Green Living, Cloth Diapers and Natural Parenting

Moms and Bums Inventory Clearance Sale

2011-10-04T10:28:00.001-04:00

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 Trainers

2011-09-27T10:25:00.000-04:00

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!

Bummis Bio-Soft Liners: A Review from Little Miss Kate

2011-08-01T22:10:00.001-04:00

Bummis Bio-Soft Liners from Moms and Bums

One of the most frequent questions I get once someone learns that I use cloth diapers on my son is “What about the poop?!?” I think this is the thing that scares the most people away from cloth diapering, when really it does not need to be a concern at all. There are some great products out there to help you get rid of the “solids” from your diapers making washing a breeze and keeping the stinkies away from your diaper pail.

Now when I first started cloth diapering A.C., I was very paranoid about the poop, and worried it would stain all of my diapers and be a big mess. I started using flushable liners, but didn’t find them all that effective against his exclusively breastfed poops. In talking to a few friends I found that I was the one doing it wrong… Exclusively breastfed babies produce poop that is completely water soluble, and in most cases has very little odour - no rinsing or liners required! I stopped using liners until we started to introduce other foods into A.C’s diet at 6 months. Now we can easily flush away the solids (and the smell) before putting the diaper in the diaper pail.

There are many different brands of liners out there, and I have tried several. The ones that we use most often are Bummis Bio-soft Liners.

Bummis Bio-Soft Liner next to a BumGenius

As the name states these liners are super soft, but don’t let this fool you these liners are up to the job. They are the perfect size to lay flat inside every pocket diaper I have tested them on (including Baby Kicks 3g). Although they may look thin (like a dryer sheet), they hold up well in all situations including overnight and never disintegrate. Overall they work great and really do make clean up a breeze.
A note from my personal experience – toilet paper or Kleenex are not good stand ins when you run out of liners. So make sure you get more once you open your last roll!

These liners worked amazing during our transition to solids and made an icky situation so easy to deal with. Using the Bummis Bio-soft liners we have never had to spray our diapers or had any problems with solids sticking to the diaper. Now that A.C. is pretty predictable in the poop department, I just put liners in the “high risk” diapers. When they are poopy I just flip them into the toilet, and if they are just wet I just drop it into the garbage pail. We have always used the small size and they have suited our needs perfectly. At $6.00 for a roll of 100, they are well worth the small investment.

Bummis Bio-Soft Liners on FuzziBunz and BumGenius

I highly recommend Bummis Bio-soft Liners - we use them on a daily basis and they make cloth diapering so easy!
Katie
You can read more reviews by Katie at Little Miss Kate.

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

2011-04-18T11:26:00.002-04:00

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

2011-03-07T22:27:00.001-05:00

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.

Welcome Ayden and Katie!

2011-01-23T14:18:00.007-05:00

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.

New 3G Tester!

2011-01-17T21:12:00.001-05:00

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!

Gabriel's Picks - BabyKicks 3g Pocket Diaper

2010-12-01T21:43:00.000-05:00

It's been a long time since we've done a Gabriel's Picks post. Gabriel is no longer the tiny preemie we first started posting about. Now nearly 11 months old and 17lbs we've moved into the mass expanse of one size diapers! So, you will be seeing some more Gabriel's Picks over the next little while as we review some great ones that we have tried and tested and some we even loved so much we've added them to our stock!

This posts feature is the BabyKicks 3g Pocket Diaper. The 3g is a one size pocket diaper that is incredibly thin and trim. It has a microfleece barrier designed to prevent wicking to the outside and some nice fleece leg gussets to stop any messes while still allowing for airflow and a front stuffing pocket.

We've been using and testing out the 3g for 2 months now and are pleased to say it is among our favorites for overnight solutions. It is very trim and easily allows us to use regular sized clothing on Gabe (not having to size up on pants to accommodate a bulky diaper). The side snaps make it impossible for him to get his diaper off, however, he is such a squirmer now that we find we have to be really quick to get it on before he is rolling over and on the move again.

Here is a run down of some of the great features:

One Size Design grows with baby from 7lbs/3.2kg to 40lbs/18kg. The intuitive snap-down sizing system makes adjusting and finding the right size and fit super easy. You will only needs to buy diapers once, saving you time and money!

Bamboo/Fleece lining: The incredibly soft inner liner (against baby’s skin) is made of luxurious 30% Certified Organic Cotton and 70% Rayon made from Bamboo. The material will remain soft, absorbent and silky wash after wash.

Air Gussets are made of a special fleece material and contain no PUL, which allows for even more air flow to help prevent rashes. The Soft fabric does not leave red marks on baby’s legs, but still protects against leaks and blow outs.

Front Pocket allows for easy stuffing of diaper and gives you the option to customize the absorbency. The front pocket eliminates inserts hanging out of the back of the diaper and prevents solids from leaking onto the insert.

Side Snaps eliminates wing drop problem and are easy to use, durable and long lasting. The two rows of four snaps allow for separate waist and thigh adjustment and will give you a perfect fit. Side snaps are harder for toddlers to undo (no playing in poo), and make diaper easy to use as a training pant when the time comes.

Waterproof Outer Shell removes the need for a cover. Our super-soft breathable PUL is waterproof and makes sure baby’s clothes stay nice and dry.

Want to test a 3g for us?

-This contest runs until Friday December 31st, 2010 @ 11:59pm EST.
-Winners will be chosen by most compelling argument
- to enter email tanya (at) momsandbums.com with why you think you are the most qualified to be our new tester. Please include the age and size of your current diapered little one along with info on your past cloth diapering experience.
- Winner must be willing to provide feedback as well as pictures of their experience using the 3g.
-Participation is open to cloth diaper users in CANADA ONLY!

Aubrey's Undies- Bummis Trainers

2010-10-03T09:37:00.000-04:00

Made in Montreal Canada, Bummis Trainers are one of Aubrey's first picks! Perfect for car trips and trips out to the store, when you want that layer of waterproof protection. Bummis Trainers are less bulky than some of the other brands we have tried, making them fit easily under Aubrey's clothes. Aubrey loved the prints, especially her new "Froggy Undies". Mommy loved that she could easily pull them up and down on her own as she works to independence in the bathroom.
The Low Down on Bummis:
- legs and waist are covered in stretchy lycra bindings
- laminated waterproof polyester knit outer
- flannel lining against your toddler allows them to feel wet and helps them train faster
- 2 layers of absorbent terry to absorb accidents

We found Bummis were perfect for daytime, nap time, and excursions out and about. Aubrey is a deep sleeper, so we found she saturated the Bummis before she woke up to make it to the potty, and had initially counted them out for night-time use. Then at 2am one night they were the only ones left in her drawer... so I did what any sleep deprived Mommy would have done at 2am, I quickly grabbed a Bummis Prefold from Gabe's pile folded it in 3 and tucked it in, then helped Aubrey pull them up. My middle of the night quick fix solution worked so well (dry sheets and PJ's in the morning) that it has become a part of our routine! The Bummis Trainers fit so much better than the overnight solution we had been using that they became the permanent solution- and we found a great way to continue to use the now too small Preemie Bummis Prefolds!

