Amid all the BPA and toxic chemicals in baby’s bottle concerns, two companies have developed an ingenious idea for safely feeding your baby with glass bottles.

Both Siliskin and Weego bottles feature silicone sleeves that fit over glass bottles, rendering them virtually unbreakable. They’ve been tested- dropped from counters and even thrown - and stand up to the abuse. The silicone sleeves are hypoallergenic, food-grade, microwave, freezer and dishwasher safe, with no open pores to harbor any bacteria or germs. The silicone covers are completely safe for babies to touch and provide a unique sensory experience when they feel them, and they’re also scratch & fade resistant. I was surprised to learn that in addition to these qualities, silicone is an environmentally-friendly product- from it’s manufacturing to it’s disposal, no harmful byproducts are ever produced. The design of the sleeves also allows for the bottle measurements to be read easily. Siliskin sleeves are designed to fit over Evenflo glass bottles (either 4 or 8oz.) which are included with the purchase.

Weego bottles employ the same concept, but recommend their ring attachment and new sleeves be handwashed. They come with their own 9 oz. glass bottles, and nipples that are 100% silicone, manufactured in France by a leading European supplier of bottle nipples.

So why be afraid of glass bottles? You can forget which plastics from which companies are okay and which aren’t, and feel completely assured your baby isn’t coming into contact with chemicals of any kind.

Since first reading about them just a few months ago, both brands have become wildly popular and are increasingly hard to find. Amazon is sold out, and most other sites are backordered. Even the sellers’ own sites have limited numbers of popular colors available. You can find some (as well as really cool BPA-free bottle variety kits) at TheSoftLanding.com

I was flipping through the weekly Wal-Mart flyer that came in the mail yesterday, and noticed something different- it contained a “green” section with great eco-friendly products and lots of facts. Pretty strange, coming from a company like Wal-Mart, but I guess they’re trying to improve their image by jumping on the “Save The Earth” bandwagon. Anyway, one of these green products was a T-shirt made of plastic from recycled 2-liter soda bottles. How innovative! I’d never seen this before. Then I realized they’re made by Coca-Cola. So I did a little research, and apparently a lot of places are now recycling soda and water bottles (PET plastics) into clothing items. Coke is emerging as a leader in this area, attracting attention and awards by pledging a goal of “complete sustainability and recyclability” of it’s packaging. It’s goals are to reuse or recycle 100% of it’s aluminum cans and plastic bottles sold in the U.S.. To help facilitate this, the company reportedly put $60 billion towards recycling initiatives in 2007, which included the construction of a massive, state-of-the-art recycling complex in South Carolina. The president of Coca-Cola North America said it’s estimated that because of the recycling efforts of this plant, 1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide will be prevented from entering the atmosphere over the next decade.

The products of the recycling program (besides new plastic bottles & cans) include jewelry handmade in Atlanta of glass Coke bottles and aluminum cans, shirts made from PET plastics, and even bags and clutches made from Coke’s old vinyl billboard ads. This is just one more good reason to start recycling (if you’re not already), and if you’d like to help more you can purchase some of these recycled products from Coca-Cola’s website or, um, participating retailers.

After finding a good BPA-free sippy cup for my toddler (see our post on the subject), I went in search of the perfect BPA-free bottle for our impending arrival. Although I knew I would be nursing, there would be times where a bottle was going to be necessary. Glass bottles were the obvious choice, but I had visions of dropped and broken glass all over during a 1 am (or the 3 am or the 5 am or the 7 am) feeding.

A little bit of research had led me to the Adiri Natural Nurser Bottles. The nipple and the body of these bottles are molded into one piece, making assembly and cleaning very simple and easy. Air vents in the bottom prevent air ingestion, which means a more comfortable baby. Additionally, you’ll notice the unique shape of the bottle…it very closely resembles the breast, making it easier to switch between bottle and nursing without confusion for the baby.

Although our little girl is only a week old, I’m giving this bottle a great review. Thus far, she has easily switched between breast and bottle with no complications and when she does use the Adiri bottle, there has been very little burping up or other gas pains. The bottles are available in 3 different stages: slow, medium and fast flows, according to age.

If you’re planning on using a bottle full-time or just for supplemental feedings, this bottle is a great choice. Even if I were planning on exclusively nursing, I’d have one of these on hand just in case of an emergency!

$14.99 each at Amazon

$30.00 for a set of 3 at Amazon

It’s Fair Trade Friday!

These cute onesies aren’t just ordinary baby clothes - they’re 100% pure organic cotton, fair trade onesies handmade in Lima, Peru. The set of 3, which comes in a choice of colors, is just $29.00.

They’re from Fair Indigo, who sell great basic clothes for baby as well as clothing and accessories for adults. It’s a fair trade clothing company created by a small group of people who left their jobs with major clothing companies with the purpose of changing the apparel industry by creating high quality clothes, while paying a fair wage to the people who produce them. While their primary focus is on providing a greater quality of life to these workers around the world, green business practices and the environment are also a high priority. By purchasing items from them you can feel great about the quality of the clothes you and your baby wear, and the positive differences and impact they make on the world.

You can read a lot more about the company, their practices, and the different global clothing cooperatives they work with at FairIndigo.com

Who couldn’t use some relaxation? I know I’m in desperate need of some. This week has been super busy for us mamas here at Looking for Penguins, but there have been some exciting things going on!
Michele’s beautiful new baby girl was welcomed into the world a week ago today. Both baby & mommy are doing well and adjusting to home life. I’m sure other moms remember how wonderful yet chaotic and hazy those first few weeks are with a newborn, so we are wishing the whole family well.
Meanwhile, my husband arrived home from a tour of duty in Afghanistan, so things have been crazy around here, to say the least.

This afternoon I was looking at these therapeutic bath products, which sound like an excellent temporary escape from some of the craziness - exactly what I need. I thought they might be beneficial also to the other frazzled parents out there…

Burt’s Bees makes a 1 pound bucket of Therapeutic Bath Crystals which consists of natural sea salt, essential oils and vitamin E. It’s especially excellent for soothing sore muscles because it stimulates the release of lactic acid that builds up during physical activity and causes aches and soreness. $9.99 at drugstore.com

Earth Therapeutics’ Dead Sea Salts Therapeutic Mineral Bath is actual salt from the Dead Sea, imported strait from Israel. Since the product is 100% concentrated Dead Sea Salts, it’s extremely rich in the essential minerals and elements that help to draw out skin impurities, relieve irritation, and soothe aching muscles. It contains no chemicals, frangrance, colors, or additives (beacause it’s strait-up salt) and apparently is just like experiencing a classic, old-fashioned spa treatment at home. Oh, and it’s even “doctor recommended” and great for adults and kids with eczema. $15.00 at drugstore.com

And speaking of the kiddies, Abra makes a product called Aromasaurus Rex - Aroma Therapy Bath for Non-Stop Children, which would be great if you have kids like my energizer baby. It’s a “stress-therapy bath” for kids made with organic herbal extracts that claims to (miraculously) calm, relax, relieve tension, soothe stress and promote sleep. Hey, it sounds like it’s worth a shot! $9.99 at drugstore.com