Abernathy Naturals

Using random.org, we drew the winners for our Storchenwiege Ring Sling giveaway and our Eucalan Wrapture giveaway. Entries 3-46 were eligible to win the ring sling (entries 1-2 did not post the requested information to enter!), and comment #4 was our winner.

Comment #4 was posted by Kristen Feldman. Congratulations, Kristen! You’ve won a Storchenwiege ring sling of your choice from our in stock selection. Kristen is the driving force behind Victoria, BC’s Carriers for a Cause organisation, trying to help families in need wear their babies comfortably.

Here’s a screen cap of our random.org drawing:

Our Eucalan Wrapture prize was won by entry #3, Brittany! (Is it totally weird that we drew 3 and 4, respectively, for our two giveaways?!) Brittany uses Eucalan to care for her son’s hand knits.

Here’s a screen cap of our random.org drawing for Eucalan Wrapture!

Thank you to everyone who stopped by our blog and entered!

 Today we’ve joined forces with Eucalan to bring you another giveaway and introduce you to the new Wrapture scent. Wrapture is infused with Night Bloom Jasmine, which is naturally antiseptic–perfect for washing woolies! Developed by designer Kristin Omdahl, Wrapture is a great addition to Eucalan’s existing line, Grapefruit, Eucalyptus, Lavender (and of course, unscented). If you comment on the blog by Friday, November 16, you’ll be entered to win a gift pack with four single use sachets of Wrapture. I’d love to hear your thoughts on wool as diaper covers and what your wash routine looks like.

Modern cloth diapering looks vastly different from cloth diapering 20, 15 or even 10 years ago. Gone are the days of “plastic pants” and bulky or difficult diapers. With aplix and snaps, many diapers are as easy to put on as a disposable, which means the only extra step you have to take is washing them! Waterproof covers are easy to find and relatively inexpensive, and have improved vastly on the plastic pants of the past, but still don’t breathe as nicely as natural fibres.

Wool has come back in the last few years as the diaper cover of choice for many families. Wool is breathable, extremely stretchy (my youngest has a pair of longies that were full length pants at 4 months old, and now at nearly 2 still fit her in the caboose as shorts!), naturally antibacterial, and bulletproof if it’s properly lanolised before use. The process of lanolising is simple, particularly if you have a good wool wash like Eucalan to apply. The hardest thing about wool is getting it affordably if you’re not a knitter like I am, and then the extra care you have to take while washing it to prevent it from felting. The wash routine, however, is very simple, and only needs doing every couple of weeks when the pants (called longies) or cover (called soakers) begin to smell or get soiled in some way.

When it’s time to wash your woolies, put roughly a teaspoon to a tablespoon of wool wash in your sink or basin (depending on how much you’re going to wash, and how large your basin is). Fill it with tepid (not hot or cold) water. Then gently insert your woollies, pressing them into the water and ensuring that they are fully saturated (I very gently squeeze mine to do this). You only need enough water to cover your longies or soakers. Allow them to stand and soak for an hour or two (or overnight if you want). Don’t handle them while they’re soaking if you can avoid it–excess handling of wet wool can contribute to felting.

When you’re done with that, gently remove them from the water and give them a gentle squeeze to remove some excess water. Don’t wring them out. Take a towel and lie it on the floor, and then lie your soaker(s) on top of the towel. Put another towel or two on top, and then roll the towels up. Squeeze the towels to remove the excess water (or, if you’re like me, you might just find it easier to stand on the roll!). Then lie your soaker(s) or longie(s) out to dry.

It’s really very simple to care for wool with a lanolin enriched wool wash like Eucalan around, and the many benefits to your child (and, in many ways, our environment) are worth the extra efforts you have to take to care for them. Keeping your wool well lanolised will make it a bulletproof way to cover all kinds of diapers–flats, prefolds, fitteds, etc–without the need of synthetic fibres. This is especially beneficial for babies with tender skin that require extra care to avoid rashes.

