Showing posts with label Moms and Bums. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Moms and Bums. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Moms and Bums Inventory Clearance Sale!!


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.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Aubrey's Undies #4- Super Skivvies Convertible Trainer

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!

Monday, April 18, 2011

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


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!



Friday, March 18, 2011

Teething Troubles - A review of Amber Necklaces

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.

Friday, February 18, 2011

Another take on the 3G

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.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

3G Tester Update!

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

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-EF5pp1PiLKwBuAbiFj5IyjLwC1JReyJvDDNQogGs28ARUSQl0NuLU4hFABKJ01LrXBu6c2wLhyphenhyphen0K4QneO1-b5VlJmFjQGcQoeT7JArCm8UJtZ4n6q9Rx_6yA_6VDYUCtA8KoijWnJych/s1600/3g-redbum-80x80.jpghttps://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWSJIUN-WdW3jKNW1fu_f1MIEwx2ad7_SK3LfppWmXk8jC8u95FiQtPVxT2Zylhq8pytB5VM47RmfBdjieJQ-B2lsvneiSRylVc2ozsRibU_kiEiUBsnkWlPEixT2KpnZfZH7B4_yO66r2/s1600/3g-bluebum-80x80.jpg

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!

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Gabriel's Picks - BabyKicks 3g Pocket Diaper

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!

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Aubrey's Undies- Bummis Trainers

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!

Monday, October 18, 2010

Raising Green Kids- Greening up your laundry room

Just like many of you I've heard the terms "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" a lot over the past 10-15 years. And lets face it we have all heard about global warming, right? Some of you may have even watched Al Gore's documentary "An Inconvenient Truth" from 2006. But has it impacted your life? Have you noticed a change in the weather patterns over the past couple of years?
My brother-in-law Aaron recently went on a trip to Alaska and saw those great icebergs up close. He brought back some great pictures (like this one of waterfalls) of beautiful icebergs, and told stories to his nieces about them. What hit home for me were the stories of the markings with dates that depicted the melting of these icebergs. Were Aaron to return for a repeat trip of hiking through Alaska in a few years, some of those great sites may be gone altogether.
Over the years I have done my part in recycling tins and plastics and composting, even before I had my own home and was making those decisions for myself. But it really wasn't until I had children of my own that the issue really hit home for me- our Earth is changing, and the reality of it is, there are parts of it that wont be here when Gabe (my 7 month old) hits school, and many more that will be gone before he is my age.

So around our house we are doing everything we can to put those 3 R's to good use! Here are a few things we're doing in the laundry room:

Laundry Detergent
First I want you to think back (way back) to grade school science. Some of you may remember learning about soap molecules and why soap works to clean. Well detergent is quite similar. To simplify this think of these little molecules like a magnet- it has a (+) end and a (-) end. One end of the molecule is hydrophobic (repelled by water, but are attracted to oil and grease) while the other end of the same molecule is hydrophilic (attracted to water). Detergents bind to the soil and the mechanical energy or agitation of your washer allows the detergent to pull the oil and dirt away from your clothes. Rinsing washes the detergent and any oil and dirt it has attracted away.

So what's in mainstream laundry detergents that's so bad? Her are some of the more common ingredients you may want to avoid and why:
  • Surfactants. These create the bubbles in your washing machine. Alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs), the most common surfactants in mainstream detergents, have been identified as a potential endocrine disrupter.
  • Synthetic fragrances. These can be found in detergents, fabric softeners and dryer sheets. These are what give you laundry that spring rain, orange blossom or lavender smell. In reality these man-made scented chemicals are made from petroleum, and don’t degrade which makes them extremely toxic to your health and the environment.
  • Phosphates. These are used in detergents to soften water. Phosphates can cause algae blooms in lakes and ponds which lead to the suffocation of aquatic plants and animals.
You might also be surprised to know that mainstream laundry detergents (just like disposable diaper companies) are not required to list all of their ingredients on the label- so really who knows whats in there!

The Greener Option
Greener laundry detergents will contain natural, biodegradable surfactants (some are derived from coconuts, others from corn). The term biodegradable is thrown around a lot these days, but to be truly and completely biodegradable, it must be organic (meaning derived from something living- most often plants) to begin with.
Switch to a greener laundry detergent that is non-toxic, biodegradable with no petroleum based products. We have some great choices for these in North America and many of them are cloth safe! Rockin Green Cloth Diaper and Laundry Detergent can even be used to strip the old detergent residue from your cloth diapers!

