Green Treehouse

A growing number of baby care products display “Paraben-Free” on the label. Curious what Paraben-Free means? And perhaps most importantly, what it means for your baby if a product label lacks a Paraben-Free mention?

**Keep reading for the scoop on Parabens:**

What are Parabens? Parabens are chemicals used as preservatives and are widely found in cosmetics and bath and body care products.

What products contain Parabens? Parabens can be found in shampoos, conditioners, body wash products, antiperspirants, toothpaste and in other cosmetics and bath and body care products. Not all cosmetics and bath and body care products contain parabens. A growing number of manufacturers do not use Parabens, and frequently make mention of such on product labels.

What, if any, risks are associated with Parabens? There is controversy surrounding parabens and the effect of exposure to products containing parabens. Some researchers and organizations take the view that there are possible links between parabens (common ones include methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben and butylparaben) and cancers (e.g., breast cancer and estrogen-dependent tumors). Some also believe that parabens contribute to skin irritations.

Are Parabens Safe for Your Baby? Studies of parabens on health continue. Some researchers, organizations, and manufacturers suggest that people use products containing parabens with caution. Others advocate avoiding use altogether until more conclusive health data is available. Still others contend that any health risks are minimal. Ultimately, the question of safety is left to parents and pediatricians. If you have concerns about parabens, talk to your child’s doctor, do your own research, and consider switching to body care products that are paraben-free.

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BabyEarth carries a full line of paraben-free California Baby products.

I grew up in a no-apple slice type of family. Come to think of it, it was also a no-cheese cube type of family. It’s not that I didn’t eat these healthy foods. I did. A lot. It’s just that apples and cheese were never cut up and served as cute little bits in my school lunches or at snack time.

As silly as it may sound, after seeing another mother’s perfectly sliced apples one day, I decided that was that. My children would grow up in a slice and cube type of family. Beyond cute, smaller chunks are more practical and safer for small children, especially when they’re discovering the art of eating. But how did other moms get those slices and cubes to look so perfect and adorably tasty looking? Apparently, with a little help….

If only I had known earlier that it could be this easy. Should have known KidCo would offer this cool baby gadget.

Oh, in case you’re wondering, good nutrition and environmentalism go together like peas in a pod. For example, eating less processed or natural food is less taxing on environmental resources, and planting fruit trees and vegetables supports a greener environment.

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Most pediatricians suggest that parents wait until a baby is two or three before introducing products containing peanuts, like peanut butter, to prevent peanut allergies. Now, assuming junior eventually falls in love with peanut butter and PB & Js, what’s your plan for recycling those peanut butter jars? Betcha didn’t see that question coming, did you?

With increasing pressure to reduce, reuse, and recycle, have you ever wondered what alternatives exist to tossing those hard-to-clean peanut butter jars in the trash? Well, you’re not alone. Here’s one secret to cleaning out a peanut butter jar without expending a ton of effort (hey, what parent has *free* time anyway to scrub peanut butter jars): put the empty peanut butter jar into the dishwasher, along with your full-load of dirty dishes. When the dishwasher cycle is complete, you’ll have a peanut butter jar ready to toss into the recycle bin–and not the garbage bin.

Have any parent-friendly recycling tips or ideas to share? If so, leave a comment and share with other Green Treehouse parents.

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At a well-child visit today, the pediatrician asked, “is your baby eating much meat?” Given that my older two children don’t eat any meat, other than bacon (hey, they love it…I buy the nitrate free kind), I just assumed my youngest would follow suit. But something about the question put me on the defensive. It seemed like the Doctor was suggesting that my baby should eat meat.

It’s not that I have any issues with meat or meat eaters, or believe that everyone should convert to strict vegetarian or vegan lifestyles. In fact, I was devoted to a vegetarian diet for years. This ended abruptly during pregnancy–I intensely craved cheeseburgers, even though I hadn’t eaten a meat burger for years. Three children later, I’m not back to the point where I can really call myself a vegetarian, but it’s rare that I do eat meat.

