Robyn's Must Haves

I thought it would be fun for the Top to Bottom family to share our "must have" lists for cloth diapering.  Each of us has a very different selection of things on our lists and I would be shocked if both Jess and I had anything alike.  If you don't know us personally, we are essential opposites in a lot of things (which makes for a great pair!)  It is almost hilarious to see the differences between us--that is no different when it comes to cloth diaper preferences! 

To start us off, I am going to share my must have list.  These are in no particular order, just however my pregnant brain thinks of them :)

1. Eco Sprout cloth diaper detergent-- We use it for EVERYTHING at our house from diapers and wipes to kids and adult clothes and towels!  We keep the 96 load bag in a two supply at our house, just to make sure we don't get low!

2.  Thirsties Fab Wipes-- These things are the softest wipes!  We use them for cloth wipes, for face wiping, for bath time--everything.  We still have the first wipes we purchased 3 1/2 years ago  and they are in fabulous shape still--they are made to last!

3.  Thirsties Duo Wrap-- While we are on the topic of Thirsties, I will go ahead and share one of my favorite diaper covers.  Again, we bought ours nearly 3 years ago and they are in great shape, ready to use on baby #4 when he fits into them.  We never have leaks with them and have no complaints!

4.  Weehuggers Laundry Bags-- Newer to the market, these bags are AMAZING.  I am a big bag fan so I knew these would be right up my alley and I was not disappointed.  The patch inside this bag serves the purpose of eliminating the poo order--essential with a kiddo who poos four times a day like mine always has.  This bag is a must have.

5.  Diaper Sprayer-- Some moms say they could do without....I could not.  As I mentioned, the babies at our house love to poop and, as a result, I like to have something to peel the poop right off the diaper and the diaper sprayer peels it right off--no dunk and swish, no soaking, spray and it's off.  Fabulous :)

6.  Bummis TotBot Easy Fit diapers-- Holy cow....these diapers were not the first diapers I started with but they have become my stash and my go to diaper of choice.  My husband would agree, these diapers are fabulous.  They are easy peasy and the most daycare friendly diaper ever!

7.  CJ's BUTTer-- If you know me, you know my love of CJ's.  We have three sensitive kiddos in the house currently and we use it for EVERYTHING from diaper rash solution to ezcema, hand cream--everything, no joke.  It also makes a great solution to those baby chapped cheeks in the winter.  We keep a good three or four around the house just for easy access and it comes in a variety of packaging---whatever you prefer :)

8.  Rumparooz Pail Liner-- At first, I was not sold on pail liners but Jess changed my mind with the Rumparooz pail liner.  I got my first one in Monster print (which scares Jess, hehe) and soon got a second print (Robotronic :) ) for when the first is in the wash.  I leave it in a trash can without a lid--yeah--no lid....and guess what?  No smell... it's heavenly, I swear.

9.  Ju Ju Be diaper bag-- This is a FABULOUS diaper bag for a cloth diapering mama (or dad!).  Again, I am a big bag fan so this is my kind of bag.  The Ju Ju Be brand holds cloth diapers and the accessories so well--even x2!

10.  EcoSprouts Bottom Spray-- This is always in our diaper bag.  I used to wet wipes and carry them in a small wet bag when we would leave the house (we don't ever use disposable wipes because I am cheap...and too much of a treehugger---to a fault, actually) but, after a few times of forgetting and having to wet the wipes by dumping water from a water bottle, we opted to carry a pre-made wipe solution.  This solution does the trick and we don't leave home without it now!

There you have my top ten must have products.  This is just my list of my favorite cloth diapering products (and what we always have on hand).  What are YOUR favorites and must haves?

Packing for the Hospital-Green Edition

Any of you who know me know that I am first and foremost a planner. I like to have things planned out way in advance. I carry a calendar wherever I go and keep my phone calendar up to date. I plan out my daughter's school lunches for the week on Sunday, etc. You get where I am going here, right? I like things figured out in advance.

