Zephyr Hill

HUGE Cloth Diaper and Baby Auction Starts Tomorrow!

July 19, 2014 by Anne 1 Comment

How would you like to have fun bidding on cloth diapers, teething jewelry and popular brand name mama and baby products AND support a wonderful charity at the same time?

It’s all happening at the Cloth for Everybum Facebook page starting Sunday at midnight!

Cloth for Everybum is a 6 month cloth diaper lending program that teaches diaper kit recipients proper use and care through trained mentors. Donations of all kinds, including new and used diapers, are appreciated by anyone who can help. Diaper kits contain 18 prefold diapers, 2 inserts, 3 covers, 4 pocket diapers, 12 handmade wipes, 1 wet bag, 1 cloth-friendly rash cream sample and 1 detergent sample. cfelogo

Cloth for Everybum’s mission is based on the old adage “If you teach a man to fish, he will eat for a lifetime.” Giving free diapers is not the primarily goal; the idea is to give ALL families the chance to use cloth and see how easy it can be – and how much money and waste it can save. Receiving a free starter diaper kit enables families to try cloth AND gives them time to save up to purchase anything they might need or want for their stash going forward. Then, they can “pay it forward” by returning the loaner kit, and the cycle will start all over again for another family. Alternately, the diaper kits can be purchased at the end of the rental period.

Donations to Cloth for Everybum can be mailed or dropped off; financial giving is possible online by simply choosing the chapter you wish to give to.

AUCTION DETAILS

You will have the chance for 1 week to bid on the following:

Brand name cloth diapers and accessories (Thirsties, Snappi, Diaper Safari and more)
WAHM cloth diapers and accessories
Teething jewelry, hair accents, etc.
Baby food and infant feeding products
Breastfeeding products
Toys, bookmarks and much more!!

The auction will begin on Sunday, July 20th at midnight and end on Monday, July 28th at midnight – all items can be found in the designated photo album via Cloth for Everybum’s Facebook page.

Have fun bidding! You’ll see me there!

Filed Under: Diaper Chatter

How Labor Pain Can Be a Good Thing

July 11, 2014 by Anne 14 Comments

Five of my seven deliveries have been natural, and it’s my preferred mode of operation. “But why on Earth would you want to go through that pain if you don’t have to?” I’m sometimes asked. It’s a reasonable question. Maybe this post will help give you some perspective.

Pain can clue you in to how far along you are. I can easily push a broom or mop around during early labor but find it difficult to even talk when I’m having a contraction at the end of active labor. Your pain level is a pretty good indicator that it’s “time to go” if you’re having the baby somewhere besides home. It can tell you when you’ve gone from active labor to transition.

Here’s a great story to illustrate this point. A friend of mine was having some extremely painful contractions but they were 30 to 60 minutes apart. When she gave this information to the hospital they advised her to come when the contractions were more regular and closer together. She hung up the phone and waited again. A contraction came that brought her to her knees. Disregarding the hospital’s advice she told her husband “Let’s get in the car NOW.” Sure enough, the baby came very soon after their arrival. Pain, and not timing, was the tip-off. And that’s not an isolated case, because I have yet another friend who only had 3 very painful contractions in the course of one day before it was time to start pushing! Her midwife wisely judged the situation by how painful that very first contraction was, even though two hours had gone by before the next one came.

Pain can alert you when something is wrong. With my third child I labored for quite some time on my hands and knees; due to my back pain it seemed like a good position to be in. But the pain was overwhelming and unusually “sharp” and I wasn’t making any progress. This was a different kind of pain and I knew something wasn’t right. It didn’t take long for my midwife and me to figure out my little girl was not descending like she should. We decided to try a different position.. Thanks to the changes, our daughter descended within minutes. She was born two pushes after that. I often look back and wonder how I would have picked up on those “distress signals” had I been totally numb.

Pain lets you know when and how to push. Pushing can potentially be more effective when you can feel everything. Epidurals don’t just mask pain; they can completely obliterate the sensations of pressure, bearing down and crowning. With my second epidural, it was kind of surreal to be coached through pushing while everyone watched the peaks and valleys of my contractions on a monitor. I couldn’t feel anything, so I just obediently did what I was told. I balled up my fists, shut my eyes and pushed like Sisyphus on steroids. I pushed until I was blue in the face. But since I had been pushing blind (i.e. harder than I actually needed to), I paid dearly for that the next day with broken blood vessels all over my face, a throbbing backside and aching abdominal muscles.

Pain makes the birth experience even more memorable. Painful events become strongly cemented in the mind. Experiencing pain during labor marks the event in a special way for a woman. When great suffering is followed by great joy and relief, it’s almost magical. It’s amazing to go from intense pain to intense peace as your hold your newborn. Just minutes ago you were in agony and feeling as if it would never end; now just minutes later you are quietly going about the business of being a mother – putting on that first diaper, giving the first taste of milk, putting tiny socks on those little feet. Without the pain, the climax isn’t so earth-shattering. A marathon runner might want to collapse right after crossing the finish line, but when he hoists the trophy high it feels that much more special because of how his body suffered physically and mentally to reach that goal.

A warm stove feels better when you’ve just come in from the freezing cold. Water tastes better if you drink when you’re parched and dry. A hot meal is heavenly when you’re ravenously hungry. That feeling of “the agony was worth it!” is both humbling and exhilarating after labor.

John the Apostle penned a very memorable verse nearly 2000 years ago that captures this exactly: “A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.” (John 16:21)

Pain can have spiritual value. Labor is very intense and I know spiritual thoughts will probably NOT be foremost in my mind, so I make sure to “offer up” my pains in a sacrificial way before arriving at the birth center. I just give it God ahead of time. Perhaps He can use the gift of my pain to help another person. I leave that all up to Him.

