Eco Child Blog

An itti bitti d'lish delight! by Jessica Mudri

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 11:54:00 GMT

For a few months now, a silver grey size medium itti bitti d'lish nappy has been regularly and securely fastened to my littlest boy's tushie. And I have been delighted! These nappies have just been added to the growing collection of nappies quickly filling and leaving the shelves at Eco child. And here is why:

They are a lovely slim fit.

A rainbow of lovely minkie soft colours are available.

Some awesome prints are available in the itti bitti tutto if you want to jazz up your collection. (Stay tuned for that review) You can rest easy knowing that leaks will be very few and far between.

Boosting is a breeze with some neat little snaps under the inbuilt booster.

The boosters are available in packs of two, and have colour coordinated snaps that are red.

The nappy dries easily, as the inbuilt booster is only attached on one end, and they can also go in the dryer.

They are sized in small, medium and large, to ensure a perfect fit.

You probably will only need small and medium, especially since cloth bottomed babes generally toilet train earlier than their disposable nappy clad peers.

They have worked brilliantly for days and naps, however I have not tried them at night.

You should stay tuned for the next review of the itti bitti tutto.

A combo of the d'lish and tutto could be all you need!

They look so cute on Noah, wait till you see how cute they look on your baby too!

They are most definitely worth you trailing for your baby, I have a feeling you will love them as much as I do!

Ones & twos: one easy option, two easy ways! by Jessica Mudri

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 02:24:00 GMT

The easy option is to hop to it quickly and get into Eco Child for the HOT deal on these nappies RIGHT NOW! 5 White nappies, 5 Coloured nappies, and 3 sets of boosters for just $149.95, which is a saving $100! (This deal is valid til 30th April 2012 or while stock lasts)

That’s easy, but you will be amazed at just how much easier things get once you are home and in possession of your stash of ones&twos’!!

Give them a few prep washes, as always, and then attach them firmly to your Newborn. Or to your older baby, or Toddler!

Whatever age child you have in nappies, they will fit! These nappies fit from 3 kg to 18kg easily. The Leg gusseting is nice and elastic, ensuring a snug fit around either slim or chunky thighs. The snaps on the front work as with any MCN, allowing you to downsize or upsize if needed. The nappy is fastened with Velcro, there isn’t an option for snaps. The laundry tabs do seem to be holding up quite well though, so as long as you fix those together properly before washing (I do mine as I take it off Noah, or put it into the pail) you won’t have any problems.

The nappy is a polyester nappy, and the boosters (purchased separately) are super-absorbent Bamboo. The Nappy comes with one Soaker that is a stay dry polyester fabric, and the nappy itself contains enough material to provide absorption for a light wetter, or for those that are happy and able to do more regular changes.

Now here for your 2 easy ways:

You can either lay the boosters inside the nappy, just straight on top, and then fasten to bub. That’s easy!

Or you can use the nifty little pocket that is located at the inside back of the nappy, and you can stuff the nappy and use as a pocket!

Here is what I do:

Day time, short duration: I just fasten just the nappy to Noah, with no boosting. It has held up great for a day nap of about 2 hours!

So all up I guess he wore it for about 2.5 hours and he was nice and dry, and there were no leaks. I often use that nappy as is, no booting etc at home, if I go out, I do add one bamboo booster in the pocket, or the stay dry booster on top. Just because when out, I find that nappy changes can go longer than at home. It like insurance for my car seats/his clothes/my pram!!!

Daytime: Longer duration: As above, I simply slip one bamboo booster into the pocket. I’m not huge on pockets, but its very easy to slip it inside and then I know that he will have adequate absorption for either a longer nap, or a car ride etc.

Night time: Stuff both bamboo boosters into the pocket, or just lay the boosters straight in the nappy, and then top with the stay dry booster that was included with the nappy. Fasten to baby, ensuring that leg gussets are now not too tight, since you have added the extra boosting. We usually have to go one popper size up for nights. Ensure also that the top is not rolling out; just tuck and wiggle etc. to ensure you get a good fit.

So far, we have had great success during the day, night success is coming along more slowly, I am still having leaks, but I think that is just due to the bamboo needing a but more time to become fully prepped.

We are pursuing this further and more rigorous testing is being done as we blog. Night times are always harder to perfect than daytimes, but if I keep at this, I am quite sure we can have the ones&two’s working for us day and Night!

Either way, for day times these are wonderful! Very nice and trim, and a comfortable fit for bub, plus a serious bargain at the moment!

The ones&two’s will make a great addition to any stash, or make a great starting point!

The pack is unbelievable value, but you can also purchase a nappy or two separately. The boosters are actually a great size, and I have used them in other brands of mcn’s and they perform great. So even if you think the ones&two’s might not be right for you, the boosters are definitely for every one. They are a nice slim fit, and fit into all of the nappies I have in my stash. I have also used the staydry booster that comes with your ones&two’s nappy in other brands, and again it has performed nicely.

These nappies will save you money, look cute on your baby, and perform well, so what are you waiting for, try them while they are hot!

The day the flood waters came in....

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 12:55:00 GMT

This week has perhaps been the Biggest Week in Eco Child's history!

We just wanted to touch base quickly with everyone and let you know what's going on.... last Thursday our store was severely affect by the flash flooding storm surge on the Sunshine Coast.

At 4pm the water came in under all 3 doors, surging down the hallway and settling knee-deep through the entire store. We think that poor Nicci who was on shift that afternoon may still be traumatised not sure if she was going to drown or be electrocuted first... however lucky for Nicci... we've been so busy for the last week that she's not had time to dwell on it. Carly was flooded in at home with tonsillitis and dispatched her husband down Buderim hill to come to Nicci's rescue. Ben had to wade through thigh high floodwaters to reach the store... and drive Nicci's Prado out over the footpath! Oh yes, it's been Indiana Jones round here on many different levels lately.... and we're currently looking for a flotation tank to send Nicci to so she can de-stress next week!

