Coupon Sherpa’s Eco Frugal Life Guide

There is a downloadable PDF guide from Coupon Sherpa now on “going green” frugally!  It offers tips from food storage and energy efficient appliances to becoming a “green bookworm” and more.  Click on the logo above and you can download the guide from the link in the top left hand column.

Recall – Nap Nanny Baby Recliner

from CPSC (click for more info)




Always use the Nap Nanny® on the floor
away from any other products

Baby Matters Recalls Nap Nanny® Recliners Due to Entrapment, Suffocation and Fall Hazards; One Infant Death Reported

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), in cooperation with Baby Matters LLC, of Berwyn, Pa., is announcing the voluntary recall of 30,000 Nap Nanny® portable baby recliners. CPSC is investigating a report of a 4-month-old girl from Royal Oak, Mich. who died in a Nap Nanny® that was being used in a crib. According to preliminary reports, the infant was in her harness and found hanging over the side of the product, caught between the Nap Nanny® and the crib bumper.
CPSC and Baby Matters are aware of one other incident in which an infant became entrapped when the Nap Nanny® was used in a crib, contrary to the product instructions. In that incident, the infant fell over the side of the Nap Nanny®, despite being harnessed in, and was caught between the baby recliner and the side of the crib. The infant sustained a cut to the forehead.

CPSC and the firm have received 22 reports of infants, primarily younger than 5-months-old, hanging or falling out over the side of the Nap Nanny® despite most of the infants being placed in the harness. One infant received a bruise as a result of hanging over the side of the product.

Infants can partially fall or hang over the side of the Nap Nanny® even while the harness is in use. This situation can be worse if the Velcro™ straps, located inside the Nap Nanny® cover are not properly attached to the "D"-rings located on the foam, or if consumers are using the first generation model Nap Nanny® that was sold without "D"-rings.

In addition, if the Nap Nanny® is placed inside a crib, play yard or other confined area, which is not a recommended use, the infant can fall or hang over of the side of the Nap Nanny® and become entrapped between the crib side and the Nap Nanny® and suffocate.

Likewise, if the Nap Nanny® is placed on a table, countertop, or other elevated surface and a child falls over the side, it poses a risk of serious head injury. Consumers should always use the Nap Nanny® on the floor away from any other products.

The Nap Nanny® is a portable recliner designed for sleeping, resting and playing. The recliner includes a foam base with an inclined indentation for the infant to sit in and a fitted fabric cover and a three point harness. The first generation model of the Nap Nanny® can be identified by the absence of "D"-rings in the foam base. In second generation models, the harness system has "D"-rings in the foam base and Velcro™ straps inside the fitted fabric cover.

The recalled Nap Nannys® were sold at toy and children's retail stores nationwide and online, including at www.napnanny.com, from January 2009 through July 2010 for about $130.

The recalled product was manufactured in the United States and China.

Consumers with a first generation Nap Nanny® models, without "D"-rings, should stop using the recalled baby recliners immediately and contact the firm to receive an $80 coupon towards the purchase of a new Nap Nanny® with free shipping. Consumers with a second generation Nap Nanny® model, with "D"-rings, should immediately stop using the product until they are able to visit the firm's website to obtain new product instructions and warnings. Consumers will also view an important instructional video to help consumers ensure the harness is properly fastened. Consumers who are unable to view the video or new instructions online, should contact the firm to receive free copies by mail. For more information, contact Baby Matters toll-free at (888) 240-4282 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm's website at www.napnanny.com/recall

Nap Nanny® safety tips:

• Do not use Nap Nanny® in cribs, play yards, or near any other adjacent entrapment surface
• Only use Nap Nanny® on the floor away from other products
• Secure Velcro straps through the "D"-rings every time cover is replaced

Purging Your Child’s Toys

Shocking Truth #1:

No matter how many limits you put on the playthings that enter your home, you will find yourself amazed by how the toy paraphernalia builds up.

Shocking truth #2:
Although you may beg people not to shower your tiny infant with a million rattles, shiny singing doodads and plastic xylophones, they will.  Then they will do it again annually.

Shocking truth #3:
Your child will play with just ten to twenty percent of her toys.



Am I wrong?  I hope so, but in our household we have been amazed by the sheer quantity of stuff that entered our lives with our children’s arrival.  I co-wrote The Eco-nomical Baby Guide, a book in which we clearly state that voluntary simplicity is the way to go with baby for a myriad of economic and environmental reasons.  And yet, somehow gifts found their way into our lives and my son’s room was overrun with clutter.

What’s the magic answer for toy purging?  For us it was talking about one (hypothetical) child who doesn’t get playthings because his family can’t afford it.  We talk about what  he might like, and how happy he’ll be to get it.  If my son wants to give this imaginary boy toys but feels that he can’t get rid of them himself, he’ll even let his dad sort through the toys that aren’t being played with so that we can ship them off to Goodwill.

We also do a toy rotation, so that the items he doesn’t want to play with can be shifted out every month or so.  It feels like he’s constantly getting new toys and there’s less to trip over and clean up in his bedroom.

As for the limiting of the gifts, for our baby we specifically asked for no presents at her first birthday party and will probably limit gifts for her until she’s about three and can actually know she’s getting something.  For our son, we do ask family for gift certificates to children’s museums or swimming so that we can have experiences instead of stuff.  It doesn’t always work, but it’s worth a try!

Any other ideas?  Have any of you had success with actually keeping the wave of shiny new toys at bay in those first few years?

Fruity Veggie Popsicle Recipe for Summer Babies

from Green Baby Guide

Joy’s popsicle post provided me with a burst of inspiration: Could I sneak vegetables into my daughter’s diet by disguising them in a tasty frozen treat?  The answer is yes.  Here’s my groundbreaking recipe:























Strawberry Spinach Popsicles
Pint of very ripe strawberries (overripe is okay)
2-3 cups of carefully washed spinach leaves
1 TBS honey (or more, to taste)
Place the strawberries in the blender and fill the remainder of the blender with spinach leaves.  Add honey and puree until smooth.  Pour into popsicle molds.  (Yields 2 cups liquid)

I invented this recipe and gave the strange-looking brown popsicle to my daughter.  She took one lick and said, “Yum, yum!”  Then she ate the whole thing, making quite a mess in the process.  Of course I sampled this brown concoction myself.  It really does not taste of spinach at all-it’s just pleasantly strawberry-flavored.

