Saturday, May 29, 2010

The Infamous Baby Checklist - With Mom & Eco-Commentary

Last week I printed this list without Mom & Eco-Advice.  Here's the same list with the helpful advice from my mom, friends, and some of the research I've done.

General Great Mom Advice: Bring an extra outfit for the baby and an extra shirt for yourself wherever you go, you never know when the baby will mess one of your outfits up! 

Hospital
  • Outfit/socks
  • Receiving Blanket
    • Mom Advice: Make sure your blankets are big enough to swaddle the baby.  You need at least 36" sides on your blanket to make this easy, preferably 40".
    • Eco-Advice: I found this large, organic blanket at Target.
  • Diapers & Wipes / Diaper Bag
    • Eco-Advice: I'll be using cloth diapers and cloth wipes.  I'll also check the extra purses/bags in my closet to see if they'll work as a diaper bag before purchasing one.  A nice bag seems like an easy thing to get second-hand also.
  • Carseat
    • Mom Advice: In this case, safety should probably trump eco-living.  Consumerreports.org recommends Chicco Keyfit and Chicco Keyfit 30, which both received Excellent or Very Good ratings for various safety features and ease-of-use and come as part of a travel system.
Room
  • Crib
  • Waterproof Crib Mattress
    • Mom Advice: You should not be able to fit more than two fingers between the mattress and your crib sides as your baby can be trapped if there is too much space.
  • Fitted Crib Sheets
    • Mom Advice: Make sure you have at least two sets because they'll get dirty often.
    • Eco-Advice: Lots of great organic options for crib sheets.
  • Storage for Baby Clothes & Gear (Dresser)
    • Eco-Advice:  It took our new tiny master bedroom for us to realize that if we got rid of some clothes we don't use, the baby can just use our second dresser.  That'll save us between $250-$500.
  • Receiving Blankets (see Hospital section) - 3
  • Baby Monitor
    • Mom Advice: You don't need one of these if you can hear your baby crying from all over the house.  [I won't be getting one.]
  • Colorful Mobile
    • Mom Advice: This is also a luxury item, but a colorful one can provide something stimulating for your baby to look at.
      Habitat Musical Mobile
  • Rocking Chair

 Clothes

Since babies grow so fast, the "stages" refered to here are 1) 0-3 months, 2) 3-6 months, 3) 6-9 months, and 4) 9-12 months.  Eco-Advice: I'd like to make a blanket plug for organic gear and second-hand items.  There is some question as to whether the fire-retardant chemicals used in some lines of baby clothing causes cancer, thyroid, nervous, and reproductive system damage.  If you buy pre-used clothing, washing the item several times has usually removed the chemical treatments, so you save money and can feel better about what you're putting on your child!
  • Pajamas/Sleepers - 3 to 6 per stage
    • Mom Advice: Get ones with feet (a.k.a. "barbaloot suits" as my dad called them when I was growing up), so you don't have to deal with socks.
  • Onesies - 3 to 6 per stage
    Hudson Baby Organic Bodysuit - Peanut Ecru - 6-9 Months
  • Socks - 2 per stage
  • Sleep Sack
    • Mom Advice: Unnecessary, you can do the same thing with a swaddling blanket.
  • Sweaters
  • Snow Suit/Jacket
    • Mom Advice: Sometimes the extra layers don't allow the carseat harness to fit correctly.  Another option for winter would be to get a carseat cover like this one.
  • Warm Hat
    • Interesting Fact: In Africa, almost all little babies had a knit stocking cap on their heads, even on the hottest days.  I think it was to protect them from being sunburnt!
  • Swim Suit / Sun Hat / Sunglasses
    • Mom Advice: Make sure the suit is large enough to fit over a swim diaper.
Diapers
  • Cloth Diapers - 36
    • Mom Advice: This will have you doing laundry every three days or so.  My father-in-law thinks you'll want to do it sooner than that because of the smell!
  • Diaper Covers (if not using all-in-ones)
  • Dirty Diaper Pails
    • Mom Advice: I originally thought I'd need two of these, but got some good advice from the moms on the BabyCenter Cloth Diaper forum.  Most of them use only one container: a normal garbage can with a locked top.  They also mentioned these PlanetWise pail liners, which are easy to wash with the diapers.
  • Wet Bag - Used for cloth diapering on-the-go
  • Diaper Wipes (see Hospital section for a link to organic, reusable ones)
  • Petroleum Jelly or A+D Ointment
  • Diaper Rash with Zinc Oxide
    • Mom Advice: This is most-used.
Health
  • Thermometer
    • Mom Advice: The hospital usually gives you one.
  • Bulb Syringe
    • Mom Advice: The hospital usually gives you one.
  • Plastic Infant Tub
    Fisher-Price Precious Planet Whale of a Tub
    • Mom/Eco-Advice: I just used the sink until the baby was big enough to sit up in the tub.
  • Inflatable Baby Tub
    • Mom/Eco-Advice: No need for this as you'll be holding onto your baby in the big bathtub anyway.
  • Baby Nail Clippers
    • Mom Advice: Sometimes the hospital will give you one.
    • Eco-Advice: Scissors will also work.
  • Baby Shampoo & Soap
  • Washclothes
    • Eco-Advice: You probably have enough of these already, there's no need for special baby ones.
  • Bath Toys - After 6 Months 
    • Eco-Advice: I've heard safe household items, like tupperware can be just as exciting as specially-made yellow submarine. 
Travel

