The EcoChic

Giveway Alert!!  The Eco Summer Blog Party might be almost over but the giveaways are still going strong!  Be sure enter the contest below to win an Ergo Baby Carrier from La Stella Blu.  

ECO-ngratulations Erin!  You are the winner of the Ergo Baby Carrier from La Stella Blu.

Why did it take us so long to find baby wearing?  We have a 6 year old and we pushed him in the umbrella stroller all the time.  I had a carrier but didn’t love it.  It was complicated and uncomfortable and ugly!  6 years later they are certainly more hip and trendy!  I am now the proud owner of 2 Hotslings, 1 Dittany Baby Reversible Pouch Sling, and now 1 Ergo Baby Organic Carrier and I love them all.  Honestly, I use every single one of them.

The pouch slings are great for wearing around the house or on short outings.  The members of my family (husband, mother, sitter, etc) have all used them and it usually ends with a sleeping baby!  See my post last week for a cute picture of her asleep in the Dittany Baby sling.  I’ve always wanted to try one of the Mei Tai carriers and have heard wonderful reviews over the Ergo’s but now I understand why!

I need to first begin by thanking La Stella Blu for their generous donation of one Ergo Baby Organic Carrier to The Eco Chic family of carriers!  We have used this thing almost everyday since we received it.  My first thought was “finally a carrier that my husband will wear in public!”  When he came home from work that day I showed him how to use it (by the way Ergo Baby has video demos online) and made him try it on.  We have officially mastered the front and back carry but haven’t tried the hip carry yet.  The Ergo is (as the name implies) ergo-nomically correct for your body.  It is comfortable and our baby feels very secure in it.  I don’t feel like she is going to fall out of it.  The material is a light-weight organic cotton (like a canvas material) and seems very durable.  I need to wash it to see how well it survives the wash.  It has a great little pocket behind the baby for storing keys, cell phones, or wallets.  It also comes with a cute little hood which I didn’t know if I would ever use…but I did and love it!  Below is my favorite story about our Ergo to date…I’m sure I’ll have more in the coming months!

Last Friday night we went to the Ray’s baseball game with friends and took Lil’ B with us.  Baseball stadiums are not exactly stroller friendly so we took the Ergo.  I wore Lil’ B into the game and also used it as a nursing cover when she was hungry…the hood was perfect for nursing!  Later in the game when we were roaming the stadium the hubby put her on his back (see picture) and went about his business!  Now, if you know my husband, he is open to new ideas as long as they don’t mess with his coolness factor.  I felt like we were both getting the smiles from everyone that passed…as if they were all saying “look how cute!”, or “how ingenius!”, etc!  As for Lil’ B she is completely comfortable both forward and backwards in the Ergo and unusually calm when she is close to us.  I had to feel somewhat bad for another couple who were there with their infant.  They didn’t have a carrier and were constantly holding his wiggly body, and he never sat still.  If for nothing other than safety the Ergo has won me over…but I love it for so many reasons. 

We also went grocery shopping with the Ergo this weekend.  Talk about a productive trip, I think she actually feel asleep while we shopped and no one was touching her!  I can’t wait to wear her into that nasty old Wal-Mart and see if those old ladies try and touch her now!

La Stella Blu is an online retailer that specializes in baby wearing.  In addition to the Ergo Baby Carriers, they also stock Mei Tei’s, Moby Wraps, HotSlings, Ellaroos and more!  Are you new to baby wearing and don’t know which one is right for you?  Visit La Stella Blu’s Baby Wearing Basic section.  They explain the differences between the styles, provide directions for different ways to wear them, and also give you some information about why wearing your baby is so good for both you and your baby.  Did you know that wearing your baby can actually enhance their development?  My favorite reason (besides the fact that she loves it) for wearing Lil’ B is that it allows our family to continue moving and not be slowed down by strollers.  With a 6 year old we don’t have time to slow down.

Contest period ended.  Eco-ngratulations to Erin! 

Win it here!  Do you want to win your very own Ergo Baby Carrier ($120 value)?  Do you live in the US?  Then you can register to win right NOW!  This will be the last giveaway of the Eco-Summer Blog Party so don’t delay.  Even though the party ends tomorrow I am going to end this contest on Friday, July 17th (midnight EST).  Be sure to register before Friday.

Enough already…aren’t I going to tell you HOW to enter?  Of course!  You must earn a minimum of 10 points in my Eco-Summer Blog Challenge.  Have you been a loyal party follower?  Have you been paying attention?  I hope so because I have 18 questions for you.  All you have to do is answer 10 of them to be entered to win.  If you answer all 18 questions you will get 3 entries instead of just one.  You can find the questions on the link below but you must answer according to the information provided on the website or blog post of that company.  For example, if you just google benefits of baby wearing you may find different answers then what La Stella Blu provides on their website…get it?? 

