Green Treehouse

Experts are again reminding parents to kiss, cuddle and talk to their babies. Why? Because research shows that babies who receive physical affection and opportunities to explore their environment are more likely to fully develop brain connections needed for learning.

While it may seem obvious to love, talk, sing and read to babies, one expert suggests that not all parents realize “how much interaction infants need with adults for brain development,” and adds:

Lots of young parents today have little support or knowledge about kids, their extended family is not around to give advice, they’ve had no experience with children, and babies don’t come with an instruction manual.

Snuggles, affection generally, and quality of time with baby are incredibly important to development, even when babies can’t yet read or speak. Check out these Green Treehouse fabulous Mom/Dad-Baby Time finds:

1. Baby Einstein Chunky Board Books.

2. Bathtime Squirt Toys, like Sassy’s Snap and Squirt Sea Creatures.

3. Puzzles, like Melissa & Doug’s Jumbo Knob First Puzzle.

If you’re pregnant, there’s a good chance you’ll be hit by the nesting instinct sometime over the next 9 1/2 months–maybe very early in your pregnancy, somewhere in the middle, or hours before you go into labor.


The nesting instinct refers to the impulsive-like urge to clean and organize when you’re expecting. If you’re pregnant and you find yourself cleaning like mad at one o’clock in the morning, it’s probably safe to say you’re nesting–well, unless maybe your in-laws are scheduled to arrive in a few hours! But even if the instinct never officially kicks in, you’ll probably find yourself prepping for baby, even if it doesn’t involve scrubbing underneath your refrigerator produce bins.

How to ‘Nest’ Green Room-by-Room Guide

If you’re looking for tips on How to ‘Nest’ Green, stay tuned. In the coming days, The Green Treehouse plans to bring you the How to ‘Nest’ Green Room-by-Room Guide. By the end of the series, you’ll have your very own Green (minus the tree) House ready for baby!

Oh, for an organizational heads up…check out this cool Sippy Cup Valve Organizer by Prince Lionheart:

Here’s yet another cool reason to love eco-friendly baby retailer BabyEarth (not that you needed another one!): Inc. Magazine ranks BabyEarth among the fastest growing companies in Texas and lists the company on its 5000 list as among the fastest growing companies in the United States.

Now, how cool is that news? Way to go BabyEarth! And, way to go moms, dads, aunties, uncles, friends, and grandmas, too, for making eco-conscious lifestyle and parenting decisions! Your little ones and their someday little ones will thank you.

September 17, 2008: The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (”CPSC”) has announced a voluntary recall of about 600,000 Simplicity Brand Drop Side Cribs due to entrapment and suffocation hazard. Consumers are advised to immediately discontinue use, since “Due to sizing problems with the crib’s hardware, the drop side can come off the tracks. When the drop side detaches or partially detaches, it creates a hazardous gap, which can lead to infant entrapment and suffocation.” According to CPSC:

The recalled model numbers include: 8620, 8745, 8748, 8755, 8756, 8778, 8810, and 8994. The recalled drop side cribs have a date code, which can be found on a label on the headboard under the mattress support, which ends in 05DH, 05GB, 06DH, 06GB, 07DH or 07GB (examples: 1806 DH or 0507 GB). The recalled model names include: Aspen and Crib N Changer Combo, Gabrielle, Camille, Providence and Shenandoah. Only the brand name “Simplicity” can be seen on the label on the headboard.

The cribs were sold from January 2005 through August 2008 in department stores, children’s stores and mass merchandisers nationwide.

To learn more about the recall or to determine whether your crib is involved in this recall, click here.

A new study which appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association finds that “people with high amounts of bisphenol A in their urine were more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with diabetes or heart disease.”

These health findings add to emerging worries about bisphenol A (BPA), the chemical which is found in plastics including baby bottles, food storage containers and polycarbonate water bottles. Recent studies have suggested links between BPA exposure and effects on brain development and behavior.

