Introducing Sakura Bloom Slings! (aka my babywearing journey)

Let's face it, new moms don't often get to describe themselves with these adjectives:  classy, sophisticated, stylish.  Usually it's more like:  exhausted, touched-out, and wearing pajamas or sweats.  Because when you're a new mom, a shower is an accomplishment, not a routine.  But now, you can be an attachment parenting mom, AND feel beautiful, classy, and together.  Just take a look at this French Vanilla Silk Artisan sling.  Elegance.  Sophistication.  Class.  Beauty.  Not exactly how I have described myself since I became a mom! 

I've come full circle in my babywearing journey.  I started out five and a half years ago, when I gave birth to my first child, with a WAHM-made cotton, padded ring sling.  At first I was just awkward with it, until my sister gave me this tip - don't try to put the baby "in" the sling.  Just hold the baby the way you want to hold him, and tighten the sling around both of you.  Aha!  Then my sling and I were inseparable.  My son would never sleep more than 20 minutes unless he was next to or on my body, so he took most naps in the sling.  I would lay a napkin over his head and eat lunch.  I mastered the art of safely using the bathroom wearing a sleeping baby.  I met friends who owned 4, or 5, or 6, or more different baby carriers, and I didn't get it.  Why would anyone want or need more than one sling?  Well...

As my son got bigger, maybe 13 or 14 pounds, a few hours in the sling started to feel heavy.  By then we had purchased The Stork Wearhouse, and one of the first new products I added was the Moby Wrap.  Ahhh, that felt so good to have my son's weight spread out over my whole back and both shoulders.  My ring sling fell by the wayside and my son lived in the Moby.  But when he reached about 20 lbs, still wanting to be worn for hours at a time, my lower back started bothering me.  Hmm, if I could just find a good way to carry him on my back. 

Meet the Ergo Baby Carrier.  Ok, now we're talking!  Not only did I get him off my front (so my lower back wasn't carrying the weight), now his weight was spread over both shoulders, plus carried largely on my hips!  Once again I could comfortably wear him for hours!  I was starting to get the idea of why people wanted more than one baby carrier.  ;-)

Even after I got pregnant again, I still wore my son everywhere in the Ergo.  As my belly grew, I added a waist extender, and the waist strap of the Ergo acted as a pregnancy support belt!  I was more comfortable than ever, still wearing my toddler son for hours at a time. 

After our daughter was born, babywearing became even more important, keeping a newborn happy while being mobile enough to chase a 2-year-old!  She pretty much lived in the Moby Wrap from birth, although I sold my boyish indigo Moby and got a girly Moby D wrap.  :-)  Once when I was wearing my silk Moby D in a toy store, a woman commented on how "trendy" I looked.  Possibly the first time in my life I was ever described that way!  And as a mom trying to adjust to having two small children, I certainly hadn't been feeling that way. :-)  My daughter was born in the summer, so on hot days when she was tiny, the Moby acted as my shirt.  I would put her in a t-shirt and diaper and pop her in and out of the wrap all day long. 

Also while my daughter was small, I had a Wallypop Ring Sling (in solarveil - sorry, not made anymore) for wearing outside on hot days, or in the pool or shower.  Plus I kept a Wallypop Mei Tai, sometimes referred to as an Asian Carrier, in the car, in case I ever forgot to bring along a carrier.  If my counting is correct, by then I had owned six different soft baby carriers!

When my daughter got old enough for the Ergo Carrier, we found we wanted two of them, since we still carried our 3-year-old son in the Ergo at times.  Especially when traveling, we each had a child on our back in an Ergo.  So that brings me up to, uh, seven carriers.  And here's where I come full circle.  On this latest trip, to Las Vegas for the ABC Kids Expo with a 3-year-old and a 5-year-old, we traveled with one Ergo and a Sakura Bloom pure linen ring sling. 

So why am I back to a ring sling?  And why Sakura Bloom?  Ok, two different questions.  First, now that I'm at the stage of life where my kids walk most of the time, just want to be worn or carried occasionally, I need a carrier that's very portable.  A ring sling can easily be tucked in a back pack or diaper bag, to be pulled out when needed.  If I know ahead of time I will likely be wearing a child for a long period of time, then I take along an Ergo.  But for all those times when I don't know what we'll run into, I pack the ring sling, since it's quick and easy to slip on and so lightweight. 

