Organically Growing

The offical blog of HappyGreenBaby.com

How To Get Free Baby Clothes July 28, 2008

Filed under: Baby Clothes — happygreenbaby @ 8:36 pm
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A  baby goes through more wardrobe changes in a day than the girls on Sex and The City. Between the diaper blow-outs, food mishaps and general baby-goo, little ones go through several outfits a day. Which means either you’re doing a lot of laundry, or you’re looking for cheap ways to supplement your organic baby wardrobe.

Enter the Baby Gear Swap Party. There is nothing “greener” than reusing and recycling other people’s used baby clothes.

The party works like this:

  1. Invite mom-friends to gather up their swap-meet-worthy baby clothes (and any other accessories or toys you’re on the hunt for) and join you for an evening of free shopping.
  2. Sort items by size to organize your “store.”
  3. Mix up a refreshing drink, put on some tunes and start shopping! Just remember these are your friends … so throwing elbows and tug-of-war over the recycled BabySoy onsie is not recommended.
  4. If there are items left over that no one wants to claim, donate them to Goodwill or a local women’s shelter.

Some tips for a successful Baby Gear Swap Meet include:

  • Everyone loves drinks. Alcoholic or not, mix up something to sip on.
  • Like drinks, everyone loves snacks. Put out a cheese/cracker platter, fresh fruit or go gourmet with tapas or Mediterranean-themed bites.
  • Invite friends with all ages of kids to give more variety in the sizes and types of clothing.
 

Matthew McConaughey’s Green Baby July 24, 2008

Filed under: Celebrities, Eco-Friendly Baby Furniture, Green Nursery — happygreenbaby @ 5:09 pm
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The Star Magazinereported this week that Matthew McConaughey is going green for his new baby boy. A friend of the actor told the magazine, “He’s preparing the cleanest, most eco-friendly baby nursery you can imagine,” the friend says. “Now that he’s going to be a dad, Matt is paying more attention to what’s around him. He wants his baby to have the best – and he can afford it.”

But just because you don’t get a movie star paycheck or have a multi-million dollar house in the Hills, doesn’t mean you can’t outfit your nursery like the stars. Going green in your nursery isn’t about blowing your baby’s college fund: It’s about making smart choices! As you’re outfitting your newborn’s nursery, consider the following for creating your own green nursery of the stars:

  • Paint: Choose eco-friendly paints that are zero- or low-VOC. You can find fabulous colors in natural and milk-based paints.
  • Crib:The most eco-friendly thing to do is get a hand-me-down from family & friends. If that’s not an option, look for cribs made from sustainably grown wood and free of toxic finishes, like the Radius Maple Cribby EcoBaby.
  • Mattress: Conventional mattresses are full of chemicals and toxins that you do not want your newborn exposed to. Eco-friendly crib mattresses use natural rubber, organic cotton and pure wool to create a supportive, naturally fire-resistant sleeping area.
  • Bedding: Choosing organic cotton or bamboo crib bedding doesn’t mean resigning yourself to blah colors anymore. There are plenty of hip, trendy designs out there that dress up your crib without funky dyes and chemicals.
  • Toys: Fill your toy box with clean, non-toxic wood and organic fabric toys. Look for solid wood toys finished with a natural finish oil. Baby can happily cuddle, hug and chew on cloth stuffed animals, rattles and dolls made of organic cotton or wool.
  • Cleaners: You’ve gone to a lot of work to create a safe, green haven for your baby, now don’t go ruining it all by using conventional toxic cleaners. Today’s variety of natural, non-toxic cleaners work better than ever and will leave your changing table sparkling, without the use of smelly chemicals.
 

Free Shipping on Eco-Friendly Svan Highchair July 16, 2008

Filed under: Eco-Friendly Baby Furniture — happygreenbaby @ 5:11 pm
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Svan Eco-Friendly Highchair

Order yourself the Svan Highchair and you’ll not only be getting one of the coolest highchairs on the market (not to mention one of the few eco-friendly versions) but you can get it shipped for free! Pick your favorite color at HappyGreenBaby.com and enter the code “SvanFS” at checkout to receive your free shipping discount.

For those of you unfamiliar with the Svan Highchair, let me share the comments of Molly, mom of Huck, to illustrate just how fantastic this chair is:

“You’ve got to see this chair–after playing with it a bit, I’ve realized it’s even cooler than I thought–it’s really ajustable, compact and slick.  I mean, Huck–who’s not a tall boy and is three weeks under the min age–is fully accomodated on the nearly infinite adjustable settings–foot support and everything, so his little legs aren’t just dangling there.”

Check it out for yourself and get free shipping when you use the code “SvanFS” and order before July 18 on HappyGreenBaby.com.

 

Rub-a-Dub-Dub … Chemicals In Your Tub? July 9, 2008

Filed under: Baby Skin Care — happygreenbaby @ 7:13 pm
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There is nothing more quintessentially “baby” as the scent of powder wafting from the changing table. But, a  study published in the February 2008 issue of Pediatrics shows skin care products like baby powder, baby lotion and baby shampoo may be putting infants at risk by exposing them to potentially dangerous chemicals called phthalates.

Phthalates are chemicals used to make plastic products, including baby bottles and toys and can be found in all sorts of products, from baby crib mattresses to fragrances (used in shampoos and lotions). Many animal studies have linked phthalates to reproductive abnormalities, allergies and eczema.

Phthlates are typically found in bath products in the form of “fragrances” and may also appear with many variations on the name, such as:

  • dibutyl phthalate
  • diethyl phthalate
  • cetyl triethylammonium dimethicone copolyol phthalate

According to an article on News8 Austin, researchers from the University of Washington in Seattle studied urine in the diapers of 163 babies between the age of two and 28 months. They measured the levels of nine different phthalates and found all of the 163 babies’ urine samples had at least one phthalate. They found that 81 percent of the samples had measurable amounts of seven or more phthalates.

Researchers said babies who were exposed to baby lotion, shampoo and powder had higher concentrations of three particular phthalates in their urine.

While research showing the effects of phthalates on baby development are controversial, we at HappyGreenBaby.com are in the “play it safe” camp. There are phthalate-free alternatives for traditional baby lotions and potions. Little Twig, for example, uses all natural essential oils to scent their products instead of using synthetic fragrances with phthalates.  

Why risk potential health issues by using conventional baby care products when you can choose healthy, non-toxic, phthalate-free lotions, baby powder and shampoo for bath time just as easily?