Hello Bumpies! I am super excited about my first guest blog post. My name is Lindsey and I’m a SAHM to my ten month old son, Harry. When I’m not chasing after him I blog over at The Accidental Wallflower.

I thought I’d start out by blogging about something I’m really passionate about: cloth diapering!

Modern cloth diapers have been gaining momentum in the past few years and keep getting more popular. We thought about cloth diapering while I was pregnant but didn’t take the plunge until Harry was five months old  and some fellow Bumpies encouraged me to. I’ll admit it was a little rocky at first. There are so many different types of cloth diapers it took us about a month to find a system that worked for us.

Why are cloth diapers becoming so popular? Well, to start they are nothing like the cloth diapers our grandparents used. Diaper pins have been replaced with Velcro and snaps and breathable PUL (polyurethane laminate) material has taken the place of those awful plastic pants. Today’s cloth diapers work just like disposables, except they get thrown in the laundry instead of the trash. A full stash of reusable diapers will set you back anywhere from $200-500, a fraction of what disposables cost over the years. Cloth diapers aren’t full of chemicals like disposables and they produce a much smaller carbon footprint than their throwaway counterparts. Plus, they come in a wide variety of cute colors and prints.

A lot of new parents feel overwhelmed at the prospect of cloth diapering. With purchasing 20+ diapers at once, figuring out a laundry routine that works and the general stress that comes with being new parents, many moms and dads are hesitant to try them out. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Cloth diapering isn’t an all or nothing thing. I think everyone should try it out on a part-time basis at first. We started out by using four diapers a day. Gradually we worked up to keeping them on him full-time.

If you’re really curious about cloth diapering your baby, look in to a diaper trial. It’s the least stressful way of cutting that disposable diaper umbilical cord. With trials you get to try a few different styles with nearly no financial risk. If you don’t like the diapers, return them and get most of your money back. Jillian’s Drawers and Kelly’s Closet are two popular choices for diaper trials, but there are a bunch of different companies that offer similar programs.

If you have more cloth diaper questions, The Bump’s cloth diaper forum is a great resource. There are so many knowledgeable ladies on there just waiting to answer any questions you might have.

What kind of diapers do you use for your baby? Why do you like them best?

Good news, mamas and mamas-to-be!

We’re giving away a one-month bundle of family essentials from The Honest Company. The package includes a one-month supply of non-toxic body care and household cleaning products for your family (including shampoo, body lotion, hand soap, healing balm, and laundry detergent).

For those of you who haven’t heard of Honest, it’s an eco-friendly line of family essentials (diapers and wipes, bath and body care, and household cleaners) through a monthly subscription service at Honest.com (and starting in May, you can visit their online store to purchase individual products, too!).

Entering is easy! All you need to do is respond to our post on The Eco-Friendly Family message board here.

Remember to follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook. That way, you’ll be the first to know about our other giveaways.

The giveaway ends at 5 p.m. on Friday, May 4th. Good luck!

After having a baby, lots of moms become extra mindful of chemicals in many cleaning products. Luckily, it’s easy (and inexpensive!) to keep baby’s clothes, toys and your home germ-free by making your own cleaning products.

These eco-friendly ideas are from the moms on The Eco-Friendly Family message board. The best part? You probably have most of these ingredients lying around in your kitchen!

For laundry

“For laundry, (I have a top loader,) I start to fill the tub with water and add vinegar, probably about a cup. Then I add about half a cup of baking soda. My clothing always comes out looking and smelling clean. And I promise the vinegar doesn’t make my clothing smell!” –JustSomeChick

“Instead of traditional fabric softeners, use ½ cup of white vinegar in softener dispenser per large load of laundry.” –kms34

For an all-purpose cleaner 

“Take orange peels or rinds and put them in a quart glass. Fill remaining space with vinegar. Let sit for around ten days, and then strain the liquid out into a spray bottle. This makes a GREAT all-purpose cleaner. Vinegar is a natural astringent and the orange makes it smell really nice.” –dmfan897

For DIY hand-sanitizer

“Mix 1 cup plain (natural) Aloe Vera gel, 1-4 teaspoons of witch hazel, 10-12 drops essential oils (you can use lavender, tea tree or lemon).” –kms34

To make your home smell good, naturally

“I just put orange slices and a cinnamon stick in the kettle, fill it with water, let it simmer, and add water as needed.  It makes the entire house smell great, adds a little humidity, and if it’s not eco-friendly then I don’t know what is.” -MrsLacy

“Leaving a small bowl out with vinegar in it can help to neutralize kitchen odors.” –JoeysLady

“Put essential oils in cheap vodka and use that for a fabric or air spray.” –ArmyQM

“I make my own carpet sprinkles using baking soda and a few drops of essential oils.  Sprinkle the carpet and vacuum it up. I’ve been liking orange and bergamot lately.” –AlabamaMamma224

For an eco-friendly bathroom cleaner

Try this recipe from user kms34. You’ll need:

1 2/3 cups baking soda
½ cup liquid soap
½ cup water
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 clean 16-ounce squirt bottle with closing cap

1.  Mix baking soda and liquid soap in a bowl.  Dilute with water and add the vinegar.  Stir the mixture with a fork until any lumps have been dissolved.  Pour the liquid into the bottle.  Shake well before using.

2.  Squirt on area to be cleaned.  Scrub with a nylon-backed sponge.  Rinse off with water.  Keep cap on between uses.

Do you use eco-friendly cleaning products? Did any of these ideas work for you?

Some moms splurge more for baby’s skincare products than they do for their own beauty products! That’s because they’re paying special attention using premium baby skincare products with minimal chemicals, like natural and organic brands. According to The New York Times, reports show that sales of premium baby care in the United States have increased 68 percent from 2005 to 2010. There are a lot more options for premium baby skincare — more brands like Jessica Alba’s The Honest Company, Sephora’s Lavanila and MD Moms have debuted in recent years.

The Times Reports that baby’s health has become synonymous with luxury — all these brands have attractive packaging and are a lot more expensive than regular drugstore brands. That’s because the natural ingredients they’re made with are pricier than the synthetic kind. But a lot of moms believe these products are necessary for baby’s well-being. One mom was quoted as saying she spends about $150 a month on Mustela and California Baby products for her three-year-old twins — more than she spends on herself.

What kind of skincare products do you buy for baby? Do you splurge for natural products?