Chicco Cortina KeyFit 30 Travel System in Adventure

  • Carseat (see Hospital section)
  • Stroller
  • Front Carrier (until baby can hold up her head)
  • Back Carrier - At around 6 months
    • Mom Advice: Go shopping for this with the baby so you can find one that's comfortable for both of you.
    • Eco-Advice: I think these carriers are going to be an important first step in introducing my kids to one of my favorite nature activities - hiking!!
  • Portable Crib
    • Eco-Advice: I'm a sucker for anything that promises to allow me to travel with my baby more easily.  I'm not sure if this is absolutely necessary yet as a lot of hotels will provide cribs if you request them.
Nursing
  •  Breast Pads
  • Lanolin Cream
  • Cloth Diapers or Burp Cloths - 12
  • Bottles
    • Eco-Advice: Most bottles are now BPA-free, but there are other substances recently discovered to cause cancer still found in baby bottles.  While there are plenty of plastic bottles that are made without these substances, I'm left wondering what are they going to find next?  So, I decided to go with glass bottles - a little heavier, but worth the peace of mind.  Most glass baby bottles come with a protective plastic coating to help prevent breaks if they are dropped.
  • Freezer Bags

Feeding
  • High Chair 
    • Mom Advice: Get one that sits on top of a regular chair to save space.
    • Eco-Advice: They still sell wooden high chairs, which is far more biodegradable than the popular plastic ones.
  • Food Processor
    • Mom Advice: A cheaper, more portable alternative is a food mill like this one.
    • Eco-Advice: I plan to make all of my baby foods myself, preferably from organic/natural ingredients.
  • Baby Spoons - 2
  • Plastic Baby Bowls - 4-6
    • Mom/Eco-Advice: We just used our regular bowls.
  • Sippy Cups
    • Eco-Advice: Again, you definitely need BPA-free cups here.
  • Bibs

Toys

Now this is an interesting subject! I've been to plenty of moms' houses covered in plastic kid toys and have vowed never to let that become my house!

One of the best ideas I've heard of is http://mybabyplays.com/.  It's like Netflix, but for children's toys.  You pay a monthly membership fee and get toys sent to your home.  You return them when you're done and if your kids gets attached, there's a way to buy the toy and keep it.  I think it's brilliant since you're sharing toys with other kids and you never get stuck with too many toys your child is no longer interested in sitting around your house.

