Friday, September 16, 2011

nature's child + $200 giveaway





You all know that I'm passionate about a natural and organic way of life. Indeed, Poet has been bathed, clothed and swaddled in beautiful baby-happy organic products since she was born. One of my favourite online stores is Nature's Child - a one-stop eco-friendly shopping experience. Creator and owner Jannine Barron has recently launched their new website and is offering the chance to win a grand price of organic baby products worth $1000. To enter, visit here.

I've got a little (big!) giveaway too. Jannine has been kind enough to offer one Che and Fidel reader a $200 organic showbag brimming with baby products from brands such as Boon, Purebaby, Bellamy's and Aden & Anais. For a chance to win visit Nature's Child and leave a comment below telling me what your favourite products is. I will announce the winner next Wednesday 21st September.


Update: The winner of the $200 giveaway is Ashley from Piper and Poppies. Congratulations! 

I interviewed Jannine about her company, her passion for eco-friendly products and her hopes for the future.

Jodi: Why did you create Nature's Child?
Jannine: When I had my first son 16 years ago, I was shocked by the amount of junky, plastic and disposable items that were on offer to parents. I had no interest in products being offered in baby shops and thought surely I was not the only mother that felt like this. I had to look far and wide around markets, garage sales and mail order to find healthy and beautiful products that were environmentally friendly and cost effective. Eventually, friends were asking where did I get that? So I realised there was a business opportunity. I had an open day at my house and made $2000 - then I knew I definitely had a business idea!

Jodi: What were your intentions when you opened the store?

Jannine: I simply wanted to make it easy for parents to get cloth nappies, organic, good, healthy baby products. It was such a niche idea that we clearly had to open our doors beyond the local community so our first store was on-line. We wanted to reach all parents looking for organic and natural products. We wanted to support parents choosing cloth baby products and make them easy to buy. Easy to buy with out all the research I had to do!

Jodi: What is your criteria when selecting products for the store?

Jannine: Organic, Handmade, natural ingredients, no chemical mixes. Biodegradable and disposable products, compost-ability. Less packaging. Recycled Packaging. Unique!

Jodi: How do you balance work and motherhood?

Jannine: My boys are teenagers now but they were 3 and 5yrs when I started Nature’s Child. I had a rule for myself that I would not work full time until the youngest was 5. I had a real thing about being there for them until they were 5 as I was always told 80% of what kids learn, they learn under 5. That stuck with me and I still believe it to be true. That rule was also for myself as much as them because its fun! They had daycare 2 days a week which was enough for both of us. I was not in a good financial position but I was happy with my boys. I love being a mum and still do. I have a great relationship with my teenagers who now work for me on weekends. They are really interested in how business works and always look out for me if I'm having a bad day. So they look after me now!

Jodi: What are five products that every new muma should have?

Jannine: Organic Bedding, Organic Teddy Bear, Amber Necklace, Nature’s Child Bottom Balm (world famous now it’s so good!) and Nature’s Child Deluxe Face Wipes.

Jodi: What are your dreams for Nature's Child?

Jannine: I would like Nature’s Child to be seen as a normal, mainstream place to shop. I still don’t understand why we have to be “special.” Being healthy and organic should be the mainstream. I look forward to Nature’s Child Stores opening in other states and continuing to offer awesome service, great value and flat rate shipping on-line to all Australian parents.

56 comments:

  1. I love the safe and adorable bath toys, Ever is 9 months old and I have been looking for some for her, and I love the beautiful and soft swaddle blankets!

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  2. I like the look of the massage oils, the all natural insect repellent and soothing baby bottom balm. It's so important to think about what we expose our precious bodies to - and I love what Jannine was saying about her desire for this to become 'mainstream' and not different. I have a friend who is expecting who I would gift this bag to. x georgi

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  3. We are still awaiting our little boy over here but from the sweet gifts we have gotten, I love the Aden & Anais swaddlers the most! I am really looking forward to using them and they are so soft!

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  4. Wow, what a lovely giveaway Jodi!

    The Boon Bath Creatures Toy Cup Set would be a hit in my house. My 6 month old loves bathtime and I'm sure he would love playing with these.

    Lovely website too.

    xx

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  5. Amazing! I had no idea about this store. I'd have to say I am quite taken with the Handmade Wooden Baby Gym or the Ellaroo Organic Cotton Ring Sling!


    Talia Christine
    http://taliachristine.blogspot.com

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  6. Larlie the bear!! Adorable and made of organic cotton? Wow.

    And the wotnot sunscreen. With summer on it's way, nasty-free sunscreen is a must.

    Thanks, Poet's Mummy, for the chance to win!

