Sunday, May 20, 2012
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
A Contest PLUS Nighttime Cloth Diapering Made Easy
Yes, along with using cloth diapers when traveling, nighttime
cloth diapering is a big issue for most parents.
We’d talked about using diapers at night in an earlier post and thought we’d recap some important tips:
1. Use Absorbent Diapers for the Night
Switch to the bumGenius Elemental or the Flip for night since they offer greater absorbency.
2. Keep Baby Dry with Stay-Dry Inserts
If you choose the Flip, then pair it with the
Stay-Dry Inserts for longer, drier hours. The 3 ultra-absorbent layers of
microfiber and a smooth stay-dry suede cloth wicks moisture from your baby’s
bottom, keeping your little one nice and comfy for at least 3 hours at a
stretch.
3. Double the Inserts
Using 2 inserts inside a diaper cover can
increase the absorbency of a diaper, however, it may also make the diaper a bit
bulkier.
4. Wash your Diapers Right
Yes, using the wrong kind of detergent can
lead to product buildup on the diapers and make them less absorbent that usual.
So, if you notice that your diapers have ‘reduced’ in absorbency, maybe you
need to review your laundry procedure.
Want to know more about using cloth diapers
at night? Join us on March 28,2012 at 8 PM for a one-on-one chat with Rachel
Chand on our Facebook Wall and learn more about night diapering.
Contest Time!!
It’s time for our FIRST contest here on the
Smart Baby blog.
One
lucky winner will get a cool “I’m a Genius” thermos.
To participate, simply tell us which of the
SmartBaby products is your favorite and why? You can leave a comment here or on
our Facebook wall.
Open to ALL residents of India, aged 18 or
older.
Contest open till 03/31.
Photo Credit: Ste Elmore
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Traveling with Baby? Cloth Diapering Tips to Help
Are you planning to head out for a short vacation with baby in tow? Worried about diaper changes and whether you’d be able to use your cloth diapers when traveling? Yes, traveling with baby can be quite overwhelming for a new mom and when you add cloth diapers to the mix, it can become tougher still, right?
Well, you can set your fears aside.
Here are some cloth diapering tips and ideas to make travel time easy and stress-free for both baby and you:
1. Use Extra Absorbent Inserts
Firstly, reach for extra absorbent inserts that can keep baby feeling dry for longer than regular cotton inserts. Hemp inserts are great for travel time and we’re thrilled to be introducing them this month to the Smart Baby India family.
2. Pack Cloth Diapers That Suit Baby and YOU
Also, think about your cloth diapering style when choosing diapers to carry along. Would you like the ease and reusability of a Flip? Or would you prefer an All-in-One diaper, like the bumGenius Freetime?
Also, before you travel, track the number of diapers that your baby usually goes through during the day, so that you know how many diapers to carry. Always, add in a few extra to accommodate any diaper disasters.
3. Pack a Travel Diaper Bag
Your travel diaper bag should consist of diapers, diaper wipes, disinfecting solution , a wet bag to hold the dirty diapers in and a changing pad. Since finding readymade wet bags is so difficult and next to impossible in India, I’d recommend looking at stores like Mother Care or making your own. Here’s an easy tutorial to help you sew your own wet bag or get someone to do it for you.
4. Cloth Diaper Care When Traveling
Finally, how do you wash and clean cloth diapers when staying in a hotel? Simple. Either use the hotel’s laundering facility and give them your own baby detergent to use or wash them in the bathroom sink. Fill the sink with water, add a squirt of baby detergent and let the diapers soak, agitate the water. Let them soak a while before rinsing them clean. You can dry them under the fan if your hotel room doesn’t have a balcony, using the hangers and racks provided.
There, see, cloth diapering when traveling is not difficult. With the right kind and amount of diapers, it can be just as easy as using disposables, plus your bundle of joy stays rash-free, comfy and cutely diapered all the while!
How do you keep up with cloth diapering when out and about?
Photo Credit: Mrs.Flinger
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Five Favorite Green and Eco-friendly Gifts for Your Bundle of Joy
February was the month of ‘love’ and we know how much you
love your little one! At Smart Baby, babies are big! Really.
So, if you want to spread the love and gift your bundle of
joy a special and eco-friendly present, here are some gift ideas for you:
Yes, the first on our list is a bumGenius
Elemental diaper in your baby’s favorite color. Whether your little one prefers
Zinnia pink or butternut yellow, you’ll get a cute organic, one-size diaper
with tabs that stretch for a perfect fit. A one-step cloth diaper, you don’t
have to bother with stuffing it. Made of ultra soft, certified organic cotton,
this gorgeous cloth diaper makes a great gift for your little one.
