Thursday, July 31, 2008

Sew Your Own Sling

So many sling companies now have fantastic patterns and fabrics out as oppose to the standard black or solids, but they aren't always cheap ($260 for a silk sling?) and often with patterns it is hard to find one that you know will fit your wardrobe and personality. Making a sling yourself seems easy enough, but how do you know your sling will be safe?

Enter Sling Rings! These nylon and aluminum rings have been put through a battery of tests to insure their stability (Impact Testing, Pull Testing, Soaked in bleach and then a full washer/dryer cycle, along with Heating and Freezing). They are sure to hold the load of your baby or toddler and last through years of wear.

Instructions on Basic Sling, Reversible Slings, Fleece Slings, and the fabulous No-Sew method.

example of a ring sling:

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Post Baby Workout Extremes?

It's almost impossible to ignore the obsession with pregnant celebrities and celeb moms with young children- but has it pushed them too far? Not only are baby's first pictures being sold for millions but it certain that the paparazzi wants a picture of these ladies post-baby bods. It seems that the pressure to loose the baby weight instantly is sky-rocketing.

Jennifer Lopez, who just had twins, is apparently training for a triathlon.

Katie Holmes reportedly lost two dress sizes in less than two months by working with Sue Fleming, creator of the Buff Brides Fitness program. She then ran a marathon when baby Suri was just 18 months old.

Kate Hudson gained 60 pounds when she was pregnant with son Ryder, she was back to her normal size in under three months. With trainer Joe Horrigan she worked out two to three hours a day, six to seven days a week- while eating a mere 1,500 calorie daily diet.

Heidi Klum
was under contract to lose her post-pregnancy weight in just one month! Victoria Secret wanted her back on the runway or she would loose her $25 million deal. Talk about pressure! Klum turned to trainer David Kirsch, and 90 minutes of exercise every day while eating only "Lean, clean, and green. No dairy, lots of greens, grains, egg whites, and protein shakes,".

Congress Agree to Regulate Phthalates in Toys

House and Senate lawmakers agreed yesterday to permanently ban three types of phthalates from children's toys. They will also outlaw three other phthalates from products after studying their effects in children and pregnant women.

If passed, the ban would take effect in six months- that is unless President Bush vetos it. Many have said that the President opposes the ban, but it is still to early to know what he will decide. Many companies are opposing the ban, arguing that the research against phthalate exposure is not strong enough. The biggest opposition to the ban is Exxon Mobil. They manufacturers diisononyl phthalate which is the most commonly used phthalate in children's toys.

It certainly would not be the first ban of its kind however. The EU and more than a dozen other countries have banned phthalates from children's products as early as 1999. Even major US retailers Wal-Mart, Toys R Us, and Babies R Us that said will no longer carry products containing the phthalates as of Jan. 1, 2009.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Healthy Cool Treats

Sure Basket Robbins, Dairy Queen and Coldstone all sound fantastic, but realistically going out for ice cream as often as we'd like is practical- for the waistline or the wallet. Here are some great at home frozen treats that are almost guilt-free.

Diana's Bananas
- Chocolate covered frozen bananas you can pick up at the grocery store! So tasty, mostly fruit and only 6 grams of fat.



Island Way Sorbet- Cute and healthy! The natural half shells of Pineapples, Lemons, Coconuts, Apples and Oranges have been cored out and filled with great natural fruit flavored frozen Sorbet. Great for when you are having guests over too.



Napoli Boys Italian Ice- Perfect solution for people with food allergies. They don't contain artificial ingredients, glutens and other additives. They even have a chocolate flavor for you chocaholics, and you can indulge knowing that it is fat free, cholesterol free and dairy free.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Bad News About Nuts During Pregnancy

A new study just published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine suggests that pregnant women who eat nuts or nut products like peanut butter daily during pregnancy increase their children's risk of developing asthma by more than 50 percent over women who rarely or never consume nut products during pregnancy.

Don't worry just yet. Research in the area of allergenic foods during pregnancy has been contradictory and inconclusive. The main thought behind it being that the allergens present in foods like nuts cross the placenta and cause fetuses that are exposed to become sensitized to certain allergens.

John E. Heffner, M.D., past president of the American Thoracic Society made a statement in response to the research, "These findings emphasize the critical important of additional investigations into the environmental exposures for both mother and child that underlie the pathogenesis of asthma... It is important, however, to emphasize that such associations do not confirm a causative linkage."

For more information:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/114901.php
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7505682.stm
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25687224/

Thursday, July 10, 2008

More Green Diaper Options

For those of you that are looking for better options in the diapering department, you will be happy to hear that more and more progress is being made.

In the disposable-but-still-less-impact department we have:

New 7th Generation Chlorine Free Newborn Diapers
:
Our redesigned diapers are now thinner (and just as absorbent), with stretchier leg gathers and closure tabs " and they're made in the U.S. That means less waste and less resource use " with the same great performance and chlorine free commitment. Check below for new sizes and package counts. The chlorine-free materials and absorbent polymers used in our diapers help keep your baby dry in between changes and through the night. In addition to being effective at keeping baby dry and reducing the risk of diaper rash, studies show that our absorbent polymer is non-toxic and non-irritating to baby's sensitive skin.

Classy Kid Keep Me Tidy Biodegradable Diaper Sacks
For disposing of your 7th generation diapers, try Classy Kid Diaper Sacks. Made of biodegradable plastic, they break down much faster than those grocery store bags or regular trash bags. They have fresh scent which helps control orders and cuts down on air-borne disease transmission.

For those of you that are interested in cloth diapers or already CD-ing, new options in removal of the tough stuff without resorting to a sprayer:

Kushies Flushable-Biodegradable Diaper Liners

Simply tear off one of these absorbent perforated sheets and place it flat in your baby's clean diaper. When the diaper is soiled, just toss the liner into the toilet. No dunking, no swishing - you may even be able to re-use the same diaper with a new liner. Cloth diapers will stay nice and white, and cleanups couldn't be easier.

Thursday, July 3, 2008

Nursery or Kid's Room Decals

Decals are huge lately. You can get them in almost any design. While previously the ones I saw most often were real modern, you can now get some great kid's designs.

Go to town with these trucks:


Got a jungle theme going on? These might help!


Pick a simple silhouette in a variety of colors from dVider:


Cute and simple colorful caterpillar
:



Love Super Mario as a kid? Yours can too enjoy the original Mario Brothers: