*Shey* [B] Camera Strap Giveaway!

If you follow me over here, then you know how much I love/want one of these camera straps.
Well, The Benner Daily is giving one away! Head over here and enter for your chance to win one! And be sure to check out her Etsy shop too! Good luck!

Eco-Friendly Nursery: Getting Started, Bedding

Whether you are putting together an eco-friendly nursery or a traditional nursery it is always overwhelming and you don't know where to get started. Here are my tips for getting started:

Decide what is important to you, are you looking for eco-friendly or traditional options; once you have done this I think it is best to start with bedding.

Bedding is the best place to get started because from there you can decide what kind of furniture will go best with the bedding and it will give you a color palette to work with for the rest of the nursery.

Most people think that if you are going to buy organic bedding or bedding made from sustainable fabrics you are limited to beige natural colored baby bedding; well that is definitely not true. Just look at these great options below.

Cotton Monkey

Cotton Monkey baby bedding is made of 100% certified organic cotton fabric and batting that is not treated with any formaldehyde or chlorine bleach. The Cotton Monkey line is colorful, fun and cheerful and dyed and printed with non-toxic, fiber reactive, water based pigments and dyes.

If you like the looks of these four beautiful bedding sets, be sure to click over to Cotton Monkey to check out the rest of their line, these are just four of my favorites! The sets at Cotton Monkey run from $614-$641 depending on whether you buy the quilt or throw blanket.

Healthy From Day 1

If you are looking for a more affordable option, there is Healthy From Day 1, which offers baby bedding a la cart. I was able to put together the following "set" for between $355 and $410, including the blanket, bumpers, sheet, crib skirt and the possible bumper covers.

EcoBaby
EcoBaby also carries the above collection and offers it as a set for $349 which includes: 1 small blanket, 1 bumper cover, 1 fitted sheet, 1 organic wool bumper insert 9" high

Our Green House

Our Green House carries the George collection from Coyuchi baby bedding collection which is hand embroidered and made from hand-picked certified organically grown cotton. All fabrics are preshrunk and finished with no chemicals, solvents and resins. The set includes: 1 White crib skirt, 1 crib sheets, 1 bumper cover with George pattern, 1 baby sham with George pattern, 1 crib blanket with the George pattern. This set is $339When looking for organic baby bedding I used a Google Search and searched, organic baby bedding. Be sure that when you are looking for a set that you are sure that they state that it is 100% certified organic. This will ensure that the whole set is organic, including the batting in the blankets. Good luck and happy shopping.

The next installment in this series is choosing a mattress and crib.

Upcoming New Series

I am currently in the process of putting together a new series on how to put together a eco-friendly nursery. Be sure to check back soon for updates.

First Steps to Healthy Babies

If you have not already checked out Healthy Child Healthy World, you definitely should. It is such a great resource for parents looking for eco-friendly information. Tonight I found First Steps to Healthy Babies which is a free monthly newsletter that gives valuable baby health and development lessons month by month throughout your pregnancy and until age 2!

Tip Junkie

If you havent' already checked out this site you definately should! There are ton's of tips and how to's... from how to make Pico De Gallo to how to design your own header using PhotoShop. Did you know that you can print out your blog into a book? Well you can, using Blurb, which will make your blog into a book, how neat! These are just some of the things that you could learn on Tip Junkie. Have fun and learn something new!

New Resa Design Receiving Blanket Contest

Be the first to win one of Resa Designs new receiving blankets, all you have to do is sign up for their mailing list and while you are at it add one of their buttons to your site or blog. Can't wait until these adorable blankets are for sale. Good luck and make sure to leave a post here if you win the contest :o)

Back to School Supplies

Sorry it has been so long since I have posted. We have been busy enjoying our summer and I hate to even think about it coming to and end. However, it is that time of year when we are starting to think about going back to school. While surfing around today, I found this great PDF from CHEJ of PVC-free school supplies. This is a great resource to find school supplies that are PVC-free and there are many mainstream companies listed, the reason I mention this is that they should be easier to track down, locally and not have to pay shipping.

Happy shopping!

