Wildflower Diapers-Review

I live basically in the Phoenix metro area. Since I've been doing reviews of products, I decided that I would really like to review some local places that are right outside my door. It's always nice to give back to your local community as often as possible!

Awhile ago, when I was interested in venturing into my own business, I came across a wonderful site called Wildflower diapers. I found out that they were also a local brick and mortar and residing in Scottsdale, AZ. They had tons of natural, cloth diapering, baby carrying options to choose from. I also found out that it was run by a mom named Shannon Doan. I am always excited and amazed when I see women taking their own initiatives to make sure they do what's best for family. I also found out that employees are able to make a great work/life balance by bringing their little ones to work.

Shannon sent me an awesome, stainless steel feeding set to try out with my daughter. The makers of thinkbaby made up a set in a neutral orange, that contains two bowls, a cup, a platter, and utensils. The outside is plastic but the food touches stainless steel. It's easily washable on the top shelf of your dishwasher or hand washed. My daughter loves it and I love it because it's BPA free and contains just the right portions for her. The little dishes also have a plastic lid so that you can store their leftovers in the fridge or pack a lunch with it.

Since she is local, I thought it would be fun to get to know her a little better,so I asked her some questions and she graciously answered.

Tell us a little about who you are

I am mama to 9 year old Riley and 4.5 year old Ella. Before Wildflower Diapers, I worked for Arizona State University as a Botanist (my master's degree is in Plant Biology).

What made you want to start up Wildflower diapers?

My desire to start Wildflower Diapers was out of necessity! When my daughter was born, there was nowhere in the Phoenix area that sold the cloth diapering supplies I needed- not even an online store (let alone a brick and mortar store!). I was searching for products like Happy Heinys and Fuzzi Bunz and all the nifty accessories that I knew existed in online shops in other parts of the country. I became frustrated with ordering online and receiving items that didn't work or didn't fit. At the same time, I was having serious doubts about returning to work after my maternity leave. I was able to take Ella to work with me at ASU for about 7 months, but I was very worried about what happened next.

How long has wildflower been in business.

We started the Internet business from our home in May 2005, and moved out of the house in June 2006.

How did you come up with the shop name?

I had a list of about 200 names that my friends and family came up with! None seemed to quite fit. In the end, I thought about what I love, and what images make me happy. My research in Botany centered around the plants of the beautiful Sonoran Desert, so "Wildflower" seemed appropriate.

I see you're giving baby wearing classes now, is that becoming popular?

Baby wearing has been popular for thousands of years, and continues to be the norm in so many places around the world! We are definitely seeing an increase in interest from parents over the last few years. They have figured out that the easiest way to calm and nurture your baby is to hold him or her- it's what babies expect and need, but is very difficult to accomplish for busy parents as we only have 2 arms! So many great baby carriers are now available that give parents the free hands they desperately need, and allow baby to be right where they want to be. We always say a "worn baby is a happy baby"- and research supports that, noting that worn babies cry less, spend more time in a quiet, alert state (for ideal infant mental development), are more likely to be securely attached to their caregivers (and thus more independent at an earlier age).

Tell me a favorite item in your shop and why?

That is such a tough question- everything is a favorite at one time or another or it never would have made it into the shop! I have 2 favorite things we always recommend to new moms, whether they are cloth diapering or not. The first is the Gypsy Mama Stretchy Wrap- it is a great wrap for first time baby-wearers and allows you to wear baby right up against the front of your body. It distributes baby's weight so evenly that you don't even feel like you are wearing a baby "carrier." I used to wear my daughter in it for 7-8 hours a day. Secondly, we are in love with our Ju Ju Be Packabe diaper bags- they are such beautiful, well-made bags with so many thoughtful little features. They are sized great for cloth diapers but still compact for carrying, and will fit enough diapers for a day, even if you have 2 children in cloth!

I enjoyed working with Shannon and getting to know more about her and her shop. I think she carries some wonderful, top of the line products, and I think it would be worth a peek if you are at all interested in cloth diapering, baby wearing, organics, etc.