New products from Happy Heinys!

Happy Heinys proudly introduces 2 new products and we are excited to bring these to you through our store Ottawa Cloth Diapers!

Happy Heinys have been working on a few new products over the last couple of months and are releasing them a little differently than usual. Typically they make a new product, have it go through testing, then release it to all retailers. This time they have done the usual testing, but decided to release these 2 new items as "Beta" products. They are also releasing them only in a couple of colors and only 100 of each product in each color. These 2 new products are not yet officially named, the company will be taking name recommendations from customers (including customers from Ottawa Cloth Diapers) and the name they choose, if it is submitted for the product by a customer, that customer will receive a $50 gift certificate from Happy Heinys.

First New Product: "BETA" Happy Heinys One Size Diaper cover w/gussets

This is an absolutely wonderful one size diaper cover that will fit most babies from 8-35 lbs. They have used the softest fold over elastic we could find for the entire edge of the cover and gussets. These gussets are wonderful for holding in the typical runny breastfed poo as well as most "illness poo". With a stuffed Happy Hempy this combination is a bullet-proof combination for over-night.

Second New Product: "BETA" Organic Happy Heinys One Size Pocket Diaper

This diaper has been born from the numerous requests for special diaper manufacturing of a pocket diaper with a natural interior. At this time there are no inserts included with these diapers. The hemp lining is fully absorbent and when combined with any insert of choice this has proven itself to be a bullet proof over-night product. There are several differences in this pocket diaper from other "Organic" pocket diapers. It is made with the proven Happy Heinys One Size design, a design that has now been around for 7 years. It is also made with Organic Hemp/Cotton. Hemp is antimicrobial and anti-fungal which decreases the chances of rash. Hemp is more durable and absorbent then cotton alone.

For both "BETA"models Happy Heinys is taking any and all input and suggestions both good and constructive. They are also in search for a name for these products. This contest is for customers only and the winning name submitter will receive a $50 gift certificate from Happy Heinys.

Good Luck everyone!

These 2 new products will arrive at Ottawa Cloth Diapers either this week (December 28th) or next week (1st week of January). You can order them now if you like. We will have a limited number of these in stock as only a few have been released from the company so far so get yours fast! Please contact us if you have any questions.

Happy New Year ... we wish you all the best in the year 2010!

What is the difference between inserts, doublers, boosters, soakers, liners, etc?

The cloth diaper world includes a lot of lingo and it can get quite confusing for someone who has never used cloth and even for those who already use cloth since many companies interchange the same term for different products. Hopefully this short post will help you out with lingo around inserts/boosters/doublers/soakers/liners, etc.

The term inserts (sometimes also called stuffers) is usually used to mean an absorbent multi-layer fabric that can be placed inside a pocket diaper. These can be made of various materials such as cotton, microfiber, terry, hemp and bamboo. Some inserts can be also be used as doublers (see definition below). An example of an insert is the bumGenius one-size microfiber insert that is used with the bumGenius one-size pocket diaper.

Doublers or boosters are thick pads that can be used to add absorbency to your diaper. These are usually added inside a fitted, AIO or prefold diaper. They often have a fleece lining that lies against your baby’s skin to keep it dry. These are great when extra protection is needed such as nighttime. Example: Gro Baby Stay Dry Booster.

Soakers usually refers to the inner layer of the diaper (the part that will absorb wetness) which can be made of various fabrics such as cotton, bamboo, hemp, etc. Some diapers have a detachable inner soaker (All-In-Two diaper such as the Gro Baby one-size diaper) and others are all one piece (All-In-One diaper such as the Annie Marie Padorie Stay Dry AIO). To confuse you even more, the term soaker can also be used in reference to wool or fleece covers.

Liners are thin layers of biodegradable paper (ex: Bummis biosoft liners) that are placed between the diaper and your baby’s skin. These are used for easier clean up by keeping poop from sticking to the diaper. Once soiled, they are thrown in the garbage or flushed down the toilet. Another type of liner is polar fleece liners (ex: AMP microfleece liners). These work great to keep the baby’s skin dry by wicking away wetness from the skin. They also help with poopy messes since stool tend to peel off the fleece. Once soiled these are machine washable. Another less commonly used liner is raw silk. Raw silk is the only option for 100% natural wicking material to help keep skin dry. The term liners is also sometimes used to mean doubler, booster or insert.

Hopefully this helped a little bit for whoever needed it. Please feel free to add any comments are to ask any questions.

I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas with their families.

Happy and Safe Holidays!! May all your Christmas wishes come true ...

Aplix (Velcro) or Snaps Closure on Diapers, what is best?

A common question from parents who are looking to purchase cloth diapers is whether they should purchase diapers with aplix (or more commonly known as Velcro) or with snaps closure. The answer is ... it depends :)

Here is a brief summary of the pros and cons of each closure option to help you make a decision.

