What mama wouldn’t slay a dragon to protect their wee ones? The owners of AppleCheeks cloth diapering didn't bat an eye when they were confronted! These two vivacious Montreal mamas took to the streets of Toronto not taking no for an answer. Aired on CBC January 18th, 2012 Amy Appleton Venu and Ilana Grostern didn’t have much convincing to do on the Dragon’s Den….nor should they. “A cloth diapering system for modern moms” sold it. The girls had the grumpy ol’ Kevin O’Leary wowed, if only for a minute. They didn’t even have to show how happy all our kids are in them and likewise for the mamas using them (although two of their darlings did make a cameo)!
My first introduction to cloth diapers in this decade (far removed from those with the large pads & safety pins I grew up seeing) was by AppleCheeks Two- Size Washable Diapering System at Maman, Bebe et Café and well before I had a child of my own. I've tried a few brands of cloth diapers on my daughter and other babies, and I have not found any cloth diaper (or disposable for that matter) that compares. This is a envelope diaper cover, made from 'breathable, waterproof polyurethane laminated polyester (PUL), sewn to a butter soft microfleece inner layer'. They come in amazingly cute, bright colors with snaps. The snaps have been the biggest seller for me. I would never try a Velcro cloth diaper again, as they stick to things in the wash (yes even if I closed them in on themselves) collect fuzzies and hair, and wear way too fast to maintain the level of sustainability and quality I’d like to receive for the price. Plus they make them more pleasantly adjustable. AppleCheeks diapers are used with super soft bamboo inserts that clean like a charm. (And for convenient purposes- they also sell a variety of other inserts). The elastics should be good for the diapers to go through 3 kids and if not they are very easily replaceable (tutorials come with the diapers and are online). AppleCheeks also have many accessories to support the cloth diapering mama- including great reusable bamboo breast pads which are a personal favorite. They're made in Montreal, affordable to boot and if you happen to live in the Haut St- Laurent area there is $100 refund with proof of your cloth diaper receipt (check @ the CLSC).
Aside from the cuteness of the product the best thing about these AppleCheeks diapers are the faces behind the name. The support and confidence Ilana and Amy have given me in parenting and in cloth diapering is indispensable- and I have no doubt in my mind that they would do the same for you!
Hi Noelle,
ReplyDeleteI like your blog on this topic. I am loving the idea of cloth diapering but unfortunately not yet embracing it. The reason? I feel I am a little uneducated about it and also am too late with my second child being 13months and already showing signs of potty time readiness (tells me when he needs to go "caca"). I am however very fond of the idea and would love to have the system in place at my house.... but feel it is too late, and too costly... I do enjoy cloth pull-ups. I have used the kushies pull ups for my 2 yr old with a fleece insert that I just stuck in as a "pad". He wears them at night and it works well (as during the day he is fully potty trained). So, I am a little lost. I hear about these little shops or store that mamas are going to to get their cloth essentials, but to me, it sounds so unattainable. I am an at home mommy, a choice my hubby and I made. I am with my kiddos 24/7 as my hubby owns his own business, and does on average, 75 hours a week. So, jumping in the truck with two kids and driving to some far off "small" store is not appealing to me. It just seems unattainable. I have just recently switched to home-made wipies and I am really loving it. My wish at this point is that there would be a group "learning and purchacing" session on cloth diapering in the valley, lead by mom's and cloth diaper makers.... Of course I know a bit about it, but not enough, and as a result, I feel totally lost and without support on the topic!
Joanna,
ReplyDeleteBeing open and loving the idea is more than half the battle when it comes to cloth diapering. I know many people who won't even entertain the idea and have a very closed mind about it all. 13 months isn't too late to start cloth diapering, especially if you are planning on adding to your family. If you aren't planning on growing your family past your two gorgeous boys, then you could always buy used from a mama who is through and supplement(if needed) with AppleCheeks products. I spoke with Ilana from AppleCheeks and she is more than willing to give a cloth diapering workshop in the Valley, if you get 10 interested mamas/couples together. If you would like her contact info, please let me know as she said to pass it on. After you feel more educated on the topic and are still interested, AppleCheeks maintains a very user friendly website/phone service and will ship your order to you so you don't even have to leave your home (they have had shipping specials in the past). Feel free to ask me any detailed questions you may have and I'll answer to the best of my ability (I'm only on my 9th month of cloth diapering and mamahood!).Congratulations on the already daytime potty trained boy!