Now, I know that disguising vegetables in other foods is controversial.  When Jessica Seinfeld’s book Deceptively Delicious came out, I read reviews from critics who claimed that lying to children about what they were eating would result in bitterness and mistrust in their parents as they grew older and wiser.  This seems a little far-fetched to me.  Besides, I did not lie to Audrey; I just handed her a popsicle and she ate it.  I hope she grows to love normally-prepared vegetables very soon, but in the meantime, I’m glad I found a way to sneak some greens into her summer confections.

Stinky Diaper Solutions

from Green Baby Guide

Does baby’s nursery smell like a port-a-poddy? Do you hold your breath every time you flip open that diaper pail?  Fear not!

In our new book, The Eco-nomical Baby Guide, Rebecca and I recommend the “slacker” method of cloth diaper laundering.  It doesn’t involve intensive prewashing or excessive toilet dunking, and it should keep your nursery smelling fresher than it would with disposables.  (Remember that with cloth the feces is properly disposed of in the toilet rather than smelling up your home.)

So, what happens if your cloth diapers seem to give off a distasteful odor of fermented waste?  Try these handy tips.

1. Baste them with Bac Out.  Every so often, squirt a dose into the diaper pail.  It has a lovely lime scent and it’s live enzyme cultures go to work on odor right away.  You can also use it for stains and odors on any of your other laundry.
2. Blast them with Baking Soda. This odor fighting technique is far less expensive than Bac Out and will also work with the detergent when it comes time to dump diapers into the wash.
3. Beware of Build Up.  If your diapers smell like dirty socks even when your baby just wets them, they are probably coated in oils and fragrances from your detergent.  This prevents them from absorbing as well and makes them particularly smelly.  Diapers made of polyester are especially prone to build up.  To strip them, wash them for one to two loads in hot water (no detergent) and see if it makes a difference.  Also remember that your regular loads of diapers should be washed with half the normal amount of detergent you’d use on a load of clothes.  Check out products like Charlie’s Soap Laundry Powder or Biokleen Laundry Detergent to see if a different soap will help.)
4. Fill it with a filter. Several companies make charcoal filters for compost bins that also work well for diaper pails.  If you’ve tried everything else, it’s worth a few dollars to check out this option.

Five Great Books for Moms (Green and Other)

Here is my “must read” list for any green mom out there, or any mom who is wanting to learn more about child development, nutrition, or living and avoiding chemicals in today’s environment. 

Click on the links to read editorial and customer reviews on Amazon.

Smart Mama's Green Guide: Simple Steps to Reduce Your Child's Toxic Chemical Exposure

Slow Death by Rubber Duck: The Secret Danger of Everyday Things

NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children

Feeding Baby Green: The Earth Friendly Program for Healthy, Safe Nutrition During Pregnancy, Childhood, and Beyond

Momma Zen: Walking the Crooked Path of Motherhood

A Somewhat Green & Healthy Road Trip

from Mindful Momma

As I think back on our big road trip out East, the one thing that sticks out is how darned HARD it is for a family of 4 to drive 2500+ miles without giving in to a bit of junk food and disposable packaging waste.  OK, more than just a bit of junk food.  Here's what happened....  

We set off on our trip with a cooler full of healthy snacks, reusable water bottles and the best of intentions.....but before long we were buying potato chips, candy and bottled drinks at the truck stop just like the rest of America. Guess what?  When you're driving across the country with 2 kids, you can't make the perfect, healthy, eco-decision every time.  Still, we did our best to minimize the damage...both to our bodies and the planet.

Here are a few tricks that worked for us:

Choose sit-down restaurants over fast food
When you're on a long road trip, you need a break.  A real break, not just cramming hamburgers & fries in your mouth while you drive.  There is more than one benefit here:  first, you are more likely to find healthier choices in a restaurant; second, you get served on real plates and avoid the disposables and last but probably the most important:  your antsy kids get to run around a bit before being strapped back into the car for 4 more hours!!




Don't order too much food!
Restaurants are notorious for serving WAY to much food.  Especially the chain type that you typically find on highway interchanges.  When you're sitting on your butt for most of the day, you certainly don't need all those extra calories and it's hard to reuse leftovers so they usually end up going to waste.  My husband and I often share a sandwich and a salad.  We never order appetizers.  Oh, and don't automatically assume that a 'kids' meal is the best option - they usually include a sugary drink and are often served with enough fries for the entire family. 

Skip the Styrofoam!
When you do feel the need to stop at a fast-food establishment, look for meals with the least packaging waste.  Sandwiches wrapped in paper are a big improvement over a styrofoam clamshell.  Subway or other sub-shops are usually a good choice.

That said, we ended up using more than our fair share of styrofoam on this trip in an unexpected place...hotel breakfasts.  We stayed at 3 hotels on our trip and each one offered a 'free' breakfast in the morning...served on styrofoam...OUCH!!!  That one hurt...and I'm planning to write in a complaint to each of the 3 hotels.  There's got to be a better way... 

Pack reuseables
Water bottles are essential for a road trip and it helps to have a cooler with reusable cooling packs to store some healthy snacks like carrots and yogurt.  Unfortunately we left the cooling packs in Delaware so we had to deal with melting ice on the way home.  We also bring along a supply of dishtowels for cleaning up spills and to put on our laps when we do eat in the car.  Our camping plates & utensils came in handy for a couple meals along the way and we used them exclusively when we were camping at the beach.  Next time, I will bring some reusable containers - they would have come in handy more than once!

Some of you might go all out and pack everything you need for a roadside picnic everyday.  That's what my Mom did when we were kids.  She was superwoman!  Alas, I am not.  Plus the way-stations of today are quite different than they were when I was growing up.  It seems picnic tables and playground equipment have given way to McDonald's and other fast-food joints.  If you bring a picnic, you're probably going to be eating it in your car. 

Give in to reality
If you're a regular reader, you know that my mantra is mindful moderation.  In my eyes, there's nothing wrong with a little junk food now and then.  My kids are happy as clams to get stuff like soda and chips but they know it's not for everyday.  We usually allow either a special drink (i.e. something other than milk or water) OR a dessert at a restaurant.

As for the packaging & food waste....sure we could have done better but I'm not going to sweat it.  We recycled as much as possible and avoided trash when we could.  Just gotta get those hotels to stop using styrofoam...

How do you try to stay green & healthy on a road trip?  Any tips for eating out on the road?  What works best for you?

Bellybar Giveaway!

Bellybar offers prenatal nutrition for you and your baby in tasty little packages!  Bellybar makes prenatal vitamins, chews, bars, and shakes that are all delicious, nutritious, and OB endorsed.