Aplix is very adjustable, fast and easy. Most Daddies and babysitters will prefer aplix over snaps. However, some babies learn how to undo aplix (although some will also undo snaps). Aplix tend to wear off over time. When putting your dirty diapers in your laundry bag, make sure you use the aplix laundry tabs to prevent it to sticking onto other fabrics. If the laundry tabs come undone with your wash or dry cycle, consider purchasing a strip of aplix (the loop part) and cut them in squares that you can add to the hook (teeth part of your aplix) before placing your soiled diapers in the wash. This way you will for sure protect your other diapers from catching onto any aplix in the wash.

Snaps are not as adjustable and take a bit longer too fasten which can be tricky for those babies on the move. They tend to last longer than aplix (especially since most companies offer a lifetime warranty on snaps). If you want your diapers to last for more than one child, you might consider choosing snaps over aplix. The other option however is you can replace your worn out aplix easily once it is worn out.

Another option is to purchase a bit of both. This way you have the advantage of both closure system in your diaper stash. Some cloth diaper companies offer the same diapers with either fastening system (ex: Happy Heinys One-Size Pocket Diaper, Gro Baby One-Size Diaper (in vanilla only for snap option)

If you have any questions about this post or any other cloth diaper questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Please leave us comments about your favorite cloth diaper fastening option and why.

Have a great week!

Vicky

Thristies Duo Diaper Review

After trying out the new Thirsties Duo Diaper for a couple of weeks now on both our boys, I thought it would be timely to write a quick review on our blog about it in case anyone is interested in this great new diaper.


For full details about the Thirsties Duo Diaper, click here.



Quick Description of the Thristies Duo Diaper ...
The Duo diaper is a pocket diaper that includes a combination insert (two layers of serged microfiber terry snapped together with five serged layers of hemp jersey). The pocket is opened in the front and back of the diaper. The diaper comes in 2 sizes (size 1: 6-18lbs and size 2: 18-40lbs). It is available in 8 colors, features double leg gussets and features aplix closure. Retail price at Ottawa Cloth Diapers: $19.95 each

Performance and fit ...
We have been using this diaper over the last 2 weeks with both our sons (27 month old weighing 27lbs and 9 month old weighing 19lbs). Both our boys fit in the size 2 diaper. Our 9 month old is at the smallest setting and our 27 month old is at the middle setting. The fit is awesome on both boys (see pictures below). They fit nice and snug, very trim and so far have left no marks on their skin. They both have fairly average to skinny legs so the double leg gusset is nice. However on a baby with chunky thighs it might not be ideal as it may be too tight on the thighs?? If you have ever used the Thirsties Pocket AIO diaper or the Thirsties Duo Wraps, the fit is very similar.





My 9 month old (19lbs) in a size 2 Thirsties Duo Diaper at the smallest setting (color: ocean blue)











My 27 month old (27lbs) in a size 2 Thirsties Duo Diaper at the middle setting (color: ocean blue)




I love the combination insert of microfiber and hemp for this diaper giving it a lot of absorbency. I have always liked the Thirsties Pocket AIO for my boys when they were smaller but I found that as they got older and heavier wetters, that the pocket AIO would not give me enough absorbency unless I double stuffed it. With the new Duo diaper, I get lots of absorbency even with my 27 month old. So far, I have not had any leaks with this diaper and the longest I had it on on my boys was 4 hours. I have not tied it at night yet as I do not usually use pocket or AIO diapers at night (I am a fitted/cover girl when it comes to night time diapering :)) Another comment about the insert is that the unique hemp jersey is unlike any other hemp products I have used in the past. Hemp is not my favorite fabric (I prefer bamboo) but I really like this hemp jersey as it is much softer and silkier than regular hemp products I carry.


I also love the fact that this diaper comes in 2 sizes as opposed to a one-size diaper that is too bulky on a newborn and sometimes too small on a toddler. This diaper offers you a chance to save money by only having to purchase 2 sizes without sacrificing the fit as well as having 2 sets of diapers will give your diapers a chance to last longer (2, 3 kids).


Ease of use ...
The front snaps are easy to adjust for sizing and the pocket is easily stuffed with a front and back opening. The insert is fairly wide so you have to make sure you lay it down flat in the middle section of the diaper where it is a bit more snug. When you stuff the pocket, make sure to put the microfiber part on top (closest to the baby's skin) and the hemp underneath to get the best absorbency as microfiber absorbs faster than hemp (I can see Daddy's being confused here :)


Putting the diaper on is fast and easy with the overlapping aplix closure and taking it off is also a breeze. The laundry tabs are easy to use and you also don't need to take out the insert for washing as it will come out by itself in the wash with the front and back opening of the pocket (although I prefer separating the diaper anyways to make sure it washes well).


