allthingspurple: my first step towards frugal living - Cloth Diapers !

allthingspurple: my first step towards frugal living - Cloth Diapers !

Sign baby! SIGN!

I heard about baby signing , many years ago . Since I was still not yet marry(almost:D) and I was about 22 years old.(hiks so young and long time ago) I saw my nephew Bjorn, he was about 15 months then. He came to Jakarta from San Francisco to attend my wedding, with his mom(my sis).I remember watching him eating and he started to make gesture and amazingly my sis can get what he wanted! So he ask for MILK, and MORE CEREAL! I turned to my sis, and was so puzzled and asked her: HOW DID YOU KNOW WHAT HE WANTS?CAN YOU READ HIS MIND?
Of course my sis told me in a "superior" tone :D(joking lah u if you read this) : He used sign language, so baby can communicate before they can even talk! And i thought: ooh cool....so i don't need to guess around what babies want! And plan to do baby signing ever since!I Did some research on the internet too.

Too bad, when Indy was young, we lived in Shanghai China, and I don't get any support or further information about baby signing. I do know some signs at that time , but only a few,so I use these signs with her. She manage to use MORE , and PAIN, and EAT, DRINK. And a few others signs. Indy is an early speaker. So she doesn't really use the sign after that. (or is it because of me?lack of support and information and there was no books available at that time)

During my second pregnancy I went to Hong kong books shop and buy one small book about baby signing. I has many signs to use, but for first timer like me ,I found DVD is much easier to understand.(first timer or lazy ?:D) but I couldn't find any.
So when I found there is a baby signing program in Malaysia, I was so excited! After a few emails with Jamie from BabysignMalaysia I've decided to take Parent kit book. and I love it! I can't wait to start baby signing with Maya soon. The Parent kits come in a big book, 2 DVD samples. And Book marks with all the "main" sign related to baby's world, and it has a "Cheater flip card" which I love the most because I can attached it to my fridge! Oh and in the book It has many of nursery rhymes where we can use the baby signing as gesture to teach our baby. So if like in itsy bitsy spider, we can use SPIDER, RAIN, SUN sign to rhyme with it! And I can get Maya attention easily with rhymes and songs!

I want to order some more DVD and books too. Too bad I can't join her workshop in Puchong, would love to join in, Jamie!:D
And Indy starts to watch the DVD and she told me, this means MILK and this means COW, I want to teach Maya how to do sign language! :D
I want to take MEAL DVD after this, because meal time is Maya favorite time!
So here is a few " FREE" guide for you :

Here is how you say CAT












Here is how you say EAT
















And here is how to say ALL DONE












And yup you guess it...there are also sign to tell DIAPER,DIRTY! LOL .Would it be nice to have our baby telling that to us? So I don't need to sniff her bum or guessing if she is poo2 or not!:D

Well some parents said , why we treat our baby like they can't speak?would it slow down baby speech development ? will baby become too lazy to talk when they use signs to communicate?
Well the answer is NO, actually it help baby to talk sooner . For more info please browse Jami website. Oh btw Jamie is the certified baby sign instructor for Malaysia.

And one last thing, I didn't get pay to write this blog.:D
I'm just so excited about this, and just need to share it!

Take care! and let the little fingers talking! and wait until I post a new blog that Maya can do the signs! :D

MY DIAPERS COME IN COLORS!!

MIA BAMBINA CLOTH DIAPER CAMPAIGN! A LITTLE INVESTMENT FOR YOUR BABY'S HEALTH AND FUTURE!

YES ! MY DIAPERS COME IN COLORS !! DO YOURS? OH AND DID I MENTION IT IS SO SOFT AND COMFY AND MY BUM IS CHEMICAL FREE!
I WON'T GO BACK TO WEAR BORING DISPOSABLE.MY BUTT MUST BE A FASHION STATEMENT TOO!
I'M THE QUALITY CONTROLLER HERE! PUL COLOR: CHECK! MICROSUEDE: CHECK! APLIX CLOSURE : CHECK!INSERTS: CHECK! OK ...ALL ARE ALLRIGHTY!

TO ALL MOMMIES OUT THERE:
PLEASE DO A FAVOR TO YOUR BABY, TO YOUR SELF AND TO YOUR ENVIRONMENT! WEAR CLOTH DIAPER , PLEASE!
REAL BABY ONLY WEAR REAL DIAPER!