NutraBella (the company that makes Bellybar products) was founded to improve the nutritional wellbeing of women by delivering delicious, nutrient-enriched products that are uniquely formulated and conveniently portable. Created by women for women, NutraBella's all-natural food products promote good nutrition – the foundation for a healthy and active lifestyle. We at NutraBella strive to be the trusted source of tasty, convenient and nutrient rich foods to fuel you toward your personal best.

You can find Bellybar products at many locations including Target, Babies R Us, and Amazon.

Enter to Win!

Enter to win a gift pack of Bellybar products, including chocolate and citrus chews, a chocolate shake drink, and a variety of bars.  Perfect for the expecting mama (or to give as a gift to the expecting mama)!  To enter just send an email to abby@littlemiraclesbabyplanning.com with the subject “Bellybar.”  Contest ends Friday, July 23rd at 12 noon est.

Why Read to Babies

from Parents



Thirty-five percent of American children start kindergarten without sufficient language skills, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. But reading aloud to your baby helps. Through story time interactions now, your baby will develop abilities -- including language and social skills -- to later advance her school learning. Plus, story time fosters a close emotional relationship between you and your baby. Ruth Anan, Director of the Early Childhood Program at Beaumont Hospital near Detroit, says babies learn to associate books with the pleasure of being with parents, and this pleasure will translate to a love of reading.

When to Start Reading

Starting to read to your baby at birth is ideal to establish a habit of reading. But you can start a little later. Joseph Zanga, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), suggests that you begin reading to your baby daily once your baby turns 6 months. Your baby is unable to make sense of what he hears at this age, but his brain still receives stimulation. This early exposure to language will help your little ones become successful readers and writers.

Make sure that by 12 months, your baby is exposed to developmental books. Although he can't verbally show his language skills, he is experiencing an explosion of language interest and is mentally combining words to create new ideas. By the age of 2, your child is developmentally ready to experience the real pleasure of books.

Reading Frequency

Set aside time every day to read with your baby, regardless of how old she is. There's also no limit to how long story time should last. For your little baby, the most important thing is the interaction with you -- your voice, your embrace, and your scent. These components stimulate learning in babyhood.

If your child has already developed verbal skills, you can start with 10 minutes of reading three times a day, and monitor your child's attention level. If she is able to follow along, keep reading. Once your child stops responding to your questions, take a break. It's also not necessary to stop reading to your child once she can read because she will still enjoy sharing time with you.

Creating a Secure Attachment

It is important for your baby to develop secure attachment, which will allow him to comfortably explore his environment and grow socially-competent. Reading also contributes to the level of attachment in mother-child relationships. Studies by child behaviorist Bus and van IJzendoorn show that mother-child pairs that developed a higher level of secure attachment engaged in more shared book reading than the pairs that developed a lower level of secure attachment. They also found a relationship between shared book reading and the emotional development of young children.

Vocabulary

At the age of 2 years, your child starts to expand his vocabulary. So, it's very important that you carry out story time in a way that helps him learn more words. Blewitt, a professor of psychology at Villanova University in Philadelphia, researches early vocabulary learning, and suggests that a child whose vocabulary lags behind his peers is unlikely to catch up later; a child with a larger vocabulary will remain ahead.
You can start by running your fingers under the words as you read to show that print carries the story. Occasionally, stop and ask your baby to name things in the pictures. Then talk about how the story and pictures relate.

Parent-Child Relationship

Story time fosters what Lucia French, professor at University of Rochester's Warner Graduate School of Education and Human Development, refers to as "lap reading" -- a positive relationship that connects a child to the reader of the book. A familiar four-part routine increases a child's interaction with a story: parent gets child's attention, parent asks child a question, child responds, and parent gives feedback. Reading simple books allows parents to control the difficulty of their questions and place increasing demands on a child's quality of responses.

Spoken Language

Research shows that for children to become readers, they should talk and listen a lot. When your child listens to you read, she learns to recognize some speech sounds that make up the words and will later imitate the sounds and tones. The National Institute for Literacy suggests that even baby talk contributes to a child's ability to understand language. And children who are not encouraged to talk often have problems trying to read.

Phonological & Phonemic Awareness

Reading helps your child construct phonological awareness, which is the understanding that each word contains syllables and words make up sentences. Meanwhile, your child begins to distinguish individual sounds, or phonemes, that form a word when she hears your pronunciation. Children who have phonological and phonemic awareness can take spoken words apart by sound. Or they can combine sounds to make words. As a result, they find it much easier to read than those who have not gained the awareness.

Focus & Attention

Your child might not be able to sit still for long, and that's normal. Your child will learn better when the experience has a positive emotional or social meaning, so for now, don't force it. Try engaging your child in an interactive, enthusiastic reading and his ability to focus will grow.
Here are some tips from Ruth Anan, a psychologist at Beaumont Hospital near Detroit, to keep your child's attention while reading:

• Read before bedtime; it's the time children learn to be less active.
• Find books that stimulate your baby.
• Incorporate some movements, such as rocking, that harmonize with rhymes from a book.

General Knowledge

Books can enhance overall knowledge by teaching concepts your child isn't exposed to in daily life, such as fishing or farming. Some books also introduce your child to the logic of problem solving and can develop those skills. For example, your child can learn that some materials are heavier than others by reading a book about feathers and stones.

Print Awareness

Observational learning is one way your child learns to appreciate reading as a central activity of her life. Seeing you read helps your child understand the purpose of reading and how reading works. If you run your finger under words while reading, your baby will learn to read from left to right and turn pages from right to left. Villanova University's Professor Pamela Blewitt says that these are pre-literacy skills that help children make a smooth transition into reading by themselves later in childhood.

Creates Moral Awareness

By the age of 2-1/2 to 3 years old, your child starts to understand manners and delayed gratification, meaning she can suppress her immediate needs for future enjoyment. You can read your child a book with moral implications that will teach and reinforce your child's pro-social behaviors.

Gaining Trust

Blewitt suggests that being sensitive and responsive to a child's cues is a key element in building a sense of security in a young child. Gaining an insight to your child's interests helps you make the story-reading process more pleasant. Spending time with your child in a relaxed, pleasurable, shared activity such as reading, sends a message to your child that you like to do things together. Ultimately, your child will learn to feel safe and develop trust that fuels learning.

Books for Babies

From birth to 2 years old, your baby learns through his senses. So, it's all about you talking to your baby with a book instead of actually reading the words. Any books that promote interaction between you and your baby such as picture, texture, and pop-up books are preferable. And because your baby often puts things in his mouth, cloth books are safe alternatives.

