Featured Posts

Winners Announcements! Winner of our Swim Survivial... Winners, winners and more winners!  We hope you're all excited about all the opportunities to win that we give you.  We're super honored to have you all as fans and loyal...

Read more

Swoon over Sloomb Giveaway, Win $60 in Sbish Cloth... This giveaway is sure to make your heart skip a beat!  We're giving away $60 worth of Sustainablebabyish/Sloomb Cloth Diapers!  Enter and you could win 1 Medium...

Read more

The Importance of Sleep and Tips from Michelle of SleepWellSleepSolutions.com I wanted to put a disclaimer on this up front. What follows is mostly advice for parents having problems with their children’s sleep. If things are working for you, you’re...

Read more

Winner of our Gro-ing the Love for GroVia Essay Contest... Thank you all so much for your enthusiasm in participating in our GroVia Essay Contest!  I have seem similar contests before with little interest and participation and for...

Read more

Skeptical about Cloth Diapering? Try GroVia! Contributed by Beth R I know all of you skeptics out there. Cloth diapering? Really? So gross, time consuming, and and expensive.  Let me start off by saying I was one...

Read more

Winners Announcements! Winner of our Swim Survivial Kit and Twitter Thursday are…

Posted by shethinksmedia | Posted on 18-05-2012

Category : Winners

Tags: ,

Winners, winners and more winners!  We hope you’re all excited about all the opportunities to win that we give you.  We’re super honored to have you all as fans and loyal customers and therefore we love to offer you all fun giveaways and promotions!

Today we announce the lucky winners of the Swim Survival Kit and Twitter Thursday!

Winner of the Swim Survival Kit is…

  • Stephanie N, Winner of 2 Bummis Swim Diapers and 1 Wetbag

Winner of Twitter Thursday is…

  • @klind186, Katie, Winner of 154 Abby’s Lane points

Congrats ladies! Please check your email or twitter for notifications from us and to claim your prize.  Thanks!

Swoon over Sloomb Giveaway, Win $60 in Sbish Cloth Diapers from Abby’s Lane! Ends 05/31/12

Posted by shethinksmedia | Posted on 18-05-2012

Category : Giveaway

Tags: , , ,

This giveaway is sure to make your heart skip a beat!  We’re giving away $60 worth of Sustainablebabyish/Sloomb Cloth Diapers!  Enter and you could win

  • 1 Medium Sbish OBF Fitted with Mocha thread
  • 1 Medium Sbish OBF Fitted with Squash thread
  • 1 Medium Sbish Flat Diaper in Natural thread

Sustainablebabyish cloth diapers are quality made, durable, natural, soft and comfortable.  Already a fan, then cross your fingers you can win this prize and add to your stash.  Don’t have any Sbish diapers yet?  Then you’re in for a treat.  If you win this giveaway you’ll be a Sloomb convert for sure!

Be sure to check back daily and take advantage of the extra entry methods and the ones you can complete daily, you for sure will want as many entries into this great giveaway as you can get!

Open to the USA only.  Winner’s entries will be verified and winner has 7 days to claim their prize.

Don’t forget, Abby’s Lane always has FREE USA Shipping on cloth diapers, including Sustainablebabyish products!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Importance of Sleep and Tips from Michelle of SleepWellSleepSolutions.com

Posted by shethinksmedia | Posted on 15-05-2012

Category : Guest post, Motherhood

Tags:

I wanted to put a disclaimer on this up front. What follows is mostly advice for parents having problems with their children’s sleep. If things are working for you, you’re happy, your child is happy, then I’d still like you to read this of course, but I would not recommend making any drastic changes to your routine. I nursed my daughter to sleep and never worried about her falling asleep on her own. At a couple months old, she started sleeping through the night – I never did any sleep shaping or training with her, she just figured it out on her own. Some babies do this. Others are like my son, who didn’t consistently sleep through the night until he was 3 ½ years old!

Importance of Sleep

Not only is sleep important to having a less cranky child, there are many biological functions that occur when we are sleeping that are important. Without adequate sleep, growth problems can result. Children who do not get enough sleep may be prone to overeating, or preferring high calorie carbohydrates. Hormones in the body are also affected in sleep deprived children.

Children who do not get enough sleep are also more prone to accidents during their waking hours, and they can also show signs that are often mistaken for ADHD.

