eco-parenting

the cost of diapering

2012-09-17T23:34:00.000-04:00

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.

Another fun giveaway

2012-08-13T17:49:00.000-04:00

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

top baby gifts (part 3)

2012-05-30T21:26:00.000-04:00

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.

top baby gifts (part 2)

2012-05-29T11:30:00.000-04:00

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...

top baby gifts (part 1)

2012-05-28T22:41:00.000-04:00

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...

Round 1 Giveaway Winners Announced

2012-04-14T22:42:00.003-04:00

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)

The Green Parent Show

2012-04-09T22:03:00.000-04:00

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!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

AppleCheeks giveaway winners

2012-03-22T21:56:00.001-04:00

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!

Applecheeks giveaway!

2012-03-14T23:24:00.001-04:00

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.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

trade show season!

2012-03-14T23:16:00.000-04:00

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!

black friday/cyber monday sales!

2011-11-23T19:26:00.001-05:00

big sales coming your way this weekend! here's a run down of the various sales and offers:

AppleCheeks
20% off all AppleCheeks products
**enter code APPLE20SALE at checkout**

Rumparooz
Buy 4 or more get 1 Free
Buy 8 or more get 2 Free
Buy 12 or more get 3 Free
(check out with your multiple of 4 and free diaper(s) will be added to your package; offer cannot be combined with any other coupon)

Lalabee Bathworks
Bottom Balm: buy one, get another for 50% off
Baby Butter: buy one, get another for 50% off
(while supplies last; refund will be applied on discounted item; offer cannot be combined with any other coupon)

BONUS: purchase more than 6 diapers (any brand) and you will receive one free tin of lalabee bathworks's bottom balm. while supplies last.

and as always, free shipping within canada for orders over $75. free shipping to the US for orders over $150.

happy shopping!!! and happy thanksgiving to our american friends!

WAHMs

2011-10-03T17:16:00.000-04:00

as a WAHM (work-at-home mom) myself, i'm all for supporting WAHM businesses. lately i've found quite a few through facebook and have probably gone a bit crazy buying things from them. i think i might have a bit of an addiction. i mentioned two of them in my previous post (randumosity and oh sew green). i'm still eagerly anticipating my orders to arrive, but as they are just one woman operations, custom orders can take a bit of time.

another one that i've purchased from in the last couple of weeks is kael & kaed. facebook pages are a great way to check out their products and often there are sales! i bought a couple of wetbags from kael & kaed and just yesterday, i purchased a set of mitten clips from her. the fun part is getting to choose the fabrics for your items. for the mitten clips, i picked a fabric with space invaders video game characters on them. too cute. i'll be sure to put up images of everything once my orders arrive. next on my list of would-like-to-haves...an UNpaper towel set!

so go and check out some WAHM businesses! if you have ones that you love, let me know about them!

mama cloth

2011-09-20T09:32:00.000-04:00

i've decided to take the leap into the next realm of eco-friendliness...mama cloth! i originally had been quite hesitant to take this next step because i wasn't quite sure how it would work or if it would be icky, but after reading some reviews and seeing how fun the fabrics are, i thought i'd take a chance. i found a couple of WAHM companies via facebook and thought i'd check it out. right now i'm awaiting my first orders from randumosity and oh sew green. i figured liners were a pretty safe place to start though i also ordered some postpartum pads to try since i'll be needing those in about 5 weeks' time. randumosity also makes reusable nursing pads so i ordered some to compare against the fuzzi bunz ones that i love. anyway, i will write a review about both the mama cloth and nursing pads once they've arrived and i've had a chance to give them a try. stay tuned! :o)

applecheeks sale!

2011-08-22T18:53:00.000-04:00

we've got another great promotion running right now. all applecheeks' products are 10% off from now until september 16th! they've got really great fitting cloth diapers in a wide array of colours. check 'em out here! if you're looking for an overnight cloth diaper option, their 3-layer inserts paired with their cover works really well. if you have an especially heavy wetter, add a booster (or two or three) to the insert for extra absorbency. enter code APPLECHEEKS at check-out for the discount.

fuzzi bunz promotion!!!

