Green Baby | Inhabitots

Early Music Training Benefits Your Baby’s Brain

by Jennifer Chait, 05/14/12

Research suggests that merely listening to music changes our world in amazing ways. From how we walk, talk, remember events and deal with emotion, music plays a part in many people’s lives. Past studies have also shown that exposing your baby to music is a great idea. Singing, listening to and creating music helps your little one to develop important mental processes and improves spatial reasoning. Now a new study recently published in the journal Developmental Science delves deeper into the world of musical babies, suggesting that 1-year-old babies who have an early relationship with music, and more specifically early musical training, smile more, communicate better and show earlier and more sophisticated brain responses to music.

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Bird House Night Light by Modern Treetop Baby Illuminates Woodland Themed Nurseries

by Julie Seguss, 05/09/12

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LAST DAY TO ENTER: Win a Charlie Banana Green Diaper Kit + Target Gift Card

by Julie Seguss, 05/09/12

Charlie Banana has always been one of our favorite green diaper companies and now they’re available at select Target stores across the country making them even easier to pick up for your green baby. The hybrid diaper brand never fails to deliver a wide variety of fashionable prints and they’ve just released two more designs in the Charlie Banana Fashion Collection by Matthew Langille – “The William” and “The Kate.” In celebration, we’re giving away an awesome Charlie Banana Green Diaper Kit, which includes 1 Charlie Banana Fashion Collection pack of 6 green diapers, a 2-in-1 Swim Diaper and Training Pant, 1 One Size William or Kate Diaper, 1 package of Disposable Liners and a $50 Target Gift Card – a prize pack worth $215! Sounds amazing, right? Keep reading to find out how easy it is to win!

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Karin Mannerstal Animal Friends Cutlery Set is Safe & Fun for Mealtime

by Julie Seguss, 05/08/12

So many of the cute and whimsical spoon, knife and fork sets for kids are made of plastic, and even when they’re BPA-free we second guess their true safety. But this adorable Animal Friends Cutlery Set by Finnish designer Karin Mannerstal is full of kid-pleasing cuteness and made from safe stainless steel. Appropriate for little eaters ages 1 to 4, this set includes a rabbit, teddy bear, cat and monkey sure to make mealtime more fun.

+ Animal Friends Cutlery Set $39.00

+ Finnish Design Shop

Kid Kanteen Stainless Steel Baby Bottle Offers Excellent Alternative to Plastic Baby Bottles

Breastfeeding is best. However, if you need or want to formula feed or supplement formula with breast milk, or simply exclusively pump breast milk, you can make the experience better for your baby by choosing a safe organic formula and non-toxic baby bottles. Currently there are plenty of BPA-free plastic baby bottles on the market, but there’s recently been some questions about their safety. The newest research shows that even BPA-free plastics may leech chemicals. That said, what’s a concerned parent to do? One option is to avoid plastics altogether, and Klean Kanteen’s new Kid Kanteen Stainless Steel Baby Bottle can help you do just that. This new bright and shiny Kid Kanteen Stainless Steel Baby Bottle is an excellent (not to mention stylish) alternative to plastic baby bottles, with a body made from 18/8 food-grade stainless steel and rings and nipples made with medical-grade silicone.

Attachment Parenting 101

While the concept of attachment parenting dates back to ancient times, and is considered the norm in most countries today, Dr. Bill Sears only coined the term “attachment parenting” relatively recently in the United States, in the 1980′s. In America, the child-led approach to parenting is still highly regarded as an alternative form of raising a child, and adheres to practices including babywearing, co-sleeping, breastfeeding on demand …

Help Get a Google Doodle to Promote Breastfeeding

No matter how many studies point to breastfeeding as the healthiest choice for babies, or how many celebrities openly breastfeed, some people are still uncomfortable with nursing in public and breastfeeding rates in many states across the country are still too low. How can breastfeeding get more mainstream? A member of the Breastfeeding Task Force of Santa Clara, wants Google to create a “Google Doodle” to help promote and normalize breastfeeding. Breast pump brand Hygeia, is also on board to help fuel the crusade and blogger Joni Rae (aka the Kitchen Witch) has even created a possible graphic for Google.