Filed Under: Home and Family

How to Recycle and Reuse K-Cups

July 8, 2014 by Anne 10 Comments

At Christmas, my husband completely surprised me with a single-serve coffee machine. To get an idea of how much I liked my present, I’ll just tell you that the 40-pack coffee sampler we bought was gone in less than two weeks (hanging head in shame). I love my Keurig and the convenience that single-serve coffee packs offer, but I don’t love all the waste generated by the single-serve cartridges. We did buy a reusable/washable filter that works with the Keurig, but I still like being able to pop a K-Cup in there without measuring grounds and washing a filter. The K-Cups are especially handy when we have company over and are pressed for time.

Like many others, I’ve wondered if those hundreds and thousands of K-Cups could be re-used or recycled. I never found any satisfactory answers to this question….until now. Recycle A Cup™ has created a little tool that separates the plastic K-Cup from the cartridge so you can re-use or recycle them. Recycle A Cup sent me their new tool to review, plus a pack of decaf K-Cups to facilitate the testing process.

What’s in a K-Cup? Components include the aluminum foil lid, the coffee grounds, a heat-sealed paper filter and the plastic cup. It’s not that you can’t recycle the parts, it’s just that separating them out is time consuming. And while Keurig has recently launched a Grounds to Grow On program, it’s only available to commercial customers right now. Where does that leave the average consumer who goes through hundreds or possibly thousands of K-Cups per year? This is the problem that Recycle A Cup has sought to address.

Here are the basic steps for using Recycle A Cup:

#1 LOAD: Place a used (cooled down) K-Cup into the holder. Gently turn until you feel the puncture hole on the K-Cup align and settle with the tiny little pin at the bottom of the holder. Put the lid on top, lining it up with the notches on the holder.

#2 TWIST: Without pushing the green buttons, give the lid a quarter turn to set it for cutting. Then press and hold both green buttons while twisting one full turn. This completes the cutting process.

#3 SEPARATE: Release the buttons and remove the lid. The top part of the K-Cup, with filter bag and grounds still attached, will come loose. The plastic bottom will remain in the holder; pop it out by pushing your finger through the hole in the bottom.

#4 RECYLE OR REUSE: The white plastic cup can be recycle or repurposed (see below for ideas). The filter bag and grounds can be composted. The foil lid can be peeled off and recycled.

Here’s my quick photo tutorial, plus there’s a video on You Tube if you’d rather see it in action.

What can you do with the separated plastic K-Cups? Simply find a local recycling center that accepts #7 hard plastics. If they can’t be recycled, you can repurpose them as seed starters, or wash and use for freezing things like mini Jello treats.

Seed starter idea, as seen on Pinterest

Plastic cups can also be collected and mailed in batches to Recycle A Cup, and they will take care of recycling for you:

Medelco, Inc.
Attn: RAC Processing
54 Washburn Street
Bridgeport, CT 06605

Recycle A Cup is not actually made of recycled plastic, however the company hopes to change this within in the next two years. You can still recycle the tool at the end of its useful life, though.

Here’s a brief summary of my thoughts on the Recycle A Cup:

PROS

The separation process is quick and easy. It takes me about 20 seconds, which is much faster than trying to do it manually.
There is no mess.
It can potentially reduce a massive amount of K-Cup waste (13% of the US population enjoyed a single serve brew yesterday – that’s a lot of plastic cups ending up landfills)
By exposing the organic component (coffee grounds) Recycle A Cup can help speed up decomposition (as opposed to the grounds being trapped in the plastic cartridge)
Your initial purchase of the Recycle A Cup tool includes 2 extra replacement cutting blades.

CONS

Recycle A Cup does not separate the foil top, paper filter and grounds; this must still be done by hand and is messy. As the website explains, though, it’s not a perfect process, and is one meaningful step towards making the use of K-Cups more eco-friendly.
Recycle A Cup is specifically designed to work with K-Cups and so may not work with all single-serve cartridges.

If you want to go the extra mile and break down your K-Cups completely, I recommend standing over the sink as you work the paper filter and coffee grounds loose, and have a container ready to dump it in for composting. You’ll need to wash your hands and rinse out the sink when done.

Here is what you end up with after breaking down a K-Cup completely:

Recycle-A-Cup suggests that replacement cutting blades be purchased every 30 days. A package of 6 costs just $9.99.

If you are excited about the prospect of being able to recycle all those plastic cups, Recycle A Cup has made it easier in more ways than one. They are offering a special promotion to my readers; you can get this nifty little tool for just $9.99 (which is five bucks off the regular price) PLUS free shipping with promo code jcd8nv.

Filed Under: Home and Family Reviews

Imagine Training Pants Review & Giveaway

July 6, 2014 by Anne 128 Comments

Imagine Baby training pants have worked well for both Susanna and Samuel, so I wanted to go ahead and share an official review with you. The Prefolds to Potty Training giveaway hop seemed like the perfect time to do this!
Hosted by Lauren at lo-wren.com and Maria at Change-Diapers.com, this event began as a one year cloth diapering anniversary celebration for Lauren last year, but has grown into a celebration of the journey from diapering through potty training. Join us for two-and-a-half weeks of cloth diapering and potty training guest posts, introductions to some amazing products (to help get you through the diaper-potty training journey), two amazing grand prize packages, and a blog hop with fifteen other bloggers giving away cloth diaper and potty training prizes! Be sure to check out (and thank) our amazing grand prize sponsors, and “hop” on over to the other participating blogs via the linky at the bottom of this post.

Two years ago, I purchased the Emerald trainers in size large:

A view of the inner lining and sewn-in soaker (it only unsnaps on one side so I can’t open it up completely to photograph).

Here are the basic features of Imagine Training pants:

Cotton knit outer with a 100% flannel lining
Hidden layer of microfiber to absorb small accidents plus a hidden layer of waterproof PUL in the wet zone
Snaps on one side (the right side of your child’s hips)
Three sizes: Small fits 21-29 pounds, Medium fits 24 to 35 pounds and Large fits 31-41 pounds.
Five colors to choose from

Our Imagine trainers worked well for both Samuel and Susanna at a certain stage in potty training. This was the time when they were actively learning and were able to get through *most* of the day without a big accident. For the inevitable “oops,” these training pants are sufficient, but you have to change your child pretty quickly or it will wick onto clothing.