Books for Toddlers

Once your child starts developing literacy skills, you can read rhyming books and alphabet books to help her early literacy development. French also suggests nonfiction books for children, which have burgeoned in the past few years. Your child will be eager to read these books because she'll learn about the world.
If your child shows special interests in any particular types of books, read what she is interested in, even if it means reading the same book 10 times. This creates the love of reading and helps connect your baby to the real world. Also, making a regular trip to a library and letting your child pick out her own books will keep her motivated to read.

Electronic Books vs. Traditional Books

Recent studies by researchers from Temple University Infant Laboratory in Philadelphia and Erikson Institute in Chicago show that only about one-third of children participating in the research chose electronic books over traditional books. The research also shows that parents and preschool children generate a more positive interaction when reading a traditional book together than when reading an electronic book. The fact that parents and children generally don't read e-books together might contribute to the finding.
Nina Sazer O'Donnell, vice president of United Way Worldwide, suggests that learning tools that encourage your baby to learn individually are not as effective as activities that require interaction. Children don't need all the bells and whistles; they only need the interaction and real-life connection between words, stories, and songs that will encourage wonderful learning experiences.

Copyright © 2010 Meredith Corporation.

Recall Alert – Pottery Barn Cribs

from CPSC

Pottery Barn Kids Recalls to Repair Drop-Side Cribs Due to Entrapment, Suffocation and Fall Hazards

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

Name of Product: Pottery Barn Kids drop-side cribs

Units: About 82,000

Retailer: Pottery Barn Kids, a division of Williams-Sonoma, Inc., of San Francisco, Calif.

Hazard: The cribs’ drop-sides can detach when hardware breaks, creating a space into which a young child can become entrapped, which can lead to suffocation. A child can also fall out of the crib. Drop side incidents also occur due to incorrect assembly and with age-related wear and tear.

Incidents/Injuries: CPSC and Pottery Barn Kids have received 36 reports of drop sides that have malfunctioned or detached, resulting in seven minor injuries when children fell out of the cribs or got their legs caught between the mattress and the drop side. One child became entrapped at the head between the drop side and crib mattress but was freed without injury.

Description: This recall involves all Pottery Barn Kids drop-side cribs regardless of the model number. Pottery Barn Kids is printed on a label attached to the crib headboard or footboard.

Sold at: Exclusively through the Pottery Barn Kids catalog, www.potterybarnkids.com , and at Pottery Barn Kids retail stores nationwide from January 1999 through March 2010 for between $300 and $600.

Manufactured in: Canada, Malaysia, China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Indonesia and Italy

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled cribs, inspect the hardware to make sure it is not broken, and contact Pottery Barn Kids to receive a free fixed-gate conversion kit that will immobilize the drop side.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Pottery Barn Kids at (877) 804-3847 between 7 a.m. and midnight 7 days a week or visit the firm’s website at www.potterybarnkids.com

NOTE: Photos above do NOT include all models involved in recall. For a complete list of all models included in the recall go to the firm’s web site at www.potterybarnkids.com

Important Message from CPSC: CPSC reminds parents not to use any crib with missing, broken, or loose parts. Make sure to tighten hardware from time to time to keep the crib sturdy. When using a drop-side crib, parents should check to make sure the drop side or any other moving part operates smoothly. Always check all sides and corners of the crib for disengagement. Disengagements can create a gap and entrap a child. In addition, do not try to repair any side of the crib. Babies have died in cribs where repairs were attempted by caregivers. Age is factor in the safety of any crib. At a minimum, CPSC staff recommends that you not use a crib that is older than 10 years. Many older cribs may not meet current voluntary standards and can have numerous safety problems.

15 Pregnancy Power Foods

from Parents




Broccoli
It's not only packed with nutrients that are necessary for a healthy pregnancy -- such as calcium and folate -- but broccoli is also rich in fiber and disease-fighting antioxidants. And since it contains plenty of vitamin C, this popular green vegetable will help your body absorb iron when it's eaten with an iron-rich food, such as whole wheat pasta or brown rice.

Fortified Breakfast Cereal
You knew folate was important before conception and during your first few weeks of pregnancy, but your needs for the B vitamin stay high the whole nine months. Experts advise getting 400 micrograms per day through vitamin supplements or fortified foods (breakfast cereal is an easy way to do it, since many brands contain 400 micrograms per bowl), and another 200 micrograms through foods that are naturally high in folate, such as asparagus and black-eyed peas.




Dried Beans & Lentils
All women need 10 extra grams of protein a day during pregnancy (for a total of at least 60 grams); beans and lentils are an excellent source, with about 15 grams per cup. They're also high in fiber, which helps to combat constipation. And 1 cup of cooked lentils meets half of your daily folate requirement. "Add them to rice dishes and salads," suggests Lola O'Rourke, RD, spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.
Try our easy-to-make Lentil Salad.
Find the recipe here

Nonfat Milk
Your body absorbs roughly twice as much calcium from foods while you're pregnant, so your daily needs remain the same. But since most of us get too little calcium to begin with, drinking more nonfat milk is a smart move. Each 8-ounce glass supplies about 30 percent of the recommended dietary allowance of 1,000 milligrams.

Bananas
Bananas are rich in potassium and offer quick energy to fight off pregnancy fatigue. "They're also easy on your stomach if you're nauseated," says O'Rourke. Slice them up into cereal or whip one into a breakfast smoothie with yogurt, berries, ice, and a splash of orange juice.

Lean Meat
Your daily iron needs double during pregnancy, so it's important to include plenty of iron-rich foods now. "If you don't have good iron stores, you're more likely to feel tired," warns Jo Ann Hattner, RD, a dietitian in Palo Alto, California. Meat delivers a form of iron that's easily absorbed by your body.

Cheese
Soft cheeses are off-limits, but varieties such as cheddar and mozzarella can be a big help in meeting your calcium requirements -- each ounce contains between 150 and 200 milligrams. Cheese is also high in protein.




Eggs
Many women develop aversions to meat while pregnant. Eggs are an excellent alternative protein source, since they contain all the essential amino acids your body needs, says Hattner. There's nothing better for a quick dinner than an omelet with lots of chopped vegetables and a bit of cheese. If cooking aromas make you feel sick, hard-boil a batch of eggs to keep on hand in the refrigerator: Eat them whole for grab-and-go breakfasts and snacks, or chop them up into green salads.
Whip up our simple Mushroom & Broccoli Omelet.
Find the recipe here

Oatmeal
It's easy to get your day off to an energizing start by trading in your usual morning bagel or muffin for a bowl of oatmeal a few times a week. Why? Complex carbohydrates like oatmeal keep you satisfied longer, and the oat bran it contains can help lower your cholesterol levels. Instead of buying high-sugar flavored oatmeal, cook up the plain kind and swirl in a teaspoon or two of maple syrup or jelly.