 If you're less worried about clutter and more worried about the sustainability/safety of the toys, there seem to be a lot of organic/sustainable options out there, just search for them.  I, for one, am a big fan of these organic fruits and vegetables - could playing with your healthy food make you more likely to want to eat it??

Sunday, May 23, 2010

The Infamous Baby Checklist - Printable Version

I've just moved twice within two weeks (once from Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota to our home base of Rochester, MN and again from Rochester to Larned, KS, the new home base)!  Moving your entire life is a great way to make you realize what possessions you really need and was the perfect thing for us to do before starting the bulk of our baby shopping.  I've got exactly three months left before the baby is scheduled to arrive and all we have are the gifts people have given us - mostly clothes and blankets.  I've pulled together a list (mother-approved!) from different sources of the things we'll need for the new baby.

Today's entry is just the checklist - in case you want to print it off.  Next week's entry will be infused with the great info I got from moms and ideas for going green.

Since I'm not an experienced mom I could use some help!!  If you have opinions on what should be on this list or what you can definitely live without, write me a comment or send me an email: ecokidblog@gmail.com.

Start With What You Don't Need

As an eco-conscious mom who does NOT want to move a ton of useless junk the next time we uproot, I feel like sometimes it's more about what I don't need versus what I do need.  I know I don't want a bunch of useless toys and gadgets lying around, especially if they are made of plastics or require my child to be indoors for long periods of time.  I like this list from VegFamily.com entitled 10 Things You Don't Need When you Have a Baby.  Things like a vibrating infant seat, baby lotion, and a changing table are on that list.  I would also add a plethora of toys that make noise - I think that will just drive us crazy!  With that info in mind, I've created my own list of this things I do think I need.

What You Do Need

I found a great list on a BabyCenter Forum Post.  I apologize I couldn't find the source, but the list is broken into categories and is what I started with when creating my own list.

My Favorite List

If that's not what you're looking for, there are literally hundreds of lists out there, so google can be your friend (or enemy).  For a more inclusive/specific set of lists, visit this BabyCenter article: Gear for the First Year

My List

I started with "My Favorite List" above, deleted/added a few things, and got some opinions from my personal mothering expert: my mom (and later another friend of mine whose daughter is now two).  To my mom, this list was and still is gigantic. Apparently when I was born I only had a bassinet and some clothes.  In her words "babies don't need much".  I agree and am trying to remember that when our capitalistic society comes knocking on my door.

Below is the printable list without Mom & Eco-Advice added in.

Click here for the same list with advice!

Hospital
  • Outfit/socks
  • Receiving Blanket
  • Diapers & Wipes / Diaper Bag
  • Carseat
Room
  • Crib
  • Waterproof Crib Mattress
  • Fitted Crib Sheets
  • Storage for Baby Clothes & Gear (Dresser)
  • Receiving Blankets (see Hospital section) - 3
  • Baby Monitor
  • Colorful Mobile
  • Rocking Chair
 Clothes
  • Pajamas/Sleepers - 3 to 6 per stage
  • Onesies - 3 to 6 per stage
  • Socks - 2 per stage
  • Sleep Sack
  • Sweaters
  • Snow Suit/Jacket
  • Warm Hat
  • Swim Suit / Sun Hat / Sunglasses
Diapers
  • Cloth Diapers - 36
  • Diaper Covers (if not using all-in-ones)
  • Dirty Diaper Pails - 2 (one for liquids, one for solids)
  • Wet Bag - Used for cloth diapering on-the-go
  • Diaper Wipes
  • Petroleum Jelly or A+D Ointment
  • Diaper Rash with Zinc Oxide
Health
  • Thermometer
  • Bulb Syringe
  • Plastic Infant Tub
  • Inflatable Baby Tub
  • Baby Nail Clippers
  • Baby Shampoo & Soap
  • Washclothes
  • Bath Toys - After 6 Months 
Travel
  • Carseat (see Hospital section)
  • Stroller
  • Front Carrier (until baby can hold up her head)
  • Back Carrier - At around 6 months
  • Portable Crib
Nursing
  •  Breast Pads
  • Lanolin Cream
  • Cloth Diapers or Burp Cloths - 12
  • Bottles
  • Freezer Bags
Feeding
  • High Chair 
  • Food Processor
  • Baby Spoons - 2
  • Plastic Baby Bowls - 4-6
  • Sippy Cups
  • Bibs
Toys


