Organic Sleep Sac
Where to buy: www.ourgreenhouse.com

If you are looking for a special gift for a baby that every mother-to-be will absolutely adore, check out the Organic Sleep Sac. The sleep sac is made from high-quality 100% organic cotton with a 2 layer knit, which is soft and super comfortable to wear. The peapod shape keeps your baby’s legs free to kick and move around while sleeping and will keep the baby cozy and warm during nap and night time. A sleep sac is safer than using blankets because baby can’t get tangled in them and choke.

The sleep sac comes in two different designs. One is a white sac with a red trim at the neck and arm holes as well as a beautiful red whale design on the front. The other design is very colorful – a bright orange sac with a green trim on neck and arm hole as well as a bright green apple emblem on the front. The sac itself has an upside down zipper, which is a great feature as you can easily change your baby’s diaper without taken them out of the coziness of the sac.

The sac was designed by moms for moms and is made in the USA.  To see more organic baby products, visit Our Green House.

This product is a feeder/teething ring with a reusable mesh bag that allows your baby to explore new foods safely and independently. It also helps teething babies to chomp safely through the mesh on food to ease their pain.  Frozen pieces of fruit or bagel can be an especially effective way of comforting your teething baby.

The product is designed for ages 5 months and up. It has an easy to hold ring shaped teether with a reusable mesh food bag attached. You can buy additional mesh bags for convenience. All you do to use it is unscrew the top and place food inside the bag. Screw everything back together safely and your baby will enjoy chomping and chewing with no worries. The mesh allows the flavors and tiny particles through, reducing choking risk. Babies love that they can hold it in their hand and feed themselves instead of waiting on every bite from you!

The product is dishwasher safe.

Get the Sassy Mesh Baby Safe Teething Feeder at baby supply stores or online.

Breastmilk is the perfect food for baby. But once baby starts grabbing your spoon and looking with envy on the food you’re eating, it’s time to start solid foods. You still want baby to have the “best”, so now what?

More and more parents make their own baby food instead of relying on store bought baby food jars. Homemade food ensures that your baby gets the best quality, freshest and most nutritious food available. No more additives, extra sugar and sodium. Homemade food tastes much better and your baby will discover, from a very young age, the pleasure of eating high-quality food.

The Dex Baby Food Processor helps you to make your baby’s food very quickly. It comes with a heavy-duty stainless steel blade, which processes the food evenly and thoroughly. The processing bowl can be used for making, storing and even serving the meal.

The food processor is easy to use and clean. It comes with safety features, such as sturdy no-tip base, and no splashing or spilling. The processor only works when all the parts are properly attached. It can then easily be activated by pushing down the top.

Making your own healthy and nutritious baby food couldn’t be easier.

For more information on this product, go to Dex Products Baby Food Processor

The Baby Bee Starter Kit from Burt’s Bees is a great way of trying out various samples of Baby Bee products on your baby. This starter kit is ideal to take on vacation or to sample at home. It would also make a fantastic gift.

Burt’s Bees Baby Bee products cater for baby’s delicate and soft skin. They are made from the purest and mildest ingredients to ensure your baby’s health. The products are also made to keep our environment intact. The products are manufactured using 100% natural preservatives instead of parabens and are also phthalate and SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate)-free.

The kit includes the following:

* Baby Bee Apricot Baby Oil (1 fl. oz)
* Baby Bee Buttermilk Lotion (1 fl. oz)
* Baby Bee Shampoo & Wash (1 fl. oz)
* Baby Bee Buttermilk Soap (.80 oz)
* Baby Bee Diaper Ointment (.56 oz),
* Baby Bee Buttermilk Bath (.14 oz)
* Baby Bee Dusting Powder (.14oz)
* Baby Bee Comb

Pamper your baby with only the best natural products to keep your precious bundle of joy safe and healthy.  The Burt’s Bees Baby Bee Starter Kit is available at health food stores and Amazon.com

If you are anything like me, when I first saw the flaky bits of scalp on my otherwise perfect newborn, I desperately tried to get rid of it. I subsequently found out that it wasn’t actually that easy to rub off. I also learned that it didn’t seem to bother my baby very much, nor was it dangerous or contagious. Cradle cap doesn’t look very nice, but it is totally harmless and affects lots of newborns. It generally clears up, on its own, within a year, but there are a few things that can be done in the meantime.