Downfall ...

Not much to criticize here except that the diaper does not come with snap closures for those who prefer snaps over velcro and the microfiber/hemp insert does take a bit of time to dry. But that is always the case when you have a highly absorbing insert. At least the combo insert can be separated to dry faster and also to be used separately if you want to.



Also, even though I love the double leg gussets, some might not, especially for the chunky thigh babies.


Overall ...

GREAT diaper. I will definitely be adding more of these to my stash for my boys. I think this is truly a great diaper from newborn to potty training within the 2 sizes. The only question remaining is its night performance for those of you who would want to use this diaper at night time. For me, as mentioned above, it is a non issue as I prefer using fitted/covers for night.


Rating out of 10
I give it an 8.5/10!

I'd love to hear your questions/comments about this diaper.


Have a great weekend everyone!

MoBoleez Breastfeeding Hat Giveaway - Winner

Last month we did a giveaway for 1 MoboLeez Nursing Hat. Our lucky winner is ...

Charlene Maki Argàez

Congratualtions Charlene! I will be contacting you shortly to see what size hat and which color/design you would like.

Stay tuned all readers for another giveaway in the month of December.

Vicky

MoBoleez Breastfeeding Hat Giveaway

What's a MoBoleez Hat? ... and what makes them so special?

MoBoleez hats are the only hats designed specially for the breastfeeding baby and mom. Covers the breast, not the breastfeeding! The "stay on head sideways" design means that once the hat is on, it'll stay on, and no more fussing with dropping blankets or awkward, bulky 'nursing covers'. While the big brim gives mom a little privacy, it doesn't cover up the breastfeeding, it celebrates it in a fun sort of way!

Fun illustrations on the top

MoBoleez hats come with illustrations for the top of baby's head (visible when breastfeeding of course!). The cute pictures on top with their lighthearted messages ("Milky Way", "Bee-licious", Café au Lait, etc.) all convey the message that the MoBoleez mom is a proud breastfeeding babe, with a sense of humour and style!

Great Selection of Designs and Colours!

MoBoleez hats come in pink, blue, green, cream and red colours, and a variety of whimsical designs. Click to see Available Designs.

Features
Made of all-natural, super soft blend of cotton/bamboo fibres (60% cotton, 40% bamboo).

Come packaged in a small vinyl hat bag. Reminiscent of a classic '50's hat bag, the package is cute, sophisticated and practical.

Makes a great baby shower gift!

Made in Canada!

Fabric Care
MoBoleez hats are easy to care for. Simply machine wash in a gentle cycle and lay flat to dry. Do not bleach or dry clean.

Sizes

0-6 months - this size fits a baby from birth to about 6 months. With a newborn, they'll have room to grow. Head circumference is 16 inches.

6-12 months - this size fits a baby from about 6 months to 1 year old. Head circumference is 19 inches.

For the month of November only, you can save 10% off any in stock MoBoleez Nursing Hats at Ottawa Cloth Diapers. These make a great gift for any breastfeeding mom.

We are also giving away one MoBoleez Nursing Hat to one lucky reader. You can enter your name 4 times to win by doing the following:

1) Add a comment to this blogpost by telling us which hat design is your favorite

2) Subscribe to our blog

3) Join our Facebook Fanpage (if you already a fan, add a comment on my fanpage)

4) Follow us on Twitter or tweet about this giveaway

The deadline to enter the draw is November 30th. We will annouce the lucky winner at the beginning of December.

Good luck to everyone!

Wool Part 2 - Types of wool products for cloth diapers

I hope that everyone had a great Halloween. Weather around here was not that great but it got much better late afternoon and no bad weather can stop the little "monsters" from trick-or-treating!

Continuing with our wool discussion from 2 weeks ago, here are the types of wool products that are available as well as a little bit on the differences in types of wool and knits that you can find.

Wool products for cloth diapers available:

1) Wool soakers
Soakers are usually one piece pull-on covers.



2) Wool shorties
Shorties are exactly that, shorts. So a little longer than soakers but shorter than longies :) They can be used as a cover but also as clothing.





3) Wool longies
Longies are actually wool pants. These can be used as a cloth diaper cover but also as clothing.



4) Wool wraps
Wraps are similar to regular diaper covers you use for cloth diapers that close with either snaps or velcro.







5) Other
You can find other original wool products that are related to cloth diapers such as overalls, sleep sacks, wool tote bags, and more.



Types of knit and wool

As you browse the internet for wool products you will find many types of wool and knits available to you. Some products are hand knit, other are machine made. Some common wool fabrics used are wool flannel, wool jersey, and wool interlock.