Extra Bonus Giveaway!  Win a free 6 month trial membership to www.EcoBuddies.com. 

My son has been playing with EcoBuddies.com this week and really enjoys his Buddy, the dragonfly, and playing games like bowling.  He’s only 6 so we haven’t introduced the chat feature with him yet, however EcoBuddies does moderate the site to ensure it is a safe place for kids. 

EcoBuddies.com Gives Kids Opportunity to Support Baby Animals
 
Vancouver-based green virtual word for kids, EcoBuddies.com, just revealed today that it will be starting the initiative ‘Buddies for Baby Animals Day’ where kids will have an opportunity every month to support an endangered animal of their choice.  On the 20th day of each month, EcoBuddies will be donating 10% of the revenue made from new membership purchases to an organization that supports a baby animal of their players’ choosing. Kids will vote which animal they would like to support on EcoBuddies’ official blogs Go Green with EcoBuddies and EcoBuddies Blog. The company hopes that by giving kids the ability to help young animals it will empower them to believe that they can affect positive changes in the environment.   
EcoBuddies launched in October 2008 and is one of the leading eco-inspired virtual worlds for kids on the Internet.

To enter CLICK HERE and leave a comment about EcoBuddies.  CONTEST EXTENDED!  NOW ENDS JULY 31, 2009!!

Giveaway Alert!  If you have a young child in your life you will want to read to the bottom of the post and enter this great giveaway!

ECO-ngratulations to Danielle, Slee, & Tracy!

When my oldest was born a coworker told me how important reading was to children even as an infant.  Our first book that we received (from this same coworker) was The Very Hungry Caterpillarby Eric Carle.  Thus began our love of reading together.  As a very young child he enjoyed being read to.  We made it our special time together as mother and son to read together every night.  We will still (on most nights) read together before bedtime.  Our collection of books is very diverse and includes many wonderful and well known titles along with some not so known titles.  Now that he is older (yes, my baby is entering first grade in the fall) I continue to look for books that help mold the young man that he is becoming.  It is amusing to see how ‘green’ he has become.  It’s not unusual for us to be at someones house and he will ask them where their recycling bin is…and you don’t want to hear his response if you don’t recycle!  I was so fortunate to find Jeanine Behr Getz, author of Think Green!, and we now have another great book in our collection.

Think Green!is an award winning story about Millecent and her friends as they learn that “kids can think and act green at any age!”    This story gives kids easy tips on how to conserve our natural resources by recycling, taking reusable bags with them while shopping, donating old toys and clothes, and conserving water and energy.  It even provides a great location at the back of the book for kids to discuss other ways they can help keep the Earth “green and clean!” 

Think Green! is 32 pages of fun printed using soy based inks, printed on post-consumer recycled paper, processed chlorine free, and made in the USA.  The age recommendations are from 3-8 but even us adults can learn a lesson or two from Millicent.  As a great addition to Think Green! the book, Jeanine also offers a Think Green! Starter Kit for kids.  This starter kit includes one (1) kid sized reusable shopping bag, one (1) green bracelet (made from recycled climbing rope), one (1) reusable napkin, and a sheet of post consumer waste wrapping paper.  Along with the book, this starter set would make a great gift for your young child, grandchild, or school. 

Would you like your own Think Green! Starter Kit?  Jeanine is giving away three (3) starter kits to three (3) lucky readers!  All you have to do is enter!  Contest is open to residents of US and Canada.

I had the opportunity to speak with Jeanine about Think Green! and her passion for the environment.  Below is my interview with Jeanine.   

The Eco Chic:  At what age were you when you realized your passion for the environment? 

Jeanine:  When I was young I can remember leading a pack of kids every summer to clean up areas around our family’s summer camp and I always enjoyed being in nature but it wasn’t until I was an adult and had my daughter that I became passionate for the environment. I started to learn more about the impact we had on our earth and what we were leaving behind for our children.

The Eco Chic:  Do you feel that it is ever too early to encourage children to respect the environment? 

Jeanine:  I believe it’s never too early to encourage children and never too late for adults to learn to respect nature, the environment and each other.

The Eco Chic:  What is an eco-audit? 

Jeanine:  An eco audit, which appears on the back of Think Green!, is an environmental benefits statement that shows the reader how many trees, how much water, energy, solid waste and greenhouse gases Kids Think Big LLC saved by using post-consumer waste fiber vs. virgin fiber to print Think Green! on. Think Green!is the first children’s book to have an eco audit and we hope to inspire other authors and publishers to save more of our earth resources and follow suit and encourage discussion with children. These calculations were provided by New Leaf Paper and calculated by research by Environmental Defense Fund and other members of the Paper Task Force.

The Eco Chic:  Not only does Think Green! provide kids (and adults) methods for going green but it also demonstrates the environmental stewardship of a truly green company.  How challenging was it to ensure that your book was ‘printed green?’