Hot vs Cold water:
Warm or hot water melts fats and oils so that it is easier for the detergent to dissolve the soil and pull it away into the rinse water. But 80% of the energy used to wash your clothes is used in heating the water! Washing your laundry in cold water will save energy (and your pocket book). Cold water rinses the soap out just as well as warm or hot, so even if you used a warm or hot wash, use a cold rinse.

What about the dryer?
Of course hanging your laundry is the best for the environment, but that may not always be possible. The many months of winter in our country would definitely make line drying outside more difficult, and believe it or not there are actually some areas with bylaws that dont allow clothes lines in your yard.
So here are a few tips for your dryer:
Keeping your dryer clean can help maximize the air flow and efficiency, so clean the lint filter after every load.
Try to do several loads of laundry at once to take advantage of the leftover heat from the previous load.

Dryer Balls
Dryer balls were invented to reduce static and help your clothing dry faster.
As your wet laundry tumbles in the dryer, Dryer Balls lift and separate your clothes, allowing the air to flow more efficiently. Perfect for those concerned with conserving energy or those with a busy lifestyle. Unfortunately, dryer balls currently available mainstream are made out of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which is one of the most poisonous plastics ever manufactured.
A great green alternative is Wool Dryer Balls! Yes, Wool! Wool balls work in a similar manner to the PVC kind in that they lift and separate your cloths but wool will also soften up your clothes by gentle friction of the felted wool fibers against your clothing fibers. Not only does this make your clothes soft and fluffy, it can also reduce your drying time by up to 40% (this will vary according to your load and dryer size and how many balls are in the dryer)! No more need for fabric softener or dryer sheets... and they never need to be replaced! Of course if you enjoy the scent of those dryer sheets, you just need to add a drop of essential oils to one of your dryer balls and it will keep your laundry scented for quite a few loads!

For some more great tips on all things green visit The Green Quiz Quest and sign up as a seeker! The Green Quiz Quest is a worldwide online scavenger hunt through websites that promote living green or offer green products. Its loads of fun and has great prizes!

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Raising Green Kids- Green Shopping Tips - closed!

Here are a couple of ways to be greener on your next trip to the market:

Buy fresh produce without the packaging.
  • reuse the plastic produce bags
  • buy reusable mesh bags
  • or simply put produce directly into your cart
Avoid individually packaged items.
  • instead of buying juice boxes, put juice in a reusable thermos, or stainless steel bottle for lunches
  • pack your snacks and sandwiches in Kanga Sacs reusable bags
Opt for glass, stainless steel or paper products instead of plastic. Glass, stainless steel and paper products are more easily recycled, making them greener products. Paper bags can be reused, recycled or even composted.

Use reusable canvas shopping bags instead plastic. The average person uses roughly 300 plastic bags each year. Many of those plastic bags will end up in a landfill, taking hundreds of years to decompose. Worse yet, they could blow around creating a hazard to wildlife.

Want to win a Kanga Sac from Moms and Bums?
CLOSED

How to enter: Become a follower of this blog (mandatory to win) then visit Baby's Bottom Line, Natural Parenting Shop or Moms and Bums and tell me what one other item you would purchase and why. (you can tell us one item from each site for 3 separate entries).
Entrance Guidelines

-Please, be sure to leave us a way to contact you. You can be logged into your email account when you post your comment for us to be able to contact you if you win (that is with the option called OpenID). If you have a blog, be sure to be logged into the account linked to your blog for an easier way to contact you.