Want to win some Bummis products of your own to test out? Register to be a seeker in the upcoming Green Quiz Quest for your chance to win some great prizes donated by Bummis and other great sponsors!

Homemade Cloth Wipe Solutions

2010-07-30T00:01:00.001-04:00

This is post #3 in our cloth wipes series, so here is a quick recap in case you have missed a post. In post #1 we gave you 4 great reasons for using cloth wipes instead of disposables, we even included a link that goes through manufacturing processes and ingredients in those disposable wipes. In post #2 we went through some of the different brands of wipe solutions available from our shops. Today we are going to share with you some info onmaking your own wipes solution. We've collected a few recipes for cloth wipe solutions from our friends for you to try out as well! But first lets take a look at what ingredients go into those solutions.

Common Cloth Wipe Solution Recipe Ingredients:

Most cloth wipe solution recipes contain similar main ingredients, which are used for the same reason in each recipe. These are the common ingredients and why they're included:

Oil: Helps the wipe glide across baby's skin and keeps skin soft
Soap: Cleanses by removing all traces of urine and feces
EO: (Essential Oil) Added for antibacterial and/or aromatherapy purposes.
Water: The main ingredient in each recipe, cleanses the diaper area and dilutes the other ingredients

The type and amounts of oil, soap, EO and water that goes into a recipe is what gives each cloth wipe solution its own distinct "personality". Have fun trying different recipes until you find the ones that you like best!

How to Use Cloth Wipe Solutions

When mixing solutions works best to start with water, then oil and finally soap. By starting with water you'll avoid making tons of bubbles, and the oil will coat your measuring tools so the soap slips right off.

There are many different ways to store and apply cloth wipe solutions, try a few of the following ideas to find the one that works best for your family. You may discover that one system works great at home and another works great away from home. Most of the time it's easiest to gently mix the cloth wipe solution in a bottle with a cover, then pour it into the storage container. Here's some ideas to get you started:

Use a spray bottle to spritz baby's bottom or the cloth wipes.
Use a bottle with a pull-up spout (like your old pericare bottle- a great re-use solution) to dribble solution onto the cloth wipes.
Warm solution and place in an insulated container to provide warm wipes for baby.
Place cloth wipes into your old disposable wipes container, an old margarine container or any plastic or waterproof tub you might have around the house- pour wipes solution over wipes so you are ready for any changes during the day.

Don't store solutions or wet wipes for longer than a week as they do not contain preservatives.

Cloth Wipe Solution Recipes

Anti-Fungal

Omit vinegar if baby has a raw rash.
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon calendula oil
A few drops lavender oil
A few drops tea tree oil
1/4 cup 100% aloe vera gel
1/2 cup water

Lanolin & Glycerine

Lanolin and glycerine moisturize without oil. Lansinoh can be found in many local stores.
1 tablespoon liquid glycerine
1/4 teaspoon liquid lanolin (100% pure)
1-3 drops EO
4 cups water

Soapless

This recipe relies on the EO to cleanse, instead of using soap.
1-2 drops tea tree oil
1-2 drops lavender oil
1 cup water
Use caution with this recipe as we've been told some children may develop a rash since the essential oils aren't dissolved in a carrier oil

Aloe Vera Recipe

1/4 Cup Aloe Vera Gel
2 Drops Tea Tree Oil
2 Cups Hot Water
Stir or shake until this recipe is well mixed. Don't use until the mixture cools. Spritz on wipe before using if in spray bottle. Swish solution around over wipes if using a wipes box.

Vitamin E and Essential Oils Recipe

2 Drops Tea Tree Oil
2 Drops Lavender Oil (Please be sure to use only pure essential oils - don't use synthetic oils.)
2 Drops Chamomile Oil
2 Cups Water
1 Vitamin E Cap
Cut open vitamin E caplet and squeeze into the water, and add essential oil drops.

All of these recipes should be mixed well and then added to your spray bottle, your old pericare bottle or your wipes box. Spritz on, or wet wipe before use if you are using the spray or pericare bottle. You will pour the solution over your wipes if using a wipes box. These solutions do not have preservatives added. Discard any of the solutions left after a week and monitor them for changes in smell throughout use. If your solution begins to develop a musty smell discard right away. Solutions left too long can develop mold and mildew.

Cloth Diaper Wipes and Wipe Solutions- The Perfect Combination

2010-07-25T12:01:00.004-04:00

This is our second post in our cloth wipes series. The first post detailed 4 reasons why you should make the switch to cloth diaper wipes and ditch the disposables.

There are two types of cloth wipe solutions: liquid and cube form.

Liquid solutions come in either concentrated or diluted forms and can be used in foaming or spray bottles. Diluted forms can be purchased ready to use. No muss, no fuss.
When purchasing liquid solutions you run the risk of the product leaking during shipping (if you are purchasing online), and they are also heavier to ship. Also without the addition of preservatives (which we don't want added!) these liquid solutions do not have a very long shelf life. Some great brands you can check out for liquid solutions: bumGenius Bottom Cleaner, Northern Essence Natural Wipe Concentrate, and Happy Heiny's.

At the Moms and Bums family of shops we carry 2 varieties of cube brands for our customers. Monkey Doodlez and Knickernappies.
Monkey Doodlez SLS Free Wipe Cubes are made in Ontario. They contain lavender and tea tree oil to aid at keeping bacteria and fungus away, aloe vera for their tender bums and are vegetable based, so also safe for vegans.

Knickernappies Baby Bum Drops. Made with organic calendula blossoms and aloe vera to help soothe the skin and clear skin irritations. A natural glycerin soap base creates a mild cleansing action, and pure essential oils of lavender and mandarin help to create an aromatic calming atmosphere. Also contains anti-bacterial tea tree essential oil to keep your baby wipes fresh and germ-free.

To use them you simply add 2 cups of hot water (we use boiling water, but you need to plan ahead with this as it needs to cool before you can use it) and stir while the cube dissolves. We mix our batches in a Mason Jar and make a litre at a time. Once you have mixed your solution it is good for a week. We pile our wipes high in an old disposable wipes container and pour the solution over the top of them, so they are ready to use when it is "bum change" time. For outings we like to take dry wipes and put the solution in an old pericare bottle (most hospitals give you one free when you deliver), you can wet wipes as needed and having that extra solution is great for cleaning up sticky messes too!

There are advantages and disadvantages to each form of wipe solution, however once they are prepared, both are in liquid form and they will work in the same manner. To use the solutions, simply add to an old pericare bottle, a spritzing bottle, or cube solutions can be added directly to your wipes in an old margarine tub or disposable wipes container. Although some would spray baby, we recommend spraying or wetting your wipes and then using them on baby. Enjoy the relaxing fragrances from these great wipes solutions.