Jeanine:  When I first wrote Think Green!three years ago, “green” wasn’t mainstream yet, paper sources were limited and costs were not comparable to non green alternatives but printing green was the only direction for Kids Think Big. Through many hours of research we sourced a great USA printing company, Worzalla, that understood and could meet our “green printing requirements” and partnered with an industry leader for our paper, New Leaf Paper.

The Eco Chic:  How can parents (teachers, grandparents, etc) use Think Green! to reach more than just their own children?  

Jeanine:  Two ways – we have the KTB reading club – that is on our web site, www.kidsthinkbig.com that is for kids 9-12, they read Think Green! to schools, libraries, boy scout/girl scout troops and other groups and send us the pictures and earn great green prizes! We also ask anyone buying Think Green! that they share, or the person that they are giving it to share, Think Green! with their schoolmates, library or other community groups. Share the gift of reading and the message of Think Green!

The Eco Chic:  Any plans for another green book?

Jeanine:  Yes, I am working on two books now, both will of course be printed green, but one is on a totally different topic and the second is a “green” topic. Same age group and writing style and illustrator! We have had some great response from our preliminary market testing on both books.

The Eco Chic:  Thank you Jeanine for your time and for the wonderful opportunity to review Think Green!  I wish you well with your new books and look forward to seeing them.  I can’t wait for school to start back so that I can share Think Green! with my sons class this fall.

One of my goals with the Eco-Summer Blog Party was to provide you with valuable information on some hot environmental topics each day.  One of the hot topics in the news lately is BPA and toxins in our plastics.  All of the information out there seems very intimidating, even to me.  I have read some great blogs by people who are passionate about their fight against plastics.  As a crazy busy mom of two some topics are just too deep for me to grasp my arms around and embrace change.  BPA and plastics is one of those topics.  It’s much like global warming…I know that it is a real phenomenom and that I should change my lifestyle…but the changes that are required are just too much.  We hear global warming but we don’t really know what we can do ourselves. 

I asked Alicia Voorhies, owner of the online retailer The Soft Landing, to educate us a little about BPA and plastics.

Guest Post by The Soft Landing’s owner, Alicia Voorhies.  Coupon Code at bottom of post!

Surely you’ve heard about Bisphenol-A (BPA) by now. It’s an endocrine-disrupting chemical found nearly everywhere with over 6 billion pounds of it produced each year.  It’s most well-known use is as a building block for polycarbonate, a hard plastic commonly used in clear plastic baby bottles.  Studies show that BPA can leach from its unstable bond into food and drinks.  Leaching occurs at room temperature, but especially when containers are heated – to the tune of up to 55 times more.  In more recent studies, 93% of Americans were found to have higher levels of BPA in their bodies than previously thought. 

BPA is essentially a synthetic estrogen that disrupts the reproductive systems of both males and females.  It was actually considered as a possible form of estrogen for estrogen replacement pills in the 1930s. The sperm count of the average male has begun a steady decline over the last 50 years as many males are becoming more feminine.  But that’s not all.  Scientists have linked BPA to a growing list of ailments:  cancer, reproductive and cardiovascular system disorders (including damage to the prostate gland, infertility and early puberty), brain and neurological system dysfunctions, behavioral problems, diabetes and obesity.

It’s become apparent that the FDA isn’t going to ban the use of BPA in our food containers anytime soon.  Nor will they require manufacturers to label their products when they contain do BPA.  So how can a concerned parent navigate the confusing sea of unlabeled products?  You shouldn’t have to be a rocket scientist to find safer eating gear for your family, so let’s look at some simple strategies for avoiding BPA.

Using Recycling Codes

Staying away from plastics in the recycling category #7 is the most common strategy for avoiding BPA.  It’s a fine way to start making general changes, but not all #7 plastics contain BPA.  Over the last year, several new plastics, such as PES and copolyester, have been introduced as BPA-free alternatives.  This serves to confuse the issue because they look just like polycarbonate and are placed in the same “other” recycling category (see Are all #7 Plastics Toxic? for a more detailed discussion on this complicated topic). 

Even more confusing is that some polypropylene products (in the #5 recycling category) can contain BPA after all.  When a polypropylene product is tinted with color, the colorant base used may be made from BPA, adding a small amount of the chemical to an otherwise BPA-free plastic.  So recycling codes should only be used as a very general guideline.

Buying Products Labeled as BPA-free

Wouldn’t it be great if we could just go to the store and grab only products labeled as BPA-free?  No such luck.  Regulations currently don’t require manufacturers to label their products with the chemicals used.  The only way to know which plastic items are actually BPA-free is to:

• Look for manufacturers who have chosen to label their products despite the regulations
• Communicate directly with each manufacturer to confirm its BPA-free status
• Purchase products from a reputable company who completes the research for you (such as www.thesoftlanding.com). 