What troubles me, though, is that I’m not particularly fond of pediatrician-induced guilt–even if I did have to read between the lines to see it. The way I see it is, my baby may or may not eat meat, and volume shouldn’t factor into the equation. If she comes to love meat, great. If she’s not a huge fan, that’s fine, too. If she only wants bacon, well, I can work with that.

Ever wonder why non-animal product consumption is said to be an eco-friendly lifestyle? These definitions will clue you in.

Vegetarian: Broadly describes a diet that excludes meat, poulty, and fish. There are different types of vegetarians, ranging from vegans to vegetarians who consume dairy and eggs (”lacto-ovo-vegetarian”).

Veganism: Vegans choose to avoid using or eating animal products, including dairy or products tested on animals. This lifestyle is believed to benefit the environment, animals, and our health.

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While cleaning today, I stumbled across my daughter’s pacifier. She actually never used it. I bought it just in case. Now that I think about it, my babies just don’t like them for some reason. Could it be genetic? Finding the pacifier got me thinking about eco-friendly pacifiers. Say, hypothetically speaking, my babies had even the slightest interest in pacifiers, I would have ensured that every pacifier that came into contact with their little mouths earned high marks for being health friendly (e.g., eco-friendly, BPA free)–not to mention safe and cute. But when you’re talking pacifiers there’s more to think about.

Given that pacifiers inevitably wind up at the bottom of the diaper bag, coated with lint or old cracker crumbs, or on the floor–often on the yuckiest of floors, like public restroom or grocery store floors, there are also immediate health concerns (GERMS!) to think about.

That’s where this adorable JJ Cole Essentials Pacifier Pod comes into play:

Cute, eh? By the way, it comes in seven colors at BabyEarth.

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A stranger approached me the other day to tell me that my baby looked tan. As if I didn’t already have enough mom guilt (for other reasons, like taking time to use the bathroom by myself from time to time) to keep me going for the rest of my life…. Tan? I don’t think I could lather on any more sunscreen on this baby. I swear she tans through SPF 50.

Speaking of sunblock, if you didn’t already know, in the United States skin cancer is the most common form of cancer. According to Healthy Child Healthy World, when you’re looking to protect your child (and yourself) against UVA and UVB rays, look for products that are “full spectrum”–meaning they include ingredients like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide that form a barrier on your skin. Also, look for a high SPF, ideally at least 15. And, when it comes to babies and children, look for paraben-free products. Parabens are potentially nasty forms of preservatives with suspected links to cancer.

Of course, don’t forget the baby cabana, too. And be sure to take a picture of baby in it, so you can whip it out the next time someone comments on your baby’s skin shade.

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Yeah, today I found another food my baby will happily eat. HappyBaby’s HappyBellies Oatmeal Cereal. After having two previously picky babies, it’s really rewarding to have a baby who finally enjoys food and sitting down to eat. Known for my love of packaging, I picked up a container of this organic baby cereal at my local grocery store. It was an instant hit! I thought oatmeal was just oatmeal, but this oatmeal is a mom’s dream, packed with probiotics, DHA and 60% of baby’s daily value of iron.

Dr. Sears is even quoted on the cereal container, saying “Baby foods with probiotics are a great way to make sure your baby’s system has plenty of what I like to call ‘good bowel bugs.’ These healthful bacteria strengthen intestinal immune defenses by crowding out ‘bad’ bacteria.”

If you’ve stumbled across a food that transformed your picky eater into a super eater, please leave a comment and share with other parents–after all, it takes a village…!

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A friend of mine believes the carpet in her new home is responsible for the start of her child’s allergies. She’s not the only mom concerned about flooring materials and health, or who blames carpet for respiratory problems. While carpet is great for protecting new crawlers and new walkers from bumps and bruises as they explore the world around them, there is plenty of research out there to suggest links between carpet flooring and health issues.

Air quality is the major problem. Carpet emits Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), chemicals that are used in manufacturing and preparing the carpet. Many VOCs are irritants. Some are toxic. Exposure symptoms can include headaches and eye, nose, and throat irritation. Molds and fungi that get trapped in carpet are also potential irritants.

