moving sale is over - we've moved

Buzzie Bee Diapers is now conveniently located within Clean Bee Laundry in Camden. Please visit us at 83 Elm Street (the Renys plaza). We're open 7 days/week - Monday through Saturday, 8 to 7pm. Sunday 12:30 to 5:30. You'll bee glad you did!

packing for Guatemala

We leave in just a few days - my family is so excited for this trip... just under two weeks in Guatemala with overnights at my dad's on both ends of the trip. While we are in Guatemala City, we will visit with Marisol of Asofamilia. This is the organization through which we were able to locate Haydee's birth family and provide modest assistance with food and visits. Last time we went to Guatemala, we brought a suitcase of cloth diapers for the orphanage where Haydee had stayed. This time, there is no orphanage. Sadly, the abrupt halt of international adoptions forced many orphanages to close. Guatemala lacks the infrastructure for government lead foster care so many children are either abandoned or stay in their birth families where meeting basic needs is near to impossible. So we'll be bringing more diapers to Marisol for distribution to birth families as needed. We'll also visit Safe Passage to meet the 13 year old girl we've been sponsoring there. We're excited to meet her and hear about her studies. Thirteen is a critical age - we hope to reinforce the importance of staying in school and focusing on studies while there. We're also looking forward to showing Haydee some of the special places from our time there almost four years ago - the Embassy which issued her visa (finally!), the grocery store (EconoSuper) where we walked daily, the little book store where we purchased the Max and Tina series. After our time in the city, we're off to see other parts of Guatemala - including sea turtles in Monterico and tree houses outside of Antigua. Should be a great time!

Wonderful WOOL at Buzzie Bee

New items at Buzzie Bee Diapers! You’re probably heard people raving about wool diaper covers - now you can see for yourself. Just in from Loveybums (a mom owned business in Amherst MA) is a wide assortment of wool covers. Place your order during the month of February and receive $4 off each cover! Orders must be placed over the phone (207.542.0505) or in person.

Wool Crepe Covers $31
Soft and colorful wool crepe covers! Available in Lemon, Green Apple, and Baby Blue.
Loveybums wool crepe is a medium weight cover good for daytime or nighttime use. Snap closures.
NB/SM (birth to 12 lb.)
MD (9-22 lb.)
LG (18-30 lb.)

Wool Jersey Covers $31
Loveybums wool jersey is a super soft, trim diaper cover.
NB/SM (birth to 12 lb.)
Aplix Keylime / Snap Tangerine
MD (9-22 lb.)
Aplix Periwinkle / Snap Keylime
LG (18-30 lb.)
Aplix Aquamarine / Snap Periwinkle

Hand Dyed Organic Wool Covers $37
with snap closures. Each organic wool cover is made with two layers of o~wool.
NB/SM in Maize
MD in Cornflower
LG in Mint

Loveybums-In-Ones $39
Snap closure wool crepe cover with sherpa snap-in diaper. Additional sherpa snap-in diapers available for $14. Organic cotton snap-in diaper available for $16.
LG only in Periwinkle, Aquamarine, Tangerine and Keylime

Nursing Pads $5.75/pack
Loveybums organic cotton nursing pads are made with a layer of organic cotton fleece topped with a layer of soft, luxurious organic velour. Price is per pack (each pack contains two nursing pads).


Wet Bags $19.50
Loveybums wet bags measure approximately 12" wide x 14" tall x 5" deep and can hold several diaper changes. Each wet bag is handmade with an outer cotton print, an inner of PUL, and a sturdy zipper closure to keep wet diapers safely inside.

Lanolin Tube $4
This tube of .25 oz. Lansinoh lanolin is a perfect size to have on hand for lanolizing wool covers.

