I have a close friend who has used cloth diapers for years between her two children.  She used this laundry ball, becuase it uses 75% less detergent, and said that it worked so well that she now uses it for everything else!  She also liked that it was healthy for her babies.

I was just recently introduced to H2O at home and went to a party. I like that there are no chemicals, and it is safe to use around children. Several of the products that were shown cleaned just using water. No more having to wait until the kids are asleep or out of the house to clean!

Here is a link to the laundry ball - which is good for 2 years if you are doing a load everyday!

http://www.myh2oathome.com/shop/productdetail.aspx?prod=4046

One of the other products shown was a clay that is 100% natural and biodegradable. The host used a sponge that came with the clay, got the sponge wet and the ran the sponge through the clay. Once the clay was on the wet sponge the host then cleaned the stainless steal, and the inside of the dishwasher (which had hard water stains), and it looked amazing!

http://www.myh2oathome.com/shop/productdetail.aspx?prod=6050

Has anyone else tried these products? I know that this is new to the U.S. so I am curious as to what everyone thinks!

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

Name of product: Push ‘N Snap Cabinet Locks

Units: About 900,000

Importer: Dorel Juvenile Group (DJG) Inc., of Columbus, Ind.

Hazard: Young children can disengage the cabinet locks, allowing access to cabinet contents and posing the risk of injury, due to dangerous or unsafe items.

Incidents/Injuries: DJG has received 200 reports of locks that did not adequately secure the cabinet, including reports of damaged locks. Of the reported incidents, the firm is aware of 140 children between the ages of 9 months and 5 years who were able to disengage the locks and gain access to the cabinet’s contents. In three of the reported incidents, the children who gained access swallowed or handled dishwashing detergent, window cleaner or oven cleaner, and were treated, observed and released from emergency treatment centers.

Description: This recall involves Safety 1st Push ‘N Snap cabinet locks with model numbers 48391 and 48442. The model numbers are printed on the back of the product and on packaging. The locks are used to secure cabinets with two straps that wrap around the knobs or handles on a cabinet door. When the product is in the “lock” position, a green triangle is shown through a window on the device. The Safety 1st logo is embossed on the front of the lock. Locks manufactured between January 2004 and November 2010 are included in the recall. The date of manufacture is embossed on the back. The arrow on the date wheel points to the month and the numbers of either side of arrow represent the year of manufacture.

Sold at: Bed Bath & Beyond, and other retail stores nationwide and online at Amazon.com from January 2004 through February 2012 for between $2 and $4.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately remove the recalled locks from cabinets and contact DJG for a free replacement Push ‘N Snap lock with model numbers HS158 or HS159. When removing the recalled locks, consumers are urged to immediately store dangerous items out of reach of children.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact DJG toll-free at (866) 762-3212 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm’s website at www.djgusa.com

While cloth diapers can cost more upfront, there are many perks to using them, such as:

1) Overall, it is cheaper to use cloth diapers than disposables

2) It is better for the environment

3) They are better for baby!

Oh, and did I mention how cute they are?  Honestly though, the reason for this post is that I am getting questions about which is better to use.  It also has to do with how much time the parents have.  Time for laundry needs to be taken into consideration as well.

There is a wide varity to choose from.  They make all-in-one diapers, where there is no insert and this is treated just like a disposable diaper.  Put in on and go!  There are also wraps, in which case there needs to be a cloth insert.  What is great about a lot of the diapers is that they are a one-size.  This usually means it will fit a baby from 7 pounds to 35 pounds.  There are snaps on the outside that can be made smaller or larger, depending on the size of your baby.  I like these because I feel like I really get my money worth.  Here is an all-in-one, that is also a one-size:

Here is an example of a cute wrap:

As I said, the initial cost can be high.  A suggestion for this is that if you have people who want to get you a gift, suggest that he/she get you the gift of a cloth diaper.  This will be fairly inexpensive for the person giving the gift, and save the parents from having to buy them all!

Going through another pregnancy has gotten me to look into things, that I never would have thought about.

I recently read that Chicago was actually the first state in the U.S. to put a ban on the crib bumpers.  After reading several different things, it became clear that the reasoning was that the bumpers put the baby at an increased risk for SIDS.  With the bumper in the crib, the baby is more at risk for suffocation and could possibly get tangled in the string that ties the bumper to the crib.

