy Heiny fit. There are a few great improvements that have been made to the classic Happy Heiny design that make it a better option for all babies now.

First, the rise of the diaper is now made about 1 inch shorter. This brings the legs a little tighter to avoid gaps and leaks. It also brings the fit down below the belly button when on the correct rise snap to make for a more comfortable fit for baby when sitting.

Second, they have shortend the width between the legs. This makes the diaper fit better and have less bulk around the back. And again, makes it a little more comfortable for baby.

Lastly, they have improved the overal bulk of the diaper, so that at the smallest setting they fit an infant with ease. They also have crossover a tabs which help you get a more customized fit for your littler baby.

Each Happy Heiny one-size diapers comes with two microfiber inserts. I have found the large insert to be more than absorbant enough for normal daily use for my 1-year-old. And I have a client with a 3-month-old who uses the small insert even overnight without a leak. If you do need to use extra stuffing for a heavy wetter or an overnight these diapers have a nice large opening and are easy to stuff. I use them with the large microfiber and an organic doubler for overnights without a problem. They also offer this diaper in both a snap and a hook & loop (velcro) closure.

We encourage everyone to give this new Happy Heiny one-size a try, and to help you make that decision a little easier we are offering 20% one diaper! Use coupon code HAPPYHEINY at checkout and it will take 20% off your most expensive Happy Heiny one-size in your cart. All other diapers are at regular price.

A few more happens at The Green Baby Store: Used diaper trade in and auction event. We hold this even 2-3 times a year and encourage customers to send in their gently used (or even fair condition) diapers for store credit. See our facebook page for more information. We are also running an anniversary sale to commemorate our one year mark as an online retailer and our 3 year anniversary as a local diaper represenative. Use coupon code SALE10 to save an extra 10% off most items. And finally watch this week for special one-two bonus items that are on sale and also eligible for the 10% off coupon.

Thanks for reading! And for getting this far we want to reward you with a free Happy Heiny One-Size diaper. We ask that you befriend our facebook page and post a comment below about which Happy Heiny Color is your favorite. (here is the color listing) We will randomly draw a post number from below, but we will double check that the winner is a fan of our Facebook page too! One entry per person, winner chooses from diaper colors/prints that are currently instock at the end of the giveaway. Giveaway ends 1/17/2011.

Are Chinese Mothers Superior?

2011-01-11T03:00:00.000-08:00

My husband read it first. "Kathleen, you have got to see this" he said as he handed me the Weekend edition of the Wall Street Journal. There, on the cover, was an essay by Yale Law School professor Amy Chua entitled "Why Chinese Mothers are Superior." Yikes. This is gonna be good. So, I read the article and was appalled at the lengths this woman would go to instill perfection in her daughters. The opportunities she denied them and the effort she demanded from them. I went to the web site to see if anyone had posted any comments and was amazed to see over 500 already there (when I sat down to pen this blog post, there were over 1700 comments).

I went to my Facebook page to post a link to the article only to discover several friends had beaten me to it. Throughout the weekend, I received emails and phone calls from friends across the country who had read the article and wanted to discuss it. Clearly, Ms. Chua touched a very hot button with her article. I will give her immense credit for her ability to put it all out there. Clearly, she had to know that her personal examples would not reflect well on her with her Western audiences. Also, as she has a book coming out tomorrow, she is a master marketer.

Boiled down, it is her position that Chinese parents raise more successful children than Western parents due to their unwavering focus on academic success and their ability to eliminate all competing distractions from their children's lives in order to demand that success. The author believes that there are three major differences in parenting between Western parents and Chinese parents:

1) Western parents place too great an emphasis on self-esteem. In her view, Chinese parents believe self-esteem comes with success and must be earned. If a child does not do well, the Chinese parent does not believe it is due to any lack of ability but rather because the child did not work hard enough and he or she should be punished and shamed until improvement occurs.

2) Chinese parents believe their children owe them everything and therefore should do whatever it is the parents ask or expect of them irrespective of their ability to perform said tasks.

