Eco Fabulous Family

I am asked all the time what my favorite baby products are.  Babies needs breasts, a place to sleep, diapers and a few outfits.  If you have these you have all you need but there are other things that can make life much nicer and easier.

Now that Patrick is 5 months old (can you believe it?) I have a few I can’t live without.  I am sure there will be even more as time goes on and will post a new list in a few months.

Woven Wrap – I LOVE this thing.  I use it almost everyday.  I have a Didymos.  I thought I would hate all the wrapping but once I got used to it it was a breeze. This is particular perfect for Patrick. Since Patrick has Down syndrome he has joint laxity and low muscle tone.  I like how a wrap allows me to position him in the best way for him and I can make sure he is supported well.

Blankets – I am loving Aden + Anais Bamboo Blankets.  These come in 3 packs.  When I opened and washed the package both Bug and Peanut took one.  They liked how they felt too and figured 3 blankets for 3 boys.  They actually feel like butter. Now that it is getting hot out these are good for covering his head or his stroller to keep the sun out of his eyes.

Playmat – I can not say enough about the LilyPad Lawn by Nook.  Patrick needs lots of tummy time for his low muscle tone and Mommy needs to work.  When I am not wearing him I want him down on the ground.  Our house has hard floors and my office is tile.  Putting him on blankets frustrates him because when he moves the blanket moves under him.  Foam is no good because of the EVAs. There is some information about EVA’s and foam here. This is perfect!  It is soft, allows him to move and is safer.

Cloth Diapers – Need I say more? If you know me at all you know this is a no brainer for me.  My favorite is bumGenius Freetime. This is an All-In-One diaper so it is super easy to use.

Rash Cream – A couple times Patrick had a stealthy poop. Yes, I can admit it.  I did not change him as quick as I should have and he got a bit red.  I tested out several creams and love Thirsties Booty Love.  I actually didn’t carry it in my store when I tried it and quickly added it.  It cleared it up very quickly and I am comfortable with the ingredients.

Sophie the Giraffe – Yes, really!  I never owed this toy with Bug or Peanut.  But Froggie has just started being able to grasp items and he really seems to prefer this over other toys.  He even can make her squeak it his own.

Do you or did you have a baby item you can not live without? Leave a comment and let me know what it is.

Frogge in a bumGenius Freetime

This just in…Fuzzi Bunz, the cloth diaper that started it all, is further improving their already amazing one size cloth pocket diaper!  But what’s the scoop and what exactly are they changing about their one size cloth diaper?  Read the the details below, straight from Fuzzi Bunz headquarters.

FuzziBunz® has re-engineered its already popular One Size to be trimmer fitting, more comfortable, faster drying and easier to adjust than before! Best yet, all these features come at the same low price as the original One Size FuzziBunz® diapers! The FuzziBunz® One Size Elite collection gives you even more bang for your buck, including these features:

• Quick Dry Fleece: Baby feels dryer longer and fleece stays nicer longer with less visible wear
• Easy-Replace Elastic Has Moved: The adjustable elastic’s buttons are now found inside the pocket so there are no buttons next to baby’s skin
• New Minky Inserts: Each diaper comes with two Minky Inserts (small and medium/large) adding the following benefits:
  • Less odor than microfiber
  • Less staining
  • Trimmer fitting diaper with same amount of absorbency
• Streamlined front panel and snap design provides better fit with less leaking

Green Diaper Store, Little For Now and Angel Bunz will all stock a great selection of the Fuzzi Bunz Elite Diapers so make sure to check back with us when you’re in need.

Cloth vs. Disposable by: Lisa M. Carey

Many women don’t consider using cloth diapers unless their child has a reaction to a disposable diaper. However, there is a growing trend for many parents, and even celebrities in using stylish cloth diapers on their babies.  You will want the best for you baby, including the best diapering option out there!  Every parent chooses cloth diapers for their own personal reasons; however, the facts within this article are sure to have you consider using cloth diapers on your next baby.   We want parents to make informed decisions, so use the information within this article to help guide you in making your final decision.

One child will require between 5000-7000 diaper changes in the first two years of life. This means a family can spend upward of $2,600.00 in diapers by the time that child is potty trained.  This does not include the additional costs associated with using disposable diapers such as, creams, wipes, diaper genies or other plastic bags, and swimming or training diapers. With the wide selection of modern cloth diapers from single or dual system diapers, a family that chooses to use cloth diapers can save anywhere from  $1,600.00 per child over the child’s diapering life. This is a huge savings and families save even more when there is more than one child in diapers.

Parents often are not told of the health risks associated with using many baby products, including the potential hazards in a disposable diaper. Often they turn to cloth diapers as a resolution to their child’s skin problems or even asthma after they have tried everything else.  In a 1999 study, it was discovered that lab mice exposed to the chemicals released by 3 different types of disposable diapers experienced eye, nose and throat irritation and bronchoconstriction- a reaction similar to an asthma attack ¹. Cloth diapers did not produce any of the same reactions. It is not common for parents to know that the dioxins in a disposable diaper are a highly carcinogenic by product of the paper bleaching process. It is banned in many countries, but not the US ².  It is also imperative that parents remember that these ‘off-gasses’ are present in many baby products including crib mattresses and mattress covers.  It is always better to be proactive and preventative when it comes to our children’s health and safety, and it is a reminder to parents to not always accept messages given by manufacturers.

Have you ever stopped to think where the dirty diaper goes after you throw it in the garbage? It is estimated that 92% of disposable diapers make it to the landfill ³. Once there, the fecal matter left in a diaper contaminates soil and water, affecting the water quality and wildlife. Although fecal matter should be deposited into the toilet, whether you use cloth diapers or disposable diapers, most parents don’t bother depositing it into the toilet when they are just throwing out a diaper. However, when using cloth diapers it is recommended you dispose of fecal matter into the toilet where it belongs, prior to washing the diaper.  Therefore, the fecal matter is disposed of in a more sanitary way so it can be treated properly in a sewage plant once flushed down the toilet.  In addition, disposable diapers not only affect water quality when disposed into a landfill, but can take up to 500 years to decompose.  When you factor in 5000 diaper changes for one child,  that is a lot of diapers hanging around a landfill for the lifetime of that child and longer!

The next time you are shopping for that package of diapers, stop and think for a moment of the facts within this article. As an alternative shop at your local cloth diapering store or natural parenting boutique to ensure you are doing your best to care for your baby and the Earth.

¹. “Disposable diapers linked to asthma”. Mothering Magazine. January/February 2000, Issue 98. Retrieved. from: http://www.mothering.com/green-living/disposable-diapers-linked-to-asthma

² Allsopp, Michelle.  Achieving Zero Dioxin: An emergency strategy for dioxin elimination.  September 1994.  Greenpeace.  http://archive.greenpeace.org/toxics/reports/azd/azd.html