As a parent I find myself constantly amazed at how quickly my children grow and change.  My oldest is an avid reader, gifted musician and our very own artist in residence.  My son can build anything out of Lego and amazes us with his natural sports prowess (didn’t get it from me, that’s for sure!).  My busy toddler is well on her way to becoming a preschooler and is now fully out of diapers and extremely independent.  As our children grow and change, we as parents find ourselves constantly adapting and growing with them.

Better Baby Bums has been like one of my children from the day that we “birthed” it in Spring of 2008.  My experiences at the helm have taught me many things and I have come to appreciate every single member of our ever-growing Better Baby Bums family.

As my own children are growing up I am finding that it is time for me personally to turn over a new leaf and pursue other passions.  It is with mixed emotions that I write these words but I am excited to see where life takes our family.  If any of you are interested in turning over a new leaf of your own and becoming the matriarch or patriarch of the Better Baby Bums family, please contact me at corina@betterbabybums.com.  In the meantime my team and I will be wrapping things up in the coming weeks, clearing out inventory and looking forward to what life has in store!  

While supplies last we will be taking 50% off all orders!  All remaining dishes, lotions, toys, diapers and wipes are included in this sale.  Enter coupon code newleaf50 at check-out to redeem this discount.

From the bottom of my heart I thank each of you for your loyal support over the years!  It’s reassuring to know that I don’t stand alone in my ideals to raise kids in a greener, healthier, more sustainable fashion.

With gratitude,

Corina Kuban

principal, Better Baby Bums

A few things that we’ve learned, now that we’ve been through this with three children:

1. Use cloth diapers for training pants.  We were primarily using disposable diapers on Number Three so the switch to cloth diapers was a big deal and exciting to her.  We just leave the snaps or velcro done up and slip them on and off like Big Girl Underoos.  We’ve come to appreciate the extra absorbency that these offer on more than once occasion and it’s a great way to extend the use of cloth diapers!

2. Keep a potty in the car.  Maybe you’ve seen us in the Ikea parking lot?  Yeah, that was us standing in front of the open hatch while our two-year-old had her undies around her ankles, having one last pee before entering the fray.   We love our own version of the port-a-potty!  It makes running errands a bit more streamlined, without having to run around looking for a public washroom.  Chances are it’s cleaner too… we just keep a squeeze bottle of water, vinegar and Castile in the car, along with some TP and we’re good to go!

3. Keep a sense of humour.  Potty training requires an extra level of patience, right at the time that our toddlers really begin to express their opinions (which in our house tend to be “NO!” more than anything else!)  We’ve done a lot of hopping to the bathroom like frogs, crawling to the bathroom like cats and when all else fails, offering a stamp on a hand, foot, belly button or knee for a job well done.

And despite our personal aversion to licensed merchandise, we are so proud of our little girl who uses the toilet like a big girl that we caved and bought her some Cinderella panties.  Because the third time around we’ve also learned that one has to be a bit flexible with one’s ideals now and then.  We’d like to invite you to celebrate Number Three’s success with us and enjoy 25% off of all cloth diapers and potties in stock!  Simply enter coupon code pottyparty between now and December 31, 2011 to redeem.

We’d love to hear what works (and what doesn’t!) for you and your kids so please drop us a line and let us know what you’ve learned along the way!

Green Cleaning

We’re sure that many of you out there are already well-versed in ‘clean’ cleaning, that is, cleaning house without the use of toxic chemicals.  Even though we’ve been cleaning with items from our pantry for years, we’re often still amazed at how easy and effective this old-school style of cleaning can be!  Here are a few tips and tricks that we’ve picked up along the way:

1. Ever left dinner on high and then gotten distracted by a dirty diaper or a squabble to referee?  You then come back to find the charred remains baked onto the pot?  Have no fear!  Fill the bottom of the pot with vinegar and then add some good shakes of baking soda and place the pot back on the stove (this time on simmer!), keeping an eye on it to make sure that the liquid doesn’t all evaporate.  A few minutes later, voila!  A clean pot, no scrubbing required.  If you find a bit of elbow grease satisfying now and again, try a nit of course salt and a dish brush to remove stubborn remains.

2. If your home is anything like ours, you probably have greasy, sticky hand prints all over any surface 4 feet high and under.  Our secret weapon is our favourite all-purpose cleaner and a microfiber cloth.  Simply put a few squirts of Castile Soap into a spray bottle, add a glug of vinegar and fill with water.  This is a great job to get the kids involved in.  We regularly have the ‘cleaning elves’ help out with this job in our house and we all love the pepperminty smell left behind by the Castile Soap!

3. For mirrors and windows we’ve found that the best way to get that sparkle back is with plain old water and a fine microfiber cloth.  If you’ve used cleaning products on the glass in the past you may find that you need to wash it off and rinse it first, otherwise it might leave a film.  Once your windows are ‘de-toxified’, however, you’ll find that plain water will work perfectly.  Truth be told, though, what we’ve found to be the easiest and most effective method has been having our wonderful mother-in-law have at it every Spring!