3) Chinese parents believe they know what is best for their children in all respects and therefore can override their children's own wishes and desires. In fact, what the child wants is not a factor for consideration. Only what the parent believes the child should want and enjoy.

In her defense, which I feel she does need as the comments against her are just so mean, she does have a couple interesting points. Parents know best. Not always and in every situation but especially for the younger children, often they do. Practice makes perfect. Very few of us are born with the innate ability that matches our passion for activities be them sports or music or art or whatever else. Practicing these skills helps improve these skills which often increases our enjoyment of the activity.

So, what do you think? Is the Chinese model superior to the Western model? Is the Western model of nurturing individualism and allowing children to follow their passions misguided? Are we (Western parents) raising generations of weak, unfocused children who will not be able to compete in the 21st century marketplace?

Win a FuzziBunz One Size or Perfect Size Diaper

Well, since we are talking China, how about a diaper that used to be made there? Parenting favorite FuzziBunz. We will give away one of their very popular One Size or one of their equally popular Perfect Size (your choice) to a randomly selected entrant. Giveaway ends January 25, 2011. In order to enter:

1. Post a comment about your parenting style on this blog post

2. Friend Cottontail Baby on Facebook

3. Join the Cottontail Baby mailing list

4. Follow the Cloth Diaper Retailer Coop Blog

Bag your Snack Stuff! and a Giveaway! (closed)

2011-01-06T11:00:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to MrsSmitty - winner of a FREE snack bag!

Planet Wise has moved beyond wetbags and pail liners! They have recently released a new Snack Line that you're sure to love! All of their Sandwich and Snack Bags are made with FDA Food Safe Materials and use a Patent Pending No Leak Design.

Great alternative to plastic baggies
Waste-free lunches
Replaces aluminum foil & plastic wrap

Perfect size for fruit, snacks, sandwiches or leftovers
Bring a wet washcloth in any of the size bags for easy clean up on the go!

FDA Food Safe Material
PVC, BPA, Phthalate, Latex and Lead Free
Patent Pending No Leak Design
CPSIA Compliant
Angled Corners For Easy Cleaning

I am really excited to add these to the Giggle Britches inventory. They are super cute, and great for all ages. Toddlers and preschoolers can easily open and close these themselves. The Sandwich wrap doubles as a placemat. These can even be a great icebreaker into the reusable world, including cloth diapers!

Win a Planet Wise Snack Bag!
Giveaway ends 1/13/11 at 11:59pm CST

Mandatory Entry
(1 entry) Leave a comment on your favorite reusable product and why.

For extra entries do any or all of the following. Leave a comment for each you do.

(1 entry) Follow @cdretailercoop and @GigglBritches on twitter and tweet this giveaway. Please tweet, "@GigglBritches and @cdretailercoop are giving away a Planet Wise Sandwich Wrap! #clothdiapers #giveaway" Leave a comment with a link to your status.

You can tweet once a day for the duration of the contest. Leave a comment with your status for each tweet. 1 entry per day.

(1 entry) Follow this blog. Leave a comment.

(1 entry) Grab our button and post it on your blog. Leave a comment.

(2 entries) Blog about this giveaway and link to it. Post a link in your comment (leave two comments).

(1 entry) Like Giggle Britches on Facebook. Leave a comment here.

(1 entry) Like Cloth Diaper Retailer Cooperative on Facebook. Leave a comment here.

LeAnn

Follow us on Twitter - http://twitter.com/GigglBritches
Join us on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/Giggle.Britches

Repairing hook and loop on your diapers

2011-01-05T01:29:00.000-08:00

Hi, my name is Sharni, and I own Nappy Shoppe. At Nappy Shoppe, we don't just sell diapers, but we also make some of the products we sell. I have been sewing since I was a girl, and love to do it. It made sense when it came to cloth diapering my son, that I would make and repair some of his diapers. (I am too much of a cloth addict to not try out as much as I can out there :) ).

Hook and Loop on cloth diapers is a mixed blessing. It makes them incredibly simple to use, but it does not wear as well as snaps do on cloth diapers. It is makes it easier to get a good fit on baby, but if you don't use the laundry tabs on the cloth diapers, you end up with a "train" of diapers in the washing machine.

