The Itsabelly Blog

Our Special Announcement to Honor Earth Day!

             

Itsabelly's Guide to Going Green with Baby is the first book to provide a simple resource for evaluating eco-friendly baby gear and to learn more about organic and natural family living. We offer mom-tested product reviews and tips to raising a healthy baby and creating a happy planet. The founders of Under the Nile, gDiapers, TheSoftLanding.com and Earth Mama Angel Baby provide insight on why choosing organic and natural baby products is important to creating a healthier lifestyle. Going Green with Baby features personal product recommendations from eco-minded moms Jennifer Lo Prete and Melissa Moog. Jennifer is a writer and mother of two that has long practiced green living. Melissa is mom to a toddler, writer and the founder of Itsabelly Baby Concierge, a premier baby planning agency that specializes in going green with baby.

Going Green with Baby will be released in the Summer of 2008. To pre-order your copy, please send us an email to info@itsa-belly.com or call us at (503)799-5719 with your name and contact information. We will contact you when the book is available for purchase. Wholesale inquiries are also welcome.

A Peek Inside...

• Plan your baby registry with the best mom-tested reviews of over 300 eco-friendly baby products. We cover all your baby’s needs from slings to strollers, non-toxic bottles to safe skin care products, organic baby clothes to eco-friendly diapers and sustainable nursery furniture.
           
• Learn why going green with baby is important for a healthy baby and happy planet. Our panel of eco experts weighs in on the importance of organic apparel, sustainable wood, non-toxic feeding products and natural skin care products.
           
• Discover our simple eco-mom tips to raising a healthy baby and protecting our planet.
           
• Decipher the meaning and standards behind eco-labels. What does organic mean anyway? We make your trip to the store easier with a useful guide to common eco-labels and organic certification standards.
           
• Gain valuable tips on going green on a budget. From our own experience, it may not be financially feasible to turn your household completely organic. We give you tips on how you can make green choices that are right for your family.

      

Luna Lullaby's Bosom Baby...Could it Be Your Breast Friend?

Luna Lullaby was kind enough to send me their Bosom Baby Organic Breast Feeding Pillow for review.  I really liked the fact that it's a large pillow that could form to the shape of your body as needed.  The organic materials were of course a definite plus and because the pillow is large in size moms can use it to feed twin babies.  It also acts as a great sleeping pillow!  I know that my pillow definitely became my best friend when I cuddled up with it at night after a long day with baby. 

Bosom Baby creates the perfect position for mothers to raise baby up to breast level, making the latch-on process easier. The unique V-shape also makes a cozy, comfortable maternity sleeping pillow.  The pillow cover design does not utilize zippers or velcro. Instead it is a fold-over design that helps keep the inner-cushion secure and in place. 

The organic flannel pillow comes in an oatmeal and light pink color.  It sells for $58 on Luna Lullaby's site and they offer covers  (no organic covers at this time) at $34.

Here are some facts about Bosom Baby pillows:

*Helps properly position baby for any breastfeeding hold
*Size and shape supports elbows and shoulders
*Fits every waistline
*Great maternity sleeping pillow
*Removable washable covers
*Good for twins
*Good for tummy time
*Helps in handling and holding baby
*Soft, luxurious covers

So, What the Heck Does an Itsabelly Baby Concierge Do Anyway?

I hope this blog entry will give you a good idea of what a day in the life of a Baby Planner is like while providing consultation to an expectant couple.

I recently traveled to Arizona for business and pleasure.  While I was there I met with The Bump's Managing Editor, Kira and her husband Jeff Krieger.  We planned a few hours to head over to the baby store and check out products they were considering for their registry.  

Many people wonder what a "Baby Concierge or Baby Planner" does exactly because it is a new and growing field.  When I first launched Itsabelly 1 year ago I would explain that I was like a wedding planner but instead of planning for the big wedding day I'm helping parents plan for baby's arrival and the first year after.  This could mean doing research to figure out the best baby products to place on a couple's registry or designing the baby's nursery with a personal touch by assisting parents in picking out furniture and decor.  There are many concierge and consulting services a baby planner can offer and it's just a matter of what an expectant or new parent needs help with.  Itsabelly takes care of pre-natal needs before baby is born and services new parents 12 months after baby is born (e.g. helping parents choose the best car seat as the infant grows out of the infant seat or learning how to make organic baby food). 

For Kira and Jeff, it was a breeze because they already had a clear idea of what their budget, space and lifestyle needs entailed.  I also provided a simple set of questions for Kira and Jeff to review prior to meeting with them so that we could spend our time efficiently at the baby store.