Conscious flooring decisions can go a long way toward improving indoor air quality. If you’re thinking about that new nursery or child’s room, here are three eco-friendly alternatives to consider:

1. Bamboo. Considered a green choice when it comes to flooring. Recyclable, renewable and biodegradable.

2. Cork. Also considered a green flooring choice. Renewable, hypoallergenic and toxic free.

3. Low-VOC carpet. Read the label before you buy to confirm it has been tested by the Carpet and Rug Institute’s Indoor Air Quality testing program. Look for the CRI icon imprinted inside a tiny green house, which indicates the product passes the low emissions standard. Also consider wool, cotton, camel’s hair, sisal, hemp or seagrass.

If you’ve picked an eco-friendly flooring alternative for your child’s room, leave a comment and tell us all about it!

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Your mommy friends heard about a report that says to ditch your plastic sippy cups. Your mom heard about a study that said limited exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) is just fine. Your neighbor cautions that the studies giving BPA the green light were funded by industry trade groups, who may have been seeing $$$ over health. Slightly unnerving, don’t you think?

Who, and what studies, are you supposed to believe? After all, the word on the street is that BPA is bad stuff–linked to breast and prostate cancer, among other health problems.

According to today’s front page of the Washington Post, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says that it deemed BPA, the compound that has been found in plastic baby bottles, sippy cups, and other products, safe after relying on research backed by the American Plastics Council (a trade group). The big concern is that the chemical industry may have influenced that research to achieve desired results–i.e. approval for use in plastic. For example, the chemical industry has funded scientists to advise the government about the safety of chemical compounds. Sound vaguely similar to the Tobacco Industry? That’s part of the reason the plastic safety debate is turning heads.

In case you’re wondering, Bisphenol A is not new. It was first synthesized by chemists in 1891. Scientists have known that it’s an artificial estrogen since the 1930s, but DES–the estrogen yanked in the 1970s which was linked to reproductive cancers–stole the limelight. Bisphenol A was grandfathered as a presumed safe chemical compound by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1976. In 1993, the EPA set a BPA high-dose safety standard. In 1997, the first published university study found cancer links to low-level BPA exposure. In 1999, Consumer Reports discovered that BPA leaches from heated baby bottles. Between 2003-2006, BPA was found safe by an expert advisory panel, after relying on the findings of contractor, Sciences International. In 2007, Congress launched an investigation–after learning that the contractor involved also performed work for BPA manufacturers. The investigation into plastic and safety debate is now on…. Click here to see the full 117 Year BPA Washington Post summary.

Now the hard part, you get to make up your own mind.

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You’ve asked, you’ve begged, you’ve whined, and at least one of you wished upon a star….And thanks to Maxine Wolf, CEO & Publisher of KIWI Magazine, you now have another chance to win a one year KIWI Magazine subscription!

Wondering what’s the big deal? It’s just a magazine, right? Uh, no. Not just a magazine. KIWI is the ultimate read for jump-starting an eco-friendly lifestyle and supporting your family’s (and the planet’s) health. I like to think of it as a Parenting or Parents magazine gone green–but all year round. The articles and tips on parenting and healthy living are hip and cutting-edge. For instance, the latest edition offers a how-to feature on making your own baby food and a feature on deciphering food labels. Oh, in case you’re thinking it, you don’t have to be a tree hugging, save the whales kind of person to fall in love with KIWI. Of course, if you are that kind of person, you’re bound to fall in love, too.

KIWI is all about giving you eco-friendly information and resources to help you grow responsible, caring, healthy, thinking children. It’s about helping us, as parents and individuals, do our part in making the world around us just a little bit better.

Here’s the scoop: To enter this free contest, you’ll need to leave a comment below in the comments section and briefly state what you do (or would like to do) to make the world greener. The contest ends at midnight on May 9th. The winner will be chosen at random and will need a U.S. mailing address to receive the subscription. The winner’s name will be announced on the blog. Of course, if you can’t wait for the contest to end, you can always click on over to KIWI and subscribe today!

Good luck!

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