Le Baby Shop

Win an Apricot Peg Perego Primo Viaggio SIP Infant Car Seat!

2011-09-06T15:57:00.018-04:00

Visit our Facebook page or see below for a chance to win a gorgeous Apricot Peg Perego Primo Viaggio SIP infant car seat. Peg Perego is an Italian children's gear brand well known for their use of quality materials as well as for comfort and safety. This car seat will have your new little one riding in style and comfort up until they reach 22lbs! Co-ordinate it with a matching Peg Perego stroller for a perfect travel system (sorry, the stroller is not included in the giveaway).

Enter by visiting our Facebook page and liking, tweeting, commenting on this blog or joining our email mailing list (or all of the above!)

Did you know? Le Baby Shop in Vaudreuil-Dorion, QC now carries a full range of baby car seats, high chairs, strollers, baby gear, accessories and much more. Plus we also offer classes such as prenatal yoga, mom and baby yoga, Zumba, music, dance for toddlers and more! Visit us online at http://www.lebabyshop.com/ or at our new location at 493 Harwood Blvd, #130 in Vaudreuil-Dorion, QC.

Finally! A breastfeeding-friendly bottle to replace Adiri - meet Breastflow

2010-04-22T18:46:00.010-04:00

Several months ago I posted an entry about Adiri going out of business which means that their much sought after Natural Nurser bottles are no longer being produced. That puts a lot of breastfeeding moms in a difficult position.

Many moms would like to pump and offer a bottle on occasion to their baby, but this is never as easy as it seems. Lots of babies simply will not take to an artificial nipple (and with good reason, babies know a good thing when they see, and smell it, and mom's breast is best!) I've witnessed the frustration, and fatigue, and tears of moms who simply cannot leave their baby with dad, or grandma, or a trusted babysitter for any length of time because she has be home to nurse the baby. Not to mention moms who return to work and would like to continue to breastfeed!

After several months of researching alternatives I've happened upon what I think is an excellent bottle to fill that void - the Breastflow bottle by The First Years. This bottle has a uniquely designed double nipple which mimics the sucking, compression and milk flow during nursing. No more gagging or choking because the milk flows too fast! The nipple is also short, soft and pliable with a large surface area around it to imitate the shape of a breast. Finally, it favours the same tongue position as in breastfeeding to avoid nipple confusion.

No bottle will work for all babies, but the First Years have put good engineering into this particular product and I'm impressed. There's now a good answer for breastfeeding moms who would like to offer an occasional bottle.

The Breastflow BPA-free bottle is available in 5 oz. and 9 oz. sizes in Canada at Le Baby Shop.

Cloth Diapers 15% Off (Now cuter, softer baby bums, at a lower price!)

2010-02-26T11:44:00.004-05:00

If you've been thinking about trying out cloth diapers now's your chance! Le Baby Shop is offering 15% off all cloth diapers, inserts, boosters and accessories for a limited time. Cloth diapering a little one is not nearly as scary a prospect as it might seem. Today's cloth diapers are easy to put on (no more pins!) require little to no folding, and can be easily washed in your home washer and dryer.

I've tried a lot of styles of cloth diapers and my personal favourite are the AppleCheeks all in twos. AppleCheeks covers have elastic in the back and the front guaranteeing a dry, leak free baby bum. Also their inserts are heavy duty hemp or bamboo so they can soak up even the biggest messes. They can also be used as pocket diapers with prefolds or inserts from other diaper companies. Best of all if you use them as pocket diapers the inserts *come out on their own* in the wash. No more pulling out wet inserts by hand. Brilliant I tell you, and not surprising considering they were designed my two moms right here in Montreal. They're also 100% made in Canada.

So hurry on over and check out the sale - and take the plunge into cloth diapers. I guarantee you won't regret it (and your baby will have the cutest, softest bum in town!)

Save 25% off Lamaze toys, Learning Curve, Ringley naturals and more! Plus FREE Natursutten pacifier.

2010-02-19T20:03:00.004-05:00

Come and see what's new at Le Baby Shop and save 25% off our favourite toy brands like Lamaze, Learning Curve, The First Years and more!

Ringley natural teething toys are also on sale along with Maple Landmark's Schoolhouse Naturals wooden vehicles (my son *loves* these - they're perfect for chunky little toddler hands.)

