Keeping your Baby Healthy And Safe {MedImmune RSV Awareness} #RSVProtection

As parents our main goal is to keep our children healthy and safe. We don't ever want any harm to come to them and we hate to see them sick and miserable. So we have to do our best to protect them. RSV is a virus that attacks the lungs and can be very dangerous to babies and young children. I remember hearing about RSV before I had my own children, but I had no idea how easily a baby could catch it until my 2 month old baby boy caught RSV. It was one of the scariest few days of my life. 

We all know babies love to put things in their mouth and babies and kids love to get close to other kids. They wipe their noses with their hands and they cough without covering their mouth all the time. Babies, especially very young or premature babies, have very weak immune systems. So when big sister or brother brings a virus home from school, they have a very good chance of catching it. This is usually what happens with RSV. For adults and older children, RSV produces cold-like symptoms. This is what happened to us. My three year old son came home from Mom's Morning Out with a what we thought was a cold. He had a runny nose and was coughing some. Those were his only symptoms. Just a few days later, our two month old son was wheezing, coughing, and really struggling to breathe. 

RSV is a seasonal virus that is typically at it's worst November through March. If your baby or child is suffering from the following symptoms he/she may have RSV:

• coughing or wheezing that does not stop
• fast breathing or struggling to breathe
• spread out nostrils or caved in chest when trying to breathe
• bluish color around the mouth or fingers
• fever (especially if it is over 100.4 in babies 3 months and under)

If your child is struggling to breathe and has one or more of those symptoms take them to see a doctor as soon as possible. RSV is a virus so there isn't a treatment to get rid of it but there are ways to treat the symptoms so the baby or child is more comfortable during the course of the virus. My son had to be on a nebulizer breathing treatment every four hours around the clock to help him breathe while he had the virus. 

RSV is the leading cause of infant hospitalization every year and is responsible for over 500 infant deaths each year. That is really scary to think about. Since RSV is a virus and there is no treatment for it, we as parents must do everything we can to protect our children from it. Ways to protect your children from RSV include: 

- wash hands frequently 

- wash surfaces, toys, and bedding frequently

- keep sick children at home and away from other children and babies

- keep your baby away from large crowds where someone may be sick

- don't smoke and don't let others smoke around your baby

It was a very scary ordeal when my son had RSV. He was a typically healthy baby and to see him struggling to breathe and coughing so much was horrible. We were very lucky and he did not have to be hospitalized but some babies do. Some babies and children are at a higher risk of getting RSV so talk with your child's pediatrician to know whether or not your child is at a higher risk. Do whatever you can to prevent your child from getting this virus and if your child does start to show symptoms of RSV contact medical care immediately. 

For more information on RSV and how to protect your family from it visit www.rsvprotection.com

Disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a campaign for Mom Central Consulting on behalf of MedImmune and I received a promotional item to thank me for my participation.

Wordless Wednesday (Sorta)

I have a goofy little helper when it comes to modeling my crocheted items! Noah loves to help out but that doesn't stop him from making silly faces while he does it haha!

Love this hat?! You can purchase your own on my Etsy Shop- Two Brothers Blankets!

Cloth Diaper Q & A Week 5! {Convincing Other Caretakers!}

It's week 5 of cloth diaper Q & A and I think it's going really well if I may say so myself! Am I answering your questions? Do you have more questions for me? Feel free to email me at mommyferg02 (at) gmail (dot) com and I will be happy to answer your questions here each week! 

This week we are discussing how to convince other caretakers to also use cloth! Not everyone sees how cute and fun cloth diapers can be! Not everyone cares that they are good for the environment and save money. Some people just see the mess and the poop and having to touch something your child pooped and peed in! Yes, even some dads see it that way! I've come up with a list to help you convince other caretakers like dads, grandparents, and even daycare workers to use cloth diapers on your baby too!

Make it Easy for Them!

Let's face it, some cloth diapers are super simple. Some require pinning or snappi's and have different parts to them. Those are NOT the kind of diapers you want to leave for a caretaker who is not used to using cloth diapers! My suggestion is to use all-in-ones or pockets that are already stuffed! That way all they have to do is put the diaper on the baby! Also, leave them plenty of wet bags so that all they have to do is put the soiled diaper into the wetbag. You could even tell them not to worry about poopy diapers. Just have them stick it in the wetbag and you can deal with it when you are home. If you make it as easy as possible for them, they will likely be more open to giving them a try!

