Gift-giving can be one of the joys of the Christmas holiday and it’s always fun to discover just the right gift for a friend or family member.
In that spirit, we have put together a gift guide with a few ideas for the people on your list. If you know soon-to-be new parents, parents of young children, or are a parent yourself, be sure to check out our list. There’s something for everyone and for every budget!
We here at New & Green wish you and your families all the best during this holiday season.
EasyFits are one of the perennial favorites among New & Green parents and the highest rated by parent reviews on our website. They offer a great fit, good absorbancy (bamboo and microfibre together make a thirsty combo!), stunning colours made from Oeko-Tex certified dyes, and high quality hook-and-loop closures. They’re also made by Tots Bots, a Scottish company that makes every effort for ethical and sustainable production methods.
The Bamboozle is touted among parents as one of the most absorbent diapers available and is popular especially for naptimes and nighttime. It’s also popular among parents who want natural fibres against their baby’s skin. Bamboo is a sustainable fibre and scrumptiously soft!
The Flip is a popular option merely due to the variety of ways in which you can use it, as well as it’s a simple, no-fuss, well-fitting cover for babies of every shape and size. You get to choose either an organic cotton or microfibre insert or purchase it alone to use as a standard cover for other fitted diapers and prefolds.
The AMP Duo is manufactured in Winnipeg by a conscientious mom-run business. This pocket in particular is popular because of its high quality and its superb fit on both lean and chubby babies. The diaper is available in a small size for newborns up to 15 lbs and a one-size option for larger babies.
BumGenius diapers are one of the most recognized and well-loved diapers on the market today. These one-size pocket diapers come stocked with an adjustable full-size insert as well as a newborn insert that also doubles as a doubler to increase absorbancy for car trips, nap times, and nighttime usage. You can now also choose either a velcro closure or snaps, depending on your preference and what works best for your family. The stretch-to-fit tabs help ensure a great fit every time and the diaper can be used from 8-35 lbs.
Wool covers are hailed as a wonder-cover for babies who struggle with diaper rash, for parents who want to use natural fibres, and for babies who need help sleeping through the night. (The breathability of wool allows moisture to evaporate off the baby’s skin as they sleep, thus not waking them due to the sensation of being wet.) Aristocrats covers are manufactured here in BC and so also satisfy parents wanting to buy local!
This diapering-kit-in-a-box provides parents all the basics needed to get started with cloth diapering. The kit includes 24 organic cotton prefolds, 6 covers, 3 rolls of Bio-Soft liners, 5 reusable stay-dry liners, and 1 large wet bag. That’s enough diapers for at least two full days of diapering!
Prefolds are a very easy and practical way to get started with cloth and are especially popular among parents who are budget-savvy.
These brightly colored pail liners and tote-able wetbags will cheerfully hold several days of dirty diapers. They’re an essential part of setting up your diaper pail system and a must-have item for parents who are just getting started.
Rockin’ Green has revolutionized cloth diaper laundry and makes the chore… dare we say, an utter delight. It gets diapers truly clean while leaving no residue, it’s eco-friendly, and you have your choice of a number of yummy scents that don’t linger on the diapers. For parents who are just getting started, this detergent will help make the new routine downright enjoyable.
These oh-so-cute tankinis are perfect for your pool-side babe. They are designed to be paired with the ever-popular Swimmi swim diaper, and even if you don’t cloth diaper, this is a great way to be both sustainable and chic at the swimming pool all year round.
Nothing fits quite as well as a diaper that is designed specifically with the newborn in mind – both for fit and for comfort. This pack bridges the gap between birth and one-size or small size diapers and parents have raved about difference it makes. The pack includes 1-dozen soft organic cotton prefolds and two perfect-size covers – enough for one day’s worth of diapering. This combo is one of the most cost effective ways of managing the early days when you are changing a lot of diapers!
This package features literally everything you need to cloth diaper your newborn starting from Day 1 and features some of the best products on the market for quality, fit, and chic-cuteness. The pack even includes wipes, storage bags, and detergent! Talk about getting everything you need in one convenient package…
Your baby’s poo in the first few weeks can get a little…. well, sticky, and this bum spray is a great way to keep your baby’s cheeks fresh and well-cleaned!
