Cloth diapers : common fears & putting those fears to rest

A few days ago, I asked a simple question on the eLeMeNO-Pee Facebook page. It was a simple question, but one that garnered various different responses, none of which surprised me at all. They're common fears! I want to address those head on so that those pondering the same questions can get a feel for the reality of using cloth diapers and know there's nothing to fear!

Fear #1 : The laundry. 
 Have no fear, it's not as overwhelming as it may seem. Even if you regularly wash your diapers every other day, you are only adding an additional 3-4 loads per week. And if you're anything like most cloth diapering mamas, you actually don't seem to mind doing the diaper laundry. I've never quite figured out why the diaper laundry  never bothered me at all yet the rest of the pile could sit there for days, taunting me and causing me to drag my feet. I know, it's weird, but more times than not, it works out that way. I promise, the laundry is not terrible. The upside to the laundry situation is that you aren't stuck running to the grocery store in the middle of the night because you ran out of disposables again! You can foresee when your stash of clean diapers is dwindling and just walk across the house and toss 'em in the wash - you never even have to get out of your jammies!

When it comes to the wash routine, a lot of people get overwhelmed because there are so many various opinions. Our advice is to always start simple. You can adjust your laundering routine if problems arise, but a basic wash routine works fine for the majority of people. A cool rinse without detergent, a hot wash cycle with a sufficient amount of detergent, and another cool rinse to make sure the soap is thoroughly rinsed out. That's it. That was my wash routine for the entire duration of diapering my daughter and never once did it let me down. 

Fear #2: The poop.
Oh, the poop. I'll be honest, this was my biggest fear. It's the reaction I hear most often. "What do you do with the poop?"  Listen, I'm just going to be honest here. When it comes to babies, poop is just part of every day life. Even if you use disposables, there will be plenty of poop explosions you have to deal with, so nobody gets out of this parenting business unscathed by poop.

Osocozy Diaper Sprayer

It may seem intimidating at first, but once you get past the first one or two poopy cloth diapers, you get over it real quick. When babies are breastfed, you don't even have to do *anything* with the poop. It's water-soluble so you can just toss the whole diaper in the wash and it will come out sparkling clean.  Once baby starts on solids, a diaper sprayer works wonders. It works the same way a sprayer on the kitchen sink does, only it hooks up to your toilet. You spray the poop right in the toilet and you never even have to touch it. Works like a charm! There are various ways of handling the poop in the cloth diaper community, but the diaper sprayer is the most common. We loved ours!


Fear #3: Leaks
This is another common fear for potential cloth diaper users but a lot of families actually find that the amount of leaks actually greatly decreases when switching to cloth diapers, especially when it comes to "newborn blowouts". Cloth diapers fit a lot more snug and the gussets in the leg holes and the elastic along the waistline help contain some pretty gnarly messes. I can honestly say we never had a single "blowout" in cloth diapers (I can't say the same for disposables!).  As far as pee leaks go, as long as baby is being changed frequently, this should not be an issue. If you are having fit issues with your diapers, please be sure and contact your local eLeMeNO-Pee representative or visit the store so we can help you troubleshoot and get the perfect fit on your little one.



See, that's it! It's really not as difficult as it may seem. Once you get started and find a routine, cloth diapering becomes so easy that you won't believe you ever worried so much about it. You find your routine, stick with it, and it's smooth sailing from that point on!

Product Spotlight : hosie naturals headache balm

I fell in love with hosie naturals products when my daughter was just a few months old. A friend gifted me a sample of their butt balm and I was sold. I can honestly say I've never tried a hosie naturals product I haven't loved, but one of my absolute favorites is the  hosie naturals headache balm.

As someone who has struggled with lifelong headache and migraine problems, I was skeptical of a "headache balm", I will be honest. But I decided to give it a try and I'm so glad that I did! Any time I feel the tell-tale signs of a headache coming on, I reach for the headache balm. I find this is a very important step in avoiding a full-blown headache. The second I feel it starting to hit, I apply the headache balm and feel almost instant relief.

The directions say to apply where needed, as  needed. I typically rub it on my temples, across my forehead, behind my ear lobes, and at the nape of my neck. You can also apply it to the bottom of your feet or inhale the vapors with long, slow breaths.

Why does the balm work so well? Because it's comprised of a powerful essential oil blend known to relax and refresh the mind and body, easing tension and soothing headaches. And it really, really works. My husband also has headaches, and while they aren't as frequent as mine seem to be, he gets really sick  if he takes acetaminophen or ibuprofen for a headache, every single time. He was so relieved when I purchased our hosie naturals headache balm -- now he has a way to thwart or treat a headache naturally!

Another wonderful aspect of this product is that the ingredients are all natural -- no mystery ingredients! *Jojoba Oil, *Beeswax, Essential Oils of: *Lavender, *Peppermint, *Eucalyptus, Vanilla, *Chamomile, and Spikenard.  An asterisk next to an ingredient denotes that it is certified organic.