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  7. I think the soar swing is so gorgeous! Nice to know that they are catering to age range, not just the tinys

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  8. I love the Bellamys organic rice cakes! Sounds simple enough, but our 10 month old little girl Lucy was just (this week) diagnosed with Coeliac Disease. I'm still trying to figure it all out, and am glad to find gluten free snacks!

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  9. I am LOVING the idea of that Bottom Balm! I adore babies bottoms and can't wait till my little man comes into the world in a few months so I have a little baby bum all of my own!! What a beautiful store. And SO glad they're in Asia (I'm in HK). I will be spending some serious time on this website ;) xxx

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  10. Yet another amazing giveaway from Che and Fidel!! Well done Jodi.
    So I had a look and there are simply too many things that I love, so i went for practicality and chose the Organature - Organic Cot Quilt, we will need a doona at some stage, so this might be what I would choose!
    Rhi xx

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  11. I love my nature baby onesies for my little one but now that she is 5 months and teething, I think my new favourite is the keptin teething toy.

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  12. What a great giveaway! I love the Ellaroo Organic Cotton Ring Sling! I'm newly pregnant with my first babe and looking to go as natural as possible. Winning this would be a huge step in the right direction!

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  13. wow. such a great giveaway! i alwazs wanted an ergo organic cotton carrier for our future children.

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  14. What an exciting giveaway! I love everything on the website, but the wooden musical marble tree looks awesome. I love wooden toys...and I love anything musical! I must try the face wipes too, my boy has a mild reaction to the ones I have been using. Oooo I am excited! I didn't even know about this website. What a great place to shop.

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  15. Wow, what a great give away.
    The Nature Baby babygrows are pretty cute, but so many lovely products - such a great range and all natural!

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  16. Ooo, exciting givaway! Anything in the purebaby clothes range will be gorgeous... their fabrics are deliciously soft!!

    (thankyou ever so!!!)

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  17. Wow, what a website, there are so many lovely, practical and natural things. For me the SOLVEJ baby and toddler swing is just beautiful.

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  18. That is such a fab website. So many lovely treats I could happily snap up right now. Got to say that the Ergo Organic Cotton Baby Carrier is up there with my favourite items though. This is on our list of essentials and I'm searching high and low for the organic version in the UK. The baby bottom balm sounds pretty awesome too though!
    xx

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  19. I love the purebaby cot sheets as well as the insect repellent and sun protection. Always like the best of the best when it comes to these things.
    Great giveaway!

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  20. This is such a lovely giveaway, thank you Jodie. There were so many beautiful things to choose from but if I had to choose it would be Sophie the Giraffe toy. I think she would be the perfect gift to give to my friend who is expecting her first baby in January. Have a great weekend. xo

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  21. that's weird, I was just looking at that site yesterday to find some bath toys. So I've got my eye on those very groovy boon bath toys! Though there's a whole lot of goodness there...

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  22. I have been looking for BPA free teethers and bath toys, in the last week. This on line shop has everything, such a great selection.

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  23. Only ONE thing??? That's too hard! But I have to admit, I'm in love with the Keptin Jr toys and this is the first time I've seen them in Australia. Again, I can't decided between the rattle stripes or the blanket. I can imagine sleeping with one of these fellows under my cheek (now if only I can convince my baby of the same thing)!

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  24. I love the kids yoga dvds. how cute. my daughters would love them.

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  25. hard to choose but i love the Nic Nac Carry All Bag. i could also go for the Aden & Anais organic muslin wrap for my baby girl Lucy who is due any day now. so lovely!

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  26. I'd love an organic embrace sleeping bra - sounds heavenly!

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  27. What a lovely giveaway! I just love the baby socks in the egg carton, such a sweet idea x

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  28. oh, i remember when pure baby had just started, (we new the founder's mum) and i fell in love with their stuff!
    this is the most generous giveaway...
    i've always loved the idea of amber bracelets for babies, so i would love to give one to my pregnant friend.
    thanks!

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  29. I can't choose just one! I am preparing for the birth of my first baby in January, and am oogling all of the bedding and clothing especially :)

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  30. I love it all, but I think I would be leaning towards the baby wipes because I discovered that the ones I'm using also clean nasty stains out of my carpet... which kind of worries me... a lot! But the Sophie the Giraffe House is rather awesome too! :)

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  31. Wow! Too many lovely things to choose from! I love the wooden toys... the bath toys.... and the lovely organic cotton clothing... oooh and the bed linen! I love all of it! And I would love to try any of the miessence products... x

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  32. so many great products to choose from... the glass drinking straws and the stainless steel lunch boxes are such a great idea, the miessence organic range looks beautiful also :)

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  33. The handmade wooden baby gym leaves every plastic equivalent I've seen for dead! That would be my pick... But then I also love the idea of the Kanoe Hammock for baby to soar about in and it is definitely hard to pass by the little wooden toy sheep! Beautiful, carefully curated products, thanks for the introduction to this site Jodie.

