BPA in receipts...watch out as you do your taxes!!

It is tax time people. Receipts. Receipts. Receipts. As I am going through all of my varied receipts in hopes of getting a big refund, I am constantly washing my hands every time I need to tend to the baby. In case you did not know, the ink from the receipts contains the harmful BPA or Bisphenol A. I am refering to the cash register type receipts. After you touch the receipts you do not want this BPA ink transfering to your children. BPA is now banned in baby bottles. Word of caution...DO NOT let your children handle receipts. The ink goes on their fingers...into their mouths. Until BPA is banned everywhere, handle receipts with caution!

First Cereal for Babies....Oatmeal. Say NO to Arsenic laden Rice Cereal!!!

Since there have been no limits determined for what arsenic levels are safe for babies, I have decided to give my baby organic oatmeal cereal by Happy Baby as her first food...followed by organic fruits and veggies. There are a few brands of Organic Oatmeal but I prefer Happy Baby products. There are still several baby rice cereals on the market even though the arsenic levels are more than 10 times the legal limit for drinking water in these rice cereals! The Environmental Working Group has more info on arsenic in rice. They even say not to give your infant rice cereal. I could not agree more. Consumer Reports tested several rice products including infant cereal and found worrisome results. What more can I say...say no to rice cereal for your baby. The long term effects are yet to be seen. I fed my todder rice cereal before arsenic in rice became big news. If you want to detox from the rice you or your child have been eating, do epsom salt baths which may help rid your body of this heavy metal. Until limits and more research is done on arsenic in rice...keep your family safe!

Treeless Tissues oh so soft!!!

As we were walking the aisles of a new market, we found a new product we love! 100% Treeless tissues from True Green Enterprises. They are made from sugar cane by-products and bamboo, reed or grass. This is the first product of this nature that I have come across. Bamboo grows so quickly which is why it is a perfect option for paper products. They also make toilet paper, napkins, paper towels and copy paper!!! They also do not use chlorine to whiten their products...bonus!!! So great, so

green, so exciting!! "Green to a higher power"... Green 2 is their logo...look for it!!

Why Breastmilk is Best and tips to help you succeed!!

Breastfeeding is by far the greenest option for feeding your newborn. You do not have the manufacturing of formula and you can also go without bottles for as long as you wish. No clean up! I have successfully breastfed my baby for almost 6 months. There is a great sense of accomplishment that comes with this. Breastmilk has the best nutrients, antibodies to fight off viruses, and it is free! I breastfed my first child til she was almost 17 months! My first child needed a supplement of formula(so I was told) once a day which I gave at night. The only reason I had started that in the first place was because the hospital instructed me to do so because she had lost too much weight after birth. They said they would not release us if I didn't give her formula to help her gain some weight back. Since the hospital did not have organic formula my husband was taking taxi's around NYC to find a store that had organic formula. Now organic formula is much easier to find. Talk about drama!! After my milk fully came, I may have been able to feed her just breastmilk but I continued with one bottle a day for 6 months. Since I was a new mom who didn't know what to do, I listened to the hospital's advice. Hence, mostly at night after the bottle she became collicky for a few weeks. To help with milk production I drink Traditional Medicinals Mother's Milk tea. I brought it with me to the hospital and drank a few cups a day. Now I drink a cup a day or every other day. It really works great and tastes good with Stevia to sweeten it.

My second baby has rarely been collicky!! She has only had breastmilk. The only thing I had to change in my diet was stop drinking goat milk because it made her spit up more. She only seems fussy when she is hungry and gets gassy if I eat too much garlic or broccoli. I have read about what to eat and what not to eat to prevent colic or fussiness. It seems to vary among babies. What I have found to be a common factor among several women is that they must stop eating dairy because it has a negative effect on the infant. What I did find surprising is that you should avoid peppermint and parsley because it can halt milk production. Remember also to avoid caffeine and alcohol or use the test strips to check your milk after you have a drink. I truly believe each baby is different and you just have to see what works for you. If you have a family history of certain food allergies, your baby may be allergic as well. Common allergens are things such as wheat, eggs, corn, dairy, shellfish and soy.

