Mama Natures Designs Review and Giveaway- NBNY

Looking for organic cloth diapers? Wanting to support work at home moms? You want affordable prices, you say? Then Mama Natures Designs is the Etsy shop for you. Mama Natures Designs features wool wrap covers, embellished prefolds, one size fitted diapers and hemp nursing pads; all organic! Andrea, the shop owner, hand dyes the wool used for her wraps. She achieves beautiful, bright colors that would be perfect for a boy or girl.

Wool is a great diapering fabric choice. It is antibacterial, naturally resistant to mildew and can regulate body temperature. Not to mention that it is a truly renewable resource! Wool is a wonderful natural alternative to plastics such as PUL (polyurethane laminate).

You can read more about Mama Natures Designs here.

The Review:

I had the opportunity to review a small wool diaper cover. Andrea sent me a lovely hand dyed yellow cover with a light green inner. The color is not always even, showing that endearing, warm handmade quality. You can see the time and care that went into making this cover. There is a single row of snaps with 6 snap options in the front of the cover. The wings have 2 snaps each. The front has a small bit of elastic for a good fit and leak prevention. The cover has a sewn in soaker for extra leak protection. The wool isn't as soft as some big name brands that I've tried but, my very sensitive skinned baby has not complained one bit. It's by no means scratchy.

One of the things I love about wool is that it never feels wet, only damp. My husband and I were out to dinner (the older kids were with my mom and dad) and the time came to change Charlotte. Well, guess who was so excited about a date with the hubby that she left the diaper bag at her parents house?! Oh, that would be me! The cover was just started to feel damp on the outside. Rather than go to the store to pick up a pack of disposables that we would only use once (and how would I know what size to get?), my husband went to the car and tried to find something to use as a soaker. He found a towel that I had thrown in the car for some strange reason. I folded it like a prefold, laid it in the cover and wraped it up. Guess what?! It worked great! This cover held up even under the "emergency" conditions. When we picked up the kids, Charlotte's pants were damp but her skin was pretty dry.

Ease of Use: The Mama Natures Designs wool cover was very easy to use. The snaps are strong and work well. I do think that wrap covers are easier to use with little babies than pull on covers. After changing Charlotte's diaper, if the cover is wet, I just lay it over a chair to dry out and use again.

Fit: It was a little bulkier than other wool covers but I think that's because of the extra soaker in the middle. It's well worth the extra bulk. We never had any red marks on Charlotte's legs.

Materials: Wool outer and inner, snaps.

Care: Wool care is so easy. You can read more about wool care here. It can be intimidating at first though. This cover did not come lanolized. As I was browsing over the Mama Natures Designs Etsy store I read a comment of a customer who used her covers un-lanolized and had great results. I figured I'd give it a try. To my surprise, the cover worked great.

Cost: $12.00- $16.00. Click here to purchase.

Favorite Feature: The extra wet zone protection


Overall Opinion: I really enjoyed this cover. The hand dyed colors are bold and vivid. Wool is such a great choice for diapering! Care is easier than you think too. Wash when soiled or every two to three weeks. If it's damp just throw it over a chair to dry and reuse. Talk about eco-friendly! The wool used for this cover isn't as soft as some others I've seen but that hasn't effected my little one at all. This would be a great cover for night time use!

Connect with Andrea:

Mama Natures Designs is a branch of Snugs Boutique.
Shops: Snugs Boutique, Mama Natures Designs
Twitter
Blog
Facebook

The Giveaway:
Andrea has offered a $15 gift code to Mama Natures Designs to one lucky winner.

Mandatory Entry:

• Visit Mama Natures Designs and tell me a favorite product.
• Leave an email address where you can be reached.
  

Extra Entries:

• Become a fan of Knocked Up and Nursing on Facebook
• Become a fan of Snugs Boutique on Facebook
  
• Become a follower of Knocked Up and Nursing on Twitter
• Become a follower of Snugs Boutique on Twitter
  
• Tweet about this giveaway. Leave a URL. You can use: "#win $15GC to Mama Natures Designs. Visit http://knockedupandnursing.blogspot.com & enter @knockedupnursin @SnugsBoutique" (can be tweeted once a day until the giveaway ends)
• Subscribe to my blog via Email (See "connect" tab on top right)
• Follow the Snugs Boutique blog publicly
• Visit Snugs Boutique and tell me your favorite item.
  
