la la ladybug Blog

Testing..Testing..One..Two..Three...Charlie Banana Cloth Diaper Vs. Amelia

Sat, 20 Aug 2011 22:41:00 GMT

Okay. I fully admit it. I am a cloth diaper geek.
Other people get excited over test driving new cars, or checking out the latest tech gadgets. Me? I'm thrilled when I get to test out a new cloth diaper.
Well, not me exactly. It's more like my daughter, Amelia, does the actual testing.
So, I was very happy to receive a new shipment of Charlie Banana diapers - especially the super cute ones that had "goodbye disposable, hello cloth" written on them.
And, since we have just moved and the web store was down for a little bit, we had plenty of time to get some use out of them.

Their one size works like most other one size diapers, and was very easy to put on the girl (even a crazy active girl like our Amelia who rarely sits still). We made sure to use these new diapers at least 3 times a week, and to include naps and overnights too - just to see how they would perform. Overnights are currently a big deal with us right now. Our DD usually wakes up with a super wet diaper, and we have certain diapers which we reserve for overnight use.

I LOVE Charlie Banana! These diapers never leaked - never! They fit our girl (at 32 pounds) perfectly, and contained her overnight wetting like few other diapers can. We used these diapers on our girl when we took the ferry to Vancouver (it's not always easy to change a baby on the ferry so I always try to put a really good diaper on her before we leave), and we used them overnight when staying at our relatives homes. I find it very important to trust that Amelia's diaper will not leak overnight and hence, will not leak onto guest beds.

For overnight use, I triple stuff her diapers (3 inserts), and for naps and daytime use, the 2 inserts worked wonderfully.

Our la la ladybug family is very excited to be offering Charlie Banana diapers for your family. Another bonus is that Charlie Banana supports Operation Smile, a medical charity that helps children around the world.:
https://www.charliebanana.com/Operation-Smile_ep_44-1.html

It's a Win-Win!

In celebration of our grand re-opening, we will be giving away a fabulous Charlie Banana "Goodbye Disposable, Hello Cloth" One Size Diaper. All you need to do is sign up for our newsletter at www.lalaladybug.com for the giveaway details.

Have a lovely day!

the la la ladybug family.

Yes - You CAN Love Cloth Diapering!

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 22:54:00 GMT

It's finally spring and it's the perfect time to try new things. Have you ever wanted to try cloth diapering but it seemed too overwhelming? Have you used them in the past with little success?

At the last trade show I participated in, I heard many stories of people who really did want to use cloth diapers, but something came in the way. Some parents had bought diapers but after a few uses, they began to leak.

I often hear that people use diaper rash creams with their cloth diapers - this can be one of the reasons why your diapers leak (all diaper rash creams are designed to repel wetness to clear up the rash. Repelling wetness is not good for your diapers -you want them to be as absorbent as possible).

Another culprit can be the detergents that are used when washing the diapers. Although a detergent may have a label that says it's "earth friendly", it doesn't mean that it is cloth diaper friendly. Take a look at the list of ingredients - if there is anything that says "coconut and/or kernel oil", it cannot be used to wash diapers. The oil in the detergent acts much like the rash cream - it will make your diapers repel wetness and hence, they will leak.

Not to fear though, all you need to do is strip those diapers to make them as good as new (you may need to strip them a few times to get them back to being absorbent. I found this out the hard way).

There are many ways to strip diapers that work. Check out this blog post and the responses from other cloth diapering parents who had some great ideas:

http://lalaladybug.com/_blog/la_la_ladybug_Blog/post/Okay_all_you_cloth_diapering_moms_and_dads_out_there,_I_need_your_help/

Do you have any other questions about cloth diapering? Have you ever wanted to try them out but weren't sure where to begin?

Drop me at an email at: jaclyn@lalaladybug.com ( http://lalaladybug.com/contactus) - I would love to help you love cloth diapering your little one.

la la ladybug at Mommylicious!

Wed, 02 Mar 2011 01:53:00 GMT

Just a quick note to let you know that we will be at Mommylicous, and fan-tab-ulous trade show, on March 6th. We hope you can come out and see us!

