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Monday, September 17, 2012

the cost of diapering

do you know how much you're spending on diapers for your little ones? if you use throwaway diapers (a.k.a. disposables), you probably don't give too much thought to it. perhaps you stock up when there's a big sale or you just pick up a pack every week when you do your errands. it's $30 here; another $40 there. on the other hand, cloth diapering requires an larger initial investment and you just don't have $400 to plunk down on a starter set. besides, who wants to deal with cleaning all that pee and poop?

cloth diapers have evolved a lot over the last fifty years. today's cloth diaper is a far cry from what our grandmothers (or our mothers even) used. no more big plastic pants, safety pins and dunking and swishing in toilets. you've got all different types for all different budgets. there are the more traditional prefolds and covers type all the way through to all-in-one diapers that are just as easy to change as throwaways. best of all, they come in a vast array of colours and ultra cute prints. no matter what cartoon character or pattern throwaway diaper companies try to put on their product, there is no way it's going to match a cloth diaper in cuteness. just check out these two cuties.


if you haven't given cloth diaper much thought before today, take a look at this:
this chart is meant to give you an overview on the costs of throwaways versus cloth diapers. the costs will, of course, fluctuate depending on whether they are on sale or if you have coupons. laundry costs (including detergent) were factored in to the total in the cloth diaper line under the "average cost per child" column. the figures used for calculate laundry costs were taken from an article on www.mother-ease.com. as well, i used an average of 8 diapers per day over a period of 2.5 years. when a baby is younger, you will often change their diaper upwards of 10 to 12 times per day. as they get older, the number of diaper changes decreases. furthermore, newborn diapers are often more expensive per unit than size 2 or 3 diapers. i also used an average of 2.5 diapering years as some children potty learn as early as 2, but many children are age 3 or older before becoming completely toilet trained. i know with my son, we didn't have him completely off diapers during the day until he was around 38 months old. where you will ultimately see the biggest savings is when you cloth diaper for more than one child. in the chart above, the total cost of cloth diapering your first child is calculated at $868. if you were to use the same stash on your second child, you would only be incurring the laundry costs (which were calculated at $328). that means for two children, it only cost you $598 to diaper each child and it just goes down from there (for 3 children, $508; for 4 children, $463). if you buy good quality cloth diapers from the start, your stash could easily last you through three or more children. 

of course, some of the benefits of cloth diapering just can't be measured. the environmental benefits to cloth diapering are huge, even when you factor in water usage to clean them. furthermore, with cloth diapers you know that you're not putting harsh chemicals and toxins against baby's delicate skin.

but back to the pee and poop. this is what i figure: whether you use throwaways or cloth diapers, you will have to deal with cleaning pee and poop. in my personal experience, i found that when my babies had a poop in a throwaway, it resulted in an entire outfit change as the diaper rarely contained the mess. having used cloth diapers now for over three years, i can honestly say that i can count the number of blowouts we've had on one hand. when blowouts have occurred, it was basically due to user error (yes, grandma, i'm looking at you).  ;o)

if you're in the greater toronto area and interested in finding out more about cloth diapers, please feel free to contact me to set up a private consultation or find out when the next cloth 101 workshop will be held.

*note: my local hydro company has a neat calculator function to show you how much it costs to run appliances like your washer/dryer at different times during the day. [http://www.ieso.ca/house/powerstream/] check and see if your local provider has something similar.

Monday, August 13, 2012

Another fun giveaway


The folks at AppleCheeks have just released a fantastic new product and in honour of that, My Lil Sweet Pea is hosting a giveaway for one new all-purpose zippered storage sac! You can use these handy little storage sacs for just about anything. Don't cloth diaper? That's okay. Use it to hold all your toiletries or phone/gadgets or even some snacks. The possibilities are endless!

For those who cloth diaper, this little sac will hold one diaper and insert, wipes and a bottle of wipe solution. You could also use this to hold an extra set of underpants and shorts for your recently potty learned child just in case of an accident.

Use the form below to enter for your chance to win. Winner will be picked on Aug 20th, 2012 @ 12:01am EST. Giveaway open to both Canada and US residents. Good luck!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

top baby gifts (part 3)



5) cuddly wrap from peapod creations ($84.95)
before trying a wrap firsthand, i had always thought they were rather daunting, but once i saw for myself how to tie one, i realized that it's quite simple once you get the hang on it, and it's super comfy to carry baby around in one. this wrap can be used from birth (even premature babies can be carried in this wrap!) all the way up to the toddler phase, but as my 3 year old won't let me try and carry him around in it, i cannot attest to how comfortable that would feel. however, carrying my second born around in this was a dream. when she was wrapped up in it, i could barely feel the extra weight on my back and/or shoulders and my hands were free to do things around the house or chase after my first born. the wrap is made from 100% organic cotton and is made right here in canada.

6) amber teething pain necklaces from healing amber ($19.99)
these necklaces are made from baltic amber, which is considered nature's pain reliever. when worn regularly, they will help your little one manage their teething pain symptoms. at first i wasn't sure if this worked, but one day my daughter did not have it on and she was more irritable than i'd ever seen her. that made a believer out of me! and it looks pretty cute on them too. just remember that babies should not be left unsupervised while wearing amber necklaces. when napping or sleeping, i usually wrap the necklace around my daughter's ankle and tuck it into her sleeper.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

top baby gifts (part 2)

continuing on from yesterday's post, here are another two of my fave baby gifts to give:

3) 2-piece 100% certified organic cotton set from pure blankz ($18.95 per piece / $30 for the set)

these pieces are oh-so-soft again baby's skin. i only wish they came in adult sizes too! whether out and about or just lounging at home, baby will look eco-chic in this two-piece outfit. the clothing is made from soft slub yarn fabric, which gives it an unfinished edgy look. the tops have elbow patches (and bottom patch on the onesies and leggings). the first photo is of my lil cutie in the 'mauve over' colour.  :o)


4) organic teething bonbon by dress me up organic ($15.95)

this teething bonbon is hand-made in canada using 100% certified organic USA cotton and stuffed with Canadian lamb's wool. each bonbon is unique as they are hand stitched in dress me up organic's Canadian west coast studio. the thing i love most about this teether is that you can dip both ends in water and put it in the freezer. then when you give it to baby, the cold ends can soothe their gums while the middle (stuffed with lamb's wool) keeps baby's hands warm.

preview: tomorrow's items keep baby feeling snug and pain-free...