The Ultimate Test Drive

A little over a week ago, a mom who is taking a Women's Studies class on Women and the Environment contacted me about trying cloth diapers on her toddler for a month as her class project. She was turned off by the start up cost for cloth, particularly when she wasn't sure she'd stick with it after the project ended. I decided to loan her a Test Drive Set (which is a bunch of diaper service diapers and supplies to try at home) free of charge (normally it's $16/week with a $175 refundable deposit) and allow her to use my name in her blog about the project. Needless to say, I'm delighted it's going well... Thought you might enjoy reading how she and her daughter are doing as they try to Go Cloth.

gently used training pants for sale

I have 5 pairs of small Bummis Training Pants (for babies 20-30 lbs)that I'm looking to sell. A Buzzie Bee customer tested them with her twins so they've been used just a few times. The set of 5 would retail for $60 new, so I'm asking $30 used, enough to cover my cost to replace them. Please call or email if you're interested. We also have lots and lots of gently used prefolds and Bummis covers which we'd be happy to pass along.

cloth makes a comeback

Last week I was talking to an advertising representative at a downtown Bath networking event. He was there promoting a magazine focused on coastal living. My husband and I were there promoting our businesses. We made a connection in that he’d cloth diapered his children, years and years ago. He was saying that what was once old is now new again. Whenever I go to networking events, I tend to bring along my baby - not my daughters - but the cabbage patch doll that my grandmother stood in line for decades ago. It’s helpful to have a “model” when talking about or demonstrating how to use cloth diapers. The ad rep immediately noticed how much cloth diapers had changed in the last twenty years. He commented that what’s old is new again only better. He got it right: cloth diapering is indeed making a comeback. And here’s why:

Cloth diapering is easy. Baby boomers are surprised to learn two basic facts about modern cloth diapers. Number 1: no pins! Number 2: no toilet dunking! Generations X and Y are delighted by how easy cloth diapering is now. Baby Boomers can’t believe the someone hasn’t thought of it when they were diapering their children. Today’s diapers secure with snaps or Aplix and can be easily washed in a standard washing machine or with a diaper service. Aplix is a type of velcro and usually diapers using this will have laundry tabs to secure so that the velcro stays free of gunk and doesn’t catch on anything else.

More and more information is available, locally and online. The March/April issue of Mothering magazine carries the headline Cloth Diaper Comeback and can be found at the Good Tern. The Real Diaper Association, a national cloth diapering advocacy group, provides internet searchers with facts and directs interested folk to local resources. Four times a year, Mid Coast Hospital offers a free Diapering 101 class. In Maine, there are two diaper services and at least a dozen stores selling quality cloth diapers. Local cloth businesses are more than happy to give demonstrations - often at no cost to you.

Increased awareness of environmental benefits of cloth. More and more transfer stations are introducing pay-by-the-bag. The cost of petroleum products (such as disposable diapers) is rising. Modern cloth diapers can be used, reused and then used some more. Energy efficient washers make it possible to launder cloth diapers with less water and without harsh chemicals. By laundering cloth diapers, waste stays out of the landfill - or wherever your municipality ultimately puts of trash. Cloth diaper manufactures are aware of and open with the sources of the fabrics used in making cloth diapers. Read the ingredient label on the disposable diaper packages... oh, yeah, there isn’t one. Hmm...

Increased awareness of health benefits of cloth. In a time where we are bombarded with chemicals and additives, cloth diapers are a natural haven. Unlike their throwaway counterparts, cloth diapers are pollutant free and contain no dioxin or Tributyl-tin. Dioxin is a cancer-linked chemical while Tributyl-tin is linked to hormonal problems in humans and animals. Back in the 50’s, when nearly every baby was in cloth, most babies potty trained at 18 months old. In the 80’s, when half the babies were in cloth, only 50% of babies were potty trained at 18 months. Now, with over 90% of babies in disposable diapers, two-thirds are still in diapers after their third birthday. Delayed potty training has taken its toll on the environment as well on the child. First there’s the prolonged exposure to chemicals. Second there is the impact on self-esteem in being too old for diapers but still in them.

Availability and options. Cloth diapering parents refer to their collection of diapers as their stash. No two stashes are identical. Selecting diapers is no different than shopping for a car or deciding what you want to be when you grow up. Admittedly, it can be overwhelming and is sometimes sited as reason for inaction. You can try a variety and make up your own mind. You can ask friends and family what worked for them and make up your own mind. If one diaper seems to work better than another, you can switch. You’re not locked in. Anyone who’s looking to try cloth diapers, please give me a call, I’d be happy to show you my stash!

buzzie bee is growing!

