by Sarah Horan

There are an overwhelming amount of choices when it comes to buying baby bath products.

However, not all baby bath products are created equal. Consider that your baby’s skin is their largest organ and that everything applied to your baby’s tender skin has the potential to be absorbed into their delicate systems, and you can understand the need to be cautious in choosing your bath products.

Here’s a quick rundown of the most commonly found chemicals in many commercial baby products and why you might want to avoid slathering them on your sweet baby’s skin.

Ceteareth: commonly found as a stabilizer in many baby baths, sunscreens and lotions. Classified as a “penetration enhancer” it alters skin structure to allow chemicals to penetrate more deeply. Also possibly linked to breast cancer.

Pthalates: Used in most cosmetics and bath products to “fix” the scent. Linked to later reproductive problems, particularly in boys, after fetal and infant exposure. Also linked to liver and kidney issues.

Polyethylene Glycol:  classified as a “moderate health hazard”, and “expected to be toxic or harmful”, this chemical is found in many bath products as a solvent. It is also of particular concern because it opens up the pores, allowing other potentially harmful environmental chemicals to penetrate more deeply.

Triclosan: Found in many baby products like soap and shampoos, triclosan scores a whopping SEVEN on the hazard scale, described as causing organ system toxicity, endocrine system disruption and persistant bioaccumulation. This chemical has been banned in Japan and Canada but is still widely used in baby products sold in the USA as an antibacterial agent and preservative.

(To look up specific chemicals in your or your baby’s products check out http://www.ewg.org/skindeep.)

So, given that all, or many, of these unappealing chemicals are found in most common baby products, what’s a green-conscious mamma, (or papa) to do??  Here are a few easy DIY suggestions for sweet-smelling, green-friendly baby products that you can make right in your own kitchen.

Herbal Diaper Salve

What you’ll need:

*    1 cup organic cold-pressed olive oil, organic coconut oil, or organic almond oil

*    ¼ – 1/3 cup grated beeswax

*    3/4 cup chopped fresh organic lavender or fresh calendula, or fresh chamomile (you can also use dried herbs or essential oils if you can’t find fresh, but essential oils should be added after heating)

*    2 Vitamin E oil capsules, squeezed out

*    Crock pot or small stainless steel pot

To make:

1. Mix oil and chopped herbs together. Heat gently in crock-pot for about 1 hour or on stovetop on very low simmer for about 30 minutes. (You don’t want to cook it, you just want to extract the goodness from the herbs.)

2. Remove from heat, strain through cheesecloth or a very fine metal strainer

3. Mix in Vitamin E and grated beeswax, adding slightly more or less until you reach a consistency you’re satisfied with. (this is not an exact science, just experiment and have fun!).

4. If you’d like to add any essential oils this is where you’d add them too. (some suggestions: lavender essential oil, tea tree essential oil,

5. Pour into a jar with a tight fitting lid, and let cool before capping.

6.  Use liberally at every diaper change. Discard if it starts to smell rancid.

DIY baby soap:

You will need:

*    1 bar all natural glycerin soap, unscented (found at most health food stores)

*    4 tea bags organic chamomile herbal tea, or ½ cup of your choice of organic dried herbs

*    1 tbsp of organic almond oil or olive oil

To make:

1.    Steep tea bags or herbs in 1 quart hot water for about 20 minutes. (If using herbs, strain before next step)

2.    Melt soap bar into hot tea water.

3.    Add in oil.

4.    Pour into recycled container or glass jar with tight-fitting lid

This is a wonderful, gently moisturizing soap that smells great and can be used for all members of your family. For babies, it works well as a shampoo too, (although, like any shampoo, it can sting if it gets into the eyes.)

by Sarah Horan

Many parents don’t think they can feed their baby homemade baby food because they can’t imagine fitting it into their already packed schedule. However, with just a little bit of forethought, you can easily prepare up to two weeks worth of delicious, nutritious, organic baby food in one go.

Making your own baby food is an economic and eco-friendly way to introduce your baby to the world of organic food. Although it sounds daunting, it is actually very simple to do. Besides reducing the amount of trash you produce (think of all the packaging you avoid!), making your own baby food allows you to carefully monitor the quality and type of each ingredient that goes into your baby’s food, as well as controlling the amount of sodium and adjusting the spice to suit your baby’s taste.

