Hello Mamas and Papas! I hope that you and your little (and not so little ones) have had a wonderful week. Our family was blessed with a new edition on Valentine's Day. I am very excited about this because I love humans, especially tiny fresh ones! Back to the task at hand, this week's review will cover Arm's Reach Co-Sleeper and Babyganics wipes.
I don't want anyone to think that I think you are a bad mom because you do not co-sleep. I know it's not for everyone and, if circumstances were different, I may not even co-sleep with Lennon (although I cannot imagine why not because he is so cuddly!) In 2009, we lost my cousin to SIDS just shy of his four month birthday. There isn't very much we know about SIDS and because of that there is no way to stop it. But there are ways to prevent it and co-sleeping is one of them, which is why I choose to co-sleep with Lennon. I still poke him during the night and hold my finger under is nose to see if he's breathing but I feel better when I am by him while he's sleeping than I do when I leave the room while is he sleeping.
Arm's Reach Co-Sleeper Before Lennon was born I decided to register for the Arm's Reach Co-Sleeper just because it would make my life easier than going back and forth to a crib when I simply wouldn't have the physical ability to do so. While my recovery was not as great as I wanted it to be and definitely not as fast as I needed it to be. For time that Dann was able to be here after the baby was born and during the Christmas holidays, the co-sleeper was definitely worth it. The co-sleeper sells for about $155 from Target. The co-sleeper attaches to the bed and the wall of the co-sleeper (closest to mommy) is lower than the other three walls. This allows mom to have easy access baby during the night because of the lower wall and also because the mattress to the co-sleeper is pretty much lined up to the height of a standard bed (risers could be purchased if you need the co-sleeper higher). While I understand the importance of having the mattress lined up with mommy it also mean that baby cannot be in it that long. Once munchkin is sitting up and climbing it cannot no longer be used. I felt that as soon as Lennon started to roll over that it was time to think about something else. Anyway, it is a quick and seemingly easy set up. I say seemingly because I did not set it up, but I was in the room! :) It attaches to the bed, not that easily though. How it actually attaches is by way of a long belt type fabric and a square plate. You put the square plate between the box spring and the mattress on the opposite side of the bed ( Dann's side, in my case.) The plate will be up against the two, not in between. The fabric will run between the box spring and mattress and there is two buckles on each end of the co-sleeper that you attach it the strap to. Unless you have someone to help you pick up the mattress, you may find this quite impossible. We actually moved the bedroom around after the baby was born, space is a huge issue when there is a wheelchair involved, and it just didn't seem possible to reattach the co-sleeper. However, when you push the co-sleeper against the wall and then your bed right next to the co-sleeper there isn't a worry about a gap in between the two beds. The co-sleeper is a little difficult to take down for travel. I think it took three or four people to actually get it to collapse. I don't know if the button was stuck or if I just had a dud. When it finally collapses it is quite difficult to get it in to the carrying case provided with the co-sleeper, we actually didn't use the case at all because we couldn't quite get it to fit. I must say that if you are going to purchase a co-sleeper do not waste your money on the sheets made for the co-sleeper. They run over $20 a sheet. We actually purchased king sized pillowcases and used that as a sheet. Once we realized that Lennon didn't love the feeling of a pillowcase we put a fuzzy changing pad cover in there instead and Lennon loved that.
All and all it is worth the buy. I loved it. But I also think that if you have the space and the money that it would be more beneficial to buy a king size bed and let baby sleep in that with you, especially if you are thinking about co-sleeping for the long haul.
My second item for this week is Babyganics Think n Kleen Wipes. As I've mentioned a million times I am trying my darnedest to go chemical free. I purchased a pack of 100 of these bad boys at Target for $3.99. Overall, I like them. I think they are a bit expensive (not as expensive of the Honest Company's) and they do not appear to be exactly what I am looking for but they are still great. The texture of the wipe is similar to that of Honest Company so it's usually one and done. Sometimes I feel like they are a little too wet for to use and I find myself looking for something to dry Lennon off with. No one has time for that. The biggest problem I had with these wipes is the smell. They have a sour smell to them, I cannot figure out what it is but I dislike it very much. I won't enough to stop using them but enough to look for something else to use. I will probably purchase these again just to have on hand when my Honest wipes run out and I am waiting for the shipment to come in.