Looking for a great gift on a budget? Check
out the Econobum cloth diapering solution that is convenient, comfy and cheap
too! The one-size, waterproof cover and one-size prefold of Econobum adjust to grow
along with the little ones. The Econobum is really easiest way to try cloth
diapers at just Rs. 769 for one-size cover & one-size prefold or choose our
Full Kit (3 covers + 12 pre-folds) for just Rs. 3629 and you have everything
you need to diaper your baby in cloth from birth through potty training.
Available in a range of soothing, beautiful
colors, the Flip Day Pack is a set of 2 diaper covers and 6 inserts that make
cloth diapering oh-so-easy. The one size cover and the insert adjust to fit babies
from 3-15 kilos, so basically you can start off when baby is just a few months
old and go on till he’s potty trained. Yay! Isn’t that a great gift for your
li’l sweetie?
4. Homemade Treats and Goodies
Does your baby love munching on a muffin or
a cookie? Make it at home using simple, wholesome organic ingredients, like
whole-wheat flour and brown sugar or honey and you’ll not feel bad about giving
him a treat every now and then.
5. Lots of Hugs and Giggles
Finally, what does a baby love the most? Plenty
of hugs, kisses, and giggles with mommy and daddy. So, celebrate a special day
with your little one clad comfily in a bumGenius diaper, spend time reading
picture books, snuggling up under the blanket, drinking warm milk, tickling him
pink and taking plenty of photos.
Celebrating birthdays and other festive
holidays is not just for grown-ups, so
go ahead, let your li’l one celebrate in style and safety with these
eco-friendly gift ideas.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
10 Cloth Diapering Myths…Busted!
Cloth diapering often gets a bad rap in the media for being
too time-consuming, effort-intensive or even, bad for baby. Seen the ad where
the baby cries because he’s wearing a cloth nappy and it’s wet? Yeah, so, here
at SmartBaby, we thought about busting myths like this and others.
Here are 10 cloth diapering myths that are just that, myths:
1. Cloth Diapers are Expensive
Umm, not really.Have you considered the
cost of disposables? And the fact,
that you can’t reuse a disposable? Let’s do some math here, shall we?
A 10-pack of brand-name disposable diapers
cost an average of 150-200INR, with each diaper that can be only used
ONCE. Your baby will go through 6-8
diaper changes during the day, so you’ll end up spending 1120INR in a week, if
you use 8 diapers everyday with a 10-pack that costs 200 INR. So, this amounts
to 58, 240 INR in a year.
Now, let’s look at a Flip Stay-Dry Day pack
that comes with 2 One-Size covers and 6 Stay-Dryinserts and gives you 6 FULL
diaper changes besides being totally reusable and costs 3,550 INR. So, you can
basically use the same pack over and over and over! You can even add on a 3-pack bumGenius at 3,862 INR and still SAVE big! Plus, your diapers come with a one year warranty as well! So, you’re really covered!
So, now that we’ve done some math, it
becomes quite clear that cloth diapers are not only inexpensive; they actually SAVE
you money in the long run.
Now, this is one myth that I used to
believe in. However, with cloth diapers like bumGenius around, this myth is
totally busted. If you’ve struggled with trying one of those triangular cloth
nappies around a squirming baby, I hear you.
However, if you want complete ease of use,
reach for a bumGenius or a Flip diaper and you’ll know what I mean. Invented by a mom herself, bumGenius was
created to be as easy as using a disposable diaper.
The stretchy tabs give it a perfect fit for
your baby and the hook and loop closures make is as convenient as putting on a
disposable diaper.
Plus, think about all those rushed trips to
the chemist to buy a pack of disposables because you’ve run out of them. Yes,
you’ll never have to do those when you have everything you need to diaper baby,
right there in the house, all the time!
3. Cloth Diapers Lead to Rashes
Short answer, no. In fact, when you think
about it, using a cloth diaper means baby feels ‘wet’ quickly, which leads to
frequent diaper changes, which in turn means, no rash. Rashes happen when
baby’s sensitive skin is exposed for long durations to wetness or
chemicals.
When you choose a Stay-Dry bumGenius or
Flip diaper your baby doesn’t feel wet.