We're getting closer to offering diaper service to the southern area of mid-coast maine. Our start date is February 26th. On Monday February 25th 6-8pm, together with the Mid Coast Medical Group, we're offering a **FREE** Diapering 101 class. We'll demonstrate all sorts of cloth diapers, including the ones offered through Buzzie Bee Diapers, offer tips for home laundering as well details of the diaper service. We'll also provide participants with reasons for choosing cloth diapers. It's sure to be a fun, interactive event - complete with giveaways.

Diapering 101 location:
66 Baribeau Drive, Suite 1B
Brunswick, Maine 04011
(207)729-4392

Confused about cloth?

The other day a friend told me that she considered cloth diapers for her first child but felt her head spinning with all the cloth options available. She was so overwhelmed that she didn’t know where to begin. She’s now expecting her second child, due in a few months. She recently googled ‘cloth diapers’ and was, once again, confused by all the choices she saw. My hope here is to clear up the confusion about cloth. The first years of a child's life are a special time that will pass all too quickly, and my goal is to help parents make the most of this time and to help them keep their baby healthy, happy, and comfortable. Because shopping for cloth is nothing like going down the baby aisle at the grocery store where the disposable diapers options are neatly placed on shelves all within arms reach. Like parenting, there are various methods of diapering - try a few and ultimately go with the one that best suits you and your child.

There are two categories of cloth diapers - those that require a diaper cover and those that do not. The diaper itself is the cloth part, most commonly made of cotton, hemp or bamboo. The diaper does the absorbing. The cover, made of wool or a polyurethane laminate (PUL), contains the diaper and keeps the baby’s clothing from getting wet. Most covers are gathered at the leg openings and secured to around the waist with velcro or snaps. Today’s cloth diapers barely resemble ones your parents may have used. Gone are the days are diaper pins and rubber pants!

Three types of diapers require a cover- flat, prefold and fitted diapers. Flat: dishtowel-type diapers that are folded multiple times, so that it fits virtually every baby and dries quickly. Prefold: layers of cloth sewn together so that you don’t have to fold them multiple times. Fitted: diapers which are gathered at the leg openings and may be secured around the waist with velcro or snaps. Two types of diapers do not require a separate diaper covers - all-in-ones and pocket diapers. All-in-one (AIO): fitted diapers with the diaper cover built in, making the diaper waterproof. Pocket: water-resistant outer shell with an opening in the back to insert absorbent material.

A quick online search will reveal hundreds of cloth brands and online retailers. Pretty much every diaper out there fits into one of the five types mentioned above. To determine which type will work for your family, identify your motivation and budget for cloth. You’ll need 2-3 dozen diapers and 6-8 covers. Five years ago, we sought a diapering system that was economical and reusable. We chose unbleached prefolds and PUL covers. We experimented with various ways fold the diapers in thirds and my husband, being very visual, created a simple diagram which we posted near the changing table. For covers we went with Bummis super whisper wraps which secure with velro-type tabs. In all, spent just under $300 on diapers for Liefe, birth to potty training. Once she potty trained, her prefolds went to a friend. Now Haydee uses some of the same covers. Our success in cloth diapering Liefe, from the simplicity of her diapering system to her ease in potty training, is influenced the choices available to Buzzie Bee Diapers diaper service customers.

If your motivation centers around convenience, talk to other cloth diaper users about what they find the easiest to use and launder. Pocket diapers and all-in-ones are easy to put on even the most wiggly toddlers. Because the insert comes out before laundering, pocket diapers dry quickly. Using a diaper service takes almost all the work out of diapering, you’ll still have to change your baby, but that’s about it. It’s also perfectly fine to diversify your diapering portfolio, such as pockets or all-in-ones for travel, daycare, or babysitters and prefolds for home use. Diaper users have a wealth of cloth options from which to choose. By being familiar with the basic cloth diaper categories and the reasons to use cloth, I believe everyone can find a cloth diaper to suit their needs and help them to be successful cloth diaper users.

