My Summertime Favs

Well I promised a write up on all the new fun stuff we've been trying out and though these are not all specifically summer related, we just happened to be giving them a try this season.

For the Baby...
My favorite eco-friendly diaper (with the exception of the 2 cloth swim diapers we own) would have to be the Honest Company's.  I had a sample and loved them.  But we won't subscribe because they are really pricy, even with the wipes.

The runner up is Nature Babycare.  They are so soft and cloth-like and provide more coverage than the 7th Gen dipes, however there were 2 flaws in the package we purchased. 1-The cloth-like material tore easily and 2-Several of the diapers were missing the enclosure tab across the front.  We did receive a new package from Nature Babycare, so good Customer Service there but I'm wary of subscribing to them because of this may be a problem in the future.  They are chlorine free, use NO plastics or perfumes and they also have a cute leaf pattern on them.

And finally, 7th Gen.  Not my favorite as far as material feel but they work well.  They give our little guy "saggy butt" though.  But they work and are the most cost effective.  I'm not fond of the fake tan color or the Lorax but am living with it.

Our recent favorite diaper cream is Eco-Store USA's Baby Nappy Balm.  This stuff is amazing - we buy 2 at a time, one for home, one for the diaper bag.  It's a combination of natural oils and zinc with no preservatives.  We buy direct from the store, where it is much cheaper.  Heals diaper rash in day without the addition of nasty chemicals.

In the world of sunscreens, we are still loving Elemental Herbs for Kids.  It's not greasy or powdery and works great.   I have yet to try fan favorite Badger, but that is only because I shy away from anything that needs to be really rubbed in, it's hard enough getting anything on our squirmy 16 month old.

For the Mama...
I am in love with Zoya's nail polish in Wednesday.  It is almost a greenest turquoise - my hubby calls it "institutional green."  But I really like it.  Plus it goes on nice and looks professional.  It is free of the Toxic Trio and other contaminants.  And it has yet to chip 2 weeks in!  I'm excited to try more of their colors but for now, I really like rocking the green!

For the Daddy...
I think my husband's quest for a natural deodorant that works for him was settled when he found the Rock Spray for men.   It's the Crystal Rock's normal spray deodorant with a mix of "natural" blends to give them a more manly fragrance.  And it really works.  He likes it, I like it.

The curse of knowledge, new trials and pesky zinc oxide

Now that I know what I know, it is almost impossible to get through a single day without noticing every little thing.  I can spot polycarbonate containers vs. the BPA free ones.  I am wary of anything that looks like PVC.  I am happy to take my own shampoos and lotions with us anywhere we go.  Although on our latest trip, the flies seem to be digging my lemongrass scents.  I am more aware of what fruits and veggies contain more or less pesticides.  I am even more wary about anything touching my baby's skin that I have not researched first.  I call this the blessing (or curse) of knowledge. 

So after a week away, we are now home and road testing some new products.  The first of which are Nature Babycare Diapers.  Diapers are a sore spot with me.  I thought I had wanted to cloth diaper but with apartment living this doesn't bode well.  We don't own a washing machine, a service is almost double what we pay for diapers through Amazon Mom and we don't get to the laundromat as often as we (mainly I) would like.  Plus with the laundromat, there is always the worry over residue from 1, 4 dioxane and phthalate-containing soaps contaminating our dipes.  So for 15 months we've been using, with success, Seventh Generation dipes, knowing that these like all other disposables can take up to 500 years to degrade in a landfill (ugh, what a hard pill to swallow).  But these days, in the heat, my little one can't take the feel of them on his lower back and scratches like crazy.  And his lower back is sore and irritated.  I'm not sure what happened, but will be contacting the company to see if something has changed.  So, in the meantime, we are road testing Nature Babycare, which seem to be softer up the back, and will have a review by the end of the week.

We are also road testing another natural sunscreen - this week is Elemental Herbs for kids.  After some research (not too greasy, not too powdery) this one seemed to fit the bill.  It was awaiting me in our mailbox when we got home and we've had one application so far - seemed to go on pretty well.  Again, more later.

And finally, here is an awesome trick for those who use ZINC OXIDE based sunscreens or diaper creams.  Zinc stains.  And even if you slather up your little one in just a diaper, there is still the chance of getting it on some nice clothes, you'd rather not have white spots on.  Especially if your little one is as squirmy as ours is!  Here is a DIY stain remover that we found online that really works.