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  34. Thaks for sharing the website and the chance to win. I love the wooden house puzzles - these would be great for all ages.

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  35. I love all of the Boon products, in particular the bath toys. Though the sippy cups are a fabulous design as well. And all made from materials that won't harm my future January 2012 due baby :)

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  36. The Babu organic cotton sheets wrap my little one in a layer of softness and comfort for a great night sleep, the natural fibres mean the sheets are suitable year round and the fitted top and bottom sheets mean baby can not pull it from the base, it’s hard to go back to normal linen after Babu!

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  37. I'd love some of that Bottom Balm and those lovely Eco Nino change mat covers (i'm loving those navy and white stripes!)both gorgeous organic products that are good for the environment, bubs and look good on that change table too!

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  38. My hubby & i are trying to make our first baby at the moment and there are so many things on Nature's Child that i know i will end up buying but my favourite is the belly mask kit, i have always wanted to do one of these and i will ask my close friends to paint it at my blessingway. Also the massage oil and wheat pack for when the time comes to birth my baby.

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  39. I love multi-tasking items and my favourite would be the Winterwood Muslin Playcloths. My 3,5 year old could use them in endless ways in his play (as a knight´s cape, doll´s swaddle blanket or head scarf for pirates; playing peek-a-boo with baby brother; creating landscape - blue for lakes, green for grass…), while for my 4-month-old they would serve as burp clothes, pram curtains, light blankets or even as a diaper.

    Aino

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  40. The nature baby stretch and grow suit is a favourite in our hOuse. Fingers crossed. X

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  41. Love the wooden toys - especially the dolls house.

    Love the wesbite.

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  42. This is such a wonderful giveaway, the natural organic bedding is quite lovely and an important item for baby.

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  43. What a generous styley giveaway! I like the Bath Toys..my son Jasper would have a blast in the bath with these!
    X
    x
    x
    Saskia

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  44. Ooh! Our first baby is due in 7 weeks and I just ordered some things from this site the other day. So I don't know yet what my favorite product is but I bought the Nature's Child Bottom Balm, Nature's Child washable Baby Wipes and Seventh Generation Baby Wipes which aren't that exciting, but I also got the Apple & Bee baby folding change mat which looks so cute!

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  45. I am a new reader, sent here by Deeconstruction... Love your blog and can't wait to trawl through your archives.. Not sure if this giveaway is open to kiwis, but if so, I love the anthroposophical parenting starter kit, what a gorgeous idea!! It would make the perfect gift for a first time mama who is interested in Waldorf parenting, but having said that - on to my second baby now, and I would still love this beautiful kit!

    Amazing prize :-)

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  46. Ooh so many gorgeous things to choose from, but I just love the bottom balm, the wotnot sunscreen and on a slightly grander scale, the divine wooden dolls house.

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  47. I found your blog only recently--discovered because of that beautiful animated gif of your newborn babe. It makes me tear up every time I watch it. (Congratulations, by the way)

    as for the shop, how lovely! I think the musical marble run is a fantastic toy, something even I might play with too!

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  48. i think i might be a swaddle hoarder. i can't help myself... i am always trying to find the best for my marley girl. so the Aden & Anais organic muslin wrap's are amazing in my book. love them!

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  49. Just popping in to put in my vote for the Aden & Anais muslin swaddles. I bought some online early on in my pregnancy and have had them sitting in the bassinet, admiring them ever since! So amazing to believe there will be a little one all wrapped up in them soon.
    x

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  50. oooh what a gorgeous shop! I love the baby beehinds minky nappies- i have a couple and they are ace! thanks for the inspiration to think carefully about the products we use, i am trying hard to make better choices!

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  51. I always enjoy looking at their range online. Would love one of those squirt things for the nappies. Thanks for the giveaway!

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  52. Lux is the same age as Poet, and I just upgraded her to a crib size mattress. I splurged on an organic mattress, my first big purchase but I'm loving it! Now I'd love to have organic sheets to match, like the Nature's Baby brand.

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  53. Did I squeeze in in time?? I am LOVING the unisex newborn dress. It seems so hard to find cute newborn clothes that aren't too stereotypically gender-specific...

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  54. I love the swaddling cloths the most! These were indespensible with my first and will probably be with our newest addition as well.

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  55. I like the Baby Beehinds night nappy.

    lovelydomesticdiva (at) gmail (dot) com

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  56. This is great... has the winner of the giveaway been announced yet?
    Mississauga Baby Store

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