Jul
29
Bamboo Nursing Pads by Bamboobino
Filed Under Eco-Mama, Product Reviews | Comments Off
Having a new baby around has certainly brought back some memories. Great ones, and memories of all the products I used with my first son before I knew much about anything. This time I have a chance to make some changes and use safer alternatives and try to “green” up the process of raising a baby. I breastfed my first son and am doing it again with baby boy #2. Only this time in stead of plowing through boxes of disposable bra pads (which any nursing mom will tell you is a necessity lest you want to walk around looking like a human milk fountain).
Nayla Natural Care, one of our favorite shopping stops, sent us a sample of reusable nursing pads by Bamboobino. They’re made of soft bamboo fiber and are reusable and washable. Just soak them for a minute or two and toss in with the rest of your spit-up encrusted baby laundry. One of the reasons I like these is that they are much softer than disposables. Anyone who’s new to breastfeeding or are in the beginning stages of it will tell you that some soreness is expected so anything that touches you needs to be soft. These have been great and I recommend them highly to anyone looking for a more eco-friendly (and wallet friendly… those disposable pads are not cheap!) way to breastfeed.
Get Some: Bamboobino Bamboo Nursing Pads are available from our friends at Nayla Natural Care. Let them know we sent you. They’re based in Canada too so our Canadian readers can benefit from these too! I also recommend using Earth Mama Angel Baby Natural Nipple Butter with these.
Jul
24
What’s Under Your Sink? (And a Giveaway)
Filed Under Giveaways Coupons, cleaning products | 67 Comments
We love Seventh Generation Products. I use their diapers when we have a need for disposables (which has happened with more frequency since baby number two has arrived). So we’re really excited about their Under The Sink makeover contest. What better way to get rid of all of the bad stuff under your sink? With professional help! I know when I was starting out in greening my home products, I was really confused. It was easier for me to rent a dumpster, pitch everything in my house, and start from scratch. We know how overwhelming it is to start this transition, and so do the folks over at Seventh Generation. Here are the details at how to win:
The “Under the Sink Makeover Contest” is seeking nominations on www.SeventhGeneration.com/under-the-sink today through August 14, for under the kitchen sink areas that are in desperate need of organization and detoxification. Submit a photo of the area under a friend’s sink and a 250-word description on why they deserve an under the sink makeover, for a chance to win great prizes.
One lucky grand prize winner will receive a package that includes:
- An in-home consultation at the friend’s house with Dr. Alan Greene, practicing pediatrician and specialist in green living
- A one year supply of Seventh Generation products for both the entrant and the friend in need
- A trip to New York City for the entrant and her friend that includes a one-night stay at the W New York – Times Square hotel
- A day of pampering at New York’s Green Spa that will include a Body Polish, Wellness Massage, Ocean Vegan Spa Manicure/Pedicure along with a one hour make-up application and lesson
Four other finalists and their friends will receive a Seventh Generation Living Home Starter Kit containing a variety of home-cleaning products for their own under the kitchen sink makeover, in addition to a luxurious Lavera home spa kit containing Lavera’s customer favorite BODY SPA shower gel, body scrub and bath salts, and premium LAVERÉ Anti-Aging body lotion to pamper themselves.
On top of that, we have a Seventh Generation home starter kit to giveaway to another lucky winner. To win that, here’s what you need to do.
1. Tell us your favorite Seventh Generation product in the comments.
2. For an extra chances to enter, post a link to this entry on your blog and/ or follow us on Twitter. Be sure to let us know in the comments, so that your extra entries get counted.
Contest ends on August 14th at 11:59PM. Winner will be chosen at random. Contest is open to US residents only. Good luck!
Jul
23
Phthalates in pills? What’s next?
Filed Under Articles, Phthalates Info | 2 Comments
Just when you think you’ve got it covered in terms of avoiding phthalates, you find out there’s something else to worry about (seriously, is there anything that doesn’t have phthalates or BPA?).
