Best of Baby Bottles

My friend, Christina, is pregnant with twins and asked me about baby bottles. Gregory is now five and I had him off the bottle at 13 months. I can't honestly even remember the bottles I used, but I am pretty sure they were plastic and probably nowhere close to toxin-free. For #2, we used inexpensive glass bottles and could not get him off of them until almost 18 months. He just refused sippy cups. Still, a short three months later, I have to wrack my brain to remember the brands and trials I went through in terms of bottles, nipples, etc. Hopefully, this compilation will save more of you from the same laborious process (pun intended, hahaha).

Best of the glass bottles

• Evenflo Classic Glass Nurser -- a real bargain at about $5 for three 8-oz bottles.
  MY VIEW: I used these as well as the 4-oz size and loved them. Only one ever broke and that was with force from about 4 feet above the slate floor. They can safely go in the dishwasher. The only complaint would be that the plastic ring cracked after I switched from low-flow nipples to faster ones. Also, skip the "Cozy" version with the silicone sleeve. They break and they are just a general pain; total waste of money.
• BornFree Vented Glass Bottles -- more expensive at $45 for set of 5 bottles with extra nipples.
  MY VIEW: I have never used BornFree, but I know people who have and loved them. I'm sure they are great, but that's a high premium to pay...they are rated very highly online by parents.
• Dr. Brown's Glass Bottles -- mid-tier at $13.50 for two 8-oz bottles
  MY VIEW: Again, I have not used Dr. Brown's but have friends who loved them. They are rated highly online as well, so I feel comfortable recommending them.

Not so great glass bottles

• Wee Go Glass Bottles -- very expensive at $13 - $16 each.
  MY VIEW: These are great looking and a great concept but they did not hold up. They were also impossible to warm because this silicone sleeve does not come off. In general, if you go the glass route, just avoid the silicone type acoutrements. They are a pain and unnecessary to boot.

Best of the plastic bottles

• ThinkBaby Polypropylene BPA-Free Bottles -- a palatable $11 for two 9 oz bottles.
  MY VIEW: I have never tried these, but they are worth having in your consideration set. This company focuses on nontoxic products and ergonomics. Plus, the cost is very reasonable.
• Dr. Brown's Wide-Neck or Standard Polypropylene Bottle -- $17 for a 3-pack of 8-oz bottles.
  MY VIEW: I have never tried these either, but they are highly regarded among the green moms I follow and a few of my friends. They are BPA-free and have a special anti-air-bubble system.

SafeMama has the best cheat sheets ever and her baby bottle one is no exception. If you want the complete low-down, read it here!

The best thing to do is try a few different types and then, once you know you and your baby(ies) love it, buy a bunch more. A great place to buy baby bottles is The Safe Landing and they even sell assortments, which makes it easier to try different manufacturers.

For Parents-to-Be: Part 3 (Toxins Alert)

I got started with all the nontoxic and organic stuff because my firstborn had some respiratory issues—probably a mild case of asthma. It raised my awareness of chemical triggers that—no surprise—are really not good for anyone, least of all a little kid.

My research yielded some great sites for seeing how safe the products you use really are. It's quite eye-opening. And I admit, it's a little overwhelming to take it all in and make the changes necessary. However, I think the better educated you are, the better decisions you can make each time you go to the store to buy stuff for your family.

Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Database

This site lets you look up products and see if they are good choices or not, based on tests for known toxins in the product. The product list is good but not exhaustive, however you can look at the ingredient list and compare by ingredients. For instance, I was shocked to see that some Mustela products (a favorite of ours) are among the worst choices for baby. I was equally surprised to see that a few other products I use are better than I would've expected. Anyway, it's a great resource to know about. A NOTE: You will see a percentage with each product with respect to the "data gap." This means that testing may be inconclusive on some ingredients and that their confidence level with the score is less than 100%. It makes it harder to evaluate the true health costs, but in my book, better safe than sorry. If there's any indication something is harmful, why not find an alternative?

Chemical of the Day blog by Stephanie Greenwood of Bubble & Bee Organic

Stephanie provides in-depth looks at individual chemicals and explains why she is or is not comfortable with each. Her opinions do not always jive with the Skin Deep Database, but that's a good thing. She is helpful in making sense of the data gap issues you encounter there. She's also totally accessible, so tweet at her or email her with any questions. (Bubble & Bee products are also great.)

EPA's Health Statistics site

If you are suspicious of how toxic basic everyday things really are, check out these statistics. Then go to the EPA.gov site and validate. It will blow your mind. There are products like Teflon that are proven carcinogens but do not have to be removed from consumer products until 2015. The lobbies are so strong that the government can't do the right thing and just pull these off the shelves. Very sad.

www.safemama.com (all about good stuff for moms, kids and moms-to-be)

www.idealbite.com (daily tips but getting more and more commercial) 

www.thegreenguide.com (worth subscribing to)

What sites do you rely on that I've missed? Do tell!