Crazy water on Brisbane Rd

In one short week we've evacuated the previous store at no 171 Brisbane Rd, as this store needs the flooring ripped up and the slab dried. We have started settling into new premises 4 doors up at no. 177 Brisbane Rd (next to BlockBuster Video) and have been busily co-ordinating builders, painters, sign writers, electricians, telstra technicians and delivery guys... all aimed at re-opening our doors to trade this coming Monday. All of this has been getting juggled around over 200 boxes of rescued stock that was stored high in the stock room and making room for new incoming replacement stock as well.

Nappies floating down the hall!

So we've been cleaning, moving, packing, unpacking, processing web store orders and dispatching web store orders.... everything is taking 3 times longer than usual until we get things squared away in their 'proper' place and we've yet to get the new store phone and internet connected... that will happen on Monday.

A progress shot... we're getting there!

Thanks to Coolum Signworks for getting our signs up super quickly

In the meantime, we've nearly caught on our back load of web orders from the last week and we thank you all for your patience and understanding whilst we've been trading under difficult circumstances. We are very much looking forward to being back on track from Monday and now, more than ever we appreciate your continued business and orders as we trade through this flood event.

Thanks to Bree for re-stocking our HOTmilk wall :)

The good news is... our new store is bigger, better, brighter, shinier and we just can't wait to show it off to you! We will be open for trade on Monday... however you'll have to forgive us a few hiccups as we're not going to be 'perfect' looking ... but to be honest, we thought better to be open with a few messy shelves and tidy as we go than stay shut an extra week. Babies bums will keep needing their balms, nappies and we've had a new delivery of Gaia Organic Cotton Winter collection that we're dying to share with you!

New floor down - CHECK!

Can't wait to see you all in-store or chat on the phone soon!

(Our telephone numbers will remain the same)

Nourishing Kids with Raw Foods ~ it's easier to start than you think! By Renee O'Duhring

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 11:33:00 GMT

The journey to green living has many stepping stones, and different families will be more enthusiastic about some steps than others. For this green mama, nutrition has become my passion. I want to nourish my children’s bodies as well as their minds and their spirits, and this involves choices about what food I fill my home, and subsequently our tummies, with.
I have been passionate about the link between nutrition and health for most of my life, and in the last few years have been exploring the raw vegan path. The information I have discovered has inspired me to transition a large proportion of my diet, and that of my family’s, to raw vegan foods.

I have never been a fan of processed foods, but the word ‘natural’ is taking on a deeper meaning for me these days. You see the word ‘natural’ on many a label for processed foods. But how do these companies define ‘natural’? For me, ‘natural’ is not something that comes in a packet. It’s a mango, or a banana, or an avocado, preferably just picked from a tree, and then eaten out in the garden, in the sunshine and fresh air.

Although we are yet to realise our dream of having a fruit orchard in our backyard, take a look around our kitchen and you will find colourful baskets filled to the brim with a variety of fresh fruits. Most of them are in-season, locally grown and organic. Our kitchen bench has become an indoor garden, home to trays of sunflower greens and alfalfa sprouts. Our fridge is overflowing with fruits, vegies and salad greens, and glass jars filled with nuts and seeds.
Our vegie patch has been somewhat taken over by the sweet potato and nasturtiums since I birthed our second child some months ago, but we do have some basil, parsley, rocket, spinach, strawberries, cherry tomatoes, beans, chillies, coriander, mint and thyme dotted in amongst the wildness, as well as an uncontainable raspberry bush, a papaya tree, a very neglected (and hence non-productive) lime tree, a peach tree that feeds the birds, and a season-old blueberry bush in a pot.

The garden has become a place to connect with my children, and to explore together the joy to be found in raw foods. My crawling bub loves to sit amongst the greens and pick flowers and leaves to munch on, while my 3 year old daughter potters about digging up worms, munching on berries, and picking tomatoes. I sometimes wish I had some formal training in gardening technique before embarking on my rambling excuse for a plot, but we have fun, and our success rate is growing.

As we tread further along the raw food path, I have stumbled upon many ways to increase the success rate of my children accepting healthy, raw foods as the norm. Here’s what we have discovered along the way:

1. Get down and dirty.
Gardening has been one of the keys to success in inspiring our children to eat raw, healthy food. Our daughter loves to forage in the garden for tiny Alpine strawberries (“fairy berries”), rambling strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. Our son gets his daily greens by munching whatever foliage he can get his hands on! And sometimes we play games like pretending we’re rabbits searching for edible greens to munch on.

2. Put them to work.
Getting the kids involved in food preparation has been great fun. Our daughter loves to help pick the mint from the garden for our refreshing blended watermelon & mint breakfast juice. She is very adept at making her own fruit smoothie, and comes up with some great combinations. She also loves to water our trays of indoor sprouts, and strain the nut milks we make. She loves to help pick and wash the salad greens and herbs, and check them for slugs and snails to feed to the chooks. Both kids adore feeding the food scraps to the chickens or the worm farm at the end of every day.

3. Make mealtimes a serve-yourself affair.
Serving a variety of healthy food options to the table and allowing little ones to help themselves makes for a much more relaxed and enjoyable mealtime. Meals that are assembled at the table are by far our favourites, such as our build your own adventure breakfast bowl, build your own salad with nut, seed or dulse sprinkles, ‘dip & dunk’ fruit plates, temaki (roll your own) sushi, or rice paper rolls made with a mixture of kelp and zucchini noodles.