An article via the Daily Green reports of a new study that found over the counter tablets contain enough phthalates to increase your level 100 times over, before it’s quickly metabolized by the body:
The protective layer that coats the outside of drug capsules contains enough of a phthalate to drive levels in those taking the drugs above the daily intake limits designated by food regulatory agencies in Europe.
While the phthalate and its breakdown products leave the body within one to three days, longterm use could keep their levels elevated and raise the risk of health effects associated with the endocrine disruptors. Taking phthalates out of medicines would limit exposure, say the study’s authors.
The protective layer that coats the outside of drug capsules contains enough of a phthalate to drive levels in those taking the drugs above the daily intake limits designated by food regulatory agencies in Europe.Read the entire article over at The Daily Green.
Jul
21
We see tons of dishware here at SafeMama, and I get to the point where one dish is like any other dish and rarely am I impressed with a product. I mean, it’s dishware, right? You eat off of them, you drink out of them, end of story. As long as it’s free of toxic chemicals…..
Wrong.
Someone tipped me off to Kinderville’s dishware and I am in love. Kinderville is right on the money with their all silicone products. Everything is 100% silicone. There’s no lead, BPA or phthalates. Silicone is highly durable as well as resistant to bacteria due to its non porous nature. You can microwave it, boil it, and it’s dishwasher safe (although, I don’t recommend this, only because for some reason, anything silicone that I put in the dishwasher, takes on the taste of my detergent for some reason).
Kinderville makes three different products, dishes, cups and food storage jars (pictured above). The food storage jars are awesome because they are all silicone, so the lid forms a seal with the container when you put it on. There’s no snapping it in, or fumbling. To take it off, you simply pinch the handle on top and it’s open. These are great for little snacks on the go, or to put in a lunch box. The dishes are great for toddlers and babies just starting out. They’re shallow enough for them to scoop food out of, but high enough that you could use it for things like cereal for kids a little bit older, yet still too young to not spill a deeper plastic bowl. It’s also thick enough at the base and heavy, making it a little hard to tip over. From a mom with a toddler, it’s little things like this. Someone gets it. The cups are also great for kids just starting out with a “big kid cup” for the same reasons above. Not too deep, but not too shallow. The cups are thick making it a little harder to tip over. They’re also nice and thick for small hands. Their flexible nature also makes them fun for kids to drink out of. My husband gave my son the bright idea of making his cup “talk”, so now all we hear is a talking cup. At least he’s not dumping it on the floor, I suppose.
Get it: You can pick up Kinderville’s products directly online. They are a little bit more expensive, but they will last you forever, through multiple kids, thereby saving you money and creating less waste. And when you’re done with them, you can pass them on to someone else.
Jul
17
How Eden started using BPA free cans
Filed Under Articles | 2 Comments
I saw this article floating around on Twitter and I thought it was interesting. Eden Foods, is currently the only company that uses BPA free cans for their beans. Because of this, we exclusively use only Eden’s beans in this house (and we go through a lot of them, making this an expensive, but well worth it purchase). The story behind how they started using BPA free cans is a pretty interesting one, and goes back farther than the last two years. From The Huffington Post:
“It’s regrettable that the use of BPA has gone on so long,” Potter told me. “I’ve been flabbergasted as I’ve observed the lack of will on the part of the rest of the food industry to take advantage of an option we created.”
He asked his can suppliers — three of them at the time — if bisphenol A was in the cans they were selling to Eden Foods. “I made hundreds of phone calls to these three manufacturers,” he said. “Remarkably, I couldn’t find out if it was in the cans I was using or not.”
Read the full story at The Huffington Post. I find it interesting that BPA free cans have been available for years, yet there is not one other company who utilizes this option. I get that the cans are more expensive and most companies don’t want to have to pay to use BPA free cans, which while, I know they would be quick to pass the cost onto the consumer, probably don’t realize that a lot of us would pay the extra to have the peace of mind.