Leafy Greens
Cooked spinach has high levels of folate and iron, and kale and turnip greens are both good calcium sources. Increase the nutrient value of your salads by passing up traditional iceberg in favor of darker-colored lettuces (the deep colors signal higher vitamin content). You can also add greens to a sandwich or stir them into soups and pasta dishes.

Whole-Grain Bread
By swapping your traditional white bread for a whole-grain variety, you can make sure you're consuming the recommended 20 to 35 daily grams of fiber (scan labels to find a loaf that offers at least 2 grams of fiber per slice). Whole-grain bread also supplies you with a good share of your iron and zinc.

Oranges
They're packed with vitamin C, folate, and fiber, and since they're nearly 90 percent water, they'll also help you meet your daily fluid needs (skimping on your fluid intake can leave you feeling fatigued).

Nuts & Nut Butters
Fat is critical for your baby's brain development and it also helps keep you fuller longer. Experts recommend replacing some saturated fats (such as those found in meat and butter) with unsaturated, a form of heart-healthy fat found in nuts. But because they are high in fat and calories, stick to 1-ounce servings of nuts and 2-tablespoon servings of nut butters. There is one caveat, however. If you have any sort of allergy, experts recommend that you avoid highly allergenic foods, such as peanuts, during your pregnancy; some data suggests that babies can be sensitized to certain foods in utero, raising their risk of food allergies later on in childhood.




Soy Foods
It's perfectly safe to follow your vegetarian eating plan while you're pregnant -- as long as you're diligent about getting necessary nutrients such as protein (your doctor or a dietitian can help you devise a healthy plan). So be sure to include foods like tofu, which packs 10 grams of protein per half cup.

Dried Fruit
It's a tasty, portable snack that's especially helpful when you're craving something sweet. Choose dried fruits such as apricots, cherries, and cranberries (which can also help to prevent urinary tract infections), but stay away from dried bananas, since they're processed in oil and loaded with fat.

Green Your Toddlers: Lessons From The Diva Home

from Pure Natural Diva



Children are little sponges – jumping at the bit to learn everything we have to teach them. If we start teaching them to live greener lives – it will be the only way they know (unless their friends are living differently – but that is a conversation for another article!).

For now I want to share the techniques that I find work in our home. In real life.

1. Water Conservation:
When they are washing their hands and have the water on full blast – teach them to turn it down.
When they want to keep flushing the toilet over and over again.
When playing with water – we try to fill containers and then turn the water off.
When brushing teeth, water doesn’t need to be on while they are brushing. They can rinse at the end.
When using water – we share. We talk about examples from the world.

I ask them to:
– Think about all the fish that need water to swim in, if we use all the water flushing the toilet, they won’t have water to swim in
– Think about all the pretty flowers, if we use more water than we need the plants will be too thirsty to make any flowers
– Think about the trees – if they don’t have water then we won’t have trees and all their beautiful shade to play under (we live in CA – shade is a big deal for us).

Once you’ve been having discussions like this with your toddlers, you can move to the next step.
When they are using too much water ask them why they shouldn’t use too much, let them show you that they are learning the lesson. It won’t happen overnight.  And water play is so much fun for toddlers!

They will grow out of some of the water play, but the lifestyle habits they learn now will last a lot longer.

2. Recycling
We haven’t had to do too much in this area, we live in Los Angeles and don’t have to sort our recycling, so it’s not much more than teaching what goes in the garbage, and teaching them what goes in which receptacle. My almost four year old will ask me – is this recycling, is this garbage?

In areas that require sorting – kids love sorting games.  So if you turn the sorting into a game the kids learn while they have fun.

3. Don’t be Wasteful
This is an area where I feel as though I’m in a constant dance with cliche’s.
Who wants to be touting children in Africa – feeling like your own parents. Yet, I’m guilty, I do it.

Food Waste

• When they ask for more milk, they have to finish it. If they don’t they are told they won’t get milk next time. There have been next times when they have gone without milk. Now they almost always finish their milk.
• Often for breakfast we’ll have a cereal with a toast, bagel or something. I noticed they were asking for toast, but not eating it. I starting cutting the amount I gave them in half or not giving them toast. When they asked, I told them, you haven’t been eating your toast, so none today. After promising they would eat the toast I prepared it for them with a caveat. “What happens if you don’t eat all the toast?” – and they’ll tell me “no toast tomorrow”.
• None of this is to have them stuffing their faces to avoid waste – but I believe in teaching my children to finish what they ask for… eat what they take… eat their crusts… the skins off the apple.

Other areas we talk about waste:

• When my children don’t take care of something properly, we talk about other children who don’t have toys and how grateful they would be to have a toy like that one
• Repair books or toys, when possible, rather than throwing them away. My daughter was pretty rough on her books early on, I became a book surgeon – I just couldn’t throw them away.

4. Buy Quality and take care of what they have.
Some toys are better than others.

When buying toys, make choices that are going to last and will have a life after your children are done with them. We love wooden toys by Plan Toys, Sprig, Green Toys and Melissa and Doug.

When children break a toy due to carelessness, consider not replacing it. They quickly learn to take care of what they have if they know it won’t be received with, it’s OK – we’ll get another one. When a toy breaks in our home, typically it’s a lesson, I hope next time you’ll remember to take care of your toys, so they don’t get broken. I’m sorry you won’t have this toy to play with anymore.

5. Litter
We started working on this pretty young. Children aren’t born knowing that dropping something on the ground and leaving it their is littering.

They had to be told – that’s littering, we don’t do that. And they had to be taught to pick it up. IMO – If you pick it up for them they aren’t learning as much. For the really young you can take them and place your hand over theirs and use your hands to close over theirs and ensure the item is picked up.

Let your children see you picking up other people’s litter, mine have seen me do it at the park. They’ll ask what you are doing and then you have another teaching opportunity. Another family we know – before they play at the park they pick up 5 pieces of litter.

6. Drinking water.
Every time we pass a water cooler my children want to take a cup and get a drink. I’ll let them have a drink, but they need to put it in their own water container. We have metal water containers for them and they are labeled their names to help prevent loss. My son has lied down on the ground crying because he wanted a cup, so there are some days this isn’t easy, but why waste a cup just to let a toddler have their way. The way I see if they win now they run the show forever!

7. Turn off the lights.
If my daughter had her way she’d sleep with all the lights in her room on as dim as they go. Instead she has a nightlight. I’m sure lights off will be a lifetime of training, if they are anything like we were when we were younger. Only we have 2 green reasons for turning them off.