Kira and Jeff had a middle of the road budget and didn't want to clutter their home with too many baby gadgets and gizmos.  They wanted to go the simple but sophisticated route when choosing their baby gear.  They also wanted to go organic in certain areas so I advised them to consider going green on items that would touch baby's skin or placed in baby's mouth.  Products such as baby clothing, swaddle blankets, crib sheets, baby bottles and pacifiers were items I recommended they go green in.

Jeff was a great expectant dad to work with because he asked some very good questions and really wanted to be involved in deciding on big ticket baby items (like the crib, stroller and infant seat as most new dads do).  Kira beamed as she watched Jeff get into the baby registry experience.  Kira was able to push, pull and touch baby gear in the store while listening to my consultation on what to look for in items like a stroller or crib.  It alleviated many of her questions and allowed the baby registry experience to be much less overwhelming.  We already know being pregnant and going through labor is stressful and challenging enough! 

I'm grateful to be part of Kira and Jeff's very special time by helping them ease into parenthood.  I know that they will absolutely be wonderful parents!  Thank you to Kira and Jeff for making my job as a baby planner a real treat!

The Non-toxic Feeding Series Review - Part 4 - Safe Sippy & Klean Kanteen for Tots

Isabella finally put two new sippy cups through her tough toddler test.  The sippy cups she tested were the Klean Kanteen and the Safe Sippy. 

Klean Kanteen is a 12 ounce stainless steel bottle which you can use an Advent spout with (made from safe, non-leaching polypropylene, pp#5) as seen in the picture to the left.  It is a safe container that is non-leaching.  It's also great because it will grow with your toddler into pre-school and beyond because you can switch out the Advent spout for the regular water bottle spout.

I have to admit that the Safe Sippy that we received didn't screw on properly but at no additional charge the manufacturer shipped me a new one free.  Great customer service!  I really like the Safe Sippy because it is covered in thermoplasticized rubber material so that when your toddler decides to throw the bottle across the room and it hits the floor it doesn't dent like stainless steel.  The rubber also keeps liquids hot or cold. 

Although the Safe Sippy's spout is made out of plastic it is very safe made out of Polypropylene #5 plastic.  This is the most stable of all plastics.  Overall, from Itsabelly's review based on form, functionality and frugal-ness (is it worth the money I spent) we give Klean Kanteen 4 out of 5 bellies and Safe Sippy 4 out of 5 bellies (5 being excellent).  Check out more safe sippy cup reviews and non-toxic feeding products at The Soft Landing.

How to Go Green in Your Baby's Nursery

I liked the article below because of its valuable information about greening up baby's room that I had to reprint it for my readers.  It was written by Alicia Silva who is a green architect that has taught a class on eco-friendly nursery design.  I thought it gave easy tips for parents to consider when you're going green in baby's nursery.  Remember it doesn't have to be all about buying an expensive "green" crib made out of sustainable material.  There are many things you can do to decrease the toxins your newborn will be exposed to as Alicia mentions below.

Author Alicia Silva, Founder of Synergy Design Studio

Green Baby Nursery
(Reprinted from Seattlepi.com)

Welcoming a baby implies a great deal of change in our lifestyles.
This is a great time to understand and go green.
When we have kids it makes a lot more sense.
I will be teaching a Green baby Nursery class at the Environmental home center, now Ecohause.

The following tips will help you to start with your baby project with well being in mind.
After all green is the standard of giving the best to your loved ones.

Reasons why it's important:

1. They are a lot more sensitive to the toxins
2. Green is all about better living
3. Babies produce three times more garbage than most grown ups
4. Helps to protect the world they will be living in
5. No, it is not more expensive
6. You will be walking your talk

I just read an article where a person was creating the baby room and she did not know if the old carpet was better than the new one. Well, those are the things that you really want to know about when preparing the baby's room.

Tip 1 - Floor Options

Consider carpetless if possible, cork or marmoleum are great options for nurseries, and it is always better to be able to grab the rug and clean it outside the children's room. Did you know that wall to wall carpet doubles its weight after a year of being installed. Your baby is still going to be developing his immune system but please do not stress over it unnecessarily. It is a big effort to change the floor but if you can, I strongly recommend this. Tile carpet is a good alternative just make sure does not contain PVC, I recommend tile carpet FLOR Or wool carpet how ever try throw rugs instead of wall to wall carpeting.

