Where did you get that Sippy?

I cannot tell you how many times I hear the question, "Where did you get that sippy?".  I am constantly being stopped and asked when someone sees my daughter holding her sippy.   The grocery store, restaurants, even at the screener at the airport asked!

I used to buy all the BPA free sippy cups thinking I was doing something right for my daughter.  I then read an article that said that even BPA free isn't entirely safe.  The other chemicals that make up the plastic have the ability to leach into the liquids and harm my child.  Seriously!

As a Mom I am trying to do the best I can by my child and just when I think I am, it's just not enough!  How are you supposed to know when the information out there is half truths?  It seriously is like they are out to get my child!  Well, if you are like me you look alot further to find a solution.

I found THE sippy cup.  It is the Pura Kiki.

The bottle is stainless steel.  Not breakable.  They are 100% BPA-free. 100% phthalate-free, 100% lead-free and 100% PVC free.

The paint on the outside of the bottle, if you chose the colored ones, is non-toxic and free of lead, phthalates, PVC and BPA.

They can go from a baby bottle to a sippy cup because the nipple is inter-changable.  There are also 2 different sizes to suit a baby or toddler.  It can be used with the Pura medical grade silicone nipples, which I personally use, or it is compatible with Avent, Thinkbaby, Born Free, or Dr. Brown's nipples.  If I  had to do it all over again I would have used these from baby bottle on.

In my opinion this is the perfect sippy!  NO PLASTIC.  There is not one part of this bottle that I am concerned about being toxic for my daughter.

They are a little more pricey than the other sippy's, but really does that matter when it comes to your child's safety?

I have a few of them and clean them often.  I don't really let fluid sit in any of the stainless steel bottles we have in our house. I think it's great that the same stainless steel bottles we have for our own use is now also our child's.

Check them out for yourself at www.purastainless.com.  Just beware, you will soon be answering the question, "Where did you get that sippy?".

Cleaning Products

I read a heartbreaking interview with John Travolta after his son Jett passed away.  In it he talked about how he believed that his obsession with cleaning and how using so many cleaning products around his son when he was a baby may have caused his seizure disorder.  That really impacted me.  Could cleaning products really harm my baby?  You never see that on all those commercials.  Well, the answer is yes it's possible.

If you start to think about all the chemicals in cleaning products and how delicate a young baby's system is, the two just don't mix.

My husband is in baseball and when my daughter was 6 months old we had to head to NY for baseball season.  We were going to be living in a hotel for the entire season which meant housekeeping everyday.  Prior to arriving I sent instructions for the hotel: NO CLEANING CHEMICALS, NO FEBREZE to be used in my room at all.  This was not something I would compromise on.  I even offered to clean the room myself.  The hotel agreed that the housekeepers would use vinegar and water only and no Febreze.

The third day we were there I had gone out and when I arrived back at the room the stench of Febreze hit us as we walked into the room and I freaked out!  The house keepers were down the hall and I let them have it.  I was devastated.  The front desk apologized and they aired out my room and it never happened again.  From that point on though there was a sign on our door that read "No Chemicals or Febreze" just in case.

I had read the warnings associated with the chemicals in cleaners and also how bad Febreze and air fresheners in general are.  I really do not need my house to smell like a cool ocean breeze.  I need my child to be healthy.

Prior to having a baby I did the same thing everyone else does, you buy what you see on tv.  You buy this and that to make it quick and easy to clean.  Well quick and easy can also be dangerous and deadly.  Not only do those chemicals linger in the air for your child to breathe, but they also can linger on the surface for your child to ingest.  Think about your little one crawling on the newly wet-jetted floor and then putting their hands in their mouth.  Do you really know if that product is safe??

What about if by chance you child gets ahold of that product and ingests it.  What then?

I started using a couple items from a product line called Baby Ganics.  They are NON-TOXIC and I love them.  For the most part though I reverted back to what my Grandmother did, use vinegar and baking soda.  She used to say that there wasn't anything that vinegar and baking soda couldn't do.  As a kid you are like "Whatever", but after having my daughter is was time to give it a shot.

