Have you ever had trouble with cloth diapering? Knickernappies needs your help!

From the Knickernappies Blog

We're super excited to kick off our "Dirt on Diapering" Cloth Diaper Survey!  We want to know what the most common reasons are for why families choose not to cloth diaper full-time, why they take breaks, why they quit for good, or just plain feel like throwing in the towel.

The more you share the more you help us help future cloth diaper users.  From what types of diapers you prefer, how you got started, to what kind of detergents you use...We want to know it all!

What else?  Just for participating in our quick little survey you are entered into a drawing for great prizes.  There are also prizes for those who refer the most participants so make sure to grab the code for our survey graphic over on the left side of this blog and start sharing it with your friends.  Make sure they tell us you sent them!

So, are you ready to take the survey?  Click here >THE DIRT ON DIAPERING SURVEY<

Thanks!
The Knickernappies Team

Real Mom Talk: Postpartum Depression

This week, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended that pediatricians screen mothers of newborns for postpartum depression. According to the AAP, “Estimated rates of depression among pregnant and postpartum women can range between 5 percent and 25 percent.”

Cotton Babies currently has more than 10,000 fans on our Facebook page. If we apply these statistics, thousands of you, your sisters, your daughters or your wife could be dealing with issues of depression.

Postpartum depression is a serious issue that needs to be talked about openly. As with many mental health issues, there is often a stigma attached to PPD. Sometimes even well meaning mothers, women and even medical personnel can dismiss symptoms with comments like, “Every new mom feels that way sometimes” or “Of course dear, you're sleep deprived. It's only natural you feel like that.” What are we as a community of moms to do? We need to educate ourselves and others. According to the Mayo Clinic:

Postpartum depression may appear to be the baby blues at first — but the signs and symptoms are more intense and longer lasting, eventually interfering with your ability to care for your baby and handle other daily tasks.

Symptoms may include:

• Loss of appetite
• Insomnia
• Intense irritability and anger
• Overwhelming fatigue
• Loss of interest in sex
• Lack of joy in life
• Feelings of shame, guilt or inadequacy
• Severe mood swing
• Difficulty bonding with the baby
• Withdrawal from family and friends
• Thoughts of harming yourself or the baby

Education alone isn't enough. As women, we need to talk openly about PPD, reassure others that it's nothing they've done wrong and encourage each other to get help if necessary. Have you been diagnosed with postpartum depression? Have you been helped or helped others who have battled PPD? Share your story, help us dispel the myths about PPD.

Vancouver, WA store opens Monday, October 18

The newest addition to the Cotton Babies family, a retail store in Vancouver, Washington, will open it's doors Monday, October 18, 2010.

The store, located at 106 Grand Boulevard in Vancouver, WA, will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, closed on Sunday.

Our official Grand Opening festivities will take place at a later date.* We'll post more information about those activities closer to that date.

Thank you for your patience. Our team is excited to meet you!

*Due to unforseen circumstances, we have to reschedule our Grand Opening activities. We'll let you know the date as soon as it is available.

Winner of the Flings Reusable Pop-Up Recycling Bins is....Jen & Andy!

Congratulations to Jen & Andy, lucky comment #15 was chosen by random.org as the winner of the Flings Reusable Pop-Up bins!  A big thank you to all who entered and to Flings for sponsoring this great giveaway and for providing the product for my review, it was definitely a lifesaver on our camping trip and will now be a must-have supply for future trips!

Jen & Andy, please contact me asap with your details and to claim your prize!

Thanks!

Want to try Flings?  

Check out their Halloween special!  Get (2) Flings Bins for just a PENNY!

Flings is giving away 2 Flings Halloween bins for just a penny! Make your Halloween party the neatest and most convenient ever! Just pay regular shipping and handling of $5. 

Take a picture of the bin at your party (perhaps with you and your friends in costume), upload it to your Facebook page, link it to us, and we'll refund your shipping and handling onto your credit card. It's a scary good deal!  Check out the Flings site for more details!

bumGenius Artist Series Tiny Socialite Collection Winners!

Wow, I mean, WOW! You all are amazing parents and grandparents! Do you even realize how amazing you are? It was a joy reading all of the entries for our bumGenius Artist Series Giveaway contest. What seemed like such a simple question brought a variety of answers, many unique and unexpected.

Many of you let your little ones choose their own clothes, play with food, explore outdoors, dance, sing, create noise and messes all in the name of creativity. You are an amazing bunch of mothers, fathers, grandparents and caregivers who nurture and inspire creativity in your children. You should be proud!

If you haven't done so yet, take a few minutes to scroll through the entries. Read a few, be inspired and find some new ideas on how to encourage your child.

It was very hard to choose a single winner, so we enlisted the help of several Cotton Babies staff members. After tallying all the staff votes, Jill from Lifeisnotbubblewrapped.com was selected as the first winner. You can read Jill's post here: Raising a Creative Child

The second winner, drawn at random from all entries, is Kristen Bates. Kristen posted a Facebook note that said:

"Since my son is only 7 mo old I encourage creativity by making sure we engage in music, crafts, and that he has toys that require him to move and think rather than always blinking and hooting, but we have lots of those too. Your only a kid once!"

Jill and Kristen will each receive a full set of Tiny Socialite Collection bumGenius 4.0 Artist Series cloth diapers. Thank you to all who participated and shared your ideas with us.