The Organic Baby Scalp Oil is a product that can help to ease and reduce cradle cap. It is made from a certified organic blend of natural oils, which include geranium and lemon eucalyptus. The oil, when rubbed onto the baby’s scalp, softens the flaky skin/cradle cap. With a soft baby brush, the bits of skin can be brushed away and over time this can help reduce your baby’s scalp cradle-cap.

Overall, it is a good quality organic product made from natural and pure ingredients.

A note of caution: If cradle cap turns red or looks inflamed, it would be advisable to contact your physician.

Review submitted by Esper

Nursing pads really came in handy for me when I first started breastfeeding. I would leak milk on a consistent basis and wanted to keep my clothing dry. I found that I was going through the disposable pads at several pads per day. This became an expensive habit so I decided to switch to washable nursing pads instead. Here are the pros and cons I found with washable vs. disposable nursing pads.

Pros of Avent washable pads:

-I saved a lot of money by being able to just toss these in the wash with my son’s clothes during laundry day and reuse them afterward.

-These are very absorbent. So absorbent, in fact that I would need to change the pads out less often than I did the disposable kind.

-They keep moisture away from your skin. I remember touching the pad and wondered if I was leaking at all since the pads felt so dry. I thought maybe I had stopped leaking all together until I switched back to disposable pads temporarily and saw that I still leaked. The conclusion I came up with is that those Avent pads must be doing a great job!

-A box of these costs about the same as a box of disposable ones, however, these come with much less.

Disadvantages:

-There are only 6 pairs in a box. I found that I had to do the baby’s laundry more often just so I could have some clean pads available. If your budget allows, buy two or more boxes.

-These are smaller than disposables and found myself leaking around the pad since they didn’t cover enough area. However, this could also be due to the fact that I have a larger breast size as well.

-Although they are made of cotton, they are not nearly as soft as the disposable pads. These are a big rougher and thicker in nature. It doesn’t hurt but I did miss the softness of the disposables.

-Since the Avent ones are thicker and heavier, they did not stay in place in my bra as well as the light disposable ones.

The Conclusion:

I had to go back to disposable pads. Although I really liked the absorbency and cost-efficiency of the Avent washable brand, I just really missed the larger disposable pads from Johnson & Johnson. I had got tired of leaking around the Avent pad and needed more coverage.

Philips Avent Washable Nursing Pads 6 Count

During pregnancy I was given Lansinoh lanolin for my breasts. I thought this would come in handy as I would be breastfeeding my child and had heard horror stories of painful nursing. Luckily, I never had to rely on my Lansinoh very often. However, there were times when my nipples would become severely cracked and nursing was extremely painful. This is when the lanolin became a lifesaver. I would apply this in a thick layer over the affected area, then cover with a nursing pad.

Lansinoh Lanolin

What I noticed is that the Lansinoh brand lanolin would soften the area so that it could start to heal and stop bleeding. When my baby went back to nurse on the affected breast, it wouldn’t be as painful as if it were just dry. Lanolin is safe for babies to taste, as long as it is just a thin layer on top of your areola and nipple. It doesn’t really have a taste and it is 100% natural. It doesn’t have a scent, which surprised me for some reason. It is very thick and sticky, which I suppose is extra moisturizing for the cracked skin underneath. I noticed that the cracked area would heal in a matter of days, with the assistance of Lansinoh.

Be aware that if you are strictly vegan and wish for your child to grow up the same, then lanolin is not right for you. It is extracted from sheep’s wool. However, if you don’t mind using it, I would recommend the Lansinoh brand as they claim it is the purest form of lanolin available on the market. As a natural mom myself, I prefer to have purer forms of natural baby products. I occasionally still use this as I am an extended-breastfeeding mom and found a little really goes a long way!

Lansinoh Lanolin is available on Amazon.

“I was wondering when my milk will come in? I had my little girl on Tuesday and still no milk. I’ve had to supplement with formula now because she isn’t getting enough.”

Two things here.

First we need to establish whether the baby actually isn’t getting enough.

Sometimes mothers assume they don’t have milk, or don’t have enough milk, when the truth is their milk supply is just fine.

Second, we need to talk about what it means for the milk to “come in”.

My first question is, how do you know your milk hasn’t  “come in” and that your baby isn’t getting enough?

How old is she and is she producing wet and dirty diapers? What comes out must have gone in.

While we often use the phrase “come in” when we’re talking about a postpartum mother’s milk supply, that term is somewhat misleading and inaccurate.