I use vinegar for everything.  It cleans mirrors beautifully, pour some in the toilet and add some baking soda and man does that clean it, in the shower that same mix seriously cleans tile and hard water spots on shower doors, in the kitchen it is amazing and doesn't scratch surfaces and there is so much more.  If you don't like the smell, which goes away, add a little lemon juice. Don't even get me started on how much I save in products.  I have a gallon jug of vinegar and 13lbs of baking soda in the cabinet right now and I can clean this house for a LONG time.

The best part is that it is truly is safe.  I can clean the house and not be afraid that one of those items is going to potentially harm my daughter.  I might have to put a little "elbow grease" (my Dad used to say as a kid) in it, but really it's not that hard.

I love being able to know that the two ingredients I am using are non-toxic and my daughter can be around me while I use them.

For good ideas on using vinegar go to www.vinegartips.com and for baking soda, armandhammer.com actually has a categorized list of uses.

Till next blog....

Baby's Bath

I remember signing up for the newborn care class at the hospital thinking I would receive important information that would make me feel more capable to take care of my daughter.  I did not expect to feel more afraid.

The one area they discussed that ended up terrifying me was bathing my baby.

I had thought it would be so simple.  Not even close.

You have to make sure the temperature isn't too hot or you could scald your baby, babies are slippery, you can't wash her until her bellybutton fall off, etc etc.  Then to make matters worse there are a million different items out there to use to bathe your child.

First is the baby bath itself.  There are so many different styles it's shocking.  They even have ones with spa-like sprayers.  Did my newborn really need a spa experience?  Fortunately for me I was looking for a BPA Free Non-toxic bath so it really narrowed down the field.

There is a great newborn bath called the Primo Eurobath.  It is BPA, Phthalates and Lead free.  It very simple and easy to use, without all the bells and whistles.  It runs around $25 to $30.

I also purchased an in-between bath seat.  It's ideal for that stage where they are too big for the newborn bath, but not ready for the big bath yet.  Aquababy Bathtub Seat is non-slip and non-toxic.  It is so great because my daughter could sit up in it and loved it.  I also didn't have to worry about her slipping since she was set in the seat.  It is also really easy to clean them.  That was a concern of mine but it was just as simple as the newborn bath.

After you decide on the bath to use it is time to move on to the "gear" you need. 

 I chose to use Little Bamboo washcloths and towels.  They are pesticide free and eco-friendly and organically grown.  I love them!  They are super soft and chemical free.  How great is that against my baby's skin!

When I first started bathing my baby I used just warm water for awhile.  I didn't want to use anything on her new skin and besides the dirty diapers, was she really getting that dirty from sleeping all day?

The baby wash and lotion I chose to use on her is California Baby Super Sensitive.  I read a lot of information about how bad the detergents and chemicals in a lot of "big name" baby washes and lotions are.  Also scent-free is really the way to go.  Babies new skin is so sensitive that you don't want a scent to start a reaction and honestly do you really want to take away from the wonderful smell of your newborn child? YUM Also make sure to keep away from ANYTHING with parabens.  They can potentially harm your child.

I actually started to use the lotion that I purchased for my daughter on myself.  I didn't want her to be exposed through me holding her to chemicals in my lotion so I switched and never went back.  I think it is very important to make sure that when I touch her it is safe for her and myself as well.  If your baby is anything like mine than your shoulder will be used to suck on constantly and you don't want to take a chance.

Bath toys.  My daughter loves them!  We have a set of her "people" as she calls them and also letters and numbers.  Make sure the bath toys are non-toxic.  You will be warming up those items in the bath and you do not want any chemicals leeching into the bath water that your child is soaking in and will for sure drink some of.  I love Boon bath toys and the Munchkin letters and numbers.  They are both non-toxic.  

I really recommend a bath ball filter also.  It hangs from the faucet and filters the water that comes out.  There are a few places that carry them.  Gaiam carries one that is around $60.  Well worth it if you don't have a full house filtration system.  You would be shocked to find out what is lurking in your water.  In my area there was jet fuel found in the water!

Another thing to consider is the shower curtain liner.  The plastic liners contain BPA.  Choose a fabric liner.  I know, never thought about that.  It is also a lot safer.  

My now 19 month old daughter likes to play hide and seek.  She loves to sit on the bathroom floor with the shower curtain covering her and her FACE, plastic would be very bad in that situation!  

There is so much to think about for your baby's bath.  I was blown away.  I thought it was a simple, bathe my child, but it really isn't at all.  Once you get everything in place and your ready though, it is so much fun!  My daughter loved the bath from day one and still runs across the house yelling "bath" trying to take her clothes off on the way when we say the word.

