Mother Herb

Diapering Today

2011-12-07T07:18:00.000-08:00

Diapering Today DVD

We're happy to announce our very own cloth diaper supplier, Willow Spouts, has put out a first of s kind, educational DVD about the ease of cloth diapering. You can view the trailer here.

Diapering Today is the new film offering those interested in cloth diapering an easy to digest way to learn everything about modern diapering. Education is the key to getting more parents to try cloth, and Diapering Today takes interested parents through the process and turns them into informed consumers ready to use cloth successfully.
Created by Catherine Bolden, manufacturer of Sprout Change reusable diapers, and mother of four who has long been an advocate and user of cloth diapers.
The 2-disc set is conveniently priced at $17.95. This original DVD production has real parents giving real advice about real diapers. For the first time on video, new parents h can learn everything they need to know before they try cloth diapers:
- Why Cloth Makes Sense
-How to Use Diapers
-Types of Cloth Diapers
-How to Get Started
-Troubleshooting, including Washing Tips
-Potty Training Help
-How to Make Cloth More Affordable
-Learn the Terms
-And So Much More!
The film is separated into easy to use chapters so it’s quick to jump ahead to the section that you’re most interested in, or watch the whole thing.
To learn more, visit www.diaperingtoday.com. A fully dedicated site is launching soon and will offer further information and website links about modern diapering. Available now: http://ow.ly/7cwUC

Thank you for supporting cloth diapers!
Catherine Bolden, owner
TheWillowStore.com
sales@theWillowStore.com
877-437-5973

How to Use Cloth Diapers When Traveling

2011-11-21T08:00:00.000-08:00

Holiday travel is approaching and who wouldn't want one less thing to worry about when packing up the car to go to grandma's. How are we going to deal with the cloth diapers out of our own home?

SIMPLE! The same way you would when you take them into town for the afternoon. It's not much different. Really, what you need is the appropriate storage for them as they collect till you can get back home to wash them.

We've had a client even tell us for a week long camping trip in the car they were able to keep their diapers in a 2 gallon kitchen compost pail that has a carbon filter. This kept odors from escaping into the car, allowing them to travel without keeping the windows rolled down. You can find these at local hardware stores, co-ops, or online.

I recommend this option for keeping your stash inside the car, or even in the room you're staying in at grandmas. If you line it with a wet bag you'll make the wash routine a breeze. Just empty the contents of your wetbag into the washer and wash the wetbag with it as well.

If you don't already have a wetbag, it's worth getting. They'll keep in a little bit of the odors but ALL of the wetness, and they're washable too.

So you're not taking the car? Thinking about how to manage a supply of cloth while on a plane or train may seem difficult as well, but really when you boil down to it, it's no different than changing a disposable. You just have to 'pack it in and pack it out' as the conservatory says. Again, your friend the wet bag is key. Just pack what you NEED in the travel or carry on bag. Just the amount of diapers for the trip to grandmas, keep your diaper bag light, include some bac-out spray if you have a reminisce of poop left on the diaper after removing the waste in the toilet. That will also help combat the lingering odors and help out on wash day too.

If there's one thing we can be thankful for this holiday season it's our resilience and creative ability...inherent in ALL of us, artistic or not. Just remember, that less than 50 years ago there was no other option, so somewhere deep in our genetic blueprint is our innate ability to cloth diaper. Tap into it! AND if you are needing a way to break the ice with awkward relatives, tease them into having to wash those poopy diapers you've got in the car. That will loosen everyone up.

Happy travels everyone, and happy healthy bums to your sweet little one.

Summer's Here (early all-be-it, thanks Climate Change) Time to consider what we EAT!

2010-06-03T12:48:00.000-07:00

The 'Clean 15' are conventional produce items that have minimal exposure to pesticides, for those of us on a tight budget, or in a location where the produce options you have are not organic.

Dr. Andrew Weil speaks about what happens in our bodies if we shift from eating the dirty dozen to the clean 15 (or going all organic for that matter!). "You will have a measurable drop in tissue accumulation in pesticides" He says for himself if he can't get organic versions of those, he's not going to eat them.

"Pesticides are toxins and they can't be good for you, so the only question is how bad they are."

Watch the video here This may be one of the best 5 minutes spent, educating yourself to protect your health and your families.... and if you think about it, if a majority of people make the shift, the demand for these organic items go up, price goes down, and perhaps markets and trends will shift for the benefit of everyone. You can read the full article from the Huffington Post here.

Hardly a pain in the you-know-what

2010-04-22T13:12:00.000-07:00

Mother Nature Network put out a sweet and personable article by a writer who herself has some personal insight into the new range of cloth diapering options. You can read about it here.

