Dec
28
SafeMama Merriment
Filed Under Product Safety | Comments Off
We hope you have all been enjoying the holidays! We’ve been on a small holiday break to spend time with our families but rest assured, we’ll be back in SafeMama action soon. In the meantime, we hope everyone had a safe holiday and is looking forward to a happy healthy 2009!
Dec
22
Giveaways galore for the holidays.
Filed Under Giveaways Coupons | Comments Off
Greetings SafeMama readers. Posting will continue to be a little light around here with the holidays fast approaching (only two shopping days left!).
Just wanted to announce the winner of our B nature giveaway. Congrats to Amber D! Expect an email from us shortly with the details.
And keep an eye out as we pick the winner for the Momo Holiday Giveaway – Entries still accepted until Midnight EST tonight! Enter now!
And today is your last chance to enter the giveaway for the Maya Wrap. Simply follow the instructions in the original post. This is a totally awesome giveaway that you don’t want to miss out on. I’d love to have one of these for myself.
Hope everyone is having a safe and happy Holiday season so far!
Edit: Kathy here…Also wanted to congratulate Joanne K for winning the Wee Generation Diaper Bag!
Dec
17
FDA to continue to study BPA
Filed Under Articles, Bisphenol-A | Comments Off
After a year of nothing but controversy for the FDA regarding it’s (in)decision about BPA, they’ve stated that while they won’t change their decision about its safety, they will continue to “study” the chemical over the next several years:
The FDA has maintained that BPA is safe, relying largely on two studies that were funded by the chemical industry.
In October, the FDA was faulted by its own panel of independent science advisers, who said the agency’s position on BPA was scientifically flawed. The panel said the agency should revisit its assessment and take into account the studies it had ignored.
Yesterday, Laura Tarantino, director of the FDA’s Office of Food Additive Safety, said the FDA will respond to that recommendation by performing additional analysis. She said she did not know if it would last months or years.
“I can’t tell you when we will finalize this,” she said. “There is a lot of work.” [full article]
Is it me, or does it smell a bit like the FDA is stalling? I don’t think we’ve made it a secret that we distrust the FDA and its inability to look out for the safety of the public. From BPA to melamine in formula, I think I know where the American public stands. It’s behind the coporation giving the biggest donation in order to skew the results their way.
The FDA might maintain the safety of BPA, but plenty of independent studies show otherwise, and we will continue to promote alternatives and spread the word about the dangers of BPA. Thankfully, a lot of companies are following suit and giving the customers what they want, and that’s safer products to feed our children with.
Dec
15
SafeMama & The Soft Landing Holiday Giveaway
Filed Under Giveaways Coupons | Comments Off
Greetings SafeParents! I meant to do this on our 1 year anniversary in November but, life got in the way, as life tends to do for us busy parents. To top off our week of giveaways I thought it would be only fitting to do a big giveaway with none other than our favorite non-toxic feeding gear friends The Soft Landing.
SafeMama wants to thank our loyal and new readers for helping us keep this resource going and for making it one of the jobs I do so rewarding. Thank you everyone for your email, your questions (I try to answer as many as I can!) and your ongoing support. So as a thank you we’re giving away a big package to one lucky reader. The Momo company has released several new items this year including glass bottles with huggers, and BPA Free bottles in an assortment of sizes. The Soft Landing has generously offered a Momo Bottle Prize Pack which includes some of their fabulous new items on sale:
1 – 9oz Borosilicate Glass Bottle
1 – Large Neoprene Hugger
1 – 6oz PES Bottle
1 – 9oz PES Bottle
1 – 2pk Wide Neck Spouts
1 – 2pk Wide Neck Handles
PLUS, with your Momo gift pack you’ll also receive a $30 Gift Certificate to The Soft Landing compliments of all of us at SafeMama.com! Here’s how to enter:
Send an email to safemamaATgmail.com with the subject “Momo Holiday Giveaway” in the subject field. Please be sure to include your full name and address to avoid delivery delays. (your info will be kept private)
You must complete BOTH steps in order to qualify for this giveaway. Contest expires at midnight December 22rd. Contest is open to US and Canadian residents only. We’ll select one winner at random. Good luck!