        Monday, May 17, 2010

        Avoid Pesticides & ADHD at the Farmer's Market

        I have my own unscientific theories of where the spike in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) comes from (too much TV and not enough nature!), but here's one with some actual scientific backing that showed up today on www.msnbc.com:

        Pesticides in Kids Linked to ADHD

        You know how I feel about natural foods if you read this post from April on the natural food movement.  In my favorite book, In Defense of Food, Micheal Pollan points out that pesticides are really nothing more than poisons.  Poisons, we hope, that only affect insects, but poisons none-the-less.

        The article's main take-away for parents is to "buy organic as much as possible".  I'm finding this is easier to do all the time.  Most grocery stores carry some organic products, especially milk and eggs, and there are lots of organic specialty stores like Whole Foods where you can get some fantastic things. 

        However, why not get your organic food locally from your Farmer's Market?  I think Farmer's Markets are the BEST places to find a variety of organic products.   It's not only less expensive in many cases, but when you cut down on how far your food travels, you get fresher, more nutritious food served with a personal touch as well!

        Check your local community website for information on Farmer's Markets near you or you can search on sites like localharvest.org who list farmer's markets and co-ops all over the country. 

        ...And for heaven's sake, if you are anywhere near Madison, WI on a summer Saturday morning, get yourself to Capital Square for the best Farmer's Market in the country.  (Then go have some Babcock Hall Ice Cream - or your freshly-picked fruits and veggies - on the Memorial Union Terrace and enjoy the view.)


        Madison, WI / Photo Credits: thrivehere.org

        Sunday, May 9, 2010

        The Cloth Diaper - Types & Tips

        I wished I had found a good cloth diaper introduction online, because I spent days wandering the web looking for something that would just explain the basics already.  As I mentioned in the last diaper blog, I didn't find what I was looking for until I ordered a free DVD from The Diaper Ladies of Canada.  They go over the different types, have demos, and discuss the pros & cons of each.  Again, I have never used and don't endorse the product they are ultimately selling, but if you look past the pitch, this is a great place to start.

        I also just discovered this Diaper Jungle Page, which offers a lot of great beginner advice on acronyms, washing, cloth diaper folding, etc!

        Cloth Diaper Types

        From what I can tell, there are two basic types of cloth diapers:
        1. Separate Shell + Inner Absorbent Layer - An inner cloth layer that does the heavy-lifting, with an outer, waterproof layer that can slip on over your more traditional cloth diapers
        2. All-in-ones - What it sounds like - a combined waterproof shell with inner cloth layers
        For each of these types, there are one-size-fits-all or sizes that grow with your kids.  The nice thing about all of them are that there are plenty of organic options available at reasonable prices and you know you're not constantly throwing something out that will stick around for generations.

        Absorbent Cloth Layer Types

        Flat - This is what you probably think of when you think of cloth diapers: the square piece of fabric folded to fit your baby and secured with safety pins.

         Photo Credits: clothdiaper.com

        Prefolds - Like flat diapers, but with extra layering in the center.  I think this diagram on how to create your own prefolds from Handmade-Adelaide-Baby, illustrates the difference best:


        Contoured - Like prefolds, but shaped to "contour" to the shape of your baby.
        Photo Credits: diaperjunction.com

        Fitted - Like contoured, but with elastic around the edges to help it cling to your baby.
        Photo Credit: greenbabyguide.com

        Outer, Waterproof Shell

        All four of the above diaper types need an outer, waterproof layer.  You can get them with velcro, snaps, and in a variety of materials including plastic, nylon, wool, fleece, and polyester.