4. Another great addition to your cleaning arsenal is the use of essential oils.  Many oils, such as tea tree, oregano and peppermint have natural anti-bacterial properties.  Another side benefit is the uplifting properties of many of these scents.  Our favourite addition to our floor washing concoction (Castile, vinegar and water) is a few drops of tangerine oil.  Almost makes this most dreaded of chores enjoyable!

5. Finally, don’t underestimate the value of putting your small army to work with you.  We’re amazed at what our kids, ages 6, 4 and almost 2 are able to do.  When presented in a fun way little ones will see ‘chores’ as anything but, and rather see them as a fun and worthwhile challenge.  The jelly bean at the end might have something to do with that to…

We’d love to hear how you streamline your cleaning regime, as well as what your favourite household cleaning items are.  Please drop us a line!

I was recently at Costco, enjoying the pleasure of shopping with only one of my three kids.  The older two were enjoying calculated risks of their own, bouncing around at their gymnastics class.  Because I just had Mathea, and not an overly-lengthy shopping list, I opted to use the stroller.  I figured this would give me the most maneuverability in the store, and keep my busy 19 month-old safely strapped in.  The shopping went great!  I breezed through the store, grabbing what I needed (and a few things I never knew I needed until then… it is Costco, after all!!) and proceeded to load up the SUV.  I had to do a bit of rearranging in the back of the vehicle and had my back turned to Mathea, who was still in her stroller.  Suddenly I felt the stroller nudge into me, heard Mathea say “Uh-oh” and realized that a car was BACKING INTO MY BABY!  The driver of the vehicle was blissfully unaware and drove off.  Thankfully Mathea was fine, the car just backed into the stroller and not her (the stroller was fine too), but I was not.  The Mama Bear in me came out and I ran after the car (whose driver was still blissfully unaware) and pounded on his window.  The exchange was verging on ugly, mainly because the driver didn’t believe me, but in the end we both agreed that it was a good lesson for both of us.  So what have I learned?  Park the stroller in between the parked vehicles, rather than behind the vehicle when loading up the car.  Or, load the baby first.  Like I said at the start, I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to figure something this simple out.  Fortunately I haven’t had need of this information before now.  And even more fortunately, things ended quite happily (after I had a good cry in the car… I don’t do well in confrontations).

I’m sure that there are many of you out there who have some words of wisdom, tips from the trenches, so to speak.  Let’s learn from each other.  I look forward to reading your comments below.

BPA has long-since been known by researchers to be an estrogen-mimicing hormone disruptor.  Exposure to this toxin can eventually result in various cancers and other health problems.  When Better Baby Bums first opened its doors in 2008 it was right in the midst of the BPA-free water bottle and baby bottle frenzy.  Because babies and small children are much more sensitive to BPA exposure many parents naturally switched to BPA-free sippy cups, baby bottles and water bottles.  I would like to take this opportunity to remind you, however, that BPA is still used as a liner in some aluminum food and beverage containers, as well as in some water bottles.

In celebration of this wonderful step that the Canadian government has made, Better Baby Bums has decided to offer all of our BPA-free baby bottles for a ridiculously amazing deal!  Between now and December 31, 2010 all of our baby bottles will be 40% off!  Simply use coupon code nomoreBPeh

Definitely swim! My (almost 2 year old) son has only really ever played with bottles and his ‘colourful’ cup collection in the tub. They kept him very happy and he never seemed to grow tired of them. I recently ordered the Boon Water Bugs for him, thinking that it was time to change things up a bit. Mama thought right! The day they arrived I couldn’t get them opened fast enough…to this day I still can’t find the green bug. My son has stashed it away somewhere for safe keeping. So, the white bug and the blue bug made it safely to the bathtub, lucky bugs. The first bath they took was very entertaining. I wasn’t allowed to touch them! The two bugs sat (guarded) in the soap dish and the net was used for a very long game of peakaboo. Over a couple of days and many trials of bugs in and out of the net my son now thinks it’s much fun to catch the little critters and let them go……..I think Bob the duck will have to join the ranks! All joking aside, great bath toy!

In April 2003, The American Academy of Pediatrics announced that breastfed infants should get a Vitamin D supplement to prevent rickets, a bone-softening disease linked with inadequate intake. Weakened bones in small children result in bowed legs, soft skulls, and delays in crawling and walking and doctors were seeing a resurgence of cases. Infants and children get all the Vitamin D they need to prevent rickets by getting ten to twenty minutes of sunshine every day.

The problem for Canadians, especially on the West Coast, is twofold – we can go days without sunshine during our winters and the increased use of sunscreens blocks the natural synthesis of Vitamin D. But there is more to this incredibly complex fat-soluable vitamin. Recent studies have stated that Vitamin D is vital in activating our immune systems, one of the reasons why kids are more sick with flus and colds in the winter. Researchers have found that our T-cells (“killer cells”) require Vitamin D to attack the bugs that we catch – without enough of this vitamin, our T-cells stay asleep. So to not only keep our children’s bones strong and healthy but to boost their developing immune systems and kick the T-cells into action, make sure you are supplementing with adequate Vitamin D along with daily sun exposure (but pass on the sunscreen for the first 20 minutes – in the heat of the summer, take your kids for a walk before 10am or after 2pm to prevent burns).