You can also add your email to your comments (ie. info(at)momsandbums(dot)com).
-This contest runs until Friday September 24th, 2010 @ 11:59pm EST.
-Winners are chosen using random.org, and notified on Saturday September 25th, winners name will also be posted on Blog and Facebook
-Winners have 7 days from contest end to claim their prize.
-Participation is open to cloth diaper users in CANADA and US ONLY!
-How to earn extra entries:
* LIKE Cloth Diaper Retailer Cooperative On Facebook
* LIKE Natural Parenting Shop on Facebook
* LIKE Moms and Bums on Facebook
* LIKE Baby's Bottom Line on Facebook
* Follow @momsandbums on Twitter
* Follow @ParentingShop on Twitter
* Follow @babysbottomline on Twitter
* Place the CDRC Button on your site or Blog
* Tweet About the Giveaway. Using @ParentingShop, @momsandbums or @babysbottomline in the tweet and link to this Giveaway (You may tweet 2x per day/@ for 1 bonus entry each)
* Advertise our Giveaway in your blog, facebook, forums or website (post with your comment the direct link where you posted about it for 1 bonus entry per posting).

Congrats to lucky #13!

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Raising Green Kids- Finding Secondhand Treasures

Reusing items is one of the best ways to keep them out of the trash. Buying good quality secondhand items is both green and economical. Follow these tips on your secondhand treasure hunts and you wont be disappointed.

Safety Issues: Make sure to be aware of product recalls. These can be found at manufacturer websites, and at the Consumer Product Safety Commission Potentially dangerous secondhand items include (but are not limited to) mattresses, cribs, car seats, strollers, playpens, baby gates, baby walkers. These items have changed greatly over the years and older versions may not meet current safety standards. Car seats can be especially dangerous if you do not know the history of the car seat. If a car seat has been involved in a vehicle collision it must be replaced, even if the child was not in the car at the time of the accident.

Great secondhand buys: clothing, newer non-electronic toys, books, movies and sturdy furniture. Clothing, especially baby clothing can be reused through several children before it wears out, as they grow so quickly that some outfits are only worn a handful of times. With 3 kids we buy 90% of our clothing from Value Village, a second hand thrift store that donates their profits to the Canadian Diabetes Association.

Bargain Hunting Places: garage sales, swap sessions, friends, family, coworkers, newspaper classifieds, thrift and consignment stores, internet sites (such as ebay, craigslist, kijiji, freecycle).

Twice a year Moms and Bums participates in a great Mom to Mom sale here in Brampton, Ontario. The next one is coming up October 9th. Watch our facebook and twitter for details to come!

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Aubrey's Undies #1- Happy Heiny's Pocket Trainers