Some products are made out of organic wool as others are not. Some are natural and many are dyed. Some products are made out of 1 layer and others have two layers (making it an even better choice for night time protection). Some products are also made from recycled wool such as old wool sweaters.

Most wool products are handwash only but there are some that are machine washable on the gentle cycle.

All of this to say that the possibilities are endless. There is something for every baby's needs.

Look for new wool products coming your way at Ottawa Cloth Diapers in the near future.

Currently we carry the beautiful Sustainablebabyish wool soakers and longies as well as Eucalan no rinse wool wash.

I'd love to hear from any of you about any wool products that you use with your babies.

Good night all!

Wool Part 1 - Why use wool covers with cloth diapers?

When I give information sessions to my customers I always mention that diaper covers can come in different fabrics such as PUL, polar fleece and wool. When I mention wool and specify that it needs to be handwashed I often get the wide eye reaction and the no thank you that follows. I used to think the same until I started using wool myself. It was actually one of my customers that encouraged me to use wool. She even knitted me a wool cover and a pair of longies to try with my oldest son (thank you Melisa!). Now I love using wool especially as a night time option but even during the day. So why should you choose wool as a diaper cover? Hopefully the following post will help you clarify this question.

Wool covers and cloth diapers ... why bother?

There are many advantages to using wool with your cloth diapers. And although it is usually not the first choice for fist time cloth diaperers, you should not shy away from the option.

First forget about the old scratchy wool sweater that you are thinking about as there are many wool options that provide a super soft, waterproof layer that can be used over top of all your fitted diapers. These can be used during the day, night, and all year round.

Did you know?

- Wool covers have been used with cloth diapers for over 70 years.

- Wool is the only diaper cover that is made of all natural fibers.

- Wool covers are breathable, preventing the risk of overheating as well as decreasing the incidence of diaper rashes (great option for babies with very sensitive skin).

- Wool helps to regulate the body temperature by keeping it warm during the winter and cool during the summer (who knew wool is a better option for the hot summer months!).

- Wool repels water and absorbs moisture making it an awesome waterproof cover, preventing even the most determined leaks (this is why many people turn to wool as a night time cover).

- Wool can hold up to 35% of its own weight in moisture yet it will not feel damp against the skin. The breathability of wool allows this moisture to evaporate, cooling the skin.

- Wool is easy to care for (even easier than doing a load of laundry - see below for more details on how to care for your wool products)

- Wool is naturally anti-bacterial, it does not need to be washed after every wear. Just air dry in between uses and wash only if soiled with solids, if the urine smell remains after airing out or if it is starting to leak.

- Wool contains natural lanolin creating a natural waterproof barrier.

- Wool is super comfortable for the baby as it stretches easily and offers a completely breathable diapering option.

- Wool is known for its durability making it a good option for cloth diapering more than one child as it will last you for years!

Wool is easy to care for!

Believe or not, I prefer washing my wool covers to doing a load of laundry for my other cloth diapers. It is that easy! Here is how I do it.

I wash my wool every 4-5 wears OR if it soiled with solids, if it retains urine smell even after airing it out or if it is not keeping its waterproof capacity.

I fill my laundry tub with a little bit of tepid water and add 1-2 tsp of Eucalan no rinse delicate wash. You can also use a mild soap such as baby shampoo but then you will have to rinse out the garment. Eucalan is a no rinse solution which makes my life much easier :)

In a separate small bottle, I melt approx. 1/4 tsp of 100% solid lanolin in hot water then add this to my tepid water and stir the water. I then add my wool covers/longies in the water. I squeeze them a few times (do not wring fabric) to take in the water and lanolin and let them soak for 30 min to 1 hour.

After soaking, I pull the plug from my laundry tub and let the water empty (this way I find more lanolin stays onto my garment). I then squeeze out the excess water by rolling the covers/longies in a dry towel then lay flat to dry (no dryer!).

Wool garments take a long time to dry (a full day for me) so I always make sure I have another option for night time such as another clean wool cover or I love the Stacinator So Simple cover for night time (not breathable as it is made out of PUL - but an awesome night option!).

Et voilà, the washing routine is done. Seems long when you write it out, but it really only takes me less than 5 minutes to put them in the tub and then less then 5 minutes to take them out and hang them. The rest of the time they are just soaking.

Lanolizing your wool is not necessary at every wash although I do it everytime but it can be done approx. once/month or when you notice that the cover is not as waterproof. New wool products are usually not lanolized so they will need to be lanolized before its first use.

In our next post, I will go over the different types of wool covers that are out these as there are many! I would love to hear about any wool products you love using and how you care for them, please feel free to add any comments.

In our store, we currently carry the Systainablebabyish organic stretch wool covers and Sustainablebabyish organic stretch wool karate pants which we adore! Stay tuned in the near future we will be adding at least 2 other wool products to our collection.