Next week I will fill you guys on what I think of the Baby Bullet and the Baby Brezza.
Until then, Happy Babying!
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Saturday, February 8, 2014
The Honest Company
So Lennon's face ended up getting an absolutely horrible rash. Both of his cheeks and his forehead went completely bonkers and looked a mess. A HOT MESS! I think I mentioned that in the last post. Well, what actually happened was that my Lennon Bug was apparently allergic to soy this whole time and I didn't realize it. I thought his breakouts were from sleeping on me and sweating. When I asked at his doctor's office I was told it's just newborn skin. Well, my little buddy cannot seem to resist scratching his face all night so his poor little cheeks got infected. So since then I have eliminated the soy. Lennon's food is all organic and also everything else we use on him is organic, besides laundry detergent which is my next adventure. His face was an absolute wreck and I am not messing around with stuff like this. He's not going to be scarred all up because I don't go the extra mile or spend the extra money to give him what is most healthy for him. I know, I know. I even said last week that our parents didn't do this stuff and we all turned out okay but here's the thing: We know better now so why not act on what we now know? This brought me to the first product line that I will write about in this post.
The Honest Company I looked into this company quite a few times. It must have been a zillion times while I was pregnant and maybe a million since then. I always hesitated because when you sign up for the free trial you also sign up to their membership which means sending diapers and wipes once a month. I was just a bit nervous about that. I'm not that super at math and I was a bit nervous about always remembering to have the money deducted from my account each month. But then Lennon's face blew up and he appeared to be growing out of his size two diapers. What does a mama do? So I decided to go for it and take the trial. I can always cancel. We all know I didn't like the seventh generation diapers and when I put Pampers on Lennon I find myself pulling plastic off of his skin. I am too insane to be okay with that.
Here are some of the facts taken right from the website:
Diapers -
Two things should have happened to you when you read the descriptions:
1) WOW! These diapers and wipes sound really great for my baby's skin and really great for the planet.
2) Holy Moly! How in the world are companies allowed to put that much crap in other diapers that these diapers are Honestly Free Of?!?!?
At least that is what I finally did when I took the time to read the facts.
I like THC for all of the above reasons. Hold on! There's more! The diapers feel soft to touch so I imagine that they are soft on Lennon's legs and bottom. There is no smell for the most part. I say this because while we were on our trial Lennon actually slept for somewhere around 11 or 12 hours, and they did start to smell then. (Since he has been doing that lately, I have become a diaper changing ninja and mastered the art of changing his diaper while he's sleeping - and I do not wake him up. BAM!) They did not smell anywhere near as strong as the seventh generation ones did. I should add that I did actually sniff to see if the diaper stunk so it actually wasn't even strong enough for me to notice.
Obviously since Lennon slept for a long period of time they are super absorbent. There were seven diapers in the trial and he didn't leak once. Even when he pooped it all stayed in the diaper. So everyone was winning all around.
Lastly, I must say that I love the designs on the diaper the best. They have a variety of prints to choose from. It seems that they update their styles about twice a year. You can change what prints you want each month and you pick up to six. I was a rebel and only picked five. I'm still not sure why. It appears that I am going to get a little bit of each design I chose. There are prints for girls and boys and also our beloved white boring print is available if you would like to have a pizzazzless day of changing diapers. Lennon and I love pizzazz so we didn't choose white. We love the skulls, anchors, and, of course, the comic print. Maybe they'll have guitars soon! :)
As for the wipes, I must say that I am very impressed with them. They carry no scent. Not even the stinky, - because - we - have - no - fragrances - in - our - products scent. The texture is really helpful in cleaning up messy butt-butts. I think even for Lennon's messiest I only used two, and usually they're a four or fiver.