Some Sleep Basics

In most children, the ability to put themselves to sleep is a learned skill, one which we can help them learn. If children do not know how to fall asleep at bedtime, they will probably wake during the night. We all go through sleep cycles when we sleep. When we switch between sleep cycles, we have a partial awakening. For adults, usually we turn over, maybe fix our pillow and fall back asleep. For children, these awakenings may be more difficult. If your child has fallen asleep while being rocked in your arms, then wakes up in the middle of the night in their crib, she will wonder how she got there, and then she is going to try to figure out how to get back to sleep. If the only way she knows how to fall asleep is being rocked in your arms, she will call or cry for you so that you can help them. Every 90 to 110 minutes, adults and children two and up have a slight awakening, every 3 – 4 hours we have a more pronounced awakening. Babies under two cycle more frequently.

We all have sleep windows that are our naturally sleepy times. When we are in a relaxed state and at our sleep window, our body produces Melatonin, a calming hormone. When we wait too long, our body starts producing Cortisol, which is a stress hormone. This is why your child, who a little while ago seemed pretty sleepy, is now running full speed around your house!

Once a child misses their sleep window and their body begins producing Corisol, it is harder for them to fall asleep, and they are more likely to wake during the night.

A well-rested child can handle variations in a sleep schedule better than an overtired child. Babies are even more sensitive, especially if they are already overtired.

Babies who do not get enough sleep will wake up throughout the night and earlier the next day.

Some Gentle Way s to Get Your Child to Sleep Better

The most important thing you can do in trying to change any behavior is to be consistent.

For all children, have a predictable, relaxing bedtime routine, preferably with no television or other electronic devices. Many people include a bath as part of their bedtime routine, but if you feel that this gets your child more worked up and less relaxed, it is fine to move it to another part of the day. If your child has a hard time settling down, look into baby massage or yoga for children. I recommend reading some books as well.

Younger children (under 2.5)

Try working on getting them to go to bed drowsy but awake at bedtime. You can begin trying this at 6 – 8 weeks old, but do not worry if your child resists it. Just try again in a couple of days.

Try massage or yoga if your child has trouble settling down before bed.

To improve sleep at night, make sure your child is getting enough sleep during the day. Over tired children sleep less and worse than well rested children.

Older children (2.5 and up)

Make sure your bedtime routine is consistent and the child knows what to expect (i.e. how many books will be read, how many times they can fill up their water cup, how many hugs etc.). Think about all the things your child may use to stall bedtime and think up your answer before time.

Explain the changes you will make to your child in a family meeting – Make it Positive! Explain to your child that they will feel better and be able to have more fun if they are well rested.

Use Sticker Charts to give a visual of the behavior you want changed. Put 3 or 4 behaviors on the chart, including one that will be relatively easy for the child to accomplish.

There are many clocks you can buy that will turn different colors to show the child when it is time to wake up. These are great for children who wake in the middle of the night or wake early in the morning.

If sleep training does not work, and you are 100% consistent, there may be underlying medical conditions such as: asthma, allergies, reflux and sleep apnea. Some symptoms of sleep apnea are restless sleeping, extreme sweating, snoring, and mouth breathing. If you are seeing any of these signs, discuss this with your pediatrician.

Written By Michelle Winters, Gentle Sleep Coach

Michelle Winters graduated from the College of William and Mary with a Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology and is a Certified Gentle Sleep Coach. Working with infants, toddlers, and preschool aged children at a Montessori school has made her aware of how prevalent sleep difficulties are. She decided she wanted to do something to help all the tired parents out there, especially since she had been one of those tired parents until very recently when her 3 year old son finally started sleeping through the night. She can help you create a plan that will have your child sleeping better at night and at naptime. Her website is www.sleepwellsleepsolutions.com.

 

Growth issues and Sleep: http://www.babycenter.com/0_the-connection-between-sleep-and-growth_3658990.bc

Article about adults, eating and sleep: http://www.sptimes.com/2004/11/17/Worldandnation/Sleep_deprivation_rai.shtml

Article about ADHD symptoms really being symptoms of sleep deprivation: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/16/attention-problems-may-be-sleep-related/

Sleep Basic information comes from “The Sleep Lady’s Good Night Sleep Tight”, written by Kim West.

Winner of our Gro-ing the Love for GroVia Essay Contest is…

Posted by shethinksmedia | Posted on 12-05-2012

Category : Winners

Tags:

Thank you all so much for your enthusiasm in participating in our GroVia Essay Contest!  I have seem similar contests before with little interest and participation and for this one I was super impressed at the amount of entries and the thoroughness of the essays submitted.  You all truly love GroVia and are passionate about cloth diapering so I suppose writing about the topics just came naturally.

We enjoyed reading your essays and choosing a winner was super difficult.

After much consideration we chose a winner.  The winner is Beth R!

Beth wrote about her experience with GroVia from the birth of her son at 33 weeks, using GroVia products in the NICU to potty training.  She’s a GroVia mom for sure and through sharing her experience she’s able to convey great reasons you should try GroVia yourself.

You can read Beth’s entire essay here.

