Cloth Diaper Troubleshooting Tips: Bummis Wrap Up App

Got issues with your diapers - there's an app for that!  Aside from contacting us with any questions you might have regarding your products, there's also a handy resource that can help you troubleshoot common problems that can arise with cloth diapers and their care.

Our friends at Bummis have developed the Wrap Up App and it allows you to select a number of potential issues from odours, leaking, stains, stiffness of fabric, and rashes.  It then asks you a series of simple questions in order to provide you with a solution for the particular issue you're dealing with.

Tips on how to remove odours and residues and how to deal with leaking diapers are just a few of the solutions you'll find in this app.  No more guessing about what to do or seeking poor advice from untrusted sources - this app with give you the right information.

We think it's an awesome little tool and it even has a mobile version so that you can use your Smartphone in the event you aren't at your computer.  Isn't technology great? 

So if you have an issue arise with your cloth diapers, check out the Bummis Wrap Up App.  We think you'll find it very helpful.  If you have questions that you can't find an answer for in the app, don't worry, you can always contact us - we love to help!

Boxing Week Sale at Baby Luv Boutique

Merry Christmas to all of our wonderful clients and their families!  We hope you had a great Christmas holiday and enjoyed your time with family making memories to cherish for years to come.

We want to thank you for your patronage and support over the past year.  We'd like to announce our Boxing Week Sale from December 26th to December 31st, 2012.  If shopping online the COUPON CODE is:  BOXING2012.  All sales are final and are not eligible for returns or exchange.

If you live near Baby Luv Boutique and wish to arrange a private shopping session to save on shipping for an even better Boxing Week deal, please call us at (306) 682-5746 or email us:  inquire@babyluvboutique.com.

Best wishes this holiday season and all the best to you in the New Year!

Drying in Winter - Wool Dryer Balls

As the days get shorter and the temperatures colder, you may have started to use your clothes dryer once again and forgo the clothesline outside (although when we were young our Mom still hung clothes outside even in the dead of winter).

If you use an indoor drying rack that will still allow you to save energy and line dry your clothes or cloth diapers.  But what if you want to use the dryer?

Dryer sheets and dryer bars contain a large amount of chemicals that can coat your clothing.  These options are not cloth diaper friendly so what can you do?  The answer:  use wool dryer balls.

What are the benefits of using wool dryer balls?  Aside from the fact that they are a natural, organic product, they can actually help reduce the time your dryer runs.  The Baby Bear Crafts Dryer Balls we stock are made with the highest quality 100% wool/organic wool possible. They are a great replacement to the plastic dryer balls. 

To optimize your drying time, use 4 to 6.  Using these will also decrease, but not eliminate your static cling and will fluff up your clothes without using a dryer sheet.  These are made in the USA from 100% wool/organic wool.  The are approximately 10 inches in circumference and come with a one year guarantee.  We've been using ours for well over a year now and they still look good as new.  They may stick to aplix and velcro diapers so be sure to use and close your laundry tabs on your diaper products.  Our tests show with 4 to 6 dryer balls there will a 20-40% decrease in dry time taking into account the fact that everyone's dryer is different and you may have more or less of a decrease in drying time.

 

These couldn't be easier to use. Simply place the dryer balls into your dryer and let them do all the work.  Using a dryer ball will increase air flow by creating pockets inside your clothes so the dryer can work more effectively.  Wool dryer balls also will help absorb some of the moisture thereby, decreasing your drying time.

 

What a great way to make your dryer more efficient!  To get started using your Baby Bear Crafts Wool Dryer Balls, find them here at Baby Luv Boutique!

The Savvy Parent Seminar Experience - Be Inspired

The Savvy Parent Seminar Humboldt - Sunday, April 15th, 2012

Winston Room, Bella Vista Inn

You've been hearing a lot about this upcoming event.  We helped to chair the last Savvy Parent Seminar held in Saskatoon in September 2010.  It was a wonderful event that was very well received by the parents who attended.  We wanted to build on that experience and provide parents with another opportunity to take part.