Tip 2 - Paint

The strange smell from non environmentally friendly paint is AMMONIA, I do not even want to tell you about the side effects and bioacumulative effects in our body, the gallon of low VOC paint might cost $5-8 more but believe me it's cheaper than a kid with asthma.

Tip 3 - Furniture

If buying new furniture try to ask for finishes that do not give off gas, if nobody can tell you about this, or they think you're strange to ask, at least order the furniture and leave it outside the baby's room for a month. Please buy quality and hand down what you do not use, better furniture can be used for more people, my children's cradle is still around and they are 12 now. Used furniture is the best, especially for sofas in case you cannot find a sofa manufacturer that can produce a sofa with out polyester and those ugly carcinogens and fire retardants.

Tip 4 - Linens and Mattress

There are so many places that offer organic products now that it should be easier to find safer products.  The popular conventional mattresses are made out of latex and they have to have fire retardants by law which are toxic. 

theCradle.com Tip - Pick a natural mattress made without petrochemicals, such as those made of wool, organic cotton or 100% natural latex. If you decide to go with a conventional mattress (the natural ones can be a bit more expensive), try to use an organic mattress pad protector as a barrier between baby and the bed.  Also, air it out a couple of months before placing it in the crib (for off-gassing). 

Please choose organic sheets and covers. Cotton sheets and duvet covers that are grown with pesticides are toxic to the skin and even if you wash them several times they've already polluted the land.

Tip 5 - Toys

Please avoid plastic toys they do leach and they will be in your kid's mouth in no time.
Natural materials create negative ions that help babies relax.
Toys should also be selected that way. Wooden blocks are far better to develop creativity than things that are made of plastic and make loud sounds.

Tip 6 - A secret to create a relaxed room

No TV screens on kids rooms, mp3 or audio ok.
Have a black out curtain to create complete darkness
Plastic items create so much stress avoid them if you can.

Well the intention is to help, not to overwhelm you with lots of info but I really think our kids deserve environments that support their health and well being and green alternatives already have that.

NOTE:  Check out another great article from The Cradle on creating an Eco-Friendly Nursery.

Alicia Silva is the principal of Synergy Design Studio, a design firm dedicated to help people enhance their lives by designing beautiful, healthier and high performance environments that not only increase well being but also quality of life.

Alicia is an interior architect and a Sustainable Building Advisor, she is member of the USGBC, IIDA, ASID and also and active member of the Northwest EcoBuilding Guild.

The Scoop on Plastics and a Ton of Research on How to Avoid the Toxic Stuff

I wanted to share a couple of my favorite websites which have absolutely invaluable information for parents looking to purge bad plastics and understand more about non-toxic feeding.  Below is some information about the particular business and a link to their site.  If you're even a wee bit concerned about all of the BPA and phthalate talk going around I encourage you to take a few minutes and click on the links below to find extremely helpful information.  You'll find cool cheat sheets, great product reviews, interesting research/studies and resources galore.  Enjoy!

If you have a favorite BPA, phthalate free, non-toxic informational resource or product please share it with our audience and comment here!

Green to Grow - this company produces Bisphenol-A and Phthalate free baby bottles.  Green to Grow was founded by Michael and Shelley Ritterbrown after reading reports that highlighted the potential dangers presented by polycarbonate plastic, which contains the hormone disruptor bisphenol A—a neurological, developmental, and reproductive toxicant.  Their link here takes you to a page titled "ABC's of Plastics", a plethora of information! Note, I will be reviewing their product as part of my non-toxic feeding series review soon!

The Soft Landing - this company founded by Alicia Voorhies, a recently retired RN and mom who after caring for her nefu decided that there needed to be a one-stop-shopping experience for parents to find non-toxic feeding options from an array of companies.  She is THE first business to enter an un-tapped market place and has really focused her efforts in helping parents find the best non-toxic products available for baby.

Safemama.com - this blog founded by Kathy Scoleri, a mom and professional author decided to create a blog that was abundant with informational resources and research right at parent's finger tips!  She describes her blog best "a one stop child safety, product recall, health and well being resource for parents."

Z Recommends - this blog created by Jeremiah and Jennifer McNichols, who are obsessive product appraisers, invested online community members, occasional consumer crusaders, and tireless blog enthusiasts.  Their posts are invaluable and they do excellent research!  Quite a few bloggers echo my sentiments.  They have created an in depth review of children's feeding products with rankings that you don't want to miss!!

