It's holiday gift season and if you're like me, it can be hard to think of creative gift ideas for a new mom, baby or toddler. The parents may not want to ask for things that they actually need for the baby and the baby may not need too much right now. The first few years of gift giving may seem impossible, but they are actually quite easy since the baby (or toddler) hasn't started asking for things yet. This post is sponsored by the Florida Prepaid College Board, through my role as a Believer Blogger. 10 Gift Ideas for a New Mom, Baby, or Toddler Florida Prepaid College Plan - Give the greatest gift you can provide to any child, the gift of education. A baby doesn't need much in the first few years, but they will be very grateful for this gift for years to come.You can start a college savings plan as soon as your child is born or anytime before they start college. The earlier you start, the less you’ll have to invest each month. Plans start as low as $46 a month. Open ... [ Read More ]
Congratulations, it’s a…brand new Thirsties Newborn All-In-One
Sponsored by Thirsties Warning: Your ovaries may burst after reading this post. I am not responsible for any babies born 9 months from now. BONUS: Keep scrolling down to enter to win a 2 pack of the Thirsties Newborn AIO cloth diapers. Don't say that I didn't warn you! I mean, just look at those tiny little toes. Can't you just smell the new baby smell? Ok, focus...and try to convince yourself that you don't want another newborn. ...but if you are pregnant, expecting, or planning on having a newborn anytime soon, Thirsties has a brand new diaper just for you! When Thirsties released their new one-size all-in-one last year, people were concerned that they would no longer have a small newborn option. The OS AIO begins fitting around 8-10 lbs but one-size diapers tend to be bulky on newborns. That was one of the features that I truly loved about the Duo AIO (now retired), was that the Size 1 would fit those small newborns. Problem solved! About the Newborn ... [ Read More ]
Ecocentric Mom & Baby Discovery Box
Have I mentioned how much I love my monthly subscription box from ecocentric mom? Each month I get a little box full of eco-friendly goodies for me (and sometimes a few to share with friends, family, and the kids). For August I decided to try something different, instead of the mom box I got the mom & baby discovery box. I have a few friends who are pregnant and the little baby items will make cute gifts. Some of my favorite goodies from the August box include: gao. A natural wooden fish teether from Liku Gao on Etsy. Nature's Baby Organics. Shampoo, Body Wash, Conditioner, Detangler, and aromatherapy calming spray. The light scents of vanilla tangerine and lovely lavender are so sweet and calming. Rubbabu Natural Rubber Foam Toys. I'm actually considering keeping these as stress relief balls for myself. Did you know that Rubbabu is the World's only rubber foam toy maker? Truebar by Bakery on Main. The ecocentric mom box would not be complete ... [ Read More ]
The Pros and Cons of Strollers at Disney (or any place really)
Strollers! I actually listed strollers as one of the 10 things you can leave off your baby registry and got a bunch of feedback from my readers. Some of you agreed with me while others disagreed. I wanted to take a few minutes and talk about strollers and some of the pros and cons of using them at Disney or anyplace you are traveling to during your day. My family has never been a big stroller family. We don't live in a town where we can walk to the town. The only place I could walk to would be around the neighborhood - not really all that exciting. We're not big shoppers or mall rats. We did have a stroller that we got when my first was born but it sat in the garage for almost 10 years and was only used about 10-20 times over those 10 years. When my kids were little we tried to travel with the stroller and we did venture to the mall a few times. We quickly learned that the big stroller was not right - for us! We did however use our cheap umbrella strollers (we ... [ Read More ]
10 Things You Can Leave Off Your Baby Registry
I have a few friends who are pregnant and I'm trying really hard not to be too pushy on what they buy for their babies. I was looking over the baby gift registry for one of the girls at BabiesRUs and attempted to give her my recommendations (again, without being pushy). After glancing at the must-have list that BabiesRUs provides new parents I decided it was time to make my own list of must-NOT baby registry items. 10 Things You Can Leave OFF Your Baby Registry Disposable diapers. What? Don't babies need diapers? Yes, but did you know that disposable diapers are full of toxins and chemicals? Your baby is going to be in diapers almost 24 hrs a day for the first 2-4 years of their life. Modern cloth diapers have come a long way since we were kids. They come in fun colors and prints and are just as easy to use as disposable diapers. What about the poop? As a parent I promise you that you will touch poop - even with disposable diapers. Put the poop where it belongs - ... [ Read More ]