Giveaway Ended, thanks to all who entered and Congrats to Sharon M of Hoboken!
Dec
11
Running Out of Time? Turn to Gift Guides!
Filed Under Safe Mama Tips | Comments Off
I know I’m struggling to finishing my shopping this year in enough time to ship everything and stay under my budget. Luckily I’ve gotten a lot of inspiration from my fellow bloggers to speed thing along with great ideas. I just wanted to share with you my favorite gift guides this year in case you need a few last minute gift ideas:
Green & Clean Mom Eco Holiday Gift Guide – Sommer has put together a great list of eco-friendly gifts for the greenie in your life. My favorite of her picks is the Organic Truffle Gift Box. Uh, yum!
Z Recommends Mostly Green Pretty Cheap Gift Guide – Our friends at Z Recs have put together several gift guides and this is their kids toy recommendations for this year. My fav, the Anamalz bendy toys.. they are so cute. They’d be perfect stocking stuffers!
SAFbaby’s Holiday Gift Guide – We love SAFBaby’s Toy Guide… they’ve selected a handful of cute and safe toy ideas for your kids
The Tranquil Parent Gift Guide – Part of the Z Recs network, this guide provides ideas for the eco-friendly adult and parent. Great gift ideas for the person who has everything.
Polliwogged Gift Guide – Adorable gift ideas for baby!
And of course, we have to remind our readers that WE have a 2008 Safe Toy Guide available too. We hand selected each product for it’s interest and safety. We went with an “imagination” theme this year and we enjoyed putting it together. We hope you’ll find it handy! Also, if we find OUR Toy Guide Badge on your blog or website before December 15th, you have a chance to win a complete Boon Baby Feeding Set.
Happy Shopping everyone!
Dec
11
Wee Generation Diaper Bag Giveaway!
Filed Under Eco-Mama, Giveaways Coupons | Comments Off
We’ve mentioned this diaper bag in the past, and I really think it’s a fabulous bag and a great idea. A group called Wee Generation is the collaboration of Seventh Generation, Healthy Child Healthy World and Rickshaw Bagworks which has joined forces on a great project. They’ve created an Eco-Friendly diaper bag. A “labor of love”, designed by parents with parents in mind, the bag boasts to appeal to men and women alike as the bag for the parent on-the-go. It has some pretty nifty features like detachable pockets and teether tethers. The exterior fabric is made from 100% post consumer recycled beverage bottles. Not to mention that when you buy the bag, 100% of the profits on each bag will be donated to Healthy Child Healthy World.
I know I’d love to get one of these in my hands but instead, we’re giving one away to one of our lucky readers. You’ll receive a Wee Generation Diaper Bag loaded with $100 worth of eco-friendly treats including Seventh Generation baby product vouchers, a copy of the book Naturally Clean: The Seventh Generation Guide to Safe and Healthy Non-Toxic Cleaning, a Wee Generation baby T and healthy household tips from Healthy Child Healthy World.
To Win It:
1. Send an email to safemamaATgmail.com with the subject “Wee Generation Giveaway” in the subject field. Please be sure to include your full name and address to avoid delivery delays. (your info will be kept private)
2. Click on the seventhgeneration.com leaderboard Ad at the top of our website and tell us which of the 3 Seventh Generation products shown you’d be most interested in trying. And tell us your answer in the email.
You must complete BOTH steps in order to qualify for this giveaway. Contest expires at midnight December 19rd. Contest is open to US and Canadian residents only. We’ll select one winner at random. Good luck!
Contest Closed, thanks to all who entered!
Dec
10
SafeMama Review: Maya Wrap (giveaway)
Filed Under Giveaways Coupons, Product Reviews | Comments Off
When my son was born, I didn’t really get into the wrap scene, as I was always afraid of him falling out of the bottom of one. We had a Bjorn, but he was never a fan of it. I preferred carrying him around if I needed to, only adding a hotsling to our collection when he was able to sit up and hang on.
With number two on the way, I know that I’m going to need something if I’m ever going to have use of my hands ever again. And I will admit, that while I wasn’t too into attachment parenting before my son was born, and now I still cart him around as often as possible. With this one, I plan on doing things a little differently. And did I mention that I like having the use of my hands?