For Parents-to-Be: Part 2 (Book Must-Haves)

We love to read to our boys and they love to be read to (a happy coincidence). Over these infant, toddler and preschool years, some books have stood out above the rest: 

• But Not the Hippopotamus
• Iggy Peck Architect
• Wild About Books 
• Lost and Found
• Giraffes Can't Dance
• Stop That Nose 
• Hippos Go Berserk
• I Am a Bunny
• The Story of Ferdinand
• Baby Loves Jazz: Ella Elephant and Miles the Crocodile
• We're Going on a Bear Hunt
• Thank You Bear
• Elmo Pops In
• Baby Einstein: Discover and Play (Pop-up song book)
• Guess How Much I Love You
• My Very Own Name
• Good Night Gorilla
• Wee Sing and Learn 123

For Parents-to-Be: Part 1 (Must-Haves)

Sometimes, people ask me what they *really* need as a new parent. I usually email it to friends, but realized it makes sense as a blog post to share with a larger audience. Please comment with your faves that I've missed!

• The book Baby Bargains. Buy the latest edition and read it. The authors compile feedback from parents — not advertisers — so you know what works, what matters and what to avoid.
• Boppy pillow (you don't *need* a cover, but it's nice to wash that instead of the pillow itself)
• Nature Babycare baby wipes (Tushies/Seventh Generation are also safe options) ((cheapest via Subscribe & Save on Amazon.com))
• Chlorine-free, toxin-free diapers. Good disposable brands are Seventh Generation, Nature Babycare, Earth's Best and Tushies. Don't fall for the mainstream brands' pretend green lines. Another great option are gDiapers. They are cloth with flushable or washable inserts. Very green but pretty inconvenient unless you have a bathroom in your kids' room.
• BuggyBagg Shopping Cart cover (a little more expensive, but super nice and fits over even the biggest carts - I love mine)
• Basic Pack & Play (and a sheet for it)--pick one up off Craigslist or from a friend
• Bouncy Seat (many good ones, in many designs, G liked the Fisher-Price Aquarium one)
• Kid booster seat (we didn't use a high chair for very long)
• Blankets of all sizes
• Swaddling wraps (do not underestimate how swaddling tightly will soothe a baby!)
• Infant car seat (be sure to check max height & weight. G outgrew his in 3 months which was too soon, so I got a Graco SafeSeat for T and that lasted more like 8 months.)
• Baby bathtub (we love the Safety First blue plastic one with the green mesh hammock insert but this one is more eco-friendly!)
• Kiddopotamus Tiny Diner dining out mat
• Kiddopotamus great rubber bib (sounds nasty, but AWESOME to wipe and use again)
• Good thick burp cloths, organic if possible (the ones I love were gifts, like Three Marthas)
• Sturdy but lightweight stroller (we chose MacLaren for the taller handle, but lots are cheaper & good
• Books (see Part 2...)

Gift Ideas for Baby's First Birthday

My cousin, Alicia, asked me for some ideas for birthday gifts for her daughter who will be turning one soon. I wanted to provide items that we use all the time, most of which are nontoxic and earth-friendly, and things that were gender-neutral.

While this is not the ultimate Earth Day celebration of gift ideas, we found the items in this list to be durable and indispensable (and the websites are all very eco-oriented).

1. Shopping cart/high chair cover that actually fits over big carts: Buggy Baggs

2. Tiny Diner "rubber" placemat for eating out.

3. Quality hard-cover books (though I admit the library is more sustainable).

4. Clothing gift cards (to offset the ever-present needs, especially with kid #1). Wal-Mart carries organic cotton stuff on their website. Another great quality retailer is Hanna Andersson.

5. A little early for this, but I use the Laptop Lunch Bento Box all the time to pack a meal for my kids.

6. Kleen Kanteen - stainless container that's great for taking milk or juice along. Has a sippy cup top option, but it's probably better suited to older kids (18mos+). The Soft Landing has great stuff like this.

7. I'm not a fan of high chairs, but I love the Fisher-Price Healthy Care Booster seat. Easy to clean, easy to take along.

8. My favorite toy stores online are Oompa and NMCtoys (not made in china). You can sort by age, too.


9. You might want to start collecting for a big kid bed. Be sure to
look for a chemical-free mattress...IKEA is surprisingly good and reasonable ($699 for latex twin mattress with eco-cotton and low chemical load). Another great option is Keetsa out of SF. Very sustainable shipping solution and excellent mattress at a good price ($555 for pillowtop twin, very low chemical). That's what I got my son and we are very happy with it. We did buy the protective cover, too, for about $50.

10. Soy crayon rocks at clementineart.com and they are only $5.49!

Nontoxic teethers made in USA. Really!

I subscribe to the Zoë b Organic Weekly newsletter. This one today really made my day.

Valerie found Dano2 Toys (or rather, they found her), which makes a nontoxic Rubber Ducky. I can appreciate this because any similar bath toys we've had have always failed to fully dry out, producing black gook (mold?) that resisted removal. Invariably, it meant I was throwing plastic toys away, which hurts my soul to think about.