RSVP for #MyGreenBaby Twitter Party – 9/27
When: Thursday, September 27th (9/27/12) Time: 9-10pm ET Hashtag: #MyGreenBaby Hosts: @TheEcoChic and @EFFBlog Sponsors: @SacredPregnancy, @ProjectPomona, @GreenTeamDist, @DolphinOrganics, @EarthMamaHQ, @WildOrchidBaby, @TushieTies, and perhaps a few more! Need some tips on how to use TweetChat or TweetGrid for Twitter Parties? Note: Twitter has decreased the API to outside applications (like TweetChat and TweetGrid) which means you may find yourself in Twitter Jail quicker than usual. If this happens during a party you won’t be able to use your account for about an hour (or more). If this happens to me be sure to follow @EcoChicParties (my backup acct). How to avoid Twitter Jail? If you use Twitter without an external application your API is larger allowing you to Tweet longer. To do that put in #mygreenbaby in the search bar and keep refreshing your page. Not nearly as easy but it’s always an option. Prizes: Lots of eco-friendly baby, toddler ... [ Read More ]
#SummerFluff Twitter Party – 6/19
Join us as we welcome the official start of summer by sharing our tips on how to go green with your family this summer. We'll be covering our favorite topics including cloth diapering, natural laundry tips, safe skin care, sun safety, and more. Of course we'll have lots of door prizes and tons of fun! When: Tuesday, June 19th @ 9-10pm ET Hashtag: #SummerFluff Host: @TheEcoChic TweetGrid TweetChat Co-Hosts: @AutumnBeck, @TheCDReport, @BabyDickey, @BabyRabies, @KellyWels, @KimRosas, @ChgDiapers, @ClothDiaperNews, @PaddedTushStats, and @EFFBlog Sponsors: @DiaperShops, @EcoStoreUSA, @EarthMamaHQ, @MollysSuds, @ProjectPomona, @RockinGreenSoap, @ThirstiesInc, @GENYdiapers, @EcoNuts, and @ThincTHEBalm. Prizes: All of the prizes are listed on the Rafflecopter below. Winners will be selected at random from all registered guests who have tweeted at least once during the party with the #summerfluff hashtag. Please watch @EFFBlog for the announcement of the winners. ... [ Read More ]
5 Ways to Use Baking Soda for Babies
Many parents don't start looking for environmentally friendly options in their lives until after they have babies. We want only the most natural of items to touch those precious little babies and all of their baby parts. We clean their clothes in gentle detergent. We wash their skin in sensitive soaps. We put the softest diapers on their little bums. Here are a few ways you can use that little yellow box of Baking Soda - for your baby! 5 Ways to Use Baking Soda for Babies Stain remover - add 1/2 cup of baking soda with your favorite detergent to remove those pesky baby stains (like spit up on your favorite shirt or brand new onesie). Clean toys - make a solution of 1 part baking soda to 4 parts water and rub down your favorite baby toys. Follow with a quick rinse and their toys will be squeaky clean. Diaper pail stinkies? Sprinkle a little bit of baking soda in your diaper pail or wet bag to help keep the odors away. This trick works for both disposable and cloth ... [ Read More ]
Plum Organics Super Puffs Can Tame Tantrums
Every afternoon when my daughter gets home from day care she's incredibly hungry and crabby! She just turned two and just started day care so we're still trying to find our afternoon groove. The tantrums can be extreme but I've found that if I offer her a snack while I finish preparing dinner she'll calm down. We received a sample of the new Plum Organics Super Puffs and I was happy that she was still interested in this type of 'baby' food. She's always been a Plum Baby and Plum Tot fan and loves their Mish Mash pouches - she'll drink them 2-3 times a day if I let her. What's so special about the Super Puffs? they are USDA organic ingredients they are made with whole grains they are made with cane syrups there are NO HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) in the ingredients As a mom I can feel good about giving my kids a handful of Super Puffs without feeling the guilt associated with other snacks. They come in 5 vibrant flavors and color combination. Their tag line ... [ Read More ]
Another Cloth Diaper Convert
Last week I attended a double baby shower for two ladies that I met at church. They've heard me go on and on about how cute, how easy, and how much better cloth diapers are - but they still haven't made the commitment. I try not to guilt someone into trying cloth diapers but rather debunk the myths that exist about using cloth diapers to help better educate parents. I have a few friends with babies that still use disposables and I don't make them feel bad about their decision. I'm always showing off Lil' B's fluffy bum in hopes that they will give up their disposable addiction and join me in my mad addiction passion. Now you'd think that the perfect baby shower gift would be a cute new cloth diaper, right? Since cloth diapers are not a cheap investment (I try to stay around the $15-20 range) I don't buy cloth diapers for people who haven't made the commitment. I would be upset to see fluff sitting on a shelf NOT being used because a parent was scared to try them. Instead ... [ Read More ]