Bellybum Boutique: PREMIER STORE SPOTLIGHT Q&A

This week we headed to the mid-west to interview one of the chicest baby and children’s boutique’s in all of Chicago Illinois – Bellybum Boutique? Never been? Trust Ellen Sternweiler, store owner, on her killer instincts and excellent taste for children’s products, clothing, accessories and toys…your kiddo is sure to be styling and dressed to impress! She gave s the inside scoop on her store’s upcoming events and sales, the best items for parents shopping for a warm-weather winter vacation, and her favorite Rabbitmoon collection for spring! Read more below! 

Bellybum Boutique

4347 North Lincoln Avenue
Chicago, IL 60618
773.868.0944

www.bellybumboutique.com

CHECK-IN and JOIN Bellybum Boutique Facebook page and click HERE

 

Owner, Ellen Sternweiler

1.    Tell us the inspiration behind the name Bellybum Boutique? How long has your store been around?
I was trying to figure out a good name for a store that would specialized in everything for pre & postnatal moms and cloth diapers…hmmm…mama bellies & baby bums! Perfect 🙂

2.    Spring 2012 styles are coming into stores and brightening up any family’s winter wardrobe. What are your top 3 items (clothes, toys, giftables, etc.) for any parent shopping for warm weather items for a nice holiday vacation this winter?
Of course we always love receiving our new Rabbitmoon Collection — and this season will not disappoint (so cute)! We also just received a gorgeous new line of organic toys, blankets & clothing from Finn & Emma. Swaddle Designs blankets make great gifts: Soft and cozy, these 3-blanket cotton/fleece sets are perfect for any cool spring day. No mama’s ensemble will be complete this season without one of our gorgeous cardigans from Splendid! Lastly, I bet any sleep deprived parent can figure out why our “On-the-Go Sleep Sheep” are a must have…

3.    Any special events that you have planned at your store for spring? Tell us the inside scoop about any special events and especially the fun deals we can expect!
We like to have fun and surprise our customers…That said, you can expect more fun, and sometimes silly, Spring/Summer sales and events in addition to our current Winter Clearance sale. We are planning a big event in the Spring to celebrate the opening of our new Sensory Kids™ Store, and we are sponsoring the Autism Speaks Walk in June. Stay tuned for more information about walking with “Team Bellybum.” And, of course, if the weather continues to astound, we will surely bring back our ever-popular “Temperature Sale.”

4.    What is your “go-to” baby shower gift in your store for boys and girls?
Padalily car seat handle pads (for moms), Apple Park Organic Plush Rattles & Toys (for Babies), and Moby Wraps (for parents) are hands down customer favorites!

5.    What are your top 3 children’s movies or books and why?

• ChittyChittyBangBang (still great after all these years!)
• Jungle Book (who wouldn’t love Baloo?)
• The Phantom Toll Booth (Read this! Then read it to your young children, then let them read it again when they can, then re-read it yourself…you’ll get something new from this every time. I promise)

6.    Tell us…before you “had kids or grandkids, what is one thing you swore you’d never…?”
Nurse or use cloth diapers. Now I own a store that specializes in those things. Go figure!

7.    Describe the neighborhood of your store location in Chicago, Illinois? Did you grow up in the local area?
I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. Now, after 20 years in Chicago, I finally consider myself a Chicagoan (though I’ve gotta admit I’m still an Indians and Cavs fan). I love the Lincoln Square/Northcenter neighborhood where my store is located and where I live. It’s the perfect mixture of old and new and committed to being the ‘greenest’ neighborhood in Chicago. It’s a terrific place to raise a family with beautiful parks, as well as plenty of hip stores and great restaurants.

8.    What are the hottest trends for kids clothes right now?
Cute with a twist: I think people are tired of ‘sophisticated.’ It seems people want kids to look like kids…just the modern version.

9.    Where are the best/essential family hangouts and places to go around your store location?
Jury’s (Best Burger), Julius Meinl (Best Coffeehouse), Wells Park (Sports, Concerts…), The Old Town School of Folk Music, Lincoln Square (Gift Stores, Book Stores, Restaurants…)

10.   What Le Top or Rabbitmoon Spring 2012 collection is your store’s favorite and why?
We LOVE the Rabbitmoon “Summer” sunlit yellow collection!!! The colors are so fresh and who knew yellow could look so good?! The “Pieced Top With Tie Shoulder” is ridiculously cute with the matching hat. OMG!

Rabbitmoon "Summer" Collection A-Line Dress

Bellybum Boutique

4347 North Lincoln Avenue
Chicago, IL 60618
773.868.0944

www.bellybumboutique.com

 CHECK-IN and JOIN
Bellybum Boutique
Facebook page and click HERE

 

 

Read Full Post »

To Use Cloth or Disposable Diapers – that is the question!

It is estimated that new dads and moms will change between 5,000 – 6,000 baby diapers during the first few years of their infant’s life.  Which brings us to the great parent debate between cloth versus disposable diapers.  The reusable cloth has come a long way, long way and now even have double or triple layers and a multiply, fiber-filled strip, making them more absorbent than older styles. Some styles of cloth diapers now come with Velcro strips, eliminating the need for those large archaic safety pins.