Beth is the lucky winner of (4) GroVia Diapers.  (2) Newborn AIO,s and (2) Onesize AIO’s.  She’ll receive one new robot print newborn and the rest she’ll receive her choice of.

Thanks to GroVia for sponsoring and sweetening our prize!  We appreciate it!

Skeptical about Cloth Diapering? Try GroVia!

Posted by shethinksmedia | Posted on 11-05-2012

Category : grovia, Guest post

Tags: , ,

Contributed by Beth R

I know all of you skeptics out there. Cloth diapering? Really? So gross, time consuming, and and expensive.  Let me start off by saying I was one of those people until I started looking at the benefits and the cloth diapers that are out there. In doing our research, we found GroVia and it is still one of my favorites today! We love GroVia. GroVia was the first diaper that my son ever wore and the last trainer he wore as well.  Our GroVia’s have grown with us and our son. When I think about that first cloth diaper he wore it makes me a little sentimental actually.

My son was born early at 33 weeks due to a placental abruption where we both almost lost our lives. When he was born his lungs were not quite developed and due to this he had to spend time in the NICU. Before he could leave, he had  to grow, work on breathing on his own, as well as eating and doing all of the things newborns babies should be doing when they leave the hospital.

Of course, as a mother my dream of having a natural birth, breastfeeding right away, and using cloth diapers seemed impossible. Although I couldn’t change his birth or being able to breastfeed him right away, I was determined to have my son wear cloth.  About 2 days after he was born, I brought up one of my GroVia newborn diapers up to the NICU nurses and said that we would like to use our cloth diapers for the duration of our son’s stay in the NICU. The younger nurse we talked to first, looked  a little appalled at the thought of using the GroVia’s. She said she had never used a cloth diaper while working there before. But said she would talk to a few other co-workers and the head nurse at the time to see what they thought and if it would be a possibility.

A few of the nurses came in and the head nurse, who was an older woman said, “oh my goodness how these things have changed since my babies were little.” She had cloth diapered her kids!  She jumped right on board and said that as long as we were able to take the diapers home in a wet bag every night she didn’t see any reason why we couldn’t. Then all of the nurses, my husband, and I went through the process of teaching them how to use them and the features, etc. The nurses were amazed at how cute they were and how easy they were to use even on our son who was small the GroVia’s still fit him pretty well (a little big).

We decided to go ahead and use the Biosoaker liners until the meconium stage was over, then we transitioned into the stay dry soaker pads while we were still in the NICU.  A few of the nurses were tentative when we made the transition, but again they jumped on board and helped us cloth diaper our son from the beginning. They would comment on how easy they were and how our little guy never got diaper rashes like the other babies. They were amazed at the ease of use and how even with their work loads that these took no more time than the disposables did for the other babies in the NICU.  We were in the NICU for almost 4 weeks and were so ready to finally go home with our baby.   Although it was hard to leave our new friends and people who so loving took care of our first born, we also loved that fact that we were able to help the NICU staff as well as other families in the NICU develop a love of cloth!  From the people we have stayed in contact, 3 of the families and 4 of the nurses have used or are currently using cloth and GroVia’s with their little ones!

Our son is now 3 years old and has used the GroVia AIO and the GroVia trainers to potty train. He is now out of cloth diapers and we are currently cloth diapering our second child with our GroVia’s.  We feel blessed to have discovered GroVia’s from the bgining! Because of GroVia’s dependability, ease of use, and versatility we have been able to cloth diaper our son from the beginning even in a situation where a heavy workload and little time could have been a deterrent.

GroVia’s were the one thing that I was able to do for my son from the beginning!  If the NICU staff who takes care of several babies at time can do it, you can too! They are just as easy to change as disposables and even have the option of using a disposable liner if you can’t stomach the thought of cleaning it out ( really not that bad :) ).

This is proof that anyone can and everyone can use GroVia, even in the NICU!

It’s EASY to start with GroVia!

Posted by shethinksmedia | Posted on 11-05-2012

Category : grovia, Guest post

Tags:

Contributed by Linda A.

So, curious about cloth but don’t know even where to start?  Start with a Grovia.  They have a little of everything, a very easy All in one, a nice versatile All in 2, a trainer and even accessories!  Grovia’s have cute prints, easy snaps or aplix and a thick waterproof layer that works every time. 

The easiest diaper to start out with is the All in one, since it goes on and off baby just like a disposable anyone who can change a diaper can change this diaper.  Washing it is very simple as there is nothing to take apart or put back together, just wash and dry.