This is no different when it comes to adding another person to our family. My babies tend to come early (35, 36, and 37 weeks so far) so I like to have my hospital bag packed by 35 weeks just in case. As I am 37 weeks with this little guy tomorrow {he must know my love of order and is shooting for 38....that's my theory anyway}, I packed my bag a few weeks back.

When we had Mara, we planned to cloth diaper from the get go. That didn't happen since she was rushed to the NICU and was there for over two weeks. At the time, I didn't have newborn diapers to fit her as she didn't take to feedings well, etc. I was, in no way, prepared to be a NICU mom with my closest to term baby. This time around, I have been planning on the newborn cloth diaper front for awhile but that is a separate post. Another thing I have planned for is my own green postpartum supplies.

This time around, instead of "paper" pads, full of chemicals, I am using cloth pads. For the hospital, I ordered Pink Daisy size Large pads and am mixing them up with my Weeessentials size Large pads. I find the pads in the hospital to be massive and uncomfortable, especially (and I am about to get a bit TMI here but, come on, we are all mamas and dads...we know how this goes or have at least heard about it) after a c-section when you are not as mobile as you were before pregnancy. After having gone through this three times, I am hoping these work much better and I know they are far more eco friendly.

Another addition to my bag are my Pink Daisy and Itzy Ritzy cloth nursing pads. With Mara, I used cloth nursing pads and loved them. I find the paper alternative to be uncomfortable and, well, they stick to me and I don't dig that when I have to wear those puppies quite often. I refreshed my stash with these two new brands for baby #4 and have heard nothing but fabulous things about them.

Also in the nursing department, Jess has sold me on the Undercover Mama nursing tanks. These things are amazing. Rather than wearing a bazillion layers, I can wear my nursing bra and attach the tank to the bra--keeping my tummy covered and making nursing or pumping discreet. Win-win in my book. I am excited to try the Undercover Mama tanks as I had just the plain nursing tanks in the past. They work fine and all but I feel that they just add to the layers--bra, tank bra, tank, regular shirt....you know? Also, as a bigger chested person, finding a nursing bra without the built in bra part is difficult and lord knows those tanks are not made for the DDD+ mama. This won't be a problem with the Undercover Mama, that thing has already been tried on pregnant and it is heaven to wear.

These are some of the eco-friendly and/or crunchy mama goodies I have packed in my hospital bag for when we head in to welcome our fourth into the world. Obviously cloth diapers, wipes, and my wetbags are in there too but like I said, that is for a later post--full of baby pictures and diapers (and none of me because this mama is likely to be a hot mess after #4 arrives). What do you pack in your hospital bag that fellow crunchy mamas may want to know about?

Rewards Points

Did you know that T2B Baby gives you 5% back on everything you spend, in store and online? No hoops to jump through, no clubs to join, just 5% back in store credit on everything you spend (ok, well except for rentals, sorry!).

So, first and foremost, what do you have to do to qualify?

Just come shopping at T2B, either online or in store. When you are in the store, make sure you give Justin your name so he can find your account.

Military Moms and Dads: We are grateful for everything you do for our country! As a thank you, we offer our Military parents double points on all purchases.

How are points calculated?

For every $1 you spend, you receive 1 point. When you reach 100 points, your points can be redeemed for a $5 gift card for the store.

Online vs. In-store? Can I use them both places?

Absolutely, but they do not cross over automatically. If you normally shop online and want to use your points in the store, just let Justin know. Oppositely, if you want to shop online and use in-store points, please email Justin at info@toptobottombaby.com and he will create a gift card for you to use.

I'm not seeing some of my points online?

There are two possibilities:

1. A couple of accounts lost points during the moving of sites. If you think this is what happened, please email Justin at info@toptobottombaby.com and he can manually add points.

2. Points have not transferred over from in store purchases so please contact Justin to have him pull your in-store credits. Unfortunately, if your in-store purchases weren't linked to your account we won't be able to pull them up.

Any other benefits to shopping at T2B Baby?

Absolutely!