In this picture, Susanna is wearing the size large; she is 2.5 years old and 31 pounds.

Here’s a quick summary of my thoughts:

WHAT I LIKE

The cotton knit fabric is very soft and comfortable. It has a bit of stretch and the fit is superb.
The flannel lining helps them feel wetness immediately.
The inner layers are sufficient to catch a small accident but don’t add any bulk to the trainers.
Drying time is normal.
They look like “big kid” underwear, and not at all like a diaper (see photo above on Susanna)
The bright colors are fun.
They are very durable. I’ve used for over two years with two different toddlers and all I note at this point is some normal pilling on the fabric.
At $13.95, they are affordably priced. (NOTE: they are on sale for a limited time for just $11.95 each!)

WHAT I WOULD CHANGE

They run small, so to have an XL size available would be great. Lots of toddlers are still learning at age 3 and beyond.
The snaps on one side are very handy (and they are well-hidden so as not to look like a diaper); it would be nice to have them on both sides! However, if your learner does not like snaps of any kind on their “big boy” or “big girl” underwear, this would be a plus for you.
The tiny side snaps are a *little* less secure than the regular-sized snaps you see on most cloth products. Sometimes, one or two will come undone as I’m pulling the trainers up or down on my children. However, they’ve never come unfastened while wearing.

ENTRY FORM

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: Cloth Diaper Reviews, Giveaways Tagged With: affordable training pants, Cloth diaper giveaway, cloth training pants, imagine training pants, side snapping trainers

Nuby Booster Seat Review & Giveaway

July 1, 2014 by Anne 35 Comments

Last year I reviewed Nuby’s step stool and was so happy with its performance that I was very curious about the booster seat. Nuby’s booster is made of durable plastic in a limited variety of color combos: pink with purple handles, green with orange handles and blue with green handles. It has a wide base and contoured design for comfort. I received the orange and green seat from Nuby in exchange for a review.

Here are the specs:

Holds up to 65 pounds
Includes white safety straps for securing to a chair, and also 3-point straps for fastening around your child.
Base measures 14×14 inches at its widest
Seat boosts your child up about 5 inches.

There are holes in the bottom of the seat to feed straps through around your child’s waist.

Like the step stool, this is a very durable yet lightweight accessory. Both of my toddlers can pick it up with no problem; the textured handles on either side make this even easier.

It has worked fine to boost Susanna up at the table, and is just the right height to allow her legs to fit under the table.

Note: the seat is secured to the chair, but the child restraint straps weren’t yet fastened when I snapped the above picture.

Both of my toddlers have actually enjoyed the seat much more for play. They sit it in, climb on it and put their dolls and stuffed animals in it. When used away from the table, the straps are not needed and can be easily removed.

If you’d like to pick up Nuby’s Booster Seat for your child, try retailers like Target and Walmart, Amazon and Bed, Bath & Beyond. They retail for about $14.95.

Here’s how to connect with our friends at Nuby:

www.facebook.com/nubyusa
www.twitter.com/nubyusa
www.pinterest.com/nubyusa
www.instagram.com/nubyusa

Did you know that all Nuby sippy cups are on sale at Target right now? This promotion ends Saturday, July 12th!

You can enter to win a Nuby Booster Seat for your child. Just use the Rafflecopter entry form below. Giveaway is open to US residents only and ends July 10th.

Entry Form

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: Giveaways, Home and Family Reviews

Cloth Diaper Innovations Giveaway: Win a Diaper Sprayer!

June 27, 2014 by Anne 12 Comments

How do you deal with dirty diapers between washings? Scrape them? Dunk and swish them? User liners? Or perhaps you have a sprayer.

QD Spray is a mom-and-pop enterprise that was started to address a very simple problem: the price of diaper sprayers. I’m one of those mothers that has put off buying a sprayer for my entire diapering experience because I don’t want to spend fifty or sixty bucks on an accessory. I know that those who have them love them. But still I hesitate. And so do LOTS of other mothers I know.

Besides a lower price, QD Spray proposes a few more advantages:

You aren’t confined to the potty. QD Spray hooks up to your laundry sink, your bathroom sink, your tub, etc.
You can still use it with your toilet, if you want, because there are three lengths available: 4 feet, 8 feet and 12 feet.
You can spray diapers without bending over or kneeling at the potty.
You can adjust the water temperature.
You can use QD Spray for lots of other things besides diapers. Some ideas: washing your hair, your pets, the children, rinsing and cleaning the tub or sink, and so on.
You can travel easily with it. Take it off your sink, put it in the carry bag and hook it up at your next stop.

But don’t you have to spray diapers in the toilet? I wondered that, too, and here’s the answer. All the pipes in your house drain to the sewer or a septic system, so the waste is going to the proper place. I’ve learned over the years that many mothers do rinse diapers in the tub or a large sink (while first knocking off the big stuff in the toilet). Instead of flushing when rinsing is complete, you can mist the sink with Lysol or some other type of disinfectant.

I chatted with Melissa at QD Spray about this question and she told me “People can most certainly spray off the poop wherever they choose, but we find the most people feel comfortable spraying it off in the toilet.”

Courtney, who has the QD Spray in stock at Over the Moon Diapers (starting at $39.99), sent me a couple of pictures which show how it attaches to the sink faucet:

The QD Spray will fit most faucets, but not all. There are additional adapters that can be purchased. You can check the website for known-exceptions.

I’m really thrilled about getting the opportunity to personally review the QD Spray and share with you on my blog! But with baby #8 coming in just 4 short weeks, this will have to wait until fall. However, today you get to go ahead and enter to win one of your own!