Wet stains with hot water and apply liquid dish soap (they say that ones for fighting grease are best.  We don't buy Dawn but my mother in law had some so we used that.  Next time I will try Dishmate).  Use an old toothbrush, scrub brush or rub the fabric together over the stain briskly.  Without access to the first two, we did the rubbing technique.  Once thoroughly rubbed in, soak the stained garmet in distilled white vinegar for 30 mins then launder as usual.  We went an extra step and used a natural stain remover with built in scrub brush.  It worked on a new pair of pants and also a sun hat that has already been washed over a dozen times.  You may also go another extra step and wipe the stain with a dry paper towel first, careful not to rub the stain too hard or it will press it further into the fabric.

Enjoy!

Everybody's Talking About Sunscreens

I think this has been one of my favorite topics of late. 

Generally, I direct anyone and everyone right to Safe Mama's Sunscreen Cheat Sheet and now with the updated list for 2012, I'm directing even more traffic there (I think).  I have to say that I'm really grateful for the people who have been researching and putting out this information.  This website will define for you the dangers of chemicals found in sunscreen but also explains particle size and why you should choose a micronized zinc over nano-particle zinc. I know it sounds complicated, but it's really not.  The explanations are simple and there is even a list of the best products to use. 

At the Queens Mama's Expo, I spent an hour with the ladies from the hip new Queens store Raising Astoria.  I had a cheat sheet of my own and was willing to talk to mamas and other caregivers about choosing the proper sunscreen for your little one.  I found it disheartening how many people were just not interested.

In my mission to detox my own life (and that of my family), I have found that traditional sunscreens can and do usually contain harmful ingredients.  However, one bad, blistering sunburn as a child is not only incredibly painful, according to the Skin Cancer foundation it also increases your child's risk of skin cancer by 50%!  There is a lot to be said about keeping your child in the shade, but as the mother of a very active 15 month old I know this is also very difficult. 

This summer we have been using both Eco Skin Care and Dolphin Organics sunscreens on ourselves and our boy.  There are more brands I'd like to try, but I'm not made out of money.  Our boy is on the fair side and skin cancer does run in my husband's family so not only are we on board with sunblock but we use an adorable sun hat and well as a summer shirt (my husband swears by these).  The hat we purchased last summer when he was an infant and the newborn (0-6 month size) was gigantic. I had to tie a string around the side to make it fit.  This summer it fits perfectly, so really it was a great investment.  I don't know of many baby items you can use for 2 summers!  He hates it but once he forgets it is on (the tie around his chin helps matters), it usually stays on for an entire playground outing.  My husband and I are also fond of the Badger sunscreen lip balm (for us) that I mentioned a few posts ago, but warning, it does make your lips white!

The following is the information supplied by the handout I was giving out at the Queens Mamas Expo.  As usual, I always list my references.  The general idea of this blog is not to tell people what to do, but to share my own experiences in detoxing my life and also to guide you on where to find information so that you can make your own informed decisions. 

Sooooo....

How do you pick a natural sunscreen that is safe for your children?

1. Choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays.  Choose a mineral based sunscreen that contains non-nano Zinc Oxide and/or Titanium Dioxide.

2. Avoid Oxybenzone, Vitamin A (retinyl palmitate) and added insect repellents.  

3. Avoid sprays and powders due to inhalation concerns

4. Choose fragrance free when possible

5. Always read your ingredients. 

6. Look up your sunscreen on ewg.org/skindeep to see what your brand’s ingredients rate and why.

Important note: High-SPF sunscreens (50+) do not protect you longer and contain more of the sunblocking materials. The lower the SPF, the lower the amount of ingredients.  Choose a sunscreen between 15 and 50+ SPF and reapply as needed, especially if exposed to water or sweating.

  

For Infants and Children:

For Infants, sunscreen is not recommended until 6 months of age. Infants should not be in direct sunlight.  You should keep your baby in protective clothing and hats, under an umbrella or stroller canopy and try to avoid the midday sun. 

For toddlers and older children, always do a patch test on the child’s wrist before use to make sure no allergy occurs.  Stay in the shade as much as possible and again, reapply often (especially if exposed to water or sweating).

For more information on sun safety and for more recommended products, visit: http://breakingnews.ewg.org/2011sunscreen/top-sun-safety-tips/