Friday, July 20, 2012
3,000 Facebook Fans Giveaway
We are so thankful for all our Facebook friends. Some of you have been with us for almost three years as we've grown our business. We were the first cloth diaper store in Oklahoma City and continue to have the most complete selection of cloth diapers available in our area with literally thousands of cloth diaper in over 30 kinds to choose from. As a "Thank You" to all of you, we are giving away a $50 gift certificate to The Changing Table when we reach 3,000 fans.
Thank you for supporting our small business! ~ Kristina and Elizabeth
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thursday, June 7, 2012
The Peaceful Housewife Giveaway
We love supporting local moms and were so excited to start carrying The Peaceful Housewife and Okie Scents products which are made in Oklahoma. The products are hand made natural products for the home and body. Some of my favorite summertime essentials are the Okie Scents lip balm, the Oatmeal and Shea Butter Sugar Scrub, and the Whipped Body Butter. These products have really helped soothe my sunburned skin this summer.
For this giveaway, I want to give you the opportunity to try some of their laundry products. You will receive a 4 oz detergent which will wash 8 loads of laundry in a conventional washer and 16 loads in an HE. You'll also get to try the wipes bits for your cloth wipes solution. It's made from shea butter soap and comes in some amazing scents. Lastly, I want to give you my favorite lip balm. The Baby Lips lip balm is made from shea butter, cocoa butter, beeswax, and vitamin E. I feel comfortable using this on myself and all my children.
I love the Peaceful Housewife products, and I hope you do, too. a Rafflecopter giveaway
For this giveaway, I want to give you the opportunity to try some of their laundry products. You will receive a 4 oz detergent which will wash 8 loads of laundry in a conventional washer and 16 loads in an HE. You'll also get to try the wipes bits for your cloth wipes solution. It's made from shea butter soap and comes in some amazing scents. Lastly, I want to give you my favorite lip balm. The Baby Lips lip balm is made from shea butter, cocoa butter, beeswax, and vitamin E. I feel comfortable using this on myself and all my children. I love the Peaceful Housewife products, and I hope you do, too. a Rafflecopter giveaway
Monday, May 28, 2012
Day 7 - Second Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge
I participated in the Second Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge
hosted by Dirty Diaper Laundry. For seven days, I used only flat cloth diapers and hand washed and line dried them. You can learn more
about the rules and why this challenge was started by visiting the announcement post.
Reflections of the past week.
Using flats and hand washing was fun. I was determined to do it, and I did. I love it when I accomplish a goal.
Would I feel differently if this were my life...if I had to hand wash every day because there were no other options? Probably. It would be tedious. Every time I looked at my stack of flat diapers and saw the clean stack diminishing, I would feel dread knowing I HAD to find the time to wash them asap if my baby were going to have clean diapers. Would I do it, anyway, or would I resort to disposables? Without a doubt, I would unequivocally keep hand washing.
Cloth diapers are a huge part of my life, as weird as that sounds. I started using cloth because my oldest was plagued by diaper rash caused by the chemicals in disposables. Disposables scare me. They contain sodium polyacrylate. A similar substance was removed from tampons in the 80's because it caused toxic shock syndrome. Then there's the carcinogenic Dioxin and the toxic pollutant Tributyl-tin. No, thank you. I'll pass on that for my baby. And now that I have a boy, I'm concerned about the scrotal temperature in disposable diapers. The Archives of Disease in Childhood published research showing that using disposable diapers over time can affect the cooling mechanism that helps boys have normal sperm development. With the increase in infertility issues with my generation and those younger, it makes a girl wonder... The Huggies and Pampers commercials with the smiling babies don't tell you that. Yes, I would continue to hand wash cloth. Even if I had to do it for years, I would do it, because it is what's best for my babies.
Did I heave a sigh of relief this morning when I put my cushy organic cotton all-in-one on Asher? Yes, I did. Will I rejoice when I wash the first load of cloth in my machine this week? Yes, I will. I appreciate all that I have and the comforts I can afford. But later this week we are going on vacation, and I will be packing my stash of flats. I can't think of an easier or better diaper to travel with.
To see the flat folds I used this week, visit our YouTube channel. http://www.youtube.com/user/TheChangingTable?feature=mhee
Reflections of the past week.
Using flats and hand washing was fun. I was determined to do it, and I did. I love it when I accomplish a goal.
Would I feel differently if this were my life...if I had to hand wash every day because there were no other options? Probably. It would be tedious. Every time I looked at my stack of flat diapers and saw the clean stack diminishing, I would feel dread knowing I HAD to find the time to wash them asap if my baby were going to have clean diapers. Would I do it, anyway, or would I resort to disposables? Without a doubt, I would unequivocally keep hand washing.