• Blog about this giveaway.*Plus 5 entries* Leave a URL.
• Share on Facebook (Leave a link)
• Grab my button and leave me a link to find it.*Plus 5 entries*
• You can do additional extra entries on Mama Natures Designs Sponsorship Spotlight Post. I will be compiling them so only Comment on the Sponsorship Spotlight post for those entries
  

If you have questions, don't hesitate to email me.

Giveaway will run from Wednesday February 9th, 2011 at 10:30pm (CST) until February 23rd, 2011 at 11:59pm CST. Winner will be chosen using random.org's true random number generator upon the close of the contest. Winner will be notified by email and will have 48 hrs to respond or a new winner will be chosen. The opinions within are my own. I was given a product for review in exchange for my thoughts. Must be 18 year old to enter. Open to US and Canadian residents only. Subject to changes.

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Green Mama Blog Hop

Jessica from And Then There Were 4 has started a blog hop for green mamas. This is a fairly new blog (this is week 5) so lets get the word out about it! Jessica also has some great giveaways going on right now including one for Prairie Tales Cloth Diapers and Babylegs.

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Flourish Giveaway (Blanket, changing station and Coffee Cozy)-NBNY

MariQ from Flourish has contributed a truly lovely prize package for Newborn in the New Year Event! One lucky winner will win a Boutique Blankie and Changing Station PLUS a wonderful Coffee Cuff for mom! These Coffee Cuffs will keep your drink warm and your hand cool.

Check out my Sponsorship Spotlight of Flourish Here.

Boutique Blankie: "The Boutique Blankie measures 28x28", which is the perfect size for the car seat, wagon or just hanging around the house. All goods are made with the finest designer materials."

Changing Station: "The changing station is ideal for parents who want to lighten up the baby accessories when they are on the go while still being fabulous. Item doubles as a diaper and travel size wipey case holder AND a plush changing pad! The pocket can hold 2-3 diapers and a wipe case. Made with the finest cotton fabric with coordinating super soft white minky for baby's delicate skin. Just throw it in the wash when soiled...no wiping up messes. "

Coffee Cuff: "Be green and be fabulous with the Original Coffee Cuff. Made with designer fabrics."

(All descriptions taken from Flourish's Etsy page)

Mandatory Entry:

• Visit Flourish and tell me a favorite product.
• Leave an email address where you can be reached.
  

Extra Entries:

• Become a fan of Knocked Up and Nursing on Facebook
• Become a follower of Knocked Up and Nursing on Twitter
  
• Tweet about this giveaway. Leave a URL. You can use: "#win a beautiful boutique blankie and Changing station from Flourish. Visit http://knockedupandnursing.blogspot.com & enter @knockedupnursin " (can be tweeted once a day until the giveaway ends)
• Subscribe to my blog via Email (See "connect" tab on top right)
  
• Blog about this giveaway.*Plus 3 entries* Leave a URL.
• Share on Facebook (Leave a link)
• Grab my button and leave me a link to find it.*Plus 2 entries*
• You can do additional extra entries on Flourish's Sponsorship Spotlight Post. I will be compiling them so only Comment on the Sponsorship Spotlight post for those entries
  

If you have questions, don't hesitate to email me.

Giveaway will run from Monday February 7th, 2011 at 12:30pm (CST) until February 21st, 2011 at 11:59pm CST. Winner will be chosen using random.org's true random number generator upon the close of the contest. Winner will be notified by email and will have 48 hrs to respond or a new winner will be chosen. The opinions within are my own. Must be 18 year old to enter. Open to US and Canadian residents only. Subject to changes.

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BabyEtte Ring Sling Review

As a mother of 4, with one on the way (congrats!!!!), Beth is a seasoned babywearer. She has been wearing her children for ten years and sewing her own slings almost as long. After having negative experiences with narrow ring slings, Beth and her husband wanted wider ones. BabyEtte now carries wider than usual ring slings for more protection and longevity of use. With a wider sling you can wear your toddler longer and in a variety of positions.