As a parent, I felt there was insufficient programming that provided the kind of information new parents are looking for today.  Cutbacks in public programs over the years have left new and expectant parents with limited opportunities for first hand information on current topics of interest.  As a business owner I wanted to be able to offer something of value to parents in the community while taking the opportunity to focus on a local charity benefiting women and children.  We also wanted to do this in a comfortable setting that makes it enjoyable for attendees to receive that information. Other businesses I work with felt there was a need to do the same and thus The Savvy Parent Seminar was born and continues on!

Parents crave knowledge – I know as a parent I do. Finding the information you seek from a credible source can be an issue and finding the time to research it and either prepare for baby or care for baby can be a challenge as well.  By having a variety of experts available and having us come together in a comfortable setting to present that information offers parents enhanced learning opportunities. This will be a relaxing and entertaining experience that will leave you feeling more confident and informed about making healthy, sustainable choices for yourself and your family.  Having the support of other parents gives you the opportunity to share in your parenting journey whether you are on your way or are right on the cusp, ready to take your first steps down that incredible road.

We took the time to ask our past attendees their thoughts about The Savvy Parent Seminar and we wanted to share their actual, unedited comments so you can see for yourself the value in taking part.  Here's just some of what they had to say:

"Very practical information and nice to hear info the doctors don’t focus on at all.”

  

“Showed benefits and covered enough to let us determine at the seminar whether to begin program.”

  

“Presentations were great!” 

“The talks were short enough to sit through, but also very informative.”

 “I found that the breaks were nice to talk to presenters.”

Tickets to attend are $25 each. What do you get for the cost of that ticket? Attendees are going to receive a swag bag full of product samples and information that is worth over $50+ in value, and a chance to win door prizes that start at $25+ in value. They will get to sample some exquisitely prepared appetizers while listening to a knowledgeable group of speakers. The collective value of the speakers’ time alone definitely exceeds the cost of a ticket. As a parent or parent to be, how can you go wrong?

To make things even better, a charitable donation from a portion of the proceeds of the event will be made to the Humboldt District Hospital Foundation. We've been told there is a need for an additional infant warming bed in the Labour and Delivery area.  We understand there has already been an occasion where two women were delivering at the same time and one of the babies was not able to go into the warming bed.  This could be a concern depending on the situation so we wanted to assist in raising funding for improvements in this area.  We want you to know the event is about more than just a chance to shop for goods and services, snack and win a prize.

This event is about giving parents an opportunity to be pampered and to take some time for themselves to enjoy an afternoon while being able to come away feeling empowered and inspired by the experience. We know how hard it can be to do that sometimes. You can also feel good that you are helping contribute to a very worthwhile local charity.

Nursing babies are more than welcome to attend and we will have some designated seating within the room for that if needed.  Attendees have asked if they need to leave their small children at home. We leave that choice up to each family as to what works best for them. If you are a young family and a toddler needs to join you at the event, there will be a small unsupervised child’s play area set up to help keep little ones busy with some toys. Scheduled breaks between groups of speakers will allow people time to mingle, get up and stretch their legs, change baby, give their toddler some free time, and speak with presenters in greater detail on topics of interest.

The goal is to offer a unique, worthwhile experience in an intimate setting while having some fun along the way. We've again chosen to keep the event size small to avoid the hectic pace of large shows and to provide as close to a one on one experience as possible. We highly respect the privacy of our attendees so no contact information will be shared with prize sponsors. It’s a wonderful opportunity to connect with other soon-to-be and existing parents in the community.