Also, please note that the super cute picture used in my post comes from Sustainablebabyish's photo gallery. Click here to see more very sute babies in wool!

Have a great week everybody and stay warm!

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving everyone!

Instead of boring you with cloth diapers tonight, I thought I would share with you a quick history of Canadian Thanksgiving. I am no historian so I found this brief summary from the following website: http://www.twilightbridge.com/hobbies/festivals/thanksgiving/canada/

I wish you all a great Thanksgiving weekend with your family and friends!

History and Origin of Canadian Thanksgiving
In Canada Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday in October. Unlike the American tradition of remembering Pilgrims and settling in the New World, Canadians give thanks for a successful harvest. The harvest season falls earlier in Canada compared to the United States due to the simple fact that Canada is further north.

The history of Thanksgiving in Canada goes back to an English explorer, Martin Frobisher, who had been trying to find a northern passage to the Orient. He did not succeed but he did establish a settlement in Northern America. In the year 1578, he held a formal ceremony, in what is now called Newfoundland, to give thanks for surviving the long journey. This is considered the first Canadian Thanksgiving. Other settlers arrived and continued these ceremonies. He was later knighted and had an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean in northern Canada named after him - Frobisher Bay.

At the same time, French settlers, having crossed the ocean and arrived in Canada with explorer Samuel de Champlain, also held huge feasts of thanks. They even formed 'The Order of Good Cheer' and gladly shared their food with their Indian neighbours.

After the Seven Year's War ended in 1763, the citizens of Halifax held a special day of Thanksgiving.

During the American Revolution, Americans who remained loyal to England moved to Canada where they brought the customs and practices of the American Thanksgiving to Canada. There are many similarities between the two Thanksgivings such as the cornucopia and the pumpkin pie.

Eventually in 1879, Parliament declared November 6th a day of Thanksgiving and a national holiday. Over the years many dates were used for Thanksgiving, the most popular was the 3rd Monday in October. After World War I, both Armistice Day and Thanksgiving were celebrated on the Monday of the week in which November 11th occurred. Ten years later, in 1931, the two days became separate holidays and Armistice Day was renamed Remembrance Day.

Finally, on January 31st, 1957, Parliament proclaimed...

"A Day of General Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed ... to be observed on the 2nd Monday in October.


Vicky

My Fuzzi Bunz Saga

It has been a while since our last post as we have had a couple of very crazy weeks!! However tonight I am sitting down to share with you my Fuzzi Bunz saga. Here goes ...



Ottawa Cloth Diapers is finally carrying Fuzzi Bunz products. When I started my cloth diaper store I decided not to carry Fuzzi Bunz just because I had to limit the number of products to begin with. I was already carrying other similar pocket diapers such as Happy Heinys and bumGenius so I figured that was enough to start with. I had the occasional customer ask about Fuzzi Bunz but that was it.

A few months into the business I considered retailing Fuzzi Bunz but I had heard a few negative comments about the company so I decided not to apply for an account, plus at that time the US currency exchange was getting high so I was happy to find new Canadian products instead.

A couple of months ago when Fuzzi Bunz came out with their One-Size pocket diaper I considered applying for an account again. Before making a decision, I decided to order a one-size Fuzzi Bunz from another retailer to try it out with my sons first. I received the diaper by mail and my immeidate thought was - what a big diaper! This could never fit a newborn. Then after opening the diaper and looking at the elastic adjusting system I was overwhelmed and thought there is no way I will have time to adjust this diaper between both my sons. That was it, I did not even try the diaper instead I decided to return it for a refund. Around that same time I heard more negative rumors about the company and comments around the high shipping rates plus I knew that the diapers were now being manufactured in China so I was happy with my decision not to carry them even though the company had accepted my application for an account. I could not imagine trying to sell a diaper that I did not even want to try on my own kids.

In the following weeks I had many many customers ask me whether I carried Fuzzi Bunz or whether I was planning on adding these products to my store. So I finally caved in and decided that if my customers wanted these diapers than I should listen to them. I also needed to keep up with the competition as most retailers carry Fuzzi Bunz. So I contacted the company again hoping that they would still accept me as a retailer. Thankfully they did.

Let me tell you now how wrong I was about these diapers and the company!! I received the products this week. Shipping was fast, easy and the people I have dealt with so far at Fuzzi Bunz have all been very nice and helpful!

I tried the perfect size pocket diaper first on my 2 year old son. The diaper was a great fit, was absorbent enough to last him through his afternoon nap with no leaks and did not leave any marks on his skin (my son has very sensitive skin). I also love the hip snaps that adjusts the leg opening seperately from the waist snaps. And I really like the fact that the size medium will fit both my 7 month old (17lbs)and my skinny 2 year old (25lbs).