Cloth diapers are a huge part of my life, as weird as that sounds. I started using cloth because my oldest was plagued by diaper rash caused by the chemicals in disposables. Disposables scare me. They contain sodium polyacrylate. A similar substance was removed from tampons in the 80's because it caused toxic shock syndrome. Then there's the carcinogenic Dioxin and the toxic pollutant Tributyl-tin. No, thank you. I'll pass on that for my baby. And now that I have a boy, I'm concerned about the scrotal temperature in disposable diapers. The Archives of Disease in Childhood published research showing that using disposable diapers over time can affect the cooling mechanism that helps boys have normal sperm development. With the increase in infertility issues with my generation and those younger, it makes a girl wonder... The Huggies and Pampers commercials with the smiling babies don't tell you that. Yes, I would continue to hand wash cloth. Even if I had to do it for years, I would do it, because it is what's best for my babies.
Did I heave a sigh of relief this morning when I put my cushy organic cotton all-in-one on Asher? Yes, I did. Will I rejoice when I wash the first load of cloth in my machine this week? Yes, I will. I appreciate all that I have and the comforts I can afford. But later this week we are going on vacation, and I will be packing my stash of flats. I can't think of an easier or better diaper to travel with.
To see the flat folds I used this week, visit our YouTube channel. http://www.youtube.com/user/TheChangingTable?feature=mhee
Day 6 - Second Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge
I am participating in the Second Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge
hosted by Dirty Diaper Laundry. For seven days, I will
use only flat cloth diapers and hand wash and line dry them. You can learn more
about the rules and why this challenge was started by visiting the announcement post. This year, over 450
participants are taking the challenge from all over the world.
Today is a free topic day.
Since I'm really trying to participate in this challenge as inexpensively as possible, at night I've been using a wool soaker that I made from a thrift store sweater. What I want to stress is that I don't sew...ever. So if I can do this, anyone can. I did use a machine, but you could hand sew one. I used the Katrina pattern. When you are using an upcycled sweater, choose a sweater that's at least 80% wool. I used a cashmere sweater which works fine but does not felt well. Felting is the process of shrinking your sweater before you work with it. Just wash the sweater on hot and dry it on hot to felt. (Really thick sweaters should not be felted.) Polyester thread works best because it will not wick the way cotton thread can. Wool should be lanolized to make it waterproof.
Out of one thrift store sweater, I made a pair of longies and two soakers. I was at the thrift store on military day, so my cheap sweater was even cheaper. One soaker cost less than $3.
So, this challenge has cost less than $45. I am ending the challenge with 6 Swaddlebees flats, two Bummis covers, one homemade soaker, and one snappi. Luckily, I had all of this, so the challenge actually cost me nothing.
Limited diapering supplies is possible but not reasonable. I do wish I had more flats. I would like at least twelve. And I can never keep track of snappis, so in reality, I would need about three. I would also like at least one more PUL cover, preferably a one size cover with snaps like the Blueberry coveralls. Asher is starting to get scrapes on the top of his thigh and his belly from the hook and loop on his covers.
Even with adding one more cover, two more snappis, and six more diapers, the total cost would be around $75. With one size covers, that could take you from birth to potty training. And the best thing is that you don't have to have a fancy washing machine...or even one at all.
Today is a free topic day.
Since I'm really trying to participate in this challenge as inexpensively as possible, at night I've been using a wool soaker that I made from a thrift store sweater. What I want to stress is that I don't sew...ever. So if I can do this, anyone can. I did use a machine, but you could hand sew one. I used the Katrina pattern. When you are using an upcycled sweater, choose a sweater that's at least 80% wool. I used a cashmere sweater which works fine but does not felt well. Felting is the process of shrinking your sweater before you work with it. Just wash the sweater on hot and dry it on hot to felt. (Really thick sweaters should not be felted.) Polyester thread works best because it will not wick the way cotton thread can. Wool should be lanolized to make it waterproof.
Out of one thrift store sweater, I made a pair of longies and two soakers. I was at the thrift store on military day, so my cheap sweater was even cheaper. One soaker cost less than $3.
So, this challenge has cost less than $45. I am ending the challenge with 6 Swaddlebees flats, two Bummis covers, one homemade soaker, and one snappi. Luckily, I had all of this, so the challenge actually cost me nothing.
Limited diapering supplies is possible but not reasonable. I do wish I had more flats. I would like at least twelve. And I can never keep track of snappis, so in reality, I would need about three. I would also like at least one more PUL cover, preferably a one size cover with snaps like the Blueberry coveralls. Asher is starting to get scrapes on the top of his thigh and his belly from the hook and loop on his covers.
Even with adding one more cover, two more snappis, and six more diapers, the total cost would be around $75. With one size covers, that could take you from birth to potty training. And the best thing is that you don't have to have a fancy washing machine...or even one at all.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Day 5 - Second Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge
1. There is a small learning curve to folding flats. After 5 days, I think I have it down. This is Asher's morning diaper (diaper bag fold with a pad fold inside). It still looks great after wearing it all night!