The microfiber works like a sponge to absorb the wetness and the soft
suede creates a barrier between the baby’s skin. The design of the diaper and
the fabric is such that itwicks the moisture from your baby’s bottom keeping
them happy and dry.
4. Cloth Diapers Can’t be Used at Night
You can. You just need a more absorbent cloth diaper,
such as a bumGenius. Your bumGenius comes
with 2 inserts – a small, lightweight insert for newborns and a larger one-size
insert for your growing baby. When your baby outgrows the newborn insert, it
works as an overnight booster or as extra absorbency for heavy wetter’s. So,
one more cloth diapering myth busted!
5. Cloth Diapers Have to be Changed Frequently
Experts recommend that a baby’s diapers be
changed every 3 to 4 hours or approximately 8 times during the day. The point
is to keep your baby dry so the risk of getting a rash or infection is
minimal. If you usean absorbent stay-dry
cloth diaper,your baby will stay dry longer without the risk of exposing your
baby to the harsh chemicals in a disposable diaper. And by keeping them dryer
longer in a stay-dry cloth diaper you are keeping your baby free from rashes
and infections. So isn’t that a win?
6. Using Cloth Diapers is a Smelly Job
Many cloth diapers parents actually claim
they have less smell when using cloth diapers because they aren’t full of
perfumes like disposables.
As long as your baby is breastfed, their
poop is water-soluble so the diaper can just be thrown directly in the washing
machine.
Once your baby starts eating solids, they
will have a thicker, more peanut butter consistency of poop, which can be
easily removed by using the health faucet next to your toilet or a diaper
sprayer and washing down all the yuck before storing in your diaper pail.
We
recommend buying a bucket with lid to store your soiled diapers up to two days
before washing. When washing your
diapers remember to use a gentle detergent free of enzymes, softener and
fragrances.
If you’re using a bumGenius diaper, you’ll
know that putting on a cloth diaper can be just as easy as putting on a
disposable. Once your diapers are clean,
you can stuff them and keep them ready to be used in your diaper drawer.
The manufacturers of bumGenius and Flip
have created a unique butterfly closure system with stretchy tabs that give
your baby that perfect fit and ease of use.
When you choose a hook and loop closure our diapers really become as easy
as putting on a disposable.
8. Cloth Diapers Mean Nappy Pins
Again, it depends upon what type of cloth
nappy are you using. bumGenius modern cloth diapers don’t need any nappy pins
that may open and prick yourbaby. They come with infant-friendly snaps or
hook-and-loop closures that are easy on both you and your bundle of joy.
9. Cloth Diapers are Unhygienic
This is a BIG myth. When washed and cared
for properly, cloth diapers are completely hygienic and healthier for your baby
than a disposable.
Remember to store your soiled diapers properly,
wash them regularly and give a second rinse to remove any build up or residue
of detergent in your diapers.
Disposable diaper companies want us to
believe by showing us images of babies in cloth nappies crying and squirming.
Cloth diapers are actually softer, more absorbent and definitely better for
babies are compared to a disposable. Try one today and you’ll never reach for a
disposable again. A cloth diaper, such
as the bumGenius, has a soft suede lining that feels
super-soft against baby’s skin and wicks away the moisture as well. So, your
baby is always comfortable and happy!
Well, now that we’ve busted these myths for you, what’s stopping YOU from using cloth diapers?
Want to get more answers to cloth diapering questions, join
us on our Facebook Page for an exciting Event happening on the 29th
of February, 2012!
Photo Credit: Audrey
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
10 Reasons an Organic Cloth Diaper is Best for Baby
Wondering why the hoopla over organic cotton diapers? Curious about how it maybe better than disposables? Well, here are 10 reasons an organic cotton diaper is your best bet for your little one.
1. Free of Chemicals and Toxins
The number one reason an organic cotton diaper is best for your baby is because it is made of cotton farmed without the use of harmful chemicals and pesticides, reducing your baby’s exposure to these toxins greatly. So, you KNOW that your baby is wearing what is as pure and gentle as love can be.
2. Value for Money
That’s right. You may think, “Gosh! A bumGenius Elemental One Size 3- pack or a Flip Organic Day Pack costs more than 4000 INR!” but stop a while and now think about the money that you would be saving EVERY month by not having to buy packages of disposables. Yes, buying organic cloth diapers are definitely an investment that gives you real value for money.