8. Donate – when you are done with something
My sister had a baby. Now when we’re done with something it goes to “the baby”. I’m sure this technique will work with any baby that your child identifies with. My daughter now randomly comes up with things for “the baby”. Some of this will actually go to the baby and the rest will go to a charity. The idea is to get children used to moving things on to their next home when we’re finished with them.

9. Send Lunches without Waste
This sounds harder than it is. When I look around there are so many single serving pouches, easy conveniences.

What we use regularly are individual serving sized containers. I keep them in my pantry next to the “snackables” so I’m not running around my kitchen putting it together last minute. Every mom needs a system, snacks are sent in an insulated “little mermaid” lunch bag (a birthday party favor) with her “water bottle”. When they get older and might have hot lunches – I’ll use the metal thermos options now available and the reusable to go cutlery.

For more lunch tips – Check out Diva tips for a greener school year.

10. Recycling
Batteries leach toxic metals and acid into the environment so be sure to take them to a recycling depot. They can be found at many grocery stores and at radio shack.

Rechargeable batteries are next on my list of green changes to implement in our home, I’ve started a list of everything that needs batteries, quantity and size so I have a starting point of how many batteries we need. I’ve been keeping a coffee tub of batteries that we take to recycle, but it’s time to step it up.

There you have it, 10 ways to be greener with some of our real life experiences on how we’ve
Don’t be surprised when they start lecturing you or a younger sibling on the “green way” to do things.

More Great Shopping Bargain Sites (Part 2)

The last of my recommendations for great deals for baby products online.  Happy shopping!

Eco Baby Buys – one deal a day

Big Baby Buy – one deal a day

Baby Half Off – one deal a day

Mini Social -- need to sign up to be a member

Olivia Place – one deal a day

Product Review: EIO Kids Cup

We’ve tried just about every sippy cup there is, but when I saw the EIO Kids Cup I was immediately anxious to see what it was all about!  Unlike a traditional sippy cup, The Kids Cup is a spout-free, valve-free cup made without BPA, Phthalates and PVC, and is designed to transition young children properly from bottles to real glass dinnerware. Sippy cup spouts and valves necessitate a bottle-like sucking motion, but EIO’s unique cap promotes correct sipping, quickly and with less mess!

The Kids Cup is made with glass and surrounded with a silicone sleeve available in three colors (orange, purple, and green).  The cup feels just like a jar with a lid, and in fact the twist on cap does fit on ANY 8oz canning jar!

EIO says the following about their cup:
EIO’s cap is specifically designed without small parts, like the easy-to-lose valve. According to the ADA’s recommendations for better dental development, children over the age of one should drink from a cup without a valve.* Spouts can also be detrimental, as they tend to become chew toys. EIO encourages a healthy, natural transition to cups.
*From The Journal of the American Dental Association, Vol. 135, No 3, 387

Another great feature of the Kids Cup is that you can use warm or cold beverages and smoothies as well (without getting build up in the lid). 

The one thing to note about the Kids Cup that is VERY different from any other cup – it is NOT spill proof!  Due to the fact it has no valve, liquid flows freely from the cup.  My just turned two year old just loved using this cup, because he loves drinking from a regular cup but this allowed him to do it himself (I always have to have my hand on the cup with a regular glass).  Yes, there may be some spilling, but it teaches him how a real cup works (liquid comes out quickly) and he loves to drink from it all by himself!

That said, this is not the cup you want to hand to your toddler in the back seat of the car.  This is, however, the perfect cup for mealtime when you are teaching your child mealtime skills.

The EIO Kids Cup is currently available in select retail locations and online at the EIO website, The Soft Landing, Mom 4 Life, and other sites.  Check out the list of other retailers HERE.

Tips for Minimizing Your Use of Vinyl (PVC)

from A Soft Landing

Phthalates were recently banned by the Consumer Product Safety Commission in products intended for children under the age of three.  In response, parents are are gaining a false sense of security when "phthalate-free PVC" is proudly displayed by manufacturers on many children's toys.  While it's a step in the right direction, we're still left to worry about with many other harmful chemicals common to PVC.  In a recent study conducted by the Center for Health, Environment and Justice (CHEJ), vinyl shower curtains alone were found to contain high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOC's), organotins, lead, cadmium and other toxic metals.

Tips for Minimizing Exposure to PVC


1. PVC is commonly found in: baby bibs, teethers and toys, cling food wrap, pet toys, 99% of all inflatable toys, nap mats and shower curtains - just to name a few.

2. If you have vinyl flooring in your home, damp mopping it on a regular basis removes phthalates accumulated in the dust on the floor.  Direct sunlight, moisture and heat on vinyl tiles can cause it to release phthalates more quickly. And of course, choose non-vinyl options when replacing flooring.

3. Watch for "vinyl" in product descriptions, as it is commonly used as a nickname for PVC.  But keep in mind that the term "vinyl" may also be used to describe ethylene vinyl Acetate (EVA) and polyethylene Vinyl Acetate (PEVA).  Both of these plastics are considered to be safer alternative to PVC and are acceptable choices.

4. On a side note: food containers are not typically made with PVC (and thus no phthalates), so don't focus your effort in this area.

5. Encourage the makers of your favorite brands to use PVC alternatives when possible.

6. Check CHEJ's website for an extensive list of companies who have committed not to use PVC in their products. In the fifth and final step of our course, you'll learn how to do your own research to locate safer products for your family.

Get ready for some detective work!

DIY Toy Cleaning

from Safe Mama




We get questions about how to safely clean toys at least once a week.  I really believe that people are getting overly paranoid about germs now that the Swine Flu did a number on our mentality about illnesses.  Thing is, I understand.  I felt it too… the uncertainty, the debating over getting flu vaccines, the worrying that our kids or us would get some horrible sickness and spread it to our families.  But I firmly believe that over sanitizing and MicroBan-ing everything we touch is unhealthy for us in the grand scheme (not to mention MicroBan and Triclosan could be  endocrine disruptors). Germs are good.. building immunity is good. Inconvenient, but good.  But again, I get it. No one wants to get sick, ever. However, I do think a level of cleanliness is important too so periodically cleaning your childs toys isn’t a bad idea… as long as you do it safely.

True there are safer cleaning products on the market and you may have seen the commercial of the mom washing her childs bottles and toys in a bleach and water mixture in the sink.  If that’s your bag, fine.  But I think its overkill and there are less toxic methods of toy cleaning.

Teethers and Baby Toys: Instead of thinking of it as sanitizing, think of it more or less like eliminating surface dirt. Some toys you may be able to run through the dishwasher.  Other’s might need a quick soap and water soak in the tub/sink.  Other’s may only be able to tolerate a wipe down with a cleaner and soft cloth.  Here’s a recipe for a spray bottle mixture you can use to wipe down toys and teethers.