And now, my journey to Sakura Bloom slings.  When my rep, Char, first introduced Sakura Bloom slings to me, I'll admit I thought, "Nope, too expensive."  Then I took a deeper look and asked some questions.  There is definitely something to be said for premium natural materials.  Fine Irish linen is soft, naturally antibacterial, cool to wear, machine washable, and gets stronger over time, perfect for carrying a growing baby.  Ok, so that sold me on the linen.  Then I tried the silk. 

The handwoven dupioni silk used by Sakura Bloom is wonderful.  Yes, it's lightweight and breathable, so it's cool to wear.  And it's so soft.  (Isn't that why there's an expression "silky soft"?)  But what I didn't anticipate is how perfect the fiber of silk is for a ring sling.  Just that little bit of "grippiness" of the silk makes it easy to adjust, and it stays in place when you get it just perfect. 

Now it's probably a good thing our family is complete.  Otherwise, for our next baby, I'd have a hard time choosing between the French Vanilla Silk Artisan sling above or this Pink Lotus design... 

As our kids grow, so do our product offerings...

A few reflections on our 5 years in business...

We "adopted" The Stork Wearhouse when our son was 4 months old, and it was definitely a "cloth diaper store" with a little breastfeeding and pregnancy stuff mixed in.

Now that our little ones are 3 and 5 years old, our focus is broadening. Don't worry, we will still stay on top of the cloth diaper market, watching new products that come out and adding the best ones to our site. (By the way, I'm not usually one to jump on a new product immediately when it hits the market, I like to let things prove themselves a little before they earn a spot on our shelves. Except for the flip diaper system, coming soon from Cotton Babies, but that's a whole other post...)

Our vision now is to not just be a "cloth diaper store" but truly a "natural parenting store." We offer a lot of things useful to parents that are more naturally minded, from stainless steel water bottles to reusable shopping bags to coconut oil lotion bars, and now...TOYS. Yes, we've ventured into the natural toy market, and believe me, we have your holiday shopping covered for all ages!

Our store has "grown up" a lot in the past year or so. We incorporated, converted to a completely new website and shopping cart, and now are greatly expanding our product lines. If you like what we're doing, we'd love to have you review our store on diaperpin.com. Or ask your friends to become a Fan on Facebook or follow us on Twitter. And of course become a follower of this blog! If you're telling a friend verbally about our store and don't want to spell out w-e-a-r-house, just tell them to go to naturalbabystuff.com and they'll find us!

Thanks so much for your patronage!

Introducing Hape Toys!

Wow, becoming a toy retailer requires a lot of learning about warning labels and product details! When we decided to venture into the toy market, I was looking for toys that inspire creative play, are environmentally and socially responsible, and yet affordable. And hooray, I found Hape (pronounced "hah-pay" but we call them "happy") Toys!

This is some of what I've learned about Hape Toys:

• "In 2004, in an effort to use environmentally-friendly materials, Hape became the first toy company to produce a range of toys made of bamboo" (from their company history brochure).


• Bamboo has come under attack lately for its claims of being sustainable, so I was glad to read that Hape is committed to purchasing sustainable raw materials from partners certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (more info at http://www.fsc.org/).


• Hape brand toys "connect sustainable materials with an eye toward simple, delightful design." No plastic, no batteries. I've been delighted with the creative nature of these toys!


• I'm thrilled with their minimal packaging. In the four large boxes of toys I opened in our first shipment, there wasn't a single item packaged in plastic.


• HaPe Group remains a family-owned business, headquartered in Lucerne, Switzerland. The toys we stock ship from their distribution center in Wisconsin.


• Yes, many of these toys are manufactured in China, but I was glad to know that ALL employees in their plants enjoy benefits including sick time off and a pension. The photos of their manufacturing facility are impressive.


• Their future plans include a commitment to grow as the most environmentally-friendly manufacturing plant possible.