Happy Birthday Sale!

Birthday Sale!
celebrate 2 years of Buzzie Bee Diapers
Two years ago, Buzzie Bee Diapers brought cloth diapers back to the midcoast, with a modern twist - no pins, no soaking. Now cloth is as easy as can bee! We carry Bummis covers + training pants, Bamboozles, LoveyBums, prefolds (new + gently used), waterproof bags, flannel wipes, doublers, hampers, and more. Free delivery along our diaper service route.
The choice you make when you change your baby is your chance to change the world.

20% off all in stock merchandise
Current diaper service customers may apply their standing 10% discount for total of 30% off. Sale prices valid 10/15-11/15/07.

Dispose of those disposables!

a cloth diaper doubles a bib for Haydee while we were in Guatemala City for almost a month last year

Once we decided to use cloth diapers for our children, we began to consider what else we could switch from disposable to reusable. Once we tried, we discovered that just like cloth diapers, it took no more effort - in fact, frequently, it took less effort - to be green in more areas of our lives. Here’s what we’ve done.

baby products: We’ve had the same tub of disposable wipes for Haydee, our youngest daughter, for over a year and it’s about half-full. They are reserved for travel when we know we won’t be near a water supply. Normally we use flannel wipes in lieu of disposable ones. The reasons are just like the reasons for using cloth diapers: easier on baby, wallet and earth. For Liefe, we cut receiving blankets into rectangles. With the advent of Buzzie Bee Diapers and the homecoming of Haydee, we upgraded to two layers of flannel, sewn together. With cloth wipes and washable swim diapers and/or training pants, there is no reason to run to the store. Here again, cloth saves time and money.

cleaning products: The last time we bought paper towels was when we first moved to Maine, just about four years ago. We actually still have that role. It doesn’t feel right to throw it away. Instead of paper towels, we use rags from old cotton clothes, either stained or otherwise unsuitable to be hand-me-downs. We store them in a canister on the kitchen counter and launder as needed. We save money and reduce the amount of needless waste generated. Plus a clean cotton rag is does as much better job at picking up spills or cleaning up messy hands and faces than a scratchy paper towel.

composting: All vegetable food scraps (including egg shells and coffee grounds) go in a large yogurt container (with a lid) on our kitchen counter. When the container is full, one of us brings it out to the compost bin. We keep our compost bin right off the porch so we’re more likely to use it. Composting also cuts down on the amount of trash we produce. This cuts down on the number of trips we need to take to the dump. And, by composting, we wind up with great soil for our flower and vegetable gardens.

gift bags: When you receive a gift from the Temple family, chances are it’s either wrapped in children’s artwork or it’s in a reusable fabric gift bag. Our bags are likely to be made from scraps of old clothing or other household fabrics - like the remnants from curtains. While we do have some wrapping paper left over from the Day After Christmas sales back in 2000, it’s been so much easier to toss presents into a bag and tie with a beautiful ribbon. We always encourage recipient to reuse the bag.

leftover hats: I’m not sure what the technical or even common name for this. It looks like a shower cap, only its made to cover food. I find them from time to time at Family Dollar. We use them in place of plastic wrap. Then we wash them out with soap and water, hang them to dry and re-use again and again.

picnic basket: Eating outside is an adventure for small children. They love how it changes the routine. Liefe says that food always tastes better on a picnic. Rather than use disposable silverware and paper plates, we have a picnic basket with real silverware and washable, durable plastic dishes. We keep the basket loaded and ready to go.

shopping bags: Over the years, we’ve collected dozens of canvas bags. We use them when we go shopping, whether to the farmers market, the good tern, or even to the pharmacy. Many of our bags have been painted by our girls. It’s a fun, safe and easy project. Using and re-using canvas shopping bags reduces the overstock of plastic bags we previously had in several areas of the kitchen.

table linens: Growing up, my family always used cloth napkins and placemats. I share this practice with my family today. Cloth napkins double as baby blankets and boo-boo bear holders. Plus, it’s much more entertaining to do tricks with cloth napkin than it is with a paper one.