This box is a great way for parents to try out prefolds without investing in large quantities of diapers. The kit includes three organic cotton prefolds and one wrap cover – just tri-fold the prefold and lay it in the cover and voila! you have a lovely, absorbent diaper ready to go.
These tiny diapers are possibly the most popular diapers among parents who are cloth diapering newborns, as they keep all those newborn messes exactly where they should be. They feature a snap-down front to go around the umbilical stump and snug-but-comfy elastic around the back and legs to ensure a great fit.
Cloth trainers catch the dribbles and little messes that are inevitable while potty training, they help provide feedback to the child who is learning about wet and dry sensations, and they save parents money! Bummis pants in particular are easy for the child to pull up and down and offer a secure, comfortable fit.
The 3G pocket diaper is designed as a diaper but works superbly well as a training pant. By snapping the wings shut, you create an easy-up, easy-down pant for the child, but in case of a messy accident, the wings snap open like a diaper in order to get the training pant off without creating more mess. Also, by having a pocket opening, you can adjust the absorbancy according to your child’s need or leave out the insert completely.
This fabulous diaper salve is hand-made right here in BC! Each batch is lovingly made with the highest quality, organic ingredients. This is a zinc-free diaper salve that uses naturals to gently soothe and heal your little one’s skin. It smells great too! We know toddlers who love it so much that they pack it themselves in the diaper bag…
Irresistible fashion prints in the softest flannel on one side and a sumptuous organic cotton velour on the other make these wipes Hip, Green and Gorgeous. Choose from a dreamy Mermaid, a yummy Two Scoops or a mod Lots of Dots.
These covers in delightful prints have been popular among cloth diapering parents for several years running. They offer a great fit, high quality construction, and cover any fitted or prefold diaper. Very useful and multi-functional.
Snappis are an ingenious little invention that make diaper pins obsolete. They come in a variety of colors and are made from a stretchable non-toxic material, which is T-shaped with grips on each end. These grips hook into the diaper fabric to ensure a snug-fitting diaper with enough natural movement for the baby. Pick up several to give to all your cloth diapering friends!
These zippered, toss-n’-go wet bags make going out with cloth diapers easy. (They’re great for daycare or the swimming pool too!) The small size holds 2-4 dirty diapers and the medium one holds 4-6 dirties. These make great stocking stuffers because even if you already have a stash of wetbags, these repurpose well for carrying cosmetics, as gym bags, for travel, and so much more!
Still don’t know what to get that special someone or just aren’t sure what would be most helpful for those soon-to-be new parents? New & Green has gift certificates available in any denomination!
One of the best perks to cloth diapering is the money you save by using reusable diapers instead of disposable ones.
When you can use all those diapers for a second child, your savings are multiplied – not to mention you get to keep using all your favorites!
Here are four tips for packing your diapers away to keep them fresh and protecting your investment.
Wash them with plain ol’ hot water
Wash all the diapers to store away in a hot wash cycle without any detergent. This will make sure to remove any detergent residue that may be lingering on the fibres that can eat away at elastics and synthetic fabrics over time. It will also make sure you start without any residue when you unpack them again. Also, if you decide not to use them with another child, it makes them all the more ready to donate or sell!
Put the diapers through an extra dryer cycle
You want to make sure your diapers get packed into their storage containers completely dry so that no mold can grow. Put the diapers through an extra dryer cycle or outside for a full day on a hot, sunny day to make sure they are thoroughly dry all the way through, especially for fitteds and AIO’s.
Use sturdy, dry storage containers
Rubbermaid-style totes are ideal for this situation, as they offer dry storage, keep insects and dust out, and protect the diapers in case of unforeseen circumstances, such as leaking pipes and flooding. Large garbage bags can also work, but be sure to store them off the floor and set them in a place where they won’t get ripped open. Avoid cardboard boxes or baskets that can facilitate mold and mildew growth. In our moist BC climate, spores and fungi grow easily!
Store them in a temperature consistent place
Put your storage containers in a place that won’t vary considerably through the seasons – that is, avoid damp garages, storage sheds that get super-hot and humid, and basement suite closets that have no air circulation. This will make sure moisture can’t infest your lovely fibres to grow molds and mildew.