Baby product manufacturers, such as BornFree, have begun to produce BPA Free Products. Parents concerned about bisphenol A exposure can minimize plastic risks by opting for products marked “BPA Free” and by avoiding microwaving plastic food containers or washing them with harsh detergents.

To read more about BPA and the new study, click here.

Binky. Nuk. Ninny. Fussplug. Chewy. Soothie. Mute Button. These are only a few of the many pet names parents and children attach to pacifiers. But these days eco-conscious parents aren’t just trying to figure out what nicknames to call their pacifiers, they’re trying to figure out which pacifiers are BPA and Phthalate free. In other words, they want to know which pacifiers are safe?

While there are a number of pacifiers on the market that fit the BPA and Phthalate free bill, here are three parent approved picks.

1. Hawaii Medical GumDrop Pacifier.

2. NUK Classic Pacifier.

3. The First Years Soothie Pacifier.

September 11, 2008: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (”FDA”) has issued a warning that parents avoid all infant formula from China due to possible contamination. According to one news source:

The Food and Drug Administration urged U.S. consumers to avoid all infant formula from China, after several brands sold in that country came under suspicion of being contaminated with melamine, a chemical used in plastics. Officials said there have been reports from China of babies developing serious kidney problems as a result.

According to the FDA, “All U.S. brands of infant formula are safe.”

The full story is available here.

Two things happened recently that reminded me that life really does go by in a blink of an eye: (1) I sent my first born baby off to kindergarten; and (2) I discovered that Cabbage Patch Kids has released 25th Anniversary Limited Edition Kids, which are replicas of the original dolls.

I vividly remember the day I got Dottie, an original CPK back in 1983. I wasn’t that much older than my kindergartener is now. Dottie is still around–somewhere in storage–but she remains a very special part of me and my childhood memories. In the spirit of time and childhood memories, one of those yarn headed, dimpled cheek 25th Anniversary Kids has made a new friend–my kindergartener.

Wow. Where did time go? Who would have thought that 25 years later, I’d have a real kid of my own. When it comes to babies, motherhood and the environment, who would have thought in 1983 that…

* Smart Cars would be popping up around the United States twenty five years later;
* Parents would be concerned about the safety of baby bottle plastics in 2008;
* Michael and Jennifer, 1983’s top baby names according to the SSA, would years later be replaced by Jacob and Emily;
* Cloth Diapering could be easy, thanks to companies like bumGenius, which by the way, also makes a totally cool, tell-all-your-friends Diaper Sprayer!
* New and seasoned parents would be shopping online for baby essentials and reading blogs!

Invited to a baby shower with an eco-baby theme? Well, maybe you already have plans to wrap your shower gift in recycled paper or in reusable grocery bags tied with raffia, but you just need the gift.

Here are five great, mom approved eco-friendly baby shower gift picks:

1. bumGenius 3.0 Cloth Diaper. It’s like using a disposable–except you don’t trash this one!

2. Ergo Baby Carrier. This is the ultimate on-the-go carrier–perfect for moms interested in the idea of attachment parenting.

3. Healthy Child Healthy World. A must read for parents interested in raising a green baby!

4. Haba’s Bonita Clutching Toy. Haba loves babies and babies love Haba!

5. Under the Nile Swaddle Blankets. Yummy soft!

The secret is out. And that’s a great thing! Thanks to moms and dads across the country, including Texan parents, word is spreading fast. BabyEarth has one of the largest selections of eco-friendly baby products on the market. Click here to see BabyEarth in the news.

BabyEarth makes it easy to raise a green baby. BabyEarth offers a huge selection of cloth diapers, eco-friendly baby bath products, and organic bedding, like eco-friendly crib mattresses. From leading brands like bumGenius to Stokke, BabyEarth has the green baby essentials parents want!

Click here to check out BabyEarth online. And, if you happen to find yourself in Central Texas, please stop by and say hello at the BabyEarth Retail Store.