Beth Shea

Inhabitots Roundup: The Case for Co-Sleeping
by Beth Shea, 03/11/12Few things confound parents more than the issue of sleep. Crib or co-sleep? Cry it out or tend to every whimper? Sleeping through the night, yet? There’s no one-size-fits-all remedy for families, but co-sleeping is an age-old custom that has served many parents and babies well. The many benefits of co-sleeping include: mom may breastfeed baby during the night without much disturbance, co-sleeping until age 5 is healthier and may reduce stress, and studies have shown that co-sleeping is safer than crib sleeping and may even reduce the risk of SIDS. If you decide to give co-sleeping a try, make sure you do the research and co-sleep in a suitable environment to ensure the safety of your child. The Humanity Family Bed offers an easy, safe haven for co-sleeping, and you can rest assured that co-sleeping won’t harm your child’s development or social skills as he gets older. If you’re currently co-sleeping and find the set-up less than ideal, perhaps these tips to help you overcome 6 common co-sleeping hurdles will help you get some more shut-eye. And every parent would probably agree that no matter what their sleeping arrangement is, they could use more ZZZZs. So check out these helpful tips for overtired parents, on how to get a good night’s sleep. Finally, whether you have slept in the same bed as your baby once or hundreds of nights, these hilarious co-sleeping baby sleep positions diagrams devised by one co-sleeping dad with a great sense of humor are sure to make you laugh out loud.
Threadfollower Eco-Friendly Hand-Stitching Project Kits Offer Back-to-Basics Fun for Kids
by Beth Shea, 03/09/12Stone Soup Garden Kit Encourages Kids to Dig into Nature
by Beth Shea, 03/08/12Spring is just around the corner, and what better way to ring in the season than by watching your garden grow? This sweet Stone Soup Garden Kit will encourage kids to get out into nature, literally connect with the earth, and eat the veggies that are the fruits of their labor. Packaged in a recycled US steel case and recycled seed tins, the kit includes six varieties of quick germinating organic seeds: red acre cabbage, little fingers carrot, mammoth melting pea, evergreen bunching onion, roma tomato and blue lake pole bean. Garden stakes and a pencil for marking each mini-crop, a magic stone in a jute bag and a recipe for stone soup are all tucked in as well. Soup’s on!
Wee Gallery’s Organic Cotton Soft Books Stimulate Visual Development in Infants
Wee Gallery, best known for their gorgeous black and white graphics which have been pleasing eye candy to many a happy babe via their mobiles and art cards, is now treating tiny ones to a more tactile experience by way of their organic cotton soft books. Based on themes of jungle, garden and animals, each book is handmade with GOTS certified, hand-loomed organic cotton, and hand-embroidered in India -- and no two are alike.YummyEarth’s Sour Jelly Beans Will Sweeten A Kid’s Easter Basket
Pucker up! Just in time for Easter, YummyEarth is introducing a delicious new candy that kids will love. Yes, it’s candy… but if you’re going to treat your kids, YummyEarth candy is the way to go. Their YumEarth Naturals Sour Beans are made with real fruit juice, (with …
Inhabitots Roundup: Best New Eco-Friendly Toys for Tots
Inhabitots recently attended the 2012 American International Toy Fair, and we were so delighted by all of the great, innovative new toys we can’t wait to try out with our little ones. At the Fair, …
Ecogear Adds More Adorable Kid-Sized Backpacks to Their Collection
A little birdie told us that several new backpacks are cropping up in the Ecogear line just in time for spring. We've previously expressed our affinity for the company's Ecozoo backpacks, which are part tote, part pal. Now a cute little chick and a colorful monkey join the crew of personable carryalls. Additionally, Ecogear has launched an entirely new collection of Dually backpacks specially designed for kids, which you can get a first look at after the jump!The 411 On Vaccines
As a new parent, sifting through all of the various research and opinions on childhood immunizations is daunting and confusing at best. Vaccines have been making headline news during the past year, mostly due to their possible risks, and parents should equip themselves with information on both the potential dangers of vaccines, as well as the benefits of vaccines before stepping foot in their pediatrician’s office. Today, more and more U.S. parents are becoming vaccine skeptics …
Cute, Eco-Friendly Winter Fashions for Stylish Babies & Kids
Tis the season for bundling up your babe in warm and cozy winter gear. But just because the weather outside is frightful, that doesn’t mean your wee one can’t make a sweet fashion statement with her seasonal stylish clothing and accessories. For babies and kids who like to walk on the wild side, opt for a selection from our favorite eco-friendly animal hats, scarves and mittens. Since layers are key in cold weather, button-up your tot in a …
DVD REVIEW: More Business of Being Born