For food sources, you’ll find Vitamin D in salmon and eggs, both very nourishing for the whole family.

As for how much to supplement, experts are still trying to determine the optimal dose but are presently recommending 25-50 micrograms/1000-2000IU for adults and at least 400IU for infants and children.

So enjoy that sun peaking out behind the clouds, especially while we have it!

Thanks to Dr. Stephanie Bonn for this article!

This is the latest newsletter from one of our diaper suppliers, Broody Chick. Broody Chick diapers are the first FULLY compostable disposable diaper on the market. They are totally plastic free!

BROODY CHICK products are the ongoing results of a mother’s love for her children and her desire to produce the absolute best in natural and chemical free baby products. The skincare products she created are 100% natural, chemical free and colorant free. Soon followed our diapers and wipes, which are also 100% natural and the best she could find, not only for our children but also

With the knowledge of what a mother wants for her child, we have sourced the absolute best in diapers and wipes, not only in style and comfort but also to be fully compostable, environmentally friendly, chemical free and most important, proven ultra safe for baby.

BROODY CHICK, working with Natureworks llc, looked at many textile manufacturers around the world. We searched North America, Europe, Middle East and Asia and found that the establishment in Asia was the only location that offered the quality that we required. Therefore, with Natureworks llc and their master manufacturer in textiles and using their world leading bio-polymer, Ingeo, we have been able to introduce to North America a range of fully compostable diapers and wipes with the full accreditation (ASTM-D 6400) (EN 13432).

All of us at BROODY CHICK continue to look for ways to help parents make informed choices about the products they use and the textiles that are close to and placed on their babies skin.

We are extremely proud and pleased to announce that our diapers,wipes and associated textile products have just been certified to carry the Oeko-Tex standard 100 Logo!

In the field of manufactured textiles products of all types, this certification is an internationally accepted standard and only awarded to manufactures of textiles that are ecologically harmless to humans and pose no risk whatsoever to health.

Furthermore, to ensure continued excellence in the manufacturing, Oeko-Tex reserves the right to spot check any manufacturer that carries the logo at any time and has informed all Logo users that 15% of us will be visited per annum. This will guarantee the highest level of manufacturing quality that is required to attain the certification.

We will always keep looking for ways to help you make informed choices for you, your children and our planet …because we care.

It was not to be….

Our first peanut encounter was at the Beluga tank when the girls were watching the whales beside the tank. A little boy toddled up to our empty wagon and promptly dropped his peanut butter sandwich into it. I couldn’t believe it. What made it worse is that he then smeared the peanut butter all over the wagon while he tried to retrieve it. I politely asked the mother if it was indeed peanut butter and if she had any wipes to help me clean it. She grudgingly helped me.

Then, as we headed through the “tropical zone”, we ended up walking beside a family that had 4 kids all eating… you guessed it… peanut butter sandwiches. I could smell the peanut butter before I saw the sandwiches. It was pretty overwhelming for the senses in fact. I told my brother we needed to get away from this family as I watched their kids put their fingers all over the glass of every display tank and then lick their fingers and then touch the glass again.

It was shortly after this that Alicia’s reaction began. She wasn’t even touching the same glass. She was sitting in her wagon eating her lunch and suddenly said, “Mommy, my eyes hurt.” It was dark where we were but I could see her rubbing her eyes and they looked swollen. I told my brother we need to move it to where there was better light so I could see her. We ran to the main area where there was good light and indeed Alicia’s eyes were swelling. I pulled out our epi pack and promptly gave her a good dose of Benedryl. I also gave Madelyn some since she shares the same allergy though she was not complaining (she is not as severe).

I was shaking like a leaf. After seeing her first reaction, which I described in my last post about this, I was worried it was happening again. Fortunately, the Benedryl did the trick and there was no need for the epi pen. My guess is just being around that much peanut butter set her off. It took an hour for my heart rate come down. We left the aquarium.

I sobbed in the car to my brother after the kids all fell asleep in the back. I was devastated. My already small and scary world just became even smaller. We were just starting to get comfortable with living with this allergy and once again I don’t want to leave the house with the girls. How can I send them to school? How can we visit anyone’s house? Clearly Alicia is very sensitive.

My question is whether it is reasonable to request that the Vancouver Aquarium, and places like it, consider being a peanut free zone? I know that a number of schools and churches have adopted such policies. This is, after all, a matter of life or death. Today I felt like going up to the peanut butter eating families and letting them know about our situation and ask them to reconsider their food choice when coming to such an environment where the experience for kids is tactile in nature. Is that reasonable? I know that I don’t have a right to tell people what they can and cannot feed their kids but what if they were in our shoes? Would they feel the same way? Wouldn’t they want to help us keep our kids and others with this life-threatening allergy safe?

I’ll sign this one off with a deflated sigh… why has this happened to us?