4. “Be the change you want to see in the world”.
We model enjoyment of healthy food, with lots of lip-smacking appreciative noises for how delicious it is. We only have healthy food options in the house, and we enjoy an active lifestyle full of outdoor adventure goes hand-in-hand with healthy eating.

5. Get outside and play.
Kids (and adults) are naturally more drawn to fresh, whole foods if they have had lots of play and movement opportunities outside in the sunshine (or rain) throughout their day. We often pack our fruit or smoothie ‘to-go’ and head to the park or beach for a morning or afternoon play session.

6. Make education enchanting.
We read books about fruit such as “Handa’s Surprise”. We have ‘fruit picnics’ with dollies and teddies. We talk about the diets of different animals, and how monkeys love bananas, and rabbits love lettuce and carrots, then pretend to be the animal. We use finger puppets or Duplo animals to discuss natural and instinctive eating.

7. Make food fun.
We make funny faces with our food, or play ‘fish’ in the bath for goji berries or sultanas. We make raw ‘ice-cream’ from frozen bananas blended up in the food processor and serve it in a glass sundae cup with some ‘sprinkles’ (bee pollen, or very occasionally raw cacao chips) on top. We blend up yummy raw sauces like Medjool dates with frozen raspberries or carob ‘fondue’ to dip fruits into. We encourage a tactile experience by eating with our hands and finger painting on our plates with our yummy raw sauces. We buy exotic fruits to try, such as Thai coconuts, durian, yellow dragonfruit, and chocolate sapote.

8. Be organised.
If we are going somewhere where unhealthy food choices abound, such as a child’s birthday party, I will fill my child up with as much healthy food as I can before we go, and take a plate of healthy food options to share. I try to have food with me whenever we are out and about – either some fresh fruit, or dried fruits, or a smoothie, or some bliss balls. If we are going on a roadtrip I make sure we have an esky packed full of healthy food, and visit McDonald’s only for the toilets and playground.

9. Set your child up for success.
In the first 2-3 years of life (and in the 9 months prior when in the womb) we are setting up a lifetime’s relationship to food. When I was pregnant with my daughter I drank copious amounts of full-cream, unhomogenised Jersey cow milk, so it’s not surprising she has a cheese addiction. Since then, I have observed and researched how detrimental dairy can be in the diet of our children, (dairy = snotty noses in this house) and have made much better choices for my son. Children are very instinctive in their food choices, if their basis is a diet of simple, natural, unprocessed foods.

10. Let go.
This one has been the hardest for me, but I am learning to let go when my child chooses to eat foods that I would prefer she didn’t. I do have many limits, more than the average person, but if the food has been lovingly prepared by someone we know, then I figure my child is eating that love energy along with the food I would prefer she didn’t.

The raw vegan path is not for everyone, but we all want our children to be healthy. In a time when childhood obesity, diabetes, ADHD, and other diet-related diseases are increasing exponentially, bringing more raw vegan foods to the family table is a step we must all take, for the health of our children, ourselves, and our planet.

Introducing Green Mama

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 11:25:00 GMT

Renee O'Duhring is our latest eco-mama blogger.

Renee has been passionate about the link between nutrition and health for most of her life, and in the last few years has been exploring the raw vegan path. The information she has discovered has inspired her to transition a large proportion of her diet, and that of her family’s, to raw vegan foods.

In treading this path, Renee has realised that a raw vegan lifestyle extends beyond personal health, and embraces issues such as humanitarian treatment of animals, living a sustainable life, preserving our precious planet, and aspiring to a higher consciousness. Her first blog post will inspire you to bring more raw foods to your family's table.

Renee's formal career is a Holistic Veterinarian. You can learn how to nourish your furry friends by visiting her website: Roar Kingdom

New BumGenius FreeTimes! we love them... by Jessica Mudri

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 12:08:00 GMT

Freetime, why yes please I would love some!

Who would like some Freetime? Um, pick me! And I will take it whether you mean actual FREE TIME or a new bumGenius Freetime Cloth Nappy! In fact, I think I will just settle for the nappy because it is just so great! And lets be honest, with two little boys, I know that true free time is so a thing of the past… Sigh!

I have recently acquired a newly released bumgenius Freetime nappy, snaps of course in the gorgeous green Ribbit colour. It has performed brilliantly from day one! I gave it only one or possibly two pre washes, and it had just been a perfect product from the first time I snapped it on Noah’s very cute little bottom!

This nappy comes in both snaps and Velcro, and is a one size All-in-one. The outer shell is PUL, waterproof of course, and has a layer of Microfibre Terry sewn in to boost absorbency. The inside features two layers, that are attached and opposite ends, allowing for very customizable absorbency where it is needed. I leave both flaps flat for day time use, and for nap times, I fold the front flap under to have 3 layers in the boy “wet zone” and have never had a leak! The fit is classic bumGenius, which of course means wonderful!

They are a 100% polyester nappy which generally would not be my choice. But I have worked out that Noah’s skin responds better to a stay-dry fabric, rather than a natural fabric. A Bamboo Terry would be a great compromise for us instead of my favourite bumGenius Elemental Organic cotton ones, however these have not let me down. They are quick drying, easy to fit and great value!

The extra features are a clever access point, enabling you to change the elastic if need be! So you can ensure years and years of use for these little gems! The bumGenius standard sizing applies, and you will get from close to birth to potty training.

These are a winner in my book! Easy to use, they look good and with such easy washing and drying, you never know… we might just sneak ourselves a little freetime!!!

The New Generation Pop-In!!! by Jessica Mudri

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 11:43:00 GMT

For those of you waiting on our trial of the New Generation Pop-in, the results are in!