Anyway, Dano2 also sells PVC-free, lead-free, BPA-free, phthalate-free teethers. I can't think of a better item to buy nontoxic than the thing your infant/toddler is sucking on for hours a day!

Click through this link to see her review and get a 10% off coupon from Zoë b.

Formula for Thought

Today, I was making bottles for my 10-month-old and discovered to my horror that we didn't have any more cans of formula. First of all, you're probably thinking, why is this "green mama" not breast-feeding (with indignation!)? Well, I did until at 8 months, I just couldn't do it anymore. I was happy to have made it that far and really enjoyed the bonding.

As you would expect, I researched formula ad nauseum and finally settled on Bright Beginnings Organic Milk-Based Infant Formula. I think I've written about this before. It's made by PBM, which also makes formula for WalMart called Parent's Choice (in standard milk, soy and organic milk variations, among others). I really only know all this because today I had to choose something other than Bright Beginnings, which is not carried anywhere local. Argh. I always order it a case at a time online at Diapers.com. Not that a case is any cheaper than six individual cans. But I digress.

Anyway, in my panic to come up with a suitable alternative for a couple of days until the case arrives, I turned to Google. I discovered that Parent's Choice Organic Formula and the Vermont Organics Formula are very similar to Bright Beginnings and the website said you could get it at WalMart. I headed out in a hurry.

Of course, they did not have any Organic variety of PBM formula. They did have Similac Organic, but I've read many posts suggesting that this is very sweet and that it's not well tolerated--did I want to risk it? I stood at the shelves for probably 15 minutes, reading labels and looking at the prices. Do you know that non-organic formula is only $11 a can at WalMart? I'm paying $24 and change, same as the Similac Organic. In this day and age, can you blame families for forgoing organics, when the surcharge is more than double? This is a budget item that in one month, for one baby, is about $55 versus $150? RIDICULOUS.

If WalMart at least carried the organic variety in their store, there would be something moderately priced for budget-minded people to consider! Somebody write a memo.

Anyway, I ended up getting Parent's Choice Immune Support, as a one-time backup for $13. Hopefully, it won't make him gassy or miserable or anything. The Bright Beginnings ordered online today (a Sunday) will be here on Tuesday with free shipping. I think we can make it.

Better than zweiback and less messy!

I discovered Organic Baby Mum-Mum Rice Rusks at BabiesRUs recently. We are on our second box, and Timmy is not the only one loving them.

I'm not a fan of zweiback because it's made by Gerber and has a long, crappy ingredient list. If you've ever tried those organic teething biscuits, though, you know what a collossal mess they make! And they can break off in hard pieces, which makes me nervous.

These rice rusks are more easily dissolved, but not as fast-dissolving as puffs. They are just the right size for little hands and little mouths, and did I mention that they don't make much of a mess!?!

Best of all, they are rice. This means they are gluten-free. They have no artificial flavors or colors. No preservatives and no cholesterol. They do have a bit of "quality New Zealand skim milk powder." I'm not sweating that, but I guess if you had a kid with a super-duper sensitivity to milk, this might present a problem.

They come wrapped in packs of two, in a box of 24. I have only seen the original variety, but according to their website, they also come in Vegetable and Carrot. Quite apparently, I am not their only fan. Their website lists only stores in Australia and New Zealand, but they appear to be widely available online, through drugstore.com, amazon.com and many others for about $2.99 a box. Try them and let me know what you think!

Found art: baby food jar chandelier

Kudos to Natural Home for publishing this pretty darn cool looking project. I have not tried it myself, but I am accumulating jars so if anyone wants to get crafty, let me know and I'll donate as many glass jars as I can. Seems like an inexpensive, creative way to upcycle them.

(Photography from Natural Home by Susan Wasinger)

Before you give that baby Tylenol, consider this

Last visit to the pediatrician, he mentioned that I should not use Tylenol unless absolutely necessary, as new research linked frequent use to increased incidence of asthma. The study was actually done back in September 2008, but I had not heard about it.

Before you dismiss this as just one more study, it should be noted that the "group collected data on 205,487 children from 31 countries." Dr. Norman H. Edelman, vice president for health sciences and professor of medicine at SUNY Stony Brook University in New York and spokesman for the American Lung Association, added, "The study is consistent with quite a few others which show that use of acetaminophen [sic] associated with an increased [sic] in the risk for asthma."

With our first kid, we were instructed/permitted to use Tylenol when he was cranky from teething or feverish for any reason. He has had asthmatic issues. Maybe a coincidence, but with number two, we won't be taking any chances. It's really no surprise to me that it's better to let the body's natural reaction -- fever -- do its thing, however miserable it seems for baby, unless it spirals out of control. Score another one for nature over meds.

BEST OF: baby wipes

Best: Tushies with Aloe Vera

Runners-Up: Seventh Generation Baby & Mother Nature Flushable

Worst: Canus 'Lil Goat's Milk & Mustela Extra Thick

Source: EWG, Skin Deep Cosmetics Database