We Want Your Funny Parenting Stories - The Messier The Better!

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 16:23:00 GMT

Send us your messiest, most hilarious stories and you could WIN a mini photography session with Timeless Edge Photography (http://www.timelessedge.com/)

Go to the "Contact Us" page and submit your story now:
http://lalaladybug.com/contactus

Family Fun Day - December 5th, 2010

Sun, 21 Nov 2010 20:19:00 GMT

Hi everyone,

I am just so excited about Family Fun Day coming up on December 5th.

Time:

Sunday, December 5 · 11:00am - 4:00pm

Location:

Dance Co.

9030 McKenney Avenue, Mission Ridge Plaza.

St. Albert

Holiday Extravaganza!
Where else can you learn about cloth diapers and baby wearing, sip healthy coffee, shop for holiday gifts AND sample some super fun parent and child dance / fitness classes?

We don't call it Family Fun Day for nothing.

-Reanna Maitland will be doing trial dance / fitness classes for parents and kids (see schedule below).
http://jadoredance.com/

-Emily Hiller will be there with her Healthy Coffee. Check it out: http://www.emilyhiller.organogold.com/

-Jaclyn Thomey will be there to host several cloth diapering workshops throughout the day, and will also have various la la ladybug goodies for sale
www.lalaladybug.com

-Erin from Cosy Baby, Happy Mommy will be doing a baby wearing info session too!
http://cosybabyhappymommy.com/about.htm

-We are collecting New, Unwrapped, TOYS for children from infants to 12 years old for Santas Anonymous.
http://www.santasanonymous.ca/events/icalrepeat.detail/2010/12/05/95/-/ZmFkYWRhNzgwNzU4ZGIwZjk2MjEzNDNjMDM5YWQyMzU=

We will be offering some adult fitness and dance classes too - but that is no reason to leave the kids at home. We will have plenty of crafts and fun things for them to do while you enjoy some adult time.

Schedule:

11:00 am - INTELLIDANCE BABIES™.Postnatal class (3 - 18 months)

Learn how dance and movement can nurture early neural development and strengthen the caregiver-baby bond.

11:30 am - BABY WEARING SESSION

With Erin from Cosy Baby, Happy Mommy.

Noon - HAWT SALSA MAMA. Postnatal class (6-8 weeks of age and up)

With little ones snuggled into baby carriers, new moms learn popular Latin dances while babies shake maraca rattles and bounce along to the Salsa beat! All levels of fitness and dance experience are welcome.

1:00 pm - INTELLIDANCE TOTS™. Parent and Tot class (2 - 4 years)

Offers a creative environment for independent movers and their caregivers, to experience the joy of dance and movement together.

1:30 pm - FIESTA FAMILY Parent and Tot class (1 - 5 years)

Fiesta Family combines movement and play, with lively rhythms that parents and kids can both enjoy!

2:30 pm - SALSA BURN. Adult Class

Salsa Burn is a fitness dance class that teaches participants the sultry Latin rhythms of Samba, Salsa, Merengue, Cha Cha, and Bachata. Suitable for all dance and fitness levels.

3:00 pm - FIT HOP. Adult Class

Come and try this fun and funky cardio style hip hop class. No dance experience necessary.

Upcoming Shows and Cloth Diapering Workshops

Sat, 30 Oct 2010 20:46:00 GMT

I know it's Halloween, but the holiday season is fast approaching. Get your holiday shopping done and support your local vendors at the same time (it's a win - win kind of thing).

We have a few more shows coming up, so mark these dates on your calendars:

WeeStock:

November 20th, 2010

10am-5pm

Mayfield Trade Centre

http://weestock.ca/

-Shop Till you Drop Expo:

November 28th, 2010

Trans Alta Arts Barn

10:00am to 5:00pm

http://www.shoptillyoudropexpo.com

Family Fun Day (The Holiday Edition):

December 5th, 2010

Dance Co. St. Albert

9030 McKenney Avenue, Mission Ridge Plaza

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=172357279446550

There will be trial dance / fitness classes for moms to be, moms and babies, and moms and tots (and dads too!).