• Hape builds schools in the poorest regions of the world, contributing to our global society.


• A strategy of maintaining business relationships with others in the toy industry who share their philosophy and beliefs of creating innovative and educational play products, using sustainable materials, including water soluble lacquer, glue free of formaldehyde, and surface finish with beeswax base.


• Even the brochures and catalogs they gave me were printed with soy ink on recycled paper.

Now that's a company I'm delighted to do business with, and products I'm excited to share with my own kids and my customers!

Check out our selection of great quality wood and fabric Hape Toys.

I'm in love again

I love all the products we carry. Really, I do, otherwise I wouldn't carry them. That's my promise to customers. But once in a while something comes a long that I get REALLY exuberant about. Chico bags are one. The thinksport insulated water bottle is another. And now, enter the Ju-Ju-Be BeTween bag. (dum-da-da-DUM)

We don't even carry this product in the store...yet. But we'll be looking into them seriously at the ABC Kids product show in September. Here's why...

Let me back up a little. When my second baby was born, I had 2 kids in cloth diapers for a while. So I treated myself to a really nice diaper bag - the Ju-Ju-Be Packabe. Loved that bag. I used it (really used it pretty hard) for just over two years, and it still looked fabulous. But with no more kids in diapers, I no longer needed it. So I sold it on ebay (for about 1/2 the original retail price, after 2 years of hard use). But...I missed my Ju-Ju-Be. I went back to carrying one of my pre-kid purses, but that just didn't have enough room for the stuff you need going out and about with kids - wipes, hand sanitizer, snacks, band-aids, you know the drill. Hmmm, back to the Ju-Ju-Be website I went, then to Simply for Giggles, my current local source, to browse.

The second time I went back to Simply for Giggles, I took along my new (pink!) Toshiba mini laptop (another love affair, but that's a different post), and oh my - it fit perfectly in the zippered top pocket. SOLD. It's my WAHM Briefcase. My non-diaper-bag. Or just simply, it's "My Bag."

I got home, "moved in" to my new bag, and I've been irrationally exuberant ever since.

I don't need the changing pad at this point, so that outside pocket holds quickly-accessible kleenex.

The top zippered pocket can fit either my mini laptop (with mesh pockets inside for the charger) or our portable DVD player (for keeping kids content during multiple-errand excursions). Or, for trips with more walking, I can tuck my new Sakura Bloom Linen Sling in there - lightweight and perfect for when someone wants to be carried.

The main compartment holds so much stuff it's incredible, but it's all easy to find! There's an inside zippered pocket for credit cards, checkbook, a mint tea bag (because you just never know), and a few coupons. Then there are two mesh pockets: one for Bandaids and Bumps n Bruises tablets, the other for extra ponytail holders, dental floss, that kind of stuff. In the main area I have snack containers, lotion, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, bug repellant, a couple Chico Bags, the kids' sunglasses, and some wipes.

AND then there's the front pocket. Oh, the front pocket. I just smile everytime I open it. A sewn in sunglasses case that literally cleans my glasses every time I put them away. HOW smart is that? (Plus, I can always find them.) A pocket just for my iphone. (Hallelujah, now I can always find that, too, without having to call it to see where I put it down.) A zippered pocket for change (no more change falling out of my wallet onto the floor of the grocery store). And two more mesh pockets: one for business cards and my gym pass (because hey, I might actually use it again someday - it would be good to know where it is) and the other for lip balm and a pack of gum. And there's still room for me to tuck in my wallet and a pen.

Now tell me that's not the PERFECT bag??? So smart! And cute. And durable. Sometimes moms just need a little help to keep life under control. And this, this is it for me right now. Ahhhh, thanks, Ju-Ju-Be!

How do I love my thinksport insulated stainless steel water bottle?

Let me count the ways...

1. I love using it for (loose) hot tea in the morning. The thinksport insulated stainless steel bottles come with a filter that snaps into the top opening. So just toss your loose tea in the bottle and add hot water. (Caution - this water isn't going to cool off for a LONG time, so make sure it's a drinkable temperature. If you use boiling water, add some ice before drinking.) And you even use fewer tea leaves, since you can leave the tea leaves in the bottle while you're drinking it, thus steeping longer.

