Come visit Moms and Bums Inventory Blowout at the Mom Sale!

Brampton's Biggest and Best Charity Mom Sale

On Saturday, Oct. 22th, Moms and Bums will once again sponsor the Mom Sale.  Join us in the new larger location at the Brampton Fairgrounds (12942 Heart Lake Rd, Caledon, ON L7C 2K5) from 930 am – 130 pm. 

www.momsandbums.com

The semi-annual sale sponsored by Moms and Bums natural parenting shop gives families the opportunity to get rid of those outgrown and no longer needed children's toys and clothing, while donating admission proceeds to charity.  The Mom sale features over 150 vendors with used children's toys, shoes, strollers and clothing as well as a business marketplace filled with 25 local family related businesses.

We are proud to once again be sponsors of the upcoming fall Brampton Charity Mom sale.  This time we are going to do things a bit differently and will be holding our year end inventory clearance at the sale.  We will have some great pricing on your favorite name brand items.  Nothing over $15!!!

  

Come visit and see our products in person! If you are looking for something specific this sale, make you sure you contact us ahead of time to let us know what you want us to bring, otherwise you will only get to see the clearance items.

$3 admission fee (grandparents and children free!) will once again benefit The Peel Children's Safety Village, a non-profit organization built by the community on land donated by the City of Brampton.  The Safety Village aims to reduce the alarming rate of preventable traffic accidents, the leading cause of death for children aged one to nine.

For more information about the sale please visit The Mom Sale.  Join their facebook page for $1 off admission coupon.

Aubrey's Undies #4- Super Skivvies Convertible Trianers

 Convertible trainers for your little Potty Learner.  Its a trainer... its underwear... Its Super Skivvies!

With their great prints and ultimate comfort, it was no surprise that Super Skivvies quickly became one of Aubrey's Favorite undies!

Pink Ooga Booga

What's so special about Super Skivvies? 

They are made from organic cotton and they feature a no roll elastic encased in the waist and thigh bands, leaving no red marks on Aubrey's chunky thighs.

In the wet zone Super Skivvies have a built in rayon (from bamboo) and organic cotton velour liner, the perfect place to tuck in a little more absorbency for the training stages.

Butter Ooga Booga

Included is a removable insert consisting of three layers rayon (from bamboo)/organic cotton fleece. Just tuck the insert into the wet zone lining, and your undies are trainers!  When your little trainer gets a bit bigger like my Aubrey, simply remove the insert and your trainers are now her big girl undies!

Its a zoo in here

Super Skivvies are not an alternative to diapers. Including the insert, there are five layers of protection, enough to handle a small accident.  If your little one still needs more protection you can add a second insert.

Frogs in Cars

Find all of the featured Aubrey's Undies and more favorite trainers online at our Moms and Bums Family of Shops, or visit us in person at our Inventory Clearance Sale  during the Mom sale October 22nd at the Brampton Fairgrounds (12942 Heart Lake Rd, L7C2J3) from 930-130.  Admission $3 and all admission proceeds will once again be donated to Peel Children's Safety Village.  Find more details on our Locals Corner page.

Have you enjoyed our Aubrey's Undies features?  See Aubrey's Favorite undies featured on CityLine!

What to buy to begin cloth diapering

On a tight budget, but want to go green and choose cloth? You can actually cloth diaper your kids for under $400 from birth to potty training! You can find some great info on different styles and brands of cloth diapers on our Cloth Diapers 101 page.

• Enough cloth diapers to last through a 24 hour + period (the length of time will depend on how often you have decided you want to wash your cloth diapers)
  
• Cloth Diaper safe detergent. Most manufacturers recommend Rockin Green, Allens Naturally or Wonder Wash. Each manufacturer has a list of cloth safe detergents, if you are questioning which ones your cloth diaper manufacturer recommends, feel free to contact us.
  
