On August 11, 2007, Baby Luv Boutique was featured in the Saskatoon StarPhoenix and the Regina Leader Post in the following article on cloth diapers:
"Cloth diapers a hit with thrifty, green-friendly parents"
We would like to thank the StarPhoenix and the Leader Post for choosing to do an article on cloth diapers and their benefits. It helped provide many parents with information on the latest products available and how families can easily make the choice to use cloth diapers. We also wish to thank all of our clients for your support - you help make our business a success!
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Monday, August 6, 2007
Diaper ointments and natural skincare
When you are caring for baby, the question of skin care often comes up. There are many choices to consider here as well - do I use the name brands found in store, or do I use a chemical free, natural line of products? We have tried both and let me say that I am thoroughly pleased and very impressed with the lines from Dimpleskins Naturals and Matter Company's Substance Mom and Baby line. Both of these companies are based in Canada and they each carry products made with natural ingredients containing little to no parabens in their formulation. The paraben content is needed to provide antibacterial properties to the formulation. The levels are far below those levels of parabens found in major store brands. Parabens are potential cancer causing agents as well so if used in large quantities, they may pose some long term risk. Check out the Environmental Working Group Skin Deep Report to investigate your current products on hand - the link is in our Resources section at http://www.babyluvboutique.com/.
We use Dimpleskins Naturals BumBum Balm and Substance Baby Nappy Rash Ointment for preventing and treating diaper rash and they work great. BumBum Balm has a wonderful scent and will clear even the most stubborn diaper rash in a matter of a day or two. Matter Company's Nappy Rash Ointment works awesome as well. The other benefit of these two products is that they last a lot longer than other store bought brands. I used to go through a container of a well-known zinc oxide brand at least once a month as both my younger children needed it with their diaper change - every time. At $9.99+tax that quickly adds up. With both the BumBum Balm and Nappy Rash Ointment, I can easily go 6 weeks to two months plus before needing to start a new container. I often only need to use these products before bedtime when my youngest has her diaper stay on overnight just to provide that extra bit of a barrier to keep the moisture away. Being able to use them so sparingly helps reduce the cost of these types of products substantially. I also know they are natural, free of harmful chemicals, and smell very nice.
For bathing baby I use the Substance Baby Body Foam which works great for a shampoo and body wash. Following baby's bath I use Substance Baby Creme - it smells heavenly and provides some awesome moisturizing properties for that delicate skin. It is a wonderful tool for giving baby a massage before bedtime. It easily absorbs into the skin and helps you have a little bonding time when doing baby's massage. Dimpleskins Naturals Mama & Baby Body Butter is another moisturizing product that can be used for yourself or baby. If you prefer a bar soap, Dimpleskins Naturals has their Avacado Cleansing Bar which can be used as a shampoo and body bar. We carry all of these great products at Baby Luv Boutique so you can easily choose what is right for you and your little ones.
When cradle cap sometimes develops on baby's scalp, Dimpleskins Naturals Cradle Me can relieve it. It can be used as often as needed to soften the scales. Brush gently and clease with the Avacado Cleansing Bar to remove. If your kids are like mine, their cheeks dry out during the winter months. Dimpleskins Naturals Sweet Cheeks is another life saver for this purpose. It can be used as often as needed to relieve those dry patches on cheeks or anywhere else on their little bodies that need it. Can't find a lip balm you are happy with - try Kiss Me Baby! lip/cheek salve. It works double duty as a lip balm and cheek salve for baby. We're smack in the middle of summer so there will likely be cuts, scrapes, bug bites, and other "booboo's". Dimpleskins Naturals BooBoo Goo and Matter Company's Nappy Rash Ointment are great for these things - keep a container in your medicine cabinet or first aid kit or diaper bag for those minor emergencies. They both also help relieve eczema as well - all of my children have minor flare ups every now and then and it helps soothe it quickly.
To help prevent those bug bites, Matter Company's "In the Bush" Citronella Body Oil really does work. We had a heavy period of mosquito infestation in the spring and early summer here in Saskatchewan and this stuff worked great. It is deet free and has the added protection of the oil base. When heading out in the sunshine during summer or even in winter now, Matter Company's SPF for Face and Body is a staple for outdoors to give that all important protection from the sun's harmful rays. It has an SPF rating of 30 providing a high level of protection.
