Thursday, May 31, 2018

Tots Bots - Royally Brilliant Cloth Nappies (Diapers!)

Have you tried Tots Bots cloth diapers yet? We were hesitant to make the switch to hook and loop diapers years ago, but this is the one brand that won us over. Now we love our Tots Bots EasyFit STARs and PeeNut shells, especially for sending to school! Easy, super soft, adorable prints, made in the UK...what's not to love?
Make Cloth Mainstream sponsor Tots Bots have been made by a family-run business in the East End of Glasgow, UK for the past 15 years. Now available in 30 countries, including the USA, the product line includes the PeeNut system, the EasyFit STAR one-size all-in-one, and the TeenyFit STAR all-in-one to fit teeny tiny newborns, along with a variety of accessories.

The brand's super-sturdy hook & loop closures and incredible absorbency will wow you! We were always a "snaps" family when given a choice, but we ended up trying a Tots Bots after meeting them at the ABC Kids Expo and ended up loving their hook and loop (the generic term for Velcro) so much that we ordered a few more to have on hand when sending our son to school in cloth diapers. Tots Bots EasyFit STARs are so easy for anyone to use, they are my "go to" recommendation for parents looking for a great day care/babysitter option.

The best part is, you don't have to sacrifice cuteness for function! We can't help but go a little googly-eyed for their colorful and unique prints. If rainbows are your thing (like they are mine), Tots Bots has a variety of adorable rainbow print options available in all of their styles. We love them so much that we even started carrying them on our website HERE and they are a featured product at our #makeclothmainstream IRL cloth diaper education booth!

Check out the Royal All Bum print in honor of the third royal baby!
Try Tots Bots and you are sure to find a diaper perfect for your little prince or princess.






Tuesday, May 29, 2018

Spray Pal will #MakeClothMainstream at The Prego Expo Denver 6/3

Spray Pal's #MakeClothMainstreamIRL tour is taking our cloth diapering information booth, to The Prego Expo Denver this Sunday, June 3rd at the Colorado Convention Center. If you're expecting and interested in learning about cloth diapers (and so much more), this kid-friendly event is for you!

The Prego Expo features more than 70 exhibitors with everything fertility, pregnancy and baby. Talk to experts, try products, and attend educational seminars. There will be lots of giveaways, a Babies & Bumps fashion show, and much more. This is a must-attend event for any parents who are expecting, have new babies, or are trying to conceive.
Our booth will have products from our sponsors (Thirsties, Kanga Care - Rumparooz, Allen's Naturally, Project Pomona, Best Bottom Diapers, Planet Wise, Balm Baby, Tots Bots, Sloomb, Spray Pal, and Osocozy) that you can pick and and explore, plus we'll be ready to answer all of your questions.
Doors open at 11 for VIP admission, 11:30 for general admission, with the show running until 4:00. Jen will be speaking on stage with her Cloth Diapering 101 session at 12:30 so don't miss it!
Get your tickets to The Prego Expo Denver and get all the details on our Facebook event page.



Monday, May 21, 2018

Make Cloth Mainstream Giveaway with Easy Lunchboxes & Spray Pal

Easy Luncboxes are BPA-free food containers perfect for work, school and travel. The freezer, microwave, and dishwasher-safe containers give you more function with fewer pieces, and the kid-friendly lids are easy to open.

Whether you choose the 3-compartment meal containers, 4-compartment snack containers, or leak-resistant mini-dippers, you'll get great color combinations and portion-controlled, eco-friendly function that fit perfectly in the Easy Lunchboxes cooler bag.

One lucky winner will receive a lunch OR snack container set -AND- one cooler bag OR set of mini dippers from Easy Lunchboxes PLUS a $25 Spray Pal GC!

Total prize value is approximately $46.90.

Grab your entries in the Rafflecopter form below and share with a friend to help make cloth mainstream!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, May 17, 2018

Best Bottom & Planet Wise

Have you tried Best Bottom AI2 cloth diapers yet? How about their heavy wetter AIO? They make so many versatile options in such adorable prints, it may be time for you to take a look at this made in the USA brand.

Our #MakeClothMainstream IRL 2018 sponsors, Best Bottom Diapers and Planet Wise, have some serious must-have items for your cloth diaper stash.

Best Bottom Diapers are one-size, wipeable, reusable shells, with snap-in inserts that won't budge, even with a wiggly toddler. Speaking of toddlers, the Best Bottom Bigger shells fit children up to 45 pounds, if a one-size isn't quite enough for your little one. Inserts are available in multiple sizes and materials, to suit every need. Both shells and heavy wetter AIOs come in a variety of adorable prints, including the brand new Farmer's Market print (available 5/22) which may just be my new personal favorite.