If you spend $50 or more you'll also receive a FREE Natursutten natural rubber pacifier. The secret coupon code to receive this freebie is NATURE (shhh! Don't tell anyone I told you!)

Stretching and Growing in a Brand New Year

2010-01-11T17:57:00.009-05:00

Despite the fanfare in the media about the "new decade" I feel like 2010 sort of snuck up on me. My kids are a year older and growing like crazy. We're into the not-so-terrible twos and the pre, pre-teen eras which has me pulled in two quite opposite directions. One wants me to get down on the floor and play cars with him, and the other wants me to organize playdates and pick out nailpolish colours. Like most moms I have become an expert mutitasker, although it has taken some growing and learning to be able to juggle it all at once. My business is also a year older, and stretching and growing itself, which has resulted in a few growing pains.

Case in point - some of you may have ordered from our online store only to receive an email telling you the items are on backorder. The trouble being that our online and brick and mortar stores are not yet completely in sync. This is something I hope to remedy soon so that no customer will ever have to wait for items to arrive in the next shipment! Inventory tracking is one of those unglamorous things that people don't like to think about when they start a retail business but of course it takes a lot of effort to implement a proper system (it's complicated, and time consuming!) If all goes well however we should have it sorted out in the coming months.

I'm very pleased to say that we're continuing to expand our product lines and have just added Carter's gifts and accessories as well as Lamaze baby toys. Carter's brand items are always adorable and in high demand, especially here in Quebec where there are no Carter's stores, much to my chagrin because their clothes are adorable. Lamaze is well known in the educational toy market with its soft infant toys that have colours, textures and sounds babies love. Just ask my niece (well, ok, she's only 10 months, she can't tell you yet) but she smiles and laughs that wonderful baby belly laugh every time she sees her My Friend Emily doll.

In the next few months I'll be adding iPlay Baby feeding accessories as well as Munchkin bath toys, bowls, cups, and more! I'm looking forward to your feedback on all of these products. If you've purchased an item from us, from these or any other brands, feel free to post a comment here about your thoughts on your purchase, or email us at info@lebabyshop.com.

Thank YOU and Happy Holidays

2009-12-23T16:14:00.005-05:00

Well it is nearly time for us to close up the shop for the holidays - we'll be closed starting at 3pm on Dec. 24th, re-opening on Dec. 28th. I want to say a big THANK YOU to all of our customers who have supported us this year. We hope that you've enjoyed chatting with us in our Pointe-Claire store, or in our online store via email and that we've helped you find everything you needed for your new (or old!) baby.

It's been a whirlwind year, battling a recession and the ups and downs of being a retailer but customers - especially moms - are the reason Le Baby Shop was born, and it's been a pleasure to meet so many wonderful women and little ones in person. We hope to see you again in the New Year!

In the meantime if you're still hoping to do some shopping check out our early Boxing Day deals online (BTW - the diaper bags are FABULOUS, I absolutely love mine, and they're a STEAL at just $20.00).

Wishing you all very safe and happy holidays,

Tifanie

BUY 1 GET 1 FREE on all Melissa & Doug Wooden Puzzles

2009-12-09T19:39:00.004-05:00

Santa is almost here, so now's the time to stock up on some classic Melissa & Doug wooden puzzles. We have Canada's best selection of Melissa and Doug toys and puzzles and right now when you buy 1 puzzle you receive a second of equal or lesser value absolutely FREE - while supplies last! So don't delay because once the word gets out they'll disappear faster than Santa's cookies on Christmas Eve!

THANK YOU!

2009-12-09T19:34:00.003-05:00

I have to say a huge THANK YOU to all of the vendors (a fabulous group of women!) who participated in our Mom's Night Out fundraising evening as well as all of the customers who came out to support a great cause. We raised.... (drum roll please...) more than $3,000 for West Island Community Shares. What a fabulous way to celebrate Le Baby Shop's 1st birthday!

Thank you to everyone who helped with the setup and the raffle as well. It really was a group effort. There were lots of great shopping deals and some fabulous goodies (beautiful jewelry, handmade soaps, toys, books, spices, kitchenware - you name it!) I'm hoping to make this an annual event so if you missed out, I hope you'll join us next year.

Mom's Night Out is nearly HERE! Shop with us or save online!