2. I've learned how to diaper bag fold and Joe fold and practiced more with the pad fold and origami fold.
3. Hand washing is not my first preference, but it is a viable option. I would hand wash before putting disposables on my baby. Flats are the easiest diaper to hand wash because they get very clean and dry quickly.
4. Soaking a dirty flat (in a safe area) in between washings really helps get them clean. Disclaimer: I typically don't recommend wet pails. They can lead to excessive wear on the PUL and elastic in diapers, it's dangerous to have standing water in a home with babies and toddlers, they are messy, and they are usually unnecessary with a good washing routine (in a machine.)
5. Flats will be my new go-to when traveling.
The Changing Table has avoided carrying flats because prefolds work so great. However, this challenge has opened my eyes to the benefits of flat diapers. I'm excited to offer flats in the near future.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Day 4: Second Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge
I am participating in the Second Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge
hosted by Dirty Diaper Laundry. For seven days, I will
use only flat cloth diapers and hand wash and line dry them. You can learn more
about the rules and why this challenge was started by visiting the announcement post. This year, over 450
participants are taking the challenge from all over the world.
We were out of the house a lot yesterday, and I almost ran out of diapers. I had two left last night when I put the baby to bed. I used both of those and quickly washed the other four so they would be dry this morning. That's one of the best things about flats; they dry quickly.
My thoughts on hand washing:
Hand washing really isn't too bad if you are diligent about frequent washing. I find that it's easiest to rinse the diapers as soon as I take them off the baby. This makes the hand washing much easier since the diapers are mostly clean when I start the hand washing. Yesterday we had one poopy diapers that did not get as rinsed as I would have liked by dunking in the toilet. I do have a diaper sprayer but am refraining from using it this week, so I threw it in the bathtub under the faucet. Any residual washed right down the drain.
I am using the same method I would in the washing machine. I pre-rinse in warm after each diaper change and leave the diaper laying in the sink. If I were to do this full time, I would use a small plastic bin to keep the wet ones in between washings. I fill the sink with hot water and around 1 tsp of Clean B Detergent. Because I'm using Clean B which is a clean rinsing, cloth diaper safe soap, I am not having any difficulty rinsing the diapers clean. I massage the fabric with my hands and rub the fabric together (probably creating a stronger agitation than my washing machine does.) I drain the water and rinse each diaper. I twist each diaper, wring the water out, and hang dry. I am washing the covers the same way.
I haven't timed myself, but I estimate it takes about 5 minutes to wash just a few diapers at a time. I'm washing about 3 times a day. That's only 15 minutes each day which is very reasonable.
I'm not concerned the diapers aren't getting clean because I can see and smell that they are clean. If you are hand washing and are concerned about bacteria residue in the diapers, you can iron your flats. The heat will kill any bacteria that could be present. The water in my sink is around 110 degrees. I would feel more comfortable if it were 120 degrees, but after four days of hand washing, that is not a concern of mine. If I were to do this full time, I would use the iron on occasion.
I'll be honest, machine washing is easier, but there is a satisfaction that comes with personally washing your baby's diapers. It's just one more thing I can do for him. And I love to hang clothes outside. I'll even dry sheets and towels on the line in the spring and summer. It brings me a sense of peace that I do not find in other everyday chores.
We were out of the house a lot yesterday, and I almost ran out of diapers. I had two left last night when I put the baby to bed. I used both of those and quickly washed the other four so they would be dry this morning. That's one of the best things about flats; they dry quickly.
My thoughts on hand washing:
Hand washing really isn't too bad if you are diligent about frequent washing. I find that it's easiest to rinse the diapers as soon as I take them off the baby. This makes the hand washing much easier since the diapers are mostly clean when I start the hand washing. Yesterday we had one poopy diapers that did not get as rinsed as I would have liked by dunking in the toilet. I do have a diaper sprayer but am refraining from using it this week, so I threw it in the bathtub under the faucet. Any residual washed right down the drain.
I am using the same method I would in the washing machine. I pre-rinse in warm after each diaper change and leave the diaper laying in the sink. If I were to do this full time, I would use a small plastic bin to keep the wet ones in between washings. I fill the sink with hot water and around 1 tsp of Clean B Detergent. Because I'm using Clean B which is a clean rinsing, cloth diaper safe soap, I am not having any difficulty rinsing the diapers clean. I massage the fabric with my hands and rub the fabric together (probably creating a stronger agitation than my washing machine does.) I drain the water and rinse each diaper. I twist each diaper, wring the water out, and hang dry. I am washing the covers the same way.
I haven't timed myself, but I estimate it takes about 5 minutes to wash just a few diapers at a time. I'm washing about 3 times a day. That's only 15 minutes each day which is very reasonable.