Show them exactly how to do everything!

The best way to convince other caretakers that it is really not that bad using cloth diapers is to just show them how it's done! Show them exactly how to put the diaper on and exactly how to take it off. Show them where to put the diaper in the wetbag, and where to put the wetbag when they are done changing baby! Answer their questions, kindly and thoroughly. Don't make them feel like they are dumb or clueless if they have a lot of questions or concerns. It would probably be good to even do a trial run before you leave the baby with that person so they can change the diapers but you are there in case they need help or have questions! 

Don't Push It

If you cannot convince another caretaker to try cloth diapers, just let it go and don't push it. If you push it you will create tension between you and that other care taker and even cloth diapers are not worth that! Just use disposables in the meantime or look for another caretaker. Continue to use cloth diapers when you are around that person so they will continue to see how easy they are to use. Maybe, hopefully, eventually they will be more open to the idea and give it a try!

Have other cloth diaper questions you would like to see answered in this series? Just leave a comment here or email me at mommyferg02(at)gmail(dot) com! 

Earth's Best Yogurt Puffs Review & Giveaway!

I'm so excited to share with you a brand new delicious and healthy snack from Earth's Best! 

Both of my boys loved those little puffs you can get to help baby learn to eat fingers foods on their own. We go through a container in two days when I get them! Even know that they are older they still love them! So when I showed them Earth's Best new Yogurt Puffs they were super excited! These new Yogurt Puffs combine two favorite yogurt flavors(blueberry and peach)  and whole grain oats and flour to create a delicious melt in your mouth snack! Plus they are packed full of healthy vitamins! 

The boys loved these! I'm talking they devoured them! Noah kept telling me how delicious they were! It's such a great feeling to know that I'm giving my kids not only something they love but something that is good for them too! Earth's Best has awesome snacks for on the go or at home and they are all organic and healthy! 

Buy It!

www.earthsbest.com

Win It!

One lucky reader will win their own set of Earth's Best Yogurt Puffs in both peach and blueberry flavors! {US only!}
Must be 18 years of age or older. Only one entrant per household allowed. Giveaway is open to US only. 

NeoCell Youth and Beauty Boost Fish Collagen Review and Giveaway!

One of the things I love about my appearance is my skin. I have always had great skin. Even as a teenager I didn't get a lot of acne or have oily skin. But as I get older I've noticed I do get some acne and dark spots and my skin just isn't as perky and beautiful as it once was. I want to do everything I can to keep my skin beautiful and healthy for as long as I can. When I was given the opportunity to review NeoCell's Fish Collegen + HA I was looking forward to seeing if it really worked to restore my skin! 

NeoCell Fish Collagen + HA has many benefits. It promotes strong skin, healthy skin, and skin's elasticity and firmness. Did you know that after the age of 25 our collagen production typically slows at a rate of 1.5% a year? I just turned 25 back in September so now is the time for me to start really taking care of my skin! Without collagen our skin becomes weak and brittle and that's when wrinkles start to form! The HA stands for Hyaluronic Acid and is in every tissue of the body. It is responsible for the elasticity and hydration of our skin, joints, and eyes. It also slows down production as we get older. 

I've been taking the NeoCell Fish Collagen + HA for a little over a month and a half now. Now I know you're probably thinking, "Isn't Fish Smelly?", "Doesn't it have a disgusting after taste?". I thought the same things before I started taking these supplements. To my pleasant surprise the pills don't smell like fish, they don't make me smell like fish, and they don't have a fishy after taste either. I was very relieved! The bottle says to take two capsules twice daily. I was lucky if I remembered to do that! I usually only remember to take two per day. Even with only taking two per day I still saw a noticeable difference in my skin! Since taking the Fish Collagen + HA I have noticed that my skin seems brighter! Seriously that's the only way I know how to describe it! It just seems like it's in better condition. I don't feel the need to wear as much makeup because my skin already looks good! I'm very pleased with the results of this supplement after only a month and a half. I will continue to take the NeoCell Fish Collagen + HA and hopefully my skin will stay wrinkle free and healthy for quite a while! 

Buy It!

http://www.neocell.com/buy.php

Win It!

One lucky reader will win a two month supply of NeoCell's Fish Collagen+HA! 

Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Only one entrant per household allowed. Giveaway is open to US and Canada only. 

Cloth Diaper Blog Hop! {Converting a Friend}

I'm a day behind, we've all come down with the sickies this week here at my house. But I wanted to write about this topic because I think it's a good one! In the three years that I've been cloth diapering I've definitely done my share of trying to convert others to cloth! Some attempts have been successful while others have not. But in my attempts these are the things that I have found to work the best in showing others how awesome cloth diapers are!

Have Cloth Diapers With You Everywhere You Go!

I always have Isaac in cloth and always have cloth diapers in my diaper bag. So at play dates or other outings when I go to change his diaper others see the cloth diapers and this usually strikes up questions about them. Then I get to explain to friends and family how they work and how cute they are and how easy they are to use!

Share pictures!

Almost everyone has Facebook and Instagram these days! There's nothing cuter than an adorable baby in his/her adorable fluff! I share fluffy photos all the time and this also sparks conversation! Facebook is also a great place for friends to ask questions they might feel awkward asking in person!

Here's a recent Instagram photo I shared of Isaac in his new Twinkie Tush cloth diaper!

Help Them Get Started

If you have friends who are interested and want to start cloth diapering, get together with them for a play date or for lunch and show them what they need to know to start. Help them find what type they want and where they want to buy them! Help them be sure they have all the accessories they need! Help them take that plunge! 

With these methods I have successfully converted a few friends to cloth! Everyone knows I cloth diaper so I get a lot of questions from others who are interested in finding out more about them. And I'm always super happy to share with them my love for fluff! 

Have you ever converted anyone to cloth? How did you do it?

Twinkie Tush Cloth Diapers Review & Giveaway!

For most of my cloth diapering journey I have used pocket diapers. I tried a few other types of diapers when I was first starting to cloth diaper but went with pocket diapers because they were so easy to use and worked well for us. Lately though, I've been venturing into the world of fitted diapers. I've been very interested in how they work and the materials they are made with and have really been interested in trying them. So I've been trying some here and there and have really enjoyed them! Some of my favorites to try and the ones I am loving the most are handmade fitted diapers by work-at-home-moms! There's just something about a diaper that was made by a fellow mom that I love! So when I was given the opportunity to try a Twinkie Tush OS fitted cloth diaper I was thrilled!! 

Twinkie Tush Cloth Diapers was created by Gretchen, a mom of twins! Twinkie Tush is actually named after her twins who they called the twinkies when she was pregnant. She started in December of 2010 and would stock her diapers on Hyena Cart about every two weeks. Soon they were selling out so quickly she started stocking weekly! Her husband also helped with the business and shortly after they began they were able to add another member to their team! 

Twinkie Tush One-size Fitted Diapers are made with four types of materials- organic bamboo velour or cotton velour, organic bamboo fleece, stretch fleece, and the outer print which is usually a knit material. The velour is so soft! I told my husband I wanted my clothing to be that soft! It's amazing! The organic bamboo fleece is extremely absorbent also so it makes for a great pair!

I received a OS fitted in this super cute print you see above that's called "Benson". I was honestly really surprised at the size of these diapers! They are much larger than some fitteds I have seen! They do have a snap down rise though so they will fit smaller babies, but will definitely work good for bigger babies.  Isaac is 22 pounds and although I get a good fit with the rise snapped down, it comes down way too low since he's on the taller side so I just leave the rise up. Like I said before, the velour is so soft! I could seriously use the inside of this diaper as a pillow! The insert of the diaper snaps into the diaper so it doesn't go anywhere while Isaac is wearing it. It also comes with a double that snaps to the insert which I really like.  A few other fitteds I've tried just come with doublers that lay into the diaper and they get scrunched up and moved around like that. The doubler on the Twinkie Tush actually snaps into bottom side of the insert so you don't even see it! When I received the diaper I emailed Mike at Twinkie Tush to see what sort of prepping this diaper would need. I was so pleased when he wrote me back and told me it didn't need really any prep other than maybe washing it once. He said it was already absorbent and should work fine for me. So after just one wash I gave it a try! To my pleasant surprise he was right! The first time Isaac wore it he had it on for a little over two hours, without a cover, and didn't have any leaks! This diaper does need a cover if I were to have him in it for a nap or overnight, but during the day he can go coverless for about two hours before the diaper starts to get wet. I don't keep him in a diaper any longer than that anyway so it's nice to be able to let him go without a cover. I hate to cover up the cuteness anyway! 