We will also be hosting two cloth diapering workshops and a baby wearing info session.

You can sip healthy coffee and shop at our local vendor fair as your kids do a fun craft.

Click on the facebook event link to get updates on our vendors and the schedule for the day.

We don't call it family fun day for nothing.

BOO!

Happy Halloween from all of us here at la la ladybug.

Keegan wasn’t just a cat; he was my family.

Sat, 09 Oct 2010 17:48:00 GMT

I’ve taken a bit of a break from the business this week. Those of you that are a fan of la la ladybug on our facebook page will know the reason: my little cat, Keegan, passed away on Monday.

As I write this, Rob is at our vet clinic, talking to them about our little Keegan. The vet was very gracious in giving us some time to think about what we’d like to do.

It seems to weird to think that our youngest cat is now gone. Chasing mice in cat heaven, as my aunt said to me the other day. I always assumed that Keegan would be the cat that Amelia would grow up with.

He came to us as a stray kitten. 5 years ago, during Fringe time in August, our friends found the little guy in the “Robes N’ Relics” shop off Whyte Ave. They did all the things you are supposed to do when you find a stray – called the SPCA, put up flyers, etc. No one was looking for this kitten.

They couldn’t keep him and so asked us if we would take him in. After some discussion, we decided that he would fit right into our family of me, Rob, and our two other cats.

We named him Keegan because he had red and white fur – Keegan in Gaelic means “little fiery one”. He was indeed fiery, and loud, and a small puffball of energy.

Keegan was so tiny. The vet guessed his age at 4 months, too young to be neutered. Little did he know that Keegan was in fact over 6 months old – that cute little kitten began to howl and spray our shoes! It wasn’t long before we took him back to get him fixed.

Our little kitten has part tabby, part stripy, and totally fearless. He would run right up to the other cats and then plop himself right on top of them and snuggle in. He had such a loud purr –Rob used to call him briggs, like a loud briggs and straton motor.

He sat on the countertops above the fridge, slept in the laundry closet on freshly washed laundry, and snuggled with Tybalt in their cat bed. It was never hard to find him; all you had to do was call his name and he would answer with his little kitten meow and come running to find you.

No matter how many years past, he was still a kitten. Still had the little kitten meow, still had that super soft kitten fur, and was still so tiny. What he lacked in size, he made up for in personality. When I went into Amelia’s room in the morning, he would jump on the window ledge and meow his good morning. He was always underfoot, and always talking to anyone who was in the room. You could never ignore Keegan. He had a way of making everyone laugh.

I miss my little guy so very much. He wasn’t just a cat; he was my family. He is everywhere I look, and yet he’ll never be here again.

I was very touched to see that my friend, Sue, did up a memorial to Keegan on her blog, Memories by Sparky. I have included the tribute she made for him below.

I know it will get better, I know that it will take time. Keegan was a wonderful part of our family and we are better for knowing him.

http://memoriesbysparky.blogspot.com/2010/10/it-hurts-they-are-family.html

They will not go quietly,

the cats who have shared our lives,

in suptle ways they let us know,

their spirit still survives.

Old habits still make us think,

we hear a meow at the door,

Or step back when we drop

a tasty morsel on the floor.

Our feet still go around the place

the food dish used to be,

And, sometimes, coming home at night,

we miss them terribly.

And although time may bring new friends

and a new food dish to fill,

That one place in our hearts

belongs to them. . . and always will.

.....Linda Barnes

Cloth Diapering Coast to Coast

Thu, 23 Sep 2010 20:28:00 GMT

The girl is down for a nap so I thought I would take this time and update our blog.

This summer was a whirlwind for our family - within one month, we went to British Columbia AND Newfoundland. We literally cloth diapered from one coast of Canada to the other. And yes, it can be done. Here are some quick tips on how to travel with your cloth diapers.

Bring two large laundry bags - one for dirty diapers and one for clean (don't mix them up - it makes for a long laundry day. Trust me).
http://lalaladybug.com/products/cloth-diapers-and-accessories/applecheeks-storage-sack-size-2
When traveling by plane, we put both laundry bags in cargo. Most airlines will give you a certain amount of cargo luggage for kids - car seat, cloth diaper bags (2), and portable play pen. We brought our stroller all the way to door of the plane and they stowed it before take off.