I'm not concerned the diapers aren't getting clean because I can see and smell that they are clean. If you are hand washing and are concerned about bacteria residue in the diapers, you can iron your flats. The heat will kill any bacteria that could be present. The water in my sink is around 110 degrees. I would feel more comfortable if it were 120 degrees, but after four days of hand washing, that is not a concern of mine. If I were to do this full time, I would use the iron on occasion.
I'll be honest, machine washing is easier, but there is a satisfaction that comes with personally washing your baby's diapers. It's just one more thing I can do for him. And I love to hang clothes outside. I'll even dry sheets and towels on the line in the spring and summer. It brings me a sense of peace that I do not find in other everyday chores.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Day 3: Second Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge
I am participating in the Second Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge hosted by Dirty Diaper Laundry. For seven days, I will use only flat cloth diapers and handwash and line dry them. You can learn more about the rules and why this challenge was started by visiting the announcement post. This year, over 450 participants are taking the challenge from all over the world.
My favorite way to use flats is the pad fold. It is very easy to fold, gives layers and layers of absorbency, and is used just like an all-in-two system. This is a great fold for those new to flats.
First I "boy fold" the front of the flat by folding it up several inches in the front. This makes it fit in the cover better and also gives added absorbency in the front. For a girl, you could make an extra fold in the middle if desired.
Last night I used two flats with an origami fold. I started with the flats laying on top of each other, folded them together, snappied them on and used a homemade upcycled wool soaker. I'll post more about the soaker later in the week. The combination worked well without any leaks, but I was not happy with the fit. It looked fine when I put my son to bed, but in the morning, the fold had shifted and narrowed in the front. Fibers from the red soaker were stuck to his boy parts. If he had soiled his diaper, I'm not sure it would have all stayed in the diaper.
Today I've been using the diaper bag fold. It fits him a little better and gives more absorbency in the front. It is extremely thin in the back. If he had a runny poop, I'm not sure that fold would keep his cover clean. For him, I do like the fit better than the origami fold. I may try that fold tonight using two flats.
For now, the pad fold is by far my favorite.
First I "boy fold" the front of the flat by folding it up several inches in the front. This makes it fit in the cover better and also gives added absorbency in the front. For a girl, you could make an extra fold in the middle if desired.
Next fold it in half and in half again so that you have a square.
Finally fold in thirds (tri-fold), and lay in a cover.
Last night I used two flats with an origami fold. I started with the flats laying on top of each other, folded them together, snappied them on and used a homemade upcycled wool soaker. I'll post more about the soaker later in the week. The combination worked well without any leaks, but I was not happy with the fit. It looked fine when I put my son to bed, but in the morning, the fold had shifted and narrowed in the front. Fibers from the red soaker were stuck to his boy parts. If he had soiled his diaper, I'm not sure it would have all stayed in the diaper.
Today I've been using the diaper bag fold. It fits him a little better and gives more absorbency in the front. It is extremely thin in the back. If he had a runny poop, I'm not sure that fold would keep his cover clean. For him, I do like the fit better than the origami fold. I may try that fold tonight using two flats.
For now, the pad fold is by far my favorite.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Day 2: Second Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge
I am participating in the Second
Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge hosted by Dirty Diaper Laundry. For seven days, I will use only flat cloth diapers and handwash and line dry
them. You can learn more about the rules and why this challenge was started by
visiting the announcement
post. This year, over 450 participants are taking the challenge from all
over the world.
My goal this week is the prove that anyone can successfully cloth diaper. Therefore, I am using the bare minimum in diapering supplies. I am using 6 Swaddlebees flats for $13.95. I could have bought Gerber flats for slightly cheaper, but Swaddlebees will be more absorbent, and I like supporting USA made cloth diaper companies versus the "big guys". I also have 1 Hemp Babies Bigger Weeds for $7.95 to use at night, 3 Bummis Super Lite covers for $11 a piece, and 1 snappi for $3.95. I am also using 6 cloth wipes.
Report from Day 1:
Day one was a success! In the beginning, I was less worried about handwashing and more worried about successfully using flats, in general. In the past, I have not had much luck with the origami fold, so I am using a pad fold during the day and just laying the flat in the cover. My 11-mo-old did take a four hour nap yesterday, which is unusual. I was unprepared for this, and he did leak out of the top just a little bit. That was primarily because the elastic on his pants ended up slightly under the top of the cover. This could have been avoided.
Handwashing flats is so easy. I did not make a homemade camp washer. I am just washing the flats in the sink with a tiny bit of Clean B soap. We had one poopy diaper yesterday, and I held it by the two ends of the pad fold and dunked it in the toilet, keeping my hand far away from the dirty water. I'm washing 2 or 3 flats and 1 cover at a time. It is very manageable and does not take much time.