Cloth Diaper Wipes- 4 Great reasons to make the switch!

2010-07-20T00:01:00.002-04:00

Cloth Diaper Wipes are the Perfect Partner to Cloth Diapers

You'll love using cloth diaper wipes for all the reasons you love your cloth diapers! They're softer on your babies skin, chemical free and will save you money! Need more reasons to make the switch to cloth diaper wipes? Keep reading!

Cloth Diaper Wipes are Softer on your babies skin!

Cloth diaper wipes are made out of soft flannel, fuzzy velour, luxurious sherpa and looped terry. Cloth diaper wipes pamper your child's tender skin. Disposable wipes can be rough, and are made from plastic pellets and chemicals!

Cloth diaper wipes are also perfect for cleaning up those messy faces, runny noses and sticky fingers! Nothing is too messy for cloth diaper wipes to clean up!

Cloth diaper wipes come in several sizes: 5X7's are the perfect fit for your wipes warmer or recycled disposables box. The larger 8X8 size just needs to be folded in half to fit, but handles bigger messes! Just fill your old disposables box, wipes warmer or even an old margarine

container with wipes and add some water or wipes solution, and you're ready to go!

Cloth Diaper Wipes are Easy to use

It is easier to use cloth diaper wipes with cloth diapers than to use disposable wipes. Simply wet your cloth wipe with plain water or cloth wipe solution for a comfortable, effective way to clean up. What do you do with them after they are soiled? Just toss them into the diaper pail with the dirty diaper. No more sorting through that dirty diaper to throw disposable wipes in the garbage! Wash your cloth wipes with your cloth diapers. Cloth

diaper wipes will fit in your recycled disposable wipe container, recycled margarine container, or even Tupperware. Cant find a container? No problem! You can also wet your wipes as you need them.

Cloth Diaper Wipes Save you Money

Not only are cloth diaper wipes soft and easy to use, you'll save money by switching from disposable to cloth! When you throw away disposable wipes, you're throwing away your money. Many families spend over $100.00/month on disposables and wipes! Many disposable wipes are so thin that you need to use two or three at a time - more money being thrown away. Cloth diaper wipes are washed and reused to save money, and will usually last through more than one child. Thick enough to handle the messiest of cloth diaper changes, cloth diaper wipes remain soft wash after wash.

Cloth Diaper Wipes are Chemical Free

Cloth diaper wipes are better for your child's delicate skin than disposable wipes! Cloth diaper wipes are made from natural hemp, cotton and bamboo, and only have the ingredients you add to them. Disposable wipes contain chemical ingredients such as preservatives, surfactants, artificial fragrance and parabens. And those cloth like fibres are actually melted plastic pellets! To learn more about the chemicals that go into them and how disposable wipes are made check out e-notes.

A note about home made wipes solutions and recipes:

You need to use caution when home made wipes solutions call for commercial products (like baby wash or shampoo). Shampoo and Baby Wash manufacturers are not required to list every ingredient contained in their product(s). Unfortunately, many commercial products do leave out the fact that their shampoo or baby wash contains phthalates (as surfactants). Which have the potential to cause reproductive problems/cancers and can be quite toxic. It is highly recommended that you check the ingredients list on any product you intend to use on your littles ones delicate skin and research those ingredients.

Stay tuned for our entry on wipe solutions you can buy!

Aubrey's Undies #1- Happy Heiny's Pocket Trainers

2010-07-15T08:55:00.000-04:00

...Training Undies That Is!
At Moms and Bums we make a point of trying to test out each product we carry on our three little Guinea Pigs. Aubrey was our original diaper tester, and has now moved on to the position of trainer tester! Aubrey is a very head strong 2 year old, and has taken longer to learn to use a potty than her older sister Kiera did. Why you might be asking was it so difficult for her to learn? Well the real issue was that she really likes her cloth diapers! She would tell you which one she was going to wear, and she had flower ones, and cow ones and and pink prints... her diapers were fun! In her eyes they were much nicer than the plain under wear Kiera had- even if Kiera's did have Dora on them. So we knew it was time to find her some fancy undies!
We had ordered in trainers for customers before, but didn't really keep them in stock because we hadn't had anyone we could test them on until now.
We started off with some Happy Heiny's Pocket Trainers with snaps.
First a bit of info about Happy Heiny's and what makes them different than other trainers on the market:
First they were redesigned with your busy toddler in mind! Snaps can be added for ease in messy clean ups and to make stuffing easier. Snaps can be added to one side, both sides or the side can be sewn shut for older bed wetters.
Happy Heiny's have an elastic waistband making them easy for your little one to pull up and down on their own. This is also good for older children with bed wetting issues. Quick on and off. Like their diapers, the inner lining is custom milled fleece for a more stay dry feeling and the outer layer is PUL to hold in wetness. The pocket opening allows you to add as much stuffing as you need, so even the heaviest wetter still has protection overnight.
Happy Heinys Trainers have been child tested and last 12+ hours overnight with absolutely no wicking for most children. Happy Heinys® Trainers are available in a variety of solid colors. They have a 100% poly laminated outer layer and work wonderfully for potty learners who still need protection overnight.
I will add a word of caution here- do not buy any trainers that are the same pattern as those they have for diapers- Aubrey's favorite diaper was her Happy Heiny's cow print, her "Cow Diper" (she has since learned how to pronounce diaper), so silly me thought she would also love having undies the same print... boy was I wrong! She took one look at what I thought was going to be her favorite new undies and exclaimed "that's a diper!", and wouldn't even try them on.
My second word of caution: don't buy patterns the same as their siblings diapers! I absolutely love monkey prints, so of course picked a silly monkey print OS for Gabriel and a silly monkey print trainer for Aubrey, only for her to exclaim "That's Gabriel's diper", and again wouldn't even try it on.
So, Aubrey and I took a little walk into our store room and I pulled out all the prints in her size and let her pick the one she wanted. She chose the Pink Hibiscus print. There are some theories on potty learning/training that suggest you even let the child pick out their own seat. We have not taken things that far, but allowing her to choose her own "undies" assured that she would want to wear them. In fact she was quite disappointed when she had to wait for her new undies to be washed first.
Once her new undies had been washed and she was able to wear them, we gave her quite simple instructions "don't pee pee in your new undies". Aubrey was just starting the learning process at this point, she knew when she was wet and wanted a "bum change", but hadn't needed to know before she went until now. About half an hour later, Aubrey shouted out "Oh no, my undies, mommy pee peed, bum change". Aubrey quickly learned that her Happy Heiny's were waterproof and were just like her "dipers", thus we have since reserved them for car trips, overnight and nap time.
We found the fit of the Happy Heiny's to be a bit puffy, which was perfect for adding that extra hemp insert for overnight! Aubrey really didn't notice or care about the puffiness, and her clothes fit over them just as well as her regular cloth diapers. We loved the side snaps in the beginning when there were still poop accidents as it made clean up much easier. Aubrey was able to pull up her new "dipers" herself which made her feel like a big girl- just like her big sister.
Our recommendations for Happy Heiny's Trainers: Overnight protection for older bed wetters, nap time protection and all day protection for the toddlers who are just beginning the learning process and will still require a waterproof layer. For a heavy wetter overnight we recommend a layer of microterry followed by a layer of hemp.
All our Happy Heiny's Trainers are sold with a Happy Heiny's Large MicroTerry insert, so there is no need to purchase anything extra, just wash and start that potty learning process!
Stay tuned for our next edition of Aubrey's Undies... Still to come: Bummis, Little Beetle and Imse Vimse.