Most economical is the All in two, which allows you to change out just the soaker when the baby soils the diaper.  This shell can usually be used multiple times before needing to be cleaned.  Grovia’s soakers are unique in the industry and can be used with any cover as the soaker has its own waterproof layer allowing you to use that cover over and over and over again.  You can also use the hybrids (disposable soakers) when you are out traveling and still have that cute diaper shell showing with less waste in the landfill than a regular ‘sposie.  The shell can even double as a swim diaper when used without a soaker.

And when your LO is ready to be a big boy or girl, Grovia has side snap trainers.  Perfect for little hands to pull up and down on their own, but easy for mama to take off when LO has an ‘oops’.  Neat color side panels makes it fun to wear and customize.  Hidden pocket opening in the back allows for absorbency adjustment for sleep time.

Ready to put the icing on the cake?  Grovia also has a complete line of accessories such as wet wipes and wet bags to help make your cloth diapering experience complete. 

Try GroVia, It’s MY Modern Cloth Diaper of Choice!

Posted by shethinksmedia | Posted on 11-05-2012

Category : grovia, Guest post

Tags: ,

Contributed by Sarah P.

When you are expecting a child there is this big question you ask yourself, “What will the baby need?” And as you look through books, magazines, webpages and baby stores the question grows and changes. “What type of…?” “What color…?” “What size…?” And as your baby list grows and changes so does your baby and the big day just gets closer and closer.

So a lot of parents don’t ever let the many diaper choices on the market these days cross their minds. That’s just one more question and if you ask it it begins small, “Should I use cloth diapers?”

For us it wasn’t a question, I told my husband before we were married that when we had babies it was cloth diapers and that was that, when we were expecting I did a million hours of research that boiled down to the very best of the best in the categories I wanted to use. While some things I tried and didn’t like (just a few sized covers) I have been happy with all of the other diapering purchases we have made and could probably tell you anything about any of them. But when a parent started with that “Should we…?” question it opens up doors to so many options it can make your head spin, and if you don’t have any cloth diapering experience it can be a little too much to sift through to find what you will be happy with.

“Flats, prefolds, covers, snaps, velcro, snappis, pins, sized or one sized, AIO, AI2, hybrids???” AHH! “Will this work for us? Should we bother at all?”  Then if you even manage to decide on what you will try you have to decide who to buy it from, who it is that makes what you want exactly for a price you can live with.

Some people cringe at the price of cloth diapers, especially when they start looking beyond the “old fashioned” cloth.  It can be a big deal, flat screen tv money.  But when parents throw that $20 pack of disposables in your shopping cart every other week or so that adds up too, and it keeps adding up and when they look back at the $3000 they have literally thrown in the trash over the last few years they might wish they had given cloth a little more thought.

So then there is GroVia my modern cloth diaper of choice and here is why.

Personally I am “oldschool” with my diapering, I actually really like prefolds and flats and I have no qualms about washing diapers all the time so when I bought my first GroVia shell it was to use over my “old fashioned” cotton diapers. It was so cute I had to buy it, “One size!” I said,  “sign me up!!!”  You buy one, you don’t buy small, medium and large, just the one. So it showed up, the lonely little cover with the cute print and I realized it’s not just a PUL lined cover it’s actually lined with a soft mesh between the diaper and the waterproof layer, I like that, its comfortable and I feel better about it. And let me say while it is very trim and when people would see my baby in it instead of “Is that a cloth diaper? Your baby’s bum looks sooo big” I’d get “That is soo cute, is that a cloth diaper?” Much better. Not that I mind people raising their eyebrows at what I choose to do but it’s pretty nice to have people interested in such a positive way. So I of course love this cover. And my interest goes on, you see with all the options out there and the hard decisions parents have to make GroVia is a really smart and simple choice that can be more than just the one option.

Now I’ve said I’ve used them as covers over my choice of diapers, and you can do that toy your hearts content… but, and the but is a good thing. You can get this system to work for you no matter what you like in the diapering world.  Not comfortable with washing diapers but want to be more “green”?  Try their disposable liners “biosoakers”, it is still less waste and it’s much cuter.  They carry both snap covers and aplix so you get to pick which one you want there, which is nice because it really is just a personal preference, I’m a snap lady, but some people like aplix, the fit is a little different and you can try both.

What if you don’t know what kind of diaper you would like, maybe just make it simple, GroVia has a few options for snap in liners, you wash them like cloth diapers but they are just these little pads that snap in and absorb, then snap out and go in the wash, you can then reuse the cover a few times or until soiled, then wash it all. They are available in organic or stay dry, we are big into organics in our house and wouldn’t consider them unless they were organic, which oddly enough can be hard to find in these types of AI2 setups, they also have boosters for extra absorbency. With this method you don’t have to fasten the diaper at all or worry it will move around in there unfastened.