Wow Noelle, Thanks for your encouragment and support!!! This is awesome news. We are definitely planning on another baby. I would love to attend a work shop and I hope and think that I can find 10 interested people, by asking my friends and posting a notice in our valley mom's group. Its a good thing you mentioned "couples" as I think daddys need to be a part of this too.... my hubby has no idea that I want to cloth diaper, I'm not sure that he even knows what it is hehe...
ReplyDeleteDo you think this would be sometime soon? and where would it be???? This is great timing or a coincidence. I phoned Judi this week to tell her that the one thing I wished our CLSC offered during the prenatal classes was info on Cloth diapering. She totally agreed. I told her that if I had the info before having baby one i would have been cloth diapering for sure!
So maybe it could be organized and held at the CLSC or the CRF????
I don't know... But I'm excited about entertaining the idea :)
Thanks Noelle, and Nathaniel says thank-you for his potty abilities, he'll be three in March and he's been day-time potty trained since the day he turned 2 (great b-day gift) !!!
Hi Noelle,
ReplyDeleteI just received my AppleCheeks diapers and wanted to ask you a couple questions. I hope you don't mind,
How often do you change your baby? and what do you put in her diaper so that she can make it through the night dry?
Also, do you use AppleCheeks boosters?
I'm all new to this so I'm trying to fugure out a few things so I can start using them before the work-shop. I was so excited when I recieved my pkg, it was like waiting for Christmas!!! I ordered 5 dipes and a swimmer one too - and then I'm pretty sure I missed your mom, when she delivered them!
Thanks so much for all the info and help,
Joanna
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Hi!
ReplyDeleteI am so happy for you and your wee one's bum! You can bounce questions off of me any time. I am no expert but have hopes that this blog just becomes another place where mamas can share their tricks of the trade!
I change her about every two hours; some days I'm sure we go a little longer and in other instances a little less if there is a poop emergency!
We've had trouble with night time, as our wee one is a heavy night wetter! Up until now, before making these intentional sustainable changes in my life, I have been using 'biodegradable' disposables at night in order for mama and babe to have a better sleep. I have tried the bamboo boosters from AppleCheeks, but still she would wet right through her pjs (not something I want to do in the middle of the night!) I am determined that there is a more sustainable option out there. I have put in some questions to AppleCheeks about their new Stay-Dry Micro Terry Inserts (2/$8 or 2/$4 with the purchase of a cover). If all goes as planned I'm planning on putting in an order on some this week. I can let you know how they work out, and if I come up with any other solutions.
Great news, again I am so happy for you! What a small world and full circle-esque story that my mom delivered the parcel-Love it!
Full circle indeed; funny how some things have a very thoughtful way of working their way out. You, cloth-diapers, me, Ilana, your mom - "it was written in the sky" (as the French expression goes).
ReplyDeletePlease keep me informed on what finally works for you. I have asked another mom what she uses for night time. I'll post her response here!!!
Made my own inserts today, saving a whopping 106$. Yessir!!!
ReplyDeleteAnother friend told me,today, that for night-time, she recycles the exterior of a Huggies diaper, cutting out the interior absorbing part filled with bad "crap" (no pun intended). What you're left with is the shel and the excellent elastics that form a bridge which will hold in any leak (according to her). Inside the shell she puts her own home made pre-fold, made from 4 layers of diaper flannel folded twice for a total of 12 layers. According to her, it absorbs just as well as bamboo.
If you want to try this, be weary of certain disposable dipes as some interiors are glued to the bottom and cannot be cut out!
This huggois shell can be washed by hand and reused up to 10 times!
