As many of you know, I am a little more than 7 months pregnant, with a precious baby girl. Being that our little girl is so close to arriving, I have been trying to get products to review that I know will be helpful in the near future with her. Fortunately for me, I came across Andrea, a Senior Consultant, from EverythingBirth.com.
From the Creator of the Company - Crystal: In 2001, Everything Birth was born! I held birth classes, hosted workshops, and gathered as much info about pregnancy, birth, and parenting I could get my hands on! I purchased my first GentleBirth Pool to rent locally and started carrying a variety of natural parenting items. Working from home became most important to me, as we continued to navigate the hospitals over a series of complications and a baby in tote. In the beginning of 2004, I purchased midwifesupplies.com (at the time known as Peaceful Beginnings) from a local friend, midwife, and soon to be mom. Helping midwives find the supplies they needed, putting together home birth kits, working with birth centers, and even working with hospital birth centers gave me the final push to make this business my calling.
I am fortunate to have all of these birth people in my life, and look forward to the occasional birth story with which I am blessed. My goal is to continue to advocate for informed birth choices, women’s rights, and the midwifery model of care. I support non-profits that stand by the same philosophy and have started a Midwifery Cause of the Month to help promote these agencies of change.
Courtesy of Andrea, I was able to review three fantastic items!
The day that I received the package of goodies, my mom and I dug right into the face mask. My mom had been talk about doing a facial for almost two months and we just hadn’t found the right time or type for us.
The directions for this clay mask were incredibly simple, which was great for us, because neither of us have ever had a facial, let alone prepared a facial mask.
The mask is a combination of Green French Clay Organic Oatmeal – it nourishes the skin and removes toxins. Green French Clay not only has minerals good for the skin, but is known for its enormous absorbent powers due to the constitution of its micro molecules. It literally "drinks" oils, toxic substances, and impurities from your skin. Its toning action stimulates the skin by bringing fresh blood to damaged skin cells, revitalizing the complexion, and tightening pores. French Green Clay is marvelous for helping to clear problem skin. Use it daily on trouble spots, or weekly as part of a complete facial treatment. Mined from bedrock quarries in France, it is completely natural, unscented and fragrance free. (per Mountain Rose Herbs)
Directions: Mix about a quarter of the bag of clay face mask in a small bowl with water (for oily skin), milk (for normal to dry skin) or for a terrific tonic (organic plain yogurt) until the mix is a "runny mud" apply to skin and let dry. Rinse off with warm water, pat face dry and apply Beautiful Skin Face Cream.
After about 7 minutes on our skin, we were done. It came off so easily – just nice warm water on a wash cloth. Yepp. It was that simple. After taking off the mask, I could tell a huge difference in the softness of my skin.
Now, as most of you know, I am due in August with a precious baby girl. And to say the least, diapering will not be my favorite part of her arrival. Joshua and I have made the decision that overall (not 100% though) we will be cloth diapering, as it is better for the baby’s bottom. We’ve spent quite a bit of time practicing with cloth diapers (prefolds) and trying to do our best at getting the folding and pinning to go right. Needless to say, we’re no pros. Joshua doesn’t like prefolds. He says “The only thing these difficult cloths are good for is getting me pricked my pins” and such. However, knowing that they’re also good for baby’s bottom seems to keep him trying. This brings me onto our next item that I was able to review: the GroViab Newborn All in One Diaper. 
To prepare for baby use, wash 5-6 times before use. They gain more absorbency as you wash them. After this step has been completed, these cute little all in one diapers are ready to be your life saver. Simply snap on baby and go. It's that easy! They are everything in you need from a disposable diaper all in a safer, healthier, reusable cloth diaper AND MORE.
ü Adjustable rise snaps for a trim fit
ü Certified organic cotton inner
ü Soft layer of water resistant TPU
ü No cover needed
ü No stuffing, no doublers
As for the washing directions (after baby has used):
· Remove as much solid matter as possible
· Place soiled diaper in a dry diaper pail-no soaking necessary
· Wash soiled diapers every 2 days on warm with detergent
· Tumble dry
· Do NOT use bleach, enzyme cleaners or fabric softeners
Simple enough, if you ask me. I just cannot get over how helpful these all in one diapers really are.
Also, on EverythingBirth.com you can purchase these diapers in any of 7 different, adorable designs! These cute little diapers fit most newborns from 5-12lbs. After using the all in one diaper, Joshua quickly decided that these were much more “daddy-friendly” and that he’d like us to get more!
These liners are made from 100% viscose rayon, a cellulosic fibre derived from natural sources that will biodegrade (8 days in sewage treatment facility and 20 days in private septic).
I decided to test them out to the best of my ability. Seeming as our baby is not yet here; I used them with the little boy, Alex, that we baby sit. Since Alex’s parents do not use the cloth diapering method, I asked his parents if they’d mind me testing out the liners on him by diapering him in cloth diapers the next few times that I had him, until I was out of liners – they agreed. The first time that I cloth diapered him he was a tad bit fussy – he wasn’t familiar with it and it took a little bit of time getting use to. When I changed him later that day, I checked to be sure that there was no little rash or anything caused by the new liner that his sensitive skin wasn’t use to – nothing. Perfect.
So, I used them the next few times, as well. He grew fond of the cloth diapering and the new liners, which I disposed of in the toilet. They did not clog the toilet or slow down the flushing at all, it was just like using toilet paper. After baby-sitting Alex daily for about 2 days, I was out of the liners; therefore, forced to go back to using disposable diapers, as that was the agreement. Now, Alex decided he didn’t want disposables, he’d become a fan of the cloth diapering and liners. With that being noted, his parents are now going to be cloth diapering and are going to be looking into these great little liners.
All items reviewed wonderfully. Each product had its own special way of helping me out over the past couple of weeks. Be sure to stop by EverythingBirth.com to check out all of the fantastic items for babies and to help out moms (and dads too!).
If you’d like to win some great items for EverythingBirth.com, simply keep up with my blog and be sure to look out for the Baby Must-Have’s Event! Andrea has donated some fantastic items for entrants to win!
I receieved the above items free of cost in order to do my review. The opnions expressed here are 100% my own.
