My name is Amy and this is my blog.
After starting my own natural parenting product website I though a blog to go along with it would be a nice place to share my own experiences, suggestions, and overall philosophy on raising a family in a environmentally friendly manner.
After much trial and error (I mean much, I am pregnant with my fifth child) I feel like I have the what kinds of things you NEED for a baby pretty well down. Thinking back to my first pregnancy, I remember being overwhelmed by all the products the magazines and TV told me I would need for my baby. I ended up with loads of stuff that was neither needed or particularly useful: sleep positioners, diaper stacking devices, little mitten things for their hands. In the end the sleep positioner could easily have been replaced by a rolled up towel, the little mittens could have just as easily been a pair of baby socks that I already had. I cannot even remember what I did with all those things. I must have donated them to a thrift store at some point. In the end it was all just more stuff cluttering up my house. It did not change my life or improve the newborn period, it just was a waste of money.
In reflecting on how I wish I knew what products were actually useful way back then I started to consider starting my own website that stocked only worthwhile baby products that I would actually use myself. Things I knew were useful from experience, my personal favorite stuff. Thus www.happilyhomegrown.com came into being.
There are many sites that sell some of the same products that we carry. The biggest difference with me is I will not be stocking products that I would not use. For example, a brand of cloth diapers which I will not name here is carried by most of the big cloth diaper websites sent me a wholesale list of their products recently. I deleted it. I actually bought some of their diapers once. They lasted less than a year with normal washing and wearing. I would hate for a parent to buy them, they were adorable but a huge waste of money and in the end when I threw them away not so much better for the environment.
It is hard to sort thought the reviews out there. For every positive review there is someone who does not like it. I suspect that many of the review are actually posted by distributors and creators of the diapers. Some of the big sites even have their own lines they manufacture and sell "exclusively". You can bet you won't find a negative review of those on their sites. They are looking for a sale.
Don't get me wrong I would love to sell you stuff. I just want it to be practical, useful stuff that is not a waste of money.
I will always try to be honest and stock only really great products.
Feel free to follow us on blogger, facebook, or visit us at www.happilyhomegrown.com.