Now lets talk about the one-size Fuzzi Bunz diaper. This is the same diaper if you recall that I returned to the retailer without even trying it first thinking I would just hate this diaper! Was I ever wrong!! What an awesome diaper! First it took me a good 5-10 minutes to adjust the sizing with the leg elastics and the waist elastics for my 7 month old son. So for sure this is not a diaper that I will be adjusting between both my sons as it would be too time consuming. However the fit is amazing as it can be customized to the perfect fit for every baby. Even though the diaper looks big it shrinks down to this tiny diaper that will fit your newborn. Much less bulky than other one-size that I have tried.

I have since tried the diaper on both my boys without any leaks and a great TRIM fit for both of them. Now I have to say that the one I originally returned was one of their first one-size version that did not have the hip snaps and was a bit different than the newest version that has been tweaked to perfection since then. Another great added bonus of this diaper is that it comes with a set of replacement elastics if you ever need to replace worned down elastics which happens frequently with one-size diapers as they get a lot of wear and tear. Also, Fuzzi Bunz offers a lifetime warranty on their snaps! With extra elasatics and lifetime snaps, you have much better chances that this diaper will last you from birth to potty training and even for more than one child!

So to sum up this very long story, I just wanted to share with you that I was very wrong about Fuzzi Bunz and that I am very happy (and even excited) that I have finally decided to carry (and try) their products. It just goes to show you that sometimes we are influenced by others and we make decisions based on rumors or wrong information.

Fuzzi Bunz were the pionneer of the pocket diaper and they continue to bring us great innovative diapering products. Ottawa Cloth Diapers is also carrying the Fuzzi Bunz changing pad and will be adding their super soft Fuzzi Bunz wipes (which I am using right now and really like!).

For more information on the Fuzzi Bunz perfect size and one-size diapers, visit our website at this link: http://www.ottawaclothdiapers.com/products/products.asp?id=14

They have many great colors to choose from plus a few new prints.

Hopefully you will like these diapers as much as we do! Please share your comments, I would love to hear from anyone who has tried or is planning to try these diapers.

Thank you to my customers who have kept asking about these diapers because I don't think I would have decided to carry them if I wasn't asked so many times about Fuzzi Bunz!

Have a great weekend!
Vicky

You can now follow our blog by e-mail

Hi everyone

Just a heads up that we have added a widget to our blog permitting you to enter your e-mail. By doing this, everytime we post something new on our blog, you will receive an e-mail notification. What an easy way to follow our great discussions and updates.

Hope you all join us!

Contest and new products: Planet Wise wet/dry bags & MoBoleez Breastfeeding Hats

Before we leave for our family vacation, we are excited to bring you these two awesome new products as well as our first contest!

1) Planet Wise Wet/Dry Bags - these come in great stylish designs and feature two separate pockets. One for your dry items and one for your wet/soiled items. It also features a snap handle for easy carrying. You will love how handy these are. They can fit 6-8 diapers. You can use one pocket for clean diapers and one for the dirty ones. For a quick trip you could just bring this bag with you and put your keys, wallet, fresh diaper, clean wipes in the dry section and use the wet section for your soiled diapers! Have a peek at our website for more details.

2) MoBoleez Breastfeeding Hats - this creative, fun product is our favorite latest discovery plus they are made in Canada! They are so cute, so soft, fun and practical. Every breastfeeding Moms should have one! For more information click here.

We also wanted to let you know that we are leaving on a family vacation on August 1st and we will be back on August 16th. Business continues as usual except that all in stock orders will ship upon our return. Any out of stock items ordered will be ordered for you upon our return as well. All emails and telephone calls will be replied to upon our return. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you.

Lastly as we try to reach more and more of you with our blog, we would like to open our first contest for all of you readers while we are away on vacation. Here are the details. Every reader can enter their name in the contest 3 times.

How to enter?

1) Leave us a comment about one of the new products we have recently added to our store - see recent blog posts for latest new products. Tell us which one is your favorite and why.

2) Sign up as a follower of our blog

3) Follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/oclothdiapers

What's the prize?

The lucky winner will choose between a Planet Wise wet/dry bag (choice of in stock colors) or 10% off their next purchase at www.ottawaclothdiapers.com.

All entries must be in by August 15th.

Good Luck to everyone! We look forward to reading all of your entries on our return from vacation as well as announcing the lucky winner!

Update on new products at Ottawa Cloth Diapers

Hello everyone

Rain, rain and more rain! It is not shaping up to be much of a summer unfortunately. I hope that you are able to enjoy it nonetheless by finding great innovative activities to do inside as a family. My eldest son is into Thomas the tank engine so we have been building him these huge train tracks and that seems to keep him (and Daddy) occupied when it is wet outside.

