Rock the Soak

Although it had been months since I had purchased three different samples from Rockin' Green Soap, I had every intention on buying a bag as soon as I ran out of my Free and Clear (F&C). I didn't know much about Rockin Green (RnG), but what I did know is everyone in the CDing community was talking about it. I really liked the way the samples cleaned my diapers, but then again, most of my diapers were brand new at the time and in pristine condition. There wasn't much need for anything more special than the F&C I was already using. ...or so I thought!

Last week I finally placed an order of Lavender Mint Revival from Gloria at For Mom and Keiki. This was the first time I had used this site, but with free shipping and a package on my front door within three business days, I'm certain this is where I will make future RnG purchases!! I decided to "Rock the Soak" and boy was it worth it. I started with a cold rinse (no soap), then and overnight soak in hot water and 3tbs of RnG. I then followed it with two washes on hot water. I think one would have been enough, but two really did the trick. When I went to hang my diapers on the clothesline, I noticed IMMEDIATELY that there was no ammonia smell and there were NO stains on my diapers. I didn't even have to sun out stains!!! The diapers looked like I was prepping them for the first time. Best of all, my BumGenius organic AIO's weren't repelling water! Before Rocking a Soak I wouldn't put my BG organics on my daughter because it was leaving her tush really wet, but that isn't the case anymore!



In addition to fresh diapers and non-repelling BG's, Rockin Green also helped get my dingy microfiber inserts squeaky clean! Overall, this was long overdue experience.

I heart fluff

Although I am ridiculously pationate about everything cloth diapers, I really don't want my blog to get derailed from the other great ways a family (or even single guy or girl) could live a greener life, so I wanted to introduce a fellow mama that does want to focus specifically on all things fluff. Tara is the creater of I Heart Fluff and has created a great website for other families that need some guidance when it comes to the confusing world of cloth diapering. With the help of fellow mama's, she has clearly outlined some of the tough questions such as types of cloth diapers, how to care for or launder, cloth diapering on a budget and of course how to get started.

I was excited that Tara loved my breakdown of cloth diapers and featured me in part of her website! Thanks Tara!



So, although I will continue to stick my hand in a subject I am still learning myself, head on over to I Heart Fluff to check out all the great things Tara has to say about cloth diapers. You can even fan her on her facebook page here!

xo

Cloth Diaper Giveaway

I came across another great website the other day while cruising around Babycenter. Clothbaby.org is a place where mama's can sell their cloth diapers for free! I, obviously, am not currently sewing my own diapers, but it still gives me a great opportunity to support mom's who are working from home to support their families.

As I start to do more reviews about products I like and find useful for crunchy families, I would like to offer giveaways to my followers. Although I don't currently have a giveaway, Clothbaby.org is having a fitted giveaway that runs until July 5th.



Head on over to Clothbaby.org for your chance to win a great mom made fitted and if your a WAHM looking for a free place to sell your cloth diapers!

Cold Remedies while Breastfeeding...

Before you read this all the way through thinking I am going to give you the secret answer about what medicine you can take for a cold while breastfeeding, let me disclose this; I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER!!!!

So here's the story. The day I came home from the hospital with my daughter I was terrible sick. I had the worst headcold known to man. I couldn't breath. My head felt like it was going to explode. I finally had enough and called the advice line of Kaiser and was told regular Sudafed behind-the-counter (BTC) was what I could have while breastfeeding. This was the first thing that confused me. I couldn't take Sudafed-D, which was sold to any Tom, Dick or Harry right over the counter, however, I could have the REAL stuff, the stuff that is kept BEHIND the counter with the pharmacist. I would have to show my ID and they would document I was buying this product. Why, because apparently people like to buy this product to make drugs with. Drugs, like Meth. Meth? Really? It was really okay for me to take this medicine while breastfeeding? Needless to say, I was on so much discomfort I (went back to the car for my ID) purchased the Sudafed and went on my way.

Now, let me remind you that I was less than a week postpartum. My milk supply was great (obviously), but quickly I started losing my supply. Why you ask, because Sudeafed is a pseudoephedrine, which reduces nasal congestion... it also reduces milk supply!!! What? Why would a Kaiser advice representative tell me it was okay to take it?

Regardless, I am posting this today because AGAIN I am faced with crazy sinus pressure, stuffy nose and a headache. I don't have anything in my medicine cabinet except for Sudafed. As it stares me in the face I am holding myself back from taking it and benefiting from what it can do for me.

So, the question for me remains, what cold remedies do you have while breastfeeding?

Green Toys

My mother-in-law has been known to buy green toys for my son. Last summer she found this great bucket and shovel for our trip to Hawaii and recently brought over a dump truck. The toys were from a company call Green Toys. I thought it was really neat that these products were made from recycled plastic milk jugs, so I decided to take a closer look and see what other great information I could find out about this earth friendly company. This is what I found from their website;

All Green Toys products are 100% made in the USA. To be more specific, they are produced in California, a state known for strict toy safety and environmental laws. It's cool to buy USA, but also think about this: transportation is one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gasses. We all know driving less is good for mother nature, but did you ever think about how many miles a toy logs before it ends up in your local store?