Taking care of your diapers will ensure that they last you for years, saving you time and money. Do you have other tips for storing cloth diapers for long-term?
A day in the life of an expectant parent – An introduction to Baby Planners
Let us introduce you to Sarah.
Sarah is a thirty-something professional in our city – she loves Vancouver (though hails from Toronto), she drinks decaf lattes, and she hits up the shops on 4th Ave. whenever she can for some retail therapy. And now, she’s expecting her first baby. You can imagine her excitement!
The next year will be monumental for Sarah and her husband, John – full of emotion, joy, and….. decisions. She hasn’t taken care of a baby since she was 16 and babysitting, though she feels confident that it can’t be too hard. Through the months, the questions pile up.
A friend suggests getting a midwife, but she wonders which clinic to call and what questions to ask.
Space is at a premium in their 900-square-foot apartment, so how will the crib, dresser, and change table all fit and still leave room for the big rocker she’s always wanted?
When she overhears moms talking about cloth diapers, she realizes it hasn’t even crossed her mind to think about diapering.
To top it all off, when she and John go to create their baby registry, they find themselves standing in the baby aisle at a large department store staring at the multitude of choices in front of them. Feeding gear, bibs, breast pumps… baffled and overwhelmed, they leave the store discouraged with nothing on their registry.
Sarah thinks, “There has to be a better way.”
There is definitely an easier way!
Sarah and John are the perfect example of what new parents often feel when they enter into the big world of the baby industry. Not everyone has family nearby for support, or experienced friends with babies, or the time and effort to prepare for the baby. And everyone from friends to store clerks has different opinions.
Let us introduce you to our friends at Oh Baby Baby Planners whose job it is to help minimize or eliminate the feelings of stress or uncertainty for soon to be parents.
Here are five reasons why a baby planner could benefit Sarah and John (and you too!):
1. Save time.
Let’s face it. Sarah and John want to take advantage of the precious months they have together just as a couple – not wasting their weekends driving all over town test driving strollers or surfing the net for reviews on breast pumps. Baby Planners provide product and service recommendations, personal shopping services, even provide delivery, assembly and “training” in how to use all your new gear.
2. Save money.
Baby Planners will help you get it right the first time by choosing the right gear and services to suit your budget and lifestyle! They also help you find the best deals and discounts whether through our great relationships with local retailers, or through our savvy online shopping skills.
3. De-stress.
Preparing for a new baby is so exciting – but for most parents, it’s also a very stressful time. You are faced with a multitude of problems and choices you have likely never considered before. If only Sarah knew that a very reputable midwife just opened a few doors down from her office. Baby Planners can help you narrow your choices for you so your decision making process is relaxing and fun!
4. Find your parenting groove.
Baby Planners are on top of all of the current parenting trends, styles, and techniques. They’ll present options to you in a non-condescending and non-judgmental way. They can recommend techniques, books, and resources that suit your baby and your style. For example, recommending John and Sarah to attend a New & Green Cloth Diaper workshop is a great way to introduce them to cloth diapering.
5. Personal Concierge, anyone?
Baby Planners are here to help you manage all the details that need to get done before your baby arrives. Maybe you are on bed rest, or working overtime, or new to the city, or left things a little late – they are your go-to girls for everything Baby. No question is silly and no task is too small. They are here to support you through your journey into parenthood.
Note from New & Green: Oh Baby Baby Planners offer services for adoptive parents too! If you are needing cloth diapers and other baby supplies in a hurry or you’ve already had your baby and want help thinking through the options, a baby planner may be just the way to go.
For some, prefolds are the “old fashioned diaper,” the diaper that represents the way cloth diapering used to be done. For others, they’re the best budget-friendly option and are used exclusively as the family’s diaper system. Regardless, there’s more to these Plain Old Diapers than meets the eye. Here are 12 reasons why they’re a smart choice for EVERY family (even if your family doesn’t even use cloth diapers!).
They’re an easy-to-carry changing pad that fits easily in any diaper bag.
They’re perfect burp cloths.
They’re great during potty training when it’s helpful to have just a little bit of “insurance” whenever your newly-trained child is sitting down (at the dinner table, on the sofa for bedtime stories, in the car seat, etc).