Tickets are on sale until April 12th and you can purchase yours by clicking here: Baby Luv Boutique

Here is the agenda for the day:

1:00pm : Welcome ~ Shari Hinz, Baby Luv Boutique

1:10pm :  All About Safe Body Care for Mom, Baby & The Whole Family ~ Lori Fletcher & Raquel Tokarchuk, Ancient Winds Naturals

1:30pm:  Cloth Diapers:  Dispelling the Myths ~ Shari Hinz, Baby Luv Boutique

1:50pm: Break & Door Prizes

2:30pm:  Healthy Eating for Pregnancy & Breastfeeding ~ Andy McAnally, Causeway Natural Health

2:50pm:  Benefits of Infant Massage Therapy ~  Christina Crone, Crone's Massage Therapy

3:10pm: Break & Door Prizes

3:50pm: Infant Safety in the Vehicle ~ Mandy Herman, Humboldt EMS

 

4:10pm: Postpartum Health for Moms ~Paula Anderson & Sharlene Reynolds, LifeMark Health Centre

4:30: Final Door Prizes & On-Site Shopping

As you can see it's going to be an awesome afternoon. We so look forward to seeing you there!

International Women's Day - Our Inspiration

Today is International Women's Day.  This is a day to honor and to recognize those women who have made a difference to enrich the lives of other women and pave the way for us throughout history.   The theme this year is:  Connecting girls, Inspiring futures.

So many great women have achieved this and we can name quite a few - Joan of Arc, Catherine the Great, Mother Theresa, Helen Keller, Anne Frank, Margaret Thatcher, Oprah Winfrey.  The list of inspiring women is lengthy as it goes through the ages to the present day. 

Every woman has someone who has inspired them, given them strength, helped to shape them into who they are today - someone who has changed their life.  For me that person is my mother.  She was a loving, caring woman who possessed a great deal of strength.  She didn't have a formal education but through her work and life experiences she gathered a wealth of information on how to raise a family and still be a strong woman while doing it.

In our family she was definitely the hands on parent who handled the day to day duties as well as helping my father run our farming operation.  She taught us our manners, she taught us to respect others but most important she tried to teach us to always respect and value ourselves, to work hard for what you want in life and to never quit.  She sacrificed a great deal for her children and was always there to support us in whatever we did.  Whether it was our school and sports, when we started that new job, got married or when we became parents ourselves, she was there as a pillar of strength.   Her memory lives on even though she is no longer here to guide me and I still feel her strength; needless to say she is dearly missed.

Now that I am a mother to three children, two of them girls, I hope that I can emulate her in being a strong female role model to my daughters.  I strive to be the best I can be in achieving my education, taking on a career, and now, being a parent.   I hope if I show my daughters the same love and strength my mother showed me, then I can pass on the legacy she left so that they too can grow to be inspired, confident, strong women.

There are still challenges for women today but there is no doubt those who have come before us have done a remarkable job of breaking down barriers and opening up doors.  I'm thankful for the life lessons and inspiration from my mother.  I hope I can pass on a love of learning, a love of self and a passion for achieving what you want in life to my daughters while instilling the importance of tolerance and compassion.  I see two bright, shining sparks of youth in my girls and I hope to fan the flames so they grow into confident young women in the future.

Thank you Mom - you have done your job of connecting and inspiring me.  I will do my best to follow in your footsteps. 

Newborn Diapers - How Do You Choose?

If you're an expectant parent and looking at choosing cloth diapers you might be wondering what options there are for you and if you should consider newborn diapers. Babies come in many shapes and sizes and there are definitely some great choices available for newborn diapers. No matter if you're on a budget or are wanting products that will last beyond those early, early days, there's something for everyone and every baby.

We will sometimes hear parents say that they're going to start using cloth diapers but only after the first month or so once baby is bigger. Did you know that the newborn size disposable diapers are the most expensive when you look at the cost per diaper? They will average between $0.32-0.40+/diaper compared to the larger sizes that average $0.18-0.27+ each. That may not seem like much of a difference but when you are changing so often in those early days after baby arrives, the costs will add up and a good portion of your disposable diaper costs will be incurred with the newborn and smaller sizes.

Parents often ask about whether they can use cloth diapers while baby is still passing meconium. The answer is yes, you can. There are both disposable and reusable liners that can be laid in a diaper to help keep the solids off the fabric and help reduce staining. There are tools available to help make the clean up easier. Sunning out stains or proper use of a stain remover product when laundering can certainly keep them stain free.