Shoe Sale at Papoose

Check out the shoe sale that they are having over at Papoose, but hurry because if is over tonight at midnight.

They are making room for their fall collection! Save 30% OFF all summer and discontinued styles! Yes, you got it! $7.00 off each pair! The sale is on all their summer and discontinued Robeez soft sole shoes and Robeez Tredz toddler shoes!

Babies R' Us Taking Back BPA Bottles

I was just over at Fina' Drea and she returned 5 Avent bottles to Babies R' Us today (and yes they were worn and old) and she got $25.00 for them! I am KICKING myself right now for throwing out all my old BPA bottles. I would love to take advantage of this and replace them with some BPA-free sippy cups for my little man.

Well maybe some of you will be able to take advantage of this GREAT opportunity. If you are not sure if your bottles contain BPA check out the Z-Report on BPA at ZRecommends; this is a very thorough listing of most if not all bottle companies. If you do take advantage of this leave a comment and let us know how it turned out :-)

Sorry About All the Changes

Sorry about all the changes lately, I have been looking for a template background that I like and the blue one with flowers just wasn't working. It was difficult to see some of the fonts and I just wasn't "feeling" it. So what do all you think, even those of you who are lurking out there *grin*.

I would love to hear from those of you who read this blog, is there anything you would like me to do or questions you have that I can try to answer or get the answers to. I am in the middle of developing a new series on babywearing and there will be more to come soon.

Food Introductions

It appears that, in general, far less significance is placed on systematic food introductions for children. This seems to be a lost practice; some of my friends look at me like I am crazy when I say that I didn't give Allie peanut butter until she was three or that I just give Jack egg yolks (until he turns one). Perhaps there is a reason we have so many food allergies in children today. I can not remember even one friend growing up that was allergic to anything, however, this year in my first grade class I had two students with numerous food allergies, some of which are life threatening. I am not suggesting that anyone caused an allergy; I just think that we need to be more conservative in our food introductions. WholesomeBabyFood.com has a great chart that shows when foods should be introduced by the babies age. This is a great list to print out and take with you to your pediatrician for discussion.

Beat the Heat Summer Contest: Nature's Child

Have you been thinking about trying cloth diapers? Well, here is the contest for you, Nature's Child is having a Beat the Heat Summer Contest, the winner will be awarded a bumGenius 3.0 Starter Kit: 18 diapers, diaper sprayer, a dozen cloth wipes, and a bottle of odor remover.

Win the Essential Babywearing Stash

Along for the Ride is having a great contest; one lucky contestant will win a great stash of essential babywearing carriers. The lucky winner will win one Gypsy Mama Wrap, one Hotslings pouch, one BabyHawk Mei Tai, one Beco Butterfly and one Zolo Wear Ring Sling all in their choice of in-stock patterns.

This is a great contest; don't miss your chance. The contest ends midnight on July 31, 2008.

Muffin Tin Lunch

We had a playdate today and for lunch we had a muffin tin lunch. I had seen this on another blog and I love the idea, the girls loved it TOO! It made lunch so much more fun for them, then a plate of sandwiches and fruit, plus they didn't have to eat it all at once they could come back and snack.

I Need a New Look

This blog needs a new look and the last two places I have checked have either had a waiting list or are temporarily closed. I am really looking for something custom. If anyone has any ideas please leave me a comment. Thank you :)

These are just temporary changes, I am still looking for a custom design!

Why Should I Wear My Baby?

1. Babies who are worn cry less.Yes, its true. If you wear your baby in a carrier they will cry less. Research indicates that babies worn close to their caregivers are more happy and content than babies who are not worn. Wouldn't you feel more secure if you were wrapped up nice and tightly with the one you love?

2. Babies who are worn are smarter.Because sling babies spend less time crying, they spend more time in a quiet-alert state. This is the optimum state for a baby to learn. It is also the easiest state for parents to interact with their baby. Babies who are worn typically develop speech faster than babies who are not worn.

3. Wearing your baby helps them adjust to life outside the womb.Wearing baby tightly in a sling or carrier mimics the sensations that baby experienced inside the womb. For 9 months baby enjoyed the gentle sway of mom's movements. When baby is worn s/he continues to experience those sensations, only externally. S/he also gets to hear the sound of mother's heart beating and feel the rise and fall of mother's breath. These all help baby regulate to life outside the womb.