Not sure what to try?! Our local resource for parents, Cradle, has just started a risk-free $14 trial program for new cloth diapers. There's really no excuse. Head on over and talk to one of their resident experts, or read about their new trial program here. You'll wonder why you didn't try it sooner.
Here's more info: In honor of Earth Day, Cradle is thrilled to announce the start of our new Cloth Diaper Trial program. Perhaps you’ve thought about using cloth diapers, but are intimidated by the many styles of cloth diapers available or aren’t certain that cloth diapering would really work for your family. Our Cloth Diaper Trial allows you to try out cloth diapering with little financial risk so that you can determine which cloth diapers—if any—are most compatible with your baby and your lifestyle. The Cloth Diaper Trial costs you only $14.

We will provide you with enough brand new cloth diapers to get you through 10 diaper changes, incorporating several different types of cloth diapers. You get to use the diapers for two full weeks, taking your time to decide if you like cloth diapering and which style(s) of diapers you like best. At the end of the two weeks, you can return whichever diapers you don’t want to keep (or all of them), without penalty! Amazing! If at the end of the two weeks you decide to keep all of the diapers in your trial package, you will pay for the cost of the diapers ($150.00 desposit made at time of purchase) minus the $14 trial fee, and we will also give you a 15%-off coupon that you can use toward your next purchase of cloth diapers. Making the choice to try cloth has truly never been easier. Number of packages available each month are limited, so call to set up yours today. Packages available starting May 1.

DIY ZINES

2010-02-25T13:14:00.001-08:00

The Do It Yourself culture is coming back around.

The creative joy from making recycled crafts, regaining personal power as we shift from corporate consumerism into locally made or self created essentials, and the pinch of the economy that sew our pockets a little smaller, are all reasons to get your hands on this Zine by Raleigh Briggs.

I've talked to grandma's about how excited I am to make things out of what I have around or recycle crafts, like old sweaters into wool pants for kids. I find it empowering and fun, as well as economical. They've told me they used to do the same, never throwing things away, always making it into something new, because they had to. I wonder if we're getting to that point. Either way, I do it because there is a certain level of gratification like when you figure out how to tie your own shoe. You're independent, and you don't have to wait for someone else when you're ready to run.

You'll love the illustrations and information. If you want even more DIY info, another great Zine is Making Stuff & Doing Things by Kyle Bravo. Both published under Microcosm.

Cloth Diapering ALL Day

2010-02-07T06:25:00.000-08:00

Lifestyles are certainly different these days then way back when (oh, I know, it really wasn't all that long ago) when families were homesteading and wrapping their baby's bums in cloth all day because that's just what you do. Today, being able to keep your baby in cloth at all times is not only a practice of willpower, but a dance between convenience, social pressure, and stamina.

We've got daycare centers that have an aversion to anything but disposable diapers, and if we don't take the time to inquire about 'why' or look up the state regulations ourselves, we might miss an opportunity to educate, and inspire folks to come out of their outdated habits and into a totally modern adaptation of something that has worked for millennia.

This is another reason why I love the Real Diaper Association and the work that they do to support cloth diapering families. They've put together a tip sheet about how to approach this topic with potential centers or at-home daycares.

I think the takeaway here, like so many other resolutions for conflict, it's about education and empathetic listening from both sides.

Then there's NIGHTIME! dah duh dun..... Right, and friends will tell you 'oh, use a disposable they'll sleep through the night.' And as a sleep deprived parent, you'll just about do anything to make that wish come true. And if you rubbed a lamp and a genie came out, and gave you three wishes, you'd ask for that one three times just to make sure it came true.

But really, as we all know, it's not a healthy option. If this is a fact that you're not so sure on, please go to this page on our website, grab a cup of your favorite beverage, and read the writing on the wall. EDU-MA-CATE! Be sure to read about the SAP that is found in disposable diapers, it's that 'magic goo' that makes the baby feel dry.

SO, you need some CLOTH solutions for NIGHTIME! Try a simple fleece diaper liner, it's amazing at keeping the surface of the diaper against your baby feeling dry. It's the same genius that's a part of a lot of the top layers in pocket diapers these days. This works well for those babies that wake right when they feel wet. Some could sit in it and not even care. It's more about the flow, read on.....

Here's another thing that worked for our family. DOUBLE UP! Use more than one diaper in the cover, so you get extra time before the morning change. This is good for heavy wetters. Don't forget about WOOL! Oh, that wonderful miracle fiber, it will keep your baby's clothes dry if you use a cover, or even try wool pants to hold in that moisture and avoid changing sheets and outfits. Amazing! Not to mention breathable, it's a natural fiber that helps negate rashes.