Avoiding Plastic All Together

More proactive companies are taking steps to create non-plastic options in an effort to meet the demand for BPA-free products.  Several materials are naturally BPA-free because they simply don’t need the chemical during production:  glass, stainless steel, silicone, natural rubber, bamboo, wood and corn-based bio-plastics are some of the major players.  And they’re not only safer, but they’re easier on the environment too.  We’ve compiled an extensive list of great alternatives in food storage containers to make your life a little easier (see BPA, PVC and Phthalate Free Food Storage Containers).  

In the meantime, let’s continue letting manufacturers and the chemical industry know that we won’t be buying their toxic plastic.  Take a minute to sign the Environmental Working Group’s petition to protect children today!

Alicia was kind enough to provide a coupon code for 15% off any purchases made at The Soft Landing from July 9th-15th. 
Coupon Code: ecosummer09

Please be sure to visit The Soft Landing at these locations:
Store: www.thesoftlanding.com
Blog: www.thesoftlandingbaby.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/thesoftlanding
Facebook: www.facebook.com/thesoftlanding
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/thesoftlanding

COUPON CODE BELOW! Valid until July 31, 2009!

ECO-ngratulations to our winners!!
1. EZ Entry: KRIS
2. Twitter Entry: ZEALANDSMOM
3. Hard Entry: Cindy
PS…the answer to the Hard Entry…the little bird on the Paper Culture site was inspired by THE LETTER A!  Look at their logo and see if you can see it now!

What does every parent want to find when shopping for a product?  Myself I dream of finding eco-friendly, cool, modern, hip, low cost, simplistic products and services that will make my life easier.  I think I found just the company for invitations, announcements, and thank you notes.

Paper Culture Invitations & Announcements offers the busy mom modern design, eco-friendly and convenient options for all our stationery needs.  I wish I had found them when Lil’ B was born in January for our birth announcements.  Their designs are truly hip and modern.  Paper Culture designs all forms of stationery including photo baby announcements, non-photo announcements, baby shower invitations, birthday invitations for all ages, other life events (such as moving, housewarming, and baptisms), and thank you cards. 

I found this style particularly sweet, it’s called Modern Tree Branch Memories.  Look at the simple yet elegant tree branch and the sweet trio of pics below it. 

Paper Culture not only features stylish stationery they also ensure that their products are good for the environment.  All of their products (cards and envelopes) are printed on 100% post consumer recycled FSC certified paper.  I know that sounds like a mouthful but it’s all important when making paper purchases.  They are Carbon Free partners with Carbonfund.org and even operate their business sustainably.   

I mentioned convenience earlier.  With 2 kids, a full time job, a husband, and a house I can barely keep my house clean and family fed.  My friends always told me it was harder with 2 kids but I never believed them, until now.  Well Paper Culture takes announcements and invitations to the next level.  They offer a unique option of Mail & Message.  If you choose this option they will print a unique message for each recipient, print both the return and recipient address on the envelopes, AND place a real stamp on each envelope before they mail them for you.  What?  They will do all of the hard stuff for you?  Address?  Real Stamps?  No tacky postage meter?  Mail?  Someone please pinch me because I think I might be dreaming! 

Yes, it’s all true and even better they don’t charge a fortune for this service.  Their cards range from $1.49-$2.29 each card (plus tax and shipping) and that’s before any promotional pricing.  If you choose the Mail & Message option they only charge you the price of the stamp, no extra shipping.  This is also great for the environment because you are saving tons of gas and packaging having cards sent to you before you send them out to your friends & family. 

What about quality?  They sent me a sample set of their cards and they are wonderful.  Thick quality cardstock, nice rounded corners, and bright & vivid colors!  These aren’t cheap, store bought cards.  When Lil’ B turns one you can guarantee I will be shopping at Paper Culture for her invitations.  

Giveaway & Coupon!  Three lucky readers will receive a $50 gift certificate to use at Paper Culture (don’t worry you have until December 09 to use them).  In addition, Paper Culture is offering all new customers a 20% discount (Code: ECOCHIC09) off their first order if placed by July 31, 2009.  

I’m going to make entering fun.  There are three ways you can win, you can earn an entry into each catagory but can only win once.   1.  EASY ENTRY:  Visit Paper Culture and leave a comment HERE about your favorite design.  2.  MODERATLY EASY ENTRY:  Twitter contest:  Tweet the following message “ Win $50 gift card towards modern premium green announcements & cards @paperculture @theecochic www.theecochic.com“  The tweet must have all of this information included.  When we reach 100 tweets of this message (max 2 RT per person/per day) I will select a winner at random from those who tweeted!  3.  DIFFICULT ENTRY:  On the Paper Culture website they have a cute little bird in the top right corner of the page.  Tell me where the inspiration for this bird came from.  Hint: It’s not Twitter & you can find the answer on the Home Page.  It’s not an easy find.  Enter your answer HERE.  I will select a winner from all correct responses. 