I have to admit that they are sort of expensive when you look at it all at once. The wipes more so than the diapers. But I think that maybe the wipes are a tad more important as they are used on your child's face and hands. I don't know about your babe but Lennon loves to put his fingers in his mouth. Sometimes I even let him have his own wipe (because he thinks he is the coolest kid the block when I do) and said wipe goes right in his mouth. I cringe at the thought of the chemicals on his fingers after a wipe down. The wipes run for $4.95 for a pack of 72. Yeah, expensive. I am going to look into making my own wipes and using cloth diapers when Dann gets home for good but until then - this will do. I actually bought a few more packs of wipes to have on stand by in case I only find myself waiting for the shipment to come for the wipes (I found I really like babyganic wipes as well - next week.)
I did the math, at least the way it makes sense to me, and the diapers come out a little less expensive than seventh generation by 12 diapers. Barring any coupons, cartwheels, and free gift cards with purchase at Target, you can get 248 size three seventh generation diapers for $81 - not including wipes. I paid $79.95 for 204 wipes and 288 wipes. I think it's just overwhelming because you are buying them all at once. But you can delay a shipment, cancel membership, or skip a month at any time. I actually had to make a a call to customer service because I couldn't log in to my account. They were very friendly, solved my problem faster than any other customer service team I have ever dealt with, and spoke very clear English. I don't care what language they spoke (that's for another blog.) I care that the jobs are staying in the US. Side bar: For the last week I have been telling everyone that honest is slightly more than seventh because I was doing the math for size two sevenths which ring up for $9.99 at Target. I searched size three for this post and it was 124 for almost $41.
There are a couple downsides to this idea though. The customer service is only open M-F 9-5 (PT). This really irked me because not many parents have enough time during the week to think, never mind make a phone call. The other, which may not be a downside to those of you closer to California, is that the diapers come all the way from California. So they take about a week to get here. They come FedEx so that is good but it's just the anticipation of these goodies coming! It kills me. Oh! Shipping over $50 is free!
You can sign up for a free trial at The Honest Company. You will get ten wipes and seven diapers (you pick the design.) For the trial you even get a little note inside saying who actually packed your box. Now, I don't know if that is true but it's still nice. The trial costs $5.95 (the cost of shipping) and you get your packet in about seven days. I am definitely going to recommend this product line. If I wasn't sold with the trial then it was certainly when I realized they had an iPhone app and I can manage my account right from there. Just order the trial and you'll see. I wouldn't steer you wrong! Click the link and save me $20!
Next week's reviews Arm's Reach Cosleeper and Babyganic products.
Happy Babying!!!
The Honest Company I looked into this company quite a few times. It must have been a zillion times while I was pregnant and maybe a million since then. I always hesitated because when you sign up for the free trial you also sign up to their membership which means sending diapers and wipes once a month. I was just a bit nervous about that. I'm not that super at math and I was a bit nervous about always remembering to have the money deducted from my account each month. But then Lennon's face blew up and he appeared to be growing out of his size two diapers. What does a mama do? So I decided to go for it and take the trial. I can always cancel. We all know I didn't like the seventh generation diapers and when I put Pampers on Lennon I find myself pulling plastic off of his skin. I am too insane to be okay with that.
Here are some of the facts taken right from the website:
Diapers -
- Plant-based (PLA) inner & outer layers — gentle on your baby's bottom
- Sustainably harvested pulp - NO chlorine processing or harsh chemical bleaches
- Natural citrus & chlorophyll odor-inhibitors
- Bio-based wheat/corn blend in super-absorbent core — less sodium polyacrylate
- Yes, diapers can be fun too! Cute, stylish designs for girls & boys — updated seasonally! Never miss out.
- Comfy-stretch side panels & soft, refastenable tabs for perfect fit & wigglability!
- Securely fitting moisture barrier cuffs prevent leakage & blowouts — fewer accidents, less laundry!
- Simply pure — NO risky fragrances, lotions, or latex
- Gentle, safe, and non-irritating for the most sensitive skin
Honestly Free Of: chlorine processing, latex, lotions, fragrances, common allergens,
phthalates, optical brighteners, PVC, heavy metals, organotins (MBT, DBT, TBT) &
harsh petrochemical additives
We hereby confirm this to the best of our knowledge based on information from our raw material suppliers
& manufacturer.