For me half of my diaper stash has hook and loop closure. Daddy doesn't like to use snaps, he likes the ease of use of the hook and loop closing diapers. So when the hook and loop "dies" on the diapers, the rest of the diaper is generally still in great condition, so I replace the hook and loop.

The following is a tutorial on how to replace the hook and loop on diapers that use tabs of hook and loop to close the diaper (ie Bum Genius, Thirsties, WeeHuggers and Tiny Tush).

Don't sew? Well if you know someone who does, then show them this, or some stores like mine do the repair for a fee.

It is very simple to replace the hook and loop. The longest part is removing the old tabs. In general you only have to replace the hook part, as in the tabs. The loop strap sewn to the front of the diaper in most cases does not need to be replaced. So this tutorial only covers the replacing of the tabs.

I used the aplix die cut diaper tabs that I sell in the DIY section of my store. But you could use strips of hook and loop tape cut to size.

To start with I cut off the old tab near where it is attached to the PUL of the diaper. Be careful not to cut the PUL. I found doing this made it easier to remove the old tab.

I then inserted scissors into the hole left from cutting off the tab and cut down as far as I could. This made it easier to get my seam ripper in to remove the stitches.

Take your seam ripper and carefully cut the old stitching until you have removed the old tab.

This part is important. You need a hook tab and a loop tab. Sandwich them on either side of the PUL. You will want to make sure to do a test closing of the diaper to make sure that the hook side is grabbing onto the large strip of loop on the front of the diaper and close it. You don’t want to sew this part the wrong way around, as you will be unpicking your stitches!

At this point you could use a pin to hold the hook and loop tabs in place. Be warned the aplix is thick and it can be tough to stick a pin through. You could use a bulldog clip to hold it in place too. I just very carefully moved it under the foot of my sewing machine and lowered the needle into place when I was satisfied everything was lined up ok.

I just lined the tabs up on the stitching lines of the old aplix. The diapers were faded enough that it was easy to see and do this for me.

I found it best to start stitching in the middle on the PUL where shown in this photo. That way you had it tacked down in place before turning corners etc. If you have needle up/needle down on your machine, this feature will be useful here.

I did a straight stitch the first time around, and the went around the whole lot again using a small zigzag. Be sure to go all the way around the edges so you sew both of the pieces of aplix hook and loop together.

See it is very simple to give a diaper new life. And if sewing is not in your skill set, then we will happily fix your diapers for you.

Cloth Diapering Newborns

2010-12-19T09:52:00.000-08:00

When you’re expecting your first little one, the thought of cloth diapering a newborn can be a bit overwhelming. Not only do you have to figure out what to do with a newborn (would be so nice if they came with an instruction manual), but also how to cloth diaper.

I often receive questions from new parents about cloth diapers for newborns. Many parents go out and buy one size diapers such as FuzziBunz or bumGenius 4.0s, but find that they tend to look really bulky on a newborn, specially when they are under 10 pounds. And it’s true, the one size tend to look too big until they reach around 12 pounds, give or take. They aren’t too big, it just seems that way when your baby is still so small

For those that know that they will probably have smaller babies, or they plan on having more children down the road, I always recommend going for a “sized” option. With sized diapers, you don’t need to purchase nearly as many, and they don’t get used for a super long period of time, unlike the one size diapers. So, your cloth diapers will last longer and you will be able to use them for multiple children. If you are expecting multiples, purchasing extra small or small will be work really well for the beginning. Multiples tend to be closer to 5 pounds, and you have a long way to go to reach the 8-10 pound range for the one size diapers. One really popular brand of sized pocket diapers here at the Little Monkey Store is the FuzziBunz Perfect Size. Extra small fits 4-12 pounds (perfect for multiples or preemies) and the small (perfect for newborns) fits 7-18 pounds.