Make sure you bring a change pad to change the baby on the plane. The changing station is super tiny and you'll need to provide some padding for your baby.
http://lalaladybug.com/products/cloth-diapers-and-accessories/dri-pad-change-pad
It was also helpful to have Rob standing outside the bathroom to pass me things as I needed them (wipes, new diaper, etc.)

We have stayed in hotels and also at family members houses and have washed diapers at both places. All you really need is your detergent, a wash basin (or bathtub) to rinse out poopy diapers, and a washing machine. We usually did diaper laundry while Amelia was napping (our monitor was super handy to have in the hotel when the washing machines were a floor below us).

Yes, you will have to set aside some time to wash diapers, but we found that it was a nice way to relax and hang out with each other. It was the perfect way to get some downtime.

When heading out for the day, we used a backpack instead our regular diaper bag. We found it especially useful on days walking around the city, and when taking long day trips. Sometimes, a backpack is just easier to haul around than a diaper bag.

Cloth diapering while traveling takes a little bit more time, but it was well worth it.
If you are planning on traveling with your diapers and would like some tips, or anything else, you can contact us at: jaclyn@lalaladybug.com

Happy Travels!

Amelia in Stanley Park

lighthouse at Cape Spear, Newfoundland

Testing out the new OrganicKidz Stainless Steel Bottles on the East Coast

Sat, 11 Sep 2010 22:17:00 GMT

Hello everyone and welcome to our blog,

Hope you had a good summer. We're just getting back from the east coast and getting caught up on everything and that means doing a recap of our summer activities.

Before we left, I was contacted by Michael from OrganicKidz to see if we might be interested in carrying his line of stainless steel baby and toddler bottles. I took a look at the information he sent me and I thought that it would be prefect opportunity to try them out during our east coast trip. I ordered a few, and was especially excited to try the thermal baby bottle during our long day trips.

Here is a quick write up of the thermal bottle:
organicKidz™ is proud to have the world’s only thermal baby bottle in our 9oz/ 270ml narrow necked bottle. Liquids will be kept hot or cold for over 6 hours.

These bottles look fantastic, and we received compliments on them everywhere we went (just yesterday we were at Hathaway's Diner and two separate people thought they looked "funky" and "cute"). My favorite though was the thermal bottle and boy, did it take a beating on our trip! Amelia is going through a phase right now where she throws food, bottles, etc. when she is done with them. This poor bottle was thrown all over Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and it still looks like it's in great shape. They are not kidding when they say they are unbreakable!

The thermal bottle did indeed keep the beverage cold for 6 hours, which was such a life saver on our long day trips to places like Lunenberg. I really liked that it held 9oz as well, it was the perfect size to have for an all day outing.

I think it is great that these bottles can "grow" with your child - you can use a slow flow nipple, a fast flow nipple, and then you can get a sippy spout for toddlers. They are also compatible with several other brand name accessories.

These bottles have officially passed the "Amelia Test", and I am excited to be offering them through la la ladybug very shortly. Look for OrganicKidz bottles starting in October 2010.
I just took this photo of our thermal bottle - still looks great!

Some more information about organicKidz™ Stainless Steel Baby Bottles:

4 and 7oz Narrow Necked single hulled bottles for easy warming

9oz Narrow Necked vacuum insulated bottles so liquids keep cold for 5-6 hours

4oz and 9oz Wide Mouthed single hulled bottles available

2oz lid for easy measuring

BPA, PVC and Phthalate free

Compatible with most narrow necked nipples

Light weight and dishwasher safe

Unbreakable and dent resistant

Our products are packaged in environmentally friendly, recyclable cardboard

Cloth Diaper Fun in the Summer Sun

Sun, 25 Jul 2010 22:24:00 GMT

Hi everyone,

I was hanging up the diapers today so they could air dry, and I just couldn't resist taking photos of my little girl as she played underneath.

