Green Baby Blog

Notes from the Field: On the Road with Baby

This week, Chris and Lucy and I are three thousand miles from home, visiting family, friends, and that wonderful east-coast sun. The trip has been great--once we finally arrived. After sitting for 2.5 hours on the tarmac, waiting for a faulty engine part to be replaced, we missed our connecting flight and ended up nearly four hours late to our final destination. But! The good news is, because we're greenies and take public transportation to and from the airport, I've finally learned to pack light.

When Lucy came along, I wondered how in the world we would cope with carrying all the equipment a baby seems to need. Friends recommended great products--a portable crib topping the list--but I'm loathe to buy what will only be used on occasion.

How could I justify spending money on something we would only use once or twice a year?

And so we didn't. Instead, my resourceful mother located a business here in town that rents baby equipment for folks just like us! For a mere $80, we were given use of a highchair, crib and car seat for an entire week. While the car seat wasn't as nice as Lu's--it was a bit small for her--the crib is so much nicer than hers at home I was instantly jealous and the highchair has wheels--great for those times we dine outside. Best of all, a rep from the rental shop came to the house and set it all up! My mom only had to point her to the right room.

Next time you're packing up and heading out, I recommend running a quick search on area rentals--anything to lighten the load!

In the News: Made in China, II

Remember the antifreeze-laced cough syrup exported from China and shipped 'round the world to disastrous effect? Well, it turns out diethylene glycol is back on the market, this time in children's toothpaste brands "Excel" & "Mr. Cool." And where did this latest batch of tainted merchandise come from? I'll give you one guess.

But according to Zou Jianjun, spokesman for the Chinese trading company responsible for using the chemical, none of us has anything to worry about:

"Proper amounts of diethylene glycol are not toxic if it remains uncontaminated."

!

Have chemicals become so commonplace that we really believe it's okay to ingest--in any quantity--the same chemical responsible for keeping our cars running smooth?

I sure hope not.

For the latest information, click here: Tainted Toothpaste.

Tools of the Trade: Skin Deep, Updated!

A while ago I reported on the awesome database of cosmetics and skin care products set up by Environmental Working Group's (EWG) Skin Deep. Turns out, they just mastered a major upgrade and have doubled their inventory of brands. From their site:

"Skin Deep pairs ingredients in nearly 25,000 products against 50 definitive toxicity and regulatory databases, making it the largest integrated data resource of its kind."

Nice!

And they have an entire section devoted to Baby Care Products, reviewing everything from wipes to sunscreen to nipple cream.

I can get lost on their site for hours!

Notes from the Field: Potty Trained!

I think I can officially declare Lucy potty-trained! I am so excited and I think I know what did it: underwear.

About a month ago, we changed Lucy over from cloth diapers exclusively (except at night), to a few afternoons in a cloth pull-up. As we only had two pair, they were used sparingly and Lu seemed to have no qualms using them as she would her diaper--in other words, she peed in them. She was, however, charmed with her ability to pull them up, and seemed to enjoy the less bulky aspect of wearing underwear vs. a diaper.

Thinking it was time for a more drastic change, we then switched to your standard, run-of-the-mill little girl underwear, replete with pink flowers (her dad picked those out-don't get me started!) and zero absorbency. On one of her first days wearing them, Lu discovered she didn't care one bit for wet underwear. So different from diapers--even cloth!

After only one or two 'accidents,' she started alerting us when she had to go potty. Still, I was hesitant to declare her potty trained. And so we waited, wondering if the pattern would hold. I'm happy to report it has! For the past week, Lu has "told" us every single time she has to use the restroom--and even came up dry from a long nap!

Woo-hoo!

While she still wears a diaper at night and for naps, I just had to write this and celebrate the fact that my little girl is growing up. I don't know how the rest of you feel about making the switch to underwear--I imagined several trips to the washing machine, lots of baths--but it's worked like a charm in this house. And now that we're no longer washing those cloth diapers every other day, our carbon output's gone down considerably...as have my chores!

From the Kitchen: Cod Liver Oil

I can't say enough about the cod liver oil we give Lu! These days, it's so hard to know how safe fish is for consumption, given all the heavy metals showing up in our sea-faring friends. That's what so great about Nordic Naturals, a Norwegian-based company specializing in delivering quality, toxic-free fish oil--the best possible source of Omega 3's. As stated on their website:

"Nordic Naturals' products are molecularly distilled, utilizing the latest distillation technology and yielding positively zero trans fats. This process guarantees the removal of potential heavy metals (lead, mercury, etc.), PCB, and dioxins... Nordic Naturals' dioxin level is documented to be 0.4 particles per trillion which is estimated to be the lowest in the world."

And the added strawberry flavor sure helps!

One of my favorite moments I failed to capture on video occurred when Lucy was some months old, well before she could speak. "Are you ready for your cod liver oil?" I would ask, to which she would screech and smile, make grab-hands for the little blue jar in my hands.

Oh, I wish I had that on tape!

Off the Shelf: Potty Training

I can't say enough about our BABYBJÖRN toilet trainer! The kind that sits right on the seat, this particular model comes with a spin-dial to adjust to any size toilet and is made of non-voc plastic. Who even thinks of such things?

BABYBJÖRN, that's who! This stellar company not only makes innovative, quality products, they boast three separate company policies: quality, material & environmental. From the environmental:

"We will offer children and parents products in which children’s well-being comes first. BABYBJÖRN products will be free of undesirable substances and materials. We also insist on restricting our effects on the environment in terms of production, logistics, and waste disposal."

