Cloth Diapers

So while I was pregnant, my husband and I had discussed using cloth diapers. The idea had eventually passed when I had been planning on going back to work and I didn't think that would be feasible. Well I became a stay-at-home Mom back in June and I decided to think about using them once again. I found a great program online at Jillian's Drawers that allowed me to try cloth diapers for 3 weeks and only cost me $10 (which is probably cheaper then 3 weeks worth of disposables). The trial gave me a chance to see if I liked using cloth diapers, and if so, which type I preferred. I came to find that there are SO MANY different kinds and I really had no idea where to start. Cloth diapers have come a long way since I was a baby and my Mom was getting pricked with diaper pins. No more pins! Depending on how much you want to spend, cloth diapering can be as easy as disposables (and even husband friendly) with just a few extra loads of laundry a week.

Let me make a rundown of the different types of cloth diapers out there:

Prefold: these are the old school cloth diapers (what many use as burp cloths) but diaper pins are no longer necessary with the Snappi. You also need to put a diaper cover over these to prevent leaking.




Contour: These are similar to a prefold except that instead of rectangular, they are "contoured" to the shape of a baby so no folding is necessary. Again, these are used with a Snappi and diaper cover.




Fitted: These are typically made of microfiber and look similar to a disposable as they have elastic around the legs and a Velcro closure. These also need a diaper cover.




Pockets: These have the convenience of a disposable as they have elastic around the leg and Velcro or snap closure and no diaper cover is needed. There is a "pocket" inside the diaper to allow as many absorbent layers to be used as needed.




All-In-Ones: It doesn't get much more dumby proof then this. Everything is all packed into one diaper....no Snappis, no covers, no inserts.




One-Size: These are quite ingenious. These diapers (some are pockets and some are all-in-ones) adjust in size according to your babies height/weight so you only need to buy one size diaper for the length of time your child is in diapers (most fit from 7-35 lbs)



After doing my trial I decided to get All-In-One One-Size diapers for day and Pocket One-Size diapers for night. I like the pockets better at night because I can add more layers to keep him dry all night long. Both kinds of diapers I bought are made by BumGenius. I absolutely love them! Laundering them really is not bad at all and the "ick" factor is not nearly as bad as I had anticipated; especially since I use flushable liners. For those considering making the switch, I highly recommend checking out the diaper trial. It will help you make up your mind. And besides being better for the environment, they are cheaper (in the long run) then disposables and they are btter for your babies skin because the fabric breathes.

Here is a list of cloth diapering supplies you would need:

• Diapers (duh!)
• Cloth Wipes (Optional, but I recommend it. I just use baby washcloths by Gerber which are super cheap.)
• Wipes Solution (not necessary for cloth wipes but I like to use it....some people just use water with some baby wash)
• Diaper Pail (a kitchen garbage can with a lid works just fine)
• Diaper Liner (its like a waterproof laundry bag)
• Wetbag (this is for trips out to keep soiled diapers in)
• Diaper Cream (You need to make sure you have something friendly to cloth diapers as most of your "known" brands can ruin the absorbancy of your diaper.)
• Laundry Detergent (Again, you need to make sure your detergent is safe to use with your diapers)

That's it! Happy diapering!

Physicians Formula Organic Wear

I have been using this makeup for about a month. I was not too sure what to expect but I really love this line! I have extremely fair and sensitive skin. I bought the following products: liquid foundation, pressed powder, concealer, blush, eyeshadow, eyeliner, lip gloss, and lip veil. I really wanted to try the mascara as well but the CVS I bought it from doesn't carry it. The only product I would say that I dont LOVE is the concealer. It is very "plasticy" in that it does not apply or spread very easily. The foundation covers very well and has a really great smell to it. The eyeliner is great although I am that lazy person that hates to sharpen pencils and likes the twisty eyeliners, but I could definitly deal with that. The powder, blush, and eyeliner dont see very different then what you would normally buy. I wish there were more colors for the eyeshadows. The lip veil is ok although I wish there was more of a color selection for that as well. It has this cooling effect on your lips. I love the lip gloss, however.

The packaging for the products is pretty great as well. It is all made of paper which is really cool. I dont, however, like the brushed they come with and think it would be better if they saved some more materials and you just use your own brushed rather then getting new ones every time you buy their product.

All in all, I give the products a big two thumbs up. I will be using this regularly.

Organic Baby Bath Products

So when my son TJ was first born, I used all Johnson and Johnson products. They smelled great but I found that they were not very moisturizing to his skin (even the lotion) and I think a lot of this is due to its heavy fragrance. After doing some research, I came across a website called Skin Deep which reviews the safety of cosmetics. It lists the toxicity level in different cosmetic products (adult and baby alike) and I would highly recommend that you do a search for the products you use. You will be surprised (and maybe a little horrified) at the level of toxins in most of the products we use.

Now let look at Webster's definition of toxin and toxic:

tox·in: a poisonous substance that is a specific product of the metabolic activities of a living organism and is usually very unstable, notably toxic when introduced into the tissues, and typically capable of inducing antibody formation

tox·ic: containing or being poisonous material especially when capable of causing death or serious debilitation

So why the heck do we put these toxins on our body which absorb into our skin and move freely through our blood stream?! What I want to know, is why the products with high levels are allowed to be put on shelves making us believe it is safe for us to use.

Anyway, I found that Johnson and Johnson products, although not extremely high in toxins, definitly have more that some other options out there. My purpose is to expose my son to as few of these toxins as I possibly can because, if anything, it can only benefit him. I trully believe that knowledge is power and we need to take advantage of educating ourselves as parents.

So I decided, after hearing many great reviews, to buy some California Baby products. Let me tell you that I LOVE this product line. They smell great and they are so much more hydrating than what I was using. I love the diaper cream as it has cleared TJs diaper rash so much more quickly then the Desitin I was using. The Calendula cream is also really nice. I bought the sunscreen but have yet to try it (I am excited to use it myself because my skin is so sensitive and I've yet to find a lotion that does not burn). I want to try the handsoap but have not done so yet. Oh yeah, and their bath bubbles are great and even come with a bubble wand so you can blow bubbles (FUN!). As an added bonus, these products are great for us adults with sensitive skin!