An Interview with Natasha from Natural Urban Mamas

Thu, 23 Sep 2010 20:54:00 GMT

There is nothing like holding your baby close to you, feeling their warmth, listening to them breathe while they sleep. Baby wearing can be beneficial to both caregivers and babies and can be a great way to bond with your newborn (or even your toddler).
We were thrilled to do an interview with Natasha from Natural Urban Mamas about baby wearing basics. With so many different kinds of wraps and carriers out there, it can get pretty overwhelming and Natasha is a knowledgeable mama and business owner who can help clear up any questions.

( http://www.naturalurbanmamas.com)

What do you recommend to new parents?
I recommend that you really think about your lifestyle and what you want out of your carrier for both you and your child. Babywearing is an activity as well as a convenience and you need to make sure that whatever carrier you are using fits with what you are doing, as well as the age and stage that your baby is at. Try out a few before you commit to one. Borrow from a friend, head to your local natural parenting store to try some on, or even check out a La Leche League meeting and talk to other moms who carry their babies.

How should people carry their baby in a sling/wrap/Mei Tai/SSC?
The same concepts for proper positioning of baby in a carrier apply for ALL baby carriers and is of the UTMOST importance to ensure the safety of the baby and the comfort of the wearer.

The following criteria should be met at all times.

Baby should be facing inwards (or on the back in a back carry) *More on this below

Baby is in an upright position and has a rounded spine**

Knees are higher than the bum or hips in a frog-like position

Legs are out (very newborn babies are the exception and will “frog up” their legs naturally)

Baby is HIGH on the wearer’s body (bum should never be lower than your belly button)

The fabric of the carrier is carefully tightened around baby, spread from one knee to the other

Baby’s head is tilted back, face uncovered, to ensure that there is no risk of the airway becoming blocked. You should be able to get two finger widths between baby’s chin and chest, if not-REPOSITION!

*Why you should wear your baby facing in: when a baby is facing away from you, their weight is hanging off your body, as opposed to cuddling in to it - this causes strain on your lower back, shoulders & especially your pelvic floor (which can lead to incontinence, particularly after pregnancy/birth).

**The upright position is a safer choice for several reasons: Baby’s neck is in a straight line with the body and his face rests on the wearer’s chest, with free airflow on both sides. Babies rely on the rounded spine to properly support and distribute the weight of their head and upper body and when a wrap or sling is tightened properly, the immature rounded spine gets maximum support and the natural “frog-leg”-position promotes the development of baby’s cartilaginous hip joints.**

What are the pros and cons of a sling?
The first carrier I ever bought was a ring sling and I still use the same one to this day. Slings come in two styles, a pouch sling that is not adjustable and fitted to the wearer and an adjustable ring sling that is more of a one size fits most. I personally prefer a ring sling-it works from newborn to toddlerhood, can be worn by multiple wearers and is a relatively easy concept to learn.

What are the pros on cons of a wrap?
A wrap carrier is usually 3-5 meters of fabric that is tied in various ways around both the wearer and the baby. It is probably the best carrier to use for a newborn because it keeps them close to mother, close to their source of nutrition (if mom is breatfeeding) and away from prying eyes and hands of strangers. Wraps can help to distribute the weight of baby across both shoulders and on the hips and reduce stress on the back for most wearers. There are a few different kinds of wraps, the most common being the stretchy kind (great for newborns to about 4-5 months) and a non-stretchy or woven wrap which can be used from newborn to toddlerhood. And there is also no end to the different ways that you can wear a baby with a wrap--on your front, on your back, on your hip, and also for the ambitious wearers who like to double up and wear two babies, the wrap is a necessity. The learning curve is a bit higher with a wrap and it takes practice to get baby in and out, and from a convenience standpoint,ie, I want to get baby into a carrier fast and run a few errands, the wrap is more cumbersome than other carriers.

