A Non-Cloth, Cloth Diaper Baby Shower Gift

Want to give a baby shower gift that shows off how great cloth diapers are, but are worried about giving a gift that won’t be used? Or you don’t want to be pushy about how great cloth diapers are to a new mom? I remember registering for my first baby and being completely overwhelmed. It took me months to research and register for everything that I needed and thought I just had to have. Keeping that in mind, it’s no wonder that I never seriously considered cloth. My brain wouldn’t have been able to make any more decisions after choosing a stroller, car seat, blankets, crib, pacifiers {there are about 1,000,000 of those to choose from}, etc. So without causing a new mama’s head explode, I have a great, green gift idea for you. GroVia Shells in hook & loop and a package or two of GroVia BioSoakers. It’s seriously the best of both worlds. Earth friendly, disposable inserts paired with cute, easy to use cloth covers. It’s the perfect match to let a new mama experience the best of cloth without using cloth. Huh? Think about it. She will get to experience diapering a newborn without blowouts. {Isn’t this really the best part of using cloth diapers?!} Chances are she doesn’t have firsthand knowledge about blowouts at her baby shower, but she will by the end of the first couple of weeks of her precious baby’s life. Desperate for an answer to her problems, she’ll vaguely remember the set of “hippie” diapers {her words, not mine} you gave her at her shower and give them a shot. And like the miracle she was searching for, she’ll find the “transitional” cloth diapers you gave her are perfect. Then wanting more of these hippie miracle diapers, she’ll call you. Hearing her tired and desperate voice, you’ll let her know all about cloth diapers. And of course you’ll tell her to shop at Green Baby Elephant, which is where you found out about this fabulous baby shower gift in the first place. And we all lived happily ever after. *sigh*  

See pictures of how BioSoakers work with GroVia shells here.

Also, for the month of August 2011, every GroVia diaper {Shells, AIOs, Newborn AIOs} in Ice {light blue} and Cosmos {light pink} are buy 2 get 1 free. So now is a perfect time to stock up for future baby shower gifts. No scrambling around last minute at a baby store searching for items off a registry! And want to add more to your gift without actually gifting cloth? You can add any combination of the following to your gift to really show how useful cloth diapering accessories are: cloth wipes {can be used a washcloths}, a wet bag {to hold poo covered clothes while disposables are being used, which will then convert to a true wet bag utility after cloth diapers are used}, diaper rash balm {Magic Stick or Rockin' Delish}, and/or cloth diaper safe detergent {Tiny Bubbles, Thirsties Super Wash, or Rockin’ Green as an alternative to Dreft to be used on baby’s clothes}.  Now pat yourself on the back for putting together a unique and green baby gift!

~~Tonya~~

Nursing a Pirate

In honor of World Breastfeeding Week, I thought I’d share my favorite breastfeeding experience. It took place last year in Disneyland…the Happiest Place on Earth. What a coincidence, right?! CW was not quite 3 and BW was 5 months. We spent a week at Disneyland, and during that week I nursed BW just about everywhere…hotel lobby, restaurants, benches while watching parades, and on a ride. Yes, that’s right even on a ride. Mr. GBE and I took both boys on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride several times. On one trip I overheard a lady behind me whispering to her friend that she couldn’t believe there was a little boy and a baby on this ride. She was obviously annoyed at the potential of 2 kids crying on the ride. CW didn’t cry. He didn’t cry on any rides. BW didn’t cry either. He was too busy nursing. HA! Take that grumpy lady sitting behind me. {I wouldn’t have been surprised if that annoyed her too. A baby nursing in public without being covered. Oh the horror!} So anyways, I’d like to think that BW is the only baby in the world that was breastfed while riding on The Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland. Don’t anyone get any ideas and one-up me here. Just Kidding. Does anyone else have any memorable experiences breastfeeding their baby?

Try it. You'll like it.

I’m not a huge fan of trying new things. I’m a creature of habit, and I don’t deal well with change. My difficulty with change was made evident when I was switching from disposables to cloth diapers. It took me a long time to do it, and I relied on disposables quite a bit. You can read about my transition to cloth here. But once I made the change, I L.O.V.E.D. it! That’s the funny thing about new things.  I have a difficult time getting myself to try something new, and about 99% of the time I end up happy that I did.

So once I made the switch to use only cloth, I was slammed with about a bazillion different types of cloth diapers. It was so overwhelming to decide what diaper to try next. I was happy with what I was using, but felt the need to try other diapers that I was reading about online. I’ve tried about a quarter of a bazillion brands and types of diapers. So what I sell in my store, are all brands and styles that I have used with much success. I want to be able to know firsthand how well a diaper works before I sell it to another mom. It’s important to me to make sure that other moms have a successful cloth diapering experience.

Why do I sell so many brands and types of diapers? Because every baby is unique, every diaper will fit that baby differently. I want to make sure that I carry a diaper that will work for your little one. So in my experience with trying a quarter of a bazillion diapers, I’ve come up with a rule. Buy 2 of a diaper when trying it out. Why two? For some reason, a brand new diaper always relaxes BW, and a poo is made within minutes. I’m not lying! {I hope BW forgives me when he’s older for always talking about his bowel movements!} So when I change his diaper, I have a second one to use. Two diapers also give you more of a feel of how the diaper works in your stash. You get more use out of them, instead of using it once and waiting a day or two before it can be used again. And after you fall in love with the new diaper, buy more! I really think that simplicity is key when cloth diapering. Stick with a brand/style or two. It does make your life easier when it comes to washing and using them. Or what if you decide it’s not for you? Well, that’s not too difficult either. You’re only stuck with 2 and not a whole stash worth, so trade or sell them. Not much money was invested in the 2 you bought, and it’s time to move on to try a different style.

Still stressed about all the different types of diapers and don’t know where to start? Don’t want to spend a lot of $$ trying out different diapers before building up your stash? Green Baby Elephant can help. Local Tucson Mamas can contact GBE to schedule a private consult or host a diaper party with friends. Being able to see & touch diapers before buying will save you countless hours spent researching online. And it will also save you $$ since you’ll have a much better idea of what you’d like to try, instead of buying diapers sight unseen. And if you don’t have the pleasure of living here in Tucson, I’m still more than happy to help you find a diaper that will work for you and your little one. And remember when trying out a new diaper, always get at least two!





It's always good to have a diaper to match your fave pair of cowboy boots. Or is it a good thing to accessorize a fave diaper with a stylish pair of kicks? Whatever the case, it doesn't hurt to accessorize!