To enter to win our gift pack of (4) single use sachets of Wrapture, comment on this blog entry by November 16th. Let us know what you’d like to use it for: Eucalan is great for washing lingerie and other delicate products without the need to rinse as well as wool! Make sure you use an e-mail we can reach you at–we will re-draw the winner on November 19th if we can’t reach our winner within 48 hours!

Wrapture will be available on our site shortly in both 100mL and 500mL size bottles.

First and foremost, today is a day to remember the sacrifices of the many veterans–past and present–who have gone to war to protect the rights and freedoms we are so blessed to have here in Canada.

This is long overdue. We’re having another giveaway! This time on the roster is the Storchenwiege Ring Sling of your choice. We currently have Leo Black & White, Leo Green, Ulli, Anna, Lilly, Leo Natural and Vicki in stock.

Storchenwiege ring slings are made from the same durable, long lasting 100% cotton material as their wraps. The woven material is ideal for supporting your baby/toddler well while they’re in the carrier. These ring slings feature aluminium rings and come with a mesh pouch for washing. As with other Storchenwiege products, they come with a 2 year guarantee.

We have had our Storchenwiege wrap for more than 4 years now and it is the same brilliant colours as the day we bought it, the material silky smooth and exceptionally easy to tie. Our carrier has been loaned out to carry children ranging from newborn through to primary school ages, as well as being used by us personally to carry our two daughters from their earliest days through to pre-school.

Giveaway Rules
1. You need to post a comment here on the blog to enter. You must specify an e-mail when you comment. Your e-mail will not be posted or shared anywhere, but will be visible only to us so that we may contact our winner. You have to comment on this entry, and you need to include the pattern you would choose and what you would like a ring sling for. (ie. give to a friend, for a future baby, to donate, or for your current child) Here is our ring sling page!
2. You have to be from Canada or the United States. Regrettably, the contest isn’t open to residents of other countries.
3. You have to enter the contest before November 15th, 2012. Comments posted after midnight PST on the 15th will not be eligible for the contest.
4. The contest winner will be announced sometime on November 16th, 2012.
5. If the contest winner does not respond to our attempts to contact them by November 23rd, we will do the draw a second time and a new winner will be selected and notified. They will be given an equivalent time period to respond. In the past we have had contest winners who have been unresponsive to our attempts to contact them. So, if you enter, be sure and enter with contact info we can use to reach you at!

Please help us share the love of babywearing and share this blog entry and “like” our Facebook page! We have other giveaways in the works for November and December!

It’s been a long time since I updated. I apologize for that. I really need to keep on top of our blog! It’s a great way to connect with people, and it’s a shame to not get to interact with you all.

There are a few things new at Abernathy Naturals. I’ll try to present them all to you here but no doubt I will forget a few.

1. We have two giveaways in the works–one for the middle of November, and one towards the end of November or sometime in December. The one in the middle of November will be a Eucalan/Wrapture giveaway to provide some lucky readers with some samples of this divine new wool care product.

2. Suse’s Deluxe Kinder Coat has been updated for the 2012 season. Currently available only in black, this jacket boasts a few new updates including longer sleeves, nylon lining and a more polished appearance. We ordered our first shipment of these coats on October 19. They’re presently in customs but should be here soon. We have already sold out of the XS, S and M from the first shipment but still have a L and XL available. Victoria residents are welcome to come and try them on. We also have a number of 2011s left from last year that we are clearancing out.

2. Suse’s has also come out with a new winter coat for this year, the Teton Jacket. This one was ordered at the same time as the 2012 Kinders, so we’re looking forward to seeing it.

3. We did our first Babywearing Workshop on the 21st of October and it was a wonderful success. Lots of fun and wonderful families and babywearers to meet and chat with. Olena Russell, a local babywearing educator, graciously attended to assist people with learning to use their carriers (particularly back carries in wraps), along with Deirdre of Continuum Family and Jason and I. This event was hosted generously by Natalie and her family. Abernathy Naturals gifted a $40 gift certificate and Continuum Family gifted a $40 prize pack including some LuSa products to two raffle winners. Thanks so much to everyone who attended!

4. The Vancouver Island Baby Fair at the end of September was a resounding success and we really enjoyed it. It was great to be a part of such a great event. The energy was wonderful and despite all the hard work, I’m sorry it ended so soon!

