Meet Me on Monday Week 26

Questions:

1. How many brother and sisters do you have?
I have two brothers and one sister. My older brother is a half brother that my dad adopted before I was born. He was never really a half sibling b/c he was always around for the most part. He's almost five years older so he was out of the house early. My younger brother and I are 15 months apart. We were close growing up, but we've drifted apart over the years. My younger sister is about four years younger. She's also a half sibling on my dad's side. Since we lived states apart all of her life, we haven't really ever gotten to know each other. We are both on Facebook though and are able to communicate and share life events.

2. What is your favorite thing to do?
I love to listen to music and dance and sing. I also am an avid reader. I love snuggling with a good book!

New Years Party 2009-singing Karaoke on the PS2.

3. What countries have you visited?
I have been to Mexico and Jamaica. I hope to travel more in the future. My goal is to see as many tropical places as I can while younger and all the historical (i.e. European) places when I'm older.

Zip-lining through Jamaica in 2006

My husband and I in Maroma Beach in 2009 on an anniversary vaca

4. Are you a morning or a night person?
I am usually a morning person. If I am woken up when I believe it should technically still be night time, I am not a morning person at all.

5. What's your favorite cereal?
I love Reese's Puffs and Life. 

Diaper Dilemmas: Pooped out PUL

Do you ever wonder what to do with your diapers that have PUL(Polyurethane Laminate) that is no longer waterproof and is out of warranty? When the PUL has started to delaminate and has a hole in it, the diaper cover or pocket is no longer going to work as a diaper! I hate throwing things away, so I love coming up with useful ways to reuse items in my house that would serve a purpose.

You can see the PUL is beginning to separate from the fabric. The diaper is still waterproof at this point.

Doll Diapers
Recently, Baby J has been wanting to put diapers on her stuffed animals-mainly a Tickle Me Elmo that she loves carrying around and snuggling. He's about the size of a newborn, so some of the diapers I have put on him are a bit bulky. However, they are usually a pocket already stuffed with an insert, fresh from Baby J's stash. Using just the outside of a pocket or a cover works great for dolls or stuffed animals. Kids love picking out diapers to put on their toys!

Swim Diapers
When swimming, babies need to wear diapers to hold in solids. Swim diapers, whether disposable or cloth, do not hold in liquids. If you have a diaper with delaminating PUL, it can still work as a swim diaper because it will hold in the poop! I have used many of Baby J's cloth diapers as swim diapers in the past because they fit better than the reusable ones I bought last summer!

This diaper was actually stuffed w/ an insert, but it still served it's purpose. We weren't planning on getting wet, but Baby J couldn't resist the water area!

Calling All Crafters!

Repurpose it!
You could make yourself some mama cloth from the PUL that is still in tact. If you aren't familiar with mama cloth, they are reusable menstrual pads for when your dreaded Aunt Flo comes to town. They are becoming more and more popular as are cloth diapers. Try it out and make yourself something new!

Create a Pattern
Have you always wanted to try making your own cloth diapers? Take a diaper that no longer works and remove the elastic. Use the cover to make a pattern so you can take a stab at making your own diapers!

Donate it

There are many programs out there that take cloth diapers and give them to families in need. If you can find an organization near you, ask someone there if they take diapers that need work. Some places do or they might be crafty themselves and can create a new product from it.

Try to fix it

As a last resort, I have heard people who have tried to fix PUL. I haven't tried this and am not sure I would recommend it, but want to give you the options available.

Some people have said that they have taken an iron to their diaper to fuse the PUL back together. Seems risky, but if your diaper is already ruined, what harm can it do? (If you know, please share in the comments!) 

Lastly, there is a spray that some people use to try to make the PUL in their diapers waterproof again. I don't think there is a specific product made just for diapers, so I worry that what people spray could be harmful to their baby's bum. When researching (really just Googling) I couldn't find any specific product, but I know it has been recommended many times on various CD forums. 

What do you do when your PUL delaminates?

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Meet Me on Monday Week 25

Questions:

1.  What is your favorite kind of fudge?

Just plain chocolate. :) 

2.  Is there snow outside your window?

No, I live in the desert!  

3.  What is your favorite meal of the day?

Dessert, if that counts as a meal!

4.  Do you text on your cell phone?

Yes, I think everyone does now. 

5.  Waffles or pancakes?

Both-I hate making choices like this. I guess I would have to choose pancakes, but my husband likes waffles more, so I eat more of those. 

Cloth Choices: Wonder what wipe?

Cloth or disposable? 

Many people are avid cloth diaper users, but refuse to use cloth wipes like this mom who claimed to hate cloth wipes and now uses them regularly. 

When you first start cloth diapering, it can seem very overwhelming and intimidating. The last thing people want to worry about is their wipe situation. 

When I first began cloth diapering my newborn, I used disposable wipes. I had some baby wash cloths that I received from my baby shower that I wanted to use as cloth wipes and I also had a wipe warmer to use. Setting it up was easy, but I felt inundated already from everything else. It took me a couple weeks to get it set up-really the only thing I needed to do was clear a spot off my night stand to put my wipe warmer and plug it in. :) Such a daunting task, I know. 