        Photo Credit: wildflowerdiapers.com

        The nice thing about the shell-inner-fabric-layer-combo is that, while you'll probably want 24-36 inner layers, if the shell is not soiled, you can wipe it off and use it a few times before you need to wash it.  That cuts down on laundry and washing expenses.  Most of the time they are less bulky than the all-in-ones as well.  Unfortunately, some daycare centers don't like to deal with these, so you'll have to check whether your child care provider will use them.

        All-In-Ones

        Just like it sounds, these diapers include the shell and inner layer.  There are two basic types of these:

        Attached Inner Layer - Shell with its inner layer(s) sewn in.
        Photo Credits: clothdiapercentral.com

        Pocket Diapers - Cloth diapers with an inner pocket where you can add the absorbent or an extra absorbent layer.
        Photo Credit: thanksmama.com

        It seems many moms find these more convenient and some daycare centers that don't accept the shell+inner layer diapers, will use these.  However, you do end up washing the whole diaper every time and some people find stuffing the pocket diapers annoying.

        Hybrids

        You'll also see hybrid cloth/conventional diapers on the market.  These are usually reusable outer shells, with disposable inner layers.  Might be a good compromise if you aren't quite sold on cloth or for when you're traveling.  Since you're still throwing away half of the diaper each time, I didn't consider these types of diapers while shopping around.

        General Tips

        Regardless of the type you choose, I'm told that it's best to add another insert (smaller piece of cloth/fleece or another diaper) for overnight use (lots of moms just cut up some absorbent fabric for this to save money).  I hear a lot of parents say they prefer diapers with snaps instead of velcro for two reasons: velcro can wear out eventually and older children are able to get velcro diapers off more easily.

        Whatever style you find works best, there's an organic cloth equivalent for it!
        Search Amazon.com for organic cloth diapers

        You also have the option to make cloth diapers yourself, further increasing your savings and, if you can find locally-made fabrics, decreasing your diapers' carbon footprints!

        What I'll Try

        From countless hours reading cloth diaper information on sites and forums like this one on BabyCenter, I've decided I need to try out a few brands and styles to figure out what works best for me before buying my entire stock.  In the end, I plan to get at least 36 cloth diapers, which should have me doing full loads of laundry once every three days.

        I'm really sold on the shell+inner layer idea.  I love the fact that you're not washing the entire diaper each time and also the flexibility it gives me to choose my inner layer style.  I also like the idea of the adjustable one-size-fits-all diaper, which I believe will save me some money as my child grows.

        Here are the brands I decided to try.  Let me preface this by saying, since I haven't used these yet, I can't endorse them, but I will be sure to write a review on each one once I've had enough experience with them.

        Gro Baby Shell Set - Gro Baby sells combinations of one organic shell and two organic soakers (one pad and one booster for overnight) that snap into the shell to stay in place.  It's one-size fits all.  I plan to start out with two of the shell/soaker sets to see how well they work.

        Flip with Stay Dry Insert - BumGenius just came out with a new organic shell+inner layer set like Gro Baby called Flip.  I also plan to buy a couple of these to try them out.






        Note that for Gro Baby and Flip, you don't have to use the soakers they come with.  I plan to get a few organic prefolds to cheaply increase my diaper stash.

        Thirsties Diaper Cover - Thirsties is a brand of waterproof cover that is not one-size-fits-all and doesn't come as part of a diaper system.  You buy whatever inner layer you like and can use that with it.  I also plan to get a couple of their smaller sizes to try out right away.






        bumGenius One-Size Cloth Diaper - BumGenius sells an all-in-one diaper system that online reviews seem to rave about.  It is one-size-fits all and uses the pocket technique for extra absorbency.  While I'm not sold yet on all-in-ones, I decided to try a couple of these simply because the reviews are so good.

        I'm excited about the prospect of cloth diapering and think it'll be well-worth my extra time.  Can't wait to try these out (ok, maybe I can...).