Want to win your own Happy Heiny's Trainer? Visit us on Facebook on July 17th to find out how!

The Rockin’ Green Ticket Event!

2010-06-29T11:34:00.001-04:00

We've added Rockin Green to our lineup, and just in time for this great anniversary contest!

July marks the 1 year anniversary of Rockin’ Green! It has been an AMAZING year, and we feel so blessed to have such a fantastic fan base. Seriously, our customers ROCK!!! So in honor of you guys- we have cooked up a really fun anniversary giveaway blowout.

Here’s all the details:

Throughout the month of July, we are going to be putting special concert tickets inside specially marked packages. There will be 50 tickets in all, and we will then distribute them through our various channels. So, you may find a ticket in a bag in our store, for sale on our website or at one of our retailers! We don’t even know where they will end up!

Once you find a ticket, you can then contact us OR your favorite retailer to redeem your prize. Each bag is a chance to win (though there are other ways to enter too- so check the terms and conditions below) and the contest is open to all US and Canada residents.

The specially marked bags will start landing on your favorite retailers shelf in a week or two, so be on the lookout!

Here’s a list of the prizes that will be available:

• One Grand Prize winner receives a year supply of Rockin’ Green (12 bags worth)
• 100 dollar store credit to be used at your favorite Rockin’ Green retailer!
• 10 full size bags of Rockin’ Green – one per winner
• 25 sample size bags of Rockin’ Green – one per winner
• 9 Shake It Up! Pail Freshners – one per winner
• 5 Buddha Bunz Dryer Balls – one per winner

And there are even more surprises in store! We will also be giving away a bag of soap here on the blog, so to enter tweet the following “Check out the @RockinGreenSoap Green Ticket Event- for a YEAR’s worth of soap! http://www.rockingreensoap.com” or update your facebook status to say “Check out the Rockin’ Green Ticket Event- for a YEAR’s worth of laundry soap! http://www.rockingreensoap.com” and leave a comment here to be entered for the bonus bags.

Have fun!

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO WIN, for official rules and details click here.

Gabriel's Picks #3- FuzziBunz®

2010-06-29T11:31:00.000-04:00

A quick recap for those who are new to Gabriel's Picks:
Gabriel is the youngest Moms and Bums family member. Born at 34 weeks and 5lbs 3oz, Gabriel needed some special small diapers. Gabriel's Picks goes through some of our favorite preemie and newborn diapers on the market today. In the first edition we discussed Bummis Preemie Prefolds and Super Brite Covers. In the second edition we discussed the new Tini Fit and Easy Fit from Tots Bots. This edition will discuss FuzziBunz® Extra Small and One Size Pocket Cloth Diapers.

FuzziBunz® are pocket diapers made by Mother of Eden. If you are not familiar with pocket diapers, here is a quick rundown for you.

All pocket diapers have the same basic construction: an inside wicking layer (for the "stay-dry" feeling), an absorbent insert and an outside waterproof layer. These layers can be made up of different materials, but in the case of FuzziBunz® they are microfleece, microfibre and PUL (polyurethane laminate- they have taken fabric and laminated it so it is waterproof). These are also the most common materials for pocket diapers.

We love to use pocket diapers when we are out and about for a few reasons, but here are the main two:
1. They are less bulky in the diaper bag, so for a quick trip to the store it means I can throw a couple diapers (one for Gabriel and one for Aubrey) in a small bag and be set. For those of you who are new moms, we once left the house without a diaper bag for a quick trip to the store with our oldest. About 10 minutes into our shopping Kiera decided to have a huge poop, needless to say we have never left the house without a bag again!
2. They go on quicker than prefolds and in one step. If you have ever tried to diaper a squirming baby on one of those fold out changing tables, you know you want something quick and easy!

With an average sizing of 4-12lbs we found the XS FuzziBunz® were a great pocket during those first few months when not much else fit our little man. Gabriel was just over 5lbs when we started using our FuzziBunz®. Even tough the One Size is rated for newborns and not preemies, with the button hole elastics to adjust the sizing, we found it worked just as well as the XS for us. The One Size comes with 2 inserts, one for smaller and one for larger settings. For preemie sizing we used a smaller insert, as the small one that comes with it was just too bulky!
The XS FuzziBunz® differ slightly from the other perfect sized FuzziBunz® in that they do not have the extra row of leg snaps. With a 6'6" dad Gabriel is tall for his age, and at 10lbs 9oz the rise just wasn't long enough anymore, and plumber bum just doesn't mix with breastmilk poops!

We have had to adjust the sizing on the One Size a few times and have sized up on the insert to the small that comes with it, but at 12lbs 13oz and 4 months old it is still going strong! Definitely worth every penny! Check out the video below made by FuzziBunz demonstrating the use of their One Size. When you adjust your One Size for the first time be sure to adjust one button at a time! I blame it on sleep deprivation, but this Mama unbuttoned both ends and accidentally pulled the elastic right out! I can say this- replacing the elastics will be a very simple job!
Visit us for great deals on discontinued colors.

Gabriel's Picks #2- The Tini/Easy Fit

2010-06-07T14:03:00.002-04:00

Made in Scotland by Tots Bots the Tini Fit hit the market in North America only a few months ago... just in time for our little tester to enjoy the soft bamboo rayon against his tiny tush. Their innovative design couples a pocket diaper with an all in one. The pocket insert is attached to the diaper, so you never need to figure out which insert belongs with which diaper when it comes out of the wash.
Their design also allows for the insert to agitate out on its own in the wash, so there is no need to unstuff prior to laundering. In our family that is a huge plus! Nothing is more annoying than for me than taking the load of diapers out of the drier only to find a balled up insert down in the bottom of the pocket diaper.
We found the extra insert that comes with the Tini fit wasn't necessary unless we were planning to use it overnight, or on a long car trip.
This is the first pocket velcro cloth diaper we have used where the laundry tabs actually stayed closed in the wash. Even after 2 months of use they are lint free and still look like the first day we used them.
We found the Tini Fit to be true to its sizing (5-12lbs) and although we might have been able to get away with it a little while longer Gabriel at 12 lbs 8 oz and 4 months old (10 weeks corrected) was beginning to have a bit of plumber butt (even as a prem he is at 75% on the chart for his height). So we have moved up to the Tini Fits big brother- The Easy Fit. Matt gives the Tini/Easy Fit the Daddy's Choice approval for ease of use and laundering. It is always the first one he grabs!