The other month I hosted a workshop on E.C. (elimination communication) and had a guest come in who was a facilitator of a local group. Her attitude about EC was honest and forward, and all of us curious mamas in the room were perched like on the top of the fence, in disbelief that it could actually work. Her message, "Just do it. Stop thinking about it, and do it. Take that diaper off your baby and do it." I kind of see the wisdom in that. I'm carrying that over into the nightime diaper topic. Just do it, choose cloth, get rid of the disposable diapers, and you'll make it to the morning, you'll make it to when they're out of diapers, you'll make it to their high school graduation, and you'll say to yourself, "yeah, I did it."

Just know this: You'll be doing a favor to your local landfill, your local aquifer, your baby's skin, your fellow citizen's health, and as an optimist, you'll hopefully be strengthening the demand for more cloth diaper producers, and shrinking the market of disposable diapers. Just do it.

Got Diaper Rash?

2009-05-18T08:44:00.001-07:00

Got Diaper Rash?

Posted using ShareThis

Numen: The Nature of Plants, A FILM

2009-04-16T20:32:00.000-07:00

A thorough documentary into the healing power of plants has almost come to completion. Visit Numen to learn more about this inspiring project, watch a short preview, and be an integral part in carrying it over the finish line to the public at large.

At last a full feature film about the history, synergy, and wonderment between Us and the Plant world.

DIAPER COVER SWAP!

2009-04-15T14:20:00.000-07:00

SELL YOUR GENTLY USED COVERS HERE!

This post will be refreshed monthly so that people can start USING THE COMMENT ICON to start posting covers they have available for sale. It is intended for use by Mother Herb Diaper Service clients only though it won't be monitored. The sale agreements are solely between those two parties and not in conjunction with Mother Herb Diaper Service, Thank you!

Happy sharing, selling, and re-using! Thanks for bettering the cloth diaper movement and making it affordable to all :)

best,
~angie

Cast your VOTE against Global Warming THIS WEEK!

2009-03-22T08:22:00.000-07:00

The Cloth vs Disposable Debate is BACK

2009-02-03T09:56:00.000-08:00

The Christian Science Monitor came out with a succinct and straightforward article about what eco-minded parents are gearing towards these days. Looks like what the world (or at least America) needs now is more mainstream parents to hop on board the cloth train as well.

Right now in America, 95% of diapering families are choosing disposables. Lets hope people recognize that cloth these days is just as convenient as throw-away diapers (especially when a service drops them off and cleans them for you!), and can minimize our exposure to toxins from cradle to grave. CHOOSE CLOTH!

WebSite Launch!

2009-01-23T17:43:00.001-08:00

We couldn't be happier to announce the beginning of something great. With incredible diligence, design work, and collaboration my husband has taken Mother Herb to the next step in its growth towards fruition.... OUR WEBSITE! We invite you to explore, and make Mother Herb a part of your family.

Gentle on the Environment and Your Pocketbook

2009-01-12T14:42:00.000-08:00

Here's some great cost analysis from a diaper service based in the Hudson Valley. Turns out we can be stewards of the earth and save money at the same time!

Mainstream Diapering is GOING GREEN

2009-01-12T14:36:00.000-08:00

It's an exciting time. Finally a trend that can feed style and fashion as well as serve to better our environment! Cloth diapering is gaining more attention and glory as we are finally figuring out better ways to improve upon the long-standing tradition of the past (cloth diapering) to make it more functional, easy, and successful. Mother Herb Diaper Service aims to provide that same ease with our system of high quality hemp/cotton blend diapers and wool wrap covers to make your diapering experience not only good for you but good for the environment.

TIME Magazine put out an article on Jan 21, 2008 that speaks to this trend and its savings to your pocketbook as well as the Earth.
Read the article here.

Don't Green Wash your Holidays

2008-12-16T09:28:00.000-08:00

If the spirit moves you to look at the holidays this year through eco-colored glasses, why not go green beyond just how you shop or create gifts. Here are a couple of resources for Recycling your Christmas Trees or how to Green Your Menorah. Even if you aren't celebrating either of those specific holidays, you might get some ideas or at least your creative juices flowing through surfing the web on this topic.

Healthy Toys this Holiday Season

2008-12-04T11:27:00.000-08:00

Dangerous chemicals like lead and arsenic are not healthy for anyone, especially for developing children. Yet, when the Ecology Center, a Michigan-based nonprofit, tested over 1,500 popular children's toys for lead, cadmium, arsenic, PVC and other harmful chemicals, they found that one in three toys tested were found to contain "medium" or "high" levels of chemicals of concern.

Let's make sure the toys that are purchased this season are safe and healthy for our children. Please take a look at the information that MomsRising has collected to help clarify and to share the message with others.

What's In Your Milk?