Because I live in Oklahoma where the wind ALWAYS goes "sweeping down the plains" and the weather is quite warm this time of year, the flats dry very quickly outside. I hung 2 up in the bathroom last night over the shower curtain rod, and they were dry by this morning.
For the baby, last night I used an origami-folded flat with the Hemp Babies kite-folded inside and snappied it on. I used one of the Bummis covers over the combination. His bottom was a little fluffier than normal, but it was effective, and he didn't seem to mind.
My (almost) three-year-old still wears a diaper to bed, so I pad folded a flat in a Blueberry Coverall last night. She did not realize she wasn't wearing her super soft organic cotton diaper until this morning. She saw me hand washing the flats in the sink and thought they were her brother's "blankies." I could diaper her from now until she no longer needs a diaper at night (or until 40 lbs) for $20.
DISCLAIMER: Babies need consistent and frequent diaper changes. I am only able to use 6 flats because my son is almost one, the weather is warm outside for line drying, and I am washing more than once a day. If I had a newborn, could not wash as frequently, or dry as easily (colder weather), I believe I would need more flats.
My goal for today and the rest of this week is to make this even more economical. Instead of using the Hemp Babies at night, I'm going to use two flats. Instead of using one of the bummis covers, I'm going to use an upcycled wool soaker that I made from a thrift store sweater.
Stay tuned for tomorrow's update!
My goal this week is the prove that anyone can successfully cloth diaper. Therefore, I am using the bare minimum in diapering supplies. I am using 6 Swaddlebees flats for $13.95. I could have bought Gerber flats for slightly cheaper, but Swaddlebees will be more absorbent, and I like supporting USA made cloth diaper companies versus the "big guys". I also have 1 Hemp Babies Bigger Weeds for $7.95 to use at night, 3 Bummis Super Lite covers for $11 a piece, and 1 snappi for $3.95. I am also using 6 cloth wipes. Report from Day 1:
Day one was a success! In the beginning, I was less worried about handwashing and more worried about successfully using flats, in general. In the past, I have not had much luck with the origami fold, so I am using a pad fold during the day and just laying the flat in the cover. My 11-mo-old did take a four hour nap yesterday, which is unusual. I was unprepared for this, and he did leak out of the top just a little bit. That was primarily because the elastic on his pants ended up slightly under the top of the cover. This could have been avoided.
Handwashing flats is so easy. I did not make a homemade camp washer. I am just washing the flats in the sink with a tiny bit of Clean B soap. We had one poopy diaper yesterday, and I held it by the two ends of the pad fold and dunked it in the toilet, keeping my hand far away from the dirty water. I'm washing 2 or 3 flats and 1 cover at a time. It is very manageable and does not take much time.
Because I live in Oklahoma where the wind ALWAYS goes "sweeping down the plains" and the weather is quite warm this time of year, the flats dry very quickly outside. I hung 2 up in the bathroom last night over the shower curtain rod, and they were dry by this morning.
For the baby, last night I used an origami-folded flat with the Hemp Babies kite-folded inside and snappied it on. I used one of the Bummis covers over the combination. His bottom was a little fluffier than normal, but it was effective, and he didn't seem to mind.My (almost) three-year-old still wears a diaper to bed, so I pad folded a flat in a Blueberry Coverall last night. She did not realize she wasn't wearing her super soft organic cotton diaper until this morning. She saw me hand washing the flats in the sink and thought they were her brother's "blankies." I could diaper her from now until she no longer needs a diaper at night (or until 40 lbs) for $20.
DISCLAIMER: Babies need consistent and frequent diaper changes. I am only able to use 6 flats because my son is almost one, the weather is warm outside for line drying, and I am washing more than once a day. If I had a newborn, could not wash as frequently, or dry as easily (colder weather), I believe I would need more flats.
My goal for today and the rest of this week is to make this even more economical. Instead of using the Hemp Babies at night, I'm going to use two flats. Instead of using one of the bummis covers, I'm going to use an upcycled wool soaker that I made from a thrift store sweater.
Stay tuned for tomorrow's update!
Monday, May 21, 2012
Day 1: Second Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge
I am participating in the Second Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge hosted by Dirty Diaper Laundry. For the next seven days, I will use only flat cloth diapers and handwash and line dry them. You can learn more about the rules and why this challenge was started by visiting the announcement post. This year, over 450 participants are taking the challenge from all over the world. I am taking this challenge to prove that anyone and everyone can use cloth diapers. You do not need a huge budget to buy diapers. You do not need a fancy washing machine. You do not need extra time to cloth diaper. If you desire to use cloth diapers, whether it be to save money, help the environment, or to protect your baby from the harmful chemicals found in disposable diapers, you can do it! I will spend this week documenting how I'm doing it and how you can, too.