So what type of newborn diapering options are there? The most economical option, which is also very simple to use, are prefolds and diaper covers. Newborn cotton prefolds coupled with sized diaper covers like the ones made by Bummis, are a great combination. You can get a set of 36 newborn preemie prefolds and 4-6 covers for about $110.00, depending on the style of cover you choose.

Bummis Super Lite

Bummis Cotton Prefolds

AMP Diapers Hemp Fitteds

In keeping with a two piece system and natural fabrics, a hemp fitted with a separate cover is also a great system for those wanting the look of a disposable with the benefits of cloth.  AMP Diapers Hemp Fitteds are a two size snap closure diaper made from super soft, super absorbent hemp and their size small will fit babies 7-18 lbs.  Combine this with a Bummis Sized cover or Mommy's Touch or Happy Heiny's One Size Cover and you've got a bullet proof diaper option for your little one.

If you want some two piece options that give you a bit more flexibility, then a system like the Mommy's Touch Budget Bottoms is one to consider. They have a double layer shell with a set of snaps at the top of the back end. It is here that you can snap in and snap out microfleece topped microterry soaker pads. As long as the shell is not soiled with solid waste you can reuse it by simply placing a clean soaker into the shell. These could also be used with cotton prefolds, but the microterry inserts will definitely give you a bit more absorbency as compared to the cotton. A set of 4 shells and 36 soakers will cost you approximately $250.00. Keep in mind these shells can also be used as covers over fitteds for a great nighttime solution.

Mommy's Touch Newborn Budget Bottom and Snap in Soaker

Mommy's Touch Newborn Budget Bottoms

Another system we love that we have recently added to our boutique is the Omni system of one size shells by Soft Bums.

Soft Bums Omni as a pocket diaper

They can be used three ways: as a cover for a prefold, as a pocket diaper or with the Soft Bums pods which can be snapped in and out of the shell allowing it to be reused if not soiled. These diapers will truly fit any size baby right from newborn to toddler without a lot of bulk to their fit like some one size styles can have on newborn or tiny babies. These are great for families with more than one child in diapers as well since they can be

Soft Bums Omni as a diaper cover

Soft Bums Omni with snap in pod

adjusted to fit any child, eliminating the need to have two sets of diapers.  If you wanted to start out with them being used as shells then a set of 8-12 shells and 24-36 pods will work best.  This would cost approximately $364-498 depending on your choice of pods.  You could always add more shells as baby grows or if you return to work post maternity leave and wish to have enough shells and pods for a complete pocket diaper system for daycare.

bumGenius! All In One Size XS

All in one newborn styles mimic disposables so they offer the greatest convenience.  A set of 24 bumGenius! Newborn All In One diapers will cost you approximately $528 and will last baby to approximately 10  lbs.  They will easily last through more than one baby and offer a trim, customized fit just like a disposable.

Tots Bots Tiny Fit 5-12 lbs.

Tots Bots Tiny Fits are another all in one style that also offer a pocket opening allowing you to add extra insert material if needed for naps and overnight.  These currently have a rayon from bamboo interior and this combined with thirsty Turkish microterry offer a super absorbent yet soft option for your little one.  Aplix closures make them Grandparent and babysitter friendly so changes are very quick and easy to do.  A set of 24 Tiny Fits will cost you approximately $605.  These are rated to fit babies 5-12 lbs. so you can get a bit longer time frame for wearing them before baby grows out.  This style will allow you to transition into a regular one size system when baby is a bit bigger so that they don't endure the added bulk that comes with some styles.

If you are looking for a pocket diaper style, you have numerous options to choose from.  Happy Heiny's makes a sized line of pocket diapers that will fit baby from XS right through to toilet learning.  They also offer a Mini One Size and Regular One Size product.  The Mini One Size will fit babies 4-16 lbs. and like the Tots Bots, will offer a size range that will transition baby into a regular One Size product or a larger sized option.