Drumroll please….. They are GREAT!! The day I collected mine from Eco Child (Along with a few more of the new bumGenius Elementals in the new colour Mirror!!! EXCITEMENT!) I rushed home and got them in the washing machine straight away!!! I did about 4 prep washes in 2 days, and once it was dry I wanted to get it on Noah ASAP! It was late in the afternoon though, so I figured what way to better test it, than to use it overnight!!! So the Pop-In with the Night time booster was firmly fastened to my little smooshy’s tushie, and off to bed we went…

11.5 hours and two overnight feeds later we awoke to have a completely saturated nappy, and yet a nice dry bottom and no leaks!! So that is the most important part of the trial really… Does it hold up? Why YES IT DOES! Over-night and all! Now that is commitment to the trial!

If you are yet to closely inspect the new version, the differences are subtle in terms of design, but colour-wise, you will notice the differences immediately! The outside colours are lovely! Still no prints, but you can see a lovely rainbow of colours.

Inside, the soaker and booster are grey and I love that! I am a lover of grey tones, and I think it is quite genius to have grey boosters and soakers. When you think about it, why on earth do we have nappies that are white, when we KNOW what is going to happen in there!! J

The tabs that fasten at the hip are still Velcro, or Applix as it is called, and the laundry tabs are the same. I have found that the Laundry tabs on the original pop-ins we road tested are still holding up fine so I expect these to do the same. I do have a preference for snaps for longevity, but the Applix is just so nice and easy to fasten… As you fasten them, there is more stretch in the tabs, which I think is a good thing, though I did notice I had to go down a popper size to ensure a good fit on Noah, even with the night booster. I was also a little fiddly to get it just right. By that I mean not to tight at the waist, but snug enough at the legs to ensure no gaps. I’d say that I spent 2 minutes from start to finish getting it on Noah, who by the way is the wiggliest baby I have ever put a nappy on… So really its not that hard, but in comparison to the bumGenius I use for nights, it was an extra minute to get right, but well worth it I think, to have a dry baby and bed in the morning!!!

Those of you that have read the review of the previous version of the Pop-in, you may remember that I mentioned that I felt the poppers at the back were quite prominent. This version of the pop-in is much better! The front popper that attaches the booster to the soaker is also much better, with a slim line style of popper being used now. Another change is that the lining of the cover also has now got a panel of fabric in it to assist with absorption. These are all just small changes, but they have made the use of the pop-In much better!

I think each Cloth nappy stash could do with some of these, for days, nights, both or just for looking cute!

An impending ex-pat baby & a ‘can’t do without list’ by a gorgeous friend of Eco Child

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 11:10:00 GMT

Excited, impatient, ready, not ready, emotional and special. All of these feelings and more are swimming madly through my mind, body and soul in the lead up to one of the most special days of our lives. The day we get to meet our precious little bundle of joy. The day our life is going to change forever. The day we become parents. The day we become three.

So here I am, waiting, anxiously anticipating any sign that indicates the first stage of labour. The crazy part for me is not being able to control it. How can that be when we go through our lives making dates and appointments and living our life by the calendar and the clock? For eight months I’ve had the 13^th circled on the calendar. That was our magic number, the one that we’ve been watching with anticipation for the majority of the year. Today is the 18^th, which seems an eternity past the 13^th, and I’ve still got no idea as to when we’re to expect delivery of our most special parcel.

So, how do I feel, five days past our “due date”? I am still so excited. I get emotional just thinking about meeting little “G” (we’ve nicknamed our little bundle “G” which is the first initial of our last name – also we don’t know whether we’re expecting a boy or girl, so I think “G” is a fairly neutral name – better than “it”!). I have baby G’s room ready, nappies are washed, clothes are ironed (not sure if that’s a common thing, but it is a MUST here in Uruguay) and both Mummy and Daddy are ready (or at least they THINK they are!). Anticipation and excitement are both hovering madly around us at the moment, and I can honestly say that I’ve never looked forward to an event quite like this one.

To be honest though, I still have this feeling of complete disbelief. Are we really so lucky that we’re going to be parents any day now? It’s something that we’ve known for the last 8 months, and felt moving around for the last 4 months. We’ve celebrated every movement, kick and turn that the baby has made. We’ve felt this baby growing strongly every day, and yet it is still so hard to really believe, that it’s our turn. Something we’ve been wanting for so long is about to be ours. You can see how the anticipation is just becoming nearly impossible to cope with. We’re drowning in it, waiting for that sign, that trip to the hospital, and more importantly, that trip home again as excited (and exhausted) new parents.

Along with the feelings of excitement and anticipation of awaiting our first baby, I have to admit there is so much more going on. I would love to be one of those people who can patiently potter around the house all day, cleaning, cooking, tidying and keeping up with the day time soaps, but that just isn’t the case. I’m going to be in trouble now, although my friends and family know me too well and are probably expecting it, but today is the first day I haven’t gone to work. Is it any wonder that Baby G has decided to wait around where it is nice and comfortable? Why would any baby want to come out into the World when Mummy is worried about the training staff, processes and procedures?

So, am I ready for this baby? Of course I am, although equally not ready at the same time. How am I to know really how it is going to affect our life, the one we’ve been used to for the last 14 years as a couple?

5 things I couldn’t live without during Pregnancy

Well hopefully I’m in my last few days of pregnancy, and being my first, when we found out we were expecting I had no idea what I was in for. I have to admit I am one of the lucky ones who have had a dream pregnancy, no vomiting or sickness. But really, thinking back to those first few weeks when we found out, I had no idea what to expect during these last nine months. I couldn’t imagine how big I was going to get, what I was going to feel like, what I’d be able to do and also not do. What was I going to need? Do you really need to buy maternity clothes, or is it ok to use your “bigger” end of the wardrobe? You can get so much information from websites, books, family and friends – but where do you start? Then to make things just a little more complicated for me, I live in Uruguay, so I had a small opportunity when I went to Australia to get some things from there that I knew I wouldn’t be able to find here.