• A cloth diaper pail or somewhere to store your soiled
  
  cloth diapers until wash day
• 24-36 cloth wipes or 2-3 cloth wipes per cloth diaper
  

These items are not essential but are nice to have:

• a wetbag to store your soiled cloth diapers in during outings(we have 2 we rotate)
• 2 cloth diaper pail liners (these are not essential, however without them you will need to wash out your pail each laundry day, having two allows you to switch them while one is being laundered).
• wipes cubes- add your dry cloth baby wipes to a plastic container, a wipes warmer and just pour the solution over top,
  
  or add pre-moistened cloth wipes to a mini wetbag for outings. A 10g trial pack will last roughly 2 months.
• 6 cloth diaper doublers- not necessary for
  
  newborns as they are changed so frequently, but essential for a heavy wetter, especially overnight .
• 6 cloth diaper liners- Cloth diaper liners may extend the life of
  
  your cloth diapers. These help reduce staining and removal of solids, or to protect your cloth diaper while using rash creams (liners then need to be washed separately if you are using them for creams); highly
  
  recommended for those first few meconium days or for older babies who are on solid foods. Cloth diaper liners are not needed for breastfed babies. (you may also choose to purchase disposable diaper liners which can be flushed down the toilet)
• Diaper sprayer- to spray off solids into the toilet. This is not needed if you are using cloth diaper liners.
• A large diaper bag. Cloth Diapers take up more space than disposable diapers do, so if you plan to be out for a while you will need a large diaper bag to hold them.
  

Raising Green Kids- Finding Green Clothing

The earlier you get your kids interested in green choices and issues, the more likely they are to carry that interest into adulthood and through the rest of their lives. From the items you surround them with, to the items you dress them in, you have plenty of opportunity to keep the materials as natural and organic as possible. I called this series of posts raising green kids, it consists of "Finding Green Clothing", "Finding Green Toys" and "Finding Secondhand Treasures".

Clothing: Choose natural fibers (organic natural fibers are even better). Cotton has been around as a natural fibre choice for as long as clothing has been made, but these days it is quickly being replaced by organic cotton, wool, hemp and bamboo.

Conventionally grown cotton consumes approximately 25% of the insecticides and more than 10% of the pesticides used in the world. These toxic chemicals and the use of synthetic fertilizers pollute the air, water and soil.  They have serious ecological impacts and are hazardous to both farm workers and neighboring residents.

Organic cotton is grown using agricultural practices that have a low impact on the environment, replenish and maintain soil fertility, reduce the use of toxic pesticides and fertilizers, and supports biologically diverse agriculture.

Chemical bleaches and dyes are not used in the garment fabrication process, and there are strict standards used to regulate which companies can be considered “certified”.

Wool is naturally breathable, antibacterial and can absorb up to one-third of its weight in moisture without feeling wet. Wool is being used more and more often as a diaper cover, with its breathability it keeps baby's body temperature up to 4*C cooler than PUL cloth diaper covers, which in turn helps prevent the growth of bacteria that can cause diaper rash.

Hemp grows with much less need for water which means its not only better for baby but better for the environment as well! The Hemp plant also requires less pesticide use during growth which reduces its overall impact on the environment. Hemp is also much more durable than cotton. Hemp is being used more and more these days in cloth diapers for its natural antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. It is also more absorbent than cotton fabrics of the same weight, and feels drier to the touch when wet.

Bamboo is a grass that regenerates naturally and can be grown without the use of pesticides. It never requires replanting due to its extensive root system. The bamboo plant is 100% biodegradable. Bamboo is also the fastest growing woody plant in the world; it is becoming increasingly popular as cloth diaper and clothing material. Bamboo fiber is silky and soft, very breathable, antibacterial, anti-fungal and anti-static. Bamboo fiber has tiny micro-gaps and micro-holes that make it excellent for moisture absorption and ventilation. This unparalleled micro structure means that bamboo fiber has natural wicking capabilities. It absorbs 3 to 4 times more than cotton and doesn't feel sticky or uncomfortable when wet.

You can find some great organic clothing at Moms and Bums Family of Shops and at the other great Canadian Cloth Diaper Stores.
Moms and Bums
Baby's Bottom Line
Natural Parenting Shop

Aubrey's Undies #3 - Imse Vimse Trainers and Aristocrats Wool Soakers

Aubrey is now 3 and has been day trained for some time, but with her kidney problems having an easy to use night time solution was hard to find.  It was important that we use something that would breathe well, but still help keep her sheets and bed dry at night.  Most important for her was that she was able to use it by herself!  So when she needed to get to the bathroom quickly she could easily pull them down and make it on time.