On the other hand, there are various types of disposable diapers, ranging from simple plastic covered paper diapers to the newest high-tech, cartoon covered, absorbent gel material filled, elastic legged disposables.  It almost seems like these days they are pretty comparable! Here are some facts:

Cost: The price of disposable diapers is easy to calculate. Any mid-range diaper at a big box retail store will costs 25 cents and 35 cents. Multiply that by 5,400 (the number of times you’ll change that diaper) comes to around $1300 to $1900 total cost for your diaper.  Calculating the cost of cloth diapers is a little bit trickier. You’ve got a start-up cost of between $300 and $500 for your initial 12 to 24 cloth diapers coming from a brand like FuzziBunz, or Rumparooz, or bumGenius, depending on the brand. Then you’ve got laundry. Let’s for sake of argument presume 10 diaper load washes per month for 3 years until the baby is potty trained. You’re looking at a total diapering cost of around $1,000. A diapering service will cost you about $75. 
End thought? Cloth and disposables are about the same price!

Comfort: Again, there isn’t that big of a difference as long as your change your child’s diaper when it is soiled. Cloth diaper advocates believe cloth diapers cause diaper rash less often because people tend to change them more often, but then it comes down to convenience. Who is going to do the laundry? Bottom-line, if you leave a soiled diaper on, your child can get a diaper rash (it’s also not that comfy!).  However, your baby might like the softer feel of cloth diapers. Disposable diapers are considered more breathable, but their moisturizing, absorbent chemicals can irritate some babies.

Environment: A lot of parents make the decision between cloth and disposable based on the impact to the environment. Over 2% of American landfills are disposable diapers, but 40% are biodegradable. Disposables also use resources like trees and plastics during manufacturing. But, when we’re talking about the environmental impact of cloth reusable diapers, you must consider water and energy. Manufacturing cloth diapers requires less energy and raw materials than disposable diapers, BUT moms and dads need to realize the process of washing cloth diapers uses tons of clean water and energy.  Final answer? This is hotly debated topic and there are plenty of variables.

Convenience: Cloth diapers now come with easy Velcro or snap closures, various shapes fitted to all types of babies, waterproof bands around the waist and legs, and removable linings, making the cloth change just as quick and easy as a disposable. Downside? Cloth diapers are not as absorbent and you have to change them pretty often.

Travel & Baby Daycare: Go for the disposable! It reduces the risk of infection in a group setting and many daycares do not allow cloth.  When traveling, disposables are simply more convenient and can be heavy in luggage (unless you have easy access to a washer). 

Read Full Post »

The Diaper Dilemma

Parents face many dilemmas – picking a preschool, piano or violin lessons, soccer or baseball…but parents today are faced early on with a difficult choice – cloth or disposable? I have friends that made the decision to use cloth, but I just jumped in and without much thought started with disposables. I thought it might be interesting to do some research and share the options.

First priority: Baby’s Health

• One of the pluses of disposables is the ‘wicking’ properties that keep baby’s bottom drier and more comfortable – however any diaper you choose should be changed every 2-3 hours whether it seems wet or not since any wet diaper can cause diaper rash if left unattended.
• The absorbent filler in many disposables has been linked to health problems in mice when exposed at high levels and some children may have an allergic reaction to the filler in disposables.

Convenience

• No doubt disposables are easy to use – one use and you throw them away. They also generally provide better leak protection. One negative to disposables – Some say it’s harder to potty train since the kids don’t feel the moisture.
• There is an additional level of work with cloth diapers – they need to be washed and ‘handled.’  Some daycares and preschools do not allow the use of cloth diapers.

The Environment

• Disposable diapers are bad for the environment; it is estimated that around 5 million tons of untreated waste is deposited into landfills via disposables every year. For slightly less impact, dump the “organic waste” in the toilet before you throw them in the trash.
• Cloth diapers can lessen the impact on the environment – especially if you choose organic cotton (no chemical spraying.) Pre-rinse diapers, and then wash in warm, not hot water using non-toxic detergents.

Cost

• Cloth diapers can save you about $700 per child over 2½ years. (I know I spend about $100 a month in disposable diapers.)

Newer Options

• There are now disposables that are non-toxic, containing no dyes or fragrance.
• Some new disposables are corn-based, less harmful to the environment but not as effective for overnight (because they do biodegrade well) and some are made with wood-pulp and natural-blend cotton.
• Various new ‘hybrids’ have cute form fitted covers with Velcro or snap closures with snap in liners that can be washed. Also you can use absorbent biodegradable inserts that can be flushed – the result is minimal laundry and less going to a landfill. (One caution: some waste disposal plants say they do not degrade well, so check with your local waste management district for more information.)

I did find an enormous amount of information about the cloth versus disposable dilemma. In the end everyone needs to weigh out what works best for their baby, the environment, the associated costs and their personal lifestyle. I hope this information helps with your decision! Happy Diapering!

Read Full Post »