Before my first child was born my partner and I just knew that cloth diapering was something that we would invest in and commit to. We bought all the diapers and watched all the videos about folding, and although I felt really good about doing it, I admit that the washing and cleaning was pretty intensive for me. I was alone a lot of the time, and we did not have a lot of family near us either to help out.
Baby Auric a cloth diapering service in Montreal has solved some of those problems people like myself have over wanting to be kind to the environment, but who don’t have the time, energy or desire (because let’s face it, that’s a lot of washing of poopy diapers :)), to consider fully committing.
Recently, I had the opportunity to speak with Jessica Lefevbre from Baby Auric, and she and the lovely people there, have worked really hard to make cloth diapering, easy, affordable and convenient for families.
If you are curious about cloth diapering, but not sure if it’s something you can take on or you are worried that it may seem overwhelming or unpractical, then catch my interview with Jessica below to see what the benefits are to you and, of course, the planet by using this really amazing service.
Nancy: Tell me a little bit about how Baby Auric started and how it’s evolved to where it is today?
Jessica: I love that question because of what hasn’t changed since the start of BabyAuric! Samantha and Antoine started this up soon after the birth of their son, Auric. It was a genuine mission to make cloth diapering easy and accessible for parents. It’s always been about kindness and making the world just a little bit better. That part has not changed! Now that awareness of the need to take care of our planet is growing, we just want to help more people take an important step in lowering their ecological footprint.
Nancy: How is Baby Auric different from other cloth diapering services?
Jessica: There aren’t many in Montreal, but definitely the fact that we service the entire island (plus some off-island locations!) and the fact that we have a boutique with so many cloth diapering, baby and mama must-haves and nice-to-haves. We’ve saved over 2.5 million diapers from a lifetime in a landfill so we feel we are doing something right.
Nancy: I see your service is actually not that expensive when you take into account the time and labour your clients save when they sign up for your service. What added value would you like everyone to know about when using your service?
Jessica: The hospital-grade cleanliness! I know that for some parents, cleaning their own diapers at home can be difficult and complicated, or simply a lot of work that detracts from their time with their babies. In at-home cleaning, it can happen that diapers don’t get as clean as they need to be, which can lead to a build-up of ammonia in the diapers, leading to diaper rash and parents switching back to disposables! At BabyAuric, the diapers pass through 13 stages of washing and rinsing, including very high temperatures, so no bacteria can survive. The pH of the diapers is made to match that of the baby's skin, IOW, neutral, ensuring a super comfortable baby!
Nancy: Being a twin mom I understand the time constraints, and overwhelm involved in caring for more than one infant at a time. How does Baby Auric make it easy for new parents of multiples?
Jessica: Wow, as the mom of a 2 and 4 year old, I can’t imagine caring for more than one tiny baby at a time! We do have some clients who have multiples, though, and they definitely appreciate the discount that we give to parents who are diapering more than one baby. That being said, our whole system is quite easy, the parents change the dirty diapers and we do the dirty work ☺
Nancy: What advice would you give new parents regarding getting ready for baby(s) and using cloth diapers?
Jessica: Definitely to watch our instructional videos and even practice a little before the baby arrives if possible! Folding a cloth diaper is easy, but it’s definitely different from what we’ve all been repeatedly exposed to with disposable diapers. I didn’t do this and felt a little unsure at the beginning, but I quickly developed a routine that worked great for me.
Nancy: Why a service? Why can’t parents just clean their diapers themselves?
Jessica: If I told you that, in order to save the planet from climate change, we all needed to trade in our cars for a horse and buggy, some would say “that’s awesome, I’ve always wanted a horse, and I’ve always got some spare carrots lying around! Sign me up!” while others would say, “there’s no way that will work, I’ve got to get to Laval, I need to go to Longueuil, I need a solution that will meet my needs.” I would definitely place myself (and maybe most people!) in the second camp! The point here is, we need solutions that will make transitioning to a green, zero-waste economy easy and practical. BabyAuric is absolutely a part of that solution. Some people will choose to wash their diapers themselves, and we always encourage that, but for those who find that a daunting task, we’re happy to help out!
Nancy: What is a misconception that you would like to clear up about cloth diapering?
Jessica: I have a few actually! First, it actually takes LESS water to wash cloth diapers than it does to produce a disposable diaper! This is in addition to all of the other renewable and non-renewable resources that are used solely in the production of disposable diapers. Second, the misconception that diaper rash is more common with cloth – it is actually less common, but as stated above if the diaper is not washed properly or if the baby is not changed frequently enough, rashes will occur. Lastly, that it’s any smellier than disposable; the pail that we offer has a carbon filter which is excellent at keeping the smells contained.
Nancy: What’s next for Baby Auric? Can you give people an idea of what’s new?
Jessica: I am so excited to talk about what is coming! Very soon, we are going to be launching a service to daycares, which I know will have a major impact on how many disposables get tossed into landfills. We are working on ways to make it as easy for daycare staff as possible! We’re also working on an all-inclusive service which is designed to make it even easier on parents. We are going to have more details about this very, very soon so keep your eyes on our social media!
Oh how I wish I knew about this service!!!
I really hope this helped answer some of your questions about cloth diapering. This is certainly an affordable, and convenient option for new families. Thank you to Jessica for taking the time to share her knowledge and service with us all!
For more information check out their website at https://babyauric.com/ or their instagram page @bebeauricmontreal