So, what are my top five things? After a trip to Eco Child, and some great advice from Carly, below are the things that I have loved during pregnancy. Remember, you need to look after yourself as much as possible during this time, and these little treasures just made my life that little bit sweeter.

Hot Milk Underwear

Oh how I love my Hot Milk Underwear! Although all your curves just grow and grow, it really is quite hard to feel “sexy and feminine” as your belly gets bigger and bigger. The Hot Milk Bra and Underwear range is just so comfortable, well-fitting and convenient (for when baby has arrived, the styles have been well thought out for feeding). And the pants, well, they are just SO comfortable. I’m not normally one to splurge on matching underwear (although I wish I was) I’m just so glad that I got a matching set while I was there.

Beautiful Blooming Stretchmark Cream

This cream has just got the most gorgeous fragrance, and it makes your skin feel so nice and soft. Throughout the majority of my pregnancy I have used the Beautiful Blooming Cream during the night, and the New Bloom Pregnancy Oil during the day. I just adore the scents of both and the way they make my skin feel. So far I haven’t seen any stretches or marks, so besides their yummy fragrance and feel, they do a great job too.

Water Bottle

Ok, so this is a funny one. Why would anyone get excited over a water bottle? When I was in Eco Child, I have to admit the stylish water bottles really caught my eye. It was one of those things that it just looked so pretty for something so practical, that I just had to have one. I bought myself the Roho Tweet Hydration Bottle by Thermos, and from that day on, it has been by my side 24 hours. I never realized how thirsty I would get during pregnancy, day and night, and this has been my one little saviour. It keeps the water at a perfect drinking temperature, and it has been with me no matter where I’ve been. It’s been with me on the plane, it came to Bali for our “Baby Moon”, it sits on my bedside table at night time and on my work desk during the day. I take it when I go walking, driving, into the prenatal classes, at the waiting room of the Medical centre – it goes everywhere I do.

Apple & Bee Fold-out Case

So this was another little splurge. Did I really need a bath bag? Probably not, but when you see the Apple and Bee range it is really hard to not get carried away with which one you want. I bought myself the Apple and Bee Fold Out Cosmetic Case in Nightbloom and just love it. I have it all packed and ready for me now to take to the hospital. The compartments are perfect, and everything fits in there that we need. The beauty of it is, you can see it all in the compartments even when it’s closed, so you don’t have to rummage through to find what you’re looking for.

Maternity Clothes

Now this is a funny one. I had no idea what size I was going to be, let alone what clothes I was going to need. I honestly thought that Maternity Clothes would be a waste of money, let me tell you how quickly I changed my mind about that.

During pregnancy you grow, and grow, and grow. Of course we know that’s going to happen, but we really have no idea how it feels. When I got all my maternity clothes, I was still only around 4 months pregnant, so I was still quite sceptical as to whether I would need them, and whether they would really ever fit me because they all looked so big (how wrong I was there!). I ended up with a few pair of pants, some long sleeve tops and a dress (all winterish clothes), and you wouldn’t believe how happy I am to have these clothes. They aren’t a waste of money at all, because you don’t buy a whole wardrobe full, you really only buy enough to make you comfortable during the pregnancy. I have a few key items, which is enough that I don’t have to think too hard about what to wear, I have enough choice that I look different every day (which is important especially if you’re still working), and the best part is, they are all super comfortable.

The Great Nappy Trial cont... Pikapu by Jessica Mudri

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 04:29:00 GMT

Rehydrated?

Perfect, lets continue onto our next sample…. The Pikapu!

Already in stock at Eco child for many good reasons! Like the Pop-in, the gusseting is second to none, the size range is brilliant, and the look is lovely. While the Pikapu do not come in prints, the variety of colors is enough to satisfy, as are their options. You can have an all-in-one ‘one size’, or you can have a one-size cover, with pre-folds! Personally, I’m not big on pre-folds… I’ll do a fitted, but a pre-fold... not so much. This option, all though not for me, is certainly a very economical and incredibly easy to use option, thanks to the great design of the Pikapu. But lets start with the All on one.

It is a great fit from newborn right up to toddler. I put it on a slightly disgruntled Hudson who was not all that impressed (“I’m a BIG boy now mummy…!” insert foot stamping here) and it fitted him brilliantly, even with an extra booster that I would put in if he did require a night nappy. See, I’m thorough right??!!

The nappy features an inbuilt booster that is only attached at one end, to reduce drying time. It can be tumble-dried, and even though I prefer snaps to Velcro, the laundry tabs on this work exceptionally well. I have experienced the odd leak here and there, not a deal-breaker in any way. I have even gone to Eco child and purchased another one, so obviously I like them a lot… I just wanted another color to be honest! I am certain that this nappy would fit from birth on any baby over the recommended 3kgs. It is a bit bulky when on such a small bub, only because the inner layer needs to be folded down. But I didn’t mind the bulk, some say it is good for bub’s hips anyway, and its not like Noah wanted to go anywhere in a hurry anyway! As this is a 100% polyester nappy, this may not be for the serious lovers of all things organic. But as I said above, I think that any cloth nappy is preferable to a disposable for many reasons: no plastics, no gels, no landfill, no chlorine… the list goes on. Simply, if you select this nappy you will be happy! Lastly on the all in one, when fitting it, just be sure that the top outer of the nappy is pulled up and none of the inner microfleece is poking above it. This is how I think we had the leaks, its just a little thing I noticed that might save you a bit of laundry.

Now onto the Pikapu cover and pre-fold. As I said, I don’t like prefolds, so I won’t be shouting their praises from the roof tops, but it is most definitely worth a go! Because if you do like them, they are an incredibly economical nappy option, and with the design of the pikapu cover, leaks will be very few and far between.