When you’re done with your diapering days, they work exceedingly well for waxing the car and dusting the furniture.
And if you want to actually use them as… well… diapers… then consider this:
They offer a sustainable, natural fibre option for stuffing pocket diapers.
Organic cotton and hemp offer the most ecologically-wise materials you can get in a diaper.
The natural fibres found in prefolds are the healthiest option for your baby’s skin.
Easy and straightforward to wash and dry!
There’s nothing on the diaper that can break or wear-out quickly (think elastics, velcro, etc.)
They’re über-absorbent.
Prefolds are the ultimate grow-with-baby diaper. You just fold the diaper down as far as fits your baby best – very customizable.
And of course, they are the cheapest way to cloth diaper. If you are needing to diaper on a budget or just want a no-frills way to get the job done, prefolds are by far the least expensive option. They will easily last through multiple children, as well, helping your savings stack up.
If you are still unsure of how EASY it is to use prefolds, check out this video on our YouTube channel.
Head over to facebook, hit the like button and grab the sale code.
You’ll save some money now on our top selling cloth diapering item (aside from the diapers themselves) and pocket some future savings, because we like you and we want you to come back and say hi!
There are few cloth diapering parents who don’t rejoice over the money they save by switching to cloth. But how can you maximize your savings, especially when life feels a bit… well, tight? Here are a few ideas.
Focus on mediums. Babies grow fast, so if you are using sized diapers, like FuzziBunz or the Stretch Bamboozle, focus your spending on the medium size. This is where your child will spend the majority of his or her diapering years. So if you have a focus on creating a lean cloth diaper budget, consider stocking up on inexpensive prefolds and covers for the first few months, then do the bulk of your spending as your child enters medium sizes, usually around 12-14 pounds or 4 months old on a typical growth curve.
One note, however – it is TOTALLY worth it to have a few newborn size diapers on hand. They make life easy in those hectic first few weeks, especially when it comes to containing runny messes. Customer faves at N&G include Kissaluvs Size 0, the new TiniFit, and the AMP Duo small pocket diaper.
Mix it up. Include both organic prefolds (the most inexpensive diapers) and one-step diapers such as All-in-Ones (AIO’s) in your system. Assuming you wash every two days, we recommend two dozen prefolds and 6 AIO’s or pockets, such as the EasyFit or BumGenius. If prefolds just aren’t for you, consider using one-size diapers, which may be more expensive at the outset, but over time will offer greater savings over other fitted diapers.
Don’t skimp. You need enough diapers to go from one wash time to the next PLUS a few extras, say 4-6. Make sure you don’t skip having these extras on hand, as they offer a buffer in case your wash time changes, you get sick and can’t wash at the normal time, your baby has an extra number of messy diapers, etc etc etc. Also, if you have too few diapers on hand, they will have more wear and tear, which may result in buying more diapers prematurely and add up in the long run.
Minimize dryer time. More than 60 percent of your energy usage related to cloth diapering comes from drying your diapers on “hot” in the dryer. The amount you spend in additional utility costs can add up over time, so if you’re really serious about cutting your costs, consider line drying your laundry when possible, coupled with a shortened tumble in the dryer on the “cool” setting.
And last but not least, use diapers on more than one child. If you take good care of your diapers, many of them will be in good enough shape to use on a second child. Keep a large tote around to toss diapers in as they are outgrown and you’ll save even more when your next bundle of joy comes along. Definitely a bonus (considering you’ll still have to pay for college down the road).
Over the last couple of weeks here on the blog, we’ve taken a quick lookback over 2010 at the most popular diapers and accessories of the year. Today we’ll take a sneak peek at the trends that are shaping up for 2011.
Basically, parents are choosing diapers based on eco-friendly living and smart money choices. (Surprise, surprise…)
Trend #1: Organic and Natural Fibres
Eco-friendly materials are definitely the name of the game in 2011. Organic cotton, bamboo, and hemp all satisfy parents who are looking for more sustainable materials, and the BabyKicks One-Size Organic fitted diaper, the Stretch Bamboozle Bamboo fitted diaper, and the AMP Hemp fitted diaper are rising to the top as Parent Favourites.