...Training Undies That Is!
At Moms and Bums we make a point of trying to test out each product we carry on our three little Guinea Pigs. Aubrey was our original diaper tester, and has now moved on to the position of trainer tester! Aubrey is a very head strong 2 year old, and has taken longer to learn to use a potty than her older sister Kiera did. Why you might be asking was it so difficult for her to learn? Well the real issue was that she really likes her cloth diapers! She would tell you which one she was going to wear, and she had flower ones, and cow ones and and pink prints... her diapers were fun! In her eyes they were much nicer than the plain under wear Kiera had- even if Kiera's did have Dora on them. So we knew it was time to find her some fancy undies!
We had ordered in trainers for customers before, but didn't really keep them in stock because we hadn't had anyone we could test them on until now.
We started off with some Happy Heiny's Pocket Trainers with snaps.
First a bit of info about Happy Heiny's and what makes them different than other trainers on the market:
First they were redesigned with your busy toddler in mind! Snaps can be added for ease in messy clean ups and to make stuffing easier. Snaps can be added to one side, both sides or the side can be sewn shut for older bed wetters.
Happy Heiny's have an elastic waistband making them easy for your little one to pull up and down on their own. This is also good for older children with bed wetting issues. Quick on and off. Like their diapers, the inner lining is custom milled fleece for a more stay dry feeling and the outer layer is PUL to hold in wetness. The pocket opening allows you to add as much stuffing as you need, so even the heaviest wetter still has protection overnight.
Happy Heinys Trainers have been child tested and last 12+ hours overnight with absolutely no wicking for most children. Happy Heinys® Trainers are available in a variety of solid colors. They have a 100% poly laminated outer layer and work wonderfully for potty learners who still need protection overnight.
I will add a word of caution here- do not buy any trainers that are the same pattern as those they have for diapers- Aubrey's favorite diaper was her Happy Heiny's cow print, her "Cow Diper" (she has since learned how to pronounce diaper), so silly me thought she would also love having undies the same print... boy was I wrong! She took one look at what I thought was going to be her favorite new undies and exclaimed "that's a diper!", and wouldn't even try them on.
My second word of caution: don't buy patterns the same as their siblings diapers! I absolutely love monkey prints, so of course picked a silly monkey print OS for Gabriel and a silly monkey print trainer for Aubrey, only for her to exclaim "That's Gabriel's diper", and again wouldn't even try it on.
So, Aubrey and I took a little walk into our store room and I pulled out all the prints in her size and let her pick the one she wanted. She chose the Pink Hibiscus print. There are some theories on potty learning/training that suggest you even let the child pick out their own seat. We have not taken things that far, but allowing her to choose her own "undies" assured that she would want to wear them. In fact she was quite disappointed when she had to wait for her new undies to be washed first.
Once her new undies had been washed and she was able to wear them, we gave her quite simple instructions "don't pee pee in your new undies". Aubrey was just starting the learning process at this point, she knew when she was wet and wanted a "bum change", but hadn't needed to know before she went until now. About half an hour later, Aubrey shouted out "Oh no, my undies, mommy pee peed, bum change". Aubrey quickly learned that her Happy Heiny's were waterproof and were just like her "dipers", thus we have since reserved them for car trips, overnight and nap time.
We found the fit of the Happy Heiny's to be a bit puffy, which was perfect for adding that extra hemp insert for overnight! Aubrey really didn't notice or care about the puffiness, and her clothes fit over them just as well as her regular cloth diapers. We loved the side snaps in the beginning when there were still poop accidents as it made clean up much easier. Aubrey was able to pull up her new "dipers" herself which made her feel like a big girl- just like her big sister.
Our recommendations for Happy Heiny's Trainers: Overnight protection for older bed wetters, nap time protection and all day protection for the toddlers who are just beginning the learning process and will still require a waterproof layer. For a heavy wetter overnight we recommend a layer of microterry followed by a layer of hemp.
All our Happy Heiny's Trainers are sold with a Happy Heiny's Large MicroTerry insert, so there is no need to purchase anything extra, just wash and start that potty learning process!
Stay tuned for our next edition of Aubrey's Undies... Still to come: Bummis, Little Beetle and Imse Vimse.
Want to win a Happy Heiny's Pocket Trainer of your own? Visit us on Facebook to find out how!

Friday, June 18, 2010

Gabriel's Picks #3- FuzziBunz®

A quick recap for those who are new to Gabriel's Picks:
Gabriel is the youngest Moms and Bums family member. Born at 34 weeks and 5lbs 3oz, Gabriel needed some special small diapers. Gabriel's Picks goes through some of our favorite preemie and newborn diapers on the market today. In the first edition we discussed Bummis Preemie Prefolds and Super Brite Covers. In the second edition we discussed the new Tini Fit and Easy Fit from Tots Bots. This edition will discuss FuzziBunz® Extra Small and One Size Pocket Cloth Diapers.

FuzziBunz® are pocket diapers made by Mother of Eden. If you are not familiar with pocket diapers, here is a quick rundown for you.

All pocket diapers have the same basic construction: an inside wicking layer (for the "stay-dry" feeling), an absorbent insert and an outside waterproof layer. These layers can be made up of different materials, but in the case of FuzziBunz® they are microfleece, microfibre and PUL (polyurethane laminate- they have taken fabric and laminated it so it is waterproof). These are also the most common materials for pocket diapers.

We love to use pocket diapers when we are out and about for a few reasons, but here are the main two:
1. They are less bulky in the diaper bag, so for a quick trip to the store it means I can throw a couple diapers (one for Gabriel and one for Aubrey) in a small bag and be set. For those of you who are new moms, we once left the house without a diaper bag for a quick trip to the store with our oldest. About 10 minutes into our shopping Kiera decided to have a huge poop, needless to say we have never left the house without a bag again!
2. They go on quicker than prefolds and in one step. If you have ever tried to diaper a squirming baby on one of those fold out changing tables, you know you want something quick and easy!

With an average sizing of 4-12lbs we found the XS FuzziBunz® were a great pocket during those first few months when not much else fit our little man. Gabriel was just over 5lbs when we started using our FuzziBunz®. Even tough the One Size is rated for newborns and not preemies, with the button hole elastics to adjust the sizing, we found it worked just as well as the XS for us. The One Size comes with 2 inserts, one for smaller and one for larger settings. For preemie sizing we used a smaller insert, as the small one that comes with it was just too bulky!
The XS FuzziBunz® differ slightly from the other perfect sized FuzziBunz® in that they do not have the extra row of leg snaps. With a 6'6" dad Gabriel is tall for his age, and at 10lbs 9oz the rise just wasn't long enough anymore, and plumber bum just doesn't mix with breastmilk poops!