We’ve come so far in the last two years with our options for BPA free bottles, and dishware for both adults and children alike. I can’t walk into Babies R Us today and find a single polycarbonate bottle these days. Something that a year ago, I couldn’t say was the case, and it makes me happy to know that it’s one small step in eliminating BPA. Let’s hope that cans and jars are next.
Jul
15
100 Percent Pure Kids
Filed Under Product Reviews, Skin Care | Comments Off
If you read our other site (which is sadly neglected since we’ve been pregnant and/or giving birth, sorry), you’ll know that we LOVE the 100% Pure line of products. For me, it’s an obsession, really. I love just about everything they make, so when I saw that they had a kids line, I was ecstatic. Fresh fun flavors as well as being safe for my little ones? Absolutely! It took me a while to track some of the bubble bath down. It’s pretty popular, apparently. I ordered some of the strawberry ice cream bubble bath, and I really dig the smell. A few squirts in the tub and my whole upstairs smells like strawberries. My son loves it too!
I will give you fair warning though, like most of their other body washes and the like, this stuff is much more watery than your conventional counter parts, and of course, given that there are no SLS’s, it definitely doesn’t produce bubble baths the way we remember as a kid, but it does suffice and my son doesn’t really know any different, given that he’s never known the joys of our old favorite, Mr. Bubble.
Get it: You can order any of the 100% Pure kids line directly from 100% Pure’s website. Choose from three scents: Strawberry, Mint Chocolate Chip, or Vanilla. A bottle of the bubble bath costs $12.00, but should last you at least a few months if you’re using it regularly.
Jul
14
Dear SafeMama: Disposables edition
Filed Under Dear SafeMama, Product Reviews | 3 Comments
Dear SafeMama,
How safe are the new Earth’s Best diapers/ new Huggies Pure and Natural diapers?
We get these two questions a lot. I’m pretty much a devout Seventh Generation user when I do use disposables, because they work well for us (and lately, with a newborn, I’ve been using them more, just because getting around to doing more laundry isn’t really happening at this point). As a sidenote, a SafeMama reader wrote in about Seventh Generation going back to using SLS’s in their products. I just want to clarify, that this is only in cleaning products, not diapers.
Anyway, in the interest of research, I thought I would buy a package of both, and put them to the test.
Earth’s Best Chlorine Free Diapers: Truthfully, I was forced to pick these up, becuase the store didn’t have my son’s size in stock. I had read that they were softer than Seventh Generation’s diapers, and that’s probably my only beef with chlorine free diapers, is that they’re not as soft as your standard Pampers and the like. The diapers themselves work pretty well. They’re also very generously sized, to the point of running on the larger size. I have dubbed these the “granny panties” of the diaper world, because they are so large that they go halfway up my son’s back. The other thing that I don’t like, is the giant Earth’s Best label across the front. I’m not one for silly characters, or even a label, plain diapers suffice just fine, but overall, it’s not a huge deal breaker. They work well, and they’re the same price as the other diapers in the same class. Overall, great safer disposable alternative.
Huggies Pure and Natural Diapers: We get a lot of questions about these diapers, and I hate to have to be the one to be the bearer of bad news, but these are not really a natural alternative, but more Huggies greenwashing the public to make them believe. Basically, the outer part of the diaper is made with organic cotton, which is great, but the rest of the diaper is no different than a conventional disposable. They’re bleached with dioxins, and as for the organic cotton outer, there’s no law that mandates exactly how much the product has to be organic in order to label it as such. So the diaper could be made from 100% organic materials, or 10% organic materials. I picked up the newborn size for my daughter in the interest of seeing what the hype was all about, and also because they had a cord cut out (something Seventh Generation doesn’t have). However, greenwashing aside, I found the diaper to be sub par and 99% of the time it leaked. SafeMama gives this diaper a thumbs down.
