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.
Posted by Moms and Bums at 12:01 AM 0 comments
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Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Newborn Dipes


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!
Posted by Bayla at 6:29 PM 1 comments
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Saturday, February 12, 2011

Diapering A Toddler

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.
Posted by The Green Baby Store at 6:30 AM 1 comments
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Friday, February 11, 2011

My Valentine to Northern Essence Diaper Products!


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
4. Join the Cottontail Baby mailing list
Posted by Kathleen@cottontailbaby.com at 8:41 AM 11 comments
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Monday, February 7, 2011

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

Raising a Green Family: Preview "Healthy Foods Seminar w/ The Kitchen Goddess"
Posted by Anonymous at 8:41 AM 0 comments

Sunday, February 6, 2011

New Product - FuzziBunz® Leggies

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/
Posted by Amanda at 12:00 AM 14 comments
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Saturday, February 5, 2011

And baby makes four ... or more ..

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.

Posted by Sharni at 1:00 AM 0 comments
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