Aubrey will tell you that she loves her big girl undies!  She loves the fun designs and that they pull on just like her big sisters undies do.  I love how trim they are, fitting easily under her clothes.  ImseVimse Training Pants are functional and stylish and are made with organic cotton.


What are they made of?
Organic cotton knit outside with two layers of absorbent organic cotton terry on the inside, and one inner layer of PUL. ImseVimse training pants absorb just enough to protect clothes from getting wet when small accidents happen.

Although they are recommended for day-time use only, we add an aristocrats wool cover for the perfect nap time and overnight combo.

Aristocrats pure wool pull on diaper cover is made of stretchy, double layered knit wool.  Designed for extra absorbency and protection.

Why wool?
Wool is breathable, helping to maintain normal body temperature.  Wool can actually absorb a third of its weight in liquid before it feels wet.   

It's that time again!  Moms and Bums will once again be sponsoring the upcoming Mom to Mom Charity Sale being held on Mother's Day Weekend, Saturday May 7th from 9am to 1pm at Judith Nyman Secondary School (formerly North Peel).  Come on out and support Peel Children's Safety Village!

Teething Troubles - A review of Amber Necklaces

Welcome back Katie and Ayden with another great product review!
Why I wanted to try an Amber Necklace
I had never really thought of what “style” of parenting I would use for my children.  I knew I would breast feed my baby and I wanted to cloth diaper, as I am environmentally conscious and wanted to reduce the environmental impact of having a baby.  It turns out those characteristics generally classify you as a “natural parent”.  Once I discovered the whole world of natural parenting, I was instantly addicted.  It fit so well with our lifestyle and how we wanted to raise our children.  From breast feeding, to cloth diapering, to baby wearing everything clicked into place for us after my son Ayden was born.
As Ayden neared the four month mark friends started warning me about the next looming stage…. Teething.  They regaled stories of sleepless nights, horrible diaper rashes and inconsolable crying babies.  “Have the Tylenol and Orajel ready” they said.  Now I work in healthcare, so I am not against medication when needed but I also don’t believe in giving medication to babies (or anyone for that matter) if there is another natural way to treat the ailment.  So I talked to a couple of other “natural mommies” that I know and all of them highly recommended getting an Amber necklace to help with teething pain.
I am really excited to see how the Amber necklace helps Ayden as he goes through the teething process.  I will keep you posted.  Wish us luck, and not too many sleepless nights!!!

First week of using the Amber Necklace
There are so many choices when it comes to colours and styles of amber teething necklaces.  I selected mixed amber necklace and was so impressed by how beautiful it was when it arrived.  The beads were stunning and overall the necklace looked very durable.  The clasp is very secure (plastic screw closure) and easy to put on a wiggly baby.  When I put the necklace on Ayden I thought he might try to grab it and pull it off (try to keep a hat on this kid), but he didn’t really even notice.  I was worried that it would not be comfortable underneath all of his chins (yes Ayden is a chunky monkey), but again he has had no complaints and never any red marks.
Amber necklaces are not to chew on, but rather work via contact with the skin.  The necklace fits tight enough that it cannot go above his chin, and lays nicely under Ayden’s clothes and bibs.  It looks so cute, and we have received many compliments since he started to wear it.
But of course the biggest question of all is… Does it actually work?  And the answer is YES!!!!  I was truly amazed at how well the amber necklace seemed to take the edge off Ayden’s teething pain.  Prior to getting the necklace Ayden’s hands were his favorite teether, to the point where his thumbs were getting red and raw.  After a couple of hours wearing the necklace I could see a difference in how often he was biting down on his hands and toys.  If I forgot to put the necklace on him in the morning, I could tell by 10:00 as he was chewing on everything in sight, and overall not a happy baby.  Within an hour of putting it back on him he was calm and able to play with his toys without each and everyone going into his mouth.  I think the best testament to the amber necklace is that we have not had to break open the Tylenol (or any other medication), had no inconsolable crying or any sleepless nights while Ayden got his first 2 teeth.

If you have a little one that is teething, I would highly recommend getting an Amber teething necklace to help with teething pain.  We have had great success using one to help with Ayden’s teething pain and plan on continuing to use it as he gets more teeth.