Look at the many uses of the poncho!

BabyEtte also carries a very ingenious selection of babywearing ponchos for cold weather. Here in Texas, we're having a cold front. Right now there is actually snow on the ground! My daughter woke up and exclaimed, "Mama, it doesn't snow in Texas!". She's right. Cold weather where you need more than a heavy sweater or light coat is unusual. But it's been in the teens and twenties for almost a week now and I find myself with the conundrum of trying to wear my baby and a coat at the same time. Do I put the coat on first then the sling? Sling under the coat? The first option seems uncomfortable if we are going in a store as I will likely want to take my coat off. The second option alters the fit of my postpartum body in my VERY pre-baby coat. I think the babywearing poncho may just be the perfect accessory!

I had the opportunity to review a ring sling from Baby Ette's "Mad about Plaid" line. I've been a fan of babywearing since I was introduced to it when Sally was 3 months old by a friend in a playgroup. She was a fussy infant and one of the only things that calmed her was the tummy to tummy hold in a sling. My husband and I got quite proficient at using the sling and have touted the art of babywearing ever since. The same friend who introduced me to babywearing also introduced me to Attachment Parenting. I can't thank her enough! It has been one of the greatest things that has happened to me as a parent.

The sling arrived about a week after Charlotte was born. I was feeling pretty good and we were ready to get out of the house! I was super excited to get the sling, not only because BabyEtte is a wonderful company that supports babywearing but because one of my previous slings had bite the dust. I had given my other sling to a friend who was expecting. Shortly after I had done that we found out that we were pregnant! Being slingless with a newborn and 2 little kids was hard. Luckily my husband was able to stay home that first week! Anyways, as we were leaving for the bookstore, we checked the mail and there it was! It was all I could do to snap the above picture before I opened it up and got my baby in it!

Beth's impeccable craftsmanship is similar to what I've seem from high end garments. Beth lines up the pattern on the fabric to make it appear seamless. The pleating near the rings is amazing!!! She took the fabric pattern into consideration when making these pleats; something I've never seen before in a sling. Beth has thought out this design and it's so wonderful to see such attention to detail!

The brushed cotton fabric is incredibly soft and cozy. It the perfect weight; sturdy yet breathable. I've had sooo many comments on this sling, more than any other I've ever had, from all ages. I've had grown men come up and say what a neat contraption it is and I've had young hipsters say they love the fabric. We went to the Children's Museum and I got so many compliments on the sling. I swear it should have a little pocket to keep business cards in so you can hand them out!

Ease of Use: I will say that there is a slight learning curve with ring slings and wraps. Beth includes great detailed instructions with all her slings. Plus YouTube has great videos for ring sling usage. Beth recommends practicing with a stuffed animal so if something goes awry, no one is hurt. Once you have used the sling for a short time, you'll be a pro.

Materials: This sling is made from brushed cotton and aluminum rings. BabyEtte offers slings in different fabrics such as dupioni silk, cotton, linen and minky.

Care: No worries if something should spill on your new accessory. Just machine wash on cold and tumble dry. You can also spot clean the sling.

Measurements: The sling is 34" wide and 84" long. It's one size fits most. Beth does allow for customization of the length.

Cost: $60.00 Visit here to purchase.

Overall Opinion: I love BabyEtte's slings! The craftsmanship is amazing and you can tell that Beth really does have a passion for what she does. The sling is really comfortable because the width of the sling helps distribute the weight of your baby. The cotton is cozy for mama and baby and is great for fall or winter weather. My only worry is that the fabric might be hot in the summer here in Texas. The rolled edge hem makes adjusting the rails or edges so easy! I've had other slings that don't adjusted as well because of the type of hem they have. Overall, I am really impressed by this sling and Beth's work. I'd highly recommend these slings to every parent. A must have accessory!

Connect with BabyEtte:
Etsy Shop
Website

Facebook
Blog

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I'm on Nicki's Diapers Blog!-Let's Talk Cloth Wipes

A while back Nicki's Diapers Blog was looking for guest bloggers. I volunteered and decided to write about using cloth wipes as an alternative to disposables. Go check out the post here.