Need a wet bag or pail liner? (You can never have too many wet bags!) Planet Wise has them in tons of sizes, styles, and adorable prints, including wipes pouches. We have some of our favorite styles and sizes available right here: Planet Wise Products on Spray-Pal.com in case you want to stock up for Summer trips to the pool or beach!

Traveling? Their packing cubes will keep your fluff and everything else organized. Now available in three adorable new prints! At such a great price, I've grabbed a few of these for our family's personal use and absolutely love them.
What is your all-time favorite Best Bottom or Planet Wise print?





Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Cloth Diapers make Babies Walk Later: Don't Believe this Cloth Diaper Myth!


"Your baby will never walk if you use cloth." Or "Babies can't walk with bulky cloth diapers on." How about "You need to use disposables so your baby will walk sooner." Have you heard a version of this myth that cloth diapers delay walking? We have. Needless to say, we disagree!

We were pretty shocked to read this "review" of cloth diapers sent to us by one of our superfans who was just as shocked to read it. It's pretty easy to figure out with their copy and pasting methods (see multiple examples below) that this was someone who was out to get the cloth diaper industry. But, why? That's the part I just don't understand.
We decided to poll our Facebook fans, and with approximately 1700 votes right now, 60% say their child walked before 12 months, with 40% indicating their child walked after 12 months of age.
Several commenters indicated that their disposable diapered children walked later than their cloth diapered siblings, and many parents pointed out that their child's readiness for walking was tightly tied to his or her personality in general! So clearly this reviewer, if s/he is actually a real person, maybe be sharing their opinion in their review, but WHY the severe warnings against cloth diapers? Based on our very unscientific survey, it doesn't seem to have the effect she's claiming on development at all.
Generally, it really doesn't matter when your child walks, and every baby will do things on their own schedule whether they're in cloth or disposables. But if negative nellies are bringing you down about cloth diapers delaying it, don't sweat it! Now you have some evidence to prove this is just a myth. ;)

Want to help counteract these false negative reviews? Leave your reviews for cloth diapers and accessories your family loves!




***This post contains affiliate links***

Sunday, May 13, 2018

Ryan's cochlear implant update!



Ryan's been impressing us so much this year with all he's learned in Kindergarten, but this Mother's Day weekend he gave us the best surprise gift yet! Check out the video to see how far he's come with his Advanced Bionics cochlear implants!

As a little backstory for our new blog readers, Ryan was born at 25 weeks and spent 7 months in the NICU before we could bring him home on oxygen and a feeding tube. Just before discharge he failed his newborn hearing screening and we found out a few months later after an ABR test that he was profoundly deaf in both ears. He was implanted with his cochlear implants in November 2013 (right ear) and March 2014 (left ear) so he was right around 2 years old and he just turned 6 this March.

We do work with him on a combination of ASL and oral speech just to give him access to any type of communication he'll use. He does have some other developmental delays as well as a visual impairment, so the more access to language and communication, the better! Here's a sampling of what he's accomplishing now at the end of his first year of kindergarten. Be sure to subscribe to our youtube channel and follow us on instagram.com/spraypal and facebook.com/spraypalusa for more frequent updates.

Mother's Day Giveaway from Spray Pal, Dressed to Deliver, Sarah Wells Bags, Naked Nursing Tank, B.O.N. & Sticky Bellies!

Happy Mother's Day! We've teamed up with some fantastic brands to offer you an incredible prize package valued at approximately $300! This would be a Mother's Day Gift any new mom would love!

Sponsors include:
Dressed to Deliver: These 3-in-1 luxurious gowns allow better access than traditional hospital gowns while keeping you comfortable and covered!
Sarah Wells Bags: Sarah Wells stylish breastpump bags were designed just for pumping. Every detail was designed to make your pumping journey easier.
Naked Nursing Tank: These tanks fit every body type and every bra, turning andy shirt into a nursing shirt!
Sticky Bellies: This genius product gives you the look of a custom appliqued shirt or onesie, without the cost or commitment. This quick and easy stickers let you spend more time sharing those perfect monthly milestone photos and less time prepping for them!
B.O.N.: B.O.N® products are pure and natural and made from only sustainable natural resources. The rosehip facial serum us a natural anti-aging topical treatment to improve fine lines & wrinkles. It contains antioxidants and vitamin C to rejuvenate skin cells, for a glowing complexion.
and of course,
Spray Pal: The beloved splatter shield to keep your walls (and face!) clean while spraying cloth diapers, plus shop for all the cloth diapers & accessories you love.

One winner will receive an incredible prize package with a Dressed to Deliver birthing gown, Sarah Wells Bags brown Claire breast pump bag, $40 Naked Nursing tank GC, "Hello, Baby" modern keepsake book by sticky bellies, B.O.N Rosehip Facial Serum, AND a prize from Spray Pal!

Grab your entries in the Rafflecopter form below, and be sure to tell another mom who would love this prize package!

a Rafflecopter giveaway