Moms and Bums Family of Shops has a new tester!

Meet Ayden, our newest tester and his mom Katie! Katie won our 3G Pocket tester contest. Here is her first impressions on the 3G:

I was like a kid on Christmas morning waiting for my fluffy mail to arrive after I heard I was selected as a tester for the 3G Pocket diaper by Babykicks.
I started to cloth diaper my son as soon as we brought him home from the hospital. At first it was only during the day, as I tested the cloth diapering waters, but I soon grew more confident in my abilities and my diapers and switched to cloth full time and have been hooked ever since!
The majority of our stash is made up of one size pockets, so when I had the opportunity to try 3G Pocket diaper I jumped at the chance.
When my 3G Pocket diaper arrived my first thoughts were:

• I LOVE the colour – the Meadow (green) is beautiful and vibrant
• This diaper is so soft – the inner layer of Bamboo/Fleece is amazingly soft and will feel so nice against my baby’s bottom
• That is it?!? It is SO thin – The hemp/cotton insert is the thinnest insert I have seen in a pocket diaper so far.
  This insert is also contoured so it will be less bulky
• Hmmmm I have never had a diaper with fleece air gussets before, they look neat and will be very soft around the baby’s legs, but will they leak?

After a quick wash I was eager to try my new diaper on my son.
The 3G Pocket Diaper has the most sizing options out of any pocket diaper I have seen.
With 4 snap down sizes (3 snaps and unsnapped) PLUS a newborn snap closure gives you ultimate adjustability. This diaper really is a newborn to potty training one size diaper. I wish we had this diaper when we were brought my son home from the hospital, at just over 6 lbs he did not fit into other one size diapers right away, but I believe he would have fit into the 3G pocket diaper.
After a first use here is what I LOVED about the 3G diaper:

• The inner lining was still so soft after washing
• Finding the right fit was easy as there were so many snap options to choose from
• This diaper is SUPER trim – no bulky bottom with this cloth diaper and no need to size up pants!!!
• No leaks, I don’t know how they do it with the air gussets, but we had no problems at all
• The hemp/cotton insert is very absorbent – I felt like it drew more moisture into it and away from baby’s bottom, leaving the lining feeling dry
  

Here is my son, at almost 18lbs, in the 3g Pocket diaper.

A great fit around the legs and waist.

A close up of the leg gussets – so soft and no leaks!
And underneath clothes – no puffy bottom!
I liked that this was a front stuffing diaper that way it is very easy to see if any insert is sticking out (especially for daddy), however this is the one downfall to the diaper as well. Given that it is so trim it is a bit harder to stuff then other pocket diapers. I am excited to test this diaper to see how it performs overnight.
Overall I was very impressed 3G Pocket by Babykicks on our first use, it is a great one size diaper and we will be adding more to our collection very soon.

3G Tester Winner!

Last month we put a call out looking for a special tester for the new 3G pockets by BabyKicks. We got some great responses from you! In the end we chose Katie and her 6 month old son Ayden. Over the course of the next few months Katie will be sharing her experiences with all of us. Here is Katie's entry submission.

Why I want to test a 3g Pocket Diaper

I am a mommy to the cutest chunky monkey who is rapidly outgrowing the small size cloth diapers I have. Ayden is 6 months old and 17lbs. I started cloth diapering my son in August. I have used a small selection of pockets (BG, Fuzzi Bunz, and Monkey Doodlez) during this time. We are now cloth diapering full time with hopes of continuing until potty training. We are looking to expand our stash and replace the diapers that he is about to outgrow. I have experience with pockets, however the 3g pocket diapers offer some advantages I would love to try. The front stuffing pocket and side snaps look like awesome features to help with the ease of cloth diapering a baby that is always on the move! Sizing up for pants has been an issue for us in the past, and it would be great to find a solution to that. As an added benefit I LOVE talking fluff and spreading the word about my favorite store (Moms and Bums of course) and diapers, plus I think fluffy bum pictures are adorable so there will be lots of photo documentation if I am picked :o)

Overall I would be a great choice, as I have enough experience to be able to compare this diaper to other pockets but not so much that I have tried everything out there. I will offer a fair, well written review with cute fluff pictures to boot!

Katie

Stay tuned for more review posts from Katie!