Safe Alternatives for Baby and Child

HealthyCar.org has just released the 2nd annual consumer guide to toxic chemicals in cars (and child, baby, and infant car seats), complete with the newest test results for over 200 of the most popular 2008 and 2009 model vehicles and over 60 child car seats.

As an added bonus, this year’s rankings are cross-referenced with fuel economy figures, allowing consumers to find both healthy and fuel-efficient vehicles.

This is great information for parents! We spend so much accumulated time in vehicles with our children, and many cars release toxins that are linked to birth defects, cancer, and learning disabilities. The videos below wonderfully show what toxins hide where, how they affect our health, and what you can do to find the healthiest car in the future. Read the rest of this entry »

In conjunction with the Olympics, World Breastfeeding Week 2008 calls for greater support for mothers in achieving the gold standard of infant feeding: breastfeeding exclusively for six months, and providing appropriate complementary foods with continued breastfeeding for up to two years or beyond.

As every country sends its best athletes to compete at these global games, it is important to remind ourselves that, in a similar fashion, a healthy young athlete can only emerge from a healthy start on life. There is no question that optimal infant and young child feeding is essential for optimal growth and development. Read the rest of this entry »

I remember how much I enjoyed the outdoors as a child. I climbed trees to pick apples and cherries, tried to catch butterflies, collected different shaped leaves and loved getting dirty in the mud.

My dad and I used to go near the forest, just before dawn, to see the deers come out to feed on grass. We would just sit there quietly and wait. I remember how much I loved those quiet moments observing the animals. It’s something I enjoyed doing with my dad, this was our special time together. Now, it is a fond memory that I cherish for life.

Today, TV, video games and internet seem to be more entertaining and exciting for kids than outdoor play. A lot of kids today suffer from “nature-deficit disorder”. Since kids do what we do, we need to get off the couch and get them excited about the wonders of nature. Read the rest of this entry »

Another safe alternative to conventional cotton is bamboo.

We’ve heard about the toxic process of bamboo from plant to fiber which can be harmful on the environment. So, we searched for a company that offered a safer, non-toxic processing alternative.

We were impressed with Bamboosa’s integrity and had to rave about their baby soft gift set. Bamboosa chooses to not use bleach on their fabrics and many of their purely natural products are without any dye at all. Read the rest of this entry »

After our recent post on the dangers to our children due to Triclosan in anti-bacterial soaps, we thought it would be nice to let you know about a soap we personally enjoy using to wash our toddler’s hands. This is a great, safe alternative to anti-bacterial soaps!

Sandra likes this safe and non-toxic hand soap for her child because of it’s hydrating effects on her little girl’s hands. “I love that her hands stay so soft, even though we wash them often throughout the day. Most other soaps dry out her skin if we use them that frequently.”

I like this hand soap because I think it smells so nice! It has a delicious nutty smell, that is completely and truly natural. No added fragrances here. Read the rest of this entry »

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After participating in on a Q&A hosted by the Environmental Working Group , SafBaby is happy to bring you a little more insight on the dangers of “anti-bacterial” products . The questions were answered by Staff Scientist Rebecca Sutton, who also holds a Ph.D in Environmental Chemistry.

Anti-bacterial agents are most commonly, but far from exclusively, found in hand soaps. “But isn’t that a good thing,” one may question? I mean, who wants harmful bacteria hiding on our children and baby’s hands anyway? Isn’t this the best option in hand soap for my family to keep germs at bay? The following insight may surprise you, even if you thought you knew all the answers. Read the rest of this entry »

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It was love at first touch for me! Having this natural doll in my hands feels really good. Not to mention: what a great safe alternative to those toxic stuffed animals that typically end up in our landfills.

Numerous pieces of brightly colored and patterned leftover fabrics are sewn together in rings attached to a fun animal head (choose from bear, bunny, elephant or puppy doll).

The textures that come from the folded and layered limbs are so uniques and wonderful.

We also love that the cutest cuddle toys have been lovingly crafted from scraps that would otherwise be unwanted additions to our landfills. Read the rest of this entry »

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It has been such a pleasure having a small garden, to share with my little girl, the gifts of LIFE. She loves picking her own strawberries and delights in all the colors of each flower.

We use organic potting soil, and also purchased organic veggie starts and herbs. I was surprised at how rewarding it can be to have your own, little organic garden .

When planting sunflowers with her daddy she giggled about the worm in the dirt. Each day we go out and say, “hello sunflower,” and “good morning flowers,” to her new planted friend. Read the rest of this entry »

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Oh… the oh-so-many-times that having an anti-bacterial agent comes in handy when you have little ones. Let’s see, the park, the shopping center, after pre-school or child care, after the beach or sandbox. Well, just about exploring and touching any public place counts. Because as a parent we all know that our little ones love to also touch their face, and put their hands into their mouths.

Having clean hands is such a joy, and knowing that my baby’s hands are clean of harmful bacteria is great too. Don’t get me wrong, my little one is not sheltered when it comes to playing in the sand, ocean, at the park, and so on. That what being a little kid is about, exploring and having a blast getting their sensory input of touch full to the max. Read the rest of this entry »

I don’t think a toy chest would be complete without a wooden train set. Why?

Well, I haven’t seen a toddler or child who does not like them. In fact, I have seen boys go crazy over them, and my little girl loves her Wooden Railway.