Trend #2: Newborn to One-Size Diapers
One-size diapers are fabulous for increasing your savings from infanthood to toddlerhood, but they don’t always fit so well in the first few weeks of life. Thus, parents are choosing to pair newborn nappies (the cutest diapers – bar none!) with one-size diapers to get the best use out of both.
We’ve written many posts on the beauty and simplicity of using prefolds, as well as have a prefold photo tutorial on our main site, and thus it’s no surprise to us that a large number of parents are choosing the simple, money-wise option of using prefolds and covers to cloth their babes. You can get these classic diapers in a box set or a la carte. Hemp prefolds are also available individually.
Trend #4: Style
This trend isn’t coming directly from parents, per se, but parents who are wanting to show off their babies’ bums have definitely fueled the fire on this one. Look no further than the limited edition artist prints on the Bum Genius 4.0′s and Elemental one-size AIO’s, as well as all the luscious new Super Whisper Wrap Covers from Bummis. Of course, the EasyFit always gets an honourable mention in the “cute” division, too!
So, there you have it. So far 2011 is shaping up to be eco-friendly, stylish, and money-smart, just like all of you.
We’d love to know – what trend will top your priority list this year?
When it comes time for a child to move from diapers to “going” on the potty, training pants are an essential tool in the process.
The best reason to use cloth trainers – regardless of whether you have used cloth while diapering – is that cloth gives easy feedback on the sensation of being wet, which helps a child learn and ultimately speeds up the entire process of learning to use the potty. This is, of course, in addition to the great cost savings of using cloth!
And there are some great cloth training pants available that give parents lots of options, regardless of how you go about instructing your child about the toilet. (For more information about various potty training philosophies, check out our training pants page.) Here are three great cloth options to consider:
Bummi Training Pants are the classic cloth training pant. They are a pull-up style, which mimic “big kid” underwear, thus getting your child used to the idea and “how-to’s” of briefs and panties. They have a colorful waterproof outer and plenty of absorbency to catch a big accident.
BabyKicks One-Size pocket diaper is both a birth-to-potty diaper and a training pant. It’s made of organic cotton and bamboo, complete with fleece around the legs for durability and softness, as well as a soft waterproof outer. During the diapering years, it’s a one-size pocket diaper, but due to its shape, it can easily be made into a pull-up training pant just by using the widest and tallest set of snaps on the wings. (Alternatively, if you are practicing elimination communication or are potty training a smaller child, having various customizable snap options to create a pant that is unique to your child while still easy to pull on and off is a super-good feature!) Pssst – the new BabyKicks 3G will be here very soon!
Using the Babykicks Pocket as a diaper and as a trainer obviously helps parents save even more by not having to purchase trainers in addition to diapers. Its design is also handy not only because it gives kids an easy pull-up, but in the case that your child’s accident is a #2, the snaps allow the diaper to open rather than having to have the whole mess creating havoc down your child’s legs while you take it off.
BabyKicks One-Size organic fitted diaper is identical in shape to the Bumboo, but it doesn’t have a waterproof outer or fleece leg gussets, so the entire diaper is made of natural fibres, including organic cotton and organic hemp. It has the same great features as the Bumboo, and not having a waterproof outer gives kids an even greater awareness of being wet.
So, there are three options to check out – as always, if you have any questions, be sure to check out our Learning Centre. If you can’t find what you’re looking for there, feel free to e-mail us at customercare@newandgreen.com.
As we all know, diaper duty can get messy. Really really messy.
Cloth wipes are a great way to deal with life’s messes. They’re soft yet heavy-duty, they don’t leave chemicals on your baby’s skin, and they’re a “green” alternative to the store-bought variety.
Here are a few reasons we love them:
They keep your baby clean, truly clean. Even when your baby doesn’t go “#2”, good wipes are important for the health of your baby’s skin. Uric acid that isn’t wiped away can irritate the skin and cause diaper rash. Even just a quick wipe with water or a mild soap solution will take care of all the acid build-up and keep your baby clean and happy. And of course, when there is a mess to take care of, cloth wipes are always strong enough for the job and don’t tear, keeping your fingers out of the goo.