Sling a Ling

I love to wear my baby in a sling, I got from the famous and expensive baby bjorn for my 1st DD,and frame back pack carrier , for my second dd I choose ring sling, and pouch sling. My favorite is pouch style, because I found it to be more trendy and fashionable and more practical! Just put and go. The ring sling also great as it is adjustable, but I dont't like the fuss to thread and adjust the tail. (as I always say it's a matter of preference)
Most mistakes people made when purchasing a pouch sling is choosing for bigger size. The pouch sling suppose to be snuggly fit, but not too loose. For first timer it might not be easy to put , specially if you a new mom with a newborn baby. You see on the picture in the internet, why they put their baby so easily but I found it so difficult to prop in my baby and my baby seems like she been squeeze inside the pouch? is this right? is my baby comfortable in it? isn't to hot? ...
Well what you need is just relax and try again, and in no time you and your baby will enjoy it...
Please visit a site of a friend of mine www.littlepods.com .(Joanne you should put comment here , since you are the expert! :))

Here I want to share pictures of me and baby Maya in sling pouch, my personal favorite RED color. And my size is Medium. I carry Maya in hip position.

Keep an eye on my blog, I will share my vacation to Bali in May in this blog too! And I will share my travel journey with 2 kids a husband and my father .
On this trip I will have a "special" sling from Joanne new up coming products! (see that's the beauty of having a store that selling baby stuff when you have your own baby to test it LOL)
A sling with special fabric and no one has sell it yet in ASIA. Thanks to littlepods, we don't need to buy form overseas anymore for this"special" fabric. And of course Mia bambina will carry it!
Curious? you just need to wait......LOL(even you pm or email me I wont tell you until the official launch by littlepods!) haha.....till then mommas!




This picture below was taken when Maya is 5 months old still in cradle position and she was a sleep and I took a picture of my self ! LOL

How to put on cloth diaper(DRYBEES and BumGenius onesize)

Here I try to show how to put on Drybees pocket diaper:

Here , I stuffed the pokcet diaper with the insert. Here I use microfiber insert. Make sure the insert is all inside the pocket and doesn't twisted .


Then open up the diaper,put your baby on the top of it , like you would normally do with disposable . Picture was CENSORED LOL


Here, my maid (I need her help, since I'm taking picture ) She pulled the wing with her left hand. And then other hand pull open the velcro/aplix tab. This to make sure the wing doesn't drop.


There you go....close the aplix/velcro on oneside.

Repeat with the other side. Pulling the wing behind, so it won't drop. (the same way like you put disposable)



Ok here is the blur photo, my dd. She is one very wiggling baby. That's why is hard to put diapers with snaps.Ok make sure ,the back of the diaper fit nicely, and the insert on the back does not come out. And she is ready to go.( my maid try to stop her, so I can take nice pics)....... the Drybees Maya wear here is size SMALL. And Maya is 8 months old and weight about 8 kg.

HERE IS HOW TO PUT BUMGENIUS ONESIZE

Stuffed the insert like usual.

Here is bumgenius onesize in largest setting. See the snaps? There are three collums and 3 rows of snaps only.So for smallest setting, bring the top snap to the bottom snaps. For medium setting bring the top snaps to the middle snaps



Here I use it on medium setting.

Then you just close the aplix/velcro like usual. For small baby the front aplix tab can be crossed over .

HERE IS HOW TO USE PREFOLD WITH BUMMIS COVERS

Here I use unbleached prefold diaper. If you wonder what's the different between prefold and lampin, first is the material, the prefold that I carry is unbleached which mean that the fiber is thicker than the bleached type and it's already sewn in layers of fabric. The normal "lampin" material is made from bleached cotton gauzed.
There are 8 layers in the middle of prefold. And 4 layers on right and left side. You can fold this in many ways, but here is my favorite and easiest way, which is great to catch newborn runny poo. :D .If you like you can use nappy liner to give your baby dry feeling.(FYI I carry the "flushable " diaper liners. Mean that you can flush it together with solid waste)

Fold the prefold in lenghtwise , tri folded. And put on the top of Bummis cover. Why I like Bummis cover? The material is so great. And can last you a long run of using it, plus if it's got wet you can just wipe it or air dry abit, and you can use it again. As long as it doesn't got any solid waste on it. So you can use one bummis for 3 x prefolds

Open the back side to the left and right to from kind of fan shape. Then just put your baby on top. You can use pin or snappi to put the prefold in the shape. Or just close the Bummis tightly if you dont wish to use pin or snappi.

Close the diaper.
And she is ready to escape from the mother.... Maya wear Bummis medium and prefold in infant size.