On another note, we have again added some GREAT new products to our inventory at Ottawa Cloth Diapers and so we wanted to give you a brief update about these in our blog.

1) Dimpleskins Naturals Skin Care products
We are now carrying the Dimpleskins line of natural skin care products such as their popular cloth diaper safe Bum Bum Balm, the sweet cheeks body balm and a great gift set that includes trial sizes of Sweet Cheeks, Bum Bum Balm, Cradle Me, and a full size tube of Kiss Me Baby Lip Balm (makes a great baby gift!). Dimpleskins products are all handmade and includes only pure, organic, cruelty-free ingredients. Plus they are made in Canada! You will find these at Ottawa Cloth Diapers under the headings Natural Skin Products as well as Diapering Accessories.

2) Sustainablebabyish Organic Bamboo Fitted Diapers!
These are so YUMMY!! They are super soft, and beautiful and made of organic bamboo. SUPER absorbent, they are awesome night time diapers. They have even been nicknamed the "magic diaper" they are so great. You will love them so much that you will want to use them all day long! A bit of a more expensive diaper but definitely worth it for the luxurious fabric, quality and effectiveness. Check these out under our fitted diapers at Ottawa Cloth Diapers. They come in natural as well as 3 beautiful rich colors. Plus what is awesome about this company, a tree is planted for every sustainablebabyish cloth diaper that is purchased: one diaper, one tree! The diapers are not in stock yet at Ottawa Cloth Diapers. We expect our first shipment sometime in August/September. You can however place a pre-order. We will only have a small number in this first shipment.

3) DryBees Gone Natural Bamboo Fitted Diapers
Another awesome bamboo diaper. Super soft and fluffy. Also awesome for night time as bamboo is so absorbent. Natural color with colored stitching, these can also be dyed for cute one-of-a-kind colors. Check these out under our fitted diapers at Ottawa Cloth Diapers.

4) Baby Bistro Boxes
These make great gifts and are a "must have" products for every new parent. They include all of the nutritional information you need for your 0-12 month old as well as your picky toddler from 1-3yrs. They include tips, recipes, safety rules and more. Go to Ottawa Cloth Diapers "Must Have Baby Products" section for more information.

That's it for now! We hope that you will enjoy these great new produtcs. Let us know what you think and stay tuned for other great products coming soon.

We would love your comments on any of these products. Tell us which one you find the most interesting and why.

Have a great week everyone!

Our favorite diaper!

Hello everyone

I hope everyone enjoyed their weekend. Unfortunately it is already over - time to get back to work! I decided that for this week's post I would try to answer one question that I often get from my customers. "What is your favorite diaper?"

One of the most frequent questions I get asked by my customers is "What is your favorite diaper?" I find that hard to answer because it all depends on when and where and on which child I am using the diaper for. But here is an attempt to answer the question for you ...

In general, my favorite daytime diapers are pocket and All-In-Ones. AIO's are super practical when we go out or when my eldest son goes to daycare. However because they take longer to dry, I use a mix of pocket and All-In-Ones during the day this way I always have pocket diapers ready when my AIO's are still drying.

If I were to pick a favorite pocket diaper, for my oldest son (22 months) it would be the bumGenius one-size pocket. It lasts us 3-4 hours and is very reliable with very rarely any leaks. My favorite pocket diaper for our youngest son (4.5 months) would be the Annie Marie Padorie sized duo pocket (I'm not a big fan of one-size diapers until the child is at least 15 pounds and more). I love the AMP with a bamboo insert, it is so trim. And I really like adjusting the leg and waist with the snap closures.

My favorite AIO for both our sons is the AMP stay dry AIO. It is just such a great fit, it is very reliable for 3-4 hours with no leaks and it doesn't take that long to dry compared to other AIO's.

Now for night time, my ultimate favorite diaper for both our sons is a Bamboozle fitted diaper with a Stacinator So Simple cover. Both our boys can last 12-13hours in this combination with no leaks! Even better than a disposable (yuk!). It is just an awesome combination. I love the bamboo fabric as it is a all natural fabric, breathable and anti-bacterial which makes it great for being on a baby for so long. The So Simple cover's fleece bands at the thighs and waist guarantees me no red marks on my sons' skin and super coverage on top of any fitted diaper. This cover is my FAVORITE cover for night time even better than wool which we also use for night time (stay tuned for new wool products coming to our store soon!).

So in "short" those are my favorite diapers. However I love variety so I use all of the diapers that are sold in our store PLUS others that I have tried/tested. We are constantly trying out new products for the store so we have many other diapers in our stash. Some we are planning on adding into the store soon and others that we have decided were not worth it for various reasons.
Hopefully you have also found your favorite diaper. I always tell my customers that even if I adore diaper x it does not mean they will also like it. Every child is different. To sum up this post, we would LOVE to hear from you about what works best for your family whether it is something that we sell or not. We are always open to new products so please share!