2009-12-02T20:53:00.004-05:00

The event you've been waiting for is nearly here - come meet the Le Baby Shop gang, shop, and enjoy the festivities (and exclusive discounts of course!) at our Mom's Night Out Fundraising Shopping Evening. Proceeds go to benefit West Island Community Shares which runs the West Island of Montreal's annual community giving campaign. Join us at Plaza Pointe-Claire, corner of highway 20 and St. John's at 6pm tomorrow, Thursday, December 3rd. Babies are welcome!

If you can't join us in person don't worry, you won't miss out! We've put some of our best selling items on sale in our online store so you can join in the fun. A portion of the online sales will also go to WICS.

So hop on over to the mall, or onto the internet and help us help our neighbours in need!

Recalls - Melissa and Doug Items & Natursutten Teethers

2009-11-27T11:17:00.003-05:00

As a parent I always appreciate it when retailers provide recall information and so I am posting this info for our customers in the hopes that it will be useful. If you purchased one of the products mentioned from us please see the details below.

There are two recalls underway. The first is for Natursutten Teethers. These teethers should be returned to the store where they were purchased for a full refund. If you purchased one online from Le Baby Shop please contact us at info@lebabyshop.com for return instructions.

The second is for Melissa and Doug items - specifically the Pound-a-Peg toy, the Shape Sorting Cube toy and the Slice & Bake Wooden Cookie Set. These toys should be discarded and customers should call Melissa and Doug directly at 1-800-284-3948 to receive a free replacement.

We have confidence in both of these companies and trust that these are isolated incidents. We have pulled all of the items off our shelves and will be receiving replacement items shortly.

Goodbye Adiri

2009-11-19T13:40:00.007-05:00

UPDATE: Take a look at the Breastflow bottle - now available in Canada - which has replaced the Adiri bottles.

------------------

After the dozen or so phone calls I've received rceently from frantic parents on the hunt for Adiri bottles (which we normally carry but have been unable to get from the manufacturer for the past several months) I was disappointed to learn today that the company has gone out of business.

http://www.kidstodayonline.com/article/CA6703820.html

This leaves a large hole in the baby bottle market for women trying to transition from breast to bottle, or who need to pump and have someone else feed their little one while they are working or studying. Although we do carry other brands of bottles such as Sweet Pea and Thinkbaby, none are quite as good for a fussy baby accustomed to nursing. I'll be keeping an eye out for alternatives. If you have suggestions feel free to post them below!

Shop, Eat and Be Merry (and raise funds for a great cause!)

2009-11-12T22:34:00.003-05:00

If your Thursday evenings look anything like mine then a chance to get out of the house with some girlfriends (with or without babies in tow) and check out some great deals, all while supporting a worthwhile cause and having fun sounds pretty darn good!

Of course, on Thursday December 3rd I won't be shopping, I will be running a mile a minute orchestrating the Mom's Night Out Fundraising Shopping Evening at Plaza Pointe-Claire (corner of St. John's and highway 20 in Pointe-Claire, QC) but that doesn't mean I (and you!) can't enjoy the party! From 6-9pm there will be music, cake, special discounts at Le Baby Shop plus 30 tables of goodies such as Usborne Books, Pampered Chef products, jewelry, candles, crafts, hair accessories and more to peruse while picking up some freebies and checking out the fabulous raffle prizes.

There's a catch though - the deals only last one night! So come on out and meet the Le Baby Shop team and enjoy the festivities. Proceeds go to West Island Community Shares which supports Big Brothers and Big Sisters, AMCAL Family Services, Literacy Unlimited and numerous other local community groups. Besides, every mom deserves a mom's night out!

RSVP for this event and receive a $5 gift card. If you can't be there in person join us online and receive a $5 online gift certificate.

BUY 3 GET 1 FREE on Selected Items @ Le Baby Shop

2009-10-24T16:47:00.002-04:00

Who likes to save? Me!!! And you too I bet! Right now we're offering an awesome deal on some of our best-selling items. When you buy 3 you get the 4th free on selected Melissa and Doug toys, Happy Heinys cloth diapers, Kiss My Face Kids organic skin care products, 27oz Klean Kanteens and more!

Now's a great time to stock up and save for the holidays (and what's better than shopping in your pyjamas?)

