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.

Welcome Ayden and Katie!

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!

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

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

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

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

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.