1. If you are expecting and have created a registry, we will offer your friends and family the option to tag your account with their purchases. This will give you the points towards future purchases AND it will allow us to easily find your receipt if you ever need it.

2. We occasionally offer coupons to our account holders, including bonus purchases, extra points, etc.

I hope this helps everyone understand the rewards points at T2B Baby! Please let me know if you have any questions!

Love and Fluff~Robyn and Jess

Thursday Edition of Fluff Again News

Thursday Edition of Fluff Again

The winner of Wednesday’s Pre-sale passes is Number 4: Meagan

Please email Jess at Fluffagain@toptobottombaby.com to claim your passes.

As promised, here is a list of the great vendors who will be joining us on Saturday:

For the Love of Bugs: Burp cloths, bibs, hooded towels, baby blankets, rag quilts, and tata tents

FLUFF AGAIN SALE DISCOUNT: $5 off of custom team orders up to $30 or $10 off custom team orders over $30 at Fluff Again (excluding Rag Quilts).

Freckle (aka Freckle's Natural Fibers): Hand Knit and Chocheted products, including diapering products

FLUFF AGAIN SALE DISCOUNT: Stop by her table for Details!

Sparkles and Fluff: Hair Accessories, Tutus, and Jewelery

FLUFF AGAIN SALE DISCOUNT: Stop by her table for Details!

MAK Images Photography

FLUFF AGAIN SALE DISCOUNT: Stop by her table for Details!

Essentials Family Chiropractic and Wellness:

Stop by for a free chair massage during Fluff Again

Catering Angels: Catering, specializing in cakes.

Free samples available at her table!

WildTree Natural Food Products

Free samples available at her table!

Madaline Jane: Custom handmade boutique clothing for kids and adults

Norwex Consultant: Personal and cleaning products without chemicals

Evie’s Slings: Beautiful ring slings, custom slings available for order

Snuggabugz Diapers: Cloth Diapers and Children’s Overnight Diapers

The Upper Room: Pillowcase dresses, bedding, and appliqued shirts

Omaha Placenta Encapsulation

Omaha Doulas Association

Check back tomorrow for a Fluff Again FAQ, a list of Door Prizes, and some general fun!

oh...and in case you are keeping track, we are currently over 1450 diapers! Here is a picture of the totes that are loaded and ready to go.

Fluff Again Wednesday Edition

Welcome to the Wednesday Edition of Fluff Again!

Okay, first I have to apologize for missing Tuesday’s edition of Fluff Again news...I went to play Bunco with my moms’ group (enough said, right??)

So, to start off the night, we’ve decided to give away 2 (Yes, 2!) pre-sale passes from Monday’s comments. The winners must email me at fluffagain@toptobottombaby.com by Friday at 5 pm to claim their prizes. The winners of pre-sale passes are:

• Leah
• April D.

Next on the list, we are going to give away another set of presale passes tomorrow. To enter, answer this question:

What is your biggest question about Fluff Again (how it work, what to buy, etc) that we haven’t already answered???

Thursday’s edition of Fluff Again news is going to be all about vendors, so make sure you check back for a full listing of our fabulous vendors!

Monday Fluff Again!

Monday Edition of Fluff Again

Whether you are new to Fluff Again, or an old pro, there is always a lot of curiosity of how this event works. Here is our outlook on Fluff Again.

The doors to Fluff Again open at 9 am. Our usual recommendation is that you are there right at 9 am, though this year we will be offering a discount hour between Noon and 1 pm on certain products (These products will be marked). At 11:45 am, we will require that all shoppers check out with their current products. After everyone is checked out, we will open up the shopping for discount products.

Another new addition this year will be the hospitality table at the entrance to the event. This table will have maps of the event, plus will be the registration table for the door prizes (check back Wednesday for a complete list!). The map is going to be a very important addition because it will allow you easily to figure out which tables to begin with. It will also give you details of the available vendors and where they are located.

One of most exciting additions this year is our new check out system. The system allows staff to scan your purchases using during check out, which should significantly decrease the check out time. On the consigner’s side, the new system has made tagging products easier. We hope these changes make Fluff Again even more enjoyable for everyone.