Twinkie Tush just opened up their very own website, www.twinkietush.com , and here you can find all the information you need about their diapers and other products as well as purchase! They still do a weekly stocking which happens every Wednesday. The prices of these diapers start at $35 and go up. While that is definitely more than I would normally pay for a diaper, I can see why they are priced at that. They are made with great quality and with great materials. They work great too! So when you do spend the money on one of these awesome diapers you know you are getting something that is great and well worth it! 

Buy It!

http://www.twinkietush.com/shop/

Win It!

One lucky reader will win their very own Twinkie Tush One Size Fitted diaper is this adorable print called Journey! 

Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Only one entrant per household allowed. Giveaway is open worldwide but anywhere outside of the US or Canada must pay shipping. To enter just fill out the Rafflecopter form below!

Cloth Diaper Q & A Week 4! {Prepping and Washing Cloth Diapers}

Welcome to another week of Cloth Diaper Q & A! In previous week's we've talked about the different types of cloth diapers, the cost of cloth diapers, and how many diapers you will need. Now we are going to talk about prepping your diapers and washing them once you actually have them! Some diapers require a little more prep than others to do the job to the best of their ability. For other diapers it's as simple as washing the diaper before you use it. 

Prepping Brand New Diapers

I always wash new diapers at least once before I use them. Even if they don't need to be prepped for absorbency I just wash them to remove any residue or anything else that could be on them from the manufacturing process. Some diapers, however, need to be prepped to reach their maximum absorbency. Fabrics like hemp, bamboo, or cotton need to be washed 4-8 times to be the most absorbent. Fabrics like microfleece or microsuede only need to be washed once or twice. 

So how do I prep them? It's almost exactly like my normal wash routine. I just do a cold rinse, then a hot wash with soap, and then another cold rinse. If they need to be washed more than once I do the hot wash a few more times and then the cold rinse to finish it off. I don't usually bother drying them in between washes when I'm prepping. Some say you should but I've never noticed a huge difference in the amounts of time I need to wash the diapers or anything like that. When I am ready to dry them after they've been prepped I do usually dry them in the dryer the first time. This way they get nice and soft and fluffy and it will also seal off the PUL. 

Washing Dirty Diapers

So after your diapers have been prepped and you use them you'll need to wash them again! (Duh!) So what do you do now that they are all disgusting and smelly? First let me say, I would definitely wash every other day to every two days. Anytime I've gone longer than that I run into stinky, yucky issues. My diapers also tend to all come out stained if I wait any long er than that. I usually try to wash every other day, no matter what. Sometimes I don't get to it until the third morning, but I definitely don't wait any longer than that. I throw all my diapers in the wash, (wash my hands) and set it to a cold rinse. This rinses out all the pee and poo. Then I set it to as hot as I can get it ( I have a switch behind my washer that turns the cold water off) and do a hot wash with 2 tablespoons of Tide powder. You only want to use about 1/4 to 1/2 of the amount of detergent you normally would on your clothing. I know this doesn't really seem to make sense but it works. If you use anymore than that you will start to get buildup in your diapers which can then lead to stink and other issues. Then after the hot wash I do another cold rinse. Not all washing machines give you the option to do just a rinse so you can do another wash with just cold water if that's the case.  Then I hang my covers and pockets to dry and throw my inserts, cloth wipes, and fitted diapers in the dryer and dry on high heat. 

This has pretty much been my wash routine for three years now and it has worked well for me. I've tried a few different detergents but really like Tide the best. You may have to try a few kinds to find out what works for you. Depending on what kind of water you have and how your washing machine works you may have to tweak your wash routine some. Just give it a try and see what works best! 

Have a cloth diapering question you would like me to answer? Leave a comment below or email it to me at mommyferg02 (at) gmail (dot) com!

Earth's Best Promise to You! + Giveaway!

I am really excited to be working with Earth's Best again for another six months to share with you all the great things they have for you and your children! I love Earth's Best because they pay attention to the details! They know you want what's best for your children and they know you want only the healthiest and safest products! Every single ingredient they use is extensively tested for pesticides and harmful residues or anything else that may be harmful to your child! 