When he was tiny, I also used just the cover and one booster inside when I knew he was only going to be in it a short time. For a newborn, this held up just fine, I wouldn’t really do that now though! The pre-fold is relatively easy to use, washes brilliantly, and I have used it as a night time booster in the Pop-In too, so again it is worth having one of these no matter which you choose, same goes for the pikapu boosters.

The shape of them is a perfect fit inside every nappy I have tried! So please take a look at the pikapu when in-store next, and give them a go. You will be glad you did!

View full Pikapu range in our online store

Great Nappy Trial cont... Close Pop-Ins

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 04:28:00 GMT

Now you may be wondering how on earth I am remembering all this information… well please also remember that as I am a tad OCD, I have lists and spread sheets for about everything there is!!! I maintained a thorough spread sheet for the duration of the trial, and took these photo’s too!!! I really enjoyed the process, and found it to be very mind opening, as I’d often looked at other brands, but was never brave enough to try them…. But I am so glad I had this opportunity!!

It was just as the GroVia were being lovingly laundered once again and put away, that Carly and I embarked on the full on trial phase, accepting samples from those willing to offer them.

Once we received a few samples from our generous manufactures, the next one I quickly tried was the multi-award winning Pop-In nappy, made by Close Parent. I was incredibly excited to try this nappy, and it is so magnificently made. It is a brilliant one-size nappy that WILL take you from birth to potty training. The smallest setting was a great fit right from the beginning of the nappy trial, and I am confident that it would have fit him at birth, as there was still some room to make the Velcro snugger at the waist.

The double leg gusseting will ensure that no newborn poop can escape, and they are very cute! My only negative comments is that the poppers on this nappy in the inside do seem to be quite prominent, and I wonder if they are causing any discomfort to Noah… He isn’t complaining, so I suppose not, but would like to see some improvement there… The good news on that is that a new version 4 being released, and from what I know, this is the version Eco child is waiting for! (**note from Carly.... we now have word that our ordered Close Parent New Generations are on their way, they will be in-store from Wed 11th Jan!!)

So you will be getting the very best (as usual)!!! I will be first in line to try the new version though; I will be stalking the deliveryman at Eco child! We received both the dream-dri and the original version to trial, the dream-dri is a microfiber version with a micro suede underneath, designed to keep baby, well... Dri! The nappy is an all in two, and the poppers on the inside are at both the front and back, for the first layer, you can then top that with an additional booster for extended wear or heavier wetters. This one is smaller and snaps onto the first booster at the front. An optional night booster can also be used, but I have not tried this yet… I have used this nappy quite successfully at night though, with the addition of one of my many boosters in my stash.

Remember that natural fabrics, though they take longer to dry, will absorb more. So think Organic cotton, unbleached cotton, Bamboo and Hemp, over say a microfiber or polyester… Not to say they won’t do the job, but you will need more bulk to equal the absorbency of the natural fabrics.

The other option with a Pop-In is the Original version. This is a Bamboo and Cotton composition, and is lovely to touch. We have also had great success with this nappy to. With the same 3-piece design as the dream-dri, this version is simply just a different blend of fabrics, with much the same result! I was delighted with both the dream-dri and the original. I did find that the original version’s inner poppers were more prominent than the dream-dri, and again I hope this is one of the improvements on the version 4! This nappy, in either version would be a great addition to any stash, and would even be a great option for anyone wanting to just buy one style, to get from birth to potty-training. I truly think you will not be disappointed in any way!! My pick would be the original, because my love of natural fabrics, but if you were to select the dream-dri you will not be disappointed! Why not get a mix of both! Oh one last word on the pop-ins, Noah is now 7.5kgs, and is on popper row 2 or 3 if boosted for nighttime. I have also put it on 2.5 yr. old Hudson, who is just under 12kgs, and it’s a lovely fit on him to on the largest setting.

Well, are you overwhelmed yet? There are still a few more to go!!! Perhaps its time to go get a drink and stretch your legs, then come back to read the rest of our nappy trial. Its extensive, because we want to be sure we are providing honestly tried and tested options for your little one’s tushies!!!

A few pics for you of the New Generation Close Parent Pop-Ins....

Brights on the washing line

Pop-In open nappy detail

Close Pop-In Layers detail

Great Nappy Trial cont... BumGenius & GroVia Newborn All in Ones by Jessica Mudri

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 04:28:00 GMT

So lets get ready to scrutinize!!

I’ll set the scene first… Our willing subject is my then 7-week-old baby Noah. He was born weighing in at 3.39kgs, quite adorable, and quite perfectly sized to partake in our trial... It’s like I planned it that way! By the time we had begun our trial, he was weighing approximately 4.5kgs, courtesy of my 24-hour milk-on-tap restaurant!

At home I had already plunged headfirst into cloth with him, only using disposables (Chlorine free, available at Eco child) for the first 3 weeks, and then using cloth only while at home, simply because his little scrawny legs were not fat enough yet for the cloth I already had at home.

We started out with one of my absolute favorites, recycled from his big brother Hudson, the bumGenius Organic All in one, or Elemental. I have LOTS of these, and couldn’t wait to get Noah into them. They are sold as an all in one, one size fits most. This means that they will get your baby from birth, thru to toilet training.

This is theoretic, as they did not fit Hudson till he was 13 or 1 4 weeks old, he was teeny tiny! But did fit Noah at a mere 6 to 7 weeks, and were a great fit by 9 weeks. Now these nappies are truly the Rolls Royce of cloth nappies in my opinion. They look quite good, are now available in a huge new range of colors and they go on and off as easily as a disposable. They are a true all in one. NO folding, NO stuffing, No nothing! Honest… ON – OFF! They are a dream to wash, the one draw back is that being an all in one, and also being fully organic cotton, the drying time is quite long. But for me, this is not a problem. At night we use these, stuffed with a GroVia Organic booster, and topped with a Pikapu Microfiber booster, which is to keep his bottom feeling dry all night. This combo works brilliantly for us, and is not too bulky. For daytime, we use it un-boosted, the layers inside this are plentiful! I change him anywhere from one hour to four hours, and I can truthfully say that with both Hudson and Noah, I have had FEWER leaks in this nappy, than with disposables!