2. I love using it to keep my smoothie cold in the morning. Hey, I'm a mom of two little ones, plus a dog (the pre-school turtle has moved on to its next summer vacation home), and trying to keep a business running. So I may have time to make a smoothie in the morning, but that doesn't mean I'm going to have time to sit down and drink it all right then and there. And there's nothing worse than smoothie that's gotten kind of warm-ish and foamy. So I dump my fresh smoothie into the thinksport, and it stays cold and yummy for the next few hours! (If you're curious, my usual recipe is water, almond milk, plain yogurt, frozen berries, flax seed, fresh spinach, psyllium husks, whey protein powder, and a little stevia. Believe it or not, it's yummy! Too bad my diet goes down hill as the day progresses...)

3. I love turning my hot tea into cold tea. There are some types of tea that work well just throwing a tea bag into room temperature water. I do that with Zinger teas. So I toss a bag in the bottle, fill it with our reverse osmosis water, and let it sit for a while. I add some ice cubes just before we leave the house. And then I snap in that filter, because remember, the ice cubes aren't going to melt for a while, so you may as well protect yourself from getting an ice cube in the face when you go to get a drink. Even for tea that is better when steeped in hot water, I fill the bottle about half full with hot water, let it steep for a while, then fill the rest with ice. No worries about the abrupt change in temperature. It's double-walled, vacuum-sealed stainless steel. It can take it.

4. I love having really cold water even when the bottle has been sitting in the sun by the pool. Another reason this one is superior to many other reusable water bottles I've tried. It's cool (ha ha) to pick up the bottle that's hot to the touch because of the sun, and the water inside is ice cold!

5. I love that my morning coffee is still hot in the afternoon. This was actually disorienting to me when I first started using the thinksport. I was used to making coffee in the morning, and if I didn't drink it all, then I finished it at room temperature after lunch. So the first day I used the thinksport, I took a sip at 2 pm and it was still HOT. Not warm, hot. Crazy!

Don't you want to fall in love again, too? :-)

A new start!

It's been almost 2 years since I posted anything meaningful about The Stork Wearhouse! Life has been busy and most days it's been all I can do to get myself and the kids dressed and get packages out the door. We also undertook a major project to upgrade the website and our systems - to make the shopping experience smoother for our customers, and life much more efficient for me. And it's finally live! Ta-da: The (new) Stork Wearhouse: Natural Baby Stuff

Policies and prices remain the same, but in addition to a beautiful place to shop, you should start seeing packages shipping faster (we hope to get to next-day shipping most of the time) and more great stuff in stock when you want it, so that you can get everything you need at one stop and take advantage of our free shipping over $75.

You'll also see new products! (And some old favorites returning)

