An Unexpected Reminder

Today as I read my (try to do) daily devotional, I was reminded of something awfully humbling.   Most of our readers and customers are parents, and it is easy to think of ourselves in the context of BEING a parent. But we are also all still children.   OUR parents' children.

I won't get too deep in this, but it is amazing how strict and direct God's instructions are for how children should treat their parents.  The Old Testament instruction is extremely harsh against children who rebel and disobey or even mock their parents (Proverbs 30:17, Exodus 21:15).  The punishment for hitting or cursing your parents was DEATH!  Wow!  And of course "honor your father and mother" is one of the ten commandments, so it is definitely something we should not take lightly.

Imagine if today's society paid any attention to the way we are supposed to treat our parents and others in authority! See, this is where I was humbled... "how WE are supposed to treat OUR parents." As a parent and someone with 17 years experience of being "an adult," I never think of myself as being a child. I am generally respectful of my parents and don't fight with them much, but if they get crazy I let them know about it and I talk to my friends about how ridiculous and unreasonable my parents are being without a second thought. When my friends tell me about the silly things their parents TELL them to do, I am the first to tell my friend not to do it because it is absurd. Shame on me!

Anyway, this was an unexpected reminder that put me in my place a little and thought that it was worth sharing. In case you are interested in the devotional that struck me, you can find it at BibleResources.org.  eLeMeNO-Pee encourages you to think about this as we go through the Christmas season and maybe practice a little bit more restraint than you want to, even if you have really difficult parents or inlaws and even if they treat you poorly or unfairly.   We are all still our parents' children and sometimes we need to be reminded of this.

Cloth Diaper Savings Calculator v1.0 Has Been Released!

This will be very short and to the point - eLeMeNO-Pee has just released our very first Cloth Diaper Savings Calculator at http://www.elemeno-pee.com/calculator.  This is the simplest calculator we have ever seen (and it was designed by us from the ground up!) - it only requires one input and everything else is just clicking some buttons!  

This includes moderate costs for laundry, but you can turn that off if you want to.  National averages for disposable diapers were used in the cost and you can quickly see how different choices could affect your total savings.   

You just put in the average cost of your dream stash to see how much you can save,  click a couple of buttons for how often you plan to wash, how long you expect to have your child in diapers, and what type of disposable you want to compare to, click Compare and you're done!  We hope you find this useful.  Please let us know what you think!

We've Been Busy Bees

Boy has it been a busy year at eLeMeNO-Pee!   Our first full retail store has opened up (and it's SOOO CUUUTE!!!), we have expanded our network of knowledgeable cloth diaper consultants to 7 states with several waiting in the wings, we have completely made-over our website and added FREE SHIPPING options, we have added several lines of products to appeal to wider needs of our customers, Allison has been educating the public on TV every other week, and there is still more to come!

Thanks so much to all of our customers, family and friends for making this year great!  Get ready, because there is still more to come!   Our holiday sales and promotions are in the works and we want to blow away all of our previous records, so keep an eye out as we announce new products and specials. 

For today though, we want to make sure all of our friends have seen these AWESOME InfinityMom Nursing Scarves.  They have been selling very fast, so make sure you go to our website to get yours before it  is too late.   These scarves are stylish and can be worn as an everyday scarf, or for those who are breastfeeding it doubles as an easy to use, lightweight cover up for snack time.   

Cloth 101: Getting Started!

Lots of families think about trying cloth diapers, but believe it to be a complicated process or get overwhelmed with what they don’t know and dismiss the idea completely! What you may not know, is that by purchasing and using disposable diapers, you are spending literally thousands of unnecessary dollars! Most children are in diapers for about 2.5 years, 1 cloth diaper can be used for more than two years and you can save all that money for more exciting things! eLeMeNO-Pee has put together a few Cloth Diaper Starter Kits to help anyone on any budget start out right! We have three different kits so you can choose one that fits your budget and lifestyle perfectly!

Our first package includes:

12 prefolds (Oso Cozy size 1)

5 covers (Thirsties duo covers)

1 medium wet bag

1 large wet bag

1 pack of snappis

1 pack of 50 wash detergent (Nellies)

Cost: Less than $150 and can last up to one whole year!