2011-08-15T16:44:00.001-04:00

there is a great fuzzi bunz promotion going on right now so if you're looking to start your cloth diapering stash or add to it, now is a fantastic time. for every 6 fuzzi bunz diapers you buy, you will receive 2 diapers for FREE!!! the 2 free diapers you will receive are one solid colour and one exclusive print that you can't get anywhere else. there's no limit to the number of free diapers you can receive so if you buy 6, you'll get 2 free; if you buy 12, you'll get 4 free; if you buy 18, you'll get 6 free. you get the picture. all you have to do to claim your free diapers is make your fuzzi bunz purchase anytime from now until september 30th, 2011. then fill in the online rebate form and print it out. clip out the UPC codes from your 6 (or more) fuzzi bunz diapers and include a copy of your invoice dated between 8/15 and 9/30 and your envelope just needs to be postmarked by october 15th, 2011. fuzzi bunz will mail your free diapers to you directly. this is valid for both US and CDN customers. so hurry up and order your fuzzi bunz today. click here to see what we have in stock. orders will go out next business day. if we are out of stock on the colours you want, just send us an email and we'll get them ordered in to you, but your receipt will still be marked with the current date so that you don't miss out on this special offer.

happy canada day!

2011-06-29T22:50:00.000-04:00

celebrate canada day with 15% off at our store. enter coupon code CANADA15 at checkout to save! we've added some great new products so come check 'em out. coupon is good from now until July 1st!

$50 giveaway

2011-03-25T13:41:00.001-04:00

it's been a while since my last post. things have been busy with the launch of the store and various other work projects. not to mention, a super active two-year-old to run after. :o)

in store news, we're hosting a giveaway on natural mommie's blog. follow this link: http://bit.ly/hOLUMy and comment in order to qualify to win a $50 gift certificate to my new shop.

also, it's the last week to get 10% off all items, so go take a look. we just got a shipment of grobags and cloth diapers.

grand opening!

2011-03-01T00:28:00.000-05:00

my latest project is now up and running! i've started an online store selling planet-friendly products for your lil ones and goodies for the rest of the family as well. you can find brands such as applecheeks, fuzzi bunz, rumparooz, itzy ritzy, dress me up teething bonbons, and credo bags just to name a few. come and visit me at www.mylilsweetpea.ca!

what's in your body?

2011-02-25T10:30:00.023-05:00

i found the above video on icareaboutcosmetics.com when looking for info about the great canadian hand cream swap that i mentioned yesterday. the video really prompts you to think about what you're putting in your body. after all, as their tag line states, "what goes on your body, goes in your body". we've been slowly making the change over to organic skincare products, but after looking up some of our old products on the cosmetic database, i feel the urge to get rid of the old even sooner than planned. lots of the standard baby products you see on the shelves are rated as high as 7 or 8 (on a scale of 10) on the hazard meter.

i recently discovered a canadian line of natural and organic skincare products that i'll be carrying in my new shop (to be launched march 1st!). if you want to get a sneak preview of them, click on this link. the company is called lalabee bathworks and all of their products rate between a 0-2 on the hazard scale. in fact, their best-selling bottom balm is rated at a zero!

freebie: great cdn hand cream swap

2011-02-24T20:30:00.000-05:00

it's the first annual great canadian hand cream swap! from feb 24 to 26, you can go to one of the listed swap locations and receive a free full-size consonant intensive therapy hand cream (organic!) just by bringing in one of your old hand creams to swap. how cool is that?! i'm going to see if i can go to one of the toronto locations tomorrow morning.

if you can't make it to one of the swap locations, you can also go to their website: www.consonantbody.com. at exactly 9AM on the 24th, 25th and 26th, they'll have their hand cream available for $0! you just have to pay the shipping. you gotta go early though because quantities are limited.

for all the details on the great canadian hand cream swap, go to:
http://www.icareaboutcosmetics.com/2011/02/great-canadian-hand-cream-swap/

chicago

2011-02-23T20:43:00.000-05:00

at the top of the john hancock tower in downtown chicago

this past weekend was a long weekend, so we drove down to visit family in chicago. being on the road for 12-13 hours with a two-year-old is just too long. for the most part, the kiddo was pretty good in the car. five hours (or shorter) would probably be the perfect length. we borrowed a portable DVD player from friends just as a last resort, but didn't end up having to use it. our lil kiddo was content enough to just listen to his "yo gabba gabba" and "bobs & lolo" music.

they say that travel by car is much more environmentally-friendly than air travel, but it just takes so long to get anywhere from toronto. however, now that we would have to pay airfare for the kiddo, road trips do seem much more economical, but i guess it's at the expense of your own sanity. :o)

mama earth organics review

2011-02-14T09:30:00.000-05:00

i meant to post this review ages ago, but of course, life got busy, kiddo got sick, and i neglected to do this. okay so after the fab find certificate went up for mama earth organics, i quickly put in my first order for the following week. the way their ordering system works is that the latest you can put in an order is before 10 a.m. the day before delivery. the day they deliver depends on where you live in the GTA.