Hear, hear! We've had ours for over a year now and it goes with us everywhere--on long distance trips, in the airplane. Thinking it would be easier to get Lu interested in pulling down her pants and going to the potty on her own, we recently picked up an actual "seat" that sits on the floor--her own personal throne. She could hardly have been less interested. We'll keep the toilet trainer, thanks!

To learn more about Babybjorn, click here: http://www.babybjorn.com/

In the News: Tainted Cough Syrup

The New York Times recently ran an engrossing article about how tainted cough syrup, manufactured in China and exported around the world, ended up responsible for killing thousands of people across the globe, many of whom were children. It was only recently that doctors uncovered the source of the inexplicable "mass poisonings": the syrup was tainted with diethylene glycol, aka "antifreeze." 

That's right--antifreeze. The stuff you put in your car.

All of this got me thinking: how can we trust the medicine we buy? I did a quick search and found the FDA's already tackled the problem and has some great tips:

"The FDA encourages consumers to purchase drugs only from state-licensed pharmacies that are located in the United States, and to check for changes in the drugs they purchase. Be alert to changes in packaging, labeling, color, taste, shape of pill, or unanticipated side effects. Before buying drugs over the Internet, make sure the Web site has a Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites (VIPPS) seal. Consumers who suspect that a drug is counterfeit should contact the pharmacist who dispensed the drug and the FDA at (800) 332-1088."

This isn't to say we should be paranoid. But we should be prudent.

For the NY Times article, click here: Counterfeit Cough Syrup

Tools of the Trade: Water Filter

Well, I've been wondering when I would write an unfavorable review. And I'm sorry to say I have it!

Two weeks ago, we bought a new water filter, made by PUR. Because I was in a hurry--our old filter had started leaking; tinkering on our part led to its ultimate demise--I had done no research going into the purchase. I basically stood in the aisle of Fred Meyer, comparing shiny new boxes and accompanying pictures of happy men and women drinking clear, clean water. Something about PUR caught my eye--I think it was the fact they donate a portion of sales to children in developing nations--and so I went with it. At first, I couldn't have been happier! Our water tasted great. The sleek chrome fixture blended nicely with our faucet. Unlike our previous counter top filter, this one seemed totally unobtrusive. And when my mother called that night, telling me PUR had just been rated #1 by so-and-so, I couldn't have been more pleased! A rare impulse buy had turned out well, after all.

Well. That was two weeks ago. In the time since, what started as a nice stream of filtered water running from the tap has slowed to an agonizing trickle. Actually, trickle doesn't cut it--we're talking a drop-by-drop scenario here. I'm so upset! I plan on contacting the company in the next day or two and will let you know what happens. In the meantime, if you're looking for a top-notch water filter, I can wholeheartedly recommend our previous one, damaged after three years by no one but ourselves: Aquasana.

Check 'em out!

Notes from the Field: PBDE's

When I became pregnant, one of the first things we did was run out and buy a new couch. Not a crib, nor a bassinet. A couch.

How could I usher a new child into this world with that denim-and-white striped monstrosity that followed me from the midwest to the south to DC? You know the couch I'm talking about. The last of the 80's poofy-sleeved dresses morphed into a place to sit. And to think I had disallowed my dogs the privilege!

Chris and I replaced, happily, my college-era couch with a lovely, top of the line sleeper in a show-stopping bright red. Now That's a couch I could bring baby home to!

Or could I?

No sooner had the deliverymen shoved the beast into our tiny apartment did I start reading about PBDE's--shorthand for polybrominated diphenyl ether, the chemicals used to make the whole planet flame-retardant. What I learned shocked me. Like most chemicals, the stuff is showing up in our food supply and breastmilk, and is believed to be responsible for such maladies as impaired thyroid function and reproductive abnormalities. The EU has banned all PBDE's and just last month, the state of Washington did the same.

Now I was in a panic. Lu was due any day and we had this chemical concoction masquerading as a couch sitting square in our living room! What to do?

I tell you what I did--I returned it! Remarkably, we were given a full refund and just a few short days later, were the proud new owners of a sofa from IKEA.

I know--this story has so many shocking twists. But IKEA is so progressive on these issues! In their manufacturing, they follow the guidelines for chemical use as mandated by whichever country has issued the strictest requirements for that particular chemical. And so...?

That's right! There are NO PBDE's in their furniture! 

And with all that money refunded to us from buying a high-end sofa, we were able to buy a top of the line IKEA model, which, you know, helps...seeing how we're well past our college days and everything. And this time around, we bought white to symbolize a fresh, new start.

For everyone.

For more information on the hazard of PBDE's, click here: PBDE's No More 

From the Kitchen: Soy Milk

Looking for an alternative to dairy? These days, supermarket shelves are lined with everything from soy, rice, nut and even hemp milk. Lucy doesn't drink much of either--and no dairy; she's allergic--but for the few times she does, we found the choices completely overwhelming. After flirting with rice and almond milks, we discovered a few problems. The additive carrageenan, commonly used in alternative milks, irritates my stomach terribly. Other brands had far too much added sugar or were too filmy. Finally, we landed on Edensoy, an organic, unsweetened soy milk that actually tastes great!

It seems the jury is still out on soy's health benefits, but it's nice to know there's something we can use those few times Lu has cereal. It sure beats using water!