4. Babywearing enhances parental bonding.I t is easy to bond and nurture a baby who is always close to your heart. The proximity enhances interaction between baby and parent.

5. Babywearing is convenient.A mother can easily breastfeed her child in a sling. She can do this while shopping, doing the dishes, catching up on work or resting in a chair. A parent can walk her baby to sleep, hands free, while keeping up with other duties.

6. Babywearing makes sibling care easier. You can easily tend to the need of a toddler or older child with baby in a sling.

7. Babies enhances emotional developmentBabies who are worn are more likely to develop strong attachments to their parents and become more independent as adults.

8. Babywearing enhances physical development. Carrying baby helps to develop balance and head/neck control.

9. Babywearing is fun and you look great while doing it! Ok, this one is a selfish reason, but the slings/carriers that are available today look gorgeous! Everyone will comment on it. I promise. Besides, its a lot more fun to go out shopping with your little one when they are right there close to your heart and experiencing everything with you. Plus, you are close enough to enjoy their sweet baby smell and they are in the line of adult vision for everyone to comment on what a little darling you have!!

References:

http://www.askdrsears.com/
http://www.thebabywearer.com/

Looking far a great sling, wrap or carrier check out:
Waddle n Swaddle

Papoose

Britax Frontier Review:Check It Out at ZRecommends

If your in the market for a new 5-point harness carseat or a booster seat, you need to check out the Britax Frontier Review over at ZRecommends. This is a very thourough review and a must read if you are considering purchasing a new carseat/booster.

Britax Carseats are also on sale this week at various locations. This is important to know because they do not go on sale often.

Are We Being Green Washed?

Let's face it being green is very in right now and everyone wants to get in on it. Here are some simple ways to be sure that you are not being "green washed".

Websites (these websites have done a lot of the research for you already.)

• greenercars.org This site offers driving tips, buying green, and over 10,000 vehicle ratings
  
• responsiblepurchasing.org
  
• greenerchoices.org This site is an offshoot of Consumer Reports
• cosmeticsdatabase.com

Avoid the terms: Natural, ECO and Green

Look for the terms: Organic and recycleable

Look for these seals:




Most of all read the labels, research what your buying and if it's too good to be true then it is.

Whether or Not to Vaccinate?

The choice on whether or not to vaccinate your baby is a very personal one. I found this report from CNN helpful in making this very important decision. Another great resource for helping to make this decision is the Sears schedule, which is an alternative vaccination schedule developed my Dr. Robert Sears. The Dr. Sears site is great because there are answers to questions like how do I switch to the alternative schedule when I have already started the regular vaccine schedule. I found this very useful and I think it will be very helpful at Jack's next check-up. There is also a section about how to talk to your pediatrician about switching to the Alternative Vaccination Schedule.

I hope you find this as helpful as I did and good luck with this very personal decision.

Remember the Golden Rule

Lately it seems as though people aren't being a good neighbor to each other and that they have forgotten the "Golden Rule." A couple of weeks ago here in CT there was a hit and run accident in Hartford where an elderly man was hit by a car and it took almost a minute for anyone to even go into the road and see if he was okay. What's even worse is that many people drove around and didn't even stop. It turns out that the man was not okay and was left largely unassisted with life threatening injuries.

Just the other day I was driving to work and there was a bad car accident on the other side of the highway and the same thing: no one had stopped to see if the people were okay.

My challenge to all of you who are reading this is do something nice for someone else; it could be as simple has holding the door for someone, helping someone with their packages, paying the toll for the person behind you, buying a bottle of water for someone on a hot day or even stopping to help someone when no one else has. Pay it forward as they say and be a good neighbor.

Announcing the Wee-Generation Eco Diaper Bag

I love what I see in this bag! It's gender neutral mom and dad can both carry it; it's organized and better yet it is made from recycled beverage bottles! My favorite features of this bag are the removable inserts which include an insulated feeding tote, changing tote, changing pad and the detachable insulated bottle holder and zip pouch.