Free Cloth Diapering Workshop Thursday Sept. 24th, 7pm

2009-09-22T21:28:00.004-04:00

I'm back from the ABC Kids show in Las Vegas, which was an adventure I must say. Thousands of exhibitors and tens of thousands of baby and kids products on display! Soon I will have details for you on the new fabulous, fun (and useful and earth friendly!) products which will be coming to Le Baby Shop. For now though just a quick update on a workshop we're hosting this week:

Ever wondered about cloth diapers? This is your chance to ask all your questions and see washable diapers in action. Find out why they're better for the environment and how easy they are to use (yes, I said easy!) Join us for this informative, fun workshop to find out more.

We'll be featuring AppleCheeks and Happy Heinys diapers as well as a host of eco-friendly baby products.

Date: Thursday, September 24, 2009 - 7:00pm
Contact: Le Baby Shop, 514-671-0362 or info@lebabyshop.com
Location: Le Baby Shop, inside Plaza Pointe-Claire Shopping Centre
Address: 275-3 Bl. St-Jean, Pointe-Claire, QC, corner of Hwy 20 and St-Jean

This workshop is FREE. Please RSVP to 514-671-0362 or info@lebabyshop.com to reserve your spot.

15% OFF @ Le Baby Shop plus FREE ORGANIC BIB & BURPCLOTH SET

2009-08-27T22:43:00.004-04:00

For a limited time save 15% OFF any purchase online at Le Baby Shop by using coupon code SAVE15SSGF. Also when you spend $50 or more you will receive a FREE Bumkins organic cotton bib and burp cloth set (a $12.99 value). So stock up now on all our fabulous baby goods or Back to School items!

Coupon expires Sept. 30, 2009. Colour and pattern of free bib & burpcloth set may vary.

Fabulously litterless lunches for little (and big!) kids

2009-08-20T19:19:00.008-04:00

When new items come in to Le Baby Shop it's always exciting, but I was particularly looking forward to the arrival of the brand new LunchBots stainless steel lunch and snack containers.

Not only are these very attractive lunch containers but they're super handy. After using one for a few days I'm already enamoured with my little blue tin. For those of you with little ones (or big ones!) heading back to school or daycare soon these are absolutely fabulous. They offer an opportunity to go green by creating litterless lunches and because they're made of the highest quality, 18/8 stainless steel, they won't leech or change the taste or smell of food the way plastic containers can.

They come in two styles - one with a divider for snacks and one without for sandwiches and bigger items. So far I've found that my LunchBot retains cold very well when kept in a lunchbag and the food has stayed very fresh. It's also easy to close and open (unlike some plastic containers!) and will have even the youngest ones wanting to help with lunch preparation!

And the winner of the Great Diaper Bag Giveaway is...

2009-08-04T10:45:00.003-04:00

(drum roll please.....)

Picked by the random number picker at random.org:

***Deidre D.!***

Congratulations Deidre on your new Trend Lab diaper bag!

A big thank you to everyone who entered. Keep an eye out for our Back to School giveaways of Thermos and Klean Kanteen products - coming soon from Le Baby Shop.

Behind the scenes at Le Baby Shop

2009-07-26T18:11:00.017-04:00

Since opening my brick and mortar baby store in the Fall of 2008 in the West Island area of Montreal I've had the pleasure of meeting and chatting with some wonderful customers. I've received some very kind complements on the original and fun items that line the shelves and certainly one of the most often asked questions is "how do you decide what to carry in the store?" As a mom myself the answer is fairly easy - I try to purchase items that are:

a) useful for moms and dads

- items I couldn't live with out when I was a new mom - like Bumkins waterproof, quick drying bibs. These have saved my life (and my son's clothes) on more than one occasion
- items I've seen and had that "now why didn't I think of that?" moment - such as the My Brest Friend nursing pillow with back support. No more aching back from nursing - now that's brilliant!
- items that make life a lot easier like the My Little Seat portable high chair. Now you CAN make it to grandma's house without filling the van up to the ceiling, just throw this "high chair" in your diaper bag!

b) unique and hard to find in the West Island area of Montreal

- items I ordered online but would have loved to have been able to see in person, such as the lovely Jack and Lily shoes or the very cool Razbaby Teethers.
- natural products generally only found in specialty stores such as Natursutten natural rubber pacifiers and Nellie's All Natural laundry soda.
- cloth diapers. (Why are they so hard to find in brick and mortar stores?) Now parents can see and feel the products before they buy.
- wooden toys. We have a small space but we still carry one of the largest selections of Melissa and Doug toys in the West Island!