At just $9.99 per container, hosie naturals headache balm is absolutely worth a try if you are someone that is anxious to find an all-natural headache/tension remedy. Click here to check out the product page!

eLeMeNO-Pee Rep Spotlight : Vicki Kershner

We're going to start highlighting the backbone of our team : our reps/consultants! We want you to get to know them a little better, know why they chose to be part of our team, and all of the insight they have to offer! 

Vicki Kershner 

Vicki is originally from New Jersey but now resides in Greenville (Greer), South Carolina. She has been married for six years and is a stay-at-home mom to three children: a six year old boy, a four year old girl, and a ten month old baby boy. Vicki's friends know her as a coupon nerd and cloth diaper nerd. She loves to educate others about natural childbirth, breastfeeding, baby wearing and general natural living. Her family is also very active in her local church and God is a big part of their lives.

Now that you know a little bit about Vicki, it's time for a little Q&A!

Vicki, tell us one random fact about you! 

One random fact about me is that I'm technically only seven - that is, I've only had seven birthdays because my birthday falls on February 29th. :)

Who introduced you to cloth diapering?

I pretty much introduced myself to cloth diapering. In the beginning of my first pregnancy I wasn't working so I had a lot of time on my hands to do research about all things pregnancy and babies. In a forum I was a member of someone mentioned cloth diapers and I decided to do my own research on them. At first my mind went straight to my cousins growing up who wore huge diapers that drug the ground with big rubber pants. That was not something wanted to do. After doing more research I found that there were so many more, easier options that were cute too! Being a couponer, I of course like to save money everywhere so that was a huge perk for me (and a selling point for my husband who was definitely more skeptical than me about it). 

What was the first cloth diaper you purchased?

The first cloth diapers I bought were the old-style pointy tabbed Fuzzi Bunz. I was SO excited to get them in the mail, I took a picture. I still have those exact diapers today! 

What led you to eLeMeNO-Pee?

Last year, I was looking at ways I could make some extra money but still stay home with my children. The local brick and mortar cloth diaper store, which was really popular, closed down last year and I felt like people needed another place they could go to touch and feel diapers. At first I considered having my own store but after weighing the options and researching other opinions, I decided against it. However, in my research I happened upon companies that hire cloth diaper reps. I had considered doing something like Mary Kay or Thirty-One in the past but never felt that I was passionate enough about their products to actually sell them. But THIS, I could do. Cloth diapers I could do - I mean, I was already telling my friends about all the pros of them and I had also been leading a local play group based around it so why not make some money doing it?  I contacted someone on a forum who had been a rep for eLeMeNO-Pee. She had nothing but good things to say about the company so I decided to apply for a position and I got it! Although I still feel like I'm just getting started, I really love meeting new people and talking to them about one of my passions.

What is your favorite quote?

I don't know that I have a favorite quote. But my favorite Bible verse, along the lines of pregnancy and childbirth of course:

For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be. -- Psalm 139:13-16 

What is something you've always wanted to try but haven't?

If you're talking about just in general in life, I'd love to do more traveling. I've been to Spain and Mexico but I'd love to do more traveling in the western US and to more of Europe.

If you could give one important piece of advice to a family considering making the switch to cloth diapers, what would it be?

My one piece of advice would be to try different systems in the beginning and stick with the one(s) you like. Different systems work on different babies and especially if you don't know what body type your baby will have, you don't want to be stuck with a bunch of one thing that you can't use. Buy a few different things and when you find what works best, you won't be out much money and then you can invent more into what you know works for you.

To get in contact with Vicki for a personal consultation, you can visit her website : www.elemeno-pee.com/vicki 

Tots Bots .. the new "Binky" EasyFit and five adorable new prints!

If you haven't heard the big news from Tots Bots yet, I'm here to share the details! The biggest news is that they're releasing a new, updated version of the EasyFit!

The latest Tots Bots diaper, the EasyFit 4, will be made out of binky! Never heard of it? That's because they have pioneered the name as they are combining a bamboo/cotton upper layer alongside an absorbent minky layer on the under side. Bamboo+minky = binky!  They are combining the best of both worlds -- the incredible absorbency  and  comfort of the natural fibers  the fast-drying    minky  and wrapping it all up in one terrific combo. The new EasyFit will also come with an extra pop in booster for additional absorbency.

The EasyFit 4 is a one-size  diaper that fits from 7-35lbs.  Now, on to the part I know a lot of you are waiting for : the new prints! They have released five new prints and they are adorable!

First off is Hey Diddle Diddle:

Incy Wincy Spider:

Hickory Dickory Dock:

Sixpence:

Humpty Dumpty:

Aren't the new prints fantastic? I adore them the all! 


The EasyFit 4's official debut is just around the corner and we hope to have it on our shelves by early Spring. Be sure to check back frequently so you can be one of the first to snag this awesome new diaper!

What's lurking in disposable wet wipes?