The first 500 bags will be fully loaded with all sorts of Seventh Generation and Healthy Child Healthy World goodies to get you even further down the road toward a living, healthy home. Each bag will contain $100 worth of eco-friendly treats, including a copy of Naturally Clean, the Seventh Generation Guide to Safe and Healthy Non-Toxic Cleaning, a Wee Generation baby T, healthy household tips from Healthy Child Healthy World and coupons from Seventh Generation.

The best part is that 100% of the profits from this bag will go to Healthy Child Healthy World. What a fantastic way to support a great organization and get a great bag too!

Dry Drowning: A Post That Everyone Should Read

With the hot weather we are having up hear in the North East, I thought I would share this link that a mommy friend of mine emailed me the other day about Dry Drowning. I had never heard of this phenomenon until I watched this clip from The Today Show. As parents we know to watch our kids when they are near water, but there are signs to watch for even after they are out of the water.

Please be sure to watch this and then give your kiddos big hugs and kisses, I know I did!

Updates...Get a Free Bag...Things to Come

WOW! I can't believe that it has been over TWO WEEKS since my last post. Things have been super crazy here. My husband Matt was hit by a car 3 weeks ago; he is okay, banged up and bruised but thankfully okay. So that explains the lack of posts lately.

Well here we go... you have to check out the Green Bag Lady, she makes handmade bags that she will give you for FREE as long as you promise to use it instead of paper or plastic bags.

And if you have any left over or extra fabric she is always excepting donations.

Things to Come I am happy to say that in the next several weeks there are some great things coming; Stroller Shoot Out Review and a High Chair Shoot Out Review as well.

Cuisinart Update

In response to last weeks post regarding Cuisinart and BPA, Michelle, a Cuisinart employee (who is not a scientist or in quality control), kindly provided this insight into the matter:

"Hi Jessica;

Sorry for the delay. I just had a lengthy conversation with QC so I could better understand the issues.We had a third party laboratory test the bowls for our Food Processors and Mini Choppers. These are sometimes made with Lexan and sometimes made with another plastic. Yes, BPA is in these plastics. However, the issue isn't whether BPA is actually in the plastic- but rather does it leach. In fact most tin cans, most hard plastic cups you would use at home (in fact any harder plastics will have BPA - it is what gives it the "hardness") would have BPA. But most will not have the leaching. And some will apparently leach the BPA more than others.

When the third party tests were done by the lab - they would have run the bowls through numerous tests - to determine amount of leaching and what they found was that none was detected. So in other words no leaching of BPA. In Canada, Health Canada is looking at setting parameters to levels of leaching - in which case obviously our bowls will be considered safe no matter what level they choose in the end as none was detected. We aren't sure at what level they will determine is safe...but obviously what is safe for infants is different than for adults. As far as the Cuisinart bowls - we are confident that these are 100% safe for you and your baby.

I hope that this helps you make a decision. I know as a mom I have found my food processor and mini-chopper indispensible! Michelle"

I have read and will personally consider the above comments. More importantly, I will continue to investigate this matter. I am specifically interested in who performed the third party testing and how the testing was conducted. I believe our children are worth the extra effort needed to make sure that the products we use are 100% safe.

In Search of a Safe"er" Sunscreen

Well the great weather has hit and I was confronted with the dilemma of what sunscreen to use on the kids. I knew I wanted it to be phthalate and paraben free but other than that I didn'tknow what else I needed to be looking for, well lets just say that I have had a crash course education in sunscreens this last week!

The first place that I went was the Environmental Working Group Cosmetic Database, I have to admit this was helpful but also somewhat overwhelming. I narrowed my choices down to California Baby SPF 30+ Sunscreen Lotion No Fragrance and Badger SPF 30 Sunscreen. Then I started my search for these products locally. Well this was easier said then done; I finally found California Baby at several local health food stores, but wasn't able to find Badger anywhere locally. In my search for these two sunscreens I realized how few sunscreen options are available on the local level.

I have finally decided on California Baby SPF 30+ Sunscreen Lotion No Fragrance. The biggest reason for this decision is that it has no scent. The Badger doesn't have fragrance in it either, it's just that after smelling the Badger (a girl friend of mine bought some) I just don't think that I would like it all over my kiddos. It's not that it smells bad, it's just a strong essential oil type scent that doesn't really work for me.