Our second package includes:

12 pocket diapers (bum genius 4.0)

1 medium wet bag

1 large wet bag

1 pack of 100 wash detergent

Cost: Less than $300 and can last until your child is fully potty trained! :D

And finally our third package includes:

4 totsbots all-in-ones

8 thirsties all-in-ones

2 bamboozles fitteds

2 thirsties duo covers

1 XL wet bag

1 medium wet bag

1 pack of wipes          

Cost: $500 and this package will also last until your child is no longer in diapers.

*some items may be substituted based on availability but all will stay within the Prices mentioned above and will meet the same criteria

All of these packages are great ways to get started with cloth diapering, and eLeMeNO-Pee consultants are always available to help!

Click here if you have any questions :)

& if you missed our segment on KPLC about how to get started with these tools, check out this link to catch up!

CLICK HERE

So give it a shot, it’s totally worth it!

Xoxo

Bri

Cloth Diaper Rookie

This is from a brand new customer (who happens to be a great writer)!  It was a joy to help her on her journey!

I’m a cloth diaper rookie… like a less than a week cloth diaper rookie!  Granted, I have been thinking about the cloth diaper thing for well over a year, but the whole idea of it just seemed so daunting, so over-whelming, so...different. How would I handle major poop blow-outs at Target?  What about the church nursery?  Would they think I’m “that” high maintenance momma, roll their eyes and just stick my kid in the church stash of disposable diapers? And what about all that washing? How do I even know what cloth diapers to get? Which ones work? Which ones would only lead to a poop-aclysmic mess that left me and baby knee deep in stink and regretting the day we ever switched to cloth?  Okay, yes, I lean toward the dramatic on a fairly regular basis, but honestly this decision was BIG, and if you’ve ever had to undress and bathe a completely poop covered baby, you get me. So I gritted my teeth and I typed “cloth diaper” into pinterest and I lasted, no lie, 4 minutes before I slammed down my laptop lid and sighed, “Geez, I don’t even know where to start! I can’t do this.”  And I buried the idea in the back of my head, drove to the store and bought 2 big boxes of ‘sposie diapers at $22 a pop.

Then, last week, I went home to Lake Charles to visit my folks for a week with my 2 kiddos (2 years and 8 months) and yes, I do deserve some kind of medal or sainthood for making that 8 hour drive by myself with them.  I was super excited about visiting my friend Sasha at the new store where she was working, eLeMeNO-Pee.  I had been following the store online since it opened and from pictures, it was so cute and had great finds for babies, kids and mamas!   We blew into the store like the tornadic mess that tends to be my family, (no concept of “inside voices”, little hands that want to touch EVERYTHING like we own the place, kiddos trying to climb shelves to get “THAT” toy…yes, we are ridiculous) I chatted with Allison the owner and my pal, Sasha, as I held my children at bay, but all the while, I was eyeing the wall of cloth diapers….So many different kinds, but seriously, all so cute.  Finally, I gathered enough gumption to look at them and say, “Okay, girls.  IF I was going to do the cloth diaper thing, what would I need?  How do I do this?” 

And THAT began my real education on cloth diapering.  Allison and Sasha walked me through all the different types of cloth diapers, from All-in-ones to cloth inserts.  They showed me everything from the “cost is a big issue” brands to the “if I had a money tree” brands, and all the in-betweens.  They worked up a cost for what a “fresh from start, never done this before, rookie” (like me) would need to get going.  They talked to me about diaper care: washing, wipes, liners, stripping.  They answered all my questions, even the super stupid ones and even a few I hadn’t thought of. 

And suddenly, I wasn’t so over-whelmed.  I was excited! I had touched the products, practiced putting them together, seen all the options, and then I knew…I….COULD…DO…THIS!

So I bought a gDiaper starter kit and took it home.  I was going to do this!  I was going to cloth diaper my baby.  No more paying $44 dollars a month for the STORE BRAND diapers! No more adding 1,344 pieces of non-biodegradable, poop-filled trash to our local land fill each year. And seriously, my kid was now going to have the cutest booty in the church nursery!  This was it.  New page.  Look out cloth diapering world, my family is coming, tornados and all.

Going from staying home (most of the time) and cloth diapering to working full time (outside the home) and cloth diapering.

So for the last 2.5 years I've been cloth diapering my little guy and loving it so much! That's why I got into this business in the first place! I would often wonder (as I was feeling so smart) why wouldn't anyone want to use cloth diapers? They are SO wonderful, not to mention the $$$ savings and being better for the environment.