Another option for newborns is prefolds and covers. With our little guy, we started out with prefolds in the beginning, but were able to switch to his one size diapers pretty quick as he was not a small baby. Prefolds are great because they are inexpensive in comparison to pocket diapers and they wash up very easily. Newborns go through a lot of diapers, around 15 or so a day, so have a bunch of prefolds makes it easy. The downside of prefolds is that you often have to change them more frequently as they do not provide the stay-dry feeling that pocket diapers or all-in-ones have with a microfleece or suede cloth inner. A popular brand and one we’ve personally used is the Bummis Organic Cotton Prefolds. They wash up really well and when you’re done with them, you can use them as burp cloths, rags, extra diaper inserts, the possibilities are endless.

With prefolds, you need to use a cover to make them waterproof. There are a number of covers out there: wool, fleece, and PUL are a few. Typically you can get about 4 prefold changes with one cover before the cover needs to be washed or air dried (for wool). A great Canadian made brand of PUL cover is the Bummis Super Whisper Wrap. They come in a few different sizes, including newborn with a notch cut out for the healing umbilical cord. Plus, they come in some really cute patterns too. When you’re picking your covers, don’t forget to pick up a couple of Snappis. Snappis are what hold the prefold together as there are no pins or snaps on them.

And what is the most important accessory you’ll need for cloth diapering newborns? Bio-liners. You will want to place a bio-liner in the diaper every time you change a newborn. A newborn’s poop is very different, it is often described as a black tar-like substance. With a bio-liner, you just empty it into the toilet and there is no spraying or swishing needed.

If you need any help planning your newborn cloth diaper stash or have questions about cloth diaper newborns, please feel free to ask! We’d also love to hear your experiences cloth diapering your newborn.

Happy Holidays!

Julie www.littlemonkeystore.com

Gabriel's Picks - BabyKicks 3g Pocket Diaper

2010-12-18T00:01:00.000-08:00

It's been a long time since we've done a Gabriel's Picks post. Gabriel is no longer the tiny preemie we first started posting about. Now nearly 11 months old and 17lbs we've moved into the mass expanse of one size diapers! So, you will be seeing some more Gabriel's Picks over the next little while as we review some great ones that we have tried and tested and some we even loved so much we've added them to our stock!

This posts feature is the BabyKicks 3g Pocket Diaper. The 3g is a one size pocket diaper that is incredibly thin and trim. It has a microfleece barrier designed to prevent wicking to the outside and some nice fleece leg gussets to stop any messes while still allowing for airflow and a front stuffing pocket.

We've been using and testing out the 3g for 2 months now and are pleased to say it is among our favorites for overnight solutions. It is very trim and easily allows us to use regular sized clothing on Gabe (not having to size up on pants to accommodate a bulky diaper). The side snaps make it impossible for him to get his diaper off, however, he is such a squirmer now that we find we have to be really quick to get it on before he is rolling over and on the move again.

Here is a run down of some of the great features:

One Size Design grows with baby from 7lbs/3.2kg to 40lbs/18kg. The intuitive snap-down sizing system makes adjusting and finding the right size and fit super easy. You will only needs to buy diapers once, saving you time and money!

Bamboo/Fleece lining: The incredibly soft inner liner (against baby’s skin) is made of luxurious 30% Certified Organic Cotton and 70% Rayon made from Bamboo. The material will remain soft, absorbent and silky wash after wash.

Air Gussets are made of a special fleece material and contain no PUL, which allows for even more air flow to help prevent rashes. The Soft fabric does not leave red marks on baby’s legs, but still protects against leaks and blow outs.

Front Pocket allows for easy stuffing of diaper and gives you the option to customize the absorbency. The front pocket eliminates inserts hanging out of the back of the diaper and prevents solids from leaking onto the insert.

Side Snaps eliminates wing drop problem and are easy to use, durable and long lasting. The two rows of four snaps allow for separate waist and thigh adjustment and will give you a perfect fit. Side snaps are harder for toddlers to undo (no playing in poo), and make diaper easy to use as a training pant when the time comes.

Waterproof Outer Shell removes the need for a cover. Our super-soft breathable PUL is waterproof and makes sure baby’s clothes stay nice and dry.

Want to test a 3g for us?