So now if you don’t want to try them as covers and the little liners seem complicated GroVia has the option of buy it as an AIO (all in one) they are also trim, have a slightly different look but are also very nice and have the same cute prints, you can just use it and toss it in the pail, wash, dry and use again, one piece like a disposable but much better for everyone and actually a lot cheaper in the long run.

Personally I am planning to stock up on a bunch of the organic pads and use them in my covers to quickly use on my wiggly tot while we are out, which is great because its, catch, remove, snap snap, and go… outings can be tough. So I tell people about GroVia when they will listen, its a very easy way to cloth diaper, even day care providers, baby sitters and dads can handle it. And…. they have packages…. that save you money, money you can spend on some of the other things a baby needs.

So… TRY GROVIA! It’s very straightforward and removes a lot of questions.

Gro-ing your GroVia Dream Stash, these moms share theirs with you!

Posted by shethinksmedia | Posted on 10-05-2012

Category : grovia, Guest post

Tags: ,

My GroVia Dream Stash by Samantha C.

If i was to rebuild my stash with just Grovia products I gladly would!! We just bought our first grovia AOI diaper a few weeks ago and turned around and bought 2 more!!  They fit my 4 1/2 month old heavy wetting son amazing!!  We have not tried the shells and soakers yet but they are on our wish list!!  If I had to build the PERFECT (or at least close to it) stash of just grovia I would choose:

  • 3 AIO new bicycle print
  • 3 AIO new robot print
  • 3 AIO new woodlands print
  • 3 AIO surf print
  • 3 shell hook/loop robot print
  • 3 shell hook/loop kiwi
  • 3 shell hook/loop cloud
  • 3 shell hook/loop mandarin

For the shells I would have 8-12 organic soaker pads, 8-12 stay dry soaker pads, and 8 organic and 8 stay dry boosters. i have never tried the biosoakers but we might as well throw in a few boxes of those for travel, sitters, and when diapers need stripping.  I would also need 2 packs of the cloth wipes, 2 magic sticks, 2 rolls of bioliners, and 2 wetbags and pail liners.  Let’s not forget about tiny bubbles detergent to wash all my grovia stash in :) oooo my!!  I almost forgot about a newborn stash and trainers to last from birth to potty!!  If I was to add newborn I would do the newborn 12 pack but I think I would need 2 just to be sure i have enough ;) love the surf, cloud, owls, planes, robot, bicycle, woodlands and maybe 1 peacock because all boys need a little pink ;)

Here’s to dreaming of a dream GroVia stash!!

My GroVia Dream Stash by Alya M.

Some nights I wake up in a panic, my dream slipping away from me but vague thoughts still chasing themselves around my head: How can I hide all the packages of fluff arriving from my fiance? How can I hide the damage done to the bank account? Yes, building an envy inducing stash of cloth diapers is a frequent dream in my obsessed mind, and my baby hasn’t even arrived yet!

Still, when building my dream stash and scheming how to hide the purchase from my fiance, I keep him in mind. If I had free reign, my first order of business would be stocking up on all-in-ones for his sake. I’d get two dozen newborn and two dozen one size, primarily in vanilla to stay hidden under our son’s clothing. I would however get the Cloud in both newborn and one size, as well as some fun prints for when baby boy gets mobile. I’m particularly partial to the Owls, Woodlands, and Robots so they’d be my fashion choice, and I’d make sure to have three of each for the one size stage.

To round everything out and make sure there’s plenty of options on laundry day, I’d throw in some shells and inserts, too. Two dozen of those, half in hook and loop and half in snap, also in vanilla, would be ideal. (Ok, maybe another Robots print or two for lounging around the house – I can’t get enough of it!) As for soakers, it’d be the organic pads all the way. The more natural fibers the better. At 2 per pack, I’d probably splurge for two dozen packs for a good rotation. And, as always, keeping my fiance in mind, a roll of bioliners would be nice for him while out with the baby. Add in cloth wipes, a couple boxes of Tiny Bubbles, and two or three wetbags and we’d be set.

Now if only I could wake up with all these things before me and need no explanation for our significantly reduced bank account…a girl can dream, right?

My GroVia Dream Stash by James S.

If I were able to start cloth diapering all over with my dream stash I would have:

  • 24 newborn aio’s
  • 12 one size aio’s
  • 6 shells
  • 12 stay dry inserts
  • biosoakers (as needed)
  • 9 My Chioce Trainers
  • 2 wet bags
  • 2 pail liners
  • magic stick (as needed)
  • 8 stay dry boosters
  • 36 wipes
  • Tiny bubbles (as needed)

This would be my ideal stash because it would last from birth to potty learning and we would have a solution for all of our needs.