The contests will end on July 9th at midnight (EST).  If the last two options aren’t achieved I will randomly select all winners from those who participated.  Contest is open to all US residents (unless you use the Mail & Message option and pay the extra shipping).  Good Luck and Have Fun!      Contest is now closed! Please visit Paper Culture for more great offers and specials!

I know I promised 15 days full of partying but everyone needs a break, right!  Hope you all enjoyed your 4th of July weekend.  Stay green and I’ll see you tomorrow for some green fundraising!

GIVEAWAY ALERT!  Be sure to read all the way to the bottom for the fourth contest and a great coupon code as part of The Eco-Summer Blog Party!

CONGRATULATIONS STWILLIAMS07@XXXXXXX You are the winner of the To-Go Ware gift set!

Happy 4th of July from The Eco Chic, To-Go Ware, and Green Planet Parties!  The 4th for many of us will be filled with backyard BBQ’s, pool parties, and fireworks.  Along with all that fun comes tons of unnecessary waste.  When most of us host get-togethers at our homes (or anywhere) we typically run to the store and stock up on disposable tableware (plates, cups, cutlery, napkins, etc) for our guests.  Anyone want to venture to guess how long most of these items get used?  Less than 5 minutes…think about this today while you celebrate the 4th with your friends and family. 

About a year ago I invested in some cheap reusable plastic plates and cups for a party we were hosting at the house.  We tend to host several of these parties each year and I decided it was time to find an alternative to the disposable items we typically used.  Now I know that plastic is not perfect…I’m learning all about BPA and all the other evils of plastics…but it was a step in the right direction.  It was reasonably priced at our local big box retailer so I purchased about 30 of each.  We already had a spare set of cutlery from a camping trip a few years ago.  Party day arrived and I was all excited to use our new tableware but I wasn’t prepared for the reaction from the guests.  I actually had one dear friend throw the plate in the garbage.  I had several guests pitty me for the dishes I was going to have to wash later that night.  But after a few hand slappings and a few parties later they have grown to accept my plastic plates and cups…I honestly think they even like them…but they would never admit that to me.  After all, they are durable and there will be no soggy plates at our parties.  

Did you know that most plastics take 10-100 years to degrade at the landfill?  And since plastic is made from petroleum, as it breaks down it releases this petroleum into our environment.  Yes, most landfills are safe and prevent these chemicals from reaching our groundwater but how much of the litter along our roadways and beaches are plastic cutlery?  Look around you!  What you might not know is that there are kinder options available.  

Green Planet Parties is a great online retailer that offers eco-friendly decorations, tableware, gifts, and goodie bags.  I’m impressed with the reusable cotton and felt table clothes, banners, and goodie bags that they sell.  They sent me a great kit to sample and I can’t wait until we host our next party.  Their Party in a (Reusable) Bag is a great alternative to the disposables we’ve enjoyed for years.  The Party in a Bag contains 25 bowls, cups, cutlery sets, and 50 napkins.  What makes this different is that everything is compostable and recyclable.  The plates (almost a bowl shape) are made from palm leaves.  They almost look too nice to actually throw away.  The cutlery and cups are made from PolyActide (PLA) plastics that are typically made from corn or potato starches.  The napkins are made from 100% recycled materials and they even include an oxo-degradable garbage bag.  These items should safely decompose within 12-24 months of time in the landfill leaving no toxins or waste behind.  All of the items are shipped in a very cute (and totally reusable) cotton bag for easy storage.  Unfortunately the bag will come in handy for storage as our 4th of July plans have changed and we won’t be hosting a party this year.  When we do get a chance to use them I will be sure to follow up here and let you know what the guests thought of the Party in a Bag.  What’s the next big holiday?  Who’s having a birthday or anniversary?  Parties at our house!

Now I know that compostable items such as this are not 100% eco-friendly but it’s better than disposable.  Just like my own transition to reusable plates and cups the items from Green Planet Parties will help people make greener decisions when they host their parties.  There are many shades of Green and I consider the Party in a Bag the lime green action!  For those of you darker green readers I have another alternative.  

Do you carry your reusable bottles and bags with you?  Well why not carry your own utensil set?  To-Go Ware offers reusable utensil sets that are easy for you to take with you.  The RePEaTutensil sets have bamboo flatware and chopsticks that are neatly packaged in a sheath made from recycled PET plastic (RePEaT).  In addition it has a very clever carabiner(clip) on the back of the sheath so you can hook it anywhere.  I’m going to start hooking it to my reusable water bottle.  I mentioned they were made from bamboo right?  What’s so special about bamboo?  Is it washable?  Can you reuse it?  Well bamboo is a very eco-friendly plant that is easy to harvest, incredibly durable and dishwasher safe.  

