Episode # 016 - The Work At Home Mom (WAHM) Holiday Review

Nadine reviews several work-at-home-mom wares just in time for the holiday season.

Episode #016 Show Notes

The Barefoot Moms Podcast Work and Home Mom Holiday Review Show Notes

Jewelry by Rachelle



http://www.hyenacart.com/jewelrybyrachelle

"I make handmade jewelry using a variety of beads, pendants and metals. I have been in this business for about a year and really enjoy making one of a kind pieces that make a statement. I try to use my creativity in a way that is beautiful and displays my personality. I also sew purses and bags, hair wraps, and other accessories. I have recently started sewing diapers and right now they are in the testing stage and will soon hit the market! I have realized that I am rather crafty and enjoy working with all sorts of mediums. I have made chalkboards, wreaths, flower arrangements, stenciled, and lots of other stuff. My dream is to one day open my own store front that will promote natural living as well as WAHM made items. Keep a look out and remember me as one day, I will be a household name.

I also want to give kudos to a great resource: www.diapertraders.com. This is a great community of mama's who are very willing to help weather you cloth diaper or not. They are full of love and support for anyone! They have helpful info on everything from organic/natural living, to potty training, to breastfeeding, to teenage years! Come join us!"



Nekkie Blankie



www.nekkieblankie.com
www.dittodaddy.com
www.thewahmmall.com
Email: kayli@nekkieblankie.com
Phone: 1-888-773-4269



I'll give you a free shipping code through Dec 31. Code is HOLIDAY



"I am Kayli, and new to the SAH/WAHM scene. I was an import/export coordinator before the birth of our second son in October of 2006. I have my BA in International Relations and speak 5 languages fluently… so I really didn’t plan on staying home, I planned on a career, but I couldn’t stand the thought of both my kiddos in daycare. My husband is in the military, so much of the time I'm also doing things on my own. We started cloth diapering in 2005 after our first son was born because it was difficult for me to make runs to the store after a long day of work with no husband home and raising our little guy. By the time our son was about 6 months, he started letting me know through cues when he needed to go to the bathroom- rather than sit and wait to change a diaper, I decided just to take him to the potty. I had no idea that there was such a thing as "Elimination Communication" or even that our style of parenting had a name (Attached Parenting); all I knew is that it worked well
for us. As a parent, I felt/feel that nekkie time is vital for a child... it really doesn't seem healthy for any child to be bundled in clothing or a diaper all of the time- skin needs time to breath, and children need time to explore themselves- I've also found that with both boys movement is much easier without a diaper on... first rolls were always whilst nekkie and first crawls too!

How Nekkie Blankie™ Came About:

With such factors as nursing, co-sleeping with two big babies whom never quite fit any diaper right (hence many leaks), topped with EC misses, we went through a LOT of soaked towels and blankets (not to mention beds and carpets!). One day I got tired of changing the sheets and washing them daily, on top of a load of towels for tummy nekkie time with our youngest who hadn't started ECing yet. I asked around on the EC circuit what mommies were using for a night time solution... felted wool in a pillowcase. I have nothing against this method, but it wasn't for us. Pillowcases stay wet, and I was tired of wetness everywhere! So, I set out on a journey to come up with a solution. After trying literally over 50 different wicking materials, I found one that works, and works well! To top it off, the material didn't have the 'problems' that come along with the wicking materials commonly used in pocket diapers- no pilling, no staining, and no need for stripping. After trying several different
prototypes, the Nekkie Blankie™ was born. You may ask, why an insert? Why not just a single blanket? The reason for this is twofold. First, with a removable insert, the blankie dries much faster, wasting much less time and energy than with a one piece blankie. Second, the blankie is able to be adapted as the family's needs change- for example, a precrawler uses the Nekkie Blankie™ for nekkie time and mommy uses it at night for nursing leaks... as the baby grows and starts the potty training/potty learning process, the blankie is able to be adapted for a heavy wetter by adding insert material into the middle layer (and yes, you can use a bath towel, but the wickability of the blankie is at its best when it is used with a super absorbent material as the insert, such as diaper twill or microterry).