That’s all for now–I’ll see you again in a few days!

R.A.

The Baby Fair is almost upon us–the 29th and 30th of this month–and we have tickets to give away! Are you planning to attend, or would you be interested in attending? If so, leave a comment here, and we will draw a winner on the 15th of September at 12 in the afternoon. We will be there at our booth with a stockpile of Suse’s Deluxe Kinder Coats, Storchenwiege carriers, Tula carriers, Thirsties, Planet Wise and more!

At just over 18 weeks, we found out that our third babe will be another little girl! After a not uncomplicated, extremely stressful start, it was a relief to see a healthy baby on the screen at our ultrasound. We feel incredibly blessed to welcome another little girl into our family. We are approaching the halfway mark (which, for me, is about 21 weeks!), which is completely thrilling. For some reason, I feel very little fear about adding one more to the brood. I know it will be challenging, but we will get through, and it will be so completely worth it.

So, we are thrilled to add one more. Are any of our readers expecting right now? I know there are a few of our fans on Facebook waiting to welcome babies. I would love to hear (and share) experiences as our families grow. ?

Our 10% off everything cloth diapering sale is winding down–it will end on the 26th. We are well stocked on Thirsties cloth diapers, and also have organic cotton prefolds and Planet Wise wet bags. If you spend over $60 on Thirsties products in the next 24 hours, I’ll include a free jar of Thirsties Booty Love bottom balm/rash cream! We also only have a handful of Tula Ergonomic baby carriers left in the standard size. Once they’re gone, they’re gone until at least the end of September, so get yours now if you’re planning to!

If there’s a question I hear a lot from parents wanting to wear their babies, it’s “how do I get started?” As with cloth diapering, there are a confounding number of carrier types out there — wraps, ring slings, mei tais, SSCs (soft structured carriers), stretchy wraps and pouches — and every one of these types has numerous brands and products enveloped within it.

Ultimately, I always tell people to try a few different carriers before selecting one. Even if you’re buying used, there’s a chance you’re not going to like it. If it’s your first and only carrier, and you don’t completely love it, there’s a good chance you might give up on your search — or just not babywear. It might seem like a bit of extra work to go and try some carriers out before you settle, but it may well save you from reselling whatever you’ve got.

The kind of carriers you should be looking at depends on a few factors. How big is your child? What kind of outings will you use the carrier for? What are features that are important to you? (Compact to carry, easy to put on, quick to put on, comfortable for long periods of time, versatile, adjustable …)

If you’re looking to carry a newborn infant, a stretchy wrap (such as a cuddly wrap or the Tula elastic wrap) is an excellent first choice. They lack the sheer quantity of tying options that a woven wrap has, which is a good thing when you’re just getting started. They are comfortable, easy to pop baby in and out of and easy to nurse in. They can’t be used safely for back carries and are no longer as comfortable and easy to use once your baby reaches roughly 15 pounds.

If you’re looking to carry a newborn infant, but want some long-term usefulness from your carrier, and you want to be able to pop your carrier on quickly for shorter time periods, you can try a ring sling. Some people can wear ring slings for long periods of time without much discomfort. They are usable for front carries, hip carries, and (for the experienced babywearer) even back carries. They pack up relatively small, are lovely to look at and are quick to put on and adjust. That adjustability also makes them much preferred to carriers like pouch slings where it is integral that you get the proper size. I don’t personally recommend pouch slings, particularly for the side lying position, because it does carry some risk of positional asphyxiation. The best, and safest position for your baby is tummy to tummy and upright. We have beautiful Storchenwiege ring slings in a variety of patterns available, and hear endless rave reviews about their security, softness and comfort.