Finally, one of the last changes we have made is to change our check out methods to begin accepting credit cards. This year we will accept Cash, Checks, and all Major Credit Cards.

We hope you enjoy Fluff Again as much as we do! Oh and we are now over 1100 diapers! To celebrate this many diapers, we will giveaway a pair of Pre-Sale Passes (opens shopping to the holder at 8:30 am). In order to win these passes, comment on this post. In this comment, list the product you are looking for during Fluff Again!

Love and Fluff~Robyn and Jess

Sunday Edition of Fluff Again

Welcome to the Sunday Edition of Fluff Again!

For those of you who don’t know, Fluff Again was the brain child of Jess. The first sale in Spring 2010 boasted almost 500 diapers. She always says that Fluff Again is her favorite season because it is a nice time for the cloth diapering and natural parenting community to come together.

As of this weekend, we already topped 1000 diapers, baby wearing, and other natural products that are going to be available on Saturday. I expect this number to keep growing this week as the final tagging occurs. Additionally this year, we have over 15 vendors that will be attending. In the days to come, we will be giving you a glimpse of the products and services that these vendors offer and maybe even some discount coupons to use during Fluff Again. Finally, we have had some generous donations for door prizes. A complete list of these prizes will be available later in the week.

Though the diapers are important to Fluff Again, the most important aspect to Fluff Again is the volunteers. These moms and dads not only help organize the products prior to and during the sale, but they are also available to help answer questions for Fluffy newbies. We would be lost without them. To thank our wonderful volunteers, we will be having a drawing for one lucky person who will win one of the NEW Fluff Again T-shirts and lunch! All volunteers will be entered to win (1 entry for every hour you volunteer, and double entries if you volunteer to help cleanup). We still have spots available, so head over to Fluff Again and register if you are interested in helping out!

Finally, check back this week for more introductions to our vendors! Plus, we maybe giving away a couple pre-sale passes (hint).

Introduction to Vendors for Fall 2011 Sale:

For the Love of Bugs

www.facebook.com/4theloveofbugs

Email: 4theloveofbugs@gmail.com

What she offers:

• Burp Cloths - made of high quality birdseye diapers and cleaning service quality prefolds...assorted sizes and colors
• Bibs - designed to coordinate with our burp cloths and blankets
• Hooded Towels - a larger version of the standard hooded towel...great for kids of all ages
• Baby Blankets - larger and more snuggly than standard receiving blankets, but still small enough for everyday use
• Rag Quilts - available in a wide variety of sizes (from crib quilt to man size)...by order only...2 week minimum...please e-mail us for a quote
• Tata Tents - nursing covers for the Mom and/or baby that prefers discrete feeding, our covers are longer and wider, providing full coverage, a comfortable and fully adjustable neck strap to help keep it in place and delicate boning to make it easier to keep an eye on your little bug...fabrics can coordinate with burp rags, blankets and/or bibs or be something that is special just for Mom
• Cards - in sets of 10...congratulations, new arrival, baby shower, etc
• Custom Gift Sets - you tell us what you'd like to spend and we'll put together a variety of gift set options for you to choose from...a perfect way to make your custom gift even more perfect!

FLUFF AGAIN SALE DISCOUNT: $5 off of custom team orders up to $30 or $10 off custom team orders over $30 at Fluff Again (excluding Rag Quilts).

Freckle (aka Freckle's Natural Fibers)

www.hyenacart.com/freckle

www.hyenacart.com/tinyladycooperative

www.hyenacart.com/bittyfluff

http://frecklesfibers.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Freckles-Natural-Fibers/270225665064

What she offers:

• Hand Knit and Crocheted Diapering items
• Other Hand Knit items
• Hand Woven scarves and shawls
• Custom Knitting and Weaving
• Some Hand Dyed Yarn and Yarn Resale
• Hand Spun Yarns

FLUFF AGAIN SALE DISCOUNT: Stop by her table for Details!