New Blog: Cloth Diaper Retailer Cooperative! Check it out!

2010-06-06T13:52:00.000-04:00

New Blog: Cloth Diaper Retailer Cooperative! Check it out!

Knickernappies: Our Featured Retailer of the Week is....Moms and Bums of Ontario, Canada!

2010-06-06T13:51:00.000-04:00

Knickernappies: Our Featured Retailer of the Week is....Moms and Bums of Ontario, Canada!

Visit the Knickernappies blog for a special coupon codefor Moms and Bums! Visit our facebook fan page for a chance to win a KND OS cloth diaper!

Knickernappies 2nd Annual Photo Contest has begun! Enter and you could win 6 Knickernappies diapers!

2010-04-29T13:55:00.001-04:00

Knickernappies 2nd Annual Photo Contest has begun! Enter and you could win 6 Knickernappies diapers!

Have  you seen this post over at the Knickernappies Blog?

`We're are so excited to announce the launch of our 2nd Annual Knickernappies Photo Contest and this year it's bigger and better than ever! The Grand Prize is huge and what's the best part? You're in control of your own destiny. There's no mystery panel of judges who randomly announce a winner, this time you promote your photo and get as many votes as you can.`

Here are the details:

When: Contest runs from April 15-May 15, 2010

Where: Knickernappies FaceBook Page

How to enter: To enter the contest you must be a Fan of Knickernappies on FaceBook. After you’ve become a Fan you need to upload a photo of your little wearing a Knickernappies Diaper. One entry per person please. In the comments for your photo please add the URL to the store where you purchased the diaper. Make sure to include a clickable link to the store, not just the name.

Eligible photos must be uploaded to the Fan Photos between April 15 through May 15. If you already have a Fan Photo uploaded that you’d like to use as your entry then you need to upload it again so that it will have the proper date and also a link to the retailer.

If your photo does not include a link to a Knickernappies Retailer in the comments it will be deleted and you will have to resubmit, so make sure you dont forget to name Moms and Bums as your retailer.

How do you get votes? Every time someone “LIKES” your photo it is a vote. When the contest ends the photo with the most “LIKES” is the winner. Comments are encouraged as well but do not count as votes.

How do I promote my photo? We’ve provided a handy “Vote for Me” button on the left hand column of the Blog. You simply grab the code and replace the code/url that says http://www.knickernappies.bogspot.com with the url to your Fan Photo. You can then place the button on your Blog or Website, on Message Boards, Your FaceBook page, etc. and encourage friends and family to vote for your photo by “LIKING” it.

Another GREAT and EASY way to promote your photo is to “SHARE” it via FaceBook. When you are on your photo in our FB Fan Photos you will see a link to “SHARE” it with your friends and family via your FaceBook Page. When you share it you need to make sure to let your friends and family know that they need to click through the link to the Knickernappies FB Page to “LIKE” it. Liking it on your page when you share it is not the same as liking it on the KN FB Page.

What are the prizes?

Grand Prize-(1 Winner) 6 Knickernappies 2G Sized Pocket Diapers with your choice of inserts (Just Hemp, Microfiber, Loopy-Do’s), color, and size!
Runner Up’s- (5 Winners) 1 Knickernappies 2G Sized Pocket Diapers with your choice of inserts (Just Hemp, Microfiber, Loopy-Do’s), color, and size!

*This contest is open to participants worldwide!

Gabriel's Picks- #1 Premmie Prefolds and Super Brite Covers by Bummis

2010-04-21T14:49:00.009-04:00

We are always asked which cloth diapers we use and what we prefer, so we decided it was time to share:) Over the next few weeks we are going to highlight some great cloth diapers that we found worked the best for Gabriel. First you may need a bit of background. Gabriel was born January 24th at 5lbs 3oz and 34 weeks gestation. He is our 3rd child, our second to use cloth diapers (the nurses in the NICU were not open to cloth, so he was 2 weeks old before we started, and had just passed his birth weight).We used a variety of diapers on him, some fitting much better than others. My favorite was Bummis preemie prefolds with a preemie/newborn super brite cover. He has since outgrown the Preemie/newborn cover (at just over 10lbs and nearly 3 months old) so we have moved up to small Bummis Super Brites and xs Thirsties covers. The prefolds are however still fitting great, and seem to get softer with each wash! We will have to update when they become too small for him.
A note on Thirsties xs covers and AIO's- Although the design for Thirsties and Bummis are quite similar, (with Bummis being made right here in Canada) we found that the leg holes with Thirsties were much larger than the Bummis ones- allowing for our preemie with the common preemie "chicken legs" to pee right out of them. Gabriel was about 8lbs before he was able to wear them without leaks.
We definitely would recommend Bummis Newborn Super Brite Covers and Premmie Prefolds for small newborns and preemies.
Why did we chose the Super Brite over the Super Whisper? The leg gussets of course! If you havent had a newborn, then you may not know about the liquid poops that come along with them. You see until a baby begins solid foods poops are generally liquid, and sometimes seedy liquid- gross right! Without those legs gussets you run the risk of that liquid poop leaking right out the sides of the diaper... ask a mom who used disposables how many outfits they ruined with blowouts. Here at Moms and Bums we are all about the leg gussets!
Check out the great video below made by Bummis on how to use their prefolds and stay tuned for the next edition of Gabriels Picks coming soon...

Earth Week Deals April 21st

2010-04-21T12:53:00.004-04:00

Buy a Sugar Peas Windpro Fleece Cover and get a Sugar Peas Pea in a Pod Snap in Diaper for free!

Sugar Peas Single Layer Windpro Fleece Covers

Sugar Peas Windpro Fleece Diaper Covers are made of 1 layer of heavyweight Malden Mills Windpro Fleece for lots of protection yet a TRIM fit! These covers work so much better than the typical 2 layer polar fleece covers and yet they are much trimmer!

They work great for daytime and night for most, except the heaviest wetters. Side snaps give a great fit with good coverage over any diaper.

Two snaps at the back allow this cover to be turned into a Fleece-in-One by purchasing a Sugar Peas snap-in diaper!

Small fits 8-18lbs
Medium fits 16-28lbs
Large fits 26lbs+

Sugar Peas Snap-In Pea 'n the Pod Diaper

This Snap in Diaper turns any of your Sugar Peas covers into a Pea in the Pod All in One Diaper!

All of our covers are made with a set of snaps to pop this little semi-fitted diaper into so they can be put on your wiggly baby in one simple step. This diaper also works well in many other diaper covers as a lay in contour diaper.

Made entirely of 55% hemp / 45% organic cotton fleece. They now feature a built in fold out soaker (like the Sugar Peas 2-size fitted diaper) for ease of use and faster washing and drying! Elastic at the legs and back for a snug fit and to help keep messes in.