What are the pros and cons of a structured carrier?
A soft-structured carrier often has more hardware to it than other kinds of carriers. Most are fastened onto the wearer with buckles and/or ties. For those with a more active lifestyle or who anticipate doing a lot of traveling with baby these are the carriers for you. You can wear them in the front (some come with infant inserts and can be used from the newborn stage), on the back and on the hip as well. They typically have a padded waist strap as well as padded shoulder straps not unlike a backpack, that greatly increase the comfort for the wearer as the weight of baby is distributed evenly across all three areas (2 shoulders and waist). SSCs allow parents to extend their babywearing years way beyond the infancy stage well into toddlerhood as most have an upper weight limit around 35-40 pounds. Personally, I think that SSC are a must have for all new parents, but I do think that they work best once babies are out of the newborn stage around 3-4 months and beyond.

What is the best way to carry a newborn?
See above for positioning criteria. We all hold babies naturally in an upright position and that is usually where and when they are the most happy. This upright and between mother's breasts position is also an important factor in enhancing/improving breastfeeding as well. A cradle position where baby is held horizontally is NOT recommended and is part of the reason for the recent recalls of certain types of 'bag' slings. In this position a newborn's head and chin can tuck down too far and because they do not have the neck strength to pull their own heads back, the baby can potentially suffocate. When wearing your newborn baby, you should always be able to put two finger widths between baby's chin and neck, and they should bever be so far away from your face that you can not kiss the top of their head.

With so many choices out there, how do you know which carrier will be perfect for you?
To be honest, you don't know. And to be even more honest, you are likely to need more than one kind of carrier to suit different needs in your life and also the different stages of your child's development.

Why do you believe in baby wearing?
Babywearing has defined motherhood for me. I did not now anything about attachment parenting before I had children and because I started wearing my first child while he was in NICU (Kangaroo Care and skin-on-skin carrying is highly recommended for premature babies) it just became a way of life for us. I believe that my children are calmer, more content human beings because of the closeness we have had during our years of babywearing. Babywearing has made my life easier in so many ways that I am often shocked to meet moms who have NEVER worn their babies. I opened Natural Urban Mamas in the hopes of educating more parents about the awesomeness ( yes, it is a word!) of babywearing and natural parenting and I strive to find the best, mom-made or mom-designed baby carriers that enhance this lifestyle and can make all parents lives easier and babies happier!

A little about Natasha:

Natasha Chiam is the owner of Natural Urban Mamas, a online mama & baby boutique that specializes in babywearing, cloth diapering and natural parenting. Natural Urban Mamas is also an information hub for local mamas with listings for local doulas and midwives, lactation consultants, where to shop, and much, much more! Natasha is mama to two kids under 4 (and she still wears them both) and is a firm believer that lowering your eco-footprint as a parent is possible and can be done one tiny footprint at a time, without compromising style or function! www.naturalurbanmamas.com

Thanks so much Natasha from the la la ladybug family.

Need your feedback : thinking about renting an office space - would you come check out our items in person? Would you attend cloth diaper workshops?

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 19:23:00 GMT

Hi everyone,

This is going to be a short little blog entry : we are thinking about renting out an office space in downtown Edmonton to hold cloth diapering workshops and also to have a physical "store" for people to come and check out our products.
Here is the question: Would you come and visit us? We are thinking about using the space one evening and one day during the weekend (parking would be free).

Please comment below, or send your thoughts to : jaclyn@lalaladybug.com

Thank you so much for your input.

My Baby Wearing Journey

Thu, 23 Sep 2010 20:55:00 GMT

Hello everyone,

Hope you are enjoying the summer so far. I am excited to be interviewing Natasha from Natural Urban Mamas about baby wearing (http://www.naturalurbanmamas.com), but first I thought I should share with you my own baby wearing journey.

Being a fan of attachment parenting, I was very excited about learning how to "wear" my little newborn. My first sling was bought on-line and was the wrong size. My second sling was bought on-line too, and I had no idea how to use it (I must have watched a million youtube how-to videos). Thankfully, the store that I bought my sling from offered baby wearing lessons so I was able to properly fit Amelia into it. I am so glad that I was able to see first hand how to use it because I actually had Amelia in a very unsafe position while I was trying it out at home (deep in the sling, in a cradle position with her poor little neck not properly supported).