-I shall try this tonight :)
For the record, it was our first CD night last night and we used my friend Elise's method, it worked like a charm!!! I used a pre-fold and a huggies shell and there were absolutely NO leaks; the irony here is that those same hugggie dipes, which i was using at night before, were beginning to leak as he is a heavy wetter! Since when does the cloth diaper out-do the disposable in terms of length of absorbancy?????
ReplyDeleteI got my pre-fold from www.mamajo.ca, very afordable and all local and organic products used (she's from Beauharnois). I am also getting really anxious for the applecheeks workshop, I want to see their prefolds and order some aswell!!! When I placed my first order from them, I had no idea what I was doing, I ordered 5 dipes and one swim dipe. However only 2 out of the 5 dipes came with inserts.... I had no clue; however, I am slowly learning from other moms and the support along with encouragement amazes me :)
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The following is a post for your blog from Heather Harper who is sharing her method for night-time:
I use a variety of things for nighttime: it just depends on what is clean ;) If I am out of the house and want her to be bed-ready before we head home, I generally put her in a Mamajo dipe with the inserts snapped in and a flatfold or a prefold stuffed in the pocket. If I am at home and getting her ready for bed, I generally use either one of the cotton fitteds I have (lined with a doubler and a flatfold or prefold), covered with a wool soaker. I bought one soaker from a seller on Etsy, then my friend made me a couple. I think I still have a pattern, if you're handy with the knitting needles :) The soakers do require some special handling, but it's really not that hard, and I find it to be worth it. It allows her skin time to breathe, because the air circulates through the wool (in fact, I find that, most of the time, the fitted she’s wearing underneath is practically dry by the end of the night because most of the urine has evaporated). They can be pretty pricey, though, so if you can make them or know someone who can, winner! Otherwise, I will send you the shop info for the woman I bought my first one from (I can also send you the link I go to for “how to wash” instructions – it’s super clear, and it includes instructions on how to make your own wool wash). Other things I use are plastic covers (I got a couple of Kushies ones from Sears – I use them over the fitteds), and, of course, the Mamajos. I don’t have trouble with leaks with any of these systems, although the soakers can feel a little damp by the morning (it’s wool, not plastic, so it actually absorbs the liquid rather than just acting as a barrier, while still allowing air to circulate. As far as I’m concerned, it’s better for the baby’s skin.).
END
Lets please continue to share!!!
Thanks,
Joanna
Have you found a cloth solution for night-time?
ReplyDelete...
I am getting a little anxious about the work-shop. No one has given their name at the CRF - that's not good. I only have 9 ppl confirmed. I really hope more people want to come otherwise, i'm afraid we won't have our 10 and as a result we'll have to cancil :(
Hi!
ReplyDeleteI'll help you advertise this coming week in hopes that in can run for you!
I've been double stuffing at night and it works well as of yet. It never leaks through the cover when two inserts are in there. AND I'm happy to announce that our non-sleeper has been sleeping 6-8 hours in a row, and again, no leaks! I've also ordered AppleCheeks micro terry insert for night time and will let you know how they work once they arrive!!
How are you enjoying getting into the rhythm of cloth?
I love CLOTH!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI have tried two different brands and like them both pretty much equally. I am going to order more AC covers, I really like that they have a wide crotch area. I am also going to look into their prefolds, do you have any? I am thinking prefolds for night time. I am still getting into the rhythm therefore clothing at night-time is still an issue. I have a boy and they tend to be much more complicaed at night time, compared to girls...
Congrats on the great sleep you are all getting; that is wonderful news. Nothing better than waking up feeling rejuvinated and well-rested (what we all need to tackle the day with our busy little ones).
I really do hope that the cd workshop will come into play as planned; I have been looking forward to it for weeks now!!!
Off topic, (I thought this would spark your intrest)there was a report on J.E. (french program here in QC) saying that the ONLY certified bio household product sold in QC stores is "EcoLogo" with the three doves forming a maple leaf on all labels. "Green works" is not entirely green, definitely not bio - I thought this was pretty surprising news to learn that there are people who are willing to pay more to be bio but they are in reality not buying a bio product!!!
We've got 11 people so far for Wed.... Hoping to add 1 - 2 more people, if not, we may have to cancil.
ReplyDelete