Add a Sugar Peas Windpro Fleece Cover to make a Pea in the Pod All in One Diaper!!

Earth Week Deals April 19th!

2010-04-19T10:25:00.002-04:00

Econobum
$12 today only an while quantities last!

Econobum is the award winning cloth diaper solution for every budget. Econobum includes a one-size diaper cover and a one-size prefold. Other intelligent packages available so you always have exactly what you need. Buy once. Econobum's one-size cover and one-size prefold adjust to grow along with your little one. Econobum is the simple, affordable choice in cloth diapering.
Why econobum?
Econobum™ is the cloth diapering solution for every budget! Save money while making the environmentally friendly choice to cloth diaper little one's bum. The one-size cover and prefold adjusts to grow along with your little one.
Econobum features:
• A waterproof shell, so no extra cover is needed.
• Form fitting elastic to prevent leaks.
• Easy to use snaps.
• One-size prefold easily adjusts from small to large to grow with your baby.
• No stuffing involved just lay prefold in cover and go!
• Patent pending 3x3 adjustable snap system to fit most babies from birth to potty training.

Washing Instructions
Wash hot, line dry cover, tumble dry prefold. No laundry additives or softeners.
Prior to first use, prefolds must be washed 3-5 times in hot water with a small amount of detergent to ensure maximum absorbency.

Fabric Content
Cover: 100% Laminated Polyester
Prefold: 100% Unbleached Cotton

Package Includes:
1 one-size 100% cotton prefold
1 one-size cover (Available in White only)

Earth Week Contest!

2010-04-19T10:06:00.004-04:00

Moms and Bums is having an Earth Week Contest!

We are giving away a Monkey Doodlez swimmer from our stock! Just tell us why you love cloth diapers and you will be entered for your chance to win!
See whats in stock!

2010-04-14T16:02:00.004-04:00

We have recently upgraded our shopping cart and we are just putting up the finishing touches. Unfortunately some of the files were not able to be transfered to the upgraded cart and we are slowly manually adding them. Amoung these was the "Users" files, so if you have tried to log on in the past couple of days you will have noticed that you were no longer a member. We are working to correct this and are re-adding all of the memberships by hand- with 350+ members it is taking us a while! As your membership fiole is redone you should receive an email with a new password- you will need to change this password on your first login.

We are also slowly working at repairing some broken links, and redoing logos, banners and info pages. Should you find any broken links or missing pages during your shopping please let us know.

Earth Week is quickly approaching! As a special bonus for earth week we will be featuring a new product each day that will be drastically reduced in price. You will need to tune into our facebook group and blog for the inside scoop!

We will also be doing a few giveaways over the next few weeks leading up to the upcoming Mom to Mom sale on May 15th. Please note that in order to avoid any oversales in products we will be closing the online store on May 15th while we are away at the Mom to Mom sale- it should be back up and running by 3pm.

Knickernappies: Call to Action: The importance of leaving feedback at Diaperpin

2010-04-10T12:15:00.000-04:00

Knickernappies: Call to Action: The importance of leaving feedback at Diaperpin

2009-09-17T15:12:00.000-04:00

Moms & Bums Cloth Diaper & Natural Parenting Shop

2009-09-10T07:24:00.001-04:00

FuzziBunz® One Size Rewards Program! Buy 9 one size FuzziBunz® diapers and receive $40 in free FuzziBunz® products!

2009-09-10T07:16:00.001-04:00

Moms and Bums has closed the home showroom for the time being, but you are welcome to come see us at the:

Mom 2 Mom Brampton Sale!!!
Saturday September 26th, 2009
9:00 am- 1:00 pm

Free gift to first 40 families that visit our table!

Are your kiddies growing way to fast?? Mom 2 Mom Sales are a FANTASTIC way to Shop for gently-used baby & kid’s items for your family!! It is even better than a yard sale because Over130 Vendors will be there selling ONLY infant & children’s items including clothing, shoes, costumes, outdoor play equipment, strollers, baby gear & equipment, bicycles, toys and more!!!. At Mom 2 Mom sales you purchase directly from the vendors so come, negotiate and make some deals!!!! It is a great way to do some spring & summer shopping while saving lots of $$$!

All admission fee's are being donated to The Peel Children's Safety Village.
Admission $2.00 – Grandparents & Children Enter FREE!!

ATM Machine on location kindly provided by ViaCash

** The Marketplacewill open @ 8:00am in the lobbyand will showcaselocal businesses offeringfantastic products & services!

Coffee, Muffins & Croissants will be available for$1.00so come and line up early!!

Pizza Pizza slices will also be available for $2.00 at 11:30am *while supplies last*

Located Inside

North Peel Secondary School / Terry Miller Rec Center

1305 Williams Parkway

(South West Corner of Bramalea Road & Williams Pkwy)

Take Hwy 410 North, exit @ Williams Pkwy, turn right & follow to Bramalea Rd – School is on the right!

2009-03-11T10:42:00.001-04:00

Want to know more about Moms & Bums? Why not check out our Parent Entrepreneur profile?

What's new at Moms and Bums

2009-02-11T14:45:00.019-05:00

We are introducing some great new product lines:

CottonBabies and Bummis

The bumGenius One-Size Cloth Diaper is revolutionary in design - it is the first reusable diaper to feature stretch-to-fit tabs (patent pending) that make cloth diapering as easy and comfortable as using disposables.

Bio-soft liners are flushable diaper liners that make clean-up a breeze – this product is the perfect compromise between convenience and cloth diapers. No more rinsing poopy diapers in the toilet! Bio-soft liners absorb the solid waste - and then you simply discard the soiled liner in the toilet and flush away the mess. They are non-irritating and ever so soft and comfortable against baby's sensitive skin.

SUPER BRITE was designed to ensure a perfectly diapered fit – even for those long, skinny babies that need a little extra protection around the leg. This gusseted cover closes all the gaps! The SUPER BRITE is lightweight and waterproof. It consists of one single layer of polyester with a wipe-clean laminated interior. Cut and sewn in Montreal.

bumGenius One-Size Microfiber inserts are made of 3 layers of the thickest microfiber terry available anywhere. Our unique snap down design allows these inserts fit perfectly in any one size diaper!

Hemp Babies™ Raw Silk Liners
Silk is the only 100% natural wicking material able to help keep little bottoms drier. Silk has natural anti-bacterial properties that may keep yeast and diaper rash at bay.

Bamboozle fitted diaper consisting of 4 layers of bamboo fabric that is fantastically soft and beautiful! You will fall in love with this gorgeous, silky fabric - it truly is irresistible!

Fuzzi Bunz One Size Pocket Coming Soon!
The FuzziBunz One-Size Diapers are the most adjustable and innovative one-size cloth diapers on the market today! Adjust the diapers to fit babies 7-35 pounds and get a snug fit every time with the button-adjusted waist and leg casings. The leg casings adjust to 8+ settings and the waist adjusts to 4+ settings. Never before has a pocket-style cloth diaper been SO adjustable!