But what about Mom? Don't you need some TLC sometimes? It's so important to treat yourself every now and then so don't forget. Those stolen moments of self indulgence help to rejuvenate you and give you some "me" time - they help make us better Moms. Baby Luv Boutique has something for Moms-to-be and Moms with babies in hand (or under foot!!). We have Substance Mom and Baby Belly Jelly for those bouts of itchiness around your tummy and for helping to moisturize that area as well. If you were like me and had summer babies, you may have swollen, tired feet and legs - the Leg and Back Creme is perfect for this and your sore back. The Mineral Soak also helps to soothe you if you are taking a relaxing bath - it helps exfoliate the skin and rejuvenate your senses!
Our Blush line from Matter Company is for Mom or any woman looking for some spa quality products to use right at home. The Blush Sugar Scrub and Body Butter are two awesome products that take indulgence one step further by bringing the spa home to you when you just can't make it there. You can still enjoy all those perks of being a woman even though you are a busy Mom.
Check out all of these wonderful products at Baby Luv Boutique. Indulge yourself and baby too!
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Cloth Diapering - Why should I?
This is an age old question that many Mothers ask themselves when they are expecting a baby - why should I use cloth diapers when there are so many disposable choices out there already? Well, there are three answers that I like to give when people ask this question.
The first answer is that cloth diapers are good for baby and good for the environment. Have you done any research as to what goes into the manufacture of disposable diapers? Harsh chemicals in the bleaching process called dioxins are known cancer causing agents and the gel-like substance (sodium polyacrylate) which is used to absorb the urine, was removed from tampon use over 20 years ago due to its link to Toxic Shock Syndrome. These items are routinely being used to manufacture diapers that are in direct contact with babies' most sensitive areas.
Disposable diapers do not easily break down in our landfills and if the solid waste is not removed before the diaper is thrown away, there is the potential for raw human waste to be leaking from these improperly disposed diapers. There is also no concrete timeline as to how long it will actually take for a disposable diaper to break down - some estimates are anywhere from 200 years+!
Today's modern cloth diapers are obviously reusable, obviously washable and can actually help prevent diaper rash. The materials used in their manufacture are vastly different from the diapers of old making them comfortable, durable, stylish and environmentally friendly. Material like microfleece, hemp, bamboo and laminated polyester are just some of the components used today.
The second reason I tell people as to why they should use cloth diapers is that it's very simple to do. A baby generates a lot of laundry without considering washing diapers. Since Moms and Dads are in the routine of doing laundry anyway, 1 to 3 extra loads in the course of a week will not add that much more work. They require regular washing and drying, can be line dried, and need no special detergent. There are some detergents that should not be used so as not to coat the diapers with detergent residue. Keep diaper cremes and ointments off the interior of the diaper, no fabric softener, and no bleach. No running to the store at midnight because you are out of diapers. If you know you are starting to run low, just throw in a load to wash and dry, and you're all set once again.
I lost a family member to cancer recently and started to do research various products that we as a family use. I have always used cloth diapers on my children with great success and ease and this instance of losing someone so close to me made me research some products further just to see what we could potentially eliminate from our lives that may cause harm down the road. I used to use disposable diapers overnight for my children because at the time I couldn't find a cloth diaper that would last overnight. I discovered the new cloth diapers and am proud to say that my youngest child who is still in diapers, is now in cloth 24/7! With Mommy's Touch and Happy Heiny's diapers and inserts, you can cloth diaper your baby round the clock with great success. This will give you great peace of mind knowing you are putting baby in something safe and healthy while still doing your part to preserve the environment.
The third reason to use cloth diapers is that you will save money in the long run - yes, the initial up front cost will be anywhere from $550 to $1000, depending on what system and the number of diapers and inserts purchased. However, disposables cost anywhere from $2300 to $3500 for each child you have. Most cloth diapers, if carefully cared for, can last for more than one child. Even if you would want to buy new ones for each baby, you could sell your diapers privately, or on websites such as diaperswappers.com and get anywhere from 50-70% of your original cost back. Who doesn't want extra money in their pocket these days?
These are just some of the basics as to why to choose cloth diapers for your baby. Today's cloth diapers come in a rainbow of solid colors and cool, funky prints. That not only makes them practical, but cute, fun and stylish! Material like hemp and bamboo make them very "green" and more durable than plain cotton. I think there are so many great reasons to choose cloth diapers and I am very pleased to be able to share these awesome products with my clients.