The last type we want to note is the Mums Bums All In One diaper.  This is a sized line of all in one product and the size small will fit babies 8-14 lbs.  These diapers have 7 layers of hemp built into the body of the diaper and also have three options for the interior fabric:  microfleece, suedecloth and bamboo velour with organic French cotton terry for those looking for more natural fabric options.  These are the "Cadillac" of cloth diapers and will cost $27.00-28.00 per diaper but they are a very absorbent, trim fitting all in one product.  Once the interior hemp is fully primed, there would likely be no need to add any further absorbency to this diaper as the hemp is a heavy gauge. 

Mums Bums All In One (Sized)

As you can see there are numerous newborn options for cloth diapers to choose from.  No matter if your family is on a budget, has preferences for or sensitivities to certain fabrics, there truly is a diaper for you.  There is no need to wait until baby is bigger.  With these types of products it is possible to start cloth diapering right from day one.

If you aren't sure where to start, think about what you want out of a diaper.  What type of closure system do you prefer?  There are snap or Aplix options for a number of products.  If you have a budget, you can always find something that fits it.  If you want to try a few styles to see what works best, that allows you to get a feel for the various types.  Once you've done that, you can choose more of your favorites.

We're always pleased to help our clients.  If you are thinking about choosing cloth for your new little bundle, contact us.  We commend you on your choice and would be happy to chat more about what newborn options would be right for your family.  Visit us at Baby Luv Boutique today!

Thankful and Inspired

After hosting one of my workshops this past weekend, I spent an afternoon with a friend. I'm so glad I had the chance to connect with her as it had been some time since we'd seen each other. Over the past year we each went through events in our life that impacted us profoundly and changed us forever. I think what she went through was in many, many ways more difficult than my own experience. I was blessed to share her thoughts and talk to her about it.

On my drive home after our visit I thought about the things that we both went through and how life can take a much different turn than one expects in any given moment; when that happens you are tested. Some of us fail. Some of us find ourselves in a whole new light and create awareness and inspiration for others through our experience. I think my friend is truly an inspiration to others. She's a person with a gift for sharing experiences through her ability to write. It is in this way that she helps to heal the hearts of others while healing her own as well.

How often do we take for granted the dawn of the day and the fact that we rise each morning to greet it like we did the day before? How many times as parents do we wish for a certain phase to pass with our children or wish that parenting just wasn't so hard?

At times it's so easy to forget that each day is a gift and that if you are blessed to be a parent, those children will not be children forever. All of the phases and stages will too soon become memories. At times it's also easy to think that you are suffering in silence alone with your problems when it's true there are many, many others who share in daily struggles that test their strength and faith.

As Moms we often place enormous amounts of pressure upon ourselves and others. We have expectations of ourselves that are so much higher than anyone else would place on us. I also see how we often choose to judge or criticize instead of stepping up to ask if someone needs help and support, even if it's just the offer to listen and understand what someone is going through. We don't know what another person might be dealing with each day.

My friend and I spoke of faith and how the strength of it or lack of it can play a role in how you handle experiences that test you to the core. It helps us to be thankful for the things we have - our relationships, our children, our family, our friends. It inspires us to be a better person and to give to others remembering that everyone has challenges and struggles along the way.

I'm thankful there are people like my good friend who can manage to see the beauty in things that others may not, that they can take a life experience that has tested their own personal limits and still be able to help shine light into souls shattered and surrounded in darkness. It truly is something remarkable and to see someone amidst their own pain be able to pass on peace to others, truly inspires me to be a better person, a better spouse, a better parent, a better friend. It's a lesson to us all that we have much to give from within ourselves even when we think we don't.

Thanksgiving is not just another holiday long weekend. It is a time to sincerely reflect on all of the things we are given in this life and to recognize all of the gifts we receive, like the gift my friend gave me: the gift of inspiration. I'm thankful for her friendship and for the fact I have the ability to learn and grow as a person because of it.