2008-12-03T08:29:00.001-08:00

Most of us are familiar with the "rBGH free" stamp of approval on a variety of dairy products we see while shopping. Curious to know more facts about what that really means? Take a quick look at the Cancer Prevention Coalition feature article about Samuel S. Epstein's new book exposing industry and government cover-ups on the DANGERS of Genetically Modified Milk consumption. I whole heartedly agree with the idea of cancer prevention as opposed to the model of "finding a cure."

How It All Works

2008-11-22T16:53:00.000-08:00

Like all good things it has taken time to figure out how this eco-friendly service will come to fruition, and part of that includes not only all the "Mother Herb Basics" listed to the right, but also what our customers will do to aid in that sustenance.

AT HOME ORIENTATION: Upon agreement of our service, I will personally come to your home and give you an orientation on the service. How to fold your diapers (for a boy or girl), use (or no use) of snappy diaper pins, how often to change the baby, the procedure for soiled diapers, choosing a designated site for diaper pick-up and drop-off and payment cycle, and to answer any questions you might have about cloth diapering. There will also be step-by-step procedures with pictures on the blog or website and printable versions available for those who need it.

DO I BUY THE DIAPERS?
Basically, it's like the customer is renting diapers from Mother Herb. We provide you with your chosen weekly amount based on what the average baby uses and then after a two week cycle, you will be receiving back the diapers that you started with and we'll have a better idea of how many you need. Each week you will be getting back the same diapers your baby used.

HOW WILL THEY GET TO ME?
Before your baby is born Mother Herb will deliver your first weeks worth of diapers, so when they arrive you'll be ready. Let us know when the baby has been born and we'll start up your regular cycle. Each week you will place the re-usable wet bag filled with your soiled diapers in the designated pick-up spot at your home on your pick up day, and it will be replaced with a clean re-usable wet bag filled with more fresh diapers.

WHAT DO I DO WITH THE SOILED DIAPER?
To ensure the integrity and longevity of our diapers, we ask that you remove all solid waste from the diapers before putting them in the pail. Though our own experience and research we have found that dunking the diapers in the toilet before placing them in the pail helps reduce staining (keep in mind we're not bleaching our diapers, though we will use natural stain removing detergents), and minimizes the strong urine odor that accumulates over a week. If the thought of touching your hands to toilet water makes you go germ crazy, bear in mind a good hand washing with warm water does the trick. Or you could check out this spray washer that hooks up to your toilet! Who thinks of these things?!

AGREEMENT AND PRICING
We ask that you only use our diapers for your baby's bottom. They are so wonderful you might want to use them as a blanket or sew them into a throw pillow, or place them over your shoulder for your baby to spit up on, or use them to sop up a spill, but don't. There are rags and burp cloths for those things.

We also ask for a four week commitment to start up your service.

Our pricing is being finalized, and will be posted when it is complete. It is our goal to offer prices that are competitive to purchasing Seventh Generation Disposables, or other unbleached chemical free disposables.

MISSION STATEMENT

2008-09-25T06:45:00.001-07:00

To create a needed service with an approach that is sustainable.

Essentially, this idea came about when it came to diapering my own baby, again! I realized I had standards for how best to accommodate this natural process that were similar to many other families. Using only plant-based detergents that were gentle against baby's skin, and freshening diapers with only non-chlorine bleach. I even have experimented with Elimination Communication. And as we all strive to make ecological choices in our everyday lives, we often invest more time in doing those extra movements. Thus, time reserved with family, friends, and community becomes lessened. It's a hope of mine to free up some of that time, and create another avenue for people to make connections with each other.

Once I started doing more research on the environmental impacts of cloth vs. disposable, it was like adding fuel to my fire. I was feeling more and more dedicated to getting this idea off the ground. It was astonishing to find out that only 5% of families in America use cloth diapers. Not to mention that disposables are the 3rd largest solid waste stream in landfills.

There are so many ways we can shift simple everyday tasks into a stronger alignment with a sustainable future. Making the choice to use organic unbleached cotton diapers was a simple one. The purchase of thousands of diapers that were used without harmful pesticides or chemicals not only supports the strength of the organic movement, and ensures more healthy soil tilled, but optimal skin health as well.

In another effort to save resources, I aim to use less gas and minimize my carbon footprint by biking when possible to pick up and drop off diapers. I plan to bike the Northampton area in good weather, and drive to surrounding towns and utilize central drop off sites. Please utilize the survey to the right to give your thoughts on this idea.

I envision an open forum taking place on the website (or blog for now) where questions, ideas, and successes can be shared among other cloth diapering parents. What diaper covers they prefer, how to deal with diapering on the go, etc. Or even just as another avenue to meet other like-minded families and build connections in the area.

I appreciate that you've taken the time to share in this idea with me. If you have other ideas to add, or are interested in becoming a customer or know others who would, please contact me at angiejgregory@gmail.com. I'm excited to build the movement with others towards a sustainable future!