View the BumGenius range here

As the bumGenius was too big initially, I quickly called the lovely Rachel at the store to discuss what newborn options were in stock, ready for me to try! Enter the GroVia Newborn All in one! This is so super cute; it was the best mail I got that week!

I got 5 of

them to try, and they are so delectably adorable that I could not wait to get this on him! So much so, that I think I under prepped it, just slightly. It is important to simply wash and dry all cloth nappies quite a few times before using them. With this sweet little bit of fluff, I had quite a few leaks, but only with wee. They contained all breast milk poops very nicely, and I would be reasonably confidant in saying that it is due to my under prepping (not washing enough times as per the manufacturer’s instructions to open up the fibres and increase absorbency) that they leaked at all. This nappy was a great fit, nice and low to accommodate a newborn belly button and would definitely have fitted Noah at birth, had I had it then. This would be a great addition to any newborn stash! It has two rows of snaps for the rise, and two rows at the waist as well, ensuring a great newborn fit! As I believe it is due to my washing, or rather lack of washing, I am going to pass these onto my lovely friend who is going to have her 2nd bub in a few months, and have her try them! So please stay tuned for that! Also please drop us an email or comment on this blog if you are a lover of this nappy, as I am sure it is more successful than my experience… But I am being completely honest on this post, so I am simply telling is as it was.

View the GroVia range here

Welcome to The Great Nappy Trial by Jessica Mudri

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 04:26:00 GMT

Eco child’s Great Nappy Trial…. The results are in!

Modern Cloth nappies, Organic Cotton, Microfiber, Bamboo…. Boosters, Inserts, Pockets, Pre-folds, All in ones, All in two’s…. So after reading those words, are you scared, confused, or like me… Excited!!! Welcome to the wonderful world of Cloth nappies!!!

As a long-standing member of the Eco child team and armed with a brand new baby boy, who better to conduct a nappy trial, than me? If you have taken the time to read my bio, you’ll have read that I am meticulous and am incredibly passionate about babies and the world we live in. What better way to care for our precious babies, and our planet, than to be a user of the deliciously cute range of cloth nappies we are pampered with!!!!

BumGenious, Bambooty, Pop-Ins, Motherease, Pikapu… these are just a few, and already listed in amongst those, are enough variety and styles to pretty much please anyone!

So lets start at the beginning. I am hoping that this post will be informative to those that are brand-spanking new (as new as your little one’s tooshie!) to the Cloth nappy world, and also those that like myself, have been there and done that. I have already used cloth nappies for my now toilet trained 2 year old, and really did think I was on my game… Not to boast, but I really thought I knew what I needed to know…. Well I did have a bit of learning to do!

Before embarking on your journey of cloth nappies, you need to establish a few ground rules for yourself. A list of questions you should ask your self:

1. Why am I doing this? You want to establish whether this is for your baby’s health, your hip pocket, or the environment… This will determine what style of nappy you will use. For baby – Organic Cotton and natural fibers. For the Hip Pocket – perhaps pre-folds and covers, or a simple microfiber all in one. For the Environment – any cloth nappy at all is better than a disposable, but again, using natural fibers like organic cotton and bamboo are the environments best mates!

2. How much is my budget? You need to decide on the amount you realistically want to spend. Bear in mind that using disposables for 2 years will set you back anywhere from $3000 to $4000. And then you have wipes on top of that… So unless you want to cloth diaper an entire litter of piglets, you are guaranteed to spend FAR less than that, no matter what kind of MCN you choose.

3. Will these nappies be used for more than one child? If so, starting with about 1.5 times the nappies you need for one child, will ensure your nappies remain in tip-top shape for future bottoms to use! So will using sized options, instead of a one size fits all/most. Also be vigilant in caring for them, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for washing and drying.

4. What kind of fabric do I want on my babies skin? This questions ties in with the first obviously. You have many options here such as Organic cotton, Bamboo, Microfiber, hemp, 100% cotton, Polyester in many forms…. Once you decide on this, you can begin to narrow down your options quite significantly.

5. Lastly, how much do I care about the look of the nappy? This one is a personal choice. If you just want to get the job done, then who cares what they look like? If you plan to tote about baby with a cute fluffy bottom that looks delicious, then you can go a bit crazy! But lets be honest here… even the most basic cloth nappy is still far cuter than any disposable!!!

Ok, so answer those questions, and then you are on your way! You will need to do a bit of research to come to your own personal conclusion, as well as some in-house testing. But if you pop into Eco child store or jump back to the website, the staff will be more than happy to run through our many, and ever increasing array of cloth options!

I think it is wise to stock up on about 3 or 4 different kinds of nappies to start with, just 2 of each, to get a feel of what you like best. Try them for fit, usability, wash and preference, and then when you decide which ones you like best, then you can complete your stash! I love an all in one, because they are the easiest, but after this trial, I can honestly say that I also am a happy user of all in two’s and even a fitted nappy and cover. Pre-folds and pockets are still not my thing, but I know people who are thrilled with those options, so it is important to trial for yourself too.

When Carly and I talked about doing a nappy trial, I wondered which ones we would trial? We were sent a colossal amount of nappies to trial, and I must offer a huge big THANKYOU to the companies that chose to participate in our trial. As a store, Eco child is committed to bringing your family products that will work for you, and what better way to ensure this, than to try them ourselves!