The California Baby SPF 30+ Sunscreen is thicker than mainstream sunscreens; this is because it is a physical barrier sunscreen and not a chemical barrier. When applied it leaves a slight ghostly white film. We have been using the California Baby Sunscreen now for almost two weeks and other than getting used to the slight white film on the skin, which does disipate after it soaks in and dries, I really like it. I like the fact that it is a safe sunscreen and that it has no fragrance.

Good luck to you all in your search for safe sunscreen. Be sure to check out the EWG Report on Sunscreen.

BPA in Cuisinart Food Processors

I am very disappointed to report that the Cuisinart Mini Prep and the Cuisinart Food Processors are made with with Polycarbonate and therefore contain bisphenol-A. When I called Cuisinarts info line tonight at talked with one of their reps, he was very polite and wanted to be helpful, however all he could tell me is that they are awaiting further information from the FDA in regards to BPA.

Well, I guess I will be looking for something else to use when I am making my baby food. This is too bad because the food processors are perfect for the job. Hopefully Cuisinart will be making changes to their product line in the near future. I am also hoping that they will do something to replace parts that contain BPA. A girl can hope can't she.

Bisphenol-A in Infant Formula: A Bigger Concern Than You Think

Lately all eyes have been on bisphenol-A (BPA) in baby products, specifically in baby bottles and sport bottles. However we need to pay attention to other areas where we come into contact with BPA.

Far more leeching of BPA occurs in ready-to-serve canned liquid formula than in baby bottles. According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG) and the FDA, testing has shown that the BPA that leaches into formula and other canned goods subjects babies and pregnant women to harmful exposure. The EWG has calculated that 1 out of 16 children fed ready-to-eat formula from steel cans have exposures to BPA that exceeds doses which are harmful in animal studies. The National Institute of Health (NIH) has also expressed concerns about infant exposure to BPA. A panel of 38 BPA experts expressed grave concerns related to human exposure to BPA that are at or above levels that have caused harm in animal studies. The Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction (CERHR) has concluded that brain development and behavior can have adverse affects when there is infant exposure. This suggests that parents should avoid exposure to BPA until there is futher information.



According to the EWG's Formula Buying Guide

1. Your first choice should be powered formula in a can with as little metal possible, such as the brands listed below

Better: Nestle, Enfamil, and Similac powdered formula

(BPA is in the top and bottom of the can).

Good: Earth's Best and Bright Beginnings powdered (BPA in the entire can).

Avoid: All liquid ready-to-eat formula in metal cans.

2. Second choice: concentrated liquid formulas

View the EWG's full report on BPA in infant formula here and print there printable PDF. Just because the FDA deems BPA safe does not mean that it is; recent studies have suggested that there is "some concern" read this related article on the review of how the FDA has been handling BPA in baby products.

My Favorite Maternity Clothing Line

Japanese Weekend was one of my favorite maternity clothing lines when I was pregnant. We all know that maternity clothes aren't cheep and some lines from chain stores aren't only expensive, but the quality is poor. Quality is not an issue with JW, the clothes are very well made and very versatile.

The reversible 4-in-1 skirt go top was one of my favorites, I wore mine all the time, you can wear it as a skirt or as a strapless top and it is reversible. My other favorite was the 2-in-1 dress go skirt.

I definitely recommend checking out this clothing line and Baby Center has a decent selection and a lot of it is on sale. Happy shopping!

ALL Slings on Sale at Dittany Baby

If you have ever thought about getting a baby sling, then you need to check out this sale at Dittany Baby. In honor of Mother's Day they have all of their gorgeous slings are on sale for $25 and they have a style for everyone. Even the organic cotton ones are on sale and the pattern selection is great too. I used a pouch sling (from another company) with Allie and LOVED it! I was able to use it when she was a tiny infant all the way up to... well I could use it with her now, if she wanted to be carried- luckily for me she likes to walk. Since I am now carrying the "big man" in my new Mei Tai carrier. Happy shopping!