Friday, May 18, 2012
Blueberry Coveralls Giveaway
In honor of the Second Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge May 21-May 27, The Changing Table is giving away a Blueberry Coveralls diaper cover.
This is one of my favorite covers.
It fits 10-40 lbs. which I really appreciate now that I have a baby and a 35 lb two-year-old that is still diapered at night. Few diapers fit the two-year-old well since she is at the top of the weight range for most brands. This cover is easily adjustable between both children . I love that this cover is durable yet soft and flexible. It can be used well with flats, prefolds, or fitteds. The colors and prints are gorgeous, and you can choose from snap or hook and loop closure. The winner of this giveaway will get to choose from any in stock cover.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
It fits 10-40 lbs. which I really appreciate now that I have a baby and a 35 lb two-year-old that is still diapered at night. Few diapers fit the two-year-old well since she is at the top of the weight range for most brands. This cover is easily adjustable between both children . I love that this cover is durable yet soft and flexible. It can be used well with flats, prefolds, or fitteds. The colors and prints are gorgeous, and you can choose from snap or hook and loop closure. The winner of this giveaway will get to choose from any in stock cover.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Imse Vimse swim diaper giveaway
The sun is shining. Diapers are fluttering on the line. Birds are sweetly chirping in the rustling leaves of the trees. You get the picture....spring is here! And what does that mean? Summer is just around the corner! Ahhh...summer...my favorite time of year. Give me 100 degree weather, some sunglasses, Episencial sunscreen and a pool to play in.
And what does EVERY baby (and toddler) need in the pool? Why, a swim diaper, of course...something to catch those little accidents that are bound to happen with your little one. Just for fun, I checked out Target.com to check out the price of "Little Swimmers". They are $8.99 for 12 if you are lucky enough to need a small and $8.99 for 10 if you need a large. That's almost a dollar a diaper! They can't be reused, and if your kids are anything like mine, you will be going through at least 2 diapers when you are at the pool. We intend to go swimming a lot, so we would likely go through 8-10 swim diaper changes in a week. To be conservative, I'll say we'll go through 5 a week over a 12 week period (not counting swimming lessons in the fall and spring), I would spend almost $50 this summer on swim diapers.
Luckily, I have my Bonfire Red AppleCheeks swim diaper that Paige used last year. Asher can wear it this year. I'll spare him the Pink Flowers Imse Vimse and buy him a "manly" color this year...maybe the Black Lizard so he can look really tough.
I have just saved $30 for 12 weeks of summer. (And in reality, I'm probably saving closer to $80 since we swim so often.) Yay, me! And you can save, too. Enter to win an Imse Vimse swim diaper of your choice. And the best news - even if you don't win, you can buy a reusable swim diaper this year and you still come out a winner. Happy swimming!
And what does EVERY baby (and toddler) need in the pool? Why, a swim diaper, of course...something to catch those little accidents that are bound to happen with your little one. Just for fun, I checked out Target.com to check out the price of "Little Swimmers". They are $8.99 for 12 if you are lucky enough to need a small and $8.99 for 10 if you need a large. That's almost a dollar a diaper! They can't be reused, and if your kids are anything like mine, you will be going through at least 2 diapers when you are at the pool. We intend to go swimming a lot, so we would likely go through 8-10 swim diaper changes in a week. To be conservative, I'll say we'll go through 5 a week over a 12 week period (not counting swimming lessons in the fall and spring), I would spend almost $50 this summer on swim diapers.
Luckily, I have my Bonfire Red AppleCheeks swim diaper that Paige used last year. Asher can wear it this year. I'll spare him the Pink Flowers Imse Vimse and buy him a "manly" color this year...maybe the Black Lizard so he can look really tough. I have just saved $30 for 12 weeks of summer. (And in reality, I'm probably saving closer to $80 since we swim so often.) Yay, me! And you can save, too. Enter to win an Imse Vimse swim diaper of your choice. And the best news - even if you don't win, you can buy a reusable swim diaper this year and you still come out a winner. Happy swimming!
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Monday, February 13, 2012
Sunday, January 29, 2012
2500 Facebook Fan Giveaway
We love our fans! As soon as we hit 2500 Facebook fans, we will give away 2, $25 gift certificates to The Changing Table. Don't forget to tell your friends.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Cloth Wipes: Simple. Affordable. Good for Baby.
When I first decided to use cloth diapers, I also decided to use cloth wipes. There was never any question not to; it just seemed like the logical thing to do. This is a description of my system, and some other options for you to consider.
I have the Prince Lionheart cloth wipes warmer. I registered for it at Babies R Us and received it as a baby gift. I wish I could send you to a local small business to purchase it, but for now they only sell to big box stores. I still love the warmer, though. I keep mine wet at all times. For a long time I used my own wipe solution: 1 TBS baby soap, 1 TBS olive oil and water. I now use the Clean B cloth wipes solution because it is really easy to use, inexpensive, and smells great. One $6.50 bottle will make 30 , 8 oz batches.