-This contest runs until Friday December 31st, 2010 @ 11:59pm EST.
-Winners will be chosen by most compelling argument
- to enter email tanya (at) momsandbums.com with why you think you are the most qualified to be our new tester. Please include the age and size of your current diapered little one along with info on your past cloth diapering experience.
- Winner must be willing to provide feedback as well as pictures of their experience using the 3g.
-Participation is open to cloth diaper users in CANADA ONLY!

Gift Giving Made Easy

2010-12-09T04:52:00.000-08:00

The holiday bustle is upon us. It’s my favorite time of year. Once October 1st comes, I begin planning out all the upcoming holiday festivities. Christmas is such a magical time of year! I have the calendar booked with local activities for the family. We attend outdoor concerts, movies in the park, parades, cut down a Christmas tree, and so many more activities. Buying gifts used to be one of my favorite things and still is near the top of the list, but with a toddler in tow I find it a little more daunting. I love to find cute, practical gifts and I have a few to share with you today.

First up, a reusable snack and sandwich bag is great for any one on your list. It keeps many plastic baggies out of landfills. They are cute and make a packed lunch and snacking more fun! My favorite feature of these bags is the Velcro closure. My toddler has no problem opening it up himself, sitting it next to his leg in the car seat and then closing it back when he’s finished. There’s no more scream or whining when he’s dropped his snack cup on the floor.

Second up, the Baby Bottoms Baby or Toddler doll is the perfect doll for all young children. These dolls are available in four races: African American, Asian, Caucasian, and Hispanic. They are anatomically correct and also have a belly button. The Toddler dolls come with a little Baby Bjorn style potty. It’s perfect for modeling a practicing potty learning. My favorite feature of this doll is it’s completely made of fabric and can easily be thrown right in the washing machine when it gets dirty.

Third up, wet bags are a useful gift for new moms or even grandmothers. All new mothers regardless of their diapering status can use wet bags. Every one knows how many times a day a baby gets changed. Spit up, drool, accidents all bring about clothing changes. Why not have an adorable wet bag to store stinky, dirty clothes in the diaper bag? My grandmother uses a wet bag every day at the YMCA. After, her wet aerobics class she uses the wet bag to store her swim suit in for her trip home. I use a small size wet bag to keep my camera safe from any sippy cup or other liquid spills in the diaper bag. Wet bags have so many useful purposes!

I’m off to bake some more cookies and hang some more tinsel. If you’d like to win a free Candy Cane snack bag there are many ways to enter and each one will result in a separate entry. Entries must be received by December 15, 2010.
1. Leave a comment on this blog about your favorite holiday tip.
2. Fan Wee Willie Winks on Facebook.
3. Follow Wee Willie Winks on Twitter.
4. Fan the Cloth Diaper Retailer Blog on Facebook.

Wishing you a fun and wonderful holiday season!
Carissa
www.weewilliewinks.com

Musings from the Laundry Room

2010-12-06T00:00:00.000-08:00

Hello! Amanda from Tender Loving Cloth Diapers here. I wanted to create a blog post where people could share their best tips/tricks for laundering their diapers. In my opinion that can be one of the most individualized routines that is required when using cloth diapers. Your wash routine can be dependent on your washer, your detergent, your preference for drying, etc.

Personally I have an HE washer which I love for clothes but do not love so much with my diapers. It seems to take a bit more tweaking to get the laundry routine down just right, but it is great for saving water and energy. I have used several different detergents over the years, but my personal wash routine right now is.. quick cold wash cycle with no detergent, followed by a long hot wash with 1-2 tbsp Rockin Green detergent with an extra rinse cycle on the end. My hot wash also includes a soak and stain treat. If I want to add a bit more water to the cycle I add a towel or two since my washer weighs the diapers first before deciding how much water is needed. I try to wash every other day most of the time.

I typically hang dry all of my diapers on a laundry rack in my basement. If I need to dry them quickly I throw just the inserts into the dryer.. and occasionally add a dry towel to speed things along. If it is a nice day I love to take the rack to the backyard.. the sun is AMAZING with diapers. Takes the stains out and freshens them up nicely. My son's diapers are over 2 years old and have very minimal staining because of the sun. It truly is amazing!!