What sparked me looking into this, was when I was looking for bedding for our new addition.  I noticed that the sets were sold with and without the bumper.  I also receive Parenting Magazine, and I had read a write up in there too.  Other than that, I have not heard much so I thought that I would help spread the word!!

This is a common question among parents.  First, I want to say that I am not a Dr. and you should always consult your physician before drastically changing your babies diet.

Typically, it is best to wait until your baby is at least a year old before giving him/her regular cows milk.  A big reason for this is because the baby could actually develop anemia, an iron deficiency.  Cows milk does not have iron in it, where as breast milk and formula do.

This is not to say that milk based products are bad, such as yogurt and cheese.  I know with Alex, the Dr. encouraged me to introduce yogurt around 10 months.

It is the time of year that people think about the things that we are all thankful for.  As parents we need to teach our babies, and children, what it means to be thankful and how to be thankful.

Babies model behavior of the people around them.  If they see their loved ones saying "thank you" and being kind to one another, they are more likely to do the same.  For instance, when our family is out to a restaurant, Alex is encouraged to order for himself, and to be polite to our waiter/waitress.  He has been taught to be thankful that someone is bringing his food to him, and in turn he also ends up thanking whoever it is that took him to the meal.

This week, as a family, we are going to say one thing that we are thankful for.  I am sure that Alex will likely be thankful for toys, but that is okay.  For our babies that cannot talk yet, the parents can tell their babies what they are thankful for.  Babies can hear and understand at young ages.  Parents will be teaching their child how to be thankful.  It is a good habit to get into, and starting this at such a young age will be fun!

If you have children like Alex, it can be a challenge at times to get them to eat broccoli, spinach, or other healthy options.  Last night I cooked a dinner that Alex not only ate all of, but he loved it!  I made chicken nuggets from the cookbook Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets to Get Your Kids Eating Good Foodwhich has many different recipes to choose from.

The nuggets were made from chicken that I cut into bite size pieces. However, the breading was the real trick!  I had pureed broccoli, and used that with the bread and flax seed meals. Alex really loves macaroni and cheese, and there is a great recipe in the cookbook that includes squash or sweet potatoes in with the cheese.

This cookbook has been a huge help in sneaking in healthy options! You can click the picture to see more reviews and get one for yourself!

If we look at this for health matters, as long as the mother is healthy, breastfeeding has more benefits.  When breastfeeding, your new baby will get help building his or her immune system.  Breastfeed babies have also been shown to have less of a problem with childhood obesity.

Another great benefit to breastfeeding is the cost.  There is no additional cost for formulas!  Let me tell you, that is good news.  That cost adds up.

Some women are uncomfortable with this.  I would suggest at least trying it for three days.  If it does not work for you, then at least you tried it.   If you do decide to use formula, make sure you have your water tested.  This way you can feel sure your baby is getting formula that is not at risk for contamination.

This is a good question!  Many people feel as though this may be helpful, and others may feel it is not.

However, giving birth is a big deal and it is important to make your own decision.  I have read that it does actually help.  There has actually been research done on this, and the outcome is that the classes help decrease anxiety.  Believe it or not, it was even shown that labor was shorter for ladies who had childbirth classes.  These classes seemed to help the overall experience.  I think that going to these classes gives the parents an idea of what to expect, and just makes them more comfortable.

Even more important that childbirth classes is emotional support.  If it is your spouse, or another family member, emotional support is very important.

Happy Halloween!

Halloween is a very exciting time for our little ones, and for the parents too!  It is fun to dress up our children *if they are not old enough pick their own costume*.  I just wanted to provide some safety tips before you head on your way!

*Wear something reflective, or add glow sticks to your child's costume.  This will help drivers see your precious cargo.  It may not hurt for the parents to have something on too.

*Never enter a home, unless you know the person.  This may seem to be common since, but sometimes the sight of a haunted house can be appealing.

*Only eat candy that has a professional wrapper, nothing homemade by strangers.

*If your child's costume has a sward or knife, be careful that it is not too long or sharp.  If your child is to trip, it may hurt even worse to have their toy sward poke them.

*Take a small flash light.  You never know if you might need it!

*Little ones are usually very excited.  Hold their hands and remind them not to run from house to house.

*Last but not least, have fun!!  Enjoy another fun time with your child!

Personally, I am pretty excited.  My baby still lets me dress up with him to go trick or treating.