Over the Moon Diapers has put together a truly one-of-a-kind event to showcase innovative cloth diapering products. Read about and enter to win some great prizes from the brands featured below, plus be sure to follow all the participants on social media! Giveaway ends July 11th at midnight and is open to US residents only. Good luck!

Freemie - Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook
GroVia - Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Instagram
Spray Pal - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Google+
qdspray - Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Google+
Over the Moon - Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Google+, Pinterest
So Easy Being Green - Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, Instagram
Change Diapers - Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube
Easy Green Mom - Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Google+
Diaper Wrecker - Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest

Entry Form

An InLinkz Link-up

Filed Under: Giveaways Tagged With: diaper sprayer, qd spray giveaway, qd spray review

8 Things to Know Before Giving Birth Naturally

June 25, 2014 by Anne 11 Comments

Here I am about 4 weeks from my due, so it’s the perfect time to publish part two of my “pain management in labor” series. In part one, I shared the facts about epidurals (which I’ve had twice). Today’s post, part two, is about natural/unmedicated birth. The final installment will talk about labor pain itself and what the purpose is.

Birth without drugs is painful, or at the very least uncomfortable. I’ve heard of truly painless births but they must be very rare exceptions. What this all means is, that without medication, it helps to have a good idea of what you might expect so you can have coping techniques on tap. Without drugs, you’ll need a few more tricks up your sleeve.

THE UNMEDICATED BIRTH

Here are some of the most common things that mothers experience during a normal delivery (via the birth canal) without medication of any kind.

It can be noisy. Your husband might especially benefit from knowing this beforehand, or he might go into “panic mode” when you cry or yell. Making all kinds of noise is normal and expected during labor. Doctors, nurses, midwives (and even those annoying med students who come in to peek at you) expect it. Just try not to scream; you’ll scare yourself and everyone else in the room!

It can change your behavior. Perhaps you’re just a bit snippier than usual. Or maybe you completely morph into that angry, green Marvel comics hero. I can’t say how you’ll act, but I do know that the pain, stress and hormones of natural labor can make you do or say some things that are not “typical” for you. Once again, the staff has seen it all, so don’t worry on that account.

You can decline the constant checks. Does the doctor realize just exactly how much those constant cervix checks hurt, and does he deliberately time it during a horrible contraction?? Checking for progress not only adds to your discomfort, but each intrusion introduces the slight possibility of contamination. I know doctors are terribly curious about when you might deliver (and release them from duty!), but you CAN decline the routine probing. My midwife always asks if she can do a check, the understanding being that I can say yes or no.

It can get intense at the end. God designed most labors to progress gradually so you have time to adjust and cope. Contractions become more frequent and painful, but you muster your resources and manage as best you can. You might even feel that, despite the intense pain, you’re “in the zone” and doing whatever it takes to bring your child into the world. And then transition comes. Forget everything you’ve been doing until this point, because (for most women) transition can be quite overwhelming. Sometimes we cry. Sometimes we beg for drugs. Sometimes we fear it’s never going to end. I told my midwife once “I’m going to split in two with the next contraction!!” (Amazingly, I didn’t.) Everyone’s level of pain or discomfort will be different, but things definitely ramp up and get more intense during and after transition. Just knowing that it’s coming can help psychologically with coping. Knowing that what has been working may suddenly not bring any relief at all is good to know (as opposed to panicking and thinking something is wrong).

It can burn during crowning. Thanks to veteran mothers (and not Johnny Cash) there’s a very description nickname for this sensation: “The ring of fire.” You’re stretched to the widest point just before delivery to accommodate your baby’s cute (but huge) head. One of my friends has a personal vendetta against the ring of fire. She can’t say enough nasty things about it. For me, it’s not so bad. It stings like the dickens, but it’s so different from the painful contractions I’ve been feeling for hours, and it’s so brief, that I actually welcome the feeling, in a morose sort of way. For me it means the baby is just about to come out and that’s a HUGE morale boost. I grit my teeth and endure this milestone with a sense of relief. Interestingly, a few women don’t even experience this sensation at all, but it bears mentioning.

It can help to curl up. Being in pain makes you naturally want to arch your back. Don’t. Especially in the pushing phase. Although everything in me fights against it, curling inward and tucking in my bottom while pushing works amazingly well to move a baby down and out. My midwife has to repeat this to me over and over while I’m pushing, because I’ll tense and straighten with the contractions.

It isn’t over when the baby comes. All the pain seems to momentarily vanish as your gloriously squalling newborn is held aloft for all to see. But there just a few more unpleasantries you need to be aware of. Delivery of the placenta (or “after birth”) can also be quite painful, though not as much as active labor. Getting stitched up (if you tore) can also be mighty uncomfortable. If you nurse right away after an unmedicated birth, the afterpains feel like menstrual cramps. The more babies I’ve had, the more afterpains hurt. For me, though, having the baby I’ve waited 9 months to see cradled in my arms is like a balm that helps to lessen the pain of these after-birth inconveniences.

It might not be what you expect. Some women prepare like champs for their natural delivery and are completely shocked at how difficult it was despite positive imagery, prenatal conditioning, and breathing techniques that would put a Tai Chi master to shame. Still others walk (waddle?) into labor with plenty of horror stories from friends and family members, and are later able to say “I don’t know what the big deal is. It wasn’t that bad.” Natural childbirth is truly the most unpredictable type of birth because there are so many variables that result from a mother’s unique response to pain, pressure and hormones.

Have you experienced natural childbirth, or do you hope to? What advice would you give to an expectant mother?

Filed Under: Home and Family Tagged With: birth without drugs, how to give birth naturally, labor pain management, natural birth, natural childbirth, nonmedicated birth, unmedicated birth, what to expect

Third Time’s a Charm: Maternity and Newborn Giveaways!

