Safe Alternatives for Baby and Child

They sure are! Especially when it comes to meat, fish and dairy products. Organic, certified-organic, GMO-Free, cage-free, free-range, fair trade and even more labels can be confusing and misleading to consumers.

After not knowing what many of these meant ourselves, SafBaby did some research to find out. What we learned was definitely interesting, so we wanted to share it with you.

It’s not surprising to see the matter in which some labels are used, simply to attract uninformed consumers. For example, “cage-free” doesn’t depict  what you imagine in your head it should mean.

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After participating in on a Q&A hosted by the Environmental Working Group , SafBaby is happy to bring you a little more insight on the dangers of “anti-bacterial” products . The questions were answered by Staff Scientist Rebecca Sutton, who also holds a Ph.D in Environmental Chemistry.

Anti-bacterial agents are most commonly, but far from exclusively, found in hand soaps. “But isn’t that a good thing,” one may question? I mean, who wants harmful bacteria hiding on our children and baby’s hands anyway? Isn’t this the best option in hand soap for my family to keep germs at bay? The following insight may surprise you, even if you thought you knew all the answers. Read the rest of this entry »

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It has been such a pleasure having a small garden, to share with my little girl, the gifts of LIFE. She loves picking her own strawberries and delights in all the colors of each flower.

We use organic potting soil, and also purchased organic veggie starts and herbs. I was surprised at how rewarding it can be to have your own, little organic garden .

When planting sunflowers with her daddy she giggled about the worm in the dirt. Each day we go out and say, “hello sunflower,” and “good morning flowers,” to her new planted friend. Read the rest of this entry »

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A friend of mine used to be a nanny for a couple of children with autism. She would tell me that she could tell a profound difference in the children’s behavior according to their diets. I always thought this was so interesting. Now-a-days, more and more studies are being done with diet and autism.

Many of you have heard Jenny McCarthy’s story. She has been in magazines and on CNN with Larry King Live giving her heartfelt testimonial on how diet has made a major impact on helping her boy and their fight with autism. Read the rest of this entry »

What we love about this article that we bring to you this week, by Dr. Philip Incao M.D., is that it opens up one’s understanding to the powerful healing ability of our amazing bodies. There is an interconnectedness to the way we care for our children when they are ill today, and the long term effect of their health down the road.

Dr. Philip Incao has been studying children’s health, the immune system, infections and vaccinations since 1970, and has given many lectures and written several articles on these topics. Read the rest of this entry »

Effective and safe medicine for babies without any side effects is not typically available at your local grocery store or pharmacy, but that does not mean that your choices in caring for your baby or your family stop there.

We’ve had great success in using homeopathic remedies for our babies for teething, cough, colic and air travel. What we both love about homeopathic medicine is that it is safe, effective and without any harmful side effects. Read the rest of this entry »

My whole family in Switzerland is a big fan of homeopathic medicine! My sister (mom of two), swears by it and refuses to use anything else.

I own a Single 100-Remedies Homeopathy kit, which I received as a gift from my mother a few years ago. I also purchased a few homeopathic combination remedies for my daughter for colic, cough, and teething, but wish I would have known about this convenient Children’s Combination Kit by Washington Homeopathic.

The cost of this kit is much more economical than buying individual bottles and it comes in a great plastic case, so you can bring it with you wherever you go. Read the rest of this entry »

Being a mama, I am now surprised at hearing how many babies get ear infections. My baby girl has had 3 friends already get them, and a couple of them even have had double ear infections. This made us want to check into the statistics on how may babies get ear infections and why?

“Babies are particularly susceptible to ear infections because their Eustachian tubes are short (about 1/2 inch) and horizontal. As they grow to adulthood, the tube triples in length to 1 1/2 inches and become more vertical, so fluid can drain more easily. Ear infections are one of the most common childhood illnesses. Read the rest of this entry »

After our article on Winter Wellness for Children, I had my baby girl on Eldertussin Elderberry Syrup to help boost her immune system. And now after posting Dr. Jay Gordon’s article on treating ear infections naturally, I am fired up again about the healing properties of elderberry.

Elderberry:

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Is it sometimes hard for you too? To give up some of those itsy bitsy outfits that your baby grows out of?

Now I am thinking that it is a wonderful thing for another baby to be able to recycle (re-use and reduce) her cute threads too! Most of my baby girl’s clothing is made from cotton.When you think of baby clothing, cotton probably comes to mind as the best natural fabric option. But, is this really the case? Well, it breathes, it is soft and comfortable, and it even absorbs (as cotton diapers do). Probably the first onesie you put on your little angel was cotton, and he/she may even be wearing cotton clothing right now.

However, according to the Sustainable Cotton Project in California, about 1/3 of a pound of chemicals (pesticides, fertilizers, processing chemicals and dyes) are used to make just ONE cotton t-shirt! Read the rest of this entry »

I was going to school at the Aloha Ayurveda Academy while I was pregnant. It was a 200 hour course on bringing balance and optimal health to our entire being. One of the principles that Ayurveda teaches, is that the quality of our digestion is in direct proportion to the quality of our overall health and well-being.

To prevent colic in my baby, my teacher and Ayurveda doctor recommended a strict diet for me to follow for the first 10 days after she was born. Barely anything that the hospital offered me for each meal that was in guidelines to this diet, which is for the benefit of the baby and her developing digestive system. My diet’s restrictions followed much of what is offered here in our article by Dr. Linda Folden Palmer, D.C. Author of Baby Matters: What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Caring for Your Baby. Read the rest of this entry »

If you are not use to eating and cooking without using colic-causing foods, this cook book is sure to be a life savor!

If you don’t know what foods are triggers for colic, this book is a must!

85 recipes, in this beautifully illustrated book, has been written with the intention of keeping a baby calm and content by changing a breastfeeding Mommy’s diet.

he Calm Baby Book by Dr. Melanie Beingessner not only offer tasty recipes, she also brings her expertise as a breastfeeding counselor into play by offering additional tips. Read the rest of this entry »

It feels good as a mother, to make some of my own natural-care for my baby, to use what has been given to us in nature to infuse well-being and health into our lives more fully. And if it is simple and effective, such as all this information here, then I am happy to incorporate it for my family.

Deborah Harlan is a Licensed Massage Therapist, Reiki practitioner, Certified Aromatherapist and owner of Aroma Thyme and Scent of the Month Club. Deborah lives in Cleveland, Ohio and has been practicing since 1995. She loves to share her expert knowledge with others and we are happy to have her! Read the rest of this entry »

I have to let our Safbaby readers know about this miracle product from my home country Switzerland. My family’s favorite!

Olbas Oil originated in Basel, Switzerland over 100 years ago, and continues to be a European and worldwide favorite. It has long been a household name that families reach for when suffering from seasonal distress and related discomforts. As an aromatic inhalant, this completely natural essential oil formula delivers invigorating and soothing sensations to the nasal and bronchial areas. Read the rest of this entry »

Well, around the holidays my baby girl caught a cold two different times. We traveled on an airplane, were in a completely different climate than we are acclimated to, and (as I know some of you can relate), we didn’t really eat the way we normally do when we are home.

It is the season though. Bugs and viruses are all so common, that at any given week we are all sure to know of at least one friend that is feeling a little under the weather. Read the rest of this entry »