I thought that I would love my sling. I had seen other mommies at the farmer's market, their babies in slings and it looked so perfect, so easy. Perhaps if I had tried using it more at home it wouldn't have felt so foreign. Plus, it was an adjustable sling and I was so worried that the rings would let out too much fabric and Amelia would fall.

I thought that I would be smart about my next purchase and so I went to a used kids clothing store. I found a baby bjorn there. Now, I had heard about the bjorn from quite a lot of people and some people really love the bjorn so I decided to pick it up.

I got it home and put it on right away. After a few minor adjustments, we were good to go! It felt sturdy and safe, and Amelia loved looking out when we went for walks. Now, for those that do not know, Amelia is taller and weighs more than the average baby - she is in the 80% percentile. After a few walks out with the bjorn my poor back was killing me! The problem was that you held the child's weight from your shoulders and upper back, and anyone who has ever carried a heavy backpack knows that you need support on your hips too.

However, Rob has always liked the Bjorn and it was his carrier of choice for awhile:

So, onto the next purchase.

At this time, I was also taking part in Salsa Babies, a great fitness class where you learn salsa dance moves while wearing your baby. Amelia was about 4 months old now and could hold up her head. I saw the other mommies in the class with really long pieces of fabric that they wrapped around themselves and their babies. It looked snug, but also complicated. I went to a great little baby store in town and tried on a bunch of wraps, including the complicated ones. I didn't want all that extra fabric to drape on the ground (it was winter at this time). I found the perfect solution - a blue celery wrap. It works like the long drapey wrap, but there are three pieces of fabric rather than one. You loop one piece around your upper torso diagonally, then do the same with the other piece (vice versa). The third piece wraps around your upper torso once baby is snug inside.

I ended up getting this wrap slightly used on kijiji. This was one of my favorite go to items for moms on the go - it worked wonderfully. It was great to dance in, and easy to put on for quick trips to the supermarket. I used this wrap right up until Amelia got too heavy for it (I especially noticed this in dance class - the fabric would stretch quite a bit and Amelia was not as snug as she used to be).

Another day, another carrier.

Next up - the baby hawk. Okay, I am still in love with my baby hawk too. It is a large piece of fabric that has four long ties on it (two on top, two on the bottom). The great thing about the baby hawk is that it can be tied in several different ways and it is also adjustable for dads and moms to use (one size fits all). I took Amelia to the folk fest in the baby hawk, we also used it on our trip to B.C. It worked wonderfully, and it had hip support too.

So, at this time, Amelia is about 6 months old. I was using the hawk and the blue celery interchangeably but I wanted to try out something new. I LOVE doing research on the web and I particularily love looking up product reviews. There were two carriers that I wanted to see : The Beco and the Ergo. These carriers are structured carriers and, to me, they resembled a large climbing backpack. Each carrier has positive and negative points, but I decided to try out the Beco - it looked funky and it was slightly less bulky than the Ergo.

I used the Beco up until just recently. Now that Amelia can walk, she no longer wants to be strapped into a carrier. I really did enjoy the Beco - it had great hip support (which is essential at this point - Amelia was getting pretty heavy), and it also had great shoulder support too. I really appreciated the shoulder padding when we would go on long treks. Also, another great thing about the Beco - you can wear baby on your back! This was a great way to carry her when she got heavy, and it was also a great way to continue doing Salsa Babies with the girl; we ended up going to Salsa Babies until she was crawling and didn't want to be in a carrier anymore.

So - that's my baby wearing journey. Some of it was good, some not so good, but I feel like I will be more comfortable the next time around with baby number 2. I really enjoyed that baby - mom closeness that comes with carrying your baby. After a rough period of post partum, and a long and unsuccessful breastfeeding journey, I felt like it was a way that I could connect with Amelia. I could look down and see her precious smile, or hear her deep breathing as she fell asleep, and could feel her little heart beating. I think it was good for both of us.

An Interview with Amanda from Love My Bump - everything you need to know about belly casting

Thu, 23 Sep 2010 20:55:00 GMT

While at WeeStock back in May, I was able to meet Amanda, the wonderfully talented mom from Love My Bump. She specializes in belly casting - making a "cast" of a pregnant belly. I thought this was a great idea and wanted to know more about the process so I asked her a few questions. Read on to know more about this great idea for moms - to -be and to get a special discount offered to readers of la la ladybug blog.