Well...now that I"m outside of the home most of the time I'm realizing what kind of time commitment it takes to use cloth diapers full time! First of all you have to find a care taker that will support your decision which is no easy task. Then you have (must have) a large enough rotation so that IF you happen to be too tired and/or forget to do laundry you'll still have clean diapers to use the next day.

Here are some tips if you work outside the home more than inside the home for cloth diapering:

1. Routine routine routine - make sure you have your wash routine down so that IF you need someone else to throw the diapers in the wash for you, you can give VERY clear instructions. Also make sure you stay consistent with your washing cycle, be it every day, every other day, or every 2 days. Don't get lazy or you'll end up with a ton of dirty diapers and either have to do 2 loads or wash the load several times to make sure they are clean enough.

2. Bulk up your stash! I would recommend doubling it so that you have plenty to work with. At least 25 diapers per child.

3. Extra wet bags - this is good to have have extra bags on hand. My nanny puts the dirties in one bag and the wets in one bag so I know which ones to spray off when I get home. No, I don't make the Nanny rinse poop diapers, the fact that she's so joyful about using cloth is good enough for me

4. Routine stripping - might be good to every 3 months or so do a sanitary wash or boil your inserts etc...just to prevent having to do a major stripping later.

5. RELAX! If you need to keep sposies on hand for emergencies, overnight etc...its okay, you won't be banned from the cloth diapering community. At least not here so don't feel guilty.

If you have any other tips, feel free to post in the comments. Like I said, this is a new world of working ft and cd'ing to me too.

All the trash!

I've always leaned towards the crunchy side, so I'm always amazed when I run into people who have no environmental awareness...at all.  No judgement here, it's just something that has come so natural to me my whole life.  I'm just the type of person who's always wondered where trash goes.  That's not all there is to being eco-conscious, but it's definitely one aspect.  I grew up in Arkansas ("the natural state") in a college town where recycling programs have been around since the late 80's. Side note: not all towns in Arkansas are like this, but where I grew up, this was the norm.  I was always taught to "waste not want not", don't throw away things you can use (or someone else can use), and just because "it broke" you don't go get a new one.  Now we live in a time where EVERYTHING is disposable or easily replaceable.   Paper plates, napkins, towels, toilet paper, diapers, wipes, feminine products, plastic sandwich bags, cups, utensils, foil bake ware, tablecloths, bibs, I could go on and on...and don't even get me started on food packaging!  These are now staples in our culture...people consider these items to be "must haves" when they run out. Don't people wonder where these things end up?  Do they think trash magically disappears when the garbage man comes?  Do they think the earth just breaks everything down and regenerates?  I don't know...

I was talking to a friend the other day who was saying all of her children have to have "throw away" lunch items because one of her boys doesn't have enough time after lunch to go back to his locker to put his lunch box away, so he needs to be able to trash it.  Of course, me being the good honest friend that I am (tee hee) I gave her a hard time!  I brought to her attention how much waste she'd contributed to the landfills in just 1 year and the environmental impact that she had with just that 1 child. Now multiply that times 4 children, and 13 years!  By the way, I would never "guilt trip" a complete stranger or even someone who might take it the wrong way, but this is a sweet friend who knows me and my sense of humor.  Well... I might do it to a complete stranger, but not in the same way that I did it to her.

Now, let me clarify something. I do use disposable items.  Yes, I do!  But now I use them VERY sparingly.  And I recycle...in a town with a mediocre recycling program. Yes, I keep piles or buckets of cardboard,  plastic bottles, and aluminum cans (usually in my garage), load them in the van and drive them to the recycling station.  I long for a day when the parish will actually provide recycling bins and pick them up for us on the trash route.  But for now, this is as good as it gets, so it's what I do!

 

 Back to my friend.  She was laughing her head off the whole time because honestly, she really had never thought of it that way.  I don't know that it will change anything about her lifestyle, but at least she's aware...the seed has been planted!

I am not a judgmental person, I usually see the best in people.  There are so many people out there who are just plain unaware.  Its up to us who are aware to show them (in a kind way) that there are other options out there!  Cloth diapers are usually a "gateway" into this crunchy lifestyle because many families start with the intention of saving tons of money and then it spreads!