June 23, 2014 by Anne Leave a Comment

Hello and thanks for checking out the Third Time’s a Charm event hosted by First Time Mom and Zephyr Hill! We’ve come together as veteran moms who have been there and done that to bring you what we feel are some of the best maternity and baby products out there. Each participating blog has a maternity and/or baby themed prize that’s at least worth $25. Hop around from blog to blog by using the linky in this post and see what must-have maternity and baby product each blogger thinks you should have!

Our grand prize packages are ones that Bert has tested and approved during her pregnancy with baby #3, Keira, as well as on Keira now that she’s on the outside world. We can’t wait for you to get to know our sponsors and their sometimes sanity saving products.

Maternity Prize Package – These products can be used during pregnancy and some can be used after you’ve given birth to your new little one. Take a moment to check them out for yourself.

Spark of Amber - I reviewed the Raw Amber necklace in Campfire. I don’t have chronic pain so I didn’t really see a difference so my stepmother-in-law, who suffers from migraines at night, tested the necklace out. She definitely saw results and my father-in-law has said he’s noticed that she’s no longer in visible pain like she had been. You’ll be able to win an adult amber necklace in your choice of color!

Dr. Brown’s Gia Angled Breastfeeding Pillow – I first met this wonderful breastfeeding support last year at the Baby Ladies Baby Shower in Chicago. I loved how the pillow was shaped and the support it offered. Now that I’m using it in action I’m even more impressed. It’s ten times more supportive than the Boppy and both myself and my sister (who’s still currently nursing her 11-month-old son) like it a lot.

Mod Mum hospital gowns – There is nothing worse in my opinion than wearing the hospital provided gown during your entire hospital stay. They just look so bleh and let’s be honest, you’ve put in a lot of work the past months plus the labor and delivery. I love Lisa’s, the owner of Mod Mum, sense of style and the fabrics that she uses for her gowns. You’ll read my full review later but this is definitely a product you have to check out.

Chewbeads – Chewbeads are necklaces that mom wears that are safe for baby to chew on. I love wearing jewelry. Once my children turned four months I could pretty much guarantee I wouldn’t see another necklace around my neck for the next six months. That’s all changed with Chewbeads, they’re super cute and on trend too!

Maxwell Designs – If you’re not in the cloth diaper community using cloth diapers there’s a pretty good chance that haven’t heard about Canada-made Maxwell Designs. Maxwell Designs uses the best fabrics and their totes are so cute. Every bag, whether it’s a tote or a wet bag, is made with care which is one of the reasons this newer (to the US) company is really on the rise. I had the opportunity to review their cosmetic bag and I loved the shape of the bag. I also really liked the lining of the bag and how easily I could wipe away some of the loose powder that escaped in transit.

Pink Lemonade Mama Cloth – One time as I was folding Kendall, my oldest daughter’s, diapers and I touched the inside of the diaper and thought, “It would be nice to have underwear made out of this.” Well, you can! It’s called mama cloth and Pink Lemonade is the place to get it. For the event, I reviewed their Post Partum Pads. I was so impressed with how comfortable they were and how much they were able to hold without leaking.

Dana Decals – Wall decals are all the rage now and what makes Dana Decals stand out in my opinion are the designs they offer. You can walk into any big box store and buy some wall decal that’s in every home in your neighborhood. Or you could check out a shop like Dana Decals and find an original wall decal that will set your room apart from the rest. This is a must for nursery decorating.

The Newborn Package – What do newborns do? Eat, sleep and poop! Naturally the prizes in this package go right along with their basic needs.

Smart Bottoms – I love Smart Bottoms’ products and their commitment to provide organic fibers in their diapers. Plus, everything is made and sourced in the US. Their Born Smart diaper is the perfect fit on a little tush with skinny legs.

Thirsties – I’ve been so impressed with Thirsties’ hemp prefolds and of course their covers. In a jam and when I’m tired I just trifold the prefold and lay it in the cover. There’s a fold on the inside of the diaper that helps keep the prefold in place.

Nommy’s Nappies - Sarah and I go way back, okay only a year, but her Nighttime Nappy is my go to overnight fitted. The Newbie Nappy is just as high quality and efficient as the Nighttime Nappy.

Zookaboo! – I just about go into credit card overload whenever I look at Zookaboo!’s website so when I had my very own newborn t-shirt with a diaper cover and match hat for Keira to wear I just couldn’t stand how cute she looked! I’m so excited for you to win one of your own too!

aden + anais – I adore these blankets!! I’m sure you’ve seen them everywhere. What sets Hayden’s Heart swaddler apart is the message behind the blanket. It’s to raise awareness for Congenital Heart Defect as well as to help the families with medical bills.

Crafting Tree – You have to check out this breastfeeding infinity scarf. I can’t wait to tell you more about it so keep your eyes peeled for the review.

Black Wolf Designs – Michelle, the creator of Black Wolf’s jewelry, is truly talented. I love the washer necklace that she made for me.

Honey Pot Herbals - Laura has been using a salve for the past few months on BabyCakes that’s from Honey Pot Herbals. She’s really liking how nicely it goes on BabyCakes’ skin.

Farm to Front Porch – Farm to Front Porch does all things burlap! I love her burlap wreaths and banners and I can’t wait to show you the banner she made for Keira.

The event runs from today until midnight on July 7th. Good luck! Simply enter by completing the Giveaway Tools form(s) below. You may enter to both packages, however, you can only win one of the packages. Open to US and Canada. Don’t forget to hop around from blog to blog!

The Maternity Package

Entry -Form

The Newborn Package

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Check out the other blogs!!

First Time Mom, Zephyr Hill and participating Third Time’s a Charm bloggers are not responsible for fulfilling prizes. Prize fulfillment is the sponsor’s responsibility and obligation.

Filed Under: Giveaways

Made in Canada Annual Cloth Diaper Giveaway

June 22, 2014 by Anne Leave a Comment

Welcome to the Made in Canada Baby (#madeincanadababy) Event, hosted by Canadian cloth diaper bloggers Thinking About Cloth Diapers and Maman Loup’s Den. This event runs from June 22th to July 6th, with daily entries and a special bonus for Canada Day (July 1st)!

