Russian babies need YOUR help!

[StrawberryMumma]

How's it all going Nicole?

[maz]

NIcole - I think we have had a few emails between us recently...Im still to get to the dame post office, which will more then likely be tomorrow now with all this rain.
I have been busy sewing the last week for this.
For the month of December I am donating 10% of all money BAR postage from my sales to this wonderful woman so she can send the nappies to those mums in need.
Check out my TICKER (god i hate doing that!!!!)
I think you are a wonderful woman NIcole for thinking of others! I hope that you have a wonderful Christmas, you truely deserve it!

[nicolelh]

we're going really well thanks lee! just super busy. I had to get everythign washed for tomorrow (volunteering day) at home myself, plus a few people took small packages for me. I haven't even pegged the last lot out yet - only 18 hours to dry - and it has to be on the line! of course I left the thickest ones to last!! duh!

Yes Maz, when I first got your email I wondered if you were maz from bellybelly - now I know! thanks!

Just in case there's anyone here who is wanting to come tomorrow who I have forgotten to email the details to:

It's at 9:30 tomorrow (thursday) (But come whenever you can, late is ok) at Ashgrove Baptist Church HALL, 7 Firhill St, Ashgrove, qld. we will stay until people need to leave! lunch and morning tea provided. please bring sewing supplies (including machine) - whatever you can spare, especially scissors. No nuts or kiwi fruit allowed on premises due to severely allergic child in attendance, thank you.

even if you can't stay long to help, why not come and listen to a russian woman tell us of her experiences in russia and show us how she nappied her babies at home (on a doll.)

Anyone welcome!

[MantaRay]

Hi Nicole. I'm glad to hear that you are getting a good response. Is it too late to send some terry flats on Friday? I am local to Brissy so they would arrive at Ashgrove Monday hopefully. Otherwise, I can drop them somewhere Friday. Also, are flanny flats any good (I think people use these for nbs)? I have a few of those too.

[christy]

I sent some things Monday? Monday... they were all washed!! I should have said so on the packaging, but it just says BellyBelly.

[livyloosmum]

Have you thought about approaching some of the companies that make the modern nappies for donations?? or even approaching the Oz cloth nappies organisation or the Australian Nappy Network etc for any help they can offer?

Oz Cloth Nappies: Information on Cloth Nappies in Australia and New Zealand: Support, Information, Chat, and Links

Reusable Nappy Week

[chocolatecatty]

Just wondering if you're going to close down the original site as there seems to be two now? A nice one with russian dolls!

Do you have an estimate for a final shipping date? Will there be a month of auctions?

[nicolelh]

hi Mantaray - by the looks of things today, we will definitely be going longer - so do please feel free to kepe sending stuff. Yes, flanny flats are much needed for newborn packs - see below.

Thanks a bunch christy, we got your stuff today! Please consider this your formal thank you!!

livyloosmum - actually - the companies have been approaching me! I don't think there has been one single week day when i havne't had at least one email from a business offering some sort of help - it's been incredible! the only businesses I asked have been sanbrook (who donated 144 snappies) and pea pods - plus one other big business that couldn't help - so I"ve done really well!

chocolatecatty - yes, I just have to keep the old one open long enough to copy the updated info onto the new one- which isn't quite right yet. the new site is great, huh! the old one will have a link to it.

there is no real final shipping date - we won't send them all at once or that will raise alarm bells at the russian customs end - so we will start sending soon then keep on sending until we're done! The auctions will probably be a week long each, and we'll probably have 3 auctions total or something like that - spread out a bit. the first one will probably be in 2-3 weeks.

here's an update on today:

ok, well today (our brisbane volunteering day) went really well. We did lots of sorting, mending, counting, assembling, sizing and cutting out of liners. the size of today's task (and the size of my washing pile now!) indicates that this is going to take a little longer than expected! So there is no real hurry in getting stuff to us.

We put together 4 newborn packs today = flannyls, nice thin (worn) terries, newborn fitteds/aios and accessories, plus a sample of nappy rash cream, 3 covers and a snib. These packs will go out 'on loan' to mums at 36 weeks pregnancy, then returned when their bubs are 8 weeks old. Each time a pack is returned, a new sample of cream will go in it and a new snib - to replenish it for loaning to the next mum. We hope to do up another 6 of these packs.

Just a few important updates arising from today's events:

My friend is going to personally take back some items to russia in her own luggage when she returns shortly. These items will go to the orphanages in light of the large number of children they have. They will be in addition to any packs that the orphanage asks for. These included

-some very large new AIO's that were donated - these will be for older babies/children that wet the bed (very common amongst the orphans.)

-All of the training pants collected to date

-All the pvc pilchers - these can be used over existing rags to help waterproof bedding and stop bag usage - they will also be used to replace any covers in the mother's packs that fall apart in the future.