c) beautiful baby gifts

- I was tired of shopping at the same old box stores for the same old baby gifts. We have a big selection of unique and gorgeous baby items like The Baby Bunch cupcake onesies. (I can guarantee you will get a big "ooooh" and "ahhhh" at any baby shower with these!)

d) quality and reputable manufacturing processes

- I often test the items we carry myself to ensure that they can stand up to what kids will put them through. For instance the Thermos Foogo straw bottles have stood up to a full year of everyday school lunch use with my 7-year old, who is hard on her stuff - so that's saying a lot!
- I always try to find Canadian or US made products and where this is impossible (since I also have to balance what customers are willing to pay for merchandise) I stick with companies who have long-established reputations as reputable manufacturers.

So there's a quick glimpse into how I decide what to purchase for the store. In September I will be attending the ABC Kids Show in Las Vegas, the largest trade show for suppliers and retailers in the juvenile products industry and I hope to come back with a host of new fun, functional and funky baby and kids items fo you to enjoy. Watch for previews here on our blog!

3 DAYS OF SECRET $0.01 deals at Le Baby Shop!

2009-07-20T14:49:00.006-04:00

Shhhhh! It's 3 days of secret deals at Le Baby Shop! Go to www.lebabyshop.com and take a look around. Can you find them? Here are the hints:

Thursday: it will make quite a splash!
Friday: start off smelling great
Saturday: ruffles and dots

(And no, that's not a typo, they really are $0.01, regularly $14.99+!)

Limit of one per order while supplies last. Unfortunately orders that contain more than one $0.01 item will be cancelled. Standard shipping rates apply. These deals are available online only - not valid in store or for in store pickup.

How to have the best dressed kids on the block, without breaking the bank.

2009-07-17T19:10:00.011-04:00

When I had my first child I was prone to that new parent illness, you know, the very common yet incurable I-must-buy-everything-for-this-kid syndrome. The truth is that we didn't have very much money at the time and so I quickly learned that I could not just spend and spend on my darling sweet little girl. By the time little mister came around I had learned a few lessons, and being the deal-seeking mom that I now am he has benefitted from my new found frugality.

So here are a few tips I've learned to help save money on your kids' clothes:

- Let your siblings, girlfriends etc. have kids first. Ok, so you don't have a lot of say in this one, but if you're lucky enough to have kids after they do, offer to take any hand-me-downs that they no longer want or need.

- Use your crystal ball. This might seem tricky at first but you can get good at it, trust me! Make your best educated guess at what size your little guy or gal will be wearing next year and then go all-out when there are end-of-season deals like this one for 40% off Daily Tea and put the items away for next year.

- Hang out online. Well, ok, if you're reading this you probably already do hang out online often enough. Check out the deal forums on sites like Red Flag Deals and Smart Canucks. Not to mention the deal-savvy blogging moms like Canada Mom Deals!

- Invite the neighbourhood moms over for coffee. Where are they shopping? What deals have they found? This is how I discovered that Canadian Gymboree stores will ship to a Canadian address. No more paying duty and taxes from gymboree online - woot!

- Shop early. This may seem counterintuitive to my advice above, but it does work. Big boxed stores frequently have early season sales when they first receive their merchandise. So if you can stomach shopping for kids bathing suits in February you'll find some great deals, and a full selection of sizes.

- Get a new calendar. Yep! The fashion world's calendar is a little crazy but if you can get used to it you can benefit from the early/late sales. Here are the approximate runs of the seasons: Spring: December-February, Summer: March-May, Fall: June-Aug., Winter: Sept.-Nov.

- Watch for coupons. Check your local flyers and look out for online deals - like this coupon to save 10% off at Le Baby Shop: use code SAVE10NOW.

- Forget the labels! Unless you are a complete clothes snob it doesn't really matter whether your baby's clothes come from Baby Gap or Walmart. Look for quality, cute designs and value.

With all the money you save maybe you can actually afford some nice clothes for yourself too! Because the kids aren't the only ones who deserve to look good - and if you use the tips above for you as well you'll be a happy, savvy, good looking mom who didn't spend nearly as much as people think you did.