Pacifier Use May Increase Breastfeeding Rates Contrary to Previous Beliefs

In order to achieve “Baby-Friendly” status many hospitals are halting the use of pacifiers in newborn units. Now however, new research out of Oregon Health & Science University Doernbecher Children’s Hospital says that removing pacifiers may decrease exclusive breastfeeding and increase use of formula. Researchers on the study analyzed feeding data on 2,249 infants born between June 2010 and August 2011 and the pediatrician-scientists found that routine removal of pacifiers during the after-birth hospitalization was associated with decreased exclusive breastfeeding and increased supplemental formula feeds. The data, which is surprising to say the least, was presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting in Boston on April 30. Laura Kair, M.D., a resident in pediatrics at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, notes, “There is a great deal of energy, nationally and internationally, in support of increasing the number of ‘Baby Friendly’ hospitals. Baby-Friendly hospitals and the 10 steps, when taken together, have been shown to increase exclusive breastfeeding, but the effect of pacifier use on the initiation and duration of exclusive breastfeeding has not been well-established.”

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Quick Tips on Safeguarding Your Home & Baby’s Nursery from Toxins

Have you been bitten by the spring cleaning bug? Or does your pregnancy induced nesting instinct have you tidying every nook and cranny in your home? We’re scratching beneath the surface to expose some little known, yet vital information on keeping your abode not only clean, but free from toxins and harmful chemicals. …

Sweden Becomes Latest Country to Ban BPA in Children’s Food Packaging

It’s been less than a month since the FDA rejected a ban on bisphenol A (BPA) in food and beverage packaging – a massive fail in our opinion. Other countries aren’t messing around with this potentially harmful chemical though. On April 13, the government of Sweden announced the decision to ban the use of (BPA) in packaging for food intended for children under 3 years of age. For a while, there’s been a voluntary phase-out of BPA in Sweden, but these new laws will make sure the change becomes permanent. Government officials say that this new chemical ban will mostly, at this point, affect lids of baby food bottles but the new mandate also gives the Swedish Chemicals Agency a 3-month deadline to decide if BPA should also be banned from certain types of thermal paper, including receipts and tickets, and to determine how BPA is being used in drinking-water pipes, toys and children’s goods.

HOW TO: Make & Use a Reusable Cloth Baby Wipes Kit

We recently posted tips for making your own non-toxic baby wipes with paper towels. However, if you're a paper towel-free home, these wipes obviously won't work for you. Even if you're not against wasting paper towels, consider that regular baby wipes are excessive too. Did you know that most parents use at least 25-40 conventional or paper towel made baby wipes a day - that's 18,250 wipes in the trash (and landfills) in just two years. Your best bet for totally reusable baby wipes is to go with cloth wipes. There used to be a nice reusable cloth baby wipe kit on the market, but it's no longer available, so your next best option is to make your own reusable baby wipe kit. Keep reading to learn the benefits of reusable baby wipes and how to make your own reusable baby wipe kit.

Inhabitots Roundup: Safe Sleep Essentials for Babies

Sleeping Newborn - Image from Shutterstock

Unless you’re one of the lucky ones whose baby has always been a great sleeper, you probably spend a great deal of time trying to establish and maintain consistent sleep routines for your little one. We certainly don’t know the magical equation to achieving the Holy Grail of parenting — a full night’s sleep — but here are some tips on making baby’s sleep environment healthy and conducive to getting lots of shut-eye.

Cases of Measles Hit All-time High in 2011 – Are Unvaccinated Kids to Blame?

In 2000 measles was considered eradicated from the U.S. In fact, from 2001 to 2010 there were just 60 U.S. measles cases a year on average. However, last year, cases of measles reached an all-time high in the United States with a total of 222 reported cases. This is the most measles cases ever since 1996, according to the CDC. Among the 222 cases, reported across 31 states, there were 17 official measles outbreaks. An outbreak is when there are at least three cases linked by time and place. The average outbreak size last year included six cases per outbreak, but in one instance, a single person with measles infected 21 other people. This week, Anne Schuchat, director of CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, reported that most of these cases (90%) came into the country via citizens who had traveled outside the U.S., with many of the 2011 cases originating in Europe. That said, the CDC is placing new emphasis on the importance of the MMR vaccination, especially if you plan on traveling abroad. Schuchat says, “Unvaccinated people put themselves and others at risk for measles. There is a relationship between the decisions families make and disease rates.”