Restocked:
Allens Naturally Liquid Laundry Detergent specialy priced for a limited time!
Matter Company's Herbal Hug Baby Cream and Nappy Rash Ointment
Rainforest Babies Covers and M/L inserts- smalls coming soon!

Valentines week specials:

WAHMies buy 2 and save! Buy 2 WAHMies OS Pockets with snaps or hooks for $20 each (regular 22.25) and receive 5% off your entire order!

Free One Size Insert with new Baby Kangas One Size Pouch or Mommy’s Touch Easy Clean One size Pockets!

5% off all breastfeeding products!

Our showroom will be closed on Saturday February 14th. All orders placed online will not ship until Monday February 16th.

How to Care for your modern cloth diapers

2009-02-11T14:35:00.004-05:00

Have you heard the saying “These are not your mama’s cloth diapers”? Well, it’s true! Modern cloth diapers don’t require pins, or rubber pants! There is no soaking, bleaching or dunking! In fact taking care of your modern cloth diapers is as easy as putting on a regular load of laundry.

Why todays parents are choosing cloth diapers:

Infants go through 8,000 to 10,000 diaper changes before entering potty training.
On average, disposable diapers will cost you between $2,8000 (for 8,000 diaper changes) and $3,500 (for about 10,000 diaper changes) per child.

You can purchase your start-up set of cloth diapers for under $300. This could save you an average of $1,500 over the course of your infants diapering years! And the bonus is you can continue to use those same diapers on a second and third child!

When you finish using disposable diapers with your child, all you have left is a huge mountain of trash. Even worse, a disposable diaper normally made out of plastics takes around 500 years to decompose, and more than 18 billion disposable diapers are thrown out in North America each year. That is more than 100,000 tons of plastic and 800,000 tons of tree pulp. Disposable diapers also contain dioxin- a by-product of bleaching pulp which has been linked to cancer.
Washing cloth diapers takes the equivalent amount of water as flushing a toilet 5 times a day (even less if you have a front loader), which once your child has toilet trained will occur anyway.

What to buy to begin cloth diapering:

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. We recommend Allens Naturally or Wonder Wash
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
2 cloth diaper pail liners (these are not essential, however without th
em 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 overtop,
or add premoistened 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; 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.

How to Care for Your Modern Cloth Diapers

Where to store your dirty diapers until wash day

Dry Cloth Diaper Pail

Keep your wet and dirty diapers in a covered diaper pail. We recomment you use a dry diaper

pail (no water). This helps extend the life of your diapers as soaking for long periods will break down the fibres of your diapers over time. Wet diapers are also more prone to developing hard to remove offensive odours.

Using a waterproof bag as a diaper pail liner is an excellent option to help seal in odours between washings and make emptying the diaper pail more convenient. If the diaper pail gets smelly, you can add a pail pals , some fluff dust or a few drop of tea

tree oil (a natural antiseptic and disinfectant) to your diaper pail.
Dont forget that if you dont use a liner or waterproof bag, you will need to wash out the diaper pail with soap and water to keep it smelling fresh.

Wetbag

The perfect waterproof tote for soiled diapers. Wetbags can be machine washed with your soiled diapers and air dried. Most wetbags are made from PUL (polyurethane laminate). Some will have 2 layers: PUL on the inside and a more decorative cotton outside. Some are made with drawstrings, others have zippers, and they come in many sizes.

Washing Your Cloth Diapers

How often should you wash your cloth diapers

Depending on the amount of diapers you own you will need to wash every 2-3 days. If you decide to go much longer than that you will find that your diapers will be harder to clean.

Before you wash

Shake off the solids into the toilet or flush the disposable liner down the toilet. Re-fasten applix straps and place the dirty/wet diaper into a dry diaper pail. If the diaper cover also gets dirty you can add it to the pail. If your diaper cover only got wet, let the cover dry and re-use it a few more times.

Washing is Easy!

For Top-loaders

Pre-wash (cold water, no detergent, high water level)

Empty the diaper pail liner into the washer and use pre-wash cyce (or a rinse cycle) to rinse out urine and fecal matter.

Main Wash (longest cycle, hot water, Add detergent, high water level, 2nd cold rinse)

Detergent: Use a cloth diaper recommended detergent such as Allens Naturally or Wonder Wash
When washing diapers it is very important to have an idea about the quality of your water- if you have hard water, use less detergent and run your diapers through a hot wash without detergent after a regular wash cycle every month or so. In hard water the detergent does not rinse well and your diapers can start smelling if you use too much detergent or do not rinse well enough.

Dry (put your diapers in the drier or lay them in the sun to dry)

Your first washing of new diapers you should dry on high heat to seal your PUL, every other wash keep the dryer on low heat. The dryer is hard on any waterproof fabric, so if you want to extend the life of your diapers, keep them out of the diryer as often as possible. Sunning your diapers will help to remove and stains.

Done! your diapers are clean and ready to use!

For Front-Loaders

Pre-wash (cold water, no detergent, rinse and spin cycle)

Empty diaper pail liner into the washer and run the rinse and spin cycle 1 or 2 times. Some machines have a pre-wash setting, others have a rinse and spin setting- if your machine does not have either, run a short wash cycle with cold water and no detergent.

Main wash (longest cycle, add detergent, hot water, 2nd rinse)

Detergent: When washing diapers it is really inportant to know the quality of your water- if you have hard water, use less detergent and you might even have to run your diapers through a hot wash without detergent after a regular wash cycle every month or so. In hard water the detergent does not rinse well and your diapers can start smelling if you use too much detergent or do not rinse well enough.

Dry (put your diapers in the dryer, hang or lay them in the sun to dry)

The first washing dry your diapers on a high heat to seal the PUL. Every other wash use the lowest heat setting on your dryer. Sunning your diapers will help remove stains.
Done! Your diapers are clean and ready to use!

A word about detergents

Any detergent containing fabric softeners, optical brightners and stain protectors include substances and oils that will coat the fibres and prevent your diapers from being absorbent causing them to leak.
Allens Naturally and Wonder Wash are detergents that seem to work well with all diaper products, no matter what the fabric.
If you notice that your little one is developing rashes, or that your pocket diapers are starting to leak or that they have a persistent smell, you will need to do a special cleaning called Stripping.

How to Strip your Diapers

Fill your kitchen sink/laundry tub with warm-hot water.
Add your clean dry cloth diapers to the hot water.
Use an old brush or toothbrush and with some Dawn or other grease fighting detergent scrub the surfaces of your cloth diapers and inserts.
Once you have scrubbed all surfaces of your cloth diapers place them into your washing machine.
Run your regular cloth diaper wash cycle, DO NOT ADD ANY DETERGENT.
You may need to do several extra rinses to remove any remaining suds.
Dry your diapers as you normally would

Additional Resources

Still confused? Feel free to contact me with any cloth diaper questions you might have or visit our websites.
Always refer to the care instructions provided with your diaper purchase for specific instructions from the manufacturer.