To-Go Ware also offers items that are more for personal use than for parties such as the stainless steel tiffins and sidekicks.  It’s like a reusable steel lunch box for adults…ok, we’ll let the kids use them too.  The containers are all made of 200 grade stainless food grade steel and are dishwasher safe.  Since they are steel they can be heated using the oven, stove, toaster and even over a campfire.  You might be asking me why steel versus plastic…as you may know, most plastics contain BPA and phthalates that can leech into your food.  I have a friend of mine who will speak more about plastics and BPA later in the party.  I have a lot to learn!

Giveaway!  1. Green Planet Parties is offering 10% off your entire purchase with a coupon code for readers of the Eco-Summer Blog Party.  Coupon Code ECO CHICis valid until July 31, 2009.  Please be sure to follow @Greenpla on Twitter but tell your friends to visit The Eco Chic to get the coupon code!  CONTEST PERIOD IS OVER BUT COUPONS ARE STILL ACTIVE!  CONGRATULATIONS STWILLIAMS07 2.  To-Go Wareis offering one lucky reader (US Residents only please) their own RePEaTutensil set along with one of each the large and small sidekicks (a $23 value).  All you have to do is subscribe (BELOW) to recieve updates from The Eco Chic in your email inbox.  You can earn extra entries by following @theecochic and @togoware on Twitter and Facebook.  Be sure to leave a comment HERE for each extra entry you earn (include your username for verification).  The To-Go Ware contest will end on Monday, July 6th at midnight (EST).  3.  To-Go Ware is also offering a 10% off coupon code for readers who want to purchase their own utensils and sidekicks.  Coupon Code ECOCHIC10 is valid until August 31, 2009.

Enter your email below to subscribe to have The Eco Chic updates delivered directly to your inbox.

GIVEAWAY ALERT!  Be sure to read all the way to the bottom for the third contest of The Eco-Summer Blog Party!  CONGRATULATIONS JULIE & JEANNE! 

Lil’ B will be 6 months old on Saturday and we have recently introduced solid baby food to her.  Most doctors recommend introducing solids anywhere between 4 and 6 months of age.  We introduced solids to Big B at about 4 months but I was little more patient this year with his sister.  We almost made it to 6 months before she started stealing food right off our plate!  No kidding…she would literally grab for any kind of food within reach.  And once again we were faced with another parenting decision…homemade baby food or commercial baby food?

It’s much more common these days to hear about parents preparing fresh baby food for their little ones.  Back when Big B was a baby I was a huge fan of the book Super Baby Foodby Ruth Yaron.  It was great because it provided a list of foods and at what age it was best to introduce those items to babies.  Unfortunately, I loaned it to a friend and haven’t seen it in about 3 years.  I began searching the internet for baby food recipes and ran across the  Homemade Baby Food Recipeswebsite by Christine Albury.  What a wonderful website full of information about introducing solids to your baby, how to overcome feeding problems and hundreds of easy to make recipes.  

I chose to make our own baby food because of all the fillers and water that are contained in commercial baby food.  I like having control over what I feed my baby.  I can control if I buy locally grown fruits and vegetables.  I can control if I buy organically grown foods.  I guess I am a bit of a control freak!  It’s more than that though, it’s easy!  For me I purchased the Magic Bullet, a small food processor that fits neatly on the counter.  I had considered buying those fancy food mills but after reading some of the reviews I decided my money was better spent on the Bullet.  (I’m still unsure whether the plastic in the Bullet is BPA-free or not…see my posts on July 9th for more information on that!)  

What’s on the menu for Lil’ B?  So far she has tried (and liked) avocado, mango, sweet potato, plain yogurt, banana, and pear.  I’ve even mixed a few for some great tasting combinations.  We also have a box of traditional rice cereal (organic of course) but I don’t use it much.  I would rather fix her something fresh.  I’m dying to make my own yogurt but scared to try it!  

Which brings me back to Homemade Baby Food Recipes website.  In addition to the wonderful baby food recipes they have a great monthly newsletter, Baby Bites.  When you sign up for Baby Bites you get a free e-book called Ten Perfect Purees.  They also have a great set of e-books for purchase; Tempting Tiny Taste Buds, the 2009 Homemade Baby Food Recipes Annual, and the Best of the Blog.  This set of e-books is almost 600 pages full of everything you need to know about feeding your baby for the first year and beyond.  It’s more than just recipes.  There are sections on food preparation, food storage, flying with baby food, eczema & baby food, asthma and baby food, and so much more!

Giveaway!  Would you like to win your own copy of Homemade Baby Food Recipes e-book?  Christine has graciously offered TWO copies for TWO lucky readers!  CONTEST ENDED!  CONGRATULATIONS TO JULIE & JEANNE!

GIVEAWAY ALERT!  Be sure to read all the way to the bottom for the second contest of The Eco-Summer Blog Party!