• 1 Cup Water
• 1 Cup Distilled White Vinegar
• 6 drops of Tea Tree Oil (natural antiseptic qualities)

Mix together in a re-purposed spray bottle and either spray directly on toys or spray onto a soft cloth to wipe things down.

Stuffed Animals: These can harbor dust mites and dust so a good way to kill that process is to put them in an airtight bag and stick them in the freezer for a few hours to kill any dust mites.  Most stuffed animals you can also stick in the washing machine if they are made from cotton or polyester and they’ll be just fine.

Great Online Shopping Deals!

I have to admit it – I’m an avid online shopper.  I buy everything from food items to clothing, toys and books, cookware, furniture, and just about everything in between!

I specifically love shopping for great deals for my child online.  How much easier is it to shop from home then to drag him to the store with me?  A lot!  Here are some of my favorite sites for finding great deals on designer duds and much more.

Mamabargains

Mamabargains offers one deal at a time, but they are unique because they are constantly changing deals and you never know when one deal will end and another will start.  They sell everything from sippy cups and slings to toys and strollers!  If you follow them on Twitter you can get updates as soon as the next deal starts.

Green Baby Bargains

Green Baby Bargains offers one deal a day starting at 12pm est and it’s available until it’s sold out (sometimes within minutes!).  What I love about their products is that they are all green and eco-friendly products for baby.  Fabulous stuff!

Zulily

You have to become a member to start browsing and buying, but it’s as simple as using your email and creating a password.  They put out several new deals daily and will send you daily email alerts.  Click HERE to check them out.  Zulily has fabulous finds for babies, kids, moms to be, and moms!  They not only sell maternity wear, they also have deals on famous designers like Steve Madden just for mom.
**DISCOUNT CODE!  CLASSYMWS to get $10 any order of $40 or more!

Baby Steals and Kid Steals

Babysteals and Kidsteals each offer one deal a day until it’s gone, starting at 11am est.  Babysteals features products for baby and kidsteals features products for kids (2 and up).  If you happen to live in the Salt Lake, UT area you can actually save on shipping and pick the items you buy up for free from their warehouse!

Totsy

Totsy offers continuous specific brand sales up to 70% off retail for children ages 0-7.  Totsy is 100% eco-friendly and is the first company in private sales to take on sustainable and socially responsible initiatives in all areas of business.  And get this: with every purchase you make they plant one tree in the name of your child to help reduce the effects of deforestation. Who says shopping can't save the world?



Happy Shopping! :)

Super Creative Family Reading Night Ideas- Fun!

from Modern Mom



Reading as a family offers many advantages to children of all ages. Children learn to value reading as an enjoyable activity. Reading as a family helps increase vocabulary, sequencing skills, creativity and attention span. Books give children the opportunity to learn about the world. Family reading nights can go beyond sitting around the house with a good book. Reading themed activities engage the entire family for a night of educational fun…

Tent
Reading in a tent is a fun way to enjoy an evening together. Set up a small tent in the house or in the backyard. Fill it with sleeping bags, pillows, flashlights and books. Gather the family in the tent and read together as a family.

Dramatic Play
Dramatic play is a fun way to retell stories. After reading a book as a family, retell the story by performing it on stage. Assign each family member a role from the story. Create costumes and props for the characters from items around the house. Clear a space in the living room to create the stage. Perform the story using the props you created. Record the performance so you can watch it as a family.

Pajama Party
Children love to gather in bed with their parents. Dress everyone in their favorite pajamas and climb into bed for some reading time. Allow everyone to bring a few of their favorite books. If your kids are old enough to read, let them take turns reading to the family. Younger kids can practice telling stories based on the pictures in their favorite books.

Cook With a Book
Choose a book with a food theme. Read the book as a family before you head to the kitchen to cook your own dish. It could be a recipe that was mentioned in the book or a dish with a similar theme. Cooking as a family is enjoyable and educational. Teach the kids how to read a recipe and measure ingredients during this family reading night activity. You can also create a homemade cookbook of the family's favorite recipes.

Crafts
Books often lend themselves to a variety of craft activities. Plan a craft activity to make family reading night more exciting. Several generic book crafts will work for nearly any book. Some examples include designing a book jacket, making a book mark, painting a scene from the story or making puppets of the main characters.

Make a Book
If the kids are getting bored with the books on your bookshelf, use family reading night to make your own story. Take photographs of items that are special to your family. Take a walk around the neighborhood to snap some photos. You can select a specific theme or create a book based on general information about your family. Staple or tie several sheets of paper together. Paste the photos onto the pages and add words. Laminate the pages of the book before you bind them together if you want the book to last longer.

Library
A trip to the library allows everyone in the family to select new books. It also offers the opportunity to teach children about locating books within the library. Check with your local library to see if they offer a family story hour. A trip to the book store is another option for family reading night. Allow each family member to pick a new book to enjoy.

10 guilt free mama treats

from She Knows Pregnancy and Baby



If you’re expecting or trying to shed your pregnancy pounds following are some excellent treat choices:

1. Banana split made with with frozen yogurt instead of ice cream and low-cal whipped cream. Go easy on the chocolate or fruit toppings!
2. Frozen chocolate milk – I had a pregnant friend who swore by this treat. She make skim chocolate milk, freeze it, then much it.
3. Sugary decadent kid cereals: Now, kid cereals aren’t perfect, but face it, a nice bowl of Apple Jacks or Cocoa Pebbles will satisfy your sweet cravings but not pack in the calories like other treats (think cookies and ice cream). Plus even sugary kid cereals are packed with nutrients and health benefits when served with skim milk.
4. Baked apples or baked pears. If you eliminate some of the sugar most recipes call for and up the spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, etc) you’ll have a sweet treat with the added benefit of healthy fruit.
5. Dried cranberries or apricots: super sweet and high in Vitamin C and A.
6. Veggie Booty: try these instead of chips – Veggie Booty contains a blend of Spinach, Kale, Cabbage, Carrots, and Broccoli.
7. Homemade pregnancy ice pops
8. Deep Chocolate VitaTops – indulgent chocolate muffin tops that come in at just 100 calories per serving!
9. Frozen pickle juice treats for mamas!
10. If you’re super hard up for sweets your whole pregnancy try wearing your treat instead of eating it. You can get some yummy CHOCOLAT Orange Chocolate Organic Body Butter or SHEA YOU LOVE ME� Vanilla Bean Organic Body Butter.