The Green Guide - this blog entry gives you a helpful cheat sheet on how to choose and use plastics from Rubbermaid, Ziplock to Tupperware check it out!  The Green Guide is a wealth of info for all Tree Huggers :)

The Non-toxic Feeding Series Review - Part 3 - Cabo Trip & How the Foogo and Sigg Saved Our Travels with Baby

We just returned from our vacation in Cabo San Lucas and had a wonderful time but when traveling with baby I'm always going through a long list of things I need to make sure to pack.  One very important thing I make sure to have handy is the precious white liquid called milk.  Our 19 month old LOVES her milk!  I was also chatting with a friend about traveling with our babies and sharing different tips on how to make our travels easier.  She mentioned that Trader Joe's carries small milk cartons that don't need refrigeration so she takes these on the plane with her.  I thought that was a great idea as long as security decides to let you keep the cartons.  Personally, I haven't had a problem at all with carrying milk through but I've only traveled  within the US and MX so far with our toddler.  I wanted to offer some tips for parents wondering how they can have that precious white liquid on hand.

Special Notes About Travel to Cabo:  I decided to add this blurb in for those parents interested in learning more about what to expect when traveling to Cabo with their baby.  Cabo is an Americanized and modern town due to tons of tourism with lots of options for feeding your baby.  We fed Isabella milk which we bought on site at our resort in their general market.  We also ate at credible restaurants that offered rice, beans, chicken etc.  We even shopped at the local market and bought veggies and fruit which were fine.  Drinking bottled water with an American label or a local label that is credible (ask your hotel receptionist) is usually fine.  We had no problem.  We had a shuttle pick us up at the airport called Transcabo and they offer car seats for an extra charge.  Our car seat straps weren't working properly though so beware and if you're paranoid about this then bring your own and be prepared to carry it!  There were no laws enforcing car seats there and drivers didn't seem to care. We did share a shuttle to avoid the expensive cost and it was a bit of a bumpy ride sitting in the back of the van.  Note that there are two terminals in the Cabo airport which are about 1-2 miles away fr each other and walking with luggage and kids if you get dropped off at the wrong one is totally inconvenient - this happened to us!  So, make sure you ask the taxi or shuttle driver if the terminal you are dropped off at has your airline!

If you are traveling to Cabo and you want more tips from Itsabelly I'd be happy to help you.  So, just shoot me a comment through this blog entry or email me at info@itsa-belly.com and I'd be happy to share my experience and give you some valuable info to make your trip even more fun!

Here's what I do when traveling with milk:

• I take the Foogo sippy cup and fill it with milk.  The Foogo is insulated and keeps milk cold for several hours.  It's also a non-toxic container which is plus!  It also fits nicely in the side pocket of our backpack.
• I take a Sigg bottle and fill it with extra milk.  The Sigg is a non-toxic container as well! 
• Here's some Info on how long you can keep milk at room temp - It depends on the temperature that the milk is stored at. To be safe here are some general guidelines for time and temperature for milk:
  - At room temperature of 60 degrees F milk will stay safe for 24 hours.
  - At room temperature of 66-72 degrees F milk will stay safe for 10 hours.
  - At room temperature of 79 degrees F milk will stay safe for 4-6 hours.
  
• If for some reason security asks me to dump the milk I don't worry because I can also purchase milk from the coffee shops or cafes after passing through security.
• If for some reason you don't find a coffee shop or cafe to purchase milk you can always asks your flight attendant while she's serving your drink to give you a glass of milk.  Voila, you can fill your child's sippy cup with the precious white liquid!

These options should help you avoid bursting your ear drums from a screaming toddler who knows milk does her body good!  At least until her sippy cup is sucked dry again :)

Overall, from Itsabelly's review based on form, functionality and frugal-ness (is it worth the money I spent) we give Foogo and Sigg 4 out of 5 bellies (5 being excellent). 

How Not to Break the Bank When Budgeting for a New Baby

As seen on AM Northwest's Television Program

See Video Link: AM Northwest TV (Budgeting for Baby, 1/31/08)

You're excited about the bundle of joy that's going to join you in nine months.  Now, you want to make sure you don't break the bank by doing all of the right things to budget for baby's arrival.  Based on an exclusive survey of 1,000 new moms from Babycenter.com in 2007 they estimated it would cost $7,542 on average for baby's first year.  This amount does not include medical costs which is another $7,600 on average according to the Federal Agency of Healthcare Research and Quality.  No doubt that you want to spend your dollars wisely once baby's here!