Earth's Best products are all made with organic ingredients and they have something for every stage of childhood! From infant formula and cereal to organic yogurt smoothie pouches for big kids, they have it all! They even have products for your home that are all natural and won't harm anyone in your home! With Earth's Best products you can have piece of mind that your family is eating and using products that are safe and good for them! 

We have been eating and using Earth's Best products for a while now. I can personally tell you that we love them! My boys absolutely love the Earth's Best snacks! Some of their favorites are the greek yogurt pouches, the pop snax, and the cereal bars! I feel good knowing that they are eating ingredients that are organic and extensively tested for pesticides and other harmful things! I don't have to worry when I feed my kids Earth's Best snacks! 

Want to give Earth's Best Organic products a try?! Enter below for your chance to win an Earth's Best Welcome Pack filled with an awesome assortment of Earth's Best products! 

Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Only one entrant per house hold allowed. Giveaway is open to US only. 

My Big Announcement! {Adding Another Title to My List!}

I am so excited to share with you something I've been working on for a few months now that is finally all coming together! So now, to add to my list of titles like wife, stay-at-home mommy,  and mommy blogger I can now include WAHM (work-at-home-mom)! 

I have been crocheting for a little while now and I REALLY enjoy doing it! I've been making hats and scarves and blankets and decorations and all kinds of things and loving every minute of it! Well I started getting requests for things and people asking me for pricing on my items and it dawned on me, "why don't I open up a little shop?!" I can do something I really enjoy, make it available to others, and be able to help out somewhat financially in this household! So I started planning and getting some tips from other WAHM's and (finally!) came up with a name and was ready to open up shop! 

So I am so excited to share with you Two Brothers Blankets! 

I have a facebook page set up with pictures of my items and information on how to order! I am in the process of setting up an etsy shop and will share that link with you as soon as I have it! 

I am really excited to be participating in the "It's Time To Get Crafty!" Giveaway event that is taking place on February 6th-20th because I am self sponsoring! Two Brothers Blankets will be sponsoring a giveaway prize of a baby blanket in winner's choice of three colors and a matching baby beanie! That's a $40 value and I'm so excited to share my work with my wonderful readers! 

Here's a few of the items I've made!

I would love it if you "liked" my page on Facebook! There you will see all my work and get updates on pricing, deals, and specials! Once I get to 100 fans I will be doing a giveaway too! 

Thanks for letting me share! I am really excited about this new adventure in my life! 

Cloth Diaper Blog Hop- My Wash Routine!

I'm participating in the Cloth Diaper 101 Blog Hop again this week hosted by My Cloth Diaper Stash!

This week's topic is My Cloth Diaper Wash Routine! I've done a blog post on this one before so I'm just going to link back to it! My routine is still pretty much the same except (shame on me) I usually use Tide powder now as my detergent. I know Tide is not supposed to be cloth diaper friendly but for some reason it just works well for us. 

To see my exact wash routine go HERE. 

If you would like to share your own cloth diaper wash routine, write a blog post or link to a past post in the linky below! 

Cloth Diaper Q&A Week 3! How Many Cloth Diapers Will I Need?

It's week 3 of the Cloth Diaper Q&A and this week we are talking about How Many Cloth Diapers you will need to successfully cloth diaper your baby full time! You know what kind you want, you know how much they will cost..now it's time to find out how many you will really need! I'm going to break it down by age. This is just an estimate by me and my experience in cloth diapering a baby from a newborn to a toddler. 

Newborn

If you are planning to cloth diaper a newborn you should be prepared with quite a few diapers. Newborns usually pee and poop right after they eat, pretty much every time they eat! And sometimes they peep and poop more in between feedings! So to be on the safe side I'm going to say you will probably need 10-14 diapers in a 24 hour period for a newborn. This means if you want to wash every other day you'll need around 21-24 diapers in your stash, give or take a few more for days when they seem to go every hour! You will also need plenty of cloth wipes if you plan on using those. I will venture to say the more the better. Newborn poop is sticky and not always the easiest to clean up so it may take more than one or two wipes per change! If you are using prefolds or fitteds and need to secure them with snappis you'll probably want at least 2 or 3 of those to switch out of. If you are using waterproof covers over those prefolds or fitteds you will probably need 4-6, maybe less, just in case they get soiled also. That way you'll have plenty to switch them out if need be. 