Wipes -
- THICKER, stronger, more absorbent, & softer medical-grade cloth
- Gentle, yet effective ingredients gently cleanse & soothe with plant extracts that promote healthy skin
- Infused with a botanical blend of pomegranate (antioxidants), chamomile & cucumber (to soothe), and masterwort leaf (to moisturize)
- "Cheek to Cheek:" from sensitive, wet bottoms and messy fingers, to sticky countertops, pacifiers, and gunked-up toys - this wipe is ultra-versatile & can do it all
- NO parabens, chlorine, phenols, or risky chemicals (ever!)
- Biodegradable* / Hypoallergenic / Chlorine-Free / Medical Grade Cloth / Sustainably Harvested
Honestly Free Of: alcohol, chlorine, phthalates, formaldehyde, parabens,
phenols, quaternary ammonium compounds, SLS & SLES, lanolin & unnecessary additives
We hereby confirm this to the best of our knowledge based on information from our raw material
suppliers & manufacturer.
Two things should have happened to you when you read the descriptions:
1) WOW! These diapers and wipes sound really great for my baby's skin and really great for the planet.
2) Holy Moly! How in the world are companies allowed to put that much crap in other diapers that these diapers are Honestly Free Of?!?!?
At least that is what I finally did when I took the time to read the facts.
I like THC for all of the above reasons. Hold on! There's more! The diapers feel soft to touch so I imagine that they are soft on Lennon's legs and bottom. There is no smell for the most part. I say this because while we were on our trial Lennon actually slept for somewhere around 11 or 12 hours, and they did start to smell then. (Since he has been doing that lately, I have become a diaper changing ninja and mastered the art of changing his diaper while he's sleeping - and I do not wake him up. BAM!) They did not smell anywhere near as strong as the seventh generation ones did. I should add that I did actually sniff to see if the diaper stunk so it actually wasn't even strong enough for me to notice.
Obviously since Lennon slept for a long period of time they are super absorbent. There were seven diapers in the trial and he didn't leak once. Even when he pooped it all stayed in the diaper. So everyone was winning all around.
Lastly, I must say that I love the designs on the diaper the best. They have a variety of prints to choose from. It seems that they update their styles about twice a year. You can change what prints you want each month and you pick up to six. I was a rebel and only picked five. I'm still not sure why. It appears that I am going to get a little bit of each design I chose. There are prints for girls and boys and also our beloved white boring print is available if you would like to have a pizzazzless day of changing diapers. Lennon and I love pizzazz so we didn't choose white. We love the skulls, anchors, and, of course, the comic print. Maybe they'll have guitars soon! :)
As for the wipes, I must say that I am very impressed with them. They carry no scent. Not even the stinky, - because - we - have - no - fragrances - in - our - products scent. The texture is really helpful in cleaning up messy butt-butts. I think even for Lennon's messiest I only used two, and usually they're a four or fiver.
I have to admit that they are sort of expensive when you look at it all at once. The wipes more so than the diapers. But I think that maybe the wipes are a tad more important as they are used on your child's face and hands. I don't know about your babe but Lennon loves to put his fingers in his mouth. Sometimes I even let him have his own wipe (because he thinks he is the coolest kid the block when I do) and said wipe goes right in his mouth. I cringe at the thought of the chemicals on his fingers after a wipe down. The wipes run for $4.95 for a pack of 72. Yeah, expensive. I am going to look into making my own wipes and using cloth diapers when Dann gets home for good but until then - this will do. I actually bought a few more packs of wipes to have on stand by in case I only find myself waiting for the shipment to come for the wipes (I found I really like babyganic wipes as well - next week.)