I'm sure by now you've seen the news article circulating that exposes the terrible rashes little ones are getting from disposable wet wipes. Wet wipes are a quintessential "mommy staple" but the report of terrible reactions definitely makes one second-guess using them. Per the article, "..this is because manufacturers have bumped up the amount of MI [methylisothiazolinone] used in wipes 25-fold." Methylisothiazolinone is a powerful biocide and preservative within the group of isothiazolinones, used in personal care products.

Photo credit: Dr. Mary Wu Chang

Isn't that rash terrible? Ouch! According to the Skin Deep website, almost all of the wipes made by Pampers, Huggies, and Luvs score in the 3-5 range on their scale. Products rated 2 and under are encouraged, anything that scores over a two is cautioned. One variety of Pampers wipes even comes in with a whopping score of 7 on the Skin Deep scale. That is really concerning -- everything scoring 7 or more is considered a "high hazard". The good news is that there are easy alternatives to disposables wipes. eLeMeNO-Pee carries several different types of cloth wipes and cloth wipe solution also.


We carry three different lines of cloth wipes:  Bummas, Planet Wise, and Thirsties and each offer different materials and color options.

We also carry two wet wipe solutions, Hosie Naturals and Earth Mama Angel Baby (in unscented, orange vanilla, and calming lavender). As a comparison to the scores for disposable wet wipes, the Earth Mama Angel Baby wash we carry scores a perfect zero on the Skin Deep scale. That is a drastic difference compared to the disposable wipes available in most grocery stores. For those times you absolutely must have a disposable wet wipe, we also carry gDiapers biodegradable gWipes which also score very well (a one)  on the Skin Deep chart.

There are a couple common ways that people use their cloth wipes. Some people use a small bottle,  prepare the solution, and just spray each wipe as you're ready to use it. Others prefer to fill a recycled wet wipes container,  fill it with their cloth wipes and pour the wet wipe solution over it so they're ready to use when you need them. Either method works fine, it's all a personal preference.

Cloth wipes are extremely soft and so much easier on gentle skin. They are SO much softer than disposable wipes! They also make a great alternative to Kleenexes as well. We have all been struggling with major allergy issues in our household and we all prefer to use the cloth wipes because they are so much more gentle on our noses! The best part about cloth wipes is that they are such an easy alternative and they require very little maintenance. It's quite easy to get in to the routine of using cloth wipes instead of disposable because it's such a simple process. Give them a try, I know you won't be disappointed!

Are you feeling the burnout yet?

 

Did you, like many people, make a resolution to be more green this year? To ditch the paper towels in favor of cloth napkins, switch out the disposable diapers for cloth, and switch to making your own cleaning products?
We're just over three  weeks in to the new year. Are you feeling the burnout yet? Whether it was a New Year's resolution to lose weight or the New Year's resolution was to be more green, it can be easy to get over-zealous in your eagerness to improve and somewhere around week two or week three, I usually find myself getting burnt out on a new goal or resolution.

I've always heard that it takes 30 days to make something a habit.  I think there is a lot of truth in that but I also think it's easier to stick with a new lifestyle or habit if you ease yourself in to it.
My suggestion is simple but it's helpful : start small. Choose the most pressing issue in your home and make that switch.  Once you're accustomed to it, switch one more thing. I always tell myself it's a marathon, not a sprint. It's too easy to get burnt out by trying to change too much all at once. It's easier to stay the course if you take it one step at a time. When I first started making the switch to a more natural/eco-friendly home, I tried to change too much all at once and I got very, very overwhelmed. Once I decided to scale it back and incorporate one change at a time, it became a lot less intimidating to me.

You can do it and eLeMeNO-Pee would love to help you with that transition in any way we can. We carry so many amazing items to help get your home as green as can be! Pick one small focus, conquer it, and keep plugging along. No matter what avenue you choose, we have a product to help you in that transition.  From cloth diapers, to reusable menstrual cups and cloth pads, we're here! We also have natural bath and body products alongside green cleansers and detergents. Wanting to ditch the Zip-loc bags? We have reusable snack bags! No matter what your primary focus is for greening up y our home, eLeMeNo-Pee has you covered!

Planet Wise reusable snack bags

The new kid on the block ... kind of.

Hi there! My name is Danielle and  I am the new Social Media Director for eLeMeNO-Pee.  I'm new in this specific role but I'm definitely not new to eLeMeNO-Pee! I have been a consultant since 2012 but I was a customer long before then. I have been making the journey to a more natural lifestyle since 2009 when I found out I was pregnant with my first child.  I knew I wanted to do things differently than what I was being told was the norm and it snowballed from there!

To introduce myself a little better, I am a stay-at-home mom to my four year old daughter, Piper, and I have been married to Mitchell for six years. We live in the great state of Texas and love it. There is a big "crunchy" community here and it's nice to be surrounded by lots of kindred spirits!

The eLeMeNO-Pee blog has been pretty low key for a while but I'm here to get us back up to speed. I have lots of things on the horizon to discuss but I'm also  always eager to hear suggestions for something specific you'd like me to explore on the blog, too. Be sure to come back each week for new blog posts!