Budget Green (and Safe): Baby & Kid Products

from Smart Family Tips



Last week I posted a list of low-hazard personal care products based on the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Cosmetics Database. You can read more about the database and search products here, or use the permanent button in the sidebar. My goal was to highlight products that are relatively inexpensive, but readily available in drugstores, grocery stores, and places like Target.

This week, I’ve created a similar list; this one consists exclusively of baby and kid personal care products.
According to EWG, the hazard ratings are

0-2 Low Hazard
3-6 Moderate Hazard
7-10 High Hazard


Baby & Kid Products
Shampoo
1 California Baby Shampoo & Body Wash Super Sensitive; Tea Tree & Lavender; Swimmer’s Defense
2 Tom’s of Maine Baby Shampoo & Body Wash, Jasmine
2 Aveeno Baby Wash & Shampoo, Lightly Scented
2 California Baby Shampoo & Body Wash, Calming
3 Huggies Baby Wash Extra Sensitive, Fragrance Free
3 Huggies Tear-Free Baby Shampoo, Extra Sensitive
3 Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Shampoo with Natural Lavender
4 Johnson & Johnson’s Head-to-Toe Baby Wash, Originial
4 J & J Buddies Instant-Foam, Easy Rinse Shampoo
4 J & J Softwash Shampoo
4 J & J Baby Shampoo, Original; Honey & Vitamin E; 2-in-1 Detangler; with Natural Chamomile; 2-in1 Extra Conditioning
4 Huggies Natural Care Wash
4 Huggies Baby Shampoo, Extra Gentle; Nourishing with Mango, Coconut & Aloe
4 Huggies Naturally Refreshing Hair & Body Wash
4 CVS Baby Wash, Regular and Tear-Free
4 Walgreen’s Tear-Free Baby Shampoo
4 Aveeno Body Wash & Shampoo
4 Burt’s Bees Baby Bee Shampoo & Wash; also, Shampoo Bar
The worst offenders (those with the highest hazard ratings) in this category are Baby Magic products, Huggies Toddler 2-in-1 Shampoo & Conditioner, Bubblin’ Berry, Johnson & Johnson Soothing Naturals Gift Set, which all rated a 7.

Bubble Bath
0 Aveeno Baby Soothing Bath Treatment
2 California Baby Bubble Bath (all fragrances)
4 Johnson & Johnson Soothing Vapor Bath
4 Rite Aid Night Time Baby Bath, Tearless with Lavender & Chamomile
4 CVS Baby Bath, Lavender & Chamomile
4 Johnson & Johnson Bedtime Bath
The highest rated products in this category, again, belong to Baby Magic with a 7.

Diaper Cream
0 Rite Aid Zinc Oxide Ointment
0 Vaseline Pure Petroleum Jelly Jar for Baby, Creamy Formula, Enriched with Vit. E
1 Aquaphor Hydrophor Baby Diaper Rash Ointment
1 Badger Diaper Cream
2 Balmex Extra Protective Clear Ointment
2 Boudreaux’s Butt Paste (I used this with my daughters and it was great for getting rid of diaper rash, fast!)
2 Aquaphor Baby Healing Ointment (This was the other product I used; it works really well on chapped skin.)
2 California Baby Diaper Rash Cream
2 Burt’s Bees Baby Bee Diaper Ointment
3 Aveeno Baby Soothing Relief Diaper Rash Cream
4 Walgreens Zinc Oxide Ointment
4 Balmex Diaper Rash Ointment (Zinc Oxide) with Aloe & Vit. E
4 A+D Diaper Rash Cream, Original; and with Zinc Oxide
4 Aveeno Diaper Rash Cream, Fragrance-Free
4 Desitin Clear Ointment
4 Johnson & Johnson Baby Diaper Rash Cream

Baby Lotion
0 Vaseline Pure Petroleum Jelly Jar for Baby, Creamy Formula, Enriched with Vit. E
1 Badger Baby Balm, Certified Organic
2 Aveeno Daily Baby Moisturizing Lotion
2 California Baby Every Day Lotion, Calming; and Super Sensitive
3 CVS Petroleum Jelly, Lavender & Chamomile
4 Aveeno Calming Comfort Baby Lotion
4 Burt’s Bees Baby Bee Skin Cream; and Buttermilk Lotion
5 Huggies Baby Lotion, Extra Sensitive
The worst in this category are most Johnson & Johnson lotions and some Huggies lotions with ratings from 7-9.

Wipes
*See Update at Bottom of Post*

2 Seventh Generation Chlorine-Free Baby Wipes; also, Unscented with Aloe & Vit. E
3 Pampers Wipes, Natural Aloe, Unscented
4 CVS Ultra Soft Cloths
4 Pampers Sensitive Wipes
4 Huggies Supreme; also, Natural Care Wipes

Toothpaste (baby)
3 Gerber Toddler Tooth & Gum Cleanser, Natural Mixed Berry Flavor
3 Spiffies Tooth Wipes
3 Oral-B Stages 1 Baby Tooth & Gum Cleanser
3 Gerber Grins & Giggles Infant Tooth & Gum Cleanser

Toothpaste (kids)
1 Tom’s of Maine Goofy Grape Liquid Toothpaste, Fluoride-Free
1 Burt’s Bees Doctor Burt’s Children’s Toothpaste
2 Tom’s of Maine Natural, Fluoride-Free Toothpaste for Kids
3 Kiss My Face Kids Toothpaste
4 Crest Kids Spider-Man Super Action Liquid Gel
4 Crest Wild Expressions Fluoride, Anti-cavity Toothpaste Liquid
4 Crest Neat Squeeze Toothpaste for Kids
4 Oral-B Stages Mickey Mouse Toothpaste
4 Aquafresh Kids Fluoride Toothpaste with Triple Protection
4 Aquafresh Mary Kate & Ashley Toothpaste
4 Colgate Children’s Anti-cavity Fluoride Toothpaste
4 REACH Anti-cavity Fluoride Toothpaste
4 Tom’s of Maine Natural Anti-cavity Fluoride Toothpaste for Children
If you haven’t already, please see the post on Budget Green (and Safe): Personal Care for adults.

I’d like to reiterate that you should be careful not to go with an entire product line because they have a few low-rated items. Check the list first. I’ve found a wide range of ratings in different products within the same line.

If you have experience with any of these products and would like to let the rest of us know how effective you think they are, please write about them in the comments.

Update (4/7/09): After reading a comment from Elena, I’ve learned about Tushies Baby Wipes. They, too, are very safe (rating a 1) as long as you go with the unscented version. Scented varieties rate a 4. I’ve not seen them in my local stores, but they may be available in your area. They are available on Amazon.com, too.
Photo Credit: BigTallGuy