The problem is that there are about 8 million different types of slings and wraps out there and I don’t have disposable income.
I was lucky enough to be able to try out the new organic version of the Maya Wrap. The Maya wrap is a ring sling and is incredibly easy to put on and cinch up when you need adjustment. While I didn’t have a baby to try it out on, I was able to easily get it on with one hand and adjust it without too much fuss, something I know that I’ll definitely need the ability to do when I have an infant. These are also great for nursing, as there’s a lot of fabric so that you can nurse discreetly in public.
The new organic line comes in three styles, all of which are pretty nice. I’d definitely want to snag one for myself.
Get It: You can order the Maya Wrap from Papoose Shop and enjoy 10% off your order until Feb 28th using code Safemama10. You can also find this code along with other codes in our shopping mall.
Bonus! We have one organic Maya Wrap in lollipop (shown above) to give away. This would make any new mom thrilled (this mom would be thrilled to get this for #2, nudge nudge wink wink ;o) and is close to $100 in value. Here’s how to enter:
1. Send an email to safemama.contestsATgmail.com with the subject “Maya Wrap Giveaway” in the subject field. Please be sure to include your full name and address to avoid delivery delays.
2. Log onto shoppapoose.com and tell us what your favorite product that Papoose carries. And tell us your answer in the email.
You must complete BOTH steps in order to qualify for this giveaway. Contest expires at midnight December 23rd. Please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery of prize. Contest is open to US and Canadian residents only.
Dec
9
SafeMama Review: B nature organics
Filed Under Giveaways Coupons, Product Reviews | Comments Off
Before my son was born, I received what seemed to be a lifetime supply of 0-3 month onesies. Everyone told me: “you can never have enough onesies, especially in the beginning.” While, yes, I went through my fair share of onesies, a large portion of the stack went virtually untouched. I did laundry often enough, that I really probably only needed 7 or 8, maybe less.
As my son got older, I needed less, and I found that I would rather purchase key pieces in an organic fabric, than more for less, by buying conventional. The problem with organic clothing is that there’s not a lot of stuff out there, and most of it is extremely expensive. And while I understand the cost, there are just some instances where I have to be smart about what I spend. Toddlers are pretty messy, and I get the reason for “play clothes” now that he’s older.
Enter B nature organics. This is exactly what someone like me needs. Minimalistic design, affordability, yet still stylish to dress up or bum around in. B nature’s clothing line is high quality in both fabric and construction. Any dyes that are used are low impact dyes and the process from start to finish is certifed organic. And yet, the product itself is affordable. You only need a few pieces and you can mix and match to keep the look fresh. Did I mention that it’s all super soft? I wish they made this stuff for adults.
While baby jeans are cute, I tend to be geared towards knits for babies, because they’re functional and comfortable. Save the baby jeans for special occasions, and keep them in clothing that is not only comfortable but good for them and the environment.
Get It: You can order B nature’s clothing directly off their website, and enjoy 10% off your purchase using code SM2008. Code expires 1/30/09.
Bonus! We have a separates set to give away. The set consists of a long sleeve crossover top and a matching set of leggings in tan. Size is 3-6 months. This would make a great gift for someone, or you can keep it for yourself. I’m tempted to snag it for number two. Here’s how to enter:
1. Send email to safemama.contestsATgmail.com with the subject “B nature giveaway” in the subject field. Please be sure to include BOTH your name AND address in the email.
2. If money were no object, would you start dressing your child exclusively in organic clothing? Why or why not? (don’t worry, your secret is safe with us).
You must follow steps 1&2 in order to be qualified for this giveaway. All information is kept private and is only used to notify the winner. Winner will be drawn at midnight December 22nd. Contest is open to U.S. Residents only. Please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery.
Contest has ended. Congrats to our winner: Amber D.