Oh, Canada!

This event will showcase the wonderful works of many cloth diaper makers and other family-owned Canadian businesses from right across Canada. Discover brand new brands and revisit old favorites as you scroll through our list of wonderful sponsors.

More than 35 sponsors have come together in this massive giveaway to help us bring you close to $1,500 in prizes! We will be offering 3 wonderful truly Canadian prize packages, each with a value just under $500, as shown below. Each package contains a beautiful array of Canadian-made baby products for the little one(s) in your life! Many of the items are from brands that seldom participate in giveaways, so you definitely don’t want to miss this rare chance to win them!

Prize 1

Prize 1 #madeincanadababy 2014

Bummis was founded in 1988 and is still operating out of Montreal, Quebec. When it comes to fun in the sun, Bummis has you covered from the bottom up! They will be offering one lucky winner a sun package including one sun cap, one UV tee, and one Swimmi in the size, print and color the winner chooses – all made right here in Canada! Retail value $55.

From Abbotsford, BC, Mally Designs Ltd. makes stylish leather bibs, luggage tags, passport holders and more! One lucky winner will receive a beautiful baby or toddler bib in their choice of color and design. Retail value $45.

Gamine & Cie is a Canadian company based in Boucherville, QU that offers a collection of charming hand-made dolls, waiting patiently to be adopted and cuddled by the little ones in your life. They are offering one beautiful rag doll to the winner. Retail value $55.

Whether you have little ones headed to the swimming pool, day care, or summer camp this summer, you’ll love the prize from Lovable Labels Inc. Keep your kids’ things out of the lost and found bin with the Ultimate Camp Pack, which includes waterproof, UV resistant peel-and-stick labels and bag tags! Retail value $44.95

Flip Size offers the highest quality brand-name used children’s clothing at prices that can’t be beat! Here is a chance to try out Flipsize with a $30 gift certificate.

From dryerballs to laundry soda, and everything in between Nellie’s All Natural, from Vancouver BC, will provide an exceptional clean and help your family go green. They are offering one lucky winner a 100-load tin of Nellie’s All Natural Laundry Soda. Retail value $21.

Little Miss Bows and Bands makes headbands, clips, ties, and bow ties for you and your little one! One lucky winner will receive a gift certificate toward any Little Miss Bows and Bands product from this business in Ajax, ON. Retail value $25.

Pixie and Me Diapers, from Brockville, ON, sells handmade hybrid fitted and all-in-two diapers in newborn and one-size options, plus hazelwood jewellry. They are offering a beautiful “mom and tot” hazelwood hecklace set for you and your little one. Retail value $29.50.

From their home studio in Woodstock, ON, Janine’s Place, uses upcycled wool to make wool diaper covers, teething toys, slippers, and more. One lucky winner will receive a pair of Size 12-18 month handwoven wool slippers with an organic liner and anti-slip suede sole. Retail value $32.

Ellie & Sabrina, from Edmonton, AB, makes products including car seat covers, wool dryer balls, wet bags, and reusable snack bags. They are offering a Hide and Peek Nursing Cover made of machine-washable cotton, featuring a stiff top edge to allow airflow and eye contact between mother and baby. Fabric may not be as pictured. Retail value $24.

From Summerland, BC,LalaBaby Designs makes adorable hand-made diapers to keep your little ones snug and dry, plus snack bags, wet bags, diaper pants, cloth wipes, and suck pads for baby carriers! One lucky winner will receive an all-in-two diaper with a 4-layer organic bamboo fleece snap-in petal insert, and a wipeable PUL cover. Retail value $23.

Création Folie Plastic is a fun Etsy shop from St-Gilles, Québec. From bibs and super hero capes to teethers and pacifier clips and more, owner and designer Audrey Caron brings fashion to fuctional items. She is offering a pair of hand-made baby leggings and a matching teething/babywearing necklace (made of Canadian wood beads with a bamboo string) for mama! Retail value $40.

Cloth diaper retailer Cozy Bums is based out of Prince George, BC. They offer free shipping on orders over $99, and sell a wide variety of products including Canadian brands Bummis, AMP, Applecheeks, and more! They are offering one lucky winner an AMP Duo One-Size diaper and a 2-layer AMP hemp insert. Retail value $25.50

Green Bumkin is based out of Kemptville, Ontario. Owner and designer Amy Lanctot sews all-in-ones, all-in-twos, and the most amazing one-of-a-kind diapers featuring her intricate appliques. Her diapers sell out of her Hyena Cart store quickly, and so we’re excited to offer a custom embroidery slot (you choose the design!) for either a one-size all-in-one or all-in-two with insert. Retail value $32.

Harp Diapers are made by single work at home mom, Deborah Plett, who specializes in cloth diapers and accessories. If you’re looking for a custom diaper, Deborah’s up for the challenge! Her unique diapers, which often feature vintage cartoon prints, stock on Hyena Cart. For the Made in Canada event, Harp Diapers is offering a $35 store credit!

Prize 2

Prize 2 #madeincanadababy 2014

Petit Velours is based out of Val-David, QC, and makes custom diapers, and also sells diaper-making fabrics and gives classes for mamas who wish to sew their own diapers. She is fluent in English and French and ships worldwide. Petit Velours is offering one lucky winner 2 diapers – a one-size pocket diaper (8-15 lbs) with insert, and a night-time fitted diaper in size medium-long (18-35 lbs). Retail value $50.

Rainbows & Lollipops offers unique and special hand-made prints to decorate your baby’s nursery, bathroom, and playroom! Based in Nicolet, QU, Marie works with customers to custom-design art to fit their decorating vision. One lucky winner will receive a $35 gift card and free shipping. Retail value $50.