Greening Your Family

2009-07-13T14:42:00.007-04:00

More and more Canadian parents are hopping on the "green" train by taking into account their little ones' health and the health of the environment when they make buying decisions. This is good news for everyone, and was one of the reasons I found it was a good time to open a store like Le Baby Shop with an emphasis on ecofriendly and organic kids products.

Personally this Summer has been a particularly green one at our house as we've put an emphasis on healthy, organic food and non-toxic household products. Unfortunately organic food has not really gone mainstream in Quebec yet and there is a definite lack of availability of locally grown, organic produce and locally made packaged foods. This doesn't mean they aren't out there - just that it takes a bit more digging to find them!

This Spring we signed up for an organic produce basket from La Ferme Tournesol. Run by an enthusiastic and friendly group of young Quebec couples who do dropoffs of veggie baskets and also have a booth at the Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue farmer's market, so far the experience has been excellent. We're still fairly early in the season but we've received lots of good tasty greens, broccoli, turnips, lettuce and herbs. They aren't always things we would pick out ourselves at the grocery store but in a way that's a positive aspect because it forces us to try new things and expand our outlook on healthy eating.

We've also switched over to natural detergents and cleaning products. I highly recommend Nellie's All Natural laundry soda and Dryer Balls (which double as dog toys when your toddler tosses them out of the dryer and the dog so lovingly fetches them back!) For cleaning some of my favourites are Nature Clean's all-purpose cleaning solution and glass cleaner. With cleaning products you have to be careful - some are not as natural as others and still contain artificial fragrances. I've found that Bio-Vert is one of these that I would pass up. If you're sensitive to fragrance use your nose as a guide!

Of course switching to cloth diapers has also made a huge difference in our impact on the environment. The reduction in the amount of garbage we produce as a household is incredible. There is more washing involved, but considering I wash our diapers once every 2-3 days it's not a huge amount of extra energy or water. Compare this to the millions of gallons of water used in paper and pulp production for disposable diapers, not to mention the toxins produced in the bleaching process as well as the energy expended in transporting and storing the diapers and there's no contest!

How is your family going green? Post a comment and let me know!

The Great Diaper Bag Giveaway - Link to Le Baby Shop and Win a Trend Lab Messenger-Style Diaper Bag

2009-07-11T11:58:00.020-04:00

Let your friends and family know about Le Baby Shop and be automatically entered to win a beautiful new Trend Lab Versailles messenger style diaper bag - a $49.99CDN value.

How do you enter our fabulous giveaway? It's easy! Just mention us and link to Le Baby Shop in your blog, on your website, on Twitter or on Facebook and post a link to your note in the comments below. Please include your email so I can contact you if you win.

The draw will take place on Monday, August 4th, 2009. I look forward to reading your notes and good luck with the draw!

------------

And now the fine print:

- Contest closes Monday, August 3rd, 2009 at midnight EST. All entries must include an email address so that I can contact the winner. Open to residents of Canada and the continental US who are 18 years or older.

Networking - the "Mom"preneur Lifeline

2009-07-08T10:01:00.006-04:00

Starting and running a small business can be a lonely process, especially if you're working without a partner (or partners). There are definite advantages - being your own boss, having the decision making power, choosing products and brands that fit with your mission and setting your own schedule (although most of the time your business sets the schedule for you!)

After a while though there are only so many ideas you can bounce off your husband and your friends before their eyes glaze over - particularly if they aren't entrepreneurs, or if they don't understand your particular business domain (cloth diapers? Wooden toys? Hunh?) Then there are the challenges which come with being a mom and being self-employed that only other mompreneurs can really understand (and comiserate with you on!)

When I started Le Baby Shop roughly one year ago I was suprised to find just how MANY women have recently gone into business for themselves. In the West Island area of Montreal alone there are hundreds, maybe thousands of mompreneurs who are coming up with great business ideas and taking the plunge to make them happen!

This led me to start a networking group, Women in Business in Your Community (West Island) where we could connect and interact in an informal, fun atmosphere and have a chance to really talk about our businesses, and also about how we manage the infamous work/life balance. It's also a chance to brainstorm ideas on how we can, as women in business, find ways to give back to our communities. For many of us this is a natural extension of doing business in these communities!

If you are a mompreneur in the Montreal are, why not join and meet some other fabulous women business owners? It's casual, fun, and always informative!