I wanted to share a picture of one of my sons wearing one of the above diapers but I coudn't find any and they are both in bed :) so here is a picture of my youngest son Gabriel sporting the new Gro Baby diaper in color kiwi at the middle setting. The Gro baby is also becoming one of our favorite diapers. Since we have started using these diapers (approx. 3 months now) we have only had one leak ever and it was with one that had only been washed once so wasn't absorbing enough yet and it was during a long car ride with our oldest son. Even night time for both our sons - no leaks for 12 hours! What a great diaper!



Looking forward to your comments.

We wish you a great week!
Warm regards,
Vicky

Larger Nellie's detergent and Monkey Doodlez wipes solution cubes are now at Ottawa Cloth Diapers

Hello everyone

If you ask, you shall receive! Many of you have asked us in the past if we can carry the larger size Nellie's laundry soda as well as the Monkey Doodlez wipes solution cubes. We have finally added both of these items to our inventory. Now you can purchase the Nellie's soda in both the 50 loads and the 120 loads packaging. Save more when you purchase the larger container.

We have also added the Monkey Doodlez cloth wipes solution cubes. These are loved my many! One small jar can make up to 25 gallons of wipes solution! You should have plenty for a long time!
Check both of these products out on our website under diapering accessories or by following this link: http://www.ottawaclothdiapers.com/products/products.asp?id=18

Let us know if you have any other questions.

We wish you all a great week!

We are back to active blogging!

Hello everyone!

After almost over 1 year of neglecting our blog, we have decided it was time we get back to it and use it as we had intended! Instead of regularly updating the section "latest news" of our store website we have decided to place our blog link in that section. All new updates as well as any information or discussions will now be found in our blog. This way you can find out about all of the latest products and news about our store as well as find great information or discussions at the same place! Let us know what you think.

Since we haven't posted anything in a while, I decided I would make this post a brief summary of any recent changes. Here goes ...

New products
We have been pretty busy lately in adding new products that we love to our store. Here is a list of our newest additions. We also plan to blog about some of these products seperately to give you more details as to why we love them so much.

Thirsties Duo Wrap - easy to use and easier on your wallet with only two sizes that will cover your baby from birth all the way to potty-learning.

Gro Baby Diapers - they are finally here and are selling fast!! We just adore these diapers. Check out the All-In-One section of our website for more details. We also sell the GroBaby sampler package and the Gro Baby Complete set which you can find in our Diaper Pakcages section.

SNAPS! - bumGenius one-size organic AIO diapers are now available with snaps closure instead of velcro. All new stock will have snaps. We also still have a very limited number of diapers with velcro closures left in you are a fan of velcro.

Magic Stick All Natural Diaper Ointment - Safe for cloth diapers and rated as #1 diaper ointment on Diaper Pin Product Reviews. Super easy to use stick - no messy hands! We love to use this product on both our sons. Great as a barrier ointment and for use on minor skin irritations.

Organic Heiny Wash from Happy Heinys - Wonderful to use with clothwipes and on the go. Leave one in your diaper bag and spray it on your baby's bum with every diaper change then wipe with a cloth wipe of kleenex. Great all natural ingredients to condition the skin.

Baby Carriers - We have added our 3 favortie baby carriers to our store. Both the Maman Kangourou Stretchy wrap (which is our #1 choice), the Maman Kangourou pouch and the FreeHand Mei Tai Carrier. Go to our website for more details. If you have any questions as to which one to choose, contact us and we will be happy to help you choose what will work best for you and your baby!

Other Great Baby Items - We have recently added several baby items that we love! Check out this section of our store for more details. Among these you will find ... Ringley All Natural Teether, Pippalily Toy Strap (we love this!), Babywrappers, some great Plush and Bamboo Perlimpinpin sleep sacs and blankets that you will fall in love with and the Nurser in Training shirt and beanie (so cute!). We also have a great gift set that includes several of this producst as a package at a discount price.

And last but not least, we have recently added a Gently Used section to our store. This section includes gently used diapers and accessories mostly used with our own children. This is a great way to save abit of money on products that you would like to try before investing in a larger amount. Let us know if you have any questions about these products.

Ok I think I've said enough for now. We are excited to bring other new products very soon that we have been testing and researching.

Also stay tuned for various interesting discussions that we are planning on our blog about cloth diapers, family, children, living green and much more!

Subscribe to our blog to get the latest updates or visit our website regularly to see what's new.

We also would love any comments, questions, suggestions of products, etc.

We hope that you are all enjoying your summer and spending as much time as possible with your precious little one!

Vicky