-the wool - which will be given to local mums to knit for their kids or the orphans in their local area

-all the nappy rash cream samples/sachets to replenish the newborn packs.

We had heaps of all of these things and more arrived today so we have decided to restrict a bit the things we are accepting.

we are no longer accepting:

-any covers/nappies containing PVC (we have heaps - and seeing they don't breathe they aren't ideal anyway.)
-training pants (we have enough)
-knitting wool (just for the moment while we are swamped)
-nappy rash cream samples. We still desperately need full tubes/tubs.
-Boosters - unless it's sent with a nappy/pocket that specifically needs it. We have HEAPS of spare boosters - thanks so much everyone!

Items we obviously need more of (based on an assessment today)

-more nappies/covers for newborns for the packs, above.
-PUL covers
-wool and good fleece covers - we have been given heaps of "fluffies" and polyester/pvc target style covers, but my experience of these is that they barely last a month of regular use, so we are trying to collect some better quality fleece covers - or wool of course.
-LINERS! and microfleece for cutting them out. Today we cut out 100 for the terries - we need another 200 just for the terries alone!
-Rash cream, once again.

[FluffyLaRue]

I'm hoping to get the nappies from my stash mended this weekend, and I'm going to auction 2 minkee embroidered nappies at my website- if you have a logo or something formal I can put up with the auctions please pm me It might take a while- up to two weeks, I'm busy with xmas orders atm.

[maz]

Nicole - I have a heap of smaller pieces of micro fleece here, that I will send up with the nappies so you can make liners if you like

[MantaRay]

Ok Nicole, no worries. I can send some terry flats, flanny flats, and I probably have some spare micro fleece liners. I might have to post them on Monday now, so I can grab some nappy rash creams next time I'm out and throw those in too.

[nicolelh]

HI Everyone,
sorry I must have missed a reply notification.

Maz, extra fleece would be great! same for your liners Manta. I think we probably need about 700 liners (just guessing how many nappies have them built in) nad we only have approx 220, so we're really short.

Hi Fluffy,
unfortunately we don't have a logo but you could use the dolls from our new website: Nappies For Russia Home Certainly putting the webpage link on the auction page would be helpful.

Thanks!

[MantaRay]

Thanks Nicole. I haven't sent them yet - I wanted to give the nappies another wash before sending as they've been sitting around for a bit now, but with the wet weather I have a back-log of washing now. I should be able to get the nappies washed tomorrow hopefully so I can send them early next week.

[maz]

getting package together this afternoon Nicole...will probably post if monday..sorry its late was in hospital with high blood pressure honey but promise will post asap

[chocolatecatty]

Hey Nicole,
I've just put a link to your site in my links. I've contacted your interstate chic about any local drop offs in Melbourne but haven't heard back yet - is there one or should I just post my stuff?

[nicolelh]

HI Chocolatecatty,
once again I"m not getting post notifications - most annoying!

there is a drop off in melbourne, but the drop offs coord has been out of action for a few days - hopefully you've heard from her by now.

Thanks maz - get better soon!!

Mantaray - thanks for the re-wash. I have washed most of what's arrived as lots of it was rather stinkaroo by the time it had heated up in plastic postage bags! sometimes you just don't realise how dirty your nappies really are!!! (not you specifically!)

I need a favour from a brisbanite:
-On thursday morning I'm hoping ot package up 20-60 packs ready to go. This will involve a major sort of the mcn's that have arrived so far. we will be working from 9:30 until noon, and I need 1 (one) person to help me out. (I have 2 other helpers already - I want to keep it small and simple this time.)

so if you live in brisbane and you know the definition of MCN, flat, pocket, booster, insert, aio, osfa then you're qualified to come help!

If someone could put thier hand up that would be great.

I'll make sure i"m getting notifications of replies so you can post here if you can help or email me nicole(at)therapydogs(dot)org(dot)au

thanks so much!

[FluffyLaRue]

I'm having trouble with notifications too.... Just more reason to come and read posts more often LOL cos I need to be more addicted to forum life!

Nicole- I'm waiting on stuff for the auction but I will use the russian dolls on the site Prolly won't happen till new year now, so busy!
WOHB: minkee night nappy

[MantaRay]

Nicole, I finally got that package off on Tuesday so hopefully it will have arrived by now. Unfortunately a few of the nappies had milk stains (they have only been used as spit up cloths, not on bottoms so far), so I have only sent you the ones that look clean. It's not many but I guess every little bit helps.

The liners I put in (which have been used on bottoms!) might or might not have been washed in hot water. I don't usually wash in hot but I ran a lot through to send. Then my MIL did some folding for me and mixed them all up.

If you are still doing this later next year I will hopefully have DS1 TT and DS2 in the large size, so will have some MCN available for you.