Infants 1-12 Months

Around a month old or so babies stop going quite as often as they do when they are newborns. Depending on the size of your baby, they will start to outgrow their newborn diapers and move up to sized and one-size diapers. Isaac started outgrowing some of his newborn diapers around 3-4 weeks old. So once we moved up to sized and one-sized I had to change him a little bit less than when he was in newborn diapers. He went from pooping every time he nursed to only going once or twice a day! Most cloth diapering mom's will tell you to have between 20-24 in your stash to wash every other day.  Baby will probably need to be changed 6-8 times a day and once or twice at night depending on how often they are waking. Once again, lots of cloth wipes are always handy. And I'd still keep your snappis and covers for when you need them. 

Toddlers 12-24 months

Isaac will be 14 months tomorrow! Time is flying! So we are right in this part of our cloth diapering journey with him. He's no longer an infant but he's still my baby in many ways. And that includes diapering! He's nowhere near being able to potty train so he's still in cloth full time. At this age I'd still recommend 20-24 diapers if you are washing every other day. I have around 32 diapers in my stash right now and it is more than enough. I could go 4 days without washing if I wanted to! Isaac is eating solids three times a day and is also on whole milk. He also nurses twice a day still! So he has a few solid poopies a day and then wets 6-8 times a day still. He sleeps all night long so he's only in one diaper a night.  I still always keep plenty of cloth wipes handy because you just never know! 

Toddlers 24-36 months

This is when you will likely begin to potty train your child. He/She may be holding their bladder on their own for longer periods of time which means less frequent wet diapers. This is when you will begin to need less and less diapers and make the move to underwear! Noah potty trained completely around 2.5 years old. We started potty training a few months after his second birthday and we went straight to underwear except for at night. So we were only using one cloth diaper a day! I'll admit I finally got frustrated with such small diaper laundry loads that I switched him to underwear completely and put my cloth away for the next baby. If you aren't potty training yet you may need 15-20 diapers if you wash every other day. If you are potty training you will need less than that and eventually you won't need diapers anymore! I still recommend lots of cloth wipes because potty training can get really messy!

I hope this was helpful in explaining how many cloth diapers you may need! Remember, you don't have to start cloth diapering your baby right from the beginning! I didn't start using cloth diapers on Noah until he was 7 months old! No matter what age your baby is, I hope this will help you decide how many cloth diapers you will need and give you the push to begin using cloth! 

Have a cloth diapering question for me? Email me at mommyferg02(at)gmail(dot) com or message me on my Facebook page! 

Green Resolutions Giveaway Hop! #GreenResolutions

Welcome to the Green Resolutions Giveaway Hop, hosted by Happy Mothering and Mama Chocolate. Whether you make New Year's Resolutions or not, it is always great to make goals towards doing things that are better for you, your family, and the world! To help our readers start their New Year off Green, members of the Green Moms Network have come together to offer giveaways valued at $25+. After entering my giveaway below, please visit the other blogs listed under the Rafflecopter form to find the rest of the green giveaways.

Here at The Not-So-Secret Confessions we are giving away an awesome prize package valued at $28! If you win you will receive: 

- A Seventh Generation Holiday Cleaning Kit! {$29RV}

(Includes: Specialty Wood Surface Cleaner, Hand Care Dish Liquid, Automatic Dishwasher Packs, Lavender Purifying Hand Wash, Monodose Laundry Detergent Packs) 

- A Nic & Elli Reusable Sandwich Bag and Snack Bag! {$19RV}

Giveaway is open to US residents only. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Only one entrant per household allowed. You can do one entry or all of them! Just simply fill out the Rafflecopter form below to enter! 

Snug as a Bug Baby/Toddler Giveaway Hop! #snugbug

Welcome to the Snug as a Bug Giveaway Hop, hosted by the Blogging Mamas Network. Even though it's not exactly cold here in Georgia, we all know no matter what the weather babies love to be snuggled up and warm. I’ve joined with over 40 other bloggers to bring you great products to keep your baby snug as a bug!

Each blogger participating has a great Baby/Toddler Prize Package for you to win, worth at least $25, so after you enter mine, be sure to hop around to all the others in the linky!  Don’t forget to enter to win one of the GREAT GRAND PRIZES for the Event as well, including a Beco Baby Carrier, Kowalli, and The First Years Feeding Prize Pack!

