While we talk a LOT about considerations for your cloth diapers and how to prepare them before your new baby arrives, we want to take the chance to talk a little about the rest of family life with a new baby.  Especially life for your first little one(s).

Introducing our guest writer, Sarah, who will chat with you about preparing your children for the arrival of a new baby.

Your other children will benefit from some preparation before baby comes along.  Life as you know it will never be the same, but the transition can be smoother by doing a few things with the brother or sister to be.  Here are our top tips:

• Changes such as moving to a big bed, moving bedrooms, or new childcare arrangements would be better done well before the new baby is born. You can expect some regression of already mastered skills, like potty training.
• Spend special time with your other child and remind visitors to pay attention to the sibling and not just the new baby. Include sibling in pictures and other activities.
• Ask for your child’s help and involve your child in baby’s care. Even very young children can help by getting a diaper for you, picking out clothes, or patting burps out of the babe.
• Try to let go of guilt. There is no way to give both children equal attention.  Do the best you can and create a support network.
• Remember that one of your gifts to all of your children is the sibling relationship they will have with one another.
• Consider allowing your child to participate in the birth of your new baby, if they are comfortable doing so.  Please be sure to have a special support person on call for your child, as they can be as unpredictable with their feelings and needs as the birth experience itself.

Sarah Farhangi is the mother of three beautiful children.  She teaches sibling preparation classes with her DoulaMamas partner, Bonnie Jarvis.  Both ladies have a wealth of experience as early childhood educators, mothers of siblings and birth doulas.

For more info about sibling preparation classes, please visit DoulaMamas.

Thank you to Amber, who shared her story with us about traveling with cloth diapers.

Amber, where have your adventures taken you recently and what was your diapering strategy while you were traveling?

We have just returned from two international trips in the last few months in which we used cloth diapers and did not have access to a washing machine.

Our first trip was to the UK for 10 days in which I took an assortment of bumGenius 3.0 pockets diapers for nights and long days, bamboo fitted and Bummis covers and two g-diaper covers with both disposable inserts and cloth inserts.  England was pretty easy.  On the plane (for both trips) I used the G-diapers so that I wasn’t traveling for over a day with wet and soiled diapers.  I would put a bumGenius on if I knew that she might be down for a longer nap on the plane to ensure no leaks.  I actually didn’t have any major disasters the whole time!

During the day in England we used the fitted and then at the end of the day I used the normal powdered detergent I usually use at home and rinsed and scrubbed down diapers.  In England, the radiators came in very handy for hanging and drying (no access to sun or outside here) and they were usually dry over night.

Our trip to Vietnam and Thailand I pretty much brought the same amount of diapers.  I should have brought more bumGenius pocket diapers as they dried much better in a humid climate.  This time I did bring a whole package of G diaper inserts as we had many travel days and airplane rides but did not use the whole thing in the end.  It was good to have the mix of diapers though.  We were usually in one place for at least 2 nights, so we were always washing and hanging.

We spent a week on an island that pretty much could be described as paradise.  My daughter, Safia, pretty much only wore a diaper the whole time or a t-shirt and a Swimmi Swim Diaper.  Drying was great here as we had a line on our bungalow and the wind and sun had them dry in no time.

I was worried that my diapers would come home pretty worn and with soap build up but because of the sun and our washing, I think they came home whiter and brighter than before.

My one difficulty with traveling with cloth diapers and a baby of course, is the amount of suitcase space they take up.  We were travelling very light for the month but the diapers eat up a lot of space!!  Looking back I wouldn’t have done it any differently.  My husband and I discussed the amount of garbage we would have created over the month and especially when we were on the island where everything’s is boated in and I am pretty sure they just burn the local garbage.

This in its self is worth the effort.

Thank you to Kelly and lovely Miss O. for this guest blog post.  For more great reading, head over to Kelly’s blog, the Accidental Pharmacist.

Recently, my husband and I took our infant daughter on her first trip to join my parents in Maui. Normally light packers, we had no idea what to bring now that there are three of us.  Though we use cloth diapers at home, we were leery of taking them on vacation. However, the alternative – using disposables – was no more attractive largely because we felt strongly about carrying out what we carry in.

Overall, the consensus among moms that I asked was that traveling with cloth diapers is manageable, and with a little planning, 1.5 days worth of diapers is plenty. In addition, some moms also suggested that we divide the cloth diaper stash between multiple bags in case one bag gets lost, that we bring our own laundry detergent and that we try to pack lightly.

