The Mama Pack

So, after disappointment with the Bounty packs I decided to order, for delivery charge only, The Mama Pack.

I received it this afternoon and it truly brightened up my day - it was like getting a special eco-mum present!
I wanted to review it for anyone reading in case you're deliberating whether to get one - I'd personally say go for it - the contents is WELL worth the delivery cost.


Sorry for the rubbishy photo quality - it's an old camera phone and very bright lights combined with a shiny floor!

In my box I got:

• A 100ml sample (full size is 250ml but this LOOKS full size) of Maclaren's Beginning Protecting Nappy Change Balm.
• 4 The Ginger People's GinGins Double Strength Ginger Hard Candy sweets
• 1 Lillipops Iced Soothies in Lemon & Mint
• A 70g sample of Rude Health's The Ultimate Organic Muesli
• A sample of 8 half-shell soapnuts and a small mesh bag with instructions from In A Soapnut Shell
  
• A sample bamboo cloth wipe from the Nappy Makers
• 2 sample eco-friendly disposable breast pads, 1 maternity pad and 1 pantyliner from Natracare
• A sachet sample of Weleda Baby Calendula Nappy Change Cream
• A sachet sample of Pregnacare Cream
• WAHM News Autumn/Winter magazine
• A handful of promotional leaflets and some promotional business cards

The pack is a nice size and comes all sealed up in its own carboard box, which is the size of an 'average giftbox' I'd say. It has pretty tissue paper in the top and the leaflets etc. are in the bottom, with the samples scattered in between. I'd estimate that the samples are worth in total around £7.00. There isn't too much promotional material, which is good as I always hate throwing lots away, however I would change the fact that some of it is contained in plastic sheeting/polybags.

If I could add anything to the Mama pack it would be a sample of some sort of snack that you could pop into your labour bag and some raspberry leaf tea or similar sample.

My favourite sample is a tie between three - the nappy change balm, the soap nuts and the bamboo cloth wipe (which fits nicely into my other cloth wipes box!). I think of all of the items sampled I am most likely to buy more soap nuts if they work well for me.

I hope that this may have helped someone! I'm just very excited and feel almost as though it's my birthday - I got given my friend's lovely purple TENS machine to borrow today and have just ordered some replacement pads for it, and I've placed a custom order for amber teething and nursing necklaces which I shall write more about another time!

Cloth Nappy Adventures - Where To Buy

I thought it might be useful to share my preparations for having a cloth bummed baby in the house and how I've gone about obtaining my 'stash'.

According to various sources, I estimate that for a decent birth to potty package of nappies you're looking at spending around £350 minimum new - this is really more for someone who wants to try several types, but trust me, once you fall into the wonderful world of cloth you will NOT be able to resist.

This is where I've found pre-loved nappies to be an absolute bargain. You need to hunt around, but if you do your research and cast your nets wide you can haul in something pretty special. I wanted to obtain a varied selection myself in order to work out what works best for Daniel and for us. Hopefully I will be updating with my progress and a break down of each nappy type as we use it soon!

If you want to know more about the MONEY SAVING joys of cloth nappies as opposed to disposables, please have a read of this. I'm not personally going down the cloth nappy route for environmental reasons, but the idea of pooh going down the toilet where it belongs instead of festering in a landfill and messing up the water table is definitely a plus point!

I will make my next post more of a consolidation of what, through lots of research, I have found out to be the nappies whose praises are most highly sung. For now, I'll give you a list of places to ferret out your first cloth bargains!

First up, I highly recommend you join this lively forum ANYWAY for advice, support etc.
This is in the natural parenting section, where the ladies are absolutely fantastic and, if you're reading this, are sure to be very like-minded to you! The nappy sales on here are from ladies who truly LOVE their nappies and don't sell for profit. Swaps also available.

For job lots and some incredibly cheap deals, try The Nappy Site. No joining required.

An Ebay-like site devoted entirely to cloth nappies, The Used Nappy Company is reliable but popular, so deals aren't as easy to come by. You have to join, but you only pay to sell.

Another excellent resource including forums is The Cloth Nappy Tree. Nappies are sold in sections by type (I will explain more about the different types in my next entry, but there is lots of information on there too). Again, full of ladies who love nappies, and there is also an excellent WAHM community for any special personalisation/making requests.

Another great forum is Natural Mamas - they also have an excellent section on babywearing and second-hand slings, too!

The usual suspects for anything second-hand, Ebay and Preloved. Ebay have in the past banned used nappy sales, however currently are allowing them. Preloved has rare listings, but it's worth keeping an eye out.

Other places that I haven't personally used are UK Parents Lounge and Mumsnet. Mumsnet is free to sign up for but the catch is that it costs to advertise and to contact other members/allow them to contact you.

For seconds and reductions/old stock, go to 'Bargains' at Babykind, Little Pants and Twinkle.

For full priced nappies there are LOTS of websites to choose from out there, and really I think it's a matter of personal preference. My votes presently go to Fill Your Pants and Babipur. Both have wonderful customer service, a great range, regular offers and deliver promptly.

Tushie Tuesdays Competition

From the lovely folk at Fillyourpants comes this wonderful weekly competition!
This week, enter for your chance to win 3 x Pairs of Babylegs Leg Warmers! (in colours of your choice).

See the competition and more here!