So what are our top picks for disposables? Seventh Generation, Nature Babycare, Earth’s Best and Tushies. There’s also the little g hybrid diaper, which could be considered disposable, however, they’re a more expensive option.
Jul
13
Another SafeMama Baby is born!
Filed Under Product Safety | 10 Comments
Statia here, letting everyone know that Kathy had her baby this afternoon. Let’s all welcome Carter. A healthy 7lbs 9oz and 19 1/2 inches long via scheduled C-section. Everyone is doing great, though Mama is pretty sore, which is to be expected. He’s gorgeous of course, just like his big brother. Congrats Mama!
Jul
12
Waterproof Mattress Covers without the Vinyl
Filed Under PVC Free, product finds | Comments Off
This will probably be my last post for a short time – baby comes on Monday so I’ll be laid up for a bit. But before I go, I wanted to post this last thing because I’ve gotten the question a few times and I had this own challenge myself. My 3 1/2 year old graduated to a real big bed, twin style! And while I went through lengths to make sure he had the safest everything – wood bed that wasn’t off gassing, organic mattress, and I even went so far as Dr. Suess organic sheets. But then there’s the problem of leaking and accidents with little kids. Even though the mattress has some great waterpoofing to it – I wanted some added protection to help me avoid a lot of washing. After all the effort I spent on making him a safe sleep environment I didn’t want to cover his organic mattress with a piece of vinyl. Kind of defeats the point, no?
So I went on another hunt to find a mattress protector that wasn’t vinyl. Easier said than done but on a whim I tried a few super stores to see what they had and what I was up against. Vinyl, vinyl everywhere! But I hit the jackpot.
A company called AllerEase makes mattress and pillow protection made entirely of polypropylene and polyethylene plastic, weaved in a manner that it is thin and has a soft material feel like those reusable bags at grocery stores. It fits the mattress well and has helped us avoid some major “wet” incidents so far so I can attest to its waterproof ability. I feel better knowing there is no vinyl between my son and his bed. Plus it wasn’t a fortune..I think I spent a total of $23 on a twin cover.
Where Do I Find It? I found mine in WalMart of all places and according to AllerEase’s website they sell them at Target, KMart, Bed Bath and Beyond, Kohl’s and Sears (although I checked almost all those places and only found it at WalMart… the other stores I looked in only had vinyl but perhaps its regional). You can also order them online at Amazon.com and a few other retailers.
Jul
8
Elements Naturals Baby Wipes
Filed Under Eco-Mama, Product Reviews, product finds | Comments Off
As evident by our Baby Wipes Showdown we did a while ago, baby wipes can contain some pretty nasty and unpronounceable ingredients. For something you’re using daily on your baby and tossing into a landfill it’s great to be able to pick something a little less toxic and a little less tough on the earth. Of course there is always the tried and true reusable wipes, which many swear by, sometimes you need something you don’t want to worry about washing or to carry around in your diaper bag for quick clean ups.
Elements Naturals™ is a relatively new product on the market now making appearances in Whole Foods and on Diapers.com. Typical baby wipes can be made of a combination of cotton, polypropylene and other materials which together aren’t biodegradable. Elements Naturals is made of a new material called Ingeo™ fibers, the world’s first man-made fiber from annually renewable resources. From their website: “Ingeo™ fibers are free of chemical additives or surface treatments. Their production requires 68% less fossil fuel resources than the traditional oil-based materials; and with the purchase of wind power-based Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) uses 90% fewer greenhouse gases (GHG) than traditional synthetic wipes.”
They’re renewable, compostable, biodegradable, chlorine and fragrance free and don’t have a massive list of gross chemical additives on the label. The nice thing too is that they’re soft, just like any other baby wipe and they are much bigger… each wipe is larger than traditional wipes so you actually use less. They come in a recyclable resealable package so you can bring them anywhere and recycle the wrapper with your regular plastics.
Where Can I Find Them: Elements Naturals are available at some Northwest Whole Foods stores, or you can order them online at Diapers.com!
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