Green Toys environmental mission even extends to our packaging. We strive to minimize packaging, and all of our boxes use as little material as possible. All Green Toys products are packaged in recycled corrugated boxes with no plastics, cellophane or twist-ties, and are 100% recyclable.

The best part about Green Toys was that they didn't just make toys. I was excited to stumble across their toddler utensils at Whole Foods for a reasonable price!


You can check out their website Green Toys for additional toys, bowls, plates and more.

Going Green and Saving "Green!"

There are many simple ways I have started to convert to a more "green" lifestyle, and some of the best ways have also saved me money. I decided to make a list, based on recommendations I found on various websites, of simple ways to save money while going green. This list is a work in progress and I may update or add additional ideas at any time!

1.) Turn off or unplug appliances. No matter how small or large, when an appliance is plugged in, it is still drawing power from the main power supply. Turn off your computer when you are not at home or when you are not using it. You can also put larger units, such as the television, DVD player, etc. on a power supply unit that can easily be switched off when not in use. Although this seems like a small task, we were able to reduce our monthly energy bill significantly when we turned off our computers!

2.) Turn off the lights! Although this is an old house rule, it can still reduce your lighting energy by 45%. While you're at it, make sure all your light bulbs have been changed to energy efficient, compact fluorescent or CFL's.

3.) Wash your clothes on cold water to save 85% compared to using hot water. Dry your clothes on a clothes line for added savings!

Rockstar Fluff

The name says it all!!!!

I spend a lot of time wondering around Baby Center (BBC) and one of my new favorite groups is WAHM Wares, a group of Work-at-home-moms that create crunchy products right from the comfort of their own homes! I have a previous review of Green Body Basics natural deodorant (that I am still happily using) that I also found from the WAHM Wares group, but my newest sweet find, Rockstar Fluff. The owner, Tiffany, is a mom of 3 that just launched her new line on Hyena Cart in May. Her diapers are made of hand dyed bamboo velour and include a snap in soaker made of three layers of bamboo fleece and a layer of matching hand dyed bamboo velour. Tiffany also throws in a cute matching doubler!

I was excited to grab one of her slight seconds (a diaper that has a slight flaw, usually one that is hardly noticeable and never affects the function of the diaper) in a wonderfully soft, Hello Kitty pattern! I finally finished prepping this diaper last week and couldn't believe how squishy it was. The diaper is fully turned and top stitched for babies comfort and believe me, this diaper is comfortable!! She makes the wings wide, which makes for a great fit on almost any baby.



This fitted is great quality. I am eager to fill my "stash" with more Rockstar Fluff, I just have to figure which of my other diapers I will have to sacrifice in order to fund any new purchases!

Rockstar Fluff

Do you buy it because it says "Organic?"

So, maybe you've watched Food Inc., or you've listened to a friend rant about eating organic and buying local, but what does all this really mean? Anyone can walk in to a regular grocery store, a wholesale shopping center or even a make-up counter at the mall and see the word "Organic" or "Natural" marketed all over packages, but is it really good for you just because it says it's natural?

Recently a good friend introduced me to Skin Deep, a website hosted by the Environmental Working Group that grades the ingredients in most over the counter cosmetics and gives an overall score for the safety of these cosmetics. Being that I am an avid Whole Foods shopper I was interested to see how cosmetic products such as sunscreen, shampoo, body wash, and lip gloss, measure up on the Skin Deep website. I was in need of body wash and as I stood in the isle of Whole Foods (for almost 30 minutes), I surfed the website for products that were in the green, or low hazard. Surprisingly, most of Whole Foods body washes were in the yellow, or moderate hazard, but why? I would expect to walk in to a health food store and trust that all my purchases were clean of any additives or preservatives. What on earth was causing these natural and organic products to be yellow? The answer, fragrance. Almost any product with fragrance automatically had a score of 3 or above, which meant yellow or moderate hazard.

So what is fragrance, and why is it score red individually in these products? It was scary what I found out! There is a loophole in the FDA's regulations that let's manufacturers of products like shampoo and body wash include almost any hidden ingredient or chemical in their product under the name "fragrance" without having to list it individually. The best way to avoid these companies that mask hidden chemicals in their products under the name "fragrance," search Skin Deep.

My next cosmetic need turned out to be saline solution for my contacts. I decided to research before wasting 30 minutes in the isles of Whole Foods, and started my search on the Skin Deep website. Skin Deep only has 5 reviews for saline solution currently and ironically the only solution in the green... CVS (generic) Saline Solution especially for sensitive eyes. Who would have thought that a generic formula could grade highest. Just goes to show, knowing your facts before hand really helps you make smart, financially wise, decisions.

What I learned... don't be naive and think every product that says it's organic is healthy for you. Don't buy something (or spend more money than you need to) just because it says it's natural. If you want to live healthier, research your products.

Check out Skin Deep before spending your paycheck on just any organics!