I stumbled on a great blog called The Soft Landing Baby Blog a few days ago. The brainchild of a recently retired nurse, it’s dedicated to the latest information about healthy, chemical-free products for babies and kids. In their shop section they sell safe feeding products and accessories for babies. Pacifiers, teethers, bowls, spoons, bottles, sippy cups- you name it - with no phthalates, bisphenol-A, PVC, and all that nasty stuff we’ve been hearing so much about.
What really got me excited are these awesome “BPA Free Kits” they’ve created. They’ve researched all the toxin-free gear on the market and combined the best into sampler kits, so you don’t have to search and shop around and purchase them all individually. Genius! They’re making it easier to find the best, safest products by doing all the hard work for us.

Their line of kits include: Baby Bottle Sampler, Deluxe Baby Bottler Sampler, Sippy Cup Sampler, Breastfeeding Newborn Kit, Teether Sampler, Beginning Solids, and Advanced Feeding.
Win a free Go BPA Free Feeding Kit from The Soft Landing! To enter, click here. Good luck!

While most parents are now aware of the dangers of toxic chemicals in baby bath products, some haven’t questioned the safety of the toys their children play with while bathing. Many are made of unsafe vinyl or PVC and contain Bisphenol A and Phthalates, dangerous chemicals that can have serious, long-term health effects (and yes, the same ones found in polycarbonate plastic baby bottles and sippy cups). In a test conducted by The San Fransisco Chronicle, some common rubber duckies contained levels of a carcinogenic Phthalate 13 times the “safe” limit. That’s pretty scary, since Phthalates and Bisphenol A are now known to cause cancer, reproductive system and brain damage, among other illnesses.

But there are safer options out there. Our Green House sells this classic Rubber Duck, who is all-natural and completely safe for babies and kids. It’s flexible and squeaky just like a great rubber ducky should be, but the difference is it’s made of natural rubber sustainably harvested from the sap of rubber trees. There are no harsh chemicals or herbicides involved in it’s manufacturing, and even the paint is lead-free and safe for children.

They’re produced in Spain by a third generation family-run business, and you can get one from Our Green House for just $7.95.

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

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

For thousands of years, Cambodian mothers have adorned the feet of their babies with silver-belled anklets. It’s traditionally believed that the delicate jingling sounds protect young children by warding off bad spirits. They also serve a functional purpose by providing auditory clues to children’s activity or whereabouts.

If you’re looking for a thoughtful, unique gift for a new baby or shower, these baby jingle anklets fit the bill. Actually, all the products at Sterling and Pearls would make excellent gifts. They can be personalized, come in sibling or mother-daughter sets, and are all beautiful. And since safety is their #1 concern, you can breathe easy while selecting jewelry meant for little ones.

They use only real freshwater pearls, sterling silver, and Czech crystals, which means absolutely NO lead. Did you know that Swarovski crystals, while popular, contain 30% lead? I was surprised to find that nearly all jewelry targeted at kids and even newborn babies are made with products that have high lead levels - and not just the cheap stuff, either. So if you are in the market for jewelery for a baby or child, even an ID or medical bracelet, keep safety in mind.

Sterling silver baby jingle anklets (with free gift wrap and story card) - from $27 at SterlingandPearls.com. A portion of all sales goes to a local battered Women & Children’s program in Asheville, NC.

For more info about lead and toxins in children’s jewelry, bibs , and more: CEHCA.org