Au Fait Mama provides breastfeeding apparel that helps you feel and look good. Their nursing shirts and dresses, made in Vancouver, BC, grow with you from maternity to nursing and beyond! A very lucky winner will receive an Au Fait Mama Nurture T-Shirt, made of luxuriously soft and stretchy bamboo fabric. Retail value $72.00

From their Toronto studio, Cate and Levi makes stuffed animals, puppets, and other beautiful products from reclaimed wool whose colors and textures are individually selected. Your little one will love to adopt one of their beautiful one-of-a-kind creations! In honor of Canada Day, they are offering a Moose stuffed animal made from 100% reclaimed materials. Retail value $60.

Cold Lipstick’s Garden is based in Morinville, AB, and crafts custom accessories including hats, headbands, ties, baltic amber teething necklaces, leggings, and more! One lucky winner will receive a made-to-order teething distraction necklace. Retail value $20.

Lil Squishy Bums, from Guelph, ON, sells hand-made cloth diapers and accessories. The winner will be able to select an in-stock product of their choice – a fitted diaper, pocket diaper, or squishy butt pants! Retail value $25.

From Sault Ste. Marie, ON, Canadian Cloth Shop makes diapers, wipes, children’s clothing, nursing pads, and much more! They are offering a Foxy Set, consisting of a 3-4T tank top and matching 2-4t capris in a very foxy print. Retail value $35.

My Little Lion Designs is owned by work at home mom Christina Kubik of East Gwillimbury, Ontario. She offers cute and durable waterproof items you will love, including wet bags, pail liners, diaper covers, and bibs. She also welcomes custom orders, so please feel free to contact her with special requests! She will work with one lucky winner to design and sew a custom one-size PUL diaper cover or swim diaper from her in-stock fabrics. Retail value $17.

Bottoms Up Cloth Diapers is a new cloth diaper boutique based in Aldergrove, BC. They offer free shipping on orders over $50, and carry brands including Funky Fluff, Lil Helper, and Mother Ease. The winner will receive a Mother-Ease cloth diaper product of their choice, with a value up to $24.

Nature Bumz is a Canadian family-run cloth diaper retailer based in Ontario. They carry a large selection of Canadian and US-made cloth diapers, including AMP, Applecheeks, Bummis, and more! They offer free shipping on all Canadian orders over $75. They are offering 2 lucky winners a $50 Gift Card for any purchase from their on-line store!

Natur-ELLE Cloth Pads are made in Moncton New Brunswick by Genevieve Losier. For our Made in Canada celebration, The Cloth Canoe Natur-ELLE Cloth Pads is giving away a gorgeous assortment of minky and organic bamboo velour cloth pads! The set of cloth pads includes one 11 inch heavy pad, one 9.5 inch regular pad and one 7.5 inch pantyliner. Retail value $38.50.

Ella Bella Bum cloth diapers are made by Sam Campbell and her team of production assistants and local seamstresses in Welland, ON. With their creative and unique designs and exclusive fabrics, this popular Canadian brand has quickly attracted a North American audience. One lucky winner will receive a one-size (15-35+ lbs) Ella Bella Bum embroidered pocket diaper with an aqua PUL outer, and a spring green athletic wicking jersey inner. Ella Bella Bum inserts are sold separately. Retail value $30.

Butt Ons Cloth Diapers is owned and operated by Hollee Tilma from Alexandria, ON. She sews fun and unique cloth diapers, including her popular fleece RONO over-night diapers. Inspired by their chunky-thighed heavy wetters, every Butt-On uses hidden layers of heavy poly fleece and/or bamboo fleece to contain leaks. One lucky winner can work with Hollee to choose a custom hybrid fitted diaper! Retail value $30.

Prize 3

Prize 3 #madeincanadababy 2014

The sisters behind Öko Creations began designing and manufacturing environmentally-friendly textile products in 2009, and their products are now sold by more than 50 retailers across Canada. One lucky winner will receive an Öko Creations Bath Poncho made of organic cotton. Retail value $46

From Niagara Falls, Ontario, Cotton Candy Eco Cloth is offering a cloth pad sampler kit including a light, moderate, and heavy cloth pad in nautical themed prints. Retail value $27.50.

Buncha Farmers is based in Stoufville, ON, and makes stain sticks, laundry detergents, and personal care products. One lucky winner will receive a prize pack including 3 stain remover sticks, 3 soaps, laundry detergent, laundry additive, 2 hand sanitizers, Manuka Honey moisturizing cream, +550 Manuka Honey facial cream, and a 30 SPF sunscreen with Manuka honey! Retail value $150.

Miss Molly Bowtique makes hair accessories for girls of all ages and is based in Comox, BC. They are offering a pack of 6 beautiful headbands to one lucky winner. Retail value $24.

Designed and manufactured in Toronto, Canada, RiNGLEY offers beautiful and safe teething toys made from 100% certified organic cotton terry cloth and untreated Maple wood from North American Maple trees that is naturally antibacterial. Their designs allow your baby to easily grip the ring and cloth, and can be used wet or dry. Your little one will love their sun-shaped teether Retail value $20.

Wee Woollies offers made-in-Canada merino wool base layers for little ones. Perfect for both winter and summer, merino provides a natural UV protection factor of 40+, while keeping your wee ones warm at their core. One lucky winner will receive a merino singlet and matching merino beanie hat in the winner’s choice of size and color, great for stylish summer wear. Retail value $52.

PeepOoie Cloth Diapers sells handmade cloth diapers from her home in Sebringville, ON. One lucky winner will receive a custom one-size pocket diaper (fits 16 to 45+ lbs) with a 3 layer microfiber insert. You can choose from over 50 outer fabrics and matching minky or microfleece inners! Retail value $28.

Prize pack #3 also includes a $50 gift card from Nature Bumz, a Canadian family-run cloth diaper retailer based in Ontario. They are offering 2 lucky winners a $50 Gift Card for any purchase from their on-line store!

Ömaiki was founded in 1997 and operates in Blainville, Quebec. They sell cloth diapers, training pants, breast feeding pads, swim diapers, and more! They have offered a 3.Ö (one-size hybrid diaper and bamboo insert) in winner’s choice of print and closure. Retail value $28.50.