Dec
9
BPA and Phthalate Free Breast Pumps
Filed Under Bisphenol-A, Food Safety, Product Safety | Comments Off
Last year when I found out I was pregnant one of the many questions that I was asked was whether I would breast or bottle feed my son. At that time melamine had not been found in infant formula in China but it had been found in dog food in the USA so I was concerned. I decided to contact several manufacturing companies but most of them would not release the origin of ingredients. After that discovery I decided that I wanted to breastfeed (but I still had to supplement with some formula). It took me a long time to get the hang of it and I can tell you from my experience that if I had not had a breast pump I would not have been able to continue breast feeding my son. Here is some information for those of you that are looking for a breast pump.
If you have any questions about any of these products, please contact the companies directly. Everyone that I spoke with or received an email from was very nice and was willing to answer any questions.
These companies use the abbreviation DEHP for phthalates.
- Medela-The company states that “all Medela products and components that come into contact with breastmilk are made with polypropylene plastic and have always been BPA and DEHP-free”.-I’ve personally used 2 Medela products (an electric and hand pump) and found them easy to use and they have great customer service that can assist with questions. (SafeMama Favorite!)
- Bailey Medical Deluxe Nurture III Double Electric Pump & Basic Nurture III Breast Pump- Are BPA and DEHP free.
- Ameda (Evenflo)-They have been BPA free and DEHP Free since April 08. Look for the P at the end of the model # to make sure.
- Dr. Brown’s-Currently has BPA in the connector piece (and yes that comes in contact with breast milk) and the pump comes with polycarbonate bottles. Currently they are DEHP free. They said they will be coming out with a new version soon that is BPA free.
BPA/Phthalate Free Breast Pumps Coming Soon:
- Philips Avent – BPA free model coming out soon. Currently there is BPA in the funnel.
- Playtex - BPA free model coming out at end of 08 and notification will be on package.
- Lansinoh- “Our BPA-Free version of the Double Electric Breast Pump should be available in most major retailers by the beginning of the new year (Babies R Us, Wal-Mart, Target). It will run the same price.” -Thank you Marisa for sending us this info!
Dec
5
Taking the Homeopathic route for cold and flu season.
Filed Under Health & Medicine | Comments Off
With cold and flu season upon us, parents are probably wondering what they can do for their children now that it’s practically illegal to give them over the counter cold medicine.
Over the counter cold medicines carry a bevy of side effects and dangers to young childen under two, and new studies show that even younger ages over two may not be safe. I hate having a cold and am miserable when I don’t have the tools to medicate myself. I can’t imagine being a baby or toddler and feeling like that. So I sought out to seek an alternative. I came across a couple of products that are safe for younger babies, but work just as well for children alike.
Hylands C-Plus Cold Tablets – This is by far my favorite product. I’m a huge fan of all Hylands products. They’re effective and safe. This one is no exception. This is great for relieving congestion and the river of snot that seem to leak out of toddler noses. I try to keep the nose wiping to a minimum, especially in the winter when your face tends to get more chapped from the cold dry air. I was skeptical of this product at first, but I swear by it now and have a few bottles to keep at home and to take for travel. It definitely helps keep the nose dribble congestion at bay so that my son can continue to feel more like himself, which is to say, very busy and active. And the best part is that there’s no drowsy medicine head side effect.
Hylands Cough Syrup with Honey – Remember those Luden’s Honey Lemon cough drops your parents used to give you as kids? They were more like candy, than cough drops, but there’s a reason why honey lemon is such a popular cough drop flavor, because a spoonful of honey and lemon actually does ease coughing. You can easily make your own remedy of honey lemon cough syrup, but this is another thing that I keep on hand for travelling. Because this contains honey, we advise that you should avoid giving this to children under the age of one year.
These two remedies have definitely helped get my son through some nasty colds with no ill side effects, which makes feel good knowing that I can help ease his discomfort without the use of chemicals.
There are other things you can do to help with cold and flu season:
- Keep a humidifier on hand. Warm or cool mist, depending on the time of year. I prefer warm mist, which seems to be more effective (and is great during the winter months). You can add a little bit of Eucalyptus oil to the water for a vaporizing effect.