With that in mind, here’s what we brought:

1. 16 prefolds (versatile, easy to pack, easy to wash)
2. 2 fitted cloth diapers (overnights)
3. 4 diaper covers
4. 10 cloth wipes
5. change pad
6. diaper cream
7. Nature’s Clean detergent in a ziplock freezer bag
8. waterproof diaper tote & 2 wet bags for day trips
9. infant bathing suit

What worked for us:

• Prefolds: We started off with a diaper service so we’re used to prefolds. The nice thing about prefolds is that they’re versatile, serving sometimes as a bare-bum playmat and other times as a diaper – this was perfect for the hot weather. Also, because prefolds are flat, they dried quickly (good in a humid climate) and didn’t take up too much room.
• Overnights: We packed a couple fitted diapers for overnights. The fitteds took up a little more room but they also came in handy on the flight home, saving us from an in-flight diaper change (ever tried to change a diaper on a plane?).
• Washing: Ahead of time, we changed our initial booking from a hotel to a cottage with a washer and dryer (and it was cheaper!). It turned out that the cottage, which also had 3 bedrooms, a kitchen, and a pool, was perfect for travelling with a baby. I should also mention that we don’t have an in-suite washer at home, so this alone was a treat (and another post for another time).
• Swimming: rather than buying the disposable swimming diapers, we took along an infant bathing suit that was purchased at our local pool. The prefolds fit nicely underneath so we didn’t have to worry about buying disposable diapers for swimming.
• Day trips: For the day trips we just did as we do at home and took along our wet bag.

What we’d do differently:

• Easier Diapers: We’d bring at least 5 all-in-ones or pockets for the grandparents. My mom has Parkinson’s Disease and sometimes the snappi/prefold/cover combination was a bit much. My dad didn’t even bother. Needless to say, after a little time on Google my mom is the new biggest fan of AMP’s all-in-one diaper (which we have but didn’t think to bring). “This is it? Made in Canada, you say? Fantastic!”
• In-Flight Diapers: We used disposables on the way to Hawaii thinking it would be easier. In the end, it was quite the opposite. For future trips I think we’ll just stick to a super absorbent cloth diaper to minimize the in-flight diaper changes.
• Back-up: Unsure of our system, we did bring along some disposables. However, following the advice of others, next time I think I’d bring along some Flip Disposable Inserts instead.
• Relax: I wouldn’t worry so much. Cloth diapering is surprisingly easy and it was just as easy on vacation.

Have you traveled with cloth diapers? Do you have any tips to add?

(Going swimming on holiday or at the pool – check out our contest here - runs until June 13)

As part of our Earth Day 2010 Contest, Sarah J (our winner in the Seasoned Mom category) shares her thoughts on why cloth diapers have been a good fit for her family:

I can still remember the first day – everything swirling around in my mind – toys, diapers, rashes, feeding, dog barking, my older son yelling and my baby crying AGAIN.  It was like slow motion.  I had tried EVERYTHING.  I  was at my wit’s end.  My baby had the WORST diaper rash and NOTHING was helping.  I had switched to every kind of disposable diaper and diaper cream.  I shudder to think of the environmental impact that all of this had not to mention the economical impact that the experience had on my wallet.  I opened my mailbox and found an ad for cloth diapers.  Cloth diapers – the ONLY diapers I had not tried.  So I ventured.  I bought a pack of Bummi’s Prefold diapers and pre-washed them three times to prepare them to be absorbent.

Skeptical?  Absolutely!  I was at my wit’s end remember?  My daughter was colicky and rashy and miserable.  Nothing helped.  Nothing stopped the rash or the crying.  I put the diaper on and waited.  First pee change – rash was less.  Second pee change – rash was less.  Third change – NO rash.  Seriously?  Wow – I was hooked!!  Even my husband who thought my project was crazy, jumped on board with great excitement!  Our daughter never had a rash again and she potty trained at 18 months.

Since that monumental moment we have had another daughter who is cloth diapered since birth.  She is also rash free.  She is our cloth diaper tester and has worn most of what is out there.  She certainly has her favourites at 8 months old!!

I have pangs of guilt daily that my oldest child was not cloth diapered because I think that it helps to set a precedent for how they will treat the environment – though he is very earthy now helping with his sisters.  It has become a way of life for them!  We wash our diapers in the evening and then my middle daughter helps to hang them on the line.  My middle daughter doesn’t know what a disposable diaper is and I hope to keep it that way!  I have talked to many a new mom and mom-to-be about the benefits of cloth diapering.  The biggest EXCUSE that I hear is that it is “too much work”.  Honestly I tell them that they can’t AFFORD not to try. How much work is a load of laundry??  Start the wash and walk away.  That isn’t a lot of work and the benefits to their darling skin, the environment and your wallet are AMAZING!!

*The opinions expressed in this blog post are those of the contest entrant and do not necessarily reflect that of New & Green Baby Co.  We wish to thank all of our contest entrants who graciously shared their stories to help further the education and support of families wishing to cloth diaper their children.  Read more about our Earth Day 2010 Contest.

As part of our Earth Day 2010 Contest, Meaghan M (our winner in the New Mom  category) shares her journey to successfully using cloth diapers with her daughter:

We started our cloth diapering experience by attending a Cloth Diaper 101 Workshop by New & Green when I was still pregnant.  The best part of attending this great workshop was my husband’s enjoyment of the learning experience.  On our way out he said ‘I could have listened to that for another 2 hours!’, as compared to the breastfeeding class we had been to that day, which he almost fell asleep in (Kresha was the fabulous instructor at this workshop).