I did the math, at least the way it makes sense to me, and the diapers come out a little less expensive than seventh generation by 12 diapers. Barring any coupons, cartwheels, and free gift cards with purchase at Target, you can get 248 size three seventh generation diapers for $81 - not including wipes. I paid $79.95 for 204 wipes and 288 wipes. I think it's just overwhelming because you are buying them all at once. But you can delay a shipment, cancel membership, or skip a month at any time. I actually had to make a a call to customer service because I couldn't log in to my account. They were very friendly, solved my problem faster than any other customer service team I have ever dealt with, and spoke very clear English. I don't care what language they spoke (that's for another blog.) I care that the jobs are staying in the US. Side bar: For the last week I have been telling everyone that honest is slightly more than seventh because I was doing the math for size two sevenths which ring up for $9.99 at Target. I searched size three for this post and it was 124 for almost $41.
There are a couple downsides to this idea though. The customer service is only open M-F 9-5 (PT). This really irked me because not many parents have enough time during the week to think, never mind make a phone call. The other, which may not be a downside to those of you closer to California, is that the diapers come all the way from California. So they take about a week to get here. They come FedEx so that is good but it's just the anticipation of these goodies coming! It kills me. Oh! Shipping over $50 is free!
You can sign up for a free trial at The Honest Company. You will get ten wipes and seven diapers (you pick the design.) For the trial you even get a little note inside saying who actually packed your box. Now, I don't know if that is true but it's still nice. The trial costs $5.95 (the cost of shipping) and you get your packet in about seven days. I am definitely going to recommend this product line. If I wasn't sold with the trial then it was certainly when I realized they had an iPhone app and I can manage my account right from there. Just order the trial and you'll see. I wouldn't steer you wrong! Click the link and save me $20!
Next week's reviews Arm's Reach Cosleeper and Babyganic products.
Happy Babying!!!
Saturday, February 1, 2014
California Baby and Seventh Generation Diapers
We decided that we would try to go as organic and natural as possible without being crazy, after all our parents didn't do organic and we turned out okay. Anyway - organic and natural way of doing things can cost a bit of money. Sometimes it's worth it and sometimes it's not.
Lennon's skin gets really irritated, just on his face, and it gets pretty nasty pretty fast. I noticed right from the get go that he can handle most lotions and creams anywhere but his face. The instant I put baby magic - especially the lavender scented lotion- his face would breakout. With much hesitation, I tried Johnson and Johnson's "natural" lotion. It burned and he cried the moment I put it on because it is not that natural. We stay away from J&J because I am still not over the whole carcinogens in their products thing. So finally a friend said to me "We use California Baby. Organic. We love it." She cleverly added that she got it at Target because she knows I can always use a reason to go to Target!
I purchased the CA Baby Calendula cream at $12.79 and CA Super Sensitive Everyday Lotion at $10.79. I thought is was a bit expensive for my taste. But I wanted to try it and the recommendation came from a reliable source so I really couldn't justify not buying it. Lennon's skin was super dry and crusty. I never had a pet dragon before but I imagine that if I did that skin would be similar to Lennon's.
When I got home I was a bit annoyed. The Calendula cream definitely has a lavender scent to it. I was under the impression that it was fragrance free. I did take the time then to read the container. Yeah. Then. And it is absolutely made from everything natural. There is alcohol in it but it came from coconut or olive oil, as with every other ingredient that isn't certified organic, . So I thought I would give it a try. If it aggravated him I would always be able to wash it off. I will use this product forever. I mean forever. Lennon's skin soften so quickly! The cream wasn't greasy so Lennon's face didn't look oily. The lavender scent wasn't overwhelming so that was obviously a plus. It's a lightweight cream. I definitely recommend it for babies and even adults with sensitive skin!
As for the Everyday lotion, I adore that just as much but I do not use as often. It is completely dye and fragrance free and, as with the Calendula, everything is all natural and some ingredients are certified organic. I would buy more of this as well but I have a feeling the Calendula will be used more. It comes in a pump bottle which makes it scary to travel with ( the Calendula comes in a container with a lid) but I wouldn't deter from buying this one, even if it's just for your own skin. I do put this lotion on Lennon's scalp as I feel other lotions and even the C cream makes his hair look icky. I would definitely recommend the California Baby line for anything and everything.