Monkey Doodlez manufactures and distributes a wide range of cloth diapers and accessories, including diapers, swim diapers, wet bags, pail liners, wipes, and wipe cubes. Their products are sold by retailers across Canada and the US. One lucky winner will receive a swim diaper in their choice of print and size. Retail value $20.

From Whitby, ON, cloth diaper retailer Lil’ Monkey Cheeks sells a wide variety of brands, including AMP, Applecheeks, Funky Fluff, Omaiki, and more! One lucky winner will receive an AppleCheeks Little Bundle in winner’s choice of colour and size. Retail value $24.

Wow, that’s a lot of made-in-Canada baby prizes! We would like to thank all of the generous Canadian businesses who have supported us with the amazing prizes above! Now that you’ve seen all of the wonderful prizes, don’t forget to enter below! And be sure to support all of our Made in Canada event sponsors!

Please use the Rafflecopter form below, and good luck!

Open to Residents of Canada and US, 18+This giveaway ends at 11:59 PM EST, July 6, 2014a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway runs from 12:01 AM Sunday June 22 (EST) and closes at 11:59 PM, July 5th (EST). Open to US & Canada.

Disclosure: I received no compensation for this publication.Thinking About Cloth Diapers, Maman Loup’s Den, and this blog are not responsible for prize fulfillment. Individual prizes in each prize pack are supplied by each sponsor, and the winner is responsible for communicating with sponsors for custom items and use of gift certificates. Winning entries will be verified. Winners will be notified by email and must respond within 48 hours or another winner will be chosen.

On behalf of all of the sponsors, we would like to thank the following bloggers for helping us to get the word out about the Made in Canada Baby Event.

Filed Under: Giveaways

Tiny Tush Elite 2.0 Diaper Review & Giveaway

June 20, 2014 by Anne 159 Comments

Welcome to the 3rd annual Summer Cloth Diaper Giveaway Hop hosted by Heather from Mommy’s Favorite Things and Mama’s Baby Cupcakes. Giveaways are focused on everything that is cloth diaper-related! After reading my Tiny Tush review, and entering the giveaway, make sure to visit all the blogs below for a chance at more great cloth diaper prizes. Each has a minimum prize value of $25.

There’s also a Grand Prize giveaway where one lucky US winner will receive a package worth $375! With great sponsors like EweBGreen, Tidy Tots, Tiny Tush, and Smarti Pants, this package offers a little something for everyone or a great package for someone wanting to start cloth.

Tiny Tush is helping me to celebrate this year’s Summer Cloth Diaper Giveaway Hop! They sent an Elite 2.0 pocket diaper for review, plus two cotton pocket diaper stuffers in sizes small and medium.

I received the cute red and black “Derby” print. Here are the specs:

Waterproof PUL outer
White microfleece inner lining
Large back pocket for stuffing
Large range of sizing (4 rows of rise snaps)
Single row of wing snaps, including crossover snaps for skinny/small babies
Waterproof PUL fabric strip on inside front of diaper
Back elastic
2 microfiber inserts (small 5.5×12 and large 5.5×16)
13 colors sand 17 prints to choose from
Made in the USA
Retail price: $19.99

This is a very well-made pocket diaper with sturdy, high-quality fabrics, and evenly placed stitches and snaps. The inner fleece lining is super soft and a little thicker than many imported pockets I’ve tried in the past. All fabrics used by Tiny Tush are milled in the United States. The price tag is therefore higher than an import, but the quality really shows when you compare. Plus, you get 2 inserts instead of 1 and you can choose “fold to fit” inserts instead of standard microfiber, if you prefer.

And then you also have Tiny Tush’s fast shipping and 1-year warranty on materials, sewing and workmanship.

Having two inserts is definitely a plus. You can use one or both. When the diaper is fully opened on the largest setting, the large insert fits perfectly in the pocket. For 18-month-old Erik, who wears the diaper snapped up just once, I either use the small insert or fold down the front of the large insert a little before stuffing; it’s longer than most “standard” microfiber soakers. It’s very easy to slide inserts in and out; not only is the opening generous but the PUL is very slick (ever stuffed one of those diapers with a “sticky” PUL lining inside the pocket)?

Overall, I’ve been really pleased with the fit and performance of this diaper. It has a nice trim profile, especially through the crotch. The only thing I would change is to have double snaps on the wings, which is just a personal preference of mine. With both inserts in place, this is a really absorbent pocket diaper; I even tested it overnight on my 2.5 year old toddler, Susanna – it held her just fine until morning. Here are a few pictures so you can see the fit on my 18-month-old and 2.5-year-old:

I really appreciate that Charlene also send some of Tiny Tush’s cotton pocket diaper stuffers, since they offer the option of using a natural fiber. They are 2-ply organic cotton fleece; one side is smooth and the other is fluffy. Small measures 9×11.5 and medium is 9.5×13.5 after washing, and they retail for just $4.49 each. You can fold in half or fold in thirds (or even fourths for a tiny baby). I’ve used them to stuff in the pocket or just laid in a cover. The picture below shows the small and medium sizes, as well as the medium folded in half inside a waterproof diaper cover. I really like that Tiny Tush offers so many choices when it comes to inserts; you can have a more versatile stash with components made of different fabrics and that can serve different functions. These foldable cotton inserts can be used later on as burp cloths, clean up rags or even a small portable changing pad for your diaper bag. The cotton washes easily and dries in a normal amount of time.

Enter to win a Tiny Tush Elite 2.0, plus a Bumkins wet bag (12×14 inches). This giveaway is open to US residents and ends June 30th. Good luck!

ENTRY FORM:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mommy’s Favorite Things, Mama’s Baby Cupcakes and the Summer Cloth Diaper participating bloggers are not responsible for a sponsor who does not fulfill their prize.

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