If you’re looking for a carrier you can wear for hours with minimal, if any, discomfort — one that goes over both shoulders and distributes the weight nicely — you might want to try a soft structured carrier (SSC). Really, I recommend SSCs for anyone new to the world of babywearing. The learning curve is extremely small. They are easy to get on and off, are generally fun to look at, and should be comfortable for you. There are, however, a ton of choices. Some solid options are the Boba, Beco Butterfly II and Beco Gemini, and the Tula Ergonomic. Boba and Beco carriers can be found through Deirdre at Continuum Family, and Tula Ergonomic carriers can be found through us. Other carriers that resemble soft structured carriers include popular, easy to find models like the Baby Bjorn and Snugli carriers. We do not recommend carriers that promote wearing your infant or toddler facing away from your body. Whether on your back or your front, your infant should be facing in to you. Your child’s knees should be elevated above the level of their hips to promote healthy development. Hip dysplasia is a risk associated with these “crotch dangling” carriers.

If you’re looking for the ultimate carrier that can do everything and then some (and then turn into a hammock when you’re done!), you should get a woven wrap like one of our Storchenwiege or Ellevill wraps. With the heftiest learning curve, they may take you a while to master, but once you do, they can be worn a million and one different ways for premature infancy through to school-aged. My Ulli has held babies from the newest newborn through to a 6 year old without discomfort or strain for the wearer. After 4 years of use, it is the softest, strongest, and still most vibrant baby carriers I have. Despite being washed what seemed like almost daily for a long time — thanks to my pukey girls! — it hasn’t shown the slightest sign of wear or fading. Storchenwiege in particular are the wrap for the older child — they are often used in maternity wards for pregnant women to hang off of during labour, and have been weight tested to safely carry more weight than anyone could comfortably carry.

Getting Started on a Budget
It can be difficult getting started on a budget when it comes to babywearing. Only the most common carriers are easy to find used. In our city, Ergo carriers are popular and readily available — and sometimes you can score a ring sling or a wrap, or an SSC of another variety. But even if you’re looking to buy used, I recommend going to a babywearing get together to try a greater variety of carriers to see what fits you and feels best for what you want it for. At Abernathy Naturals, you are welcome to use the Contact Us form or e-mail us to come and try out one or all of our demonstration carriers/personal stash. Even if you’re not planning to buy new from us, I want you to find a good carrier, so the door is always open! We have a BabyHawk mei tai, a Beco Butterfly II, a Tula Ergonomic, my Storchenwiege Ulli, a Storchenwiege ring sling, a Tula Elastic Wrap and a (sadly, broken) Ergo organic.

Sometimes, arrangements can be made for layaway for carriers as well.

Has this helped you? Do you have questions? Comment below and let me know!

We had our 1,000 fan giveaway a number of weeks ago, but after attempting to contact the winner, we haven’t had any luck!

The prize is a $25 gift certificate and free shipping.

We’re doing this one real quick-like, so comment below with what you’d spend your gift certificate on (make sure you put in an accurate e-mail) and we’ll draw the winner Sunday night at 8pm PST!

Well, after the slow migration to the new host, my blog is finally up and running again! I’m excited to share things with you (though I’m not convinced there is a “you” out there most of the time! ) and do some more contests here.

There are exciting times ahead for us, including the Vancouver Island Baby Fair that is now only two scant months away. We will be there with a wide array of Thirsties, Inc. cloth diapering products, a good selection of Storchenwiege wraps and ring slings, and hopefully a handful of rare, hard to get Tula Baby ergonomic soft structured carriers. We will also, of course, have products lines from Planet Wise, Bamboobies, Suse’s Kinder and our own line of wipes and receiving blankets. If you’re from the island we hope to see you there!

There are still a few products on our site that are being cleared out, including the now-defunct Naturally Luxe line of wool care products, Planet Wise food storage products and LunaPads.

On a personal note, we are excited for our eldest daughters’ last day of pre-school today. She returns for her second year of pre-school in September. She just celebrated her fourth birthday, and we are finding this age a lot of fun but also very challenging. Her impish little sister motors around after her and worships the ground she walks on. We are expecting our third at the end of January, so I’ve been struggling with hyperemesis, which I also had with both girls (right until the end). You will have to bear with us as this occasionally makes things like shipping happen a little slower, but I’m making every effort to keep things running smoothly. I have started going to acupuncture and it has been providing me with some relief, which is exciting and very much preferred to my medications!