I chose 24 newborn aio’s for the first month or so when my sweet lil’ one is too tiny for the onesize. These aio’s fit awesome, they fit from 4-12 lbs.They are extremely cute and easy to use as you first experience with cloth diapers.

For my one size diapers I would have a combination of aio’s and ai2′s.I picked the aio for at home and daycare.I chose them because the side snaps make them very trim. The organic cotton is very absorbent and it is a great fabric to have on my little ones bum.They are very easy and convenient to use, just snap on and go! I chose ai2′s for on the go. In my diaper bag they take up much less space than the aio’s and work just as great. I picked the stay dry option for my ai2′s because when we are out it might be a little bit longer before I am able to change her diaper and no one wants to feel wetness on there behind.They also rinse off easier so when they poop they are less likely to stain. I also would like to have some biosoakers because sometimes it is not feasible to use cloth diapers and they are still a good for the earth and safe for her bum!

I think that 9 trainers would be a good amount to have, if she needs more we can use her aio’s and just not snap as tight so they can be pulled up and down.These trainers are made with stretchy side panels so they are easy for toddlers to pull up and down. The side panels snap on and come in a bigger size.I like that they snap so if they poop in it, it is easier to snap off than pull down.

Now I will tell you what accessories I would chose, and why. I would chose 2 wet bags one for daycare and one for the diaper bag, you can easily fit 6-8 diapers in these bags.I also chose 2 pail liners so when you wash just throw in the dirty one, and put the clean one in your diaper pail, by the next wash day the first one is clean and dry.I chose 36 wipes because on average we change my daughter 9x a day so if you use one wipe for pee and two wipes for poop you would have more than enough for two days. these wipes are very soft and can also be used as washcloths or to wipe little hands and faces. Another accessory I would pick is the staydry boosters. I would use them in either my aio or ai2′s for nighttime, bedtime, or any other time I think she might need a little extra absorbency.I would also need some Tiny Bubbles detergent. This detergent gets your diapers very clean and doesn’t leave any residue behind so no stink and no rashes! I would also get the Magic Stick this diaper ointment is amazing, it works well to protect their little bum and keep them rash free! I really love how easy and light it goes on, that you don’t have to touch the ointment, and the great smell.

This is my dream stash! It is the right number of each item that would work for me and my family.I believe that is what Grovia is about giving you options so you can find what works for you and your family!

Practical Cloth Diapering Tips for Two or More in Cloth Diapers

Posted by shethinksmedia | Posted on 10-05-2012

Category : Cloth Diapering Multiples, Diaper Chatter

Tags: , ,

This week we are chatting about some practical tips for diapering more than one.   I have done this myself 4 times-LOL-my kiddos come usually within 2.5 years, those who were day trained still were not night trained when younger sibling joined us, so lots of experience with the multiples in diapers.

One question I get frequently is “how do I pack a cloth diaper bag enough for two babies, that is a lot of bulk!”  My advice is to leave a fully packed backpack (or diaper bag, I prefer a backpack though to use on two shoulders), in the car, and only take in a few diapers for the babies in your stroller, purse or wet/dry bag that can hang.  You don’t need to physically carry that many diapers, it is just nice to have them on hand if you need them. Unless you have twins or higher multiples, if you have 2 in diapers the oldest one will be over a year old, where during a 4-6 hour span will only need 1-2 diapers. Baby may need 2-3, so you only need a few with you. If you have younger multiples you may need to carry more with you, but in my experience even on long day trips we still returned to the car within a 4-6 hour time frame for whatever reason (to get more snacks, let someone nap, cool off in the air conditioning…).

For multiples on long trips, I have found two in diapers is no different than one really.  I love my large PlanetWise wet/dry bag for traveling and vacations. It fits a huge amount of diapers, enough for a full load in the washing machine.

For wipes on the go, just tuck in 5-10 wipes in your purse or small bag, as long as you have a water bottle with you, you can use wipes on the go. Keep extras in your full bag in the car, but no need to carry more with you if you need the room :)

My preference for washing with two in diapers is washing every day.  But, remember I like a smaller stash and frequent washing to keep things their cleanest. After one day with two in diapers I have 15-20 diapers in the pail, which is optimal for a load to get clean. I toss them in at night to wash, hubby throws them in the dryer in the morning, I fold/stuff at breakfast time with the youngest ones.

Sorting the diapers into piles before folding/stuffing saves a lot of time during folding, a little organization goes a long way.

The nice things is, after one potty trains, you have a really expansive stash, or some extra cloth diapers to resell :)

 Stephanie
www.AbbysLane.com

Moms HEART GroVia Diapers and think you will too, here’s why!

Posted by shethinksmedia | Posted on 09-05-2012

Category : grovia, Guest post

Tags: ,

Today we’re going to share as many of our GroVia Essay Contest entries as we can!