They’re good for your baby’s skin. Disposable wipes are laden with chemicals, but wiping your baby’s bum with water and/or soap ensures there’s nothing irritating left on the skin afterward.
You don’t have to pick them out before doing laundry. There’s nothing more annoying than opening the washing machine to pull out your nice clean diapers and discover shreds of disposable wipes that you forgot to throw in the garbage can before you did laundry!
They’re green and they make life simpler. Since you’re doing diaper laundry anyway, they don’t add to your energy consumption, yet they keep garbage and chemicals out of the landfill.
They’re budget-friendly. No need to buy wipes over and over – surprisingly, stocking up with cloth wipes rather than using disposable ones can save you beaucoups bucks through your baby’s diapering years.
They’re tough enough to use for a myriad of other babying and parenting jobs, too. Keep an extra dozen around for wiping hands and faces after meals, catching runny noses, boosting a newborn’s diaper, taking off make-up, applying facial toner, or even as handy-dandy toilet paper when you forget to change the roll. Actually, they can replace most of the paper and cotton products you use in your home!
They’re so easy to use. You can either keep them in a stack near the change area with a spray bottle nearby to wet them, or you can pre-moisten them if you prefer so they’re just as easy as using the disposable ones. Using them dry is just fine too – it’s all up to what you and your baby choose. When you’re out and about, they’re just the right size to fold in half and fit inside a travel wipes container (found at your local drugstore).
As you can tell, we love cloth wipes! For more information and to check out our organic cotton/hemp wipes, check out our wipes page.
Today’s question: what do you love most about cloth wipes?
Whether you use a chic, modern drying rack or an old-fashioned strung-up clothesline, drying your cloth diapers outside is an excellent way to save money, keep your diapers in tip-top shape, and remove stains all at once. Not only that, but your diapers will smell wonderfully fresh when you bring them back inside.
Sixty percent of your energy usage and cost related to cloth diapering comes from using the dryer. By using a clothesline, you not only save money but you reduce your environmental footprint.
Line-drying is a great way to keep your diapers in great shape, too, especially if you have diapers with elastic or waterproof outers. These diapers are certainly designed to be dried in the dryer, but years of dryer use can degrade the synthetic fabrics. By line drying your fabrics, you will prolong their life and keep them working and looking their best. Sunlight is also great for your diapers. Not only will the UV rays in sunlight bleach out your toughest stains, but they will also brighten your diapers and disinfect them. (Diapers don’t need to be disinfected after being washed, but every once in a while it’s just nice to have the peace of mind knowing they are absolutely clean.) This is also another way to save a few bucks – by utilizing the sunlight, you won’t have to buy laundry additives to remove stains.
And best of all, your diapers will smell wonderfully fresh after a day in the sun. There’s a reason various laundry product manufacturers have given their detergents names reminiscent of fresh air and sunshine – it makes laundry smell great!
So, with all these great reasons to line dry, here are a few tips:
*For the best stain removal, lay the diapers in a place where they’ll have the most sun all day. We’ve found the most effective method for stain removal is to hang your diapers out when they’re wet out of the washer.
*Prefolds can sometimes feel stiff if they’re left out for long periods of time. To prevent this, either take them off the line right when they’ve finished drying or toss them in the dryer on a no-heat setting for ten minutes when you bring them inside.
So, consider hanging out your next few loads of laundry – you’ll brighten your diapers, remove stains, and save money, completely naturally and without any chemicals!
If you have more questions about diaper laundry, post a comment here or consider attending one of our popular Cloth Diaper 101 workshops where you can have your questions answered in person by one of our diapering experts.
NEWS: For families in BC, you can earn $75 from BC hydro by reducing your energy consumption. So beyond the actual savings of line drying, here is your bonus! More details here.
When we ask new parents what they rank number one as the most important feature of a cloth diaper, they almost always say “Easy to use!” or “Convenient”. I believe this comes from the fear rooted in the notion that cloth diapering is hard, not user friendly and terribly inconvenient.
While prefolds do require a bit of learning to get you to the stage of “Hey, that’s not difficult..at all!”, they are really a do-able diaper option. And they have lots of great benefits.
