Eco-Friendly Family

Various Random Questions [mostly on baby gear]

Ok so I started the on line registry you guys suggested on myregistry. These are just some things I've jotted down over the past week or so:

*What are some legitimately "CD safe" diaper rash remedies/ prevention? CJs BUTTer?

*Any good diaper bag recs that look wise wouldn't embarrass G to carry around as opposed to each of us having our own? Of course I want something that will have plenty of room for fluff plus all the extras, easy to clean, pockets and preferably budget friendly

*I've seen these rings used as props in infant portraits, they are engraved rings but are flat, looks more like a washer than a ring.. Any clue who sells these or any other nice places for personalized jewelry?

*How EF are the baby wash products by Method and [I believe its called Mustela or Muscela or something from BRU] and has anyone used their stuff?

*I think we're going to do mostly prefolds and covers, other than a handful of smaller dipes I have, through the NB stage until we can use the bigger OS. Where is a good place to get them and would you rec the brown or white [Indian/ Chinese]? I was going to just put the ones at Nicki's diapers on the registry, are they any good?

*Any thoughts or personal experience on these infant carseats; Baby Trend Flex Loc, Lamaze Via, Chicco Keyfit, Graco Snugride 30/35? These are the only ones that are available in the store that aren't convertible and I want to be able to see it in person before buying.

*Any items that you personally couldn't live without for a new/ first child? Something that made your life easier or you didn't think you would need/want until you had it?

That's what I have for now but I'm sure this is just going to be round 1 of many more questions along these lines lol sorry this is so long, it's just hard to follow the lead of these 'checklists' when the source is a company that is just trying to get your money. Anything you can touch on will be a major help!

Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml

Re: Various Random Questions [mostly on baby gear]

  • 1. We used both grandma el's and Motherlove with good results. 

    2. I don't have a specific brand to rec mine was Jeep (like the car) brand, and it basically looks like a small gym bag.

    3. No clue what you are talking about

    4. We used Method baby wash for DD. I don't really buy that it is all that EF, but it doesn't have mineral oil or SLS in it. 

    5. Definitely get unbleached, whichever country of origin you go with. Ours were Chinese, and I loved them.

    6. I have no opinion on any of those car seats.

    7. Boppy. Nursing cover.  

  • imagekcdc6211:

    Ok so I started the on line registry you guys suggested on myregistry. These are just some things I've jotted down over the past week or so:

    *What are some legitimately "CD safe" diaper rash remedies/ prevention? CJs BUTTer? We use CABaby (target) and another in stick form that I can't remember pinstripesandpolkadots has a list of cd safe cremes I believe

    *Any good diaper bag recs that look wise wouldn't embarrass G to carry around as opposed to each of us having our own? Of course I want something that will have plenty of room for fluff plus all the extras, easy to clean, pockets and preferably budget friendly This is such personal preference.  You can use just about any bag.  We have a jansport bag that we use more for daytrips, llbean boat totes, I have some Vera bags, we have a camo messenger bag from gap that I like.  DH carries any of them and could care less.

    *I've seen these rings used as props in infant portraits, they are engraved rings but are flat, looks more like a washer than a ring.. Any clue who sells these or any other nice places for personalized jewelry?

    *How EF are the baby wash products by Method and [I believe its called Mustela or Muscela or something from BRU] and has anyone used their stuff? I've noticed some Method stuff has SLS.  Just be sure and read the ingredients.

    *I think we're going to do mostly prefolds and covers, other than a handful of smaller dipes I have, through the NB stage until we can use the bigger OS. Where is a good place to get them and would you rec the brown or white [Indian/ Chinese]? I was going to just put the ones at Nicki's diapers on the registry, are they any good? Green Mountain Diaper prefolds are great.  I've also heard good things about the ones Cotton Babies sells.  As long as you don't use Gerber, you'll probably be good.

    *Any thoughts or personal experience on these infant carseats; Baby Trend Flex Loc, Lamaze Via, Chicco Keyfit, Graco Snugride 30/35? These are the only ones that are available in the store that aren't convertible and I want to be able to see it in person before buying.  We had a graco infant seat and true fit convertible seat.

    *Any items that you personally couldn't live without for a new/ first child? Something that made your life easier or you didn't think you would need/want until you had it? boppy, ergo, CDs...