Monday, May 28, 2012

top baby gifts (part 1)

so it's been quite a while since i last posted a 'real' post so i thought it was high time for a new one. since many of my friends seem to be pregnant or having babies, this was a natural blog topic for me. this week i will be blogging about my favourite gifts to give to expectant mommies or new babies. i'll be writing about two per day (in no particular order) so be sure to check back in to catch all ten items. hope it gives you some ideas you might not have thought of before.  :o)

items #1 and #2 come from the same company. delish naturals is a mama-owned company specializing in handcrafted body care (made from all-natural and/or organic ingredients) for the whole family. so far everything i've tried from this line has become a family fave. their scents are oh-so-delicious and good for you too!

1) delish-ious shampoo & body wash by delish naturals ($15.50)

this scrumptious tear-free blend acts as both shampoo and body wash and works great on baby's delicate skin as well as yours. it is made entirely of the most gentle saponified oils, amino acids, vitamins and proteins and is nut, dairy, gluten, paraben, wax and phalate free. my favourite scent has got to be grape soda. definitely can't stop sniffing my kiddos post-bath when we use this!

2) yum bum butter by delish naturals ($15.50)

don't let the name fool you, this product is good for more than just bums. just some of its many uses include treating diaper rash, eczema, psoriasis, cradle cap, cracked skin, and softening elbows and heels. just recently, i used it on my daughter's face (where she had scratched herself ... man do her fingernails grow quickly!) and those scratches started clearing up within the same day. for those parents who cloth diaper, this bum butter is also cloth diaper friendly. this product is available in a 4 oz tin or as a sampler kit if you want to try out 3 fabulous scents. monkey farts is a best-seller, but my new fave is probably mojito EO (EO = essential oil).

and all of the delish naturals products are made in canada (alberta, to be exact)!

preview: tomorrow's picks feature organic cottony goodness...

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Round 1 Giveaway Winners Announced

The first AppleCheeks sponsored giveaway winners have been picked. See previous post for winners. Stay tuned for another giveaway this week as we prepare for the Green Parent Show on April 21st!  :o)

Monday, April 9, 2012

The Green Parent Show

Another show is quickly approaching! I will be at The Green Parent Show in Etobicoke/Toronto on Saturday, April 21st hosted by The Laundry Tarts and Funky Fluff. The Green Parent Show will also be the site of the Toronto location for the Great Cloth Diaper Change. Come out and help us attempt to set a Guinness World Record for most cloth diapers changed at one time! Best of all, admission to the show is free!
The lovely ladies at AppleCheeks have graciously sponsored our table so come visit our booth and check out all the great AppleCheeks products. I'd be happy to tell you all about them. They are one of our favourite cloth diaper brands. Give 'em a try and I'm sure you'll love 'em too! We will be doing a series of giveaways leading up to the show, so if you haven't had a chance to try out their fluff yet, this could be your chance to add one to your stash! Here's the first giveaway. Two winners will be picked for either a large storage sac or a microterry bundle. Note: you have to pick up your prize at the Green Parent Show!

Here's the first giveaway!

Thursday, March 22, 2012

AppleCheeks giveaway winners

congrats to cindy b. and christena j. for winning the AppleCheeks giveaway! i've sent you each an email to notify you of your win. if you are unable to claim your prize at the show this sunday, please let me know ASAP so i can draw for another winner.

be on the lookout for another round of AppleCheeks giveaways in the next few weeks as we gear up for the Green Parent Show on April 21st in Toronto. we'll be showcasing AppleCheeks diapers there and will also be participating in the Great Cloth Diaper Change. more details to come!

in the meantime, we are fully stocked on all AppleCheeks diaper products and swim diapers. if you have any questions about their products, please feel free to email me via my website. i'd be happy to help!

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Applecheeks giveaway!

here are the details of the giveaway for the vaughan mompreneurs show. the fantastic folks at AppleCheeks have donated one microterry bundle and one swim diaper for our fans to win. enter with the rafflecopter widget below and two winners will be drawn on march 22nd. *note*: you must be able to pick up the prize at the vaughan mompreneurs show on march 25th. prizes will not be mailed out to the winner.

trade show season!

we participated in our first ever show last weekend at the Baby Steps Fair in Oakville. it was a great learning experience and fun to get out and meet new and expectant parents. here's a glimpse at our booth from last weekend:

we've got two other shows coming up this month. we will be at the vaughan mompreneurs showcase at paradise banquet hall on sunday, march 25th. the show runs from 10am to 4pm and admission is $2. all proceeds will benefit zach's dream room.
we will also be running a giveaway to promote this event, so be sure to check out the details of that at the bottom of this post.

lastly, we will also be at nanny robina's fundraising expo in newmarket on saturday, march 31st from 10am to 3pm. admission is $1 and all proceeds will be going to benefit CNAISAR (Canadian International Search & Rescue). hope to see some of you at at one of these great events!

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