Here at the Not-So-Secret Confessions you have the chance to win over $65 worth of baby/toddler prizes! 

You have the chance to win:
-A Teething Bling Signature Pendant! {$19.99RV}

- A $25 Gift Certificate to Just Simply Baby!

- A $20 Gift Certificate to Diaper Daisy! 

The giveaway is open to US residents only. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Only one entrant per household allowed. You can do one entry or all of them, but your chances greatly increase the more entries you do! To enter simply fill out the Rafflecopter form below! 

Disclosure: According To Jenny, So Easy Being Green, The Not-So-Secret Confessions and all the Snug as a Bug participating bloggers are not responsible for sponsors who do not fulfill their giveaway obligations. 

Diaper Daisy/Swaddlebees Simplex OS Diaper Review! #snugbug Sponsor Spotlight!

I am so excited to share another Snug as a Bug Baby/Toddler Giveaway Hop sponsor with you! Diaper Daisy is a family owned baby store specializing in modern cloth diapers, babywearing, and other natural products! Diaper Daisy is located in Kansas and their team includes Heather, Jess, Justin, and Beth!

Diaper Daisy carries all types of cloth diapers, baby carriers, breastfeeding, laundry, and other natural baby products! They even have a cloth diaper trial program where you can try cloth diapers without having to purchase every single diaper before you use it! It's an awesome program! They also have FREE shipping on all orders over $35 every day! 

Jess from Diaper Daisy sent me a Swaddlebees Simplex One-Size Diaper to review from their store. The Swaddlebees Simplex is an all-in-one diaper. It is made with a waterproof outer fabric and 100% birdseye cotton on the inside! So the inside feels just like a prefold! The awesome thing about this all-in-one is that it has a pocket! The insert is attached but with the pocket you can also add absorbency to fit your needs! And the pocket opens up on both ends!  It has two rows of snap down rise snaps and fits babies approximately 12 to 40 pounds. 

I really like the Swadlebees Simplex One-Size Diaper! We received the Owls print to review and there are so many other cute prints to choose from as well! I've never used a diaper, other than a prefold, that was made with the birdseye cotton inner material. I really like it! It is very absorbent! Since it is an all-in-one it does take a little bit longer to dry than some of my other diapers, but because the insert comes out of the pocket it takes a little less drying time than my other all-in-ones. Isaac is around 21 pounds and we get a great fit on the largest rise for him and one of the middle waist snaps. Isaac has worn this out and about and while napping and we haven't had any leaks or blowouts! 

You could have the chance to purchase your very own Swaddlebees Simplex OS diaper because Diaper Daisy is giving away one $20 gift certificate in the Snug as a Bug Baby/Toddler Giveaway Hop! The event starts tomorrow, January 15th!! 

Be sure to follow Diaper Daisy on Facebook and Twitter for the latest updates and for a head start on entries for the giveaway!

What's one item from Diaper Daisy you would love to get if you win the giveaway? 

Nic & Elli Reusable Snack Bags Review! #GreenResolutions Sponsor Spotlight!

I am so excited to share with you yet another Green Resolutions Giveaway Hop Sponsor! Nic and Elli carries eco-friendly products such as bibs, reusable sandwich and snack bags, and cloth diapers! The name "Nic and Elli" comes from the creator Yvonne's inspiration- her children! It all started when she wanted a bib that covered her daughter well, but didn't come off easily and didn't pull her hair out! So she created her own and the business was born! 

I was given the opportunity to review one of Nic and Elli's handmade reusable sandwich bags! I absolutely love mine because not only is it super adorable but it has my name on it! 

Isn't it so cute?! It is so well made and holds sandwiches great! I love to use it for not only sandwiches but snacks such as chips or crackers to take in the car or while we are out and about! I love the little handle too! It makes it super easy to carry when I have my hands full! I am really enjoying using this reusable sandwich bag because now I don't have to use plastic bags which create unnecessary waste. I love that I am doing something to help the environment and it's such an easy thing to do too! I want to get a few more of these reusable bags to have for the car and the diaper bag as well as one for my hubby to take his lunches to work in! 

Nic and Elli is giving away one reusable sandwich bag and one reusable snack bag in the Green Resolutions Giveaway Hop prize package!! 