    That's what I have for now but I'm sure this is just going to be round 1 of many more questions along these lines lol sorry this is so long, it's just hard to follow the lead of these 'checklists' when the source is a company that is just trying to get your money. Anything you can touch on will be a major help!


    Big E (6) & Little E (2.5)
  • Loading the player...
  • Angel Baby Bottom Balm has worked great for us...but with cloth we rarely have redness.

    Diaper Dude bag...works great, my only gripe is somethings it feels just a touch too small

    I don't think I trust Method...went with Angel Baby and California Baby products instead

    Unbleached prefolds rock...I still use them to stuff. Just makes sure they are 4x8x4, and decent quality

    Graco Snugride for us...lighter, and fit on our BOB stroller. Then we went to a Sunshine Kids, extended RFing.

    Baby jumper, large swaddle blankets, baby tub, nursing pillow.
    Lilypie Third Birthday tickersLilypie First Birthday tickers
  • imagekcdc6211:

    Any items that you personally couldn't live without for a new/ first child? Something that made your life easier or you didn't think you would need/want until you had it?

    Indispensable: Boppy and Sling (we had a Peanut Shell).  The Bumbo isn't a necessity, but it was nice.  We used ours for a high chair for the first several months, too.  I don't know how EF they are, but you can pick up a nice used one on craigslist.  

  • *I am going to answer all out of order, sorry! ;)

     

    I love my new weehugger hobo wet bag!  We use this diaper bag by JJ Cole (not very manly but DH doesn't care). I like it because it is super duper heavy duty, never gets dirty and has PLENTY of room! I always hear good things about the ju ju be and skip hop bags though too.

    image

    We had a chicco keyfit and LOVED it. It was an awesome infant seat with awesome reviews.

    As for baby wash we use CA Baby or Dr. Bronner's pretty religiously. We use the CA Baby diaper rash cream as well and have used it w/ CD's with no issues as of yet. Sometimes I do take a little dawn and scrub out where the cream gets directly and visably on the suedecloth though too (we use BG's) before putting into the wash.

    For prefolds,  I got GMD (green mountain diapers) ones and I also have a few unbleached Indian prefolds too. They are super soft and nice.  

    As for things I could not live w/o... I'd say my Moby and Ergo (which DH even wore the Ergo more than me I think=AWESOME!) and our bouncer seat. Addison LOVED that thing and it was a life saver when I needed to get things done. I would bring her everywhere with me in that thing if she fell asleep or was playing in it. Laundry room, kitchen, bathroom. She STILL tries to sit in it and giggles at the toys... lol

     

     

    Image and video hosting by TinyPic

    Lilypie First Birthday tickers

    Lilypie Third Birthday tickers

    Image and video hosting by TinyPic
  • 1 - Baby Bottom Balm, by Earth Mama Angel Baby

    2 - We just got a canvas beach tote from Land's End. Durable, lots of pockets, and solid color canvas. Exactly what I was looking for. 

    3 - I don't know what these props are, but there are a lot of WAHM and EFF etsy moms that can point you in the right direction.

    4 - Not sure.. we use CA Baby for him, but we use Method for hand soap and dish soap. Honestly, I don't even know how EF Method is but we're just using up what we have left. 

    5 - Most people recommend GMDs. I don't use prefolds much, but if I were to that's what I'd buy just because of the high praise everyone has for them. I have a few unbleached Indian PFs from Little Lion[?], but those are mainly our backup diapers. They don't get heavy use. Just definitely avoid Gerber. They fall apart. Oh!! And use cloth wipes! They work so much better and you just toss them in the pail and wash with dipes instead of having to have a garbage bin in there, too.

    6 - Sorry, I have no info.

    7 - Every mom's preference and every baby's preference is different. While most people loved their swing, boppy and vibrating bouncy chair, my baby didn't like them. We ended up donating all of those things [they were hand me downs anyway] and instead we got a non vibrating bouncer w/o all the plastic hanging toys [baby bjorn classic], and the "Breast Friend" worked better for me than the Boppy, so I got one of those. Also, I had a big baby, and with the CDs, he didn't fit in the Bumbo when it came time to use it. He'd get stuck. lol. Oh, and we STILL don't use the crib much at all even though it's been set up since I was 20 weeks pg. haha! Oh, and he doesn't care at all for that Sophie giraffe teether. The best one for him is the silicone ring from LifeFactory. We also had LifeFactory glass baby bottles, but never used them. I didn't realize we'd never need them. I'm saving them for next kiddo, just in case, though.