3. Softer Than Regular Cloth Diapers
Since organic diapers, such as the bumGenius Elemental, are made of 100% certified organic cotton, they’re softer than regular cotton and therefore, gentler on baby’s sensitive skin. If you have a little one with diaper sensitivity, these super-soft diapers are your best bet.
4. Breathable Fabric Keeping Baby Rash-Free
Moreover, organic cotton is more breathable than regular cloth diapers, which means that airflow is better, reducing the risk of rashes while keeping baby nice and comfortable.
5. Perfect for Early Potty Training
Organic cotton diapers are also a great way to start early potty training and get baby out of diapers easily and quickly. Since they will be cotton, baby will learn to identify the “feeling wet” sensation and this will encourage quick and easy toilet training, unlike a disposable diaper where baby will go for hours without realizing anything.
6. High Absorbency Makes Them Best for Overnight Use
Despite the fact, that organic cotton diapers are perfect for early toilet training, they’re also great for overnight use. Why? Because they are ultra absorbent as well. It is this absorbency that makes them great for using with heavy wetter’s and at night time.
7. Diapers that Grow with Baby
The award winning bumGenius design is available with luxuriously soft, 100% organic cotton inside. Our one-size diapers are designed to fit most babies weighing between 7 and 35 pounds, which means that they literally “grow” with baby.
With tabs that stretch for the perfect fit and the combination of snap fasteners it keeps cloth diapering easy. Using the snaps on the front of the diaper, adjust the size if needed, put the diaper on your baby, wash, dry and re-use.
8. Reuse, Reuse, Reuse
Organic cotton diapers get softer with every wash and when you invest in the Flip Organic System or the bumGenius Elemental diaper, you get a diaper that grows with baby. So, reusing is easy and simple, without compromising on the softness and quality of the diaper itself.
9. Easy to Use and Oh-So-Cute
Have you seen the bumGenius Elemental? It is SO easy to use. With bumGeniusElemental you have a "no-stuff" system available in an Organic One-Size Cloth Diaper. It is the ideal solution for families with a child in day-care or family members resistant to cloth diapers! Simply pick a color for the cover that your baby would love – we have 8 choices for you.
And then, just put it on baby, like a disposable, adjust the closures and you’re ready to roll! No stuffing, no inserts, nothing. A cool, convenient, cute, all-in-one cloth diapering solution.
10. Perfect for The Environment
Finally, organic cotton diapers don’t add to landfills, are free of pesticide-residue and are reusable, making them the best bet for the planet as well. So, if you want to do your bit for the environment, why not combine it with your love for your little one, and get some organic cotton diapers?
Have YOU tried organic cotton diapers for your baby?
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Go Green!
Preservation of a healthy, happy atmosphere in the lives of our children is as important as leaving homes and possessions for them.
Every small step you take to go green at home and at work, helps preserve the universe your kids will grow in!
Hard Facts about
Disposable Diapers:
-
200,000 trees each year are lost to the manufacture
of disposable diapers for babies in the U.S. alone.
-
It takes 3.4 billion gallons of fuel oil every year
to make diapers.
-
Disposable diapers take about 500 years to
decompose.
-
Decomposing diapers release methane into the air.
High concentrations of the gas can be explosive and flammable. Methane is also
dangerous to breathe in because it replaces oxygen.
-
Disposable diapers often contain dyes and dioxin,
which is formed as a by-product of the chlorine bleaching process.
Go Green at Home
-
Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs)
when your older incandescent bulbs burn out. CFL’s last longer, consume less
electricity and don’t create any heat.
-
Wash vegetables in a bucket of water, use the waste
water to water your home plants.
-
Pack lunches and sandwiches in baking sheets of
butter paper instead of plastic wrap.
-
Invest in high-quality, long-lasting products. You
might pay more now, but you'll be happy when you don't have to replace items as
frequently.
-
Keep your cell phones, computers, and other
electronics as long as possible; they contribute considerably to hazardous
waste.
Choose Cloth Diapers to Go Green
-
Cloth diapers are reusable
-
Cloth diapers are made with natural materials
-
Cloth diapers do not contain chemicals and
derivatives
-
Cloth diapers are bio-degradable
-
Quality cotton diapers will hold up for hundreds of
washes, and can be saved for the next child.
-
Although energy is required for washing the
diapers, it is a fraction of the energy used for disposables.
-
Cloth diapers are also recyclable, making excellent
cotton rags once they are not needed as diapers.
It is all about that one informed choice!
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