Green Treehouse

Ever thought, there’s no way I’m using cloth diapers? Well, the bumGenius Organic One Size Cloth Diaper might change your tune.

Move over sposies. The award winning bumGenius One Size Cloth Diaper design is now available in organic! It’s a totally easy to use design. Perfect for use by cloth newbies and die hard, experienced cloth diapering fans. the bumGenius “no-stuff” design offers stretch tabs for a perfect fit, along with simple hook and loop fasteners. Use it like you would a disposable diaper–but with the environmental bonus of reuse, over and over again. There’s no need for a waterproof cover. The absorbent layer is completely integrated into a waterproof outer layer. The bumGenius design is so brilliant, you’ll probably have to remind yourself that it’s cloth!

Oh, if you’re looking for the perfect baby shower gift…this is it! New moms will love putting this diaper on their newborns.

Your mommy friends heard about a report that says to ditch your plastic sippy cups. Your mom heard about a study that said limited exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) is just fine. Your neighbor cautions that the studies giving BPA the green light were funded by industry trade groups, who may have been seeing $$$ over health. Slightly unnerving, don’t you think?

Who, and what studies, are you supposed to believe? After all, the word on the street is that BPA is bad stuff–linked to breast and prostate cancer, among other health problems.

According to today’s front page of the Washington Post, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says that it deemed BPA, the compound that has been found in plastic baby bottles, sippy cups, and other products, safe after relying on research backed by the American Plastics Council (a trade group). The big concern is that the chemical industry may have influenced that research to achieve desired results–i.e. approval for use in plastic. For example, the chemical industry has funded scientists to advise the government about the safety of chemical compounds. Sound vaguely similar to the Tobacco Industry? That’s part of the reason the plastic safety debate is turning heads.

In case you’re wondering, Bisphenol A is not new. It was first synthesized by chemists in 1891. Scientists have known that it’s an artificial estrogen since the 1930s, but DES–the estrogen yanked in the 1970s which was linked to reproductive cancers–stole the limelight. Bisphenol A was grandfathered as a presumed safe chemical compound by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1976. In 1993, the EPA set a BPA high-dose safety standard. In 1997, the first published university study found cancer links to low-level BPA exposure. In 1999, Consumer Reports discovered that BPA leaches from heated baby bottles. Between 2003-2006, BPA was found safe by an expert advisory panel, after relying on the findings of contractor, Sciences International. In 2007, Congress launched an investigation–after learning that the contractor involved also performed work for BPA manufacturers. The investigation into plastic and safety debate is now on…. Click here to see the full 117 Year BPA Washington Post summary.

Now the hard part, you get to make up your own mind.

Related Posts
Big Box Retailer Plans to Yank Plastic Bottles, Sippy Cups
Look Out Mom and Dad: If Others are Green Diapering, So Can You!

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On Earth Day 2008, baby-Wise officially relaunched as BabyEarth! BabyEarth offers one of the largest selections of baby products on the planet. BabyEarth is the only site you need to visit for everything baby. Plus, the site is eye candy–filled with beautiful images and thoughtful descriptions for new and expecting parents. Check it out here.

I had my eye on a drop-dead gorgeous moses basket when I was pregnant with my first child.  The bedding was beautiful and the basket appeared rugged.  Did I buy it?  No.  Why not?  Because a shopping companion convincingly explained that it wouldn’t be worth the expense.  The baby would outgrow it too quickly.  It would take up too much space.  I’d never use it.  Who was I to disagree? What did I know about babies and their preferences?  This companion had already birthed several babies.  I hadn’t even seen the inside of a labor and delivery room.

By the time baby #2 arrived, I still had my eye on that moses basket.  But my friend’s words still stuck with me.  Sure, I had baby experience now and could see the practical value of a moses basket, but I again resisted purchasing one, even though I really wanted one.  When baby #3 was on the way, I decided it was now or never.

I spent hours researching the ”perfect” basket.  I agonized over the decision, comparing thread count and cushion thickness.  It’s a tough choice after all, especially when you’re faced with cool designs by manufacturers like Hoohobbers and affordable, quality baskets by Badger Baskets.  Speaking of Hoohobbers, that company’s award winning baby products and moses baskets can’t be beat–the bedding patterns are trendy and you can actually wash the duvet designed bedding without losing beauty in the wash.

Those hours of research paid off.  I ended up putting my baby in that moses basket everyday.  It came in especially handy when I wanted a shower.  I would haul the lightweight basket into the bathroom, putting it and baby on the floor beside the shower–talk about a relaxing experience for both mom and baby.  I only wish that I had used a moses basket with my other babies! 

As far as baby gear goes, I’d rank a moses basket in the top ten of cool baby items.  Sure, maybe you don’t *need* one in the way you *need* diapers or milk, but having a moses basket is a real treat–think icing on the cake.  Just think, having one allows you to create a mini nursery wherever you happen to be in the house.  And, don’t forget, once baby outgrows the basket, you can get further mileage out of the basket by converting it into a handy toy or blanket storage basket.