A Cloth Diapering Journey

2009-07-07T21:51:00.010-04:00

When I had my first child 7 years ago I had rarely heard of anyone who was using cloth diapers. It seemed like an old fashioned, slightly backward way of doing things. I assumed there was a great deal of extra work involved, that it was a messy, stinky, leaky, inefficient way to diaper a baby. Who would want to deal with pins and plastic covers? And buckets full of stinky dirty diapers?

I had a lot to learn.

By the time my second child was born 2 years ago the popularity of cloth diapers had skyrocketed and there were new brands and styles coming on the market every year. There are still a lot of misconceptions about cloth diapers out there but most parents are undeterred. They're getting informed the same way I did and making the switch from disposables with a first baby or even with a subsequent child when they consider the environmental and economic benefits.

My journey started quite innocently enough at a local Mom and Baby show where I happened upon a booth belonging to a local Montreal boutique selling cloth diapers. I had read about the benefits of using cloth but I was still hesitant as to the actual process of using them on a daily basis. Then I discovered the hundreds of varieties that were out there and was suckered in by some really cute prints and fabrics. They were too adorable to pass up and I knew if I was going to spend that much money on diapers I better darn well use them!

Poor seven month old L didn't know what he was in for as he became my diaper tester extraordinaire (he is a super wetter, which makes him an excellent candidate). Hours and hours of online research, diaper reviews and home testing and some nasty diaper rashes later I discovered what worked, what didn't, what types of diapers I preferred and which brands held up best over long term use.

Above all I discovered that a hesitant husband could be fairly easily convinced of the benefits of cloth and that reusable diapers were no stinkier or messier than disposables and just as easy to use. The learning curve was actually not bad at all - it's just a new routine to get into. (Then there was also the huge amount of garbage that disappeared from our home because we were no longer creating "diaper genies" full of dirty disposables every day). L still has one of the cutest bums in town in his colourful, adorable cloth diapers with everything from polka dots to panda bears and every colour and fabric you can imagine! I'm actually going to be sad to see the diapers go once he's potty trained. Who can say that for disposable diapers?

40% OFF Daily Tea Clothing at Le Baby Shop

2009-07-07T21:42:00.004-04:00

Daily Tea is a fairly new brand in Canada but they make THE cutest kids play clothes imaginable. If I were to design my own line of children's clothing this is exactly what it would look like. Fun, cute, comfortable, 100% brushed cotton (silky soft) and also adorable. There's an element of classic style to these clothes, particularly the girls' dresses that's hard to find these days in the world of mini-"teen" clothing for little kids. I'm not particularly fond of the "teen" aesthetic for wee ones so it's nice to see a company making cute clothes for babies, toddlers and preschoolers that actually look like they were meant for them!

Oh, and right now everything Daily Tea is 40% off at Le Baby Shop, while supplies last. Now's your chance to stock up on Summer clothes for this year, or for next!

The Blog comes to life

2009-07-04T21:46:00.006-04:00

The Le Baby Shop blog has finally arrived, and I have to say I'm excited to have a place to share my ramblings with you all. Running a business is an adventure, there's no doubt about it, and although there are bumps in the road it's always exciting because you never really know what's around the corner!

So who am I you're wondering? I'm Tifanie Valade, a "mom"trepreneur and owner of Le Baby Shop in Pointe-Claire, QC, Canada a children's boutique with a focus on fun, funky and eco-friendly products for babies and kids. We carry clothing, footwear, wooden toys, cloth diapers, natural rubber pacifiers, baby carriers, and organic skin care products among many, many other things.

The store first came about in 2008 because as a parent I was frustrated by the lack of availability of high quality, ecofriendly and innovative baby accessories in the West Island area of Montreal. I would spend lots of time researching the best new products only to discover that they were nowehere to be found in my area. This led to some long trips to far flung specialty boutiques and numerous online purchases that came with the frustration of high shipping fees (particularly for items coming from the US!)

I decided that I should put all of this knowledge to good use and help other West Island parents avoid the same frustrations and so Le Baby Shop was born! In between I've been raising a 7 year old and a toddler, learning all about running a business while being a mom, as well as branching off into new business endeavours (stay tuned to find out more!)

And now with the LBS blog I finally have a way to show you what types of products I review when deciding what to carry in the store. Also I'll have the chance to chronicle my 2-year long cloth diapering journey from disposable diaper diva to cloth connoisseur! Needless to say the past few years have seen many changes in my family's life and I hope to share some of these with you.