-Can you give me a bit of background information about yourself?

I am a mother of two, Ailee is four and Aidan will be one this July, and they are by far the best thing I have ever done with my life and my biggest joy and inspiration! I have been married 6 years and my husband and I are both lucky enough to be teachers and have the luxury of having summers off together. I currently teach junior high French Immersion math and science but dream one day of teaching high school biology. I would love to continue my love of travel that once brought me to teach for a year in Mexico where I learnt to speak Spanish and salsa dance. My love of nature started young with many camping and fishing trips with my family and I continue this passion with my own children.

-How did "Love My Bump" get started?

My first casting was done with a doula friend for a cousin of mine and it was such a special day spent together as women capturing the beauty of a mother and the child to come. I was hooked! After that I did a few castings for family members and then my own castings with the help of my mother and family and friends as a pre-birth celebration. While on maternity leave with my second child I decided to start my own company doing belly castings and selling casting kits. I expanded into making soother clips, both with ribbons and with eco friendly wooden beads and hemp cord, and finally to making relaxing bath salts for moms. Next I think I will be making matching nursing necklaces and soother clips for mom and baby!

-What exactly is belly casting?

Belly casting is simply making a cast form of a baby bump! You wet medical grade casting material and lay it over a prepared belly, either coated with petroleum jelly or on top of an old shirt. You can cast just the belly or the entire torso. You can also cast on the hands of the parents or older siblings and more! Once it has dried for 15 minutes you peel it away and let it harden over night. After that you can pick the level of finishing you want. You can have it reinforced and plastered smooth, painted, and even do artwork and embellishments to match the nursery or any theme you pick!

-How long does it take?

The casting itself can take anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and a half or more depending on what you want and the level of difficulty.

-How pregnant should you be to get your belly cast?

We recommend you be in your third trimester with a nice round belly for you. Around 34 to 37 weeks. Anytime after that can work to but you run the risk of not making it!

-What are some past examples of how people have used their belly casting?

It can be hung from the roof and can display toys, made into a time capsule, or displayed in a case.

-I see from your website that you do parties too, how does that work?

For a belly casting party I come and do the casting and you have a family member or friend help organize the party. Family and friends are invited to come and watch or even participate in making the casting. A little tip I love to tell mommies-to-be is to have guests bring casseroles for the freezer for after baby is born. It is a wonderful way to get daddy and siblings involved with the pregnancy and a great bonding experience for everyone.

And, is there anything else you'd like people to know about Love My Bump?

Visit us at www.lovemybump.ca for regular contests and sale updates including our Canada Day contest where you can win a free eco friendly soother clip!! You can also find us on facebook and twitter and by our products on ETSY. These links and more are all on our website. We try to support local and green mompreneurs and have many businesses, like La La Ladybug on the LINKS section of our site that are worth taking a look at. Enjoy!

As a special offer to readers of la la ladybug blog, Love My Bump would like to offer a discount:

Anyone who reads this blog and emails lovemybump@hotmail.com and mentions La La Ladybug will get 15% off a belly casting booked before the end of September 2010!! I will also throw in a free Love My Baby ribbon soother clip and Love My Mommy bath salts with any belly casting booked by then too! (Offer not valid in addition with any other promotion or offer.). Love My Bump is located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Thank you so much Amanda for taking the time to answer my questions. It has been fantastic getting to know you and I will definitely be booking a belly casting party for my next pregnancy (how much fun is that?!).

Well, hello there ladybug

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 23:53:00 GMT

Ah, summer.

This past weekend was the perfect summer weekend (well, I guess spring weekend since it's not technically summer yet..).

Anyhow, it was the perfect weekend to work on the yard. We've been doing our final grade on our backyard and this weekend we sodded our yard. It is so nice to finally have grass, and I can't wait to let the girl run around outside.
While we were tending to our garden in the front yard, we saw that we had some visitors. Welcome little ladybug.