BPA Updates

In the last several weeks there have been many things happening with bisphenol-A. Last week Canada declared BPA a toxic chemical; many retailers took action and removed products from their shelves and now Canada is proposing a ban on BPA. Babies R Us has announced that they will be BPA and Phthalate free by the end of 2008. Even Nalgene has recently announced that they are going to discountinue the use of Polycarbonate in their water bottles and according to a USA Today article, the FDA is reconsidering the safety of BPA.

• "The FDA isn't recommending people stop using BPA, says Laura Tarantino, director of the FDA's Office of Food Additive Safety. But the agency will take another look at the safety of baby bottles, formula cans and other products made with BPA, which has been shown to leach into food. Depending on their findings, she says, the agency could require changes in the way these products are made or the amount of BPA that's allowed to be used."

Rep. John Dingell and Rep. Bart Stupak both democrats of Michigan and leaders of the energy and commerce committee are investigating the FDA's handling of BPA and are calling for a safety check as a result of recent reports expressing "some concern" about the effects of BPA .

• "Scientists don't have much evidence about how BPA affects people. But environmental organizations such as the Environmental Working Group note that 100 studies have found harmful effects in animals at very low levels. Many researchers are concerned that BPA, which acts like the female hormone estrogen, causes profound effects on animals in low doses, especially during pregnancy and infancy. Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have found BPA in 95% of Americans tested."

Dingell and Stupak expressed concern that the FDA is basing the alleged safety of BPA on two industry funded studies. Both reports were done by the American Plastics Council and one of the reports has not even been released to the public.

• "This raises serious concerns about whether the science FDA relied on to approve the use of bisphenol A was bought and paid for by industry." Dingell.

Further more, according to the USA Today article, the American Chemistry Council, which is also an industry group states that, the FDA should clear up the fear and confusion about BPA, which it says has been safely used for decades. A new FDA statement, the council says, will "help explain the extensive scientific review that has already been conducted." Seems like the American Chemistry Council thinks that they have this one in "the bag" or should be say in the bottle.

Senators Charles Schumer and Diane Feinstein introduced a bill yesterday that would ban bisphenol-A in all children's products. Seems like our government is finally catching up with our neighbors to the north.

Check out the newest Safe Mama Cheat Sheet

Safe Mama has done it again, you just have to check out their latest cheat sheet. This one is all about safe non-toxic baby skin care products. This cheat sheet is great, Safe Mama has done all the cross referencing and work for us. She has used the Environmental Working Group's Cosmetic Database and crossed referenced the list with a host of other potentially harmful chemicals. This cheat sheet is SUPER, because she didn't just give an over all positive or negative score; she has shown each aspect of the rating. This is great because it enables each of us to select a baby/child care line that we can individually live with and feel comfortable about. I hope that this list is as helpful for you as it has been for me.

Celebrate Earth Day!

Celebrate Earth Day

April 22, 2008

5 Ways to "Be Green"

1. Recycle, everything from aluminium cans, plastic bottles to your clothing.

2. Switch to compact florescent bulbs. CFL's use up to 66% less energy than incandescent bulbs and can last ten times longer. If every household changed just one bulb, it would be about the same as, Removing 85,000 cars from California's roads for one year. That's AMAZING!

3. Use a reusable water bottle instead of a single use bottle; preferably one that is either stainless steel or BPA-free and Phthalate free plastic bottle.

4. Do full loads of laundry and use the cold cycle as much as possible.

5. Use a reusable bag, instead of plastic or paper bags.

Find a way to share the day with your child.

Bisphenol-A is in the news again

Bisphenol-A has made the news again. Last week on the NBC Nightly News and then again on the Today Show. The heart of their recommendation is to avoid plastic types #3, #6, and #7 was, "We won't have enough data for years, but if you have a choice, why take a risk?"

Nalgene one of the staunch supporters of BPA launched their new website Nalgene Choice last week amist the negative BPA press. The new site features BPA-free bottles both to showcase two new lines, one plastic and the other stainless steel, as well as a variety of other specialized drinkware products made of a laundry list of BPA-free plastics - polyethylenes (HDPE, LDPE, PET) and even some polypropylene food storage containers. They however have not removed their origional Nalgene sport bottle which does contain BPA.