Diaper Parties

Many of our new fans may be wondering...what is this whole diaper party thing?  Well, let me tell you, this is how eLeMeNO-Pee got started!  Our sweet little company began with 5 reps in Lake Charles, Lafayette, & Baton Rouge.  They would schedule a time to come to your house, show you a few of the cloth diapers available on the market and what we sell and then help you choose the system that works best for you.  Along with this, they would show you how to care for your diapers and show you some wonderful accessories that compliment the cloth diapering lifestyle.  So is this any different than what we do today?  Actually, no!  We still do cloth diaper parties, one on one consultations, and baby showers.  The difference is now we have 18 diaper consultants in 7 different states!  Also we have many more product lines to offer, so you get to choose the perfect system that works best for you.

What can you expect to happen at one of these parties?

A diaper expert/consultant will show up to your home (or designated party space) with a box (or bag) full of goodies for you to see, touch, try on, and play with. 

She will give a small presentation on what different styles are available (pocket, all in one, all in two, fitteds) and while you are checking these out she will start to notice which system you are leaning towards (because they're experts like that).  She'll also touch on the financial savings ($2000 +) and the environmental impact of switching to cloth diapers. 

Once a system has been established she may do several things...if you seem like the person who is very straight forward and wants to get the basics and never look back she may suggest getting all one style. 

 This works best for those who want the simplest system. 


If your the type who likes a little of this...a little of that...the prints here, and the colors there...then she may suggest trying a variety of diapers (probably not purchasing more than 12 or so) to get you started and then you can decide from there which one is working out the best and come back for the rest of your stash later. 

She'll also take into consideration your budget and help you get what you want for a price you can afford.

Not only will she help you CHOOSE your diapers, she'll help you learn how to CARE for your diapers!  This is what really sets us apart.  In different parts of the country we have many types of water and many types of detergent...there may be a slight learning curve when it comes to washing properly (not that its that difficult) and she is there to help!  She has many resources (other than her own experience) to tap into which will make your life much easier! 

Maybe you've already done your research and are now confused about what you like and don't!  I meet so many new moms who are ready to switch, come to me and say "I've already done all my research on-line, but I still need to see it in person"  - this is a great way to do that if you don't have a local resource!  And your consultant just might have something you've never seen before!  Not to mention, like most home party companies the hostess receives rewards if a certain number of guests attend and earns additional rewards for all of the purchases made during your event!

Diaper parties are great for expectant moms wanting to share information with their friends and family.  Your consultant can also help you create a registry for your baby shower!  This is great because then you get pretty, fluffy gifts! They are also nice for people who've heard of cloth, but still need more information before switching.  What ever reason you have, you should do it!  There are no obligations and the parties are free!  You provide the location and the consultant shows up ready to teach! 

Diaper Bag Detox - by Nicole Reed

When I was pregnant with my first child, I felt intimidated when I saw seasoned moms lugging around large diaper bags that could have easily passed for suitcases. Do I really need that much equipment to go in public with my child? Just the thought of packing all of that mysterious “stuff” was enough to convince me that we would never leave the house once our baby was born.

I found out that babies are, in fact, incredibly portable (that’s why God made them tiny). I also discovered that diaper bags are huge and overflowing because moms either:

A)     Are incredibly over-prepared OR

B)     Never take anything out of their diaper bags and just keep piling new junk on top of the old junk. The bottom of their diaper bags become a graveyard for crumbled crackers, ancient receipts and tiny ponytail holders.

Not that category B specifically describes my diaper bag or anything.

So what does a mom really need in her bag? Items that will help her change, feed, clean and entertain her baby (or babies!)

Most of the moms I knew had disposable everything (wipes, diapers, bags to dispose of disposable diapers, take and toss cups, plastic snack bags, etc.) in their diaper bags because they felt like it would be easier.

I am definitely of the “Whatever works for you family” philosophy, but I personally wasn’t comfortable with creating so much waste every time I left the house.

I have two kids under two, both in cloth, and I can fit everything into a regular diaper bag. If you’re interested in doing a “green makeover” on your diaper bag and need some suggestions, here’s a peek into mine:

-A few cloth diapers for each kid. My personal favorites are TotsBots and BumGenius Elementals because I can quickly snap down the rise to fit either my 2 year old or my 12 week old. If you only have one kid in cloth, AIOs or a diaper cover and a couple of inserts are also great options.

-Cloth wipes and diaper spray to clean spills, wipe noses, face, hands and little bottoms. I also use my Hosie’s diaper spray as a hand sanitizer on the go since its antimicrobial and antibacterial.

-A wet bag for dirty diapers

-Fuzzibunz changing pad – a great alternative to the plastic ones!

-a sippy cup and a planetwise snack bag

-a lightweight blanket, change of clothes for the baby and a book for my toddler.