TIPS ON HOW TO MAINTAIN YOUR FINANCES:

• Build your budget, track expenses & revise as needed - make sure you know what funds are coming in and what is being spent so you can budget for baby accordingly
• Find out what your health insurance covers - review your health coverage including deductible and determine what your hospital bills will be when baby is born
• Get out of debt (credit cards first) - credit cards with a high interest rate are worst at draining your funds so pay them off!
• Determine if a stay at home parent vs. daycare is feasible - sometimes staying at home with baby verses paying for daycare is less expensive
• Check to see if your employer offers a healthcare or dependent care flexible spending account - you can save money on a pre-tax basis and reduce your taxable income
  
• Start a college savings plan - 529 plans allow you to save money now toward college costs and the earnings will not be taxed as long as it's spent on college related expenses.  Check out College Savings Plans  for more information.
  
• Meet with your accountant to see if you qualify for child & dependent-care tax credits.  Adjust your tax withholding to show a dependent child which will give you a larger paycheck
• Draw up a will (name your baby as the beneficiary and also name a guardian) and make sure your life insurance coverage is adequate (two-three times your family's annual gross income)
• Make sure you have an emergency fund set aside - financial experts say you should have at least three to six months in cash incase you lose your job or the unexpected happens
• Don't overspend your budget on "nice-to-have" baby gear - be wise and don't waste money on the extras but focus on the necessities like diapers and a car seat
• Buy consignment or recycled baby items & use coupons - save money & recycle by purchasing second hand baby items like a stroller or baby clothing. Use coupons to save money on diapers or baby's toiletries.  

Great Budgeting Website Resources:

Baby Center
Practical Money Skills
College Savings Plan

Health Insurance Consumer Assistance:

• National Insurance Consumer Helpline (800) 942-4242
• National Insurance Consumer Organization (703) 549-8050

Bisphenol-A Free Sampler Baby Bottle Kits Available at The Soft Landing

The Soft Landing has done a great job at meeting the needs of parents wanting to go BPA free with baby feeding gear.  Their new baby bottle sampler kit is such a great idea!  It gives parents a chance to try out the best brands of non-toxic baby bottles out in the market so they can figure out what works best for their baby's needs.

Personally, when I had my baby I was stuck with 12 of the same bottles from a gift set I received at our baby shower.  I didn't even know if I liked the bottles because I hadn't tried them with our baby yet but I was stuck with them anyways.  The Soft Landing's kit allows you to try each brand of bottle and makes it so easy because it's in ONE kit.  No wasteful packaging, no separate shipments (if you're buying from various vendors) and no driving from store to store (wasting expensive gas) trying to find a specific bottle brand!  How smart is that?!

Here's what The Soft Landing has to say about their cool, new kit!

"We’ve gathered the best in BPA free bottles so you can try before buying your full stash of bottles. It also makes the perfect baby shower gift with its gender neutral colors!

The Sampler Kit includes a variety of non-toxic plastic and glass bottles, regular neck and wide neck, as well as vented and non-vented bottles:

• One 4oz Siliskin Glass baby bottle with silicone cover
• One 5oz Regular Neck Green to Grow bottle
• One 5oz Think Baby wide neck bottle with anti-colic nipple
• One 5oz Born Free wide neck bottle with air vent

You won’t find this combination of bottles anywhere else. All bottles in the kit have been confirmed with each manufacturer to be Bisphenol-a, Phthalate, and PVC free."

The Non-toxic Feeding Series Review - Part 2 - Bumkins Bibs Keep Baby Clean and Chemicals Off

Note:  This is not a sponsored review.  The feedback below is purely based on my personal review and sticky hands from a curious toddler.

I wouldn't call myself totally anal retentive but my husband would probably beg to differ.  I'm fairly anal about keeping Isabella clean especially during feedings so I don't have to worry about scrubbing spaghetti stains out of her clothing.  Toddlers love to throw toys around and food isn't an exception!

So, I purchased a few Bumkins Waterproof SuperBibs ($7.95) from The Soft Landing and love them.  I love the happy color palette with Dr. Seuss Designs (they offer various patterns), I love that their waterproof, I love that they have a pouch that catches run away food particles and I LOVE the fact they have always been FREE OF PVC AND PHTHALATES and made in the good old USA.

The cool thing is I can hand wash them right after each feeding and they air dry quickly or I can wipe them off clean.  And if we're on the road I just fold it up and slip it into our backpack of goodies.  There are 6 different sizes and styles to choose from.  Next on my list is an art smock also made of the same non-toxic material, paint stains - be gone!  From Itsabelly's review based on form, functionality and frugal-ness (is it worth the money I spent).  Itsabelly gives Bumkins Bibs 4 out of 5 bellies (5 being excellent).