Till next blog....

Car Seats, Strollers, Slings oh my!

There is another big decision to make that I thought would be so simple, but it's not.  What will I carry my baby around town in?  I mean at some point you do have to leave your house and take the baby with you.

The car seat is so very important.  I chose a Graco.  I checked the safety rating and it was great.  I also liked the fact that the seat came out of the base to put into a stroller.  This is something that is necessary.  There is a 100% chance that your child will fall asleep in the car.  There is also a really good chance that they will do it right as you arrive at your destination and you do NOT want to wake them to put them into another seat.  

No matter what brand you use, MAKE SURE IT IS INSTALLED CORRECTLY!!!  I did several run-throughs months before I had my daughter to make sure it was installed correctly and to make sure I knew how to get it in and out of the car.  If you don't think it's installed the right way you can go to your local fire department and they will install it for you.

Then there is the stroller.  This is like a nightmare.  Do you get a system?  A Jogger?  There is so many to choose from that it can be overwhelming.

I had a friend recommend that I get a Snap and Go.  I had been looking into the systems and there was so much going on with them that it was a welcomed opinion.  The snap and go was for me!

It is lightweight and basically as thin as the car seat so it fits into snug places.  It is EASY to close.  That is so unbelievably important.  You have to make sure that you get a stroller that is easy to close and put in your car.

If you are like me and travel on alot of planes than make REALLY sure it is easy to close.  There is nothing more un-nerving then trying to close a stroller to put it through the security scanner holding a baby.  Oh, and nobody will help you.  They will just huff and puff about how much time you are taking to get it done.

I also got a second stroller.  I knew I wanted to work out as soon as I had the go ahead from my doctor so a jogging stroller was necessary.  I got the Instep Safari and love it.  It is really easy to use.  It is also very comfortable for my daughter.

The one accessory I really recommend to everyone is a stroller shade extender.  Stroller shades never extend far enough out to keep the sun off your baby.  A great one is by Summer.  It stretches far out beyond the stroller shade to give your baby extra protection.

There was one item that I had seen in magazines that really interested me.  The sling.

There is so much history about slings.  In native cultures women wear their children in slings all the time.  They wear them for so many reasons.  Convenience, feeding, bonding, and so much more.  If the have been used for so many years then maybe there was something to them, right?

I read that slings are a great thing for the baby because they keep the baby against you which makes them feel safe since they can feel your heartbeat, smell your scent and feel the safety of being right next to you.  These were all things I wanted.

I was sold on the sling, but there are so many different styles and brands it's shocking.  I knew I needed something that was easy to get my child into.  Seriously some of the slings out there are way too complicated to get into and since I am doing this all by myself it had to be simple.  Remember you will be ALONE for the most part putting this thing on and trying to get your child into it so you have to be able to work it.

I chose the Peanut Shell sling.  I love this sling.  I could carry my newborn sleeping against me.  I even made dinner with her against me when she was having her "I need to be near Mommy" moments.  It was also great to carry her through airport security.  I was able to close the stroller and take her through the scanner attached right to me!  I used that sling up until my daughter was too heavy to carry.

It's also versatile. It starts off across the chest and belly to hold a newborn snug and once your child is old enough to hold themselves upright you can move it to a different position to hold them on your hip.  It literally holds them in place so snug you can take your hand off them and they are secure.

I cannot tell you how many people stopped me and asked me what brand it was and where they could get one.

I loved the convenience of that sling.  I carried my daughter in it everywhere.  She loved being in it and being near Mommy.  I was sad when she got too big for it.

No matter what you chose to carry your baby in make sure it is convenient for you to use.  You do not want to have to battle to get your child into an item.  It will upset them and frazzle you.

Till next blog......

Products, Your Pregnancy and Beyond

I am about to admit something that is taking me a lot of courage.  "Hi, my name is Heather and I used to be a product whore".  Whew!  Feels so much better to get it out.

I used to be able to go into Sephora and spend $200 to $300 easily.  I had all the new and best whatever it was.  I have been addicted to products as far as I can remember.  I loved the newness of them, the softness they bring to your skin and the smell. ahhhhh

And then I got pregnant.