-a slightly bruised orange and an overdue library book

The last ones are optional, although they never fail to be at the bottom of my bag.

This diaper bag is a no-brainer for parents on the go and just as easy as its disposable counterpart. No need to buy an endless supply of little plastic snack bags and disposable wipes. A diaper bag full of reusable items is overall less overwhelming and less expensive. I just throw these basic items in my bag, my ergo carrier in the backseat of my car (and my children, of course) and I’m ready to go!

Here’s a picture of some of the essentials. They happen to fit nicely in a (manly) backpack for my husband.

*Contact your local eLeMeNO-Pee representative if you are interested in any of these products

Why I love my Ergo - by Tonia Neal

Babywearing has been around since the beginning of time. Before we had strollers, bouncers, and Pack ‘N’ Plays, we had our arms…and maybe a scrap of hide to tie our babies to our bodies. We carried them.  Fast forward to 2013, and many of us still instinctually hold our babies close while trying to navigate all that parenthood requires of us. Modern studies are showing that our instincts have once again led us down the right path. We now know that carrying our babies’ decreases fussiness, helps to facilitate breastfeeding by aiding in the production of prolactin & oxytocin, reduces the risk of  SIDS, and contributes to proper physical and emotional development.

Like our ancestors before us, modern mamas need their hands free to make the world go ‘round. That’s where contemporary baby carriers come in. There are many types out there: woven and stretchy wraps, ring slings, Asian style carriers, soft structured carriers, and different styles of each. My favorite by far is the ERGObaby carrier. Many families agree! The “ERGO,” as it is known, is one of the best selling baby carriers on the market.
 

So what makes it the best? Our daily schedule includes at least 3 hours of babywearing. My son takes a nap in the ERGO every morning, rides in it while I’m tending to his sister after school, and checks out the world from his perch in the carrier each evening. That doesn’t include grocery shopping, play dates, volunteer time, or any other time I need to carry him and have my hands free.  From this experience, I’ve found that the ERGO excels in the following areas:

• Quickness – The ERGO is shockingly easy to get on and off. Two buckles and you’re done. I don’t even have to put him down if he’s already in my arms. If I need to put him on my back, I just slide him around once he’s buckled in.  

• Construction– This was a big deal to me when searching for a carrier. Knowing how much time I’d be using it, I looked for something with lots of comfortable padding and a wide seat to support baby’s spine and legs. 

• Overall support – Not only is the padding resilient, the ERGO distributes my baby’s weight evenly across my hips, taking pressure off my back and shoulders. Many carriers like ring slings and woven wraps are good for short amounts of time but if you need to do some serious babywearing, which we now know to be beneficial, the type of support the ERGO offers is essential. It allows me to move around easily and doesn’t throw off my center of gravity.

• Availability and style – ERGObaby carriers come in a large variety of colors and patterns. There is something for everyone and they are readily available in our retail store, online, or through your local consultant. It’s important to make sure you are purchasing through and authorized dealer like eLeMeNO-Pee, because unfortunately, counterfeits are common and potentially dangerous. 

•  No learning curve – With a kindergartener, a new baby, working from home, and running a household, I just plain don’t have time to dedicate to learning the ins and outs of a carrier. The ERGO is self-explanatory; just put baby in and buckle. If you do have any questions, your consultant can help you tweak the fit and get it just right. It adjusts to fit a wide variety of body types. My husband is 5’11” and 200 lbs, I’m 5’4” and 135 lbs (yes, I just revealed my postpartum weight in the name of babywearing) and the ERGO fits us both beautifully. 

• Durability – Made from materials that are sturdy and meant to be worn for long stretches, ERGOs stand the test of time. I use the carrier anywhere from 20-30 hours a week on average and it still fits and supports like the first time I put it on. 

• Value - The ERGO can carry up to 40lbs. You know what that means? I’m getting my money’s worth. Based on my current usage, that’s over 4000 hours of babywearing! I’d say that’s a good investment. 

With all the information coming out regarding the advantages of keeping our babies close, most families are on the prowl for a modern carrier. Like cloth diapers, there are a lot of styles to choose from. We are all looking for something that’s comfortable and reliable. I’ve found all I need and more in the ERGObaby carrier. Considering making babywearing a part of your daily life? Looking for a carrier that is versatile and easy to use?  I recommended giving the ERGO a shot. Scope out the colors and prints, call up your consultant, try it on, and join the club!