CONGRATULATIONS SHAYLAN! YOU ARE THE WINNER OF THE MOMMY NECKLACE GIVEAWAY!

Breastfeed: \’breast-fed\ verb, to feed a baby from a mother’s breast.

As a mother one of the first decisions you get to make at the hospital is how you are going to feed your newborn baby.  For me, I had heard all the wonderful benefits of breastfeeding and was convinced that I was going to give it a try.  I was hoping to make it three months.  Instead I made it eleven months, three weeks, and three days (but who’s counting) before I had to ween my son. 

Why did I choose to breastfeed?  I have asthma (always have) and the main reason I breastfed was because I heard that it reduces your childs chance of having asthma.  No one in my family had ever breastfed, none of my friends had breastfed, I knew no one who breastfed!  That was six years ago and today I am breastfeeding our second child (going on 6 months). 

Disclaimer:  Breastfeeding is not always easy!  With my first child he wouldn’t latch on at all so we left the hospital with this strange contraption called a pump.  As a first time mom this can be very discouraging but I really wanted to make it work.  I don’t like to fail.  So I kept it up, pumped milk every few hours, bottle fed my baby breastmilk, and kept practicing latching on.  On a trip to Target I found the Nipple Shield and thought it was worth a try.  Luckily it worked for us.  (*Note…Lactation Consultants don’t recommend using shields without supervision and proper guidance.)  After a month or so our little boy finally caught on to the latch and the rest is history…kinda!  I didn’t have any other major issues until about ten months when I was pumping at work (oh yeah…I was working a full time job and pumping during the days) and the milk looked like creamy tomato soup.  Now…like I said…I knew no one who was breastfeeding!  Who was I going to ask about this one?  After I freaked out for a few hours I called my OBGYN and made an appt to see them.  According to the mid-wife that I saw that day I needed to go in for a mammogram and quit nursing!  What?!?!  I had made it ten months, I wasn’t ready to wean yet!  Well, fortunately my stomach told me to keep looking for answers and that lead me to the local La Leche League.  I found a phone number for a local consultant and called to get her advice.  Thankfully, I did not have to wean.  It was a cracked nipple and it would heal in a few days AND I could continue to breastfeed my baby.  To my surprise it only took a day or two for things to go back to normal and I didn’t follow through with the mammogram or wean my baby.  I did end up weaning him at almost a year when my hubby and I decided to go on a trip alone for our anniversary.  It was perfect timing and I never looked back.  

Take Two:  Fast forward 6 years to January 2009 and I am once again blessed to have another beautiful baby to breastfeed.  This time the hospital was much easier and I was better prepared to feed my baby.  She latched on much better than her older brother but still didn’t latch properly.  I still had to work with her for a few weeks to get her to latch on the right way.  I am learning that each child is different.  She is much rougher on the boobies and pulls the nipple with her as she turns her head to look at the world!  Honestly I feel like Elastigirl from The Incredibles!  Yes, it does hurt sometimes and I’ve already experienced my first cracked nipple with her.  I think she’s teething so that makes things a little more challenging.  Again, it healed in a day and we’re moving on.  

Words of Wisdom: 

1. I have a theory on breastfeeding.  200 years ago what did women feed their babies?  In remote Africa what do women feed their babies?  Mother’s Milk!  There was no formula 200 years ago.  God made our bodies so that we could produce milk to feed our babies.  It’s 100% natural and costs nothing!  It’s not produced in a factory in China or shipped thousands of miles to our local store where it sits for months before we spend precious money to mix it withwater and hope that our babies don’t spit it up withtheir reflux.  It’s a wonderful way to bond with your baby.  Somedays nothing will soothe her better than cuddling up next to my breast and suckling sweet, warm mothers milk until she falls asleep.
2. Trust your instincts!  Only you will know what is right for you and your baby.  If I wouldn’t have trusted my instincts I would have had a mammogram and weaned my baby before either of us were ready.  My son was a little baby and my friends and family always asked me “How do you know he’s getting enough?”  I trusted my instincts.  As most of us know, babies don’t come with directions.  They don’t require 1 oz of milk at 1 month, 2 oz of milk at 2 months, etc.  They (like us) eat differently each day.  Some days they will eat more, other days they will eat less.  You have to have faith in yourself that your baby will know when it’s hungry.  
3. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.  There are professional lactation consultants out there who do this everyday.  I called the local hospital’s lactation consultant yesterday actually for help with the recent cracked nipple incident.  I learned (was reminded actually) that there are support groups for breastfeeding mothers.  I’m planning on attending my first meeting next week to get some ideas on how to handle my difficult baby.  Look online, there are so many resources available FREE online to help breastfeeding mothers.  