Undoubted, train sets are a classic childhood treasure, and we have found one we favor: Super City Wooden Railways from Heros!

The Wooden Railway from Heros comes in a durable, heavy cardboard canister. This makes set-up AND clean-up fun and easy. Any parent can appreciate that! I have also noticed my little girl feels good about it too! Read the rest of this entry »

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When I read the recent 44 page report on the dangers of the indoor air pollution that PVC shower curtains cause, I was alarmed! Included in this report is a 3.5 page listing of volatile organic compounds released from PVC shower curtains, almost all of the compounds identified have a real chemical/toxic sounding name.

Not only that, but I was also shocked to read how the authors recommended PVC shower curtains be disposed of. “PVC should be treated as a hazardous material. As an interim measure, PVC could be disposed of in “secure” triple-lined hazardous waste landfills.” Read the rest of this entry »

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We worry about exposing our kids to numerous chemicals in our homes but what about daycare and preschool?

Most daycares and preschools have PVC sleeping mats, use toxic chemical cleaning products, pesticides and most toys are made of PVC plastics.

For special events, does your preschool encourage good eating habits with nutritional treats or snacks?

Help has arrived for parents and childcares who want to choose environments that are safe, healthy, and free of chemicals for our little loved ones. Read the rest of this entry »

This tea party scene “Lunch With Friends” from Djeco is so adorable! My little one just loves to pretend play with hers, and she has had great fun with the neighbor kids over for their “tea party” too. Very engaging, very sweet!

A safe alternative to plastic, this charming set is made of solid wood and includes a round yellow table, a teapot, 2 cups and saucers, 2 pink cute flower napkin holders and 2 yellow napkins, 2 forks and knives with pink flowers at the end and 2 rolls. Read the rest of this entry »

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Honestly, life would be much different around here without our Ecotot Table and Stools. We love this eco-friendly toddler furniture so much!

This Surfin Kids Project Table and Stool Set from Ecotots sits beautifully in any child’s room (big or small), or in the living room!

A feature that we love is that the stools fit superbly underneath the table. A great space saver when not in use, and it looks very put together! Read the rest of this entry »

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After coming across Debra Lynn Dadd’s amazing book, Home Safe Home, we decided to ask her to share her expertise on creating a safe and non-toxic nursery .
Debra has been a leading authority on eliminating toxic chemicals in the home since self-publishing the first book on the subject in 1982.

She has simply and effectively broken down the major key elements that will help you create the healthiest environment for your little loved one’s nursery. Read the rest of this entry »

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How does it happen? How does something so sweet, and so wonderful, let off the stinkiest #2 bombs? Do you get a similar drift at your changing table? If so, you will be a happy camper to hear about FarmBaby Nursery Spray. But wait! Freshening up the nursery after a diaper change is not the only time you will make great use of this truly natural air freshener. This stuff will be useful, AND SAFE, for years and years to come!

I remember a time, not too long ago, when my 6 year old niece was playing with my baby girl. She was admiring her little feet as they were happily playing together. “She is just so cute,” my niece said. “And her feet don’t even stink!” I think I will always remember that comment. Read the rest of this entry »

Being amongst other moms, the subject of what our baby’s are eating (or not eating) is not an uncommon topic. As parents we are truly concerned at what goes into our baby’s bodies, and after reading and watching this article, you will be as equally concerned at what goes ON their bodies too.

Tonight as I was taking a bath with my little baby girl I was so happy in knowing that the products that I am using on her skin are non-toxic and safe! Not only that, but I love them and so does she. She keeps asking for “more” of the foaming heavenly soap, and I am thankful that I know what every single ingredient is in this fabulous stuff!

As we were soaking in the warm water, I couldn’t help but think of all this research I have been doing with toxins in baby skin care products . Read the rest of this entry »

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Isn’t it so amazing? A baby’s skin is so soft and flawless.

Sometimes I have a little freak-out moment when I see our faces side-by-side in the mirror. Wow, my skin just isn’t as new as it use to be! I can live with that though, as long as I can enjoy the soft, smooth milky-white skin of my baby girls for years to come.

So, in an effort to keep her skin safe and beautiful I use chemical-free sunblock on her every time we go outside to play. The sun is out in full force here in Southern California. Not only that, but the radiation from the sun is in full spectrum too. Read the rest of this entry »

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This summer we are going to be living a block from the beach! Yahoo! What more could you ask for? A PERFECT SUN TENT!

So in our quest for the perfect sun tent, this is what we were looking for (and found), in the Family Play Shade by the Pop Up Co. available at Sungrubbies.com

1. Easy to carry down to the beach. This shade comes in a great, round, lightweight bag that you can easily throw over your shoulder. It weighs less than 5 pounds!

Read the rest of this entry »

We went to visit grandpa last weekend and he was amazed when his grand baby pointed to his bald head, and then up onto the wall where his hat was hanging, to tell him to put on his hat.

My baby girl really has a knack for that actually. At 21 months she makes sure we all have our hats on before we go outside. It’s a good thing too, since it is already hot and sunny here in Southern California.

“If you can catch them when they are young, you can greatly reduce the sun damage that happens over time,” says Marta Phillips from Sun Grubbies. Read the rest of this entry »