so with my $55 fab find certificate in hand, i had to decide what i would get for my first basket. since you have to use the full amount at one time, i had to sort of mix and match between the fresh produce and their other grocery staples. i didn't think that the three of us could eat that many fruits and veggies before they'd go bad. i ended up deciding on the regular/couple basket, which was $35. the produce each week changes depending on what is in season and what they are able to get. here is what we got in our basket:

3 fuji apples
3 anjou pears
4 cara cara oranges
1.5 lb fair-trade bananas
1 avocado
2 lbs. yellow potatoes
1 pt. grape tomatoes
1 boston lettuce hydro (came with roots and soil! neat-o!)
1 broccoli
1 lb. baby bok choy

quite a lot of stuff for the money and comparably priced with organic produce at loblaws. in order to make up the extra $20, we also got:

nigari tofu
fair-trade dark hot chocolate mix
2 minneola tangerines
2 lbs. red potatoes
2 lbs. yams
1 pt. white button mushrooms

everything was either organic or fair-trade. the order arrived in a sturdy rubbermaid container and was placed inside my garage as i had requested. everything was packed nicely and they even wrapped up the tofu with a bottle of frozen water so that it would be kept cool. nice touch! one of the things i liked best was that they include some recipes using the ingredients in your basket. we didn't get a chance to try any that week, but i definitely will in the future.

i was really impressed with their selection of stuff and also with the quality of the produce. this is the first time that i've ordered groceries online and my concern was always that i might end up with produce that is not so fresh or that it would get damaged in transit. the produce we got from mama earth was all good with the exception of the avocado. after just a few days, the skin got all spotty and it was *very* soft. they emailed a few days after delivery to ask how i liked my first order. i mentioned what had happened with the avocado and they emailed back immediately saying that they had gotten a mediocre batch, but hadn't realized it when they were filling orders. as a result, they credited my account in the amount of $3. i am a very satisfied customer and will definitely be ordering from them again.

the vegan challenge

2011-02-10T13:07:00.000-05:00

last night i finally sat down to watch an oprah show that i pvr'd last week about "the vegan challenge". i forced the hubby to watch it with me and it was informative. since last year i'd been thinking about adding more vegetarian/vegan meals to our menu in an effort to be healthier and environmentally-friendly. there was one particular segment in the show that really affected me. lisa ling went to visit a cattle slaughterhouse and you essentially see the whole process of how a cow goes from farm to grocery store. call me a softie, but i really couldn't help but cry through the whole part. if i had to hunt my own food, i would most definitely be a vegetarian. food expert michael pollen was on the show as well and made a comment along the lines of "if you're not willing to know how your food gets to your plate, maybe you shouldn't be eating it." i don't know that i agree with it entirely, but i guess it holds a kernel of truth to it. with the exception of when we eat out, we now buy only antibiotic-free/hormone-free meat. i'd say the drive to make this change was for our son. i would love to be able to find a local farm to buy meat from, but being that we're in toronto, it might be a trek to get to one. if anyone knows of any, please let me know.

i'd really like to try this 7-day vegan challenge (or even possibly the 21-day challenge), but i think it would be really hard if the hubby wasn't on board with it. i tend to throw myself into things full-throttle and then quickly burn out. i guess the trick will be to slowly introduce things and see what works for our family. if eating more vegan meals would give me a ton more energy, i'd be all for that! but it's also been a particularly rough week with the kiddo being sick. :o)

here's a link to a list of vegan substitutes as recommended by "The Veganist" Kathy Freston:
http://www.oprah.com/health/Kathy-Frestons-Vegan-Alternatives

fabfind: $25 for $55 worth of organic produce

2011-01-18T10:02:00.000-05:00

today's fabfind is a deal for $55 worth of organic produce, pantry items, etc from mama earth organics and they deliver straight to your door (if you're within the GTA...see their website for details). i blogged about mama earth organics a while back, but still haven't had a chance to try them out for myself. today's fabfind is perfect for our family since we were going to try them anyway. i bought two of the certificates and will hopefully order our first basket this week.

here's a link for those interested in getting on today's fabfind:
https://www.fabfind.com///invite/Kathy8

applecheeks swim diaper WINNER!

2010-12-31T20:46:00.000-05:00

hi all,

i forgot to post the winner of the applecheeks swim diaper yesterday. sorry about that! so i thought i'd do a quick post before the hubby and i head out for new year's eve festivities.

the winner of this giveaway is ...

congratulations to beth! look for an email from me in the next little bit. please respond with your mailing address so i can forward it to the people at applecheeks. if i don't receive a response by sunday, jan. 2nd, then i will draw for a new winner.

stay tuned for a new giveaway coming next week! you won't want to miss it. :o)

happy new year!!!