Babywearing Beginnings

So, what is babywearing?
It sounds almost like a crazy London fashion designer's next collection but is, in fact, an ancient worldwide art/skill/practice. It involves carrying your infant in a sling or special carrier for large portions of the day. Babywearing is a term coined because the sling/carrier becomes so much a part of your essential wardrobe, as indeed does babywearing itself become so much a part of your parenting philosophy.

I'd personally like to suggest that babywearing can and should be for all. Even if it is just for transportation purposes, the simple fact is that it is a lot easier to board a bus with your hands free and baby in a carrier than it is to attempt the same whilst wielding a buggy! Plus, with the wide range of carriers on offer, there is a carrier available to suit every lifestyle and budget.

Basically speaking, there are six types of carrier readily available in the UK, however, not all of these are easy to locate on the average high street, so internet shopping is required for the time being.

1. The structured carrier/backpack style carrier
Examples: The Baby Bjorn type carriers
Retailers: Widely available on the high street and online

Pros: A great introduction into the world and benefits of babywearing, allowing parents to see if it really is for them. Promotes close parent-baby contact.
Cons: I personally would not recommend this style of baby carrier, especially for little boys, as the infant is suspended by their groin which could cause discomfort and even developmental problems over time.

2. The soft structured carrier
Examples: Patapum Baby Carrier, Connecta Baby Carrier, Close Baby Carrier, Yamo Baby Carrier
Retailers: John Lewis & Mothercare stock some, also online.

Pros: Buckles are easily adjustable and an excellent safety feature, especially for beginners. These carriers are very Dad-friendly as they don't look 'too girly'. They support the babies' body correctly, unlike the harder backpack style carriers and promote body-to-body contact.
Cons: Can be fiddly and not so easy to 'pop the baby out of' as other styles of carrier, not the best for breastfeeding.

3. The Mei Tai or Asian Style Carrier
Examples: Kozy Carrier, Ellaroo Mei Tai, BabyHawk Mei Tai
Retailers: Mainly available online.

Pros: These carriers distribute the weight evenly and can be used for front or back carries. They are easy to put on and take off quickly and are available in a wide range of beautiful colours and fabrics.
Cons: These have to be undone to 'pop the baby out' and can be a 'bit girly' for Dads!

4. The Wrap
Examples: Stretchy: Moby, Calin Bleu, Wrapsody, Kari-Me. Woven: Ellaroo, BB-Sein, Girasol.
Retailers: Mainly available online.

Pros: These carriers are basically a long piece of special fabric which requires wrapping around the body in order to distribute the weight evenly and can be used for front or back carries. They are very versatile, great for breastfeeding and are available in a wide range of beautiful colours and fabrics. The baby is easily 'popped out', especially with the stretchy wraps, without needing to undo anything. The stretchy wraps are more forgiving for beginners.
Cons: These require time and patience to learn and practice the basic wrapping techniques. Not so good for nervous parents who are not confident in their ability to tie the wrap correctly.

5. The Ring Sling
Examples: Ellaroo, Rockin' Baby, BB-Sling, Storchenwiege, Didymos, Sakura Bloom.
Retailers: Mainly available online, some stocked by independent baby retailers.

Pros: These carriers take the weight across one shoulder and can be used for front carries. They are easy to put on and take off quickly with an adjustable ring pulley-type system to get the best fit for parent and baby. They are available in a wide range of beautiful colours and fabrics, are very quick to pop baby in and out of once adjusted and are one of the best for discreet breastfeeding.
Cons: The adjustment system can take some getting used to, and they are not good for long periods of babywearing due to the strain on one shoulder (this can be minimized by swapping sides).

6. The Pouch
Examples: Hotslings, Rockin' Baby, Eesti, Lifft.
Retailers: Mainly available online.

Pros: These carriers take the weight across one shoulder and can be used for front carries only. They are easy to put on and take off quickly with NO buckles/straps/wrapping required and are available in a wide range of beautiful colours and fabrics. Think of the pouch as a 'baby bag'! They are easy access and very quick to pop baby in and out of.
Cons: These are obviously non-adjustable, so will work differently for differently sized babies and parents. These do not offer much coverage for breastfeeding.

*****

I hope that this has given an overview (albeit basic) of the kinds of carrier available in today's market. For more information I highly recommend the following sites...

Everything you'll ever need to know about babywearing:
Wear Your Baby.com
The Baby Wearer

Online UK resource and list of local meet-up groups:
Sling Meet

UK online Retailers:
Big Mama Slings
Sasa Slings
Tree Hugger Mums

In the beginning...

Hello to anyone who might stumble across this little corner of the web!

I'm a young, Christian housewife who, at the time of writing, is 6 weeks away from her due date! I live in the Peak District with my darling husband, who is a great man of God, and I know will make an excellent father. Our baby boy is called Daniel James and we can't wait to welcome him into the world!

I'm pro-life and am leaning towards the philosophies of 'attachment parenting'. This encompasses a lot of so-called 'hippy' practices which are, in fact, very common sense based and ancient ideas. Such things as babywearing, baby led weaning, co-sleeping, breastfeeding and the use of cloth nappies.
Through my research and personal forays into these ideas I hope to produce a guide of sorts to assist any other parents or prospective parents in their choices.

Disclaimer: Please note that all opinions are entirely my own, and that they therefore will reflect my own bias and preferences. I don't believe that there is a 'one size fits all' parenting model, and would hope that no one views any content here as judgmental or slanderous in what it speaks for (or even, on occasion, silently against).