    Now, what I absolutely LOVED: aden and anais gauze swaddle blankets, my woven wrap [especially since I ended up with a c/s and was able to tie it on my chest instead of around my waist], Halo [or any brand, really] sleep sacks. Oh, and he pretty much lived in gowns for the first 3 months. Zippered footie PJs are cute, but not as practical, imo when you have to undress baby at each diaper change. OH, and Fenugreek supplements! Helps with breastmilk production. I wish I knew about this from the beginning. 

    What would I do differently next time around [baby gear-wise]: BUY MORE BINKIES! [We use Natursutten, which are great for teething, too.], Buy a cosleeper, and do not buy any clothing sized 0-3 months. No matter HOW CUTE! 

    Also, the beginning days are crazy, and you might want some disposables on hand just in case. [We didn't have any family or anyone helping us or cooking for us or anything, so it was really overwhelming.] So for that, or vacations w/o washer access I'd rec Nature babycare diapers. They are the only biodegradable diaper.  

    Good luck! And feel free to ask all the questions you want! I was the same way, too. Wink

    Lilypie Second Birthday tickers
    PitaPata Cat tickers
  • s/o on what daenikoffre said: Make freezer meals if you can!!!! They were a god send!

    I have a list of recipes for stuff that freezes well too if you want it... just let me know. many other mama's have lists too. :)

    Image and video hosting by TinyPic

    Lilypie First Birthday tickers

    Lilypie Third Birthday tickers

    Image and video hosting by TinyPic
  • imageCeltiCutie:

    s/o on what daenikoffre said: Make freezer meals if you can!!!! They were a god send!

    I have a list of recipes for stuff that freezes well too if you want it... just let me know. many other mama's have lists too. :)

    LOL Just make sure you don't eat them all before baby comes, like we did. Then we had take-out for about 2 weeks straight. So, prepare freezer meals for your entire last month of pregnancy, just to be on the safe side.  

    Lilypie Second Birthday tickers
    PitaPata Cat tickers
  • imagedaenikoffre:
    imageCeltiCutie:

    s/o on what daenikoffre said: Make freezer meals if you can!!!! They were a god send!

    I have a list of recipes for stuff that freezes well too if you want it... just let me know. many other mama's have lists too. :)

    LOL Just make sure you don't eat them all before baby comes, like we did. Then we had take-out for about 2 weeks straight. So, prepare freezer meals for your entire last month of pregnancy, just to be on the safe side.  

     

    LMAO you kill me! Yes what she said... FWIW I actually took a week off before my due date and made them all that week. 1 or 2 things each day so not to over exert myself but still had a good deal of stuff. It really came in handy. I even ate a lot of the things for quick lunches in between when the baby was sleeping.  One thing I recommend if you are a carnivore is Guiness beef stew. Tasty and the Guiness is good for milk production! Double whammy! ;)

    Image and video hosting by TinyPic

    Lilypie First Birthday tickers

    Lilypie Third Birthday tickers

    Image and video hosting by TinyPic
  • imagedaenikoffre:

    7 - Every mom's preference and every baby's preference is different. While most people loved their swing, boppy and vibrating bouncy chair, my baby didn't like them. We ended up donating all of those things [they were hand me downs anyway] and instead we got a non vibrating bouncer w/o all the plastic hanging toys [baby bjorn classic], and the "Breast Friend" worked better for me than the Boppy, so I got one of those. Also, I had a big baby, and with the CDs, he didn't fit in the Bumbo when it came time to use it. He'd get stuck. lol. Oh, and we STILL don't use the crib much at all even though it's been set up since I was 20 weeks pg. haha! Oh, and he doesn't care at all for that Sophie giraffe teether. The best one for him is the silicone ring from LifeFactory. We also had LifeFactory glass baby bottles, but never used them. I didn't realize we'd never need them. I'm saving them for next kiddo, just in case, though.

     HAHAHA I can just imagine that and I started bustin up laughin when I read that... G just looked at me like I should be committed or something lol.

    Anyways, I knew you all would be great help! It is all very overwhelming to begin with, add in the fact that I'm a perfectionist at times and that I feel greedy making a registry as it is [OH HEY BUY ME ALL THESE EXPENSIVE THINGS EVERYONE.. ya know??] I really don't want to end up with things that people may have dished out a good amount of money on and then we never end up using it either. I was wondering about the baby wash and stuff because I noticed those brands are cheaper than the CA Baby, my fam doesn't really 'get it' as far as our lifestyle. I get the worst looks and comments when I mention CDs lol. So I figured they may be a little more likely to buy the products I actually want if the price were more reasonable as opposed to just buying Johnson because that's what everyone uses.