Consider that it costs about $2 to buy a whole organic butternut squash, which will produce enough puree to last for over a week, whereas it costs about $2 per jar of organic butternut squash ready-made jar food enough for one meal.

To make your own baby food:

1. Steam or gently boil the vegetable of your choice (some suggestions that work well here are any type of greens, like spinach, kale, swiss chard, collard greens, sweet potatoes, butternut or acorn squash, carrots, or broccoli). If you would like to add some iron you can cook the veggies in a beef broth, or you can add it when you puree them.

2. Remove and slightly cool the veggies, then puree in a food processor or blender, adding either cooking liquid, vegetable broth, or organic beef or chicken broth if you need additional liquid. Add any spices you might want in this step (Cinnamon and squash was always a big hit with my babe)

3. Spoon the resulting puree into ice cube trays, and freeze until solid.

4. Pop out cubes and store in ziplock bags or glass jars in freezer. Puree will be best if used within a month but can be safely frozen for up to 3 months. Each cube is about an ounce.

5. When you’re ready to feed your babe, simply take a cube out of the freezer, defrost and you’re good to go!

Try mixing two flavors, adding in some baby cereal for a new texture and some added iron, or adding a few tablespoons of yogurt (for slightly older babies). This works just as well with fruit, (these fruit cubes also make a great smoothie for Mommy or Daddy, tossed in the blender with a few scoops of plain yogurt so you might want to make extra!)

The possibilities are endless!

Bébé EcoPosh, is a green luxury eBoutique for baby that is dedicated to featuring stylish products that are ecofriendly and contribute to the well-being of infants (0-24 months) and parents.

The eboutique carries both major and smaller unique brands that are safe for baby and stylish for Mum.  Who says organic and eco-friendly have to be boring and bland? You can love our earth and your baby without sacrificing your impeccably posh style!

For more information and to shop please visit: www.BebeEcoPosh.com

Toll Free: (855) ECO-POSH
Local: (480) 993-2398

Stephanie lives in Chandler, AZ with her husband Jason and daughter, Sophia (A.K.A. Miss Bébé EcoPosh)

Stephanie Lee
Founder/Momprenuer
Bébé EcoPosh

A Common Theme … Helping The Environment

The Kids Konserve waste-free lunch kit and other reusable products were the natural outgrowth of what two women saw as a big need that required immediate attention. With the premise that any business they undertook had to help the environment in some way, it didn’t take much imagination to see how they, as parents of young children, were contributing to garbage landfills, pollutants and sending the wrong message to their own children. How could they set an example of conservation for their children and empower them to be the examples of change for the future?

Focusing on how school lunch programs operate opened their eyes and propelled them to create Kids Konserve. Calculating the amount of trash being produced each day at their own schools during the lunch hour alone, shocked them enough to begin more research into reusable products that dramatically cut down on Earth’s ever growing garbage pile.

Kids Konserve Products are Non-Toxic, Non-Leaching, BPA,PVC, Phthalate, and Lead-free!  All items are also sold separately.

Kids Konserve LLC
205 East Lexington Avenue
Phoenix, Arizona 85012
Call us Toll Free at: (866) 410-9667

website: kidskonserve.com

LolliDoo® Eco Diapers are designed with a recycled performance fleece and certified organic cotton. The recycled fleece is made from recycled PET (water and soda) bottles and is the most eco-friendly and baby-friendly fiber available.

For more information visit www.lollidoo.com

Co founder Alison Manes lives in Tucson, AZ with her husband and six children.

Alison Manes
Founding Partner/Manifestor
Go Green Sustainable Industries, LLC

(877) 224-8004

Dale Lips
Owner, Amazing Tee’s US LLC
www.AmazingTeesandMore.com
3661 N. Campbell Avenue, #300
Tucson, AZ 85718
(800)403-0158

Learn more at  www.ironwoodtreeexperience.org

Prescott College www.prescott.edu

www.tentinypiggies.com