Your breasts have milk even before you give birth.

Typically, sometime in the last trimester your breasts start producing colostrum (the early milk that is rich in immune factors), so the term “come in” really isn’t accurate.

What happens when someone refers to a mothers milk “coming in” is when the milk turns from colostrum to mature milk and changes in volume (it dramatically increases) and in color.  Colostrum is a clear to yellowish color and then turns to mature milk which is a milky white – typically around 3-8 days postpartum. It’s at this time that some mothers experience engorgement.

photo credit: jessicafm

It’s very important to not limit a newborn infant’s time at the breast. The more time the baby the baby spends nursing, the more quickly the colostrum is removed and typically the faster the mature milk comes in.

The second issue is figuring out whether the baby is getting enough milk.

If your baby is producing enough wet and dirty diapers then you don’t need to supplement. Supplementing with formula may not be necessary, and can actually decrease your existing milk supply.

My advice to this mom is to speak with a lactation consultant or a La Leche League leader who can observe her baby nursing to see if there are any obvious problems with positioning or latch. A baby who is not latched on well may not get enough milk at a feeding and also won’t sufficiently stimulate the mother’s milk supply.

I also suggested that she allow plenty of time for her baby to get her tummy filled. Some babies are quick eaters and some aren’t. Especially during the early weeks, it may take 20 minutes or longer for baby to get enough.

Make sure she isn’t sleeping at the breast and is actively nursing (sucking and swallowing) for the entire feeding before allowing her to nap. And don’t attempt to schedule a breastfeeding baby, especially while she is still learning how to feed.

More tips for increasing milk supply can be found here.

There is no need to slow down your active lifestyle just because you’ve had a baby – the Ergo Baby Carrier

Organic offers a hands-free way of carrying your baby, from infancy to toddler. The baby can be carried in the front, back or hip position.

The Ergo Baby Carrier Organic is designed in a way that encourages a correct position for the baby and doesn’t inhibit baby’s hip, pelvis and spine growth or cause spinal problems. Its careful design also balances the baby’s weight carefully on the mother’s or father’s hips and shoulders and won’t cause any physical strain injuries, even when carrying a toddler.

The carrier is safe and easy to use. Some of the fantastic features are:

* 14 ounce organic cotton canvas for maximum durability
* 100% cotton batting in body of carrier to soften edges
* 1 inch, high density foam in shoulder straps
* ¼ inch high density neoprene foam in waist belt
* National Molding buckles tested up to 235 pounds
* Waist belt circumference from 25″ to 43″
* Fits from 5′ to 6.5′ body height with adjustable shoulder and chest straps
* Sleeping hood adjusts in length to growth of baby
* Reinforcement stitching used at all fabric intersections
* Interior rip-stop reinforcements at critical intersections
* High quality black webbing
* Durability/strength tested up to 90 pounds

If you are planning on carrying your infant aged 3 – 5 months you can buy the Ergo Infant Insert for extra head support.

Carrying your baby on the front or the back instills a sense of peace and comfort in your baby. It creates an emotional security your baby will benefit from as he or she grows up. It is a piece of baby equipment every parent should have.

For more information on the product and color range as well as other available accessories or products, go to www.ergobabycarriers.com.

Description: The Natursutten is the latest in safe pacifiers for baby. They are made from pure natural rubber and the name comes from the word Natursut which means “Natural Pacifier.” Natursutten Pacifiers are made in Europe where they have strict standards for safety, health and environment.

Review: With all the talk about BPA (Bisphenol A) in baby teethers and pacifiers it is awesome that the Natursutten is available to provide a safe alternative for baby and peace of mind for mom.

These rubber pacifiers are quite a bit softer than silicone pacifiers and extremely hygienic because they are molded into one piece, so there are no joints or cracks where dirt and bacteria can gather. This also make sit easy to wash. This also ensures that it won’t fall apart and make you worry about potential choking.

I found my baby took to it really well. He was happy as a clam. I was very happy as well to know that his paci had to BPA, chemical softeners, parabens, PVC or phthalates. It is just a useful product without any chemical nasties.

I also found them to be comparable in price to other pacifiers so you aren’t paying a premium for safety. They can be found online for as little $5.95. The Natursutten is also a green product as it produced using a sustainable raw material, the tree sap from the rubber tree.

To care for it we just sterilized in boiling water before the first use and then we followed up from then on with soap and water since our baby is older than six months.

Where to buy: Natursutten Pacifier