I am a Mother of three children so trust me when I say "been there, done that" when it comes to diapering more than one baby and how to cope with the work. I have had more than one child in diapers at a time so I can provide insight on that as well. I'm all for making things easy when you have little people around. This is why I began Baby Luv Boutique - to share my knowledge with other Moms and families and to be able to offer awesome products to help balance all the baby basics - diapering, bathing and putting baby to sleep. This post has touched on the diapering side and I hope our experience with cloth will provide inspiration to others that it can be done and done so that it is fun. I hope that you will give cloth diapers a second look and an honest try - you won't regret it!
The first answer is that cloth diapers are good for baby and good for the environment. Have you done any research as to what goes into the manufacture of disposable diapers? Harsh chemicals in the bleaching process called dioxins are known cancer causing agents and the gel-like substance (sodium polyacrylate) which is used to absorb the urine, was removed from tampon use over 20 years ago due to its link to Toxic Shock Syndrome. These items are routinely being used to manufacture diapers that are in direct contact with babies' most sensitive areas.
Disposable diapers do not easily break down in our landfills and if the solid waste is not removed before the diaper is thrown away, there is the potential for raw human waste to be leaking from these improperly disposed diapers. There is also no concrete timeline as to how long it will actually take for a disposable diaper to break down - some estimates are anywhere from 200 years+!
Today's modern cloth diapers are obviously reusable, obviously washable and can actually help prevent diaper rash. The materials used in their manufacture are vastly different from the diapers of old making them comfortable, durable, stylish and environmentally friendly. Material like microfleece, hemp, bamboo and laminated polyester are just some of the components used today.
The second reason I tell people as to why they should use cloth diapers is that it's very simple to do. A baby generates a lot of laundry without considering washing diapers. Since Moms and Dads are in the routine of doing laundry anyway, 1 to 3 extra loads in the course of a week will not add that much more work. They require regular washing and drying, can be line dried, and need no special detergent. There are some detergents that should not be used so as not to coat the diapers with detergent residue. Keep diaper cremes and ointments off the interior of the diaper, no fabric softener, and no bleach. No running to the store at midnight because you are out of diapers. If you know you are starting to run low, just throw in a load to wash and dry, and you're all set once again.
I lost a family member to cancer recently and started to do research various products that we as a family use. I have always used cloth diapers on my children with great success and ease and this instance of losing someone so close to me made me research some products further just to see what we could potentially eliminate from our lives that may cause harm down the road. I used to use disposable diapers overnight for my children because at the time I couldn't find a cloth diaper that would last overnight. I discovered the new cloth diapers and am proud to say that my youngest child who is still in diapers, is now in cloth 24/7! With Mommy's Touch and Happy Heiny's diapers and inserts, you can cloth diaper your baby round the clock with great success. This will give you great peace of mind knowing you are putting baby in something safe and healthy while still doing your part to preserve the environment.
The third reason to use cloth diapers is that you will save money in the long run - yes, the initial up front cost will be anywhere from $550 to $1000, depending on what system and the number of diapers and inserts purchased. However, disposables cost anywhere from $2300 to $3500 for each child you have. Most cloth diapers, if carefully cared for, can last for more than one child. Even if you would want to buy new ones for each baby, you could sell your diapers privately, or on websites such as diaperswappers.com and get anywhere from 50-70% of your original cost back. Who doesn't want extra money in their pocket these days?
These are just some of the basics as to why to choose cloth diapers for your baby. Today's cloth diapers come in a rainbow of solid colors and cool, funky prints. That not only makes them practical, but cute, fun and stylish! Material like hemp and bamboo make them very "green" and more durable than plain cotton. I think there are so many great reasons to choose cloth diapers and I am very pleased to be able to share these awesome products with my clients.
I am a Mother of three children so trust me when I say "been there, done that" when it comes to diapering more than one baby and how to cope with the work. I have had more than one child in diapers at a time so I can provide insight on that as well. I'm all for making things easy when you have little people around. This is why I began Baby Luv Boutique - to share my knowledge with other Moms and families and to be able to offer awesome products to help balance all the baby basics - diapering, bathing and putting baby to sleep. This post has touched on the diapering side and I hope our experience with cloth will provide inspiration to others that it can be done and done so that it is fun. I hope that you will give cloth diapers a second look and an honest try - you won't regret it!
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