Yvonne is also offering FREE shipping on all reusable sandwich and snack bags during the month of January! So now is a great time to stock up! 

Be sure to "like" Nic and Elli on Facebook for all the latest deals and to get a head start on entries for the giveaway starting January 16th! 

Seventh Generation #GreenResolutions Sponsor Spotlight!

The Green Resolutions Giveaway Hop starts on the 16th and I am so excited! This giveaway hop is all about setting goals for 2013 to live a greener lifestyle! There are over 30 blogs participating to provide you with great giveaways to help you do that! I'm excited to share with you another sponsor for this event- Seventh Generation! 

Seventh Generation carries products that are safe for the environment and safe for people, pets and the home! Their products are made with natural ingredients such as plants.  Their mission is to: "inspire a revolution that nurtures the health of the next seven generations".

I have reviewed several products from Seventh Generation. First I reviewed some of their cleaning products such as their wood cleaner and natural laundry detergent packs. You can read my review HERE. I also reviewed their cold care products which included their hand soap, disinfecting wipes, and facial tissue. You can read that review HERE. 

Seventh Generation is giving away a Holiday Cleaning Kit during the Green Resolutions giveaway hop! I don't know about you but my house really needs a good deep clean after the holidays! This kit is perfect for that! Included in the kit is: 

• Specialty Wood Surface Cleaner - Safely clean your dining room table with the fresh scent of natural lemon chamomile. 
• Hand Care Dish Liquid - A big meal is followed up by a big pile of dishes. This will do the job effectively and keep your hands feeling soft.
• Automatic Dishwasher Pacs - An easy-to-use, tough scrubbing pouch that's free of harsh chemicals. 
• Lavender Purifying Hand Wash - Lather on the refreshing and relaxing scent of real lavender.
• Monodose Laundry Detergent Packs - Table cloths, napkins, hand towels and dirty clothes are no match for the stain fighting power of natural ingredients in our single-use pouches. 

This kit is worth $29 and provides you with everything you need for a clean and green home! 

Be sure to follow Seventh Generation on Facebook and Twitter to get a head start on the giveaway entries!

Which product in the cleaning kit are you most looking forward to using? 

Eco Sprout Natural Laundry Detergent Review #GreenResolutions Sponsor Spotlight!

In a few weeks during the Cloth Diaper Q & A series we will be talking about how to wash cloth diapers. If you don't already know, cloth diapers can't just be washed in any detergent. They need to be washed in detergent that is free of dyes, enzymes, and brighteners so that they will stay absorbent and last a long time. I was given the opportunity to review Eco Sprout's natural detergent which is not only cloth diaper safe, but natural and biodegradable! 

Eco Sprout detergent is an eco-friendly alternative to other laundry detergents. It's a great cloth diaper detergent and it's also great for regular household laundry! It's great for babies and even adults with sensitive skin! It doesn't have dyes, enzymes, or brighteners so it rinses clean. There are five awesome scents to choose from but it is designed for you to enjoy in your laundry room. It washes out of your laundry and leaves nothing but clean! 

I received the scent Green Tea and a sample scent of Fresh Linen to review. They both smell amazing!! On the packaging there are directions for first time users and for regular use of the detergent. Basically for the first time, Eco Sprout suggests you soak your diapers in hot water with 3-4 tablespoons of the detergent for 3-5 hours. This will get rid of any buildup from other products you might have. So that's what I did first thing. I soaked my diapers and then did two more hot washes without detergent. A few days later the diapers my son was in were stinky every time he peed in them! I was a bit confused. A blogger friend of mine who also uses Eco Sprout suggested I do an overnight soak because there just might be that much buildup in my diapers! I had no idea! I mean, my diapers never smelled before, but apparently there was quite a bit of buildup regardless. The overnight soak did the trick though! I no longer get smelly diapers and my diapers are come out clean every time! I think it's really neat that the scent washes right out of the diapers. That really goes to show that the diapers are super clean. 

I am really liking Eco Sprout laundry detergent. It works really well and it's gentle and safe to use on my baby's clothing and diapers! 

Eco Sprout is generously offering one lucky winner one 24oz. bag of laundry detergent in winner's choice of scent during the Green Resolutions giveaway hop starting January 16th!

Be sure to follow Eco Sprout on Facebook and Twitter to get a head start on the giveaway entries!