Once I got pregnant and started reading articles about pregnancy and chemicals in products and how they could harm my baby it was a whole new world.  Parabens, Phthalates, Triclosan and so many more all able to damage my unborn child.  For what?  Oh yea, for me to feel softer, smell nicer and to seemingly look younger.

I had no idea that the products I had been using all that time could be damaging me, so how would I ever think that I might be able to damage my baby.

Lets start with Parabens.  They can be found in shampoos, moisturizers, shaving gels, toothpaste,  personal lubricant (yea, let that sink in if you use that while pregnant) and so many products you would be shocked.  Pick up a bottle of whatever you have in the house and read the label.  I was blown away that my after shower oil had no less than 5!  Add that to the face lotion that had 3, the body lotion that had 2, and so on and I was a daily paraben factory.

Parabens have the ability to mimic Estrogen, which is known to play a role in breast cancer.

Well....I was carrying a daughter so my heart fell to the floor and it was time for a change.

Phthalates.  DBP and DEP are used in nail polish and moisturizers.  The Chemical Encyclopedia states that if absorbed through the skin Phthalates are moderately toxic.  It states that it is an endocrine disruptor   and can mimic or block hormones.  It can interfere with normal development of fetus.
Also:

• Birth defects, including cleft palate and in male reproductive organs, due to prenatal exposure. In laboratory animals, exposure to some phthalates prior to or after birth caused damaged, shrunken, undescended, or atrophied testicles; reduced sperm production; destruction of Sertoli cells, which produce sperm; lowered testosterone levels in offspring and ovarian abnormalities. In humans, some studies have found decreased sperm counts and damaged sperm in men with higher levels of some phthalates.
 
• Prenatal exposure may increase a child’s risk of developing behavioral problems in childhood.
 
• Some indication that a mother’s exposure to phthalates may shorten her pregnancy by one week.
 
• DEHP causes liver cancer in laboratory animals and the EPA considers it a carcinogen. 
 
• Phthalates have been found in breast milk and may contribute to altered hormone levels in infants.
 
• At high doses some phthalates have damaged the liver and kidneys of laboratory animals.
 
• Respiratory difficulties in children with bronchial obstruction (such as asthma).

Really?  Is that all?

Triclosan.  Welcome to the world of the anti-bacterial.  While I appreciate it in a hospital, it is possibly harming us everywhere else.  It is an endocrine disruptor and has been linked to weakening of the immune system, decreased fertility, birth defects and cancer.  Triclosan is in toothpastes, deodorants, liquid soaps and so much more.  

My husband and I heard about it and I grabbed the toothpaste we were using and one of the first ingredients listed was triclosan.  We were putting it into our mouths!  

It was a real eye opener for me.  I needed to do something.  I did not want to use anything that could get into my system and harm my unborn child.  I researched products and found ones that I felt I could use.  You can go to the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Searchable Product Guide website to search the products you have to see what's in them. 

I LOVE  l'huile de baboosh Stretch Mark Oil.  It is all essential oils and it really did keep me from getting any stretch marks during my pregnancy.  I was like an oil slick everyday, but it worked!

I also used Mustela products.  I used the Specific Support Bust.  Their products are free of parabens, phthalates and BPA.  

I started to use, and still do, the baby lotion that I would use on my daughter.  I chose Earth Mama Angel baby.  I figured that since she would be in constant contact with me and I didn't want her to get a lotion on her that wasn't safe, I should use it on myself also.  Since she decided to gnaw on my shoulder all the time after she was born I think I made a great choice!

The toothpaste and deodorant that I changed to was Tom's of Maine.  I love that I can read the label and understand it.  Their products work great!  The deodorant actually works the best of any deodorant I've ever used.

The surprising thing I found is that I was able to get rid of products I used to love and replace them with other, less toxic items that I love just the same.

I actually started to use glycerine liquid soap on my face and add a little baking soda to give it a gentle scrub.  It works great!

Dr. Hauschka Quince Day Cream is amazing.   I also love Pevonia Botanica Products.

There are a lot of really great organic and non-toxic things out there you just have to see what you like best.  It takes some de-programming to be able to understand that the things out there can harm you and your unborn child. And while they are packaged all pretty and smell yummy, they might not be safe.   Once you get there though you will be just fine.

I'm Heather, former product whore.  Till next blog.....