I HEART GroVia by Alycia C.

What I love most about my GroVia diapers and accessories is their versatility. I have tried all of the one-size diapers, beginning with GroBaby, and can’t say enough good things about them. The shells come with snaps that are super easy to do and undo, unlike KamSnaps which have a tendency to get stuck for me, and the Velcro used is super soft and sticky. The inner wicking material is unlike anything I’ve ever seen and I’ve yet to have a leak with my GroVia Shell system. The snap in inserts are super soft and absorbent and putting a snap on each end is a must- no shifting or scrunching with Grovia! But the best part is that the shells not only fit GroVia inserts, but they fit almost any other insert imaginable! This is very important, at least to me, in a diapering system. If I can’t use it interchangeably with my prefolds and hemp inserts I probably won’t use it much at all!

I heart GroVia because all the reasons stated above make it easy for almost anyone to cloth diaper their baby(ies). Let’s face it, if something isn’t easy most of the time people will give up. Throw in having to deal with poop and it’s pretty easy to have a lose-lose situation. GroVia changes that. Even the most skeptical parent can ease into GroVia by using their OS shells and disposable Bio Soakers (the most absorbent insert I’ve tried!). Then once they fall in love with that system, which they will, it is super easy for them to change over to the cloth soakers, and eventually they’ll try the AIOs and then the newborn AIOs if they have another baby. You can’t just try one GroVia Diaper, you have to try them all! Throw in the irresistible prints and what’s NOT to love about GroVia?!

I HEART GroVia by Cassie G.

As a new mom and new to cloth diapering, I was confused as to what type of diaper to try.  I stumbled across a sale on Grovia, and purchased 4.  I am in LOVE!  I have a taller, skinnier baby and the trim fit fits his frame well, with no leaks.  As a newborn, he was able to start wearing these long before some of the other AIO diapers and they don’t look ridiculously huge on him.

He is in a daycare setting, and several of the teachers have commented on how well they also like the diaper, how cute they are, and how easy to use. I like that I can easily snap a booster on, don’t have to fiddle with the pockets, and how I easy it is to wash and dry them.  The colors are vibrant—I’m not sure how they make the outer fabric, but the stretch and quality feels so much nicer than many other brands.  The new prints are super cute—I am dying to get my hands on the bicycle and woodlands prints, not to mention that I would just really like to add more to my current stash.  When my little one is older, I will definitely purchase the  flex panels to convert to trainers—I think this is one of the best features of the grovia AIO—how long they will last me!  Also, I haven’t had any issues with my diapers bulding up an odor, but from all the research I have done, the cotton lining of the Grovia should not have this issue, as many other microfiber diapers and inserts seem to.  Overall, I really couldn’t be happier with my Grovias!

I HEART GroVia and Why YOU should try them!   by Jenifer L.

We LOVE GroVia diapers in our home! We’re an AIO family, and I want to tell you a little bit about our GroVia stash, and why I think these are the best AIOs around. First, I should mention that I’m on my second baby in cloth. When my first was born in 2008, I made the switch to cloth when he was 4 months old, and tried out pretty much every diapering method I could. We settled on Dream-Eze, and used it almost exclusively. They were awesome diapers that held up so well that I gave my entire stash to another mom looking to ditch the disposables when my son potty-trained.

When we found out baby #2 was on the way in 2011, I knew right away I wanted to get cloth diapers that I’d love as much as the ones we had for baby #1. I soon found that Dream-Eze was discontinued, but that there was a new system out called GroVia. When I saw that GroVia had all the features I’d loved before – organic cotton, quick-drying sewn in soaker, trim side snapping – and that they were now one-size? Oh, I was sold. And the cute new prints were amazing. I just had to have the owls. I was so excited to get my hands on these diapers that I bought our entire stash for baby #2 before she was born. In fact, I bought it before I even found out we were having a girl!

So why are GroVia the best AIO out there? Where to start… When I first opened our box of GroVia diapers, I immediately noticed how great the fabric feels to the touch. I’m pretty sure these are the softest items in my daughter’s wardrobe, and they’re soft like the minky baby blankets she has. This is especially true for the side snap panels. And I must say that I love that these diapers are side-snapping. As a result they are incredibly trim. Sure, the cloth diaper bubble butt look is cute, but I like that my baby girl’s clothes fit the same on her top and bottom. The side panels are also incredibly stretchy, which it great for my wiggly 7 ½ month old who is crawling and cruising all over the house. Still no leaks!