Another great giveaway from Natural Parenting Shop!

2009-02-07T10:48:00.000-05:00

Check out another great giveaway from Natural Parenting Shop!

Just click the link, read the review and follow the instructions to be entered for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to the shop!

2009-02-02T20:35:00.001-05:00

Check out another great giveaway from Moms and Bums:

Just follow this link for your chance to win a $25 gift certificate.

Raising Green Kids- Green Shopping Tips

2009-01-26T12:25:00.000-05:00

Here are a couple of ways to be greener on your next trip to the market:

Buy fresh produce without the packaging. reuse the plastic produce bags, or simply put produce directly into your cart.
Avoid individually packaged items. instead of buying juice boxes, put juice in a reusable thermos for lunches.
Opt for glass or paper products instead of plastic. Glass and paper products are more easily recycled, making them greener products. Paper bags can be reused, recycled or composted.
Use reusable canvas shopping bags instead plastic. The average person uses roughly 300 plastic bags each year. Many of those plastic bags will end up in a landfill, taking hundreds of years to decompose. Worse yet, they could blow around creating a hazard to wildlife.

Raising Green Kids- Finding Green Toys

2009-01-26T11:57:00.000-05:00

With the BPA ban in Childrens products in Canada and the growing green movement, it has become much easier to find toys that fit the environmentally friendly lifestyle. Keep these points in mind on your search for Green Toys:

Natural Materials: It has become easier to find items made from solid wood and non-toxic finishes. For babies and toddlers look for stuffed toys made from organic cotton, puzzles and pull along toys made from solid wood and non-toxic paints.

Energy Consumption: Look for toys that are well-made and durable. The fewer toys you need to replace, the fewer toys end up in a landfill. Try to find toys that don't require batteries, or are driven by an alternative energy (solar power, wind up).

Imagination: Search for things that will boost your child's imagination. Playing dress up with ecofriendly clothes or secondhand clothes, playing with legos or building blocks. You can use an old cardboard box to create hours of playtime. Have you child help you decorate it.

Go local: Find local businesses who manufacture or sell toys. Supporting local businesses reduces energy costs on transportation of goods to the business and to you.

Where to shop for Green Toys:
Moms & Bums
Growing Up Green

Company Spotlight:
RiNGLEY is the original Canadian natural teether that combines two efficient teething tools: untreated Maple wood and 100% organic cotton terrycloth. These materials provide two very different textures that enable children to satisfy their teething needs. Made free from dye and without harmful chemicals. RiNGLEY provides babies and toddlers with two safe and efficient textures that enable children to satisfy their teething needs.

RiNGLEY's design allows your child to easily grip the ring and cloth. It can be used wet or dry and easily reaches around a child's gums and teeth.

RiNGLEY was designed by a Child Life Specialist and Mom with a child's development in mind. Since infants learn through tactile stimulus, touching and putting things in their mouths, the need for a product made without harmful chemicals and dyes is important. RiNGLEY is an organic and natural toy for babies to chew and teethe on.

Raising Green Kids- Finding Secondhand Treasures

2009-01-25T16:07:00.000-05:00

Reusing items is one of the best ways to keep them out of the trash. Buying good quality secondhand items is both green and economical. Follow these tips on your secondhand treasure hunts and you wont be disappointed.

Safety Issues: Make sure to be aware of product recalls. These can be found at manufacturer websites, and at www.cpsc.gov Potentially dangerous secondhand items include(but are not limited to) mattresses, cribs, car seats, strollers, playpens, baby gates, baby walkers. These items have changed greatly over the years and older versions may not meet current safety standards. Car seats can be especially dangerous if you do not know the history of the car seat. If a car seat has been involved in a vehicle collision it must be replaced, even if the child was not in the car at the time of the accident.

Great secondhand buys: clothing, newer non-electronic toys, books, movies and sturdy furniture. Clothing, especially baby clothing can be reused through several children before it wears out, as they grow so quickly that some outfits are only worn a handful of times.

Bargain Hunting Places: garage sales, swap sessions, friends, family, coworkers, newspaper classifieds, thrift and consignment stores, internet sites (such as ebay, craigslist, kijiji, freecycle)

Where to shop for used cloth diapers and accessories:
Moms & Bums

Raising Green Kids- Finding Green Clothing

2009-01-24T11:14:00.000-05:00

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 will consist 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, have serious ecological impacts and are
hazardous to both farm workers and neighbouring 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 fibre 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 microstructure means that bamboo fiber has natural wicking capabilities. It absorbs 3 to 4 times more than cotton and doesnt feel sticky or uncomfortable when wet.

Where to shop for cloth diapers, accessories and green clothing in Canada:
Moms & Bums
Natural Parenting Shop
Growing Up Green

Company Spotlight:
Dry Goods T-Shirts!
They are stong believers in supporting the Canadian economy and refuse to support unfair trade practices in third world countries. Instead they aim to maintain an ecological balance and avoid depletion of our natural reosurces. They use natural resources from North American Farmers, which are naturally dyed and knitted in Toronto. Conventional screen-printing is notoriously toxic: for every dozen shirts that are printed with a single colour, puts about one ounce of toxic chemicals into the environment, which is more harmful than gasoline.
Dry Goods prints their shirts with 100% biodegradable chemicals made from soybeans, which are completely environmentally friendly.

Squishy Fish Organic Cotton Onesies and Tees
Squishy fish is a Canadian owned and operated baby and toddler clothing company that blends eco-friendly fabrics with creative, stylish design.
All of their garments are made of the softest !00% certified organic cotton which is chemical free and unbleached - the natural choice for babies delicate skin and for the planet!

Cloth Diapers Vs. Disposable Diapers- The Great Debate!

2009-01-23T10:55:00.000-05:00

Studies have shown an infant goes through between 8,000 and 10,000 diaper changes before entering potty training.
The savings associated with using cloth diapers is phenomenal compared to using disposables. On average, you will spend anywhere from $2,8000 (for 8,000 diaper changes) and $3,500 (for about 10,000 diaper changes) per child on disposables. You will save on average about $1,500! And the bonus is you can continue to use those same diapers on a second and third child!
When you finish using disposable diapers with your child, all you have left is a huge mountain of trash. Solid human waste in landfills may seep into local ground waters. Even worse, a disposable diaper normally made out of plastics takes around 500 years to decompose, and 18 billion disposable diapers are thrown out in the US each year. That is 100,000 tons of plastic and 800,000 tons of tree pulp. Disposable diapers also contain dioxin- a by-product of bleaching pulp which has been linked to cancer.
However if you have used cloth diapers, you are ready for the next child!
Studies have proven that babies who are disposable diapered have about a 78% incidence of diaper rash, compared to only 7% of cloth diapered babies!
Washing cloth diapers takes the equivalent amount of water as flushing a toilet 5 times a day.
Thus cloth diapers have half the ecological footprint of disposables.