    About the dipes, is it that the Indian are unbleached and Chinese are bleached?

    ETA: If we use a regular trash can with the pedal that the lid flips up, we have these now in kitchen and bathroom, what wet bag would you rec to use as pail liner? From what I've gathered Blueberry, MFD, Planetwise, and Wahmies are good for this purpose??

    Are all cloth wipes created equal?

     

    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
  • Yeah. haha. I swear.. I never knew daily life could be so hilarious until this little fella came about. <3 

    I just use hanging wetbags w/o a pail. I got ours from Petunias on Etsy. https://www.etsy.com/shop/PETUNIAS?section_id=5329351 

    And I prefer double layered wipes, one side flannel the other side terry. Some people like minky wipes, some like single layer, and some just cut up old recieving blankets. No worries.. there aren't any surprises here. Juts use your best judgement. I was too pg and lazy to make mine, so I just bought a GN bundle from https://www.etsy.com/shop/jholtonquilts and have been very pleased!  

    Lilypie Second Birthday tickers
    PitaPata Cat tickers
  • One thing that I love to give as a shower gift is the Nosefrieda.  It gets a WTF look at first but once they try it they sing it's praises as well.  It works 9000 times better than the crappy bulb syringe you get at the hospital.  Bulb syringes can exacerbate the problem that you're trying to combat because you have to actually stick it in the poor child's nose.  The Nosefrieda you don't have to at all and it gets much more out than you ever thought humanly possible.  Pair that with saline drops when your LO gets the sniffles or a cold and you (and he/she) will breathe easier.

    And yes, I probably sound like a spammer touting the stupid snot sucker but seriously, I wished I had one with #1 but alas I only learned about it with #2.  

  • imageArmyQM:

    One thing that I love to give as a shower gift is the Nosefrieda.  It gets a WTF look at first but once they try it they sing it's praises as well.  It works 9000 times better than the crappy bulb syringe you get at the hospital.  Bulb syringes can exacerbate the problem that you're trying to combat because you have to actually stick it in the poor child's nose.  The Nosefrieda you don't have to at all and it gets much more out than you ever thought humanly possible.  Pair that with saline drops when your LO gets the sniffles or a cold and you (and he/she) will breathe easier.

    And yes, I probably sound like a spammer touting the stupid snot sucker but seriously, I wished I had one with #1 but alas I only learned about it with #2.  

     

    "WTF" is right! I, myself, gave that contraption a look with that in mind lol. My logical brain however thought the idea of it is way more effective than a bulb, and I don't like those anyways. I am really glad you  mentioned that thing because I was skeptical withoout knowing anyone who has used one before and totally forgot to put it on my list of EFFer questions lol. I will be taking a trip to the store soon to update registry so I'll check and see if they carry it there too :] Thanks for the rec!

    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
  • Yeah, you're probably imagining sucking snot up into your mouth but in reality it gets no where near it. Plus, there's a filter in it so it never could even if your child had about a half acup of snot lodged in their tiny nasal passages.
  • imagekcdc6211:

    ETA: If we use a regular trash can with the pedal that the lid flips up, we have these now in kitchen and bathroom, what wet bag would you rec to use as pail liner? From what I've gathered Blueberry, MFD, Planetwise, and Wahmies are good for this purpose??

    We used old pillowcases for the first year as pail liners.  Then I got a Wahmies liner and it changed my life.   My husband set me out to get a second one immediately once I showed him how amazing it was.  (Stretches to fit the top of the pail, unlike a pillowcase which we struggled with every day and which still usually only went around three corners of the trashcan.  I can't believe I messed with that for a year.) 