How I started the business:

After making a blanket that solved so many problems for us, I checked around and found that no one was offering a similar product that is reusable (the closest thing would be disposable bed pads and that just seemed icky to me). I had a patent search done, and nothing came up close on that either, so I filed for Patent Pending status on the blanket.

What I love:

I love staying home with my little guys! I love to sew; I love to be able to share an innovative product with people. I love not getting up to drive an hour in bumper to bumper traffic to go and talk to someone on the other side of the world and argue about container shipments.

What I offer:

An affordable handmade product that is versatile and has many uses including:

Nekkie Time!!!
Changing pad
Nursing mamas to sleep on
Leaky night diapers
Elimination Communication night time pad - no more felted wool in pillow cases!
Potty training night pad
After bath wrap
Nursing nekkie
Postpartum pad
Homebirthing pad

I even had one of my customers mention that she used it as an infant seat cover when she had to take her baby out in the rain and it worked like a charm! It's also a great gift for "cloth encouragement"... many moms ask what they can do to encourage friends to use cloth, and since the blankie is washed just like a cloth diaper and the same cuddly material used in many cloth diapers, it exemplifies how simple cloth diapering can be without the expense of buying a friend an entire supply of cloth dipes. The price of Nekkie Blankie™ is low because I want to keep the product accessible to everyone. In the coming month, I will also be offering wholesale to other WAHM business."



Messages in the Sand

Closed until January 2008

http://messagesinthesand.net/



"A couple of months ago, I was trying to come up with a WAHM business
of my own and decided to offer this service and give people the opportunity
to give a unique personal gift that will last a lifetime. Each picture is
unique and not merged. Sometimes I can even get a few seagulls to cooperate
for me!

What I love about it:

Well first off, I love my "office"! The beach is so beautiful and calming
to me so I can't complain other than I wish I lived there. But maybe one
day! LOL Second, I love that it gives others the opportunity to give a
unique gift and the possibilities are endless. You can give one for a
birthday, anniversary, Valentines, etc. You can announce you're pregnant or
propose...I can't wait to do one of these. There's much more you can do or
say but it's just too long to list but you get the idea! Third, it makes me
feel good to be able to earn some money of my own. And the last thing that
I love is when the client tells me how much they love the picture and how
much the person who received it loved it. It really makes me feel good and
confident that I'm offering a service that people really appreciate and
love."



Panda Tushies



http://pandatushies.com/



"Panda Tushies was born from a couple different ideas. The first was our love for the natural bamboo fibers to make our sons diapers out of. The second was plain necessity of items that we wanted to purchase and either could not find or could not afford, so I began making them. After some time I decided there may be other families out there that would like the same opportunities. I want to be able to provide each family with items that are natural and helpful.



Panda Tushies has items for children of all ages, from baby items such as burp cloth sets, towel sets, binky blankys, and toys to pretend play items such as doll slings and kitchen sets for the older kids. I take great pride in each item we make or carry. I want to allow you to purchase premade items at a reasonable price, but also want to allow each person to flex their creative ability. That's why we will be offering fabrics and diapering supplies very soon. In our store you will find a wide range of items.



Binky Blankys: Made in 2 sizes, a travel size 13x13" and a fill size 36x30". Each blanket is made of a very soft fabric on one side and is backed in an equally soft fabric. These blankys feature a snapping ribbon to allow you to attach a binky on one end. Travel sizes also boast of an additional snap on the opposite end to allow you to attach a travel toy or secure the blanky to a shopping cart or stroller.



Apron Sets: Each set includes a child size apron and a Bambu Kid's in the Kitchen set.



Towel Sets: Includes an oversized 30x36" towel made of a colorful flannel print and backed in a wonderful bamboo inner fabric to wrap baby in. This set also includes 6 washcloths made of coordinating flannel on one side and bamboo or sherpa on the other.



Pillow Sets: Inclue a travel sized blanky and a super soft minkee pillow.



Doll Slings: Completely reversible and allow your little one to carry their precious cargo everywhere they go, just like you do!Coming very soon: Bamboo Terry prefolds. These are currently in the testing fase and we hope to have them ready to be purchased by early next year. These will be completely snappi friendly, for those like me."