Ways to use cloth wipes at home.
1. Store them wet in a cloth wipes warmer.
2. Store them wet in a plastic container with a lid.
3. Store them dry and use a spray bottle with solution to spray on the wipe or directly on baby.
4. Store them dry and use a peri bottle to pour on wipe.
5. Store them dry, and store a solution in a large container. Dip the dry wipe into the container to moisten each time.
Using water only:
Do not store wipes wet with water only. They will get musty very quickly. However, you can store wipes dry and moisten with water at each diaper change. Water works fine, but a solution really does work better with stuck on poop and to freshen baby's bottom.
How to use cloth wipes on the go.
1. Store them wet in leak proof container or bag such as the Planetwise Wipes Pouch.
2. Store them dry and moisten with water.
3. Store them dry and moisten with a spray such as AppleCheeks wipe solution, bumGenius bottom cleaner, or Thirsties Booty Luster.
I use the AppleCheeks spray and also use it to wipe messy little hands and faces.
Types of Cloth Wipes:
I originally purchased the Prince Lionheart wipes that came with the warmer. I would not recommend these. They shrank considerably and are really too small to work well. My favorites are the Thirsties Fab Wipes. They are large, thick, and soft with cotton velour on one side and microfleece on the other. Kristina loves the terry cloth GroVia wipes. We also carry AppleCheeks, FuzziBunz, Planetwise, and Imse Vimse wipes. All are great brands. You can also use baby washcloths if they are large and thick, or make your own wipes.
Using cloth wipes is a breeze. I throw the dirty wipe in the pail or wet bag with the diapers and wash them all together. If you use disposable wipes, you are either throwing them in a separate trash can, or are picking them out of the clean laundry after they've been needlessly washed. To me, that is an unnecessary added step.
Cost Savings:
How many wipes will you need? I suggest having around 24 wipes or one for each diaper that you have. You will spend $1-$2 per wipe. Disposable wipes will cost around $550 from birth to potty training. That's over $500 in savings!
Health of Baby:
Have you ever had a pediatrican tell you not to use wipes when Baby has a bad rash? That's because disposable wipes burn. Disposable wipes contain preservatives, surfactants, artificial fragrance and parabens. The wipes themselves are made from melted plastic pellets and pressed synthetic materials.
What would you want wiping your bottom? For me, it was an easy decision. I hope you will consider the benefits of using cloth wipes if you are not already using them.
I have the Prince Lionheart cloth wipes warmer. I registered for it at Babies R Us and received it as a baby gift. I wish I could send you to a local small business to purchase it, but for now they only sell to big box stores. I still love the warmer, though. I keep mine wet at all times. For a long time I used my own wipe solution: 1 TBS baby soap, 1 TBS olive oil and water. I now use the Clean B cloth wipes solution because it is really easy to use, inexpensive, and smells great. One $6.50 bottle will make 30 , 8 oz batches.
Ways to use cloth wipes at home.
1. Store them wet in a cloth wipes warmer.
2. Store them wet in a plastic container with a lid.
3. Store them dry and use a spray bottle with solution to spray on the wipe or directly on baby.
4. Store them dry and use a peri bottle to pour on wipe.
5. Store them dry, and store a solution in a large container. Dip the dry wipe into the container to moisten each time.
Using water only:
Do not store wipes wet with water only. They will get musty very quickly. However, you can store wipes dry and moisten with water at each diaper change. Water works fine, but a solution really does work better with stuck on poop and to freshen baby's bottom.
How to use cloth wipes on the go.
1. Store them wet in leak proof container or bag such as the Planetwise Wipes Pouch.
2. Store them dry and moisten with water.
3. Store them dry and moisten with a spray such as AppleCheeks wipe solution, bumGenius bottom cleaner, or Thirsties Booty Luster.
I use the AppleCheeks spray and also use it to wipe messy little hands and faces.
Types of Cloth Wipes:
I originally purchased the Prince Lionheart wipes that came with the warmer. I would not recommend these. They shrank considerably and are really too small to work well. My favorites are the Thirsties Fab Wipes. They are large, thick, and soft with cotton velour on one side and microfleece on the other. Kristina loves the terry cloth GroVia wipes. We also carry AppleCheeks, FuzziBunz, Planetwise, and Imse Vimse wipes. All are great brands. You can also use baby washcloths if they are large and thick, or make your own wipes.
Using cloth wipes is a breeze. I throw the dirty wipe in the pail or wet bag with the diapers and wash them all together. If you use disposable wipes, you are either throwing them in a separate trash can, or are picking them out of the clean laundry after they've been needlessly washed. To me, that is an unnecessary added step.