So what types of laundry tips can you share? What keeps your diapers fresh? What detergent do you love? I would love for us to share some tips and tricks for keeping the stinkies at bay.

Amanda

tlcdiapers.com

Otter Puddle Training Pants

2010-12-05T07:35:00.000-08:00

Hi, this is Sharni of Nappy Shoppe. My youngest Braden at 2 has been back and forth on training. I am a firm believer that they will do it at their own pace, so I let him decide when he is ready. So right now he goes a few times a day, opts to wear trainers a few times a day and opts to wear a diaper other times. So right now I have the best of both worlds as a cloth diaper store owner, he is testing both diapers and trainers!

So when Braden first showed signs of training, I pulled out the Happy Heiny trainers that I had been stocking since I started Nappy Shoppe. While he loved to wear the cow print one I had chosen for him, I thought them to be rather poofy and diaperish still. They are still one of my number one recommendations for night time and nap time though as they can be stuffed like a diaper for absorbency, but they can be pulled up and down like underwear. But I found I wanted something trimmer that looked more like underwear. So the applications to stock trainers started, and we have tried several brands on Braden, and the ones I stock in the store, we do like. But there was one that was an outstanding favourite for us.

Designed by Debby Reed of Otter Babies is the Otter Puddle. These trainers are the best we have found. They are trim, absorbent, and well made. These trainers are a day time option only. They are not for night time or nap time usage. They will hold an accident nicely and protect furniture and flooring nicely for one accident, but they are not designed to be left on as long as a diaper.

The ones we stock have snaps on the side (though they do make one that does not). I far prefer snaps on the side so that when a poopy accident happens, clean up is easy. We had a poopy accident in a pair of trainers that did not have snaps, and it was not a pleasant experience cleaning that up. The puddles can be pulled up and down like undies, and if there is no poopy accidents you do not have to undo the snaps.

The outside of the trainers is a cotton interlock (though some do have a bamboo french terry), so that they feel like undies. Some of the brands I sell have a PUL outer, which to me makes it feel like a diaper still. (These tend to be the brands that work great for night time and nap time though). The fabric helps the child transition to underwear, and the pants feel more like undies as a result.

The inner of the trainers is a soft bamboo interlock, that is comfortable to wear, but will make the child feel wet when they have an accident. You do not want a stay dry fleece in my opinion in a trainer during the day, as you need them to feel wet to learn.

The absorbent layers are two layers of hemp fleece, that is hidden between the inner and outer layer of the pants. This is backed by a layer of water proof fabric to prevent the bulk of the accident from coming through the pants. We have found that this is sufficient to hold the one accident and not had any leaking on to furniture. If you leave them on for another accident (ie you are not aware that the first has happened) then the outer of the pants will get wet.

There is an optional snap in pad. The pants all come with the pad, but the optional part is if you want to use it or not. It is great for the early days of training when accidents are more common, but it can be removed later on when accidents are rarer. The pad is one layer of bamboo fleece and two layers of hemp fleece. It snaps into the pants, and has an otter embroidered on to the front. Not only is the otter the logo of the brand of pants, but it can be used as a teaching tool. We tell Braden to keep the otter dry. (His little friend Natalie calls it a Kitty .... ).

The small sized puddles are great for those who EC. We do find that the most commonly used size is the larges and extra larges.

We love the Puddles, so much so that when Debby was unable to keep up with our demand for them, Nappy Shoppe crew came on board to help sew them. We really believe in this product, and they are a favourite of many of my customers who are training or have trained their tots.

Congratulations to Libby (15) who one our free otter puddle.

In these photos, Braden is around 30 pounds in a size large, and Natalie is around 27 pounds in a size large.

WAHM Shout Out - Snicklefritz

2010-11-20T06:05:00.000-08:00

Hi! This is LeAnn from Giggle Britches. I am so excited to announce that our baby girl, Kendall Nicole, was born November 11th. We are adjusting quite well and her big sisters are totally in love. It has been a lot of fun trying out some newborn diapers that I have not used before.