Waddle Wades



http://www.waddlewades.com/



One of my friends got me in to cloth diapers that I met through a homeschooling group. I loved them so much but had trouble finding diapers that had enough absorption so I began making my own.MyAIOs are made with either terry or hemp soakers with microfleece or suedecloth linings to keep baby feeling dry (since PUL doesn't breathe) and prevent wicking. My fitteds are VERY customizable customers can choose their materials from pretty much anything I have on hand and exactly how they want their soaker, right down to the fold!



I am working on expanding my line to include mama pads, post partum pads made with very absorbant hemp, cloth wipes, mei tai carriers, and a line of cloth for dolls (diapers, carriers, etc.) I take pride in my work and every diaper I make. I also hold a myself to high standards when it comes to my customer service and I will work with everybody to come to some kind of solution. Who knows what the future holds for Waddle Wades! I have so much fun sewing, and that's what matters the most to me, the fun in doing it.

Toxins: Everyday Poisons

barefootmoms.com

now belongs to us...(insert evil laughter here)!

Just thought we'd let you know.
Have a great night!

Nutricide - Criminalizing Natural Health, Vitamins, and Herbs

Happy Thanksgiving!

Question CPD!

Cephalopelvic disproportion refers to a mismatch (disproportion) between the size of the baby's head (cephalo) and the space available within the mother's pelvis (pelvic). (Childbirth International)

True CPD is very rare!

Usually it only occurs if the mother has had a pelvis damaging accident or was malnourished as a child.





"Cephalopelvic Disproportion is vastly overdiagnosed. Here are the stories of a few women who were told their babies were too big for their pelvises by one care provider, but fortunately sought a second opinion and subsequently birthed an even BIGGER baby through that same "small" pelvis.
VBAC = vaginal birth after cesarean
HBAC = homebirth after cesarean
HBA3C = homebirth after 3 cesareans
UBA2C = unassisted birth after 2 cesareans "

Interesting article; Maryland and the vaccine drama

Helping Others for the Holidays

Okay, I have a friend who's daughter is a REAL miracle.

She was a stillborn at birth and was brought back to life. She had all kinds of problems, but her mama worked really hard with her and she didn't miss a milestone until after her 7 month VACCINATIONS. Now she has some signs of cerebral palsy and has very low tone on her right side. Her mama and dad are trying to raise some money to get her the alternative treatments that will help her.

So, if you would like to get some great gifts for your people and help out a beautiful little girl. Check out this link:

Help Madolyn!

you can also help by purchasing great diapers from her mamas store, Waddle Wades, http://www.waddlewades.com/ all purchases will be placed towards Madolyn's medical expenses. If you would like to just donate a few bucks please go here to do so: http://www.waddlewades.com/index.php?act=viewCat&catId=34

And just to show you how cool these dipes are here is Malachi in his new festive snowman dipe!

Thanks Waddle Wades!
And, as always, Thanks for listening. :)

Episode # 015 - A Dou-What?!?!

In this episode, Nadine and James talk about what a Doula is, what they do and why you should have one.

Great Unschooling Website

My cousins' awesome website!

Study Redefines Window For Early-Birth Risks

I like this quote: "Delivery between 37-41 weeks of pregnancy is considered normal. "

I'd even go so far as to say 42 weeks is normal...considering the average first time mama goes into labor at 41 weeks and 1 day.

Jacksonville Judge Says Vaccine Hurt Local Girl

Work at Home Mom Christmas Review

If you would like to be on our WAHM Christmas Review show please have something prepared to mail out this week. We will be recording this episode next week so that we can give people enough time to order from you before Christmas. Thank you for listening!

So far we have:

Nekkie Blankets

Messages in the Sand

Waddle Wades

Panda Tushies

Jewelry by Rachelle

LAST CALL FOR WAHMs!!!! :)

Have you had a doula?

Our next episode will be recorded probably Sunday afternoon. If you can call before this time and tell us about your doula, you can be on the show!

Call us at 904-875-4001 and leave a message!

Thanks for listening!