Here is a short list of our top 5:
Organic Cotton - one of the greenest, healthiest choice in textiles from production to end user
Very absorbent
Easy to wash and fast to dry
Simplicity means no technology problems (ie nothing to break on it)
Durable – many many babies can have these diapers grace their bottom and then they can be upcylced to cleaning cloths
So with all this behind us, lets take three minutes to look at Prefold Cloth Diapers in the Learning Series Video above. This is your intro to get you into your prefold zone.
Jumping into the deep end with cloth diapers can be perceived as a difficult thing to do by some. So let’s start in the calm waters of reusable swim diapers and do a simple comparison with two factors:
92 cents per use
Disposable Swim Diapers
1. Cost is almost $1 per use.
2. Garbage generation is equal to 1 diaper per swim – several per day if you are on holiday and coming in and out of the water/pool.
Reusable Swim Diapers
1. Cost is less than $13.50 all in (no per use cost to consider). 2 weeks of holiday and you’ve come out even. Everything after that is gravy.
2. Garbage generation is nil.
Do they do the job? YES!
Are they easy to care for? YES! Just throw them in the wash with the swimsuits after swimming.
To get you started on the right foot, we are going to give away a Swimmi to a family who’s never used one before and give away a Fabulous Wet Bag to a family who currently uses Swmmis.
Here is how you enter:
1. To be entered to win a Swimmi, leave a comment here about how you would convince your friends (non Swimmi or cloth diaper using) to try using a Swimmi for their little one.
2. To be entered to win a Wet Bag, upload a photo to Facebook of your little one wearing their Swimmi Swim Diaper. Make sure that you leave a comment here that the photo’s been posted so we know.
Contest closes Sunday June 13th. Winner announced week of June 14th. Open to Canadian residents only.
For those who cloth diaper with a budget in mind, prefolds are always a lovely addition to your system. But then comes that day when you grab the Snappi to fasten the diaper and can’t quite reach the sides of the prefold around your baby’s waist…
But no need to put those prefolds into storage quite yet! You can extend your savings by putting your outgrown prefolds to use in other diapering capacities.
Here are 4 great ideas:
If you’re someone who uses pocket diapers, consider using your outgrown prefolds to stuff inside your pocket. Prefolds offer substantial absorbency, which is especially welcome as your baby grows (and pees more and more heavily) or for nighttime use. Also, for those wanting to use more natural fibres in your diapering routine, both hemp and organic cotton prefolds add that “natural edge” to your synthetic pockets.
Outgrown prefolds can also be tri-folded and laid in a wrap-style cover to extend their life. This is a GREAT way to save money, as covers and prefolds are a very cost effective way to cloth diaper and it most certainly extends the length of time infant prefolds can be used on your baby.
Another prefold idea is to lay a tri-folded infant-size prefold on top of your larger sized prefolds to work as a booster. This is definitely a super-absorbent option, but it’s rather bulky and will make your child look like the Weeble-Wobble toys of yore, so it’s an option best utilized at nighttime or on road trips, when a trim bottom end is not a priority.
Even once they’re outgrown, having a few infant prefolds on hand as diapering accessories are very handy. They’ll serve you well as change pads on-the-go, big wipes for big messes, or as a protective cover for your boy who tends to pee during diaper changes.
Use your imagination… prefolds have a multitude of uses!
Saving money and being frugal is an art in this day and age – we hope your decision to cloth diaper has helped your family to feel satisfied in knowing you’ve saved significantly through your baby’s diapering years!
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.
Gift-giving can be one of the joys of the Christmas holiday and it’s always fun to discover just the right gift for a friend or family member.
One of the best perks to cloth diapering is 
For some, 
There are few cloth diapering parents who don’t rejoice over 
Over the last couple of weeks here on the blog, we’ve taken a 
When it comes time for a child to move from diapers to “going” on the potty, training pants are an essential tool in the process.
As we all know, diaper duty can get messy. Really really messy.
Whether you use a chic, modern drying rack or an old-fashioned strung-up clothesline, drying your cloth diapers outside is an excellent way to save money, keep your diapers in tip-top shape, and remove stains all at once. Not only that, but your diapers will smell wonderfully fresh when you bring them back inside.
For those who cloth diaper with a budget in mind, 