Before I was even pregnant, I had bought 6 newborn Snicklefritz Snappiable fitteds from Nicole on Diaperswappers. I got her "Simple Snickle" back when she was having a sale. They have become one of my favorite newborn diapers! They workmanship is fantastic. The material has stayed so soft even after multiple washings. The fit is perfect on my skinny-legged newborn. I highly recommend these to anyone looking for a simple, newborn fitted diaper. Plus, it is so great to support another work-at-home mom!

Kendall is only 3 days old here :)
LeAnn

Follow us on Twitter - http://twitter.com/GigglBritches
Join us on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/Giggle.Britches

Aubrey's Undies- Bummis Trainers

2010-11-18T00:01:00.000-08:00

Made in Montreal, Canada, Bummis Trainers are one of Aubrey's first picks! Perfect for car trips and trips out to the store, when you want that layer of waterproof protection. Bummis Trainers are less bulky than some of the other brands we have tried, making them fit easily under Aubrey's clothes. Aubrey loved the prints, especially her new "Froggy Undies". Mommy loved that she could easily pull them up and down on her own as she works to independence in the bathroom.
The Low Down on Bummis:
- legs and waist are covered in stretchy lycra bindings
- laminated waterproof polyester knit outer
- flannel lining against your toddler allows them to feel wet and helps them train faster
- 2 layers of absorbent terry to absorb accidents

We found Bummis were perfect for daytime, nap time, and excursions out and about. Aubrey is a deep sleeper, so we found she saturated the Bummis before she woke up to make it to the potty, and had initially counted them out for night-time use. Then at 2am one night they were the only ones left in her drawer... so I did what any sleep deprived Mommy would have done at 2am, I quickly grabbed a Bummis Prefold from Gabe's pile folded it in 3 and tucked it in, then helped Aubrey pull them up. My middle of the night quick fix solution worked so well (dry sheets and PJ's in the morning) that it has become a part of our routine! The Bummis Trainers fit so much better than the overnight solution we had been using that they became the permanent solution- and we found a great way to continue to use the now too small Preemie Bummis Prefolds!

Want to win some Bummis products of your own to test out? Register to be a seeker in the upcoming Green Quiz Quest for your chance to win some great prizes donated by Bummis and other great sponsors!

Wool Diaper Covers

2010-11-16T11:04:00.000-08:00

Hi! I'm Bayla from Soft and Cozy Baby, a physical storefront in Baltimore.

Wool is an amazing fabric to use as a diaper cover. We started using Llamajama longies last winter for my 1.5 year old. It worked great overnight and he never woke up with wet sheets! The sizing is amazing. I got an 18 month size - they were a bit big on him to start and they still fit him, a year later!

There are many benefits to using wool covers over prefolds, fitteds or contours. Especially in the winter, when everyone wants to cozy up in some yummy warm wool.

Wool is a natural fiber with antibacterial properties. Being natural, it is very breathable. This allows air circulation which can help reduce the incidence of diaper rash. It also regulates body temperature - keeping you warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

Wool treated with lanolin is water resistant. It can absorb up to 30% of its weight in moisture. IT wicks moisture away, keeping your baby dry.

The natural antibacterial properties reduces odor and bacteria build-up.

Wool diaper covers are available as soakers, longies, and shorties. You can really make any design cover you want if you know (or know someone who knows) how to knit or crochet.

To care for wool is pretty simple, once you get the hang of it.
Wool only needs to be washed when it gets dirty. You can reuse your wool cover until then. The more you use your wool, the faster the lanolin gets used up, so you do have to relanolize your cover occasionally. Lanolizing wool is what makes it water resistant.

When you first start using wool, wash it in a delicate detergent or wool wash and add some lanolin to the wash. Lanolin can come in a bar, liquid, spray, or included in the wool wash. Then re-lanolize whenever you wash or when the water resistance starts wearing off - usually every 3-4 weeks.

The longies picture here are Llamajamas.
The wool soaker is Little Beetles.
Thanks to the Llamajama website for a lot of these facts and stats!