Seventh Generation diapers are a eco- and skin friendly way to keep your baby's bottoms dry "without" breaking the bank. However, they are a bit on the expensive side, at least I think so. We bought a pack of 36 for $9.99. When I first opened them I wasn't that impressed with the appearance of the diaper. It looks exactly what is is described as: recycled paper. Remember the old paper that we learned to write on? That exact color. You may think this doesn't matter and that's okay. It matters to me because all I do all day is change diapers and some pizzazz can go a long way when you spend all day with a bald guy who doesn't really talk. The diaper quality seems okay but I think baby's preference is what matters most here and Lennon really didn't enjoy them. The moment the diaper was wet he was crying. It definitely made car rides and night time sleeping, well anything actually, pretty much impossible. I also feel like as soon as they were wet that they had a terrible smell to them. Lennon and I co-sleep and one night it actually woke me up! I appreciate what Seventh Generation is trying to do and will try their other products but the diapers are not for us. I think that they are expensive compared to other brands - Huggies Pure & Natural and The Honest Company. When shopping for diapers, I'd recommend passing this diaper by.
Hopefully, we will have a review on the Honest Diapers and Arm's Reach Co-Sleeper next week :)
Happy Babying!
Seventh Generation diapers are a eco- and skin friendly way to keep your baby's bottoms dry "without" breaking the bank. However, they are a bit on the expensive side, at least I think so. We bought a pack of 36 for $9.99. When I first opened them I wasn't that impressed with the appearance of the diaper. It looks exactly what is is described as: recycled paper. Remember the old paper that we learned to write on? That exact color. You may think this doesn't matter and that's okay. It matters to me because all I do all day is change diapers and some pizzazz can go a long way when you spend all day with a bald guy who doesn't really talk. The diaper quality seems okay but I think baby's preference is what matters most here and Lennon really didn't enjoy them. The moment the diaper was wet he was crying. It definitely made car rides and night time sleeping, well anything actually, pretty much impossible. I also feel like as soon as they were wet that they had a terrible smell to them. Lennon and I co-sleep and one night it actually woke me up! I appreciate what Seventh Generation is trying to do and will try their other products but the diapers are not for us. I think that they are expensive compared to other brands - Huggies Pure & Natural and The Honest Company. When shopping for diapers, I'd recommend passing this diaper by.
Hopefully, we will have a review on the Honest Diapers and Arm's Reach Co-Sleeper next week :)
Happy Babying!
Saturday, January 18, 2014
Well, Hello There!
I suppose I should introduce myself in the small chance that this blog ends up a bit bigger than my other blogs. (And if it doesn't strike this as awkward as a first date for a 14 year old boy.) So, yeah, my name is Autumn and I am a sort of insane, most of the time seen with messy hair, semi-single and full-time mama to an absolutely beautiful boy named Lennon who was born in September '13.
I should explain the semi single mom part. My fiancee and I weren't planning on having any children until way after our wedding, which we were planning for October of this year. We were SURPRISED to learn that we would become parents before that day happened. Lennon's daddy, Dann, lives in England (where we met) and I live in the States (Pennsylvania). Dann is finishing up his BA, which he will complete this spring and here I am raising our boy. Although, money is tight (and it is for everyone I am sure), money wasn't quite as tight before we had our little boy and I still loved bargain busting. Once we learned of the baby making a debut in our lives, we started saving wherever we could but babies cost money! They eat like mad, they grow like a darn weed, and good Lord can they pee!
Of course, I'll stress to you the value of couponing. Go to company websites (huggies.com) and sign up for emails and texts to receive coupons. If you shop at Target and don't use the cartwheel app then you have no idea what you're missing. In fact, we shop at Target for most things because of cartwheel - it really does save you that extra bit of money each time which makes a huge difference by the time the paycheck runs out. Heck, it might even leave enough for a date night!
So my intentions for this blog is to give you an honest review of all things baby - value and quality. All that jazz. Most of my purchases are because of friends' recommendations and I just would like to share with you those recommendations too. What can I say? I'm nice like that.
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