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4 Top Brands of Jarred Baby Food Have Extremely Low Nutrient Content

Jars of Baby Food – Image from Shutterstock

In recent years we’ve seen that jarred baby food isn’t always the most healthy choice. Some baby food has acid added to it, while others may contain GMOs and pesticides and if there’s rice in the mix, arsenic. Still, if you need another reason to skip jarred baby food add low nutrients to the list. New research from the University of Greenwich School of Science has found that many ready-made baby foods contain extremely low micro-nutrients and less than a fifth of the recommended daily supply of calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron and other minerals. Thus far, the research is small, with few baby foods tested, but overall the results aren’t great. The researchers tested sample jars of baby food made by four popular brands (though the researchers didn’t name which ones) and investigated the micro-nutrient content, using an instrument called an Inductivity Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometer, which can analyze elements found in food. Samples included meat and veggie baby food varieties, as well as one with pasta. What the researchers concluded, after testing the baby food was that a baby given one meat jar and one vegetable jar on top of 600ml of formula would not be getting enough calcium, magnesium, copper and selenium. In the research report, the university’s food science and nutrition specialist, Dr. Nazanin Zand, noted that clearly, jarred complementary baby foods, even when added to the daily milk supply, failed to meet the recommended daily nutritional needs of babies.

Create Personalized Eco Decor With Paper Culture’s Bamboo Wall Art

Paper Culture has designed the ultimate eco wall art that's perfect for any room including your baby's nursery or child's playroom. The heavyweight design is made out of tri-layered eco-friendly bamboo with a pre-drilled hole in the back for easy hanging. Every design can be personalized and the result is nothing short of high-quality. Paper Culture has 48 different wall art designs in 4 different sizes ranging from $39.99-$199.99. Keep reading to learn more about this eco wall art and see some of our favorites ranging from sweet photos of your newborn to awesome mod designs featuring your child's name,

Eco-Friendly Apple Park Crawling Critter Teething Toys Buzz and Bounce

Meet the Apple Park Crawling Critter Teething Toys – they’re part teething toy, part plushie and boast a whole lot of buzzing fun. Baby can gnaw on the natural rubberwood ring while he tugs on the 100% organic cotton plush toy, which is stuffed with corn fiber. The caterpillar, birdie, ladybug and bee (all as cute as the members of the Apple Park Picnic Pals!) are connected to a stretchy silk cord that it “climbs” up when pulled on. Your …

Best Non-Toxic Organic Crib Mattresses for Your Green Baby Nursery

Sleeping Newborn - Image from Shutterstock

Babies sleep 10 to 14 hours a day, so naturally, you'll want to choose a safe and non-toxic spot for them to catch all those Z's. Traditional mattresses are layered with a variety of chemicals including PVC, polyurethane foam and toxic flame-retardants. If you go shopping for an organic crib mattress you'll find lots of options at a variety of price points from a variety of brands. But before you snatch up any organic crib mattress deal, you should know that they aren't all created equal. Even though a mattress may be labeled as organic, natural or eco-friendly, it may still include a vinyl covering or be coated in dangerous flame-retardants because there is little control over what those labels mean. So how can you be sure you're getting a non-toxic crib mattress for your baby? We narrowed down the field to bring you our seven favorite organic crib mattresses that meet fire safety standards naturally. There's one for every budget ranging in price from $595 to $259. Note: If you're worried about possible wool or latex allergies, you may want to opt for one of our crib mattress picks made from other materials. Once you pick your mattress be sure to check out our favorite eco-friendly modern cribs.

daswood Recycled Plastic Baby Mobiles Bring Modern Design to the Nursery

Our eyes were immediately drawn to Daswood's mobiles and we're pretty sure they'll have the same affect on your baby. The modern, graphic mobiles are made from laser cut lo-impact Eco Resin, a made-in-the-USA plastic made from 40 percent recycled content. From happy kitties to a DJ turntable and CDs, Daswood has a range of mobiles to fit your nursery theme. Keep reading to see more.