Guest Blogger Profile - Jessica Mudri

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 07:07:00 GMT

Who is Jessica, you ask????

She is a 27 year old, happily married wife, stay at home mum of two amazing boys, a Sunshine coast resident, a slightly obsessive compulsive neat freak, an almost all Organic eating, Cloth nappy using (99% of the time!), Blissfully breastfeeding, Time out using, slightly frazzled, but mostly sane on most days, kind of person!

Well that’s the basics, here are a few more! I love to eat, and luckily I also love cooking! I love, love, love babies, Little chubby gummy smiling babies!! And they grow up into funny toddlers and then even funnier “big boys”! I love a clean house, so it is very lucky that I also love cleaning, and that’s one of my OCD things! My poor husband is not sure where he should out his stuff at the end of each day, it seems I have a new “spot” for his stuff every day! And my 2 year old Hudson, well he knows where the Enjo window cleaner is, how to use it, and to put it in the laundry basket when he is finished…!

My Eco obsession began about the time I moved into my house with my Husband and I wasn’t a big fan of using chemicals to clean, so I found Enjo. Then I started to learn more and more about the effect food and other elements have on our health, so I found organic food, starting with meat and dairy, and then of course vegetables and fruit, and now basically if its not organic, I’m probably not interested! I said PROBABLY, you CAN twist my arm if it is something REALLY yummy! I actively seek out non-toxic, safe and nourishing choices in all areas for our house, linen, cleaning, food, nappies, clothing and toys…. Anything I can!

Long before this time, I was already a lover of little teeny cute babies, and couldn’t wait to become a mum. It was through my sister-in-law that I heard about a possible position at Eco child, so then my biggest loves in life were merged! Eco-friendliness and Babies!!! I became a very, VERY happy staff member at your wonderful very own Eco child!!!!

I worked with the team at Eco child until I was 34 weeks pregnant with my superstar Hudson, who is now 2 years and 5 months at the time of writing this, and let me tell you, if Eco child sells it, you’ve a good chance it is in his room!! I then did a little fill in work as needed between pregnancies, and now I also have a little darling boy nicknamed “the beast” or more respectively, Noah! He is almost 5 months, and my two boys are my joy. Keeping them safe and healthy is my mission in life. I believe God gave them to me to raise and shape into the men they will become, and I’ll do my best to encourage them to make choices that are wholesome and beneficial for themselves, and also those in the world around them, near and far.

I believe wholeheartedly in the mission of Eco child, and am so very thankful that Carly put her dream into action and created the best Ecofriendly baby and kids store in all of Australia!!! (No, I’m not biased, I think that’s the truth!) I believe that by choosing organic, we are not only benefiting ourselves, but those in other countries, where our things are grown and manufactured. I can shop soundly at Eco child, knowing that no other child is suffering with dirty, chemical polluted water, or struggling to survive due to unfair working conditions, just so my boys can play with awesome toys and wear nice clothes…

I am thrilled to be a guest blogger, and I hope you will have a little laugh, find my posts at least moderately interesting and relevant, and possibly even learn something! We can all stand to learn something new, as we strive to raise our children to be wholesome, happy and equipped to make healthy choices for them selves. I hope you will enjoy the Eco child Blog, as much as you enjoy the beautiful store!!

Eco Child Blog Welcome

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 03:37:00 GMT

Well, this is it. Here we are. Finally a fully fledged online business model with our very own blog!

It’s been a looong time coming. The conception stage – toooing and froing, back and forthing. The planning stage – blog post ideas, guest blogs, online profiles to build. The building stage – the techie stuff which to be honest is well beyond us and we just outsource to our fabulous tech / web manager. But that’s just the logistics. What has really felt like the really big part of starting a blog for Eco Child has been the ‘putting it out there’ factor. The big world wide web of nothingness and everything..... once words and images go online – they are there; forever. Not able to be taken back, not edited and not easily forgotten.

Not that we’re planning on being controversial – but the online world seems to get controversial very quickly and easily. And at the foundation of Eco Child is my heart and soul. A love for our children, a love for our planet and a huge desire to make a difference to how we consume, how we parent, what we dress our children in, what we put on their skin and what we fill their minds with.

Eco Child has been a huge part of our lives – since it’s conception. For those of you who’ve been into our store you will know what we’re talking about when we say: it is our hope that the ethics, service and warmth we retain at the core of our business which is felt in-store can be transferred and shared by everyone creating an online shopping experience through the e-store and blog to parallel our bricks & mortar store experience.

And, so with this blog I am going to attempt to bring to life the heart and soul of Eco Child; into the online world. To translate the care, intent and purposefulness that resonates from within the store at Mooloolaba to our website. We will try – I hope we will succeed, sometimes we will fail and always we will try again. The success of this blog in conveying what we are so easily able to convey in-store from our hearts will depend not only us, the writers, but on you the readers – and your valuable feedback.

We will bring to you the stories of our events, our new products and why we’ve selected them and some of the fabulous people behind the scenes at Eco Child and their various areas of expertise. We have got a great many wild and wacky posts planned and we hope that you’ll join in us in this great journey of online blogging.

A sneak peek of a few guest posts coming up....
• The ‘GREAT Modern Cloth Nappy Trial’
• Alternative & Homeopathic Care for your Furry Friends
• Why Fair Trade?
• Introducing Solids

So check back with us weekly, daily, whenever you have time to sit for a quiet moment with a cuppa. And send us your comments, questions & ideas for blog posts or special interest areas that you’d like to read articles about. Or.... do you have an area of expertise or an experience that you’d like to share with the Eco Child audience? We’d love to hear from you and are looking forward to navigating the online blogging road ahead of us!

Cheers, Carly

Eco Child Director