- Shea butter for dry chapped skin. Even when my son is well, I keep a shea butter based balm on his night stand (I love love LOVE Mambino Organics Oh Baby! Belly Butter for this. It works well for itchy pregnant bellies, but it’s also great for chapped skin, especially noses and other tough areas like knuckles. My son loves it because it smells great, so there’s no fight over putting it on his face and it helps heal almost instantly). The shea butter has great healing properties and is more of a balm than a lotion, so there’s minimal mess.
- Wash hands as frequently as you can with warm water and soap. I’m not a parent that worries too much about germs. But during cold season, I keep a naturally derived antibacterial with me, as we tend to frequent indoor places, like our local YMCA and Gymboree, which harbor germs and coughing kids. When you’re out and about, even baby wipes are better in a pinch than nothing at all. Steer clear of harsh antibacterial soaps and hand sanitizers. They kill germs, but they also make germs more resistant to being killed. Some good natural alternatives are Clean George or CleanWell.
Have a tip that will help make cold and flu season easier? Contact us.
Giveaways on Mommy Likes
Win some Episencial Sweet Dreams Bubble Bath from SproutBaby.com! Ends March 19th!
Win a Boon Squirt Baby Food Feeder from Boon, Inc! Ends March 12th (extended!)
Giveaways on LovelyMama
Win Aloe Cadabra Lube from LovelyMama! Ends March 14th!
Latest CPSC Recalls and Product Safety News
- Infant Deaths Prompt CPSC Warning About Sling Carriers for Babies
- Noncontact Electrical Tester Recalled by Fluke Due to Shock or Burn Hazard
- CPSC Issues Warning on Children's Winter and Holiday-Themed Charm Bracelets with High Levels of Cadmium
- Coil Nailers Recalled by Hitachi Koki Due to Serious Injury Hazard
- Byer California Recalls Girl's Jackets with Drawstrings Due to Strangulation Hazard
Latest FDA Recalls
- McCormick Recall Due to Possible Health Risk from HVP Ingredient Expands to Include Additional "Best By" Dates
- Austinuts Of Dallas, Inc. Announces Voluntary Recall of Honey Mustard Pretzels
- Orval Kent Food Company, Inc. Voluntarily Recalls Culinary Circle Dips Due to Possible Health Risk
Latest Recalls in Canada
- Enameled Steel Tea Kettle recalled over loose handle
- Big Rex kids book includes plastic dot with high lead levels
- Super Clean Degreaser recalled over packaging
Safer States Action Alerts
- BPA update: Wisconsin, Maryland, Washington
- The Toxies names the bad actors of toxics
- Focus on New York State
Visit Our Friends
Popular Topics
** Cheat Sheets! allergies Articles bath products Bisphenol-A bottles bpa BPA-Free car seats cheat sheet cleaning products coupons CPSC Dear SafeMama eco-friendly Eco-Mama EWG FAQ FDA giveaway Giveaways Coupons green Green Mama lead links paraben free phthalate free phthalates free Phthalates Info polypropylene Product Reviews Product Safety PVC PVC Free recalls shopping sippy cups Skin Care teethers tips toy recalls toys Toy Safety utensils winRecent Articles
- Sunday Morning DIY: Lavender & Sweet Orange Hand Soap
- Fisher-Price and Mattel Settlement
- Batter Blaster Organic Pancake Batter: BPA in Packaging?
- Found: Stainless Steel Popsicle Molds (Giveaway!)
- SafeMama Likes to Give you Stuff: Mommy Likes
Popular Articles
- BPA Free Bottle and Sippy Cup Cheat Sheet
- BPA Free Pacifiers and Teethers Cheat Sheet
- Cheat Sheet: Paraben and Phthalate Free Baby Products
- Baby Skin Care Products: A Quick Users Guide
- Gerber Baby Food and Number 7 Plastics
- SafeMama's Safer Dishware Cheat Sheet: BPA, PVC & Phthalate Free Dishes
- Avent Launching BPA Free Bottle Summer of 08
- SafeMama's Safer Sunscreen Showdown!
- SafeMama: Wipes Review
- Baby Cubes: BPA Free & Phthalate Free Food Storage for Baby
Fellow Safe Mama's
Grab Our Badge!
SafeMama Elsewhere
SafeMama MySpace!
Join our Facebook Group
Follow Us on Twitter
We Squidoo