This leads me to my next product review and giveaway!  I have recently found Mommy Necklaces.  The owner created these necklaces out of a necessity of sorts, she too struggled with a baby who was curious about the world around them.  Much like my little baby, Raelynn’s baby liked to grab at every necklace she wore.  I’m always afraid that my baby will break my favorite necklaces so I tend to go without jewelry.  Mommy Necklaces are beautifully created and stylish enough to wear any place.  The cording repels water and won’t deteriorate when wet, they are even washable.  The beads are non-toxic acrylic (lead and phthalate free) and have been tested to exceed CPSIA regulations.  Another unique feature is the break away closure.  Your baby can (and will) tug as hard as they want and won’t break your Mommy Necklace.  (*Warning: Mommy Necklace beads can still cause a choking hazard if it were to break.)  I received my own Mommy Necklace last week and I am already in love with it.  It helps to keep my baby focused on the task at hand…breastfeeding!  My only problem, I need one for every outfit so it looks like I’m going to need a few more!  Shhh…don’t tell the hubby!            

Giveaway!  Contest period ended.     

GIVEAWAY ALERT!  Be sure to read all the way to the bottom for the first contest of The Eco-Summer Blog Party!

Let the party begin!  It’s July 1st (Canada Day as I’ve been told by my dear friend Cindy Loo) and that means The Eco-Summer Blog Party (ESBP) is officially under way!  I’ve gotten many questions about the ESBP over the last few weeks by curious readers wanting to know, “What exactly is The Eco-Summer Blog Party?”

To understand what The Eco-Summer Blog Party is you must first understand who I am. 

As a new MOMMY who DOODLES in her spare time I hope to one day DESIGN a wonderful legacy to leave my children.  This MOMMY wears many different NECKLACES each day as I breastfeed my newest little angel (Lil’ B), work my full time job, blog about the environment, and look for great HOMEMADE BABY FOOD RECIPES.  Each and every day I try to make an effort to Reduce, Reuse, and RePEaT my actions from the day before.  It’s not always easy since my life was not HAND PICKED by me but rather by my PUMPKINS that I love so much.  Some days I wish I could escape to ERBA and drink some wonderful ORGANIC wine grown from the TERRA.  Instead I am asked by Big B to CYCLE around the block in the 92 degree heat of Florida.  My friends have called me an ECO-freak, but I prefer the LABEL of Eco Chic.  During the school year you will find me FUNDRAISING for the local PTA or T-ball team.  I rarely have time to pick up the PAPER or enjoy the high CULTURE that I once enjoyed by visiting museums.  I dream of the day my husband will take me to the Greek Isles to see the wonderful DITTANY flower of Crete along with my BABY and little boy.  I try to remember my SOFT sweater when I travel for work, it makes the LANDING much smoother on my head which is propped against the window taking advantage of a few minutes to myself.  I quickly return to reality when my LADYBUG dirty’s her cloth DIAPERS that I’ve been using for a few months now.  In my spare time I am trying to find time to get the PIGGYs soaked and coated with a fresh color of PAINT.  It is my PURE desire to DESIGN a world where my KIDS THINK GREEN and take pride in this wonderful GREEN PLANET that we live on.  The hubby and I will continue to hold our pool PARTIES, cookout with friends, and TRAVEL around the world.  Maybe one day we’ll even take a train from the DEPOT or watch the STELLA BLU in the night sky.

Why are there words in all upper-case?  Well those are the fine sponsors of this party!  Without their help there would be no party and I wanted to start by thanking them all.  If you are a regular reader of The Eco Chic you may have noticed that things look a little different around here.  With the help of my first sponsor, MOMMY DOODLES DESIGN, I have a fresh new blog header, background and logo buttons.  Mommy Doodles (AKA Melanie) is a graphic designer from Massachusetts who I met over a year ago when she was holding a giveaway on her own blog.  I actually won the contest and we’ve been friends ever since.  

Did I say CONTEST?  I did indeed!  The ESBP is full of contests, starting right now!  One lucky winner will receive a blog design and/or redesign including a logo header, background and button.  This also includes one image or clipart download from istockphoto.com (valued at $95) compliments of Mommy Doodles Design. 

Click HERE to enter to win!  A winner will be selected at random (using Random.org).  Contest ends July 14th at midnight (EST).  You must leave your name, email, and answer to the first question to be entered to win.  Extra entries can be earned by:

1. Subscribing to both The Eco Chic & Mommy Doodles blogs.
2. Following both @theecochic & @mommydoodlesblg on Twitter.
3. Become Fans of The Eco Chic & Mommy Doodles on Facebook.
4. Other:  Add our buttons to your blog/site, blog about the contest (or ESBP), tweet about the contest, etc.  Just be sure to leave a link to where you have posted the information. 

The Eco-Summer Blog Party will continue from now until July 15th.  Join me tomorrow (July 2nd) as I explore the world of Breastfeeding!  As a sneak peak at other contests and giveaways here is a picture of what is to come!  See you tomorrow!