Have you done something else to reduce your consumption of single-use household items? If so, please let me know, I’d love to share more ideas...

Save Time and Money (and the earth, too) by Cleaning with Vinegar

About a month ago, Liefe (my four year old) asked if she could have a chore chart. Since she wasn’t concerned about an allowance or getting paid to do the chores, we agreed. So, she set to work making a list of all the chores she already does. She came up with feeding the dogs, folding her clothes, setting the table, and cleaning the house (or CLN HOZ as she wrote it on her chart). She decided to give herself a sticker when she completed a task on the chart. She challenged herself to fill the entire sheet of paper with stickers. Some days she uses her chart regularly and other days it hangs unnoticed in our kitchen. By far her favorite chore is cleaning up - what four year old doesn’t like a spray bottle!?!

When Liefe is doing chores, I can guarantee that her little sister Haydee is not far behind. They are two very good reasons why we use cleaning products we know are safe. Since they love the spray bottle, it also helps if the products are economical too. Enter: Vinegar. White vinegar is known to kill bacteria, germs and mold, yet it’s harmless to children. (Note: vinegar is likely to be gluten-free as it is not generally made from wheat, but parents of children who are sensitive to gluten should certainly double check, just in case it’s ingested.) As a naturally occurring substance, vinegar is safe for the earth as well.

Equal parts water and vinegar in a clean spray bottle makes an effective cleaning solution for most areas of the home. Vinegar not only cleans, it disinfects and deodorizes as well. The vinegar odor disappears as soon as it dries. We’ve taken the cleaning adventure one step further by cutting old t-shirts into cleaning rags. They don’t unravel in the wash and, unlike paper towels, they can be used over and over again.

With supervision, children learn to be great housekeeping helpers. Haydee’s not quite there yet, but Liefe recently started to clean windows. We use this recipe to avoid streaky windows: 2 cups of water, 1/4 cup of white distilled vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon of liquid soap or detergent in a spray bottle. The liquid soap breaks down the wax left on the windows from a commercial window spray.

We get rid of fruit flies by setting out a small, shallow dish of undiluted white distilled vinegar. If the fruit flies are particularly stubborn (like at our house where we’ve placed the compost bin just outside the kitchen window so that we’ll actually bring things out to the compost), add a teaspoon of sugar and some dish soap. Children enjoy checking this to see how many fruit flies they’ve trapped.

At our house, children who can dress themselves, can help with the laundry. Vinegar comes in handy in the laundry room as well. Add ½ cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle in place of store bought fabric softener. Vinegar has the added benefit of breaking down laundry detergent more effectively. This has been great in our family as a few of us have sensitive skin.

It is important to make sure all cleaning supplies are well labeled and kept out of the reach of children. While it’s nice to imagine them cleaning without us, perhaps while we enjoy a nice cup of tea or a well-deserved rest, it’s probably not a great idea to leave them alone with even the vinegar-water solution. By using earth friendly cleaning solutions cleaning with our children, we model yet another way to keep our homes healthy. While Liefe and Haydee are spritzing away, they’re actually learning about personal responsibility and team work. Plus, many hands do make light work. And light work means more time to play...

Buzzing on the Air

Years ago, I majored in English and Theater. I quickly discovered that I liked being backstage infinitely more than being on stage.

For a friend’s thesis, I reluctantly accepted the role of an angel who descends from the ceiling to center stage while playing the flute. For my own thesis, I designed and built the costumes for an equally bizarre performance. From the safely and comfort of a seat in sixth row, I loved seeing my work on stage.

On some level, writing this column has become therapeutic — as it forces me to make the time to reflect on my parenting beliefs. It’s also brought about some name recognition. For example, when I paid by check at the a local hardware store last week, the clerk told me he had read my piece about carbon footprint and how he had shared it with a friend.

So far, the internal and external benefits of Me & The Bee have exceeded my expectations. What I enjoy most is that I do it from home, on my own time, with my own computer, when my children are asleep. I like words. I like being able to think about them before I use them. And I can write, re-write, and re-re-write as much as I like before I send off this column. The process suits me. Just as running a diaper service suits me. Much of the work I do for my business is behind the scenes. I do see my customers, only not that often. And I’ve been able to plan how I want the business to run. Almost two years into it, things are running smoothly and it feels comfortable.