Sweet Pea Cotton Flannel Wipes

When I was using the disposable wipes with the cloth, it was such a mess. I had to separate the dirty wipes from the diaper and throw them in two different places. It doesn't sound that difficult, but it's nasty when your dealing with newborn breastfed poo. It's bad enough having to touch the wipes the first time-I don't want to risk getting poo on my hands!

When I finally started my cloth wipes, it was so much easier than I ever imagined. I loved being able to put my wipes in the same place as the diapers and it actually took less wipes than disposables because the cloth has more grip and gets the bum clean faster. 

At first, I thought I needed to come up with some wipe formula, but everything I used caused irritation, so I quickly decided to just use water. Saves me money and it works great!

After doing some research, I also learned that disposable wipes have ingredients in them that can feed yeast. As someone who dealt with yeast in diapers, I don't want anything to help it grow! 

Wipes in Bulk from Amazon	Price per Pkg	Cost Per Wipe	Total Cost**
Huggies Natural Care Baby Wipes, Fragrance-Free, Refill, 216-Count Pack (Pack of 3)	$22.17	$0.03	$218.40
Kirkland Premium Baby Wipes - 900 Count	$37.58	$0.04	$291.20
Luvs Ultra Clean Wipes 8x Tub with Refills, 576-Count	$18.34	$0.03	$168.36
Pampers Sensitive 3X Wipes 192 Count (Pack of 4)	$26.25	$0.03	$218.40
Seventh Generation Free & Clear Baby Wipes, 350 count	$11.89	$0.03	$218.40
Wipes from Walmart	Price per Pkg	Cost Per Wipe	Total Cost**
Huggies - Natural Care Fragrance Free Hypoallergenic Baby Wipes Refill Box, 360 count	$13.50	$0.02	$168.36
Pampers - Sensitive Thick Care Wipes, Count 420	$13.50	$0.03	$218.40
Parent's Choice - Ultra Soft & Gentle Baby Wipes, 384ct	$7.47	$0.02	$168.36
Seventh Generation - Chlorine-Free Baby Wipes, 350 count	$11.89	$0.03	$218.40
Wipes from Babies R Us	Price per Pkg	Cost Per Wipe	Total Cost**
Babies R Us Unscented Club Wipes 432 ct. Box	$9.99	$0.02	$168.36
Huggies Natural Care Fragrance Free Refill Baby Wipes - 216 ct	$7.39	$0.03	$218.40
Pampers Sensitive Baby Wipes Refill - 192Ct	$6.99	$0.04	$291.20
Seventh Generation 70 Count Chlorine Free Baby Wipe Refill	$2.98	$0.04	$291.20
Wipes from Bum Luxury	Price per Pkg	Cost Per Wipe	Total Cost
Planet Wise Flannel Wipe 10 Packs	$12.99	$1.30	$38.97 for 30
Sweet Pea Cotton Flannel WIpes 8 pack	$5.95	$0.74	$23.80 for 32
**Based on 2 years of total use, estimating 10 wipes a day

I've made the chart above to compare the prices of the most popular brand of disposable wipes and basic packs of cloth wipes. Of course, people buy wipes for traveling, wipe warmers, wipe pouches, and if using cloth, wipe bits or solutions if they don't want to use just water. 

Obviously, there's a huge difference in cost from disposable to cloth. If you have more than one child or if you're child is in diapers longer than two years, the amount of money you save using cloth is even greater. 

In addition to be great for cleaning the bum, I love having cloth wipes available when at the park and out and about for washing hands and easy clean up. 

If you haven't taken the plunge to try cloth wipes, what are you waiting for?

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Meet Me on Monday Week 24

I know after the holiday edition, I did forget to do last week's Meet Me on Monday post. I was out of town and not able to access a computer. I hope you understand! 

Feel free to answer the questions yourself in the comments. It's always nice getting to know my readers!

Questions:
1. What kind of computer do you blog on?

This computer is a Dell laptop. Our desktop computer is something my husband pieced together getting parts from Fry's Electronics.

2. Do you wear perfume? If so, what kind? 

No. If I do happen to wear a scent, it's usually just lotion. I'm sensitive to smells though, so I don't like wearing anything strong or flowery.

I love the Cinnamon Vanilla scent.

3. What do you do for a living?

I own Bum Luxury. :) I wouldn't say it makes me a living though. I guess I earn my keep plenty by taking care of Baby J, the house and my husband!

4. Do you have any pets? If so, what are they?

Yes, we have a yellow lab named Chloe. She is our fur baby.

Here's our pup!

5. Did you go anywhere for winter vacation? If so, where?

We just got back from a trip to the dunes in Glamis, CA. We also went to the Grand Canyon and stopped by Snow Bowl on our way home a few days ago. Just mini trips, but they are always fun! 

Here's Baby J with her daddy at the dunes. I love this picture!