Then again Monday the Department of Health and Human Services' National Toxicology Program released it's study on BPA and noted that there is "Some Concern that babies and fetuses exposed to BPA could have higher risk of prostate and breast cancer and early onset puberty later in life." The report went on to say that, "The possibility that bisphenol-A may alter human development cannot be dismissed. For more information on this report check out Good Morning America's segment that they rain on BPA and the report this morning. This report has left some members of congress calling on the FDA to reconsider the safety of bisphenol-A

Just this week Canada became the first government to say that it considers BPA unsafe and many Canadian retailers have removed products containing BPA from their shelves. For more information read the full article from Globe and Mail.

"We won't have enough data for years, but if you have a choice, why take a risk?" I know that I am not willing to wait 20 years to find out whether or not bisphenol-A is safe or unsafe. For more information on BPA-free products check out the Z Report on BPA in Childrens Feeding Product, Third Edition.

Adventures in Cloth Diapering

So we are off and running on our cloth diapering adventure. Like any other new endevor there are always hiccups along the way. When I was researching which cloth diapers to go with I bought three bumGenius diapers to test out with Jack in every situation that I could think of: tummy time, exersaucer/walker, in the car, in the Mei Tei carrier, and sleeping (both naptime and nighttime), etc. I used these three diapers as much as possible and only had one leak and it was the first time that I put Jack down for the night wearing the diapers and I didn't use the doubler.

Well, things went well and I decided to jump in with both feet. I ordered my diapers and all the supplies that I needed and I was on my way. Things went smoothly for the first few days and then they started leaking at naptime and nighttime. I suffered through for the first couple of days and then I started asking for help and that is exactly what I got. Holly at Papoose was great, she suggested Joey Bunz Hemp Inserts and Rachel at Euphoria Maternity suggest Hemp Babies Bigger Weeds. Are you seeing the reoccuring theme of hemp? Well, from what I have been told that is because hemp is very absorbant. So I put in an order with Papoose to get some Joey Bunz inserts to use with the bumGenius diapers and I washed them several times with Charlie Soap to get them prepped for their first use.

It took some experimenting, but I figured out which way they worked best for Jack. This is going to sound crazey, but at nap time I use one bumGenius insert, one bumGenius doubler and one Joey Bunz hemp insert and at bedtime I make what I have been calling a hemp sandwich. I use two Joey Bunz hemp inserts with one bumGenius insert inbetween. Doing these two things have worked for us.

When I was getting started I bought the diapers, the laundry wet bags (2) and a smaller wet beg for my diaper bag. I decided to forgo the diaper sprayer from bumGenius, which is used to spray off dirty diapers into the toilet. I figured I wouldn't need it, Jack is afterall eating solid foods now. Well, all it took was one "yucky" diaper to change my mind. All I have to say is definately splurge on the diaper sprayer! It was easy to install and definately makes the "yucky" diapers easier to clean up.

I typically do diaper washes every other day. I start with a cold rinse to help ensure no staining and then I do a hot wash. Then into the dryer they go, the diaper covers and the laundry bag go into the dryer for a drying cycle and then the inserts going in for an additional drying cycle.

Even through all the experimenting and the leaks, I am glad that I made the switch to cloth. I am saving $64 a month and lots of space in our land fills.

Pregnant and Looking For a Great Pair of Maternity Jeans?

Lets face it, maternity jeans often leave something to be desired. They either don't look modern enough or they fit horrible. Well, I was looking around at some of the blogs that I check out and over at Euphoria Maternity's Blog for the Green Mama, they are giving away Mama Black maternity jeans and they look great. Their styles are sexy, with a great fit and a reasonable price tag. What mama to-be wouldn't want a great pair of jeans and free! If you are interested definitely check this out, because all you have to do is leave a post about which pair you would want and ladies when I checked it a few minutes ago there were only 3(!) comments. Don't worry about sizing because she has a great true sizing system, so you shouldn't have any problems with that. Make sure you click over and check out her store; she has lots of great stuff! Good luck and let me know if you win.