  • I like using coconut oil (WF has organic) or Earth Mama Angel Baby Bottom Balm- Bay is 9.5 months and has never had diaper rash. I just use my purse instead of a diaper bag. I don't take much other than a diaper or 2 and a couple of cloth wipes and a wet bag. Etsy would be a good place to check for personalized rings- also Heather Moore. I recommend Earth Mama Angel Baby products (I even use them for myself) as they're pretty inexpensive, organic, and completely nontoxic. I like Bummis for organic prefolds but Green Mountain Diapers might have some other good options. I recommend skipping an infant seat but out of those, I'd go with the Chicco Keyfit. Just fyi, Orbit's seats are the least toxic and are made from Oeko-Tex certified materials. I only bought what I deemed essentials after a few years of research and I'm so glad I did. If you are feeding formula or EBM, you might look into a Doidy Cup instead of bottles. If you use bottles, I really like the Evenflo glass ones (I use them for BM storage and with Siliskins they are practically shatter-proof). ETA: sorry for formatting, on my phone. I also recommend using woven wraps and an Ergo or Beco. Good luck!
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
  • imagetct1219:
    I like using coconut oil (WF has organic) or Earth Mama Angel Baby Bottom Balm- Bay is 9.5 months and has never had diaper rash. I just use my purse instead of a diaper bag. I don't take much other than a diaper or 2 and a couple of cloth wipes and a wet bag. Etsy would be a good place to check for personalized rings- also Heather Moore. I recommend Earth Mama Angel Baby products (I even use them for myself) as they're pretty inexpensive, organic, and completely nontoxic. I like Bummis for organic prefolds but Green Mountain Diapers might have some other good options. I recommend skipping an infant seat but out of those, I'd go with the Chicco Keyfit. Just fyi, Orbit's seats are the least toxic and are made from Oeko-Tex certified materials. I only bought what I deemed essentials after a few years of research and I'm so glad I did. If you are feeding formula or EBM, you might look into a Doidy Cup instead of bottles. If you use bottles, I really like the Evenflo glass ones (I use them for BM storage and with Siliskins they are practically shatter-proof). ETA: sorry for formatting, on my phone. I also recommend using woven wraps and an Ergo or Beco. Good luck!

    Yeah that's great, I've never heard that of Orbit seats. Or the Doidy Cup for that matter lol. I plan to EBF so hopefully no 'booby-traps' to keep me from doing that. I registered mostly Evenflo glass since their least expensive, good reviews and I heard they fit onto Medella pumps. Though I did add a Dr Brown's and Born Free starter set that would be nice to try since they were the other glass recs I got from people who were happy with them.

    You guys have no idea how much all your inputs have helped me! I went back to babies r us today, BY MYSELF, for the first time and I got a lot accomplished. On top of sorting through things for the online registry, I've finally gotten rid of a lot of the stress this was causing me. Thank you thank you thank you!!!

    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
  • I also recommend going very minimal or at the very least keep most everything packaged until you develop a need for it. That way you can return things you figure out that you don't need. Your LO will not perish because you didn't have all the bottles ore onsies washed before their arrival or didn't have a swing. I'm so glad I didn't have all sorts of extra crap laying around that we never ended up using.
  • We have a mix of wipes, from the store-bought baby washcloths to the thin flannel-surged ones I made and the two-sided flannel/terry ones.  I just keep them in a little stack with a peri bottle of plain water on the changing table.  Wet diapers get little guy a squirt on his bottom and a dry with a flannel cloth .  Poopies deserve the 2-sided scrubby ones, then any other one to do the detailing.  I don't bother sorting them, as I can grab whatever I want really easily.  We also use the wipes for loads of other purposes, including the following: wiping noses, cleaning up baby puke, soaking up spills on the carpet, wiping up dog drool, bath time, emergency diaper (yes, shorts and a few wipes make a perfectly good diaper as long as the child will only be sitting).

    I really liked the large swaddling blankets that a lady from church gave us.  They are about twice as long and twice as wide as the little store blankets, so there is enough material to actually wrap the kid up good.

    Gerber onesies run really small and always needed to be 2 sizes bigger than the rest of the clothing to fit with CDs.  They are rather flimsy and not super cute, so I wouldn't bother with them.

    One thing that I just discovered and LOVE is having a bin for each size of clothing that the kiddo will need anytime soon.  I am always getting hand-me-downs and random gifts from people for the kids.  Now, I wash the clothing and throw it in the size bin.  When the kids change sizes, I know how much I have in their size and it is all set and ready to go.  I picked something roughly this size so that I didn't go overboard on any particular size, but had enough variety.  It also stacked perfectly on the floor in the closet.  I have stacks on one side for my daughter and the other side for my son.  This is the perfect organization system for us.

    O, and we would be lost without a carpet cleaner.  Kids are messy.

    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"