I also love the simplicity of the AIOs. Since GroVia has the option of a snap in soaker, it was easy to snap the diaper down to the smallest setting and get a good fit when my girl was tiny. Now that she’s bigger, we snap in the soaker ever time, and we don’t get any leaks. The fact that the inner cotton layer and soaker aren’t sewn completely to the shell means they dry super fast out in the sun. The AIO method is so easy, that we’re able to use it with our daycare. My husband and I both work out of the home, and our children’s caretakers can pick this system up with no problem. I also travel frequently for work, and my hubby just keeps up our simple cloth diaper routine for our daughter when I’m away.

Adorable prints, great one-size design, trim side snapping, great absorbency, and all organic cotton? What more could I ask for? Actually, there’s something I could ask for – maybe a couple new AIO in Peacocks or Bicycles prints. I’ll be putting that on my wish list for Mother’s Day. These are awesome diapers. I hope you all give GroVia a try, too!

I HEART GroVia by Christina C.

I HEART GroVia very much! What I love most about GroVia diapers and accessories isn’t just one thing!

First of all, I love the simple design that makes GroVia products so easy to use, even for a cloth newbie. When I decided to switch to cloth with my son, GroVia diapers made the process much more accessible and less intimidating for me. My entire started stash was comprised of GroVia AIOs, and they are still among my favorite diapers! I used them every day, and my husband finds them very easy to use as well.

Another thing I love about GroVia diapers is the material. The organic cotton works wonderfully against my boy’s skin, the TPU outer wears well and looks smooth. The fit of GroVia diapers simply can’t be beat. They are so trim, and about as close the the trimness of a disposable as you can get. I love the low rise, and the very stretchy side-tabs and side-snaps make for an impeccable custom fit.

Another favorite feature is the look of GroVia diapers. The colors and patterns are fresh and cheerful, and the side snaps offer a very clean look. The new colors “Surf” and “Cloud” are fabulous. They are simply adorable on my son’s tush and would be great for boys and girls.

Aside from the diapers, I also love the GroVia bioliners, which have been so useful to me, especially since I don’t own a diaper sprayer. My husband loves these! Finally, I must comment of GroVia’s excellent customer service. One of my diapers had some faulty stitching, and the company sent me a replacement immediately without any hassle! They have also been very responsive to questions I had about cloth diapering techniques. These are the reasons that I love GroVia products!

Why I HEART GroVia by Virginia V.

We made the switch to cloth diapers about two months ago when our gifted disposable stash started to dwindle. Being apartment dwellers, we thought it would be nearly impossible to cloth diaper. But after much research and talking to other cloth diapering mamas we decided it would be a good choice for our family.

We bought our stash of Grovia cloth diapers from a local Fullerton shop. The owner explained the positive effects it has on the environment by creating less waste, how the cloth is gentler on baby’s skin and of course how you can save a ton of money.

We also picked up a few other supplies.

Here’s our list of essential cloth diapering supplies:

  • 24 Grovia organic diaper inserts
  • 4 Grovia diaper booster soakers
  • 1 roll Grovia diaper liners (for when it’s time for solids)
  • 1 pack Grovia disposable biosoakers
  • 1 stick Grovia diaper rash ointment
  • 1 large Planetwise wet bag
  • 1 medium Planetwise wet bag (for on the go)
  • Charlie’s All Natural Laundry Detergent (I recently learned of Trader’s Joe’s brand detergent – which I want to give a try.)

Things we already had and use daily:

  • 12-18 Grovia cloth wipes (gifted to us at one of our showers)
  • 1 squirt/spray bottle for water/oil/soap solution for wiping

Starting out, there is definitely a learning curve. We experimented with doubling up on inserts for night time, but that didn’t work. Miles is what cloth diapering mamas call a “heavy wetter.” So at night time we use the Grovia disposable Biosoakers and they keep him dry all night – which usually means 8pm – 8am.

Another huge plus for using cloth diapers is they can be used over and over again. Since we are planning on one more baby, we’ll be using the same diapers for our next little one. The more you wash, the more absorbent they get. After each diaper use, we rinse in the tub with cold water. We mainly do this for the poopy diapers (which are fairly easy since breastfed babies produce very liquidy poos). We wash our diapers about three times a week. At least once a week I sun dry them. The sun is great for diapers, it bleaches out any stains in about 20-30 minutes of direct sunlight. I was so amazed by this.

All in all, I highly recommend cloth diapering. We spent about $400 total on all our supplies, which when you think about it, pays for itself in a few months when comparing to disposables cost. Not to mention we don’t buy wipes or diaper pail bags, which adds an additional cost to your disposable diaper bill. Overall, our family loves cloth. Our babysitters Nona Cathy and Uncle Matt found the whole Grovia system very easy too.

Previous
May 2012
M T W T F S S
« Apr    
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031  

Cloth That Counts Rss