• The Blueberry Cover-All one-size diaper cover - this very popular new products is hard to keep in stock! We have good stock of the snap closure version, and are hoping to stock the velcro version in the next few weeks.
• The Drybees Gone Natural bamboo fitted diapers - a two size system works great. And this bamboo is SOOOOO soft...
• Tomorrow the FedEx man will deliver our shipment of the Knickernappies one-size side-snap pocket diaper - this is the first one-size diaper with side snaps that I know of. So if you love the fit of the Knickernappies pocket diapers in small, medium, and large, wow are you going to love this! I love the fact that a large Knickernappies still fits my 5-year-old for use at night.
• Yesterday we got our shipment of the ChicoBag Vita, a reusable grocery bag with a 40-lb capacity! I've loved my Chico Bags for a long time - when I forget my canvas bags at home, or when I make quick unplanned stops at Target, the health food store, etc., my Chico Bags are there for me! But sometimes I wished they held just a little bit more, or could be carried on my shoulder. Voila - now I have it! And they're on sale this summer, too!
• We now have the Happy Heiny's MINI one-size diapers in stock. (Cute as bugs, too, they are.) It's true that most one-size cloth diapers don't work for newborns - they need to chunk up those thighs just a little first. But when you get diapers that really do fit those 6 or 7 lb newborns, they only last a month or two. So enter the MINI one-size! It snaps down to really fit the tiny newborns without extra bulk, but then expands to last a little while, too.
• Baby BeeHinds wool diaper covers are back! The colors stopped getting made for a while, but they're back now! This is a wonderful cover for heavy wetters at nighttime.
• We also have the new FuzziBunz microfiber inserts with four layers of microfiber instead of the usual three - what a great idea! Just a little extra boost of absorbency is what some kids need, without adding extra bulk. We have the medium/large in stock, smalls are on order.
• We ordered just a few of the Swaddlebees bamboo wipes, to see if they really were anything special. And oh my, how soft. You'll love them. There aren't many in stock yet - more with our next shipment.
• The Organic Heiny Spray made by Happy Heiny's is a great option for keeping your kids with sensitive skin clean and fresh at every diaper change. Or if you use water at home, throw one of these in the diaper bag for changes on the fly.
• Wow - I didn't realize we had this much new stuff! Three newbies in the diaper pail liner category - the FuzziBunz In and Out Hanging Diaper Pail (or it can be used to line a kitchen-size trash can) is a very clever idea - a zipper at the bottom so you can just unzip and quickly dump everything into the washing machine. (If you do this, make sure you're unstuffing pockets and closing laundry tabs on velcro when you first put a wet diaper in the bag.) Also, the old-favorite Wahmies pail liner has a new design that they're calling the Wahmies DSQ (Diaper Service Quality) Pail Liner. An upgrade in the PUL, and fewer seams make this even better. Plus we added the Blueberry Diaper Pail Liner - either use to line a trash can, or with a drawstring for travel. And such cute prints!
• Those of you who love your Ergo Baby Carrier, we brought in the sucking pads by request - so if your baby loves to chew on the carrier straps, you don't have to wash your whole carrier as often. :-)
• In the interest of keeping both you and your little ones well-hydrated (without chemicals added), we brought in some new products from thinkbaby/thinksport. There are inexpensive phthalate-free sippy cups, including replacement parts for your toddlers. And for mom and dad, there's my new favorite product, the stainless steel insulated water bottles. If you like your cold drinks cold and your hot drinks hot, this is a must! And if you're a loose-leaf tea drinker, the internal mesh filter is your new best friend.
• And be friendly to the environment as well try a Wrap-n-Mat for sandwiches or snacks, instead of plastic bags.
• We love BabyLegs in the winter, so we had to sneak a peek at the BabyLegs Cool for knee protection, sun protection, or just plain style in the summer. Very cute.
• Just for Mom, we are now stocking the Knickernappies Stackable Menstrual Pads - we're suckers for innovative designs, and this is certainly a good one! A pantiliner, regular flow, or heavy flow pad, all in one, depending on which pieces you snap in. And very comfy, which is another of our key standards when deciding what products you'll love.
• If you're a Klean Kanteen stainless steel water bottle lover, check out the new Sports Cap 2.0 - much faster flow. I think this just might finally convince my husband to throw out his plastic biking water bottles.

We also have some favorites that we just added to our CLEARANCE page (who doesn't love a deal in this economy??)

• Basic microfiber inserts for pocket diapers are sale priced at $1.95 each, with quantity discounts on top of that for 6 or more. Combine this with free shipping over $75 (because of course you're going to shop around for all your cloth diapering/natural parenting needs while you're here) and you've got a GREAT deal. Microfiber does wear out over time, especially when dried in the dryer (as most of us do). New inserts can be a very inexpensive way to improve the performance of your diapers!
• The last few of the older style of Wahmies pail liners are sale priced - great way to pick up an extra liner to make your life easier on wash day.

Whew - until I made this list, I didn't really realize how many new things were added as part of the site upgrade. No wonder it took so long! But we hope it will move us further toward our goal of providing a one-stop shop for best-in-class natural parenting products!

Win baby carriers!

Ok, I haven't posted anything in a while, but this one is too good not to share.

Win the Essential Babywearing Stash from Along for the Ride (one Beco Butterfly, one Hotsling baby pouch, one BabyHawk Mei Tai, one Zolowear Ring Sling, and one Gypsy Mama Wrap)