If you plan on breastfeeding there are certain things I feel are essential to make it as easy as possible. First you need Earth Mama Angel Baby Nipple Cream. There are other brands but this is lanolin free, organic and doesn't need to be washed off before feeding your baby. A breast pump is great to have. They are pricey but well worth it! The Medela Freetyle is what I have and it also comes in handy when it is time to mix milk with baby cereal like oatmeal. Or you can express by hand which works to add milk to oatmeal... but it is not easy...milk just seems to go all over the kitchen and not much in the oatmeal bowl! So I suggest a pump of some sort! As far as bottles...right now I am using the medela BPA free that go with the breast pump. I have read that glass is not good for breast milk according to Dr. Sears. I have not frozen any milk this time or reheated. It is fresh at room temp and then tossed after a few hours. This baby won't take a bottle so easily after 2 weeks of not having one after hurricane Sandy. Luckily she just started eating oatmeal so my husband can help out again!!! Nursing bras and tanks are great too. You will want to have one per day or you will smell like sour milk. I like the nursing tanks for the winter to keep extra warm. Instead of the disposable breastpads filling up landfills, I like the organic cotton reusable breastpads. It is also good to have a few nursing tops to make it easier to feed when you are in public. Gap Maternity has the best quality and most comfortable selection of nursing tops in my opinion and if they are on sale...even better! A button down shirt will work also but if you have a fussy baby, easy access is best! A good nursing pillow is helpful but the popular brands are made from toxic materials such as polyurethane foam!! Here are Natural options for nursing pillows. You can use a latex pillow which is safe as well or lay down to nurse which is so relaxing. Remember women have breastfed for ages without a nursing pillow!!! Whatever option is best for you, please give breastfeeding a try! You can contact your local Le Leche League for help if your hospital does not have a lactation consultant.

Healthy Cooking with Enamel Cookware!

It is a new year and I have a new Le Cruset Enamel pot. It is one of the safest options to cook with for your family besides cast iron as long as it is not rusted. Enamel is essentially glass, you don't have to worry about Teflon flaking or aluminum or nickel leaching from your stainless or aluminum cookware. I actually bought my Le Cruset pot over a year ago and it was working great until I came home and hubby tells me he was cooking quinoa in it and somehow....the enamel on the bottom bubbled. Why I love Le Cruset...they guarantee their cookware for life!!! We simply shipped it back and in a couple weeks a new pot arrived! How many companies will replace a product if it fails??? The benefits of using enamel are great. Food doesn't stick and enamel is easy to clean with a little soap or add baking soda to get a little more shine to your enamel. If you have not heard the dangers of Teflon...read on. Read more about metal cookware. Take a look at the chart regarding how much metals leach from cookware and Dr. Mercola's video. If you are going to spend the money on organic food...make sure you don't get any added toxins by having the safest cookware!

Upcycle last years Holiday Cards for Gift Tags!

Now that I am on a roll with the Santa Saks and Gift Saks...I have decided to Upcycle last years Holiday Cards into Gift Tags! Those cards you receive that don't have a family photo can be reused!!! The cards with the beautiful pictures of snowmen, santas, elves, tress, winter scenes, etc. can make great gift tags. All you need is a whole punch and some ribbon! Add a simple note and done. You don't have to spend a penny on gift tags! If you don't have Holiday cards, you can make your own from construction paper. It is easy and cheaper than than gift tags. If you run out of paper for gifts...use tissue paper with ribbon...next year you can buy "Santa Saks" and save time and a tree or two! Merry Christmas! Happy New Year! Good luck wrapping or "Saking" your gifts! Contact me about purchasing your "Santa Saks".

Reuseable Holiday "Santa Saks" or "Gift Saks"! Order for next year!

Wrapping paper is not eco-friendly and most of us are not good at making it look like it was wrapped at a department store. Gift bags are pretty, but how many times can you reuse one before it looks like you pulled it from the garbage??? The amount of trash accumulated during the holidays from boxes, paper, and Christmas decorations that end up in a landfill is quite sad. . The perfect solution is "Santa Saks" or "Gift Saks". I decided to make a few last Christmas and a few more this year. I would like to take credit for this idea but as I googled it...it is an Australian tradition. Great for those hard fit items, small trinkets, and everything you wish to give for Christmas or Hanukkah. Put a few items in one Sak and save time, money and help save the environment and thousands of trees! They are also great to have for kids birthdays, baby showers, and bridal showers too! . Contact me to special order your "Santa Saks" for next year or for your special event. Pricing varies upon fabric selected, size of sak, ribbon etc. from 5.99 and up. Be sure to be eco-friendly for next year!!!