I was pushed out of my comfort zone when I was invited to talk about my business on not one but two upcoming radio shows. The opportunity to promote my business should be welcomed with gratitude and open arms. Like my children, my business will grow in the right direction if given lots of positive attention. So, with that in mind, I took a deep breath and accepted both invitations. The more people who know about the business, the more they are likely to support it. I believe in what I do and why I do it so I imagine I could have an intelligent conversation about it with the hosts. Still, why am I this nervous? Because, unlike words on the computer screen, the spoken word cannot be backspaced or deleted until the right word comes along. Because it’s me who will be interviewed, not my business plan.

Enter two daughters, stage left. Hearing their delicate but knowing voices, I am reminded that for all the planning I do, they balance me by being unwittingly sincere. They say what they mean because they say what immediately comes to mind. I think I’ll follow their lead this time.

Jennifer Moore Temple is the owner of Buzzie Bee Diapers, a cloth diaper service and supply company in Rockland. She can be reached at 542-0505 or via the company Web site, http://www.BuzzieBee.com.

3 Simple Steps to Shrink Your Family’s Footprint

Tiny footprints are great. Our family scrapbook contains the tiny footprints of our two daughters. Liefe’s are the smallest with tiny newborn footprints done just hours after her birth. Haydee’s are a tad bigger as they were done a few hours once she came home to Maine at nine-months old. These images reinforce how both how much they’ve grown and how small they still are. Their tiny footprints remind me of my parental responsibilities to raise them well and to tread as lightly as I can on their earth so they can fulfill their obligation to leave the world a more beautiful place.
There are many tools to help us tread lightly on the earth. One is a calculator to compute individual and household carbon footprints - the annual carbon emissions created by daily living. Climate change is caused by excessive greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2) in our atmosphere. An online search produces several such calculators. The Nature Conservancy’s carbon calculator gives clear definitions for often misused terms such as global warming and climate change. It depicts one’s carbon footprint relative to others, helping to put a household’s consumption into perspective. For example, for a household of four, the American average is 110 tons of CO2 annually, the world average is 22, and our family comes in with 44. By mainstream American standards, we’re doing well. Since climate change impacts the entire planet, we could and should be doing more.
Here are some ideas which, if you’re not already doing, will easily reduce your family’s carbon footprint. These can all be done with children. By modeling responsible consumption, we help our children shape the footprint of tomorrow. If you have other ideas, please do share them with me and others.

(1) Use cloth napkins on a regular basis. Cloth serves as a better barrier than paper so you’ll probably only need one per person for each meal. Laundered in cold water, along with the other laundry and hung to dry whenever possible, cloth napkins are better for the environment than their paper counterparts. Napkins can be purchased locally or, if you sew, will sew up quickly and can be made of any washable fabric.
(2) Make every effort to limit the amount of time your car sits idling. In other words, when you’re not using your car, turn it off. For most vehicles, you waste more gas idling for one minute than you do by turning off and restarting your car. So, if you’re going to run in to pick up your children from school, please turn off your car. Or, if you’re the the first car to get stuck in construction traffic and you know you’re going to be sitting there several minutes, turn off your car. An idling car gets zero miles per gallon. The larger the vehicle, the more gas is wasted when idling.
(3) Buy from area farmers and at farmers markets. Supermarket food travels an average of 1,300 miles from farm to table. In addition to helping the environment, you’ll get better tasting foods if you buy things grown or raised close to home. Local food is fresher because its journey is shorter than food shipped from away. Purchasing locally, or growing your own, will cost less and will keep more money in the community’s economy. The Rockland Farmers market is at the Public Landing on Thursdays, 9 a.m. -1 p.m. The Camden Farmers market is on Colcord Avenue, Wednesdays 4:30 p.m. -6:00 p.m. and Saturdays 9 a.m. -noon. Local food is also available at many farm stands as well as at The Good Tern Food Co-op, 750 Main Street in Rockland.