After the class we were so excited to pick up or Newborn Rental Kit and check it all out, but we still didn’t have a baby…Charlotte came two weeks late, on February 27, 2010.  We used disposables for a couple of days settling in, then jumped full steam ahead into our rental kit, and loved it!  When our time was up with the rental, we (reluctantly) used disposables for a couple of weeks until we had decided on and ordered our own set of prefolds.

The first time my husband put the disposable on he said ‘How do these things work?’, which is a real testament to how easy the cloth were.

Now we’re two days into using our prefolds and consider ourselves true cloth advocates and aficionados!

*The opinions expressed in this blog post are those of the contest entrant and do not necessarily reflect that of New & Green Baby Co.  We wish to thank all of our contest entrants who graciously shared their stories to help further the education and support of families wishing to cloth diaper their children.  Read more about our Earth Day 2010 Contest.

As part of our Earth Day 2010 Contest, Rachel M (our winner in the Mom-to-Be category) shares her thoughts on why cloth diapers are right for her family:

Our first baby is due June 25th and we’ve decided to cloth diaper.  Both my husband and I are concerned about environmental issues, particularly climate change and the impact of our ’carbon footprints’.  We decided that cloth diapering was something we could do that would actually make a difference - start putting our money where our mouth is so to speak (although we are in fact saving money in the long run, BONUS!).

My mum cloth diapered all five of her children but my husband was “disposable” or “single use” diapered. It may sound a bit silly but he wishes he’d had the choice to not pollute landfills with 2-3 years worth of his dirty diapers! And that’s the choice that we are making for our baby, our children are the ones inheriting this planet, I’d like their early years to be as environmentally-consequence free as possible. We can hope they make the right decision later in life…but at least we can make the right ones before they start making them for themselves. Change begins at home, one diaper at a time!

We understand it’s perhaps not going to be as “convenient” to start out with – we live in an apartment with a front loading high efficiency washing machine and of course no clothes line in the backyard, so there will be challenges.  But we are committed and I am confident we will get into the swing of things with a system that works for us in no time!

We have met with a bit of opposition in the form of the odd disparaging comment from relatives or colleagues at work.  Of course this just makes us more determined!  I have found online resources really helpful in looking at various types of diapering as well as getting feedback from other cloth diapering parents! I love the kinds of options that are available to us now – cloth diapering has come a long way from large cotton squares and safety pins!  It’s encouraging as a mum-to-be knowing that there is support and advice out there and we’re looking forward to being part of that community!

All the best with meeting your little one Rachel!

*The opinions expressed in this blog post are those of the contest entrant and do not necessarily reflect that of New & Green Baby Co.  We wish to thank all of our contest entrants who graciously shared their stories to help further the education and support of families wishing to cloth diaper their children.  Read more about our Earth Day 2010 Contest.

With the end of December approaching, I always feel compelled to look back on the year past and reflect about many things, two of them being what I am grateful for and what I have learned.

It’s been a fabulous year here at New & Green, adding to our testing department with little Clare (born November 16th, 08) at the end of last year, seeing more than 300 wonderful parents through our Cloth Diaper 101 Workshops and being able to meet with our key manufacturing partners this fall in Vegas.

All of this has helped us to grow as a company and be able to serve you better with a continually evolving knowledge of cloth diapering as well as the ability to bring in the best products to suit your needs.

This growth was also fueled and supported by the wonderful mamas I work with here at New & Green.  These are the mamas that pack and ship your orders to you (they are fast, aren’t they?!) and make sure that they look beautiful as they arrive in your waiting hands, the mamas that meet you when you pick up your order and answer your last minute questions with kindness and expertise, the mamas that drop off and receive your Diaper Tester Kits and congratulate you with a twinkle in her eye when you tell her “it really wasn’t that hard!” and the mamas who so eloquently lead the Cloth Diaper Workshops, guiding you through what can seem like a myraid of jargon, choices and systems.  Well these women have taught me many, many things and each bring something different to New & Green.

I wanted to share one thing that I’ve learned from each of the New & Green mamas this past year that has inspired me:

Dear Bonnie: You have taught me that mothering, while messy at times, is joyful and being a domestic goddess is darned hard work!  You have helped me to connect with the earth around me and enjoy the “local fruits” of my labours.  Thank you.

Dear Jessi: You have taught me that you can rise up to any challenge (looking after the boys on your own!) when you and your family are working towards a goal.  And, you have taught me that most moms are in the same boat and benefit from being around each other, no matter their background or current situation. Thank you.

Dear Kristin: You have taught me that nurturing my creative side can bring much joy.  You have also taught me that fashion may be something that I can embrace, and should (though I’ll never pull it off like you!)!  Thank you.

Dear Kresha: You have taught me that above all comes family and I have been honoured to observe how you protect your time with your family.  I have also learned much from the example you set of resourcefulness and resilience.  Thank you.

To B, J, K & K – here is to another great year, learning & growing together with our New & Green Family Community!

What have you learned this past year from the people who surround you?