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1st Friday Fluff: Mango Mama Bump Butter

This month isn't about fluff, but it's related in a round about way. Since I can't test it out for myself because I'm not expecting, my favorite friend, Kristin, was the guinea pig. Here's her review on one of Bum Luxury's newest items.

Hi Bum Luxury blog readers! My name is Kristin. I’m a mother of one little girl with another on the way and a lover of all things natural. Bridget at Bum Luxury asked me to share my thoughts on one of their new products, Mango Mama Bump Butter, for you. So here is my honest opinion:

Let me start by letting you know I am a BIG fan of Delish Naturals Yum Bum Butter. My 22 month-old daughter calls it her “cream” and we use it not only when her hiney is chapped but also on the moderate eczema she has on her hands and arms. It really works wonders for her. So when Bum Luxury started carrying Delish Naturals’ Mango Mama Bump Butter I was excited because I’m pregnant with dry skin, in the desert, in the winter… oh and P.S. I really don’t want stretch marks.

The first thing I noticed about the product was the packaging. Instead of a lotion dispenser. Bump Butter comes in a deodorant style stick. This is genius, seriously. The butter is semi-solid and the container helps to provide the perfect layer over my expanding midsection, without getting my hands messy. The second thing I noticed was the smell. The scent is fantastic! I’m one of those pregnant women who had to change shampoos because the fragrance made me vomit. Mango Mama is a crisp citrusy mango aroma that dissipates quickly and is generally non-offensive.

With my first pregnancy I tried a variety of lotions, creams and potions for the pregnant belly. Some are thick, some stink, some are runny or greasy. Mango Mama Bump Butter is the porridge that Goldilocks chose. I found it to be just right. I glide it on in the morning when I get out of the shower and its soothing goodness lasts all day. I slide more on at night before bed just because it feels good and my daughter has added it to her nighttime routine while we talk about her sister-on- the- way. I usually wait for it to soak in before pulling my shirt over it because I worry about the natural oils staining my clothes. Not to worry though, that doesn’t take long.

The only negative I can find is that the product claims to heal old stretch marks. Because it nourishes the skin it does help to lessen the appearance of old stretch marks but after almost two months of use my results are not significant, don’t expect a miracle there. On the positive, so far, in my third trimester I have not developed any new stretch marks. That’s good enough for me!

This image was taken from stretch-me.com I have no idea whose belly this is! :)

I give Mango Mama Bump Butter 4.5 out of 5 stars. And as always I give Bum Luxury 5 out of 5 stars – their customer service rocks! Thanks for adding a great new product.

You can enter to win your own Mango Mama Bump Butter here or buy your own to try from Bum Luxury for $13.99.

Website Woes: Social Media and SEO

When I first began Bum Luxury, I was pretty clueless when it comes to websites-hosts, domains, SEO, HTML, ecommerce, etc. Trying to figure out what I was doing was like reading a manual in a foreign language. Ten months later and I'm still learning, but fortunately have figured a few things out along the way. 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/byronshell/

As an e-commerce site, a website where customers can buy merchandise, I need to make sure customers can find me. It's not like everyone is going to know that a new website, www.bumluxury.com, was created and come flocking to it overnight. I wish it were that easy. 

Because the market is saturated with cloth diaper companies, I have to create a unique SEO, or search engine optimization, for my page to get customers to find me. It took awhile just to get my website to pop up on the first page when I searched for Bum Luxury in Google. I still have a long ways to go to get to page one when you type in cloth diapers or any of the brands I carry.

Since I'm just starting out and have limited funds, I am doing much of the work on my own. One reason I started this blog was to help with my SEO. The more I have a presence on the web, the higher my SEO becomes. Creating unique blog posts to help consumers learn about and understand best practices when it comes to using cloth helps the internet realize that my site is relevant when people search for cloth diapers. 

One of the biggest social media outlets of course is Facebook. Search engine optimization is becoming more and more intricate and taking into account a businesses online presence, not just on their particular website, but on social media sites as well. Now, I can't be on every site and interact with everyone, so I am using Facebook as my top social media site for now. Luckily, it links easily to Twitter, so I have killed two birds with one stone. My blog automatically posts to Facebook using Networked Blogs, so that saves me time as well.

When you first create a page on Facebook, the only fan is you. Bummer. It takes time and energy to gain fans and keep them. Search engine optimization and Facebook work together and build your business. By increasing your fan base, you increase your SEO. The more fans you have, the higher number of people will see your posts, interact with your page, share your content, and hopefully become fans themselves. 

This article shows the various social media users and where businesses should focus their energy. Would you be surprised to know that most consumers prefer Facebook? If so, I would guess you're not a big social media user and therefore, would be very surprised if you were reading this blog!

The internet is genius when helping businesses track and analyze their customer base. I can find how and where people came to my page from, what they are looking at, if they shared my posts, etc. from analytics and insights. It's fantastic! I use this information to learn where my focus should be and to hopefully increase my customer base. 

I don't think that figuring out the internet will be an easier as years progress, but I hope that I can learn as I go-like my own kind of on the job training! 

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