We have had to adjust the sizing on the One Size a few times and have sized up on the insert to the small that comes with it, but at 12lbs 13oz and 4 months old it is still going strong! Definitely worth every penny! Check out the video below made by FuzziBunz demonstrating the use of their One Size. When you adjust your One Size for the first time be sure to adjust one button at a time! I blame it on sleep deprivation, but this Mama unbuttoned both ends and accidentally pulled the elastic right out! I can say this- replacing the elastics will be a very simple job!
Visit us for great deals on discontinued colors.

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Gabriel's Picks # 2- The Tini/Easy Fit

Made in Scotland by Tots Bots the Tini Fit hit the market in North America only a few months ago... just in time for our little tester to enjoy the soft bamboo rayon against his tiny tush. Their innovative design couples a pocket diaper with an all in one. The pocket insert is attached to the diaper, so you never need to figure out which insert belongs with which diaper when it comes out of the wash.
Their design also allows for the insert to agitate out on its own in the wash, so there is no need to unstuff prior to laundering. In our family that is a huge plus! Nothing is more annoying than for me than taking the load of diapers out of the drier only to find a balled up insert down in the bottom of the pocket diaper.
We found the extra insert that comes with the Tini fit wasn't necessary unless we were planning to use it overnight, or on a long car trip.
This is the first pocket velcro cloth diaper we have used where the laundry tabs actually stayed closed in the wash. Even after 2 months of use they are lint free and still look like the first day we used them.
We found the Tini Fit to be true to its sizing (5-12lbs) and although we might have been able to get away with it a little while longer Gabriel at 12 lbs 8 oz and 4 months old (10 weeks corrected) was beginning to have a bit of plumber butt (even as a prem he is at 75% on the chart for his height). So we have moved up to the Tini Fits big brother- The Easy Fit. Matt gives the Tini/Easy Fit the Daddy's Choice approval for ease of use and laundering. It is always the first one he grabs!

Friday, May 28, 2010

Gabriel's Picks #1- Preemie Prefolds




We are always asked which cloth diapers we use and what we prefer, so we decided it was time to share:) Over the next few posts we are going to highlight some great cloth diapers that we found worked the best for Gabriel.

First you may need a bit of background. Gabriel was born January 24th at 5lbs 3oz and 34 weeks gestation. He is our 3rd child, our second to use cloth diapers (the nurses in the NICU were not open to cloth, so he was 2 weeks old before we started, and just back birth weight).
We used a variety of diapers on him, some fitting much better than others. My favorite was Bummis organic cotton preemie prefolds with a preemie/newborn super brite cover. He has since outgrown the Preemie/newborn cover (at just over 10lbs and nearly 3 months old) so we have moved up to small Bummis Super Brites and xs Thirsties covers. The prefolds are however still fitting great, and seem to get softer with each wash! We will have to update when they become too small for him.

A note on Thirsties xs covers and AIO's- Although the design for Thirsties and Bummis are quite similar, (with Bummis being made right here in Canada) we found that the leg holes with Thirsties were much larger than the Bummis ones- allowing for our preemie with the common preemie "chicken legs" to pee right out of them. Gabriel was about 8lbs before he was able to wear them without leaks.
We definitely would recommend Bummis Newborn Super Brite Covers and Premmie Prefolds for small newborns and preemies.
Why did we chose the Super Brite over the Super Whisper? The leg gussets of course! If you haven't had a newborn, then you may not know about the liquid poops that come along with them. You see until a baby begins solid foods poops are generally liquid, and sometimes seedy liquid- gross right! Without those legs gussets you run the risk of that liquid poop leaking right out the sides of the diaper... ask a mom who used disposables how many outfits they ruined with blowouts. Here at Moms and Bums we are all about the leg gussets!
Check out the great video below made by Bummis on how to use their prefolds and stay tuned for the next edition of Gabriel's Picks coming soon...

 

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