The film, The Business of Being Born was a huge catalyst for me in the decision to have a natural childbirth. When I gave birth to my firstborn, the experience happened TO me. I was not at all educated or prepared, and I entered the hospital at the mercy of everyone else's agenda. While the result was a healthy child, for which I am extremely grateful, my labor and delivery experience included what is known as a "cascade of interventions" -- from a pitocin induction to an epidural to a near C-section, the process was tortured at best. When I got pregnant with my second child, my first order of "business" was to arm myself with the knowledge I needed to make my next childbirth experience go down the way that I wanted it to. I watched The Business of Being Born, and I was floored because it was as if the film was a documentary about what had happened to me during my first labor and delivery. So many women were having the same manipulated birthing experiences, and I was angered, saddened, but most of all mobilized to move in a different direction. Thankfully, I wasn't alone. The film was a raging success, resonating with mothers everywhere. Mothers who wanted a change, who deserve a change, and better births in which their wishes are respected and their desires affirmed. Births in which strength and confidence replace fear and uncertainty. More Business of Being Born is an educational series of four DVDs that picks up where the first highly informative film left off, equipping women with the invaluable tools they need to make informed decisions about their labor and delivery. Read on for my review of this must-see film.Jessica Alba and Christopher Gavigan Launch The Honest Company, Green Diaper & Baby Product Delivery Service
A new diaper/baby care products delivery service for eco-minded parents just launched this week. The Honest Company picks up where the stork left off, leaving bundles of product joy on your doorstep for the whole family to enjoy (we wish all deliveries were this simple!). Co-founded by Christopher Gavigan, former CEO of Healthy Child, Healthy World and actress and child advocate Jessica Alba, The Honest Company equips you with the essentials you need to care for your green baby. With an innovative, new biodegradable baby diaper, baby wipes, bath and skin care collection and home cleaning line, the affordable and convenient collection means that now it's not just easy being green -- it's effortless -- simplifying your existence during one of the most magical yet confusing times of life: parenthood. No more late night diaper runs, no more researching which skin and bath care products are best for babe, or which cleaning products will effectively clean your home sans toxins. The entire Honest Company collection has been meticulously crafted with the utmost care in mind for babies, families and the environment.Recycled Wood Art Panels from Urban Tickle Enlighten Kids and Brighten Rooms
It’s easy to find planes and cars flying and zooming across art decor for kids. But the artist behind Etsy shop Urban Tickle really goes the distance by pairing inspirational messages with the transportation motifs to really drive important sentiments home. Parents may brighten the nursery or playroom with Urban Tickle’s 100% recycled …
Organic Floor Pillows from Smiling Planet Provide a Soft Spot for Green Tots
Tots looking for a soft landing, to outfit they’re indoor teepee or tent, or while kicking back to read a good board book, will love Smiling Planet‘s new collection of organic floor pillows. We dig the inspirational words and sweet graphics in neutral and pastel hues — and the peace …
High Line Children’s Workyard Kit by Cas Holman Provides Interactive Play
We were thrilled when New York's High Line park opened in 2009, and we were delighted to come across the recent news of designer Cas Holman's custom play feature for the green playspace: the High Line children's workyard kit. Comprised of a collection of wooden planks, pulleys, wheels, wingbolts and rope, this interactive kit may morph into myriad structures, and there are "no wrong answers" when it comes to what children ultimately design. Sounds like a perfect, engaging interactive toy which will please parents interested in their children learning new things and getting down to the crucial, healthy business of playtime.Recycled Mudpuppy Money Banks Teach Tots to Spend, Save and Share
The holidays and consumerism go hand in hand, so why not make the season (and your tots) bright by teaching kids about money. Mudpuppy’s Money Banks go two steps beyond saving for a rainy day. Each bank features three labeled slots in which to make a deposit: spend, share and save. Little ones …
James Harvey’s Amazing Rocking Animals Help Conservation in Africa
There are some wow-worthy 'toys' in this world, and then there are the masterpieces that take your breath away. UK artist James Harvey's Rocking Animals are works of art -- heirloom quality showpieces that will inspire and delight the kid in all of us. His rocking elephant, hippo and rhino are all individually hand carved from solid wood, and the gentle giants are even big enough for adults to ride.Fortress Bureau is A Regal Desk for Kids
If you have a little lord or lady holding court in your midst, make your home his or her castle with this cute and clever children’s bureau fortress. Made in France with wood from sustainably managed forests, the model above is complete with chalkboard paint for kids to decorate and personalize as they …
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