Ok so that's all about it. I did this in the afternoon , before Maya's nap time. Oh and it is not easy to take the pictures! :D

How I wash my cloth diaper stash

Who said using and washing cloth diapers is difficult?
Here I want to show , how do I wash my cloth diapers every morning . Normally I start to wash at 7.30 am. I collected all the yesterday used diapers in a wetbags and pail, so it keep the smell inside the bag. I also hang wetbag to my toilet door to save place. This morning I will wash 6 of diapers that Maya used yesterday, including the night diaper, which I put on her on 9 pm last night and take out just before I wash all the diaper this morning at 7 am. Yesterday she did not poo. But After I put the diapers in to washing machine , she poop this morning :) so that poo over diaper will go to wetbag and wait for tomorrow to be wash (I dunk the solid waste into toilet and flush it)

Here are the details

This how I store my dirty cloth diaper. All inside this wetbag and I zipped it. So the smell stay inside the bag. The bag also come with fabric patch and I put a drop of tea tree or lavender oil to keep it smell nice.
:)









Here is the pocket diaper , I took the insert out (here shown insert plus boaster). Then I put the aplix/velco tab into the laundry tab, so it wont stick to other diaper or cloth wipes that will form a laundry snake afterward!







Here is the night diaper that Maya wear last night , until this morning. I use flannel boaster and GAD onesize hemp insert and the ultimate night time diaper Drybees fleece pocket. If you can feel the insert , it was SOAKING wet! but the microsuede still dry (the part that touch baby's bottom) and it doesn't leaked. Maya wear this from 9 pm last night and I changed her, at 7 am this morning.





The wetbag and 6 diapers plus inserts and some boaster are ready to be wash.












I put the detergent. I use the most economical plain detergent powder. NO whitening, no enzyme too.











Just to give you idea on how much detergent I use to wash 6-8 diapers.












You can use a bit of Dettol if you like. I use a cap full for it for every wash.
( see my newly manicure nails? I just did it because I want to do this picture! NO...JOKING LOL)











Here is after wash. All diaper must smell fresh.













And then line dry it on my backyard. I always put the inner suede facing up. So the sun can help bleached any stain away.
This picture was take at 8.45 am. The pocket diaper will dry fast in sunny day. And the inserts will take 1-2 hours more.
Normally It will dry at about 2 -3 pm .And it is ready to use again .

to be continued.....later I will show when the diapers are dry and ready to go again!



Ok here the stash of ready to go again of fresh diapers. The pocket diaper (outer part) were dry at noon (12 o'clok) so If you got more inserts you can re-use again. The inserts dry about 2-3 hours later (at 3 pm) , hemp will dry even longer.And so bamboo fabric!


Until then!

take care

On the Retailer List

Ever since I start my e-store, my life is surrounded by options to take. I must decide many important things or items that will make a big influence in my store.
There are so many good items I want to carry in, but budget wise it is still not yet possible to do.And also there are so many people suggesting me what to carry, what to bring in according to their point of view. I really grateful that people are actually care for my store. But it is impossible to carry everything for everyone. I will be still focusing on pregnancy and babies items and my specialty is always will be Cloth diapers!When one of my online customer said that miabambina is really the ultimate source for cloth diaper in Malaysia, WOW I am so proud... hahaha...sound so pathetic?
But that is exactly what I want to offer! the source of cloth diapering. That is my actual goal. And when I see my e=store is on the RETAILER LIST on the producer website.....WOW....it makes me smile.....I DID IT! One small EAST Malaysian online store is actually on their International retailer list! OR even when the Malaysian distributor list me on their website also , when I saw that Mia bambina online, at Sabah... I couldn't be more happier.....I put SABAH there on their list! haha...

Speaking of SABAH, when I told the American company that I'm based in Borneo , Malaysia. They were like : R u in Borneo? haha I said yes.... sound like jungle right?
I said for the moment we are at Borneo, but I'm not sure until when we gonna stay here.......

OK, back about the retailer list. Actually it doesn't mean a thing for somebody else. It just a list .But for me it is like a proof that my e-store are actually EXIST! It is BRAND NEW (less than 3 months only) but it does exist! I'm still struggling with budget. website lay out , payment system and so on..but within time I'm sure I will make improvement!

DO you know the nicest thing above this all? I actually meet more people and making new friend out of it! yes.....that is the reward

Mia Bambina on International website
Drybees
Wahmies
Bummis

And hopefully more to come!

NEW AND UPCOMING PRODUCTS

Need more reason to wear your baby?