We are having some super sales coming up for the holidays if you're in the Baltimore/DC/PA area! This Wed night, Nov 17, we're staying open late 6-9pm for our Pre-Holiday SALE with amazing discounts and giveaways. And of course don't forget about Black Friday!

Have a Safe, Warm & Happy Holiday Season!

Again with the attacks on Attachment Parenting....

2010-11-11T06:18:00.000-08:00

Alert and dedicated readers may remember that my first post for this blog was all about Elizabeth Badinter's book Conflict: The Woman and the Mother. In this book, Badinter, a French Intellectual, states that all the elements of attachment parenting (cloth diapers, breastfeeding, babywearing, co-sleeping, etc.) are nothing more than a prison enslaving women from reaching their true potential. If these elements were not in play, Badinter argues, women would free themselves from their children and enter the working world and becoming true feminists. That attachment parenting moms and dads are turning their backs on the advances of modern life (formula, disposable diapers, epiderals) and enslaving themselves to their children. Decades of modern feminism advances are being rolled back by these choices. So she says.

I argued that true feminism, at least as defined by this WAHM in the suburbs of Minneapolis, is to follow the path that makes sense for you. For some, it is full-on attachment parenting, cutting no corners. For others, it is a cafeteria approach...picking the elements of attachment parenting that make sense for their situation and opting not to include those that do not. For still others, attachment parenting has no place in their lives and they are able to raise happy, healthy families with no guilt for the road not taken. All of these are valid and worthwhile options. Many of my readers agreed with me according to the comments on the post.

I had more or less forgotten Badinter and her screed against Attachment Parenting even though her book is a top seller in Europe and soon to come to the US. I was having a calm afternoon this weekend relaxing after the chaos of my twins' birthday party when my husband stuck the Wall Street Journal under my nose and said "You are going to find this interesting." In the Journal, author Erica Jong in her essay Mother Madness takes on Badinter's cause. She too finds the "orgy of motherphilia" offensive and rails against it in her essay. Her belief is that Attachment Parenting, especially, as she points out, when it is combined with the desire to be environmentally correct, has encouraged female victimization. That the need to do all the "right" things creates a prison (there is that word again) for moms and that it represents as much "a backlash against women's freedom as the right-to-life movement." She does point out, rightly, I believe, that not all families can afford full-on attachment parenting. That the need to have two working parents in a family may require a family to take a different path. I think this is a topic that is too infrequently raised and I do applaud her for doing so.

Jong interestingly lists out all the ways she was NOT an attachment parent including the heavy use of nannies, the long absences from her child and the use of any and all modern technology she could acquire. What is most notable is that in a companion piece, her daughter, the author Molly Jong-Fast, writes of her own life as a stay at home mom to three young children. How her entire parenting philosophy is a repudiation of the way her mother raised her. She does not criticize her mother, however, she praises her. She said that her mother's choices allowed her to have the life where she can make very different choices for her family.

So, what do you think? Is this a dead horse (at least until Badinter's book hits Oprah)? Are the choices of Attachment Parenting families derailing feminism? Is something as sweet and useful as a cloth diaper subversive?

GIVEAWAY

Feeling a little subversive myself on this post-election week. So, let's give away one of those hostile to modern feminism cloth diapers. How about one of the new bumGenius Artist Series ones as I think they are fairly cool. There are many ways to enter and each one will result in a separate entry. Entries must be received by November 25, 2010.

1. Comment on this Blog

2. Fan Cottontail Baby on Facebook

3. Join the Cottontail Baby mailing list

4. Fan the Cloth Diaper Retailer Blog on Facebook.

Troubleshooting Chat tonight at Diaper Decisions

2010-11-08T04:53:00.000-08:00

Welcome to all the hunters during this month's Great Cloth Diaper Hunt! Snooty Booty Diapers is hosting a chat from 9-10 pm EST tonight. The topic is "Troubleshooting Leaks and Problems." Some tips will be given on:
night diapering
clothing and diapers
leaks with one size diapers
repelling diapers

If you have some diapering problems, be sure to stop by tomorrow night. I'll chime in with my experience, but other moms will be able to give their tips as well. If you think you can help some other moms, drop in and share your advice, too!

Chat room page