Cost Savings:
How many wipes will you need? I suggest having around 24 wipes or one for each diaper that you have. You will spend $1-$2 per wipe. Disposable wipes will cost around $550 from birth to potty training. That's over $500 in savings!
Health of Baby:
Have you ever had a pediatrican tell you not to use wipes when Baby has a bad rash? That's because disposable wipes burn. Disposable wipes contain preservatives, surfactants, artificial fragrance and parabens. The wipes themselves are made from melted plastic pellets and pressed synthetic materials.
What would you want wiping your bottom? For me, it was an easy decision. I hope you will consider the benefits of using cloth wipes if you are not already using them.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
EcoPosh Wool Cover Giveaway
Because we love wool, we are giving away an EcoPosh Wool Cover in January. Click below to find out how to enter the contest.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
The Wonderful World of Wool
I have to admit, it took me a long time to get on board with wool diaper covers. I live in Oklahoma, and it gets hot here. Why in the world would I make my baby hotter by wrapping her bum in a sweater? And how could I possibly expect a fabric to prevent diapers from leaking? And what’s up with not washing the cover after every use? I just could not comprehend why people loved wool diaper covers.However, I had a little girl, and ruffled wool longies are adorable. I bought a few pairs for Paige to wea
r as pants. Of course, under the longies was a waterproof cloth diaper with a PUL outer. I sure wasn’t about to let any urine get on her cute pants.Two years later I had a little boy. I was prepared. I had cloth diapered another child, and I had the cute newborn diapers from The Changing Table’s newborn rental program. I soon discovered, however, that diapering a boy is not as easy as diapering a girl. It took a couple weeks and several leaks, but I finally figured out how to fold inserts to help with the wetness in the front. Now to conquer the nighttime leaks. Although I am an advocate of frequent diaper changes, Asher would eat at night and fall right back to sleep. I couldn’t bring myself to wake him for diaper changes, so I needed a more absorbent solution. I decided to try wool again, but this time I was determined to use it the right way.
How do you use wool? Wool is absorbent. It will hold up to 30% of it's own weight in fluid. It also naturally distributes the moisture, so you do not have an excess of moisture in any one spot. To make it a bullet-proof (leak proof) solution, wool should be lanolized. I use the Imse Vimse Wool Shampoo and Wool Cure. It’s simple to use. Just hand wash the wool cover in the shampoo, mix a little of the wool cure in water, soak the cover, wring, and hang dry. You can also use pure lanoline. Just add a drop to some hot water to dissolve, then pour it into cool water and follow the instructions above.
Even without being lanolized, wool is wonderful.
1. It is naturally antibacterial, anti-fungal, and antimicrobial.
2. It is breathable.
3. It is cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
4. It is durable and will last through many children.
5. Because it is antibacterial, it does not need to be washed much.
6. And as noted above, wool will absorb up to 30% of its own weight and redistribute the moisture.
2. It is breathable.
3. It is cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
4. It is durable and will last through many children.
5. Because it is antibacterial, it does not need to be washed much.
6. And as noted above, wool will absorb up to 30% of its own weight and redistribute the moisture.
When using a wool cover, it is important to use an absorbent fitted diaper underneath. Wool is amazing, but it won’t work alone. My two favorite fitteds are the EcoPosh Recycled Organic One Size fitted and the Blueberry Bamboo one size fitted.
Asher wears his diaper for 11 hours at night. When I take off the wool cover, it is wet inside and smells like urine. I simply hang the cover to dry. Wool will naturally salinize the urine (turn it to salt). When it's dry the smell is gone. I just shake it out a little and reuse it the next night.
When a wool diaper cover starts to smell when dry, it should be hand washed and relanolized. Depending on how often the cover is used, this may have to be done only once a month. What can be simpler than that?
The most wonderful thing about wool is how breathable it is. I change Asher every 2-3 hours during the day, but sometimes he still gets a little redness on his bottom. With a little bit of coconut oil or bum bum balm, a good fitted diaper and wool cover, his bottom will be completely cleared up in the morning....after 11 hours in a wet diaper. It is amazing!
So all of my wool fears with Paige were completely unfounded. Wool is not hot in the summer. Not only is it cooling, but it’s breathable and can help prevent and cure diaper rash. Fabric can prevent leaking, especially when lanolized, and with the natural anti-bacterial and salinizing properties of wool, you really don’t have to wash it each time. I have definitely found the love of wool. My next quest: to make my own upcycled wool covers.
So all of my wool fears with Paige were completely unfounded. Wool is not hot in the summer. Not only is it cooling, but it’s breathable and can help prevent and cure diaper rash. Fabric can prevent leaking, especially when lanolized, and with the natural anti-bacterial and salinizing properties of wool, you really don’t have to wash it each time. I have definitely found the love of wool. My next quest: to make my own upcycled wool covers.
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