PRODUCT: HappyBaby The Organic Guide to Baby’s First 24 Months by the founders of HAPPYBABY, Robert W. Sears, and Amy Marlow (September 2009, Harper Collins)

COST: $16.99 softcover / $16.99 ebook

See a general run down of what HappyBaby is about; including how the book chapters are set up, topics covered, and more.

THE GOOD:

• Not a guilt trip book – the tips are easy, not overwhelming, and focus on doing what you can vs. doing it all.
• Chapters are bite sized chunks – easy for busy parents to digest. There are small sections on various topics throughout the book plus easy to follow charts (like “A Healthy Mama’s Weekly Grocery List”), and I especially like that little tips pepper the text, such as, “green mama tip”, “green feeding tip”, and “real mama tip”.
• Great coupon section at the back that offers really nice deals on organic baby food, juices, green magazines, organic clothing. There are diapers too – but they’re disposable which was too bad.

The best part of the book was the middle (and largest section) The Happy (and Well-Fed!) Baby. This is where the book shines because co-authors, the founders of HAPPYBABY really know their food stuff. Their company makes organic baby and toddler food such as frozen organic baby food cubes, baby snacks, cereal, and more. This section is almost all perks and has the following features…

• Breastfeeding nutritional info including breastfeeding myths and facts, mama health, latching on help, breast milk storage, weaning and more.
• Feeding your baby solids which includes information on when to feed, the best nutritious foods, baby food textures, problems you may run into, finger foods, beverages for baby, food allergies, and a run down on baby food types (jarred, homemade, frozen, etc).
• A large section on making your own homemade baby food with tips on how to get started (yes it’s super easy), ingredients, prep, the cooking process, charts on how to prepare specific veggies, fruits, and meats, storage information, flavor for baby and many excellent recipes that you’ve probably never thought of before but that your baby will adore.
• The entire last section of part 2 focuses on healthy feeding tips, advice, how to get your child to love veggies and other healthy foods, and so much more.

THE BAD:

This book is a green and healthy baby care book yet the book itself is not printed on recycled paper. Or if it is, I couldn’t find that information. When green books are printed on virgin paper it really irks me. The book is available in ebook format which is nice, but doesn’t help if you’d like to own a hard copy. If you’re feeling book guilt you can plant some trees in exchange for this book though.

The book seems to focus on some major green brands but not some other (better) but more obscure green brands. For example, Seventh Generation, who I like in some ways, has a coupon in the back of the book and the book recommends their diapers as having less of an impact on the planet – which really they don’t. There are many greener diaper choices. Seventh Generation has some health perks for your baby and I’d suggest them over say, Huggies, but overall it’s just a dressed up as “natural” disposable diaper. In any case Seventh Generation is peppered throughout the book and it makes me wonder if they were a partner or something. They also suggest some odd choices of safer diaper creams but leave out one of the safest on the market – Earth Mama Angel Baby.

The cleaning supply section is questionable. I like their make your own green cleaners section, but some of the store-bought ‘greener’ cleaners they suggest come from companies that conduct animal testing, contribute to pollution by means of their other bleach filled products, or that contain ingredients not made public (i.e. they likely are toxic and suck).

Someone wrote up the green resources without doing their homework. For example The Good Guide is listed more than once as a place to find greener and safer products and I think this is a terrible place to compare green products. Some cool green resources, books, and websites were left out too (although they did have many nice ones) but overall it seems like someone who is not completely into green living wrote the resource section.

OVERALL SCORE:

4 out of 5 trees!

As a green baby book only, I’d likely have given this book a lower score (a three). However, since the main bulk of this book is feeding your baby, and because the feeding sections were excellent in my opinion, I bumped this book up to 4 trees. The book loses a point for not being printed on recycled paper and because some of the other non-feeding green sections could have been more informed.

Overall if you want to learn to make green and healthy foods for your child from day one and raise a healthy and happy eater this is a must own book. Get your own copy of  HappyBaby The Organic Guide to Baby’s First 24 Months.

See my Green Product Review Criteria

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PS – HAPPYBABY was recently nominated by Shine A Light as one of the three most inspiring small companies in the U.S. which is a huge honor and in order for them to win, they need your vote. They’re the only green company in the running, so it’d be really cool if they win. VOTE for HAPPYBABY!

Post from: Blisstree

Green Review: HappyBaby Organic Baby Guide

PRODUCT: HappyBaby The Organic Guide to Baby’s First 24 Months by the founders of HAPPYBABY, Robert W. Sears, and Amy Marlow (September 2009, Harper Collins)

COST: $16.99 softcover / $16.99 ebook

BASICS: From HAPPYBABY; “HappyBaby The Organic Guide to Baby’s First 24 Months, focuses on the most crucial and confusing time for growing families: the beginning. This book is the one-stop source for new moms and dads who are committed to having the healthiest, happiest family possible.

Topics Include:

• Easy, healthy & delicious recipes for babies and toddlers
• Proper nutrition for nursing moms
• Dealing with post-pregnancy stress
• How to teach caregivers to be health-conscious in your absence
• Managing immunization schedules and planning family activities
• How to create an environmentally sound and baby-friendly household without hazardous chemicals and toxins.
• A checklist for baby and toddler wellness
• Choosing safe products for baby and your home

This groundbreaking book offers a proactive, harmonious approach to parenting that’s easier, greener, and just plain better for your precious infant or toddler.”

WHAT I THINK IN GENERAL:

This book is an easy introduction to a greener lifestyle and a healthier way to bring up your baby.The chapters are arranged in a way that makes sense. They open with tips and advice about what it means to live a healthier and greener life and focus on all over greener living like household waste, green cleaning, energy savings, reusable bags and water bottles, information about green baby food – i.e. pesticide free and organics, and more. All of this is in very usable bite sized chunks so if green is totally new to you, it’s not overwhelming. The first chapter is less useful if you’ve been living green for a while though. I didn’t find many new tips for me – but keep in mind I’m a green writer and have been looking at this stuff for years.

The rest of the book (following the first chapter goes in time order from the postpartum period to homemade baby food which includes information about breastfeeding and weaning and tips on choosing BPA-free baby feeding gear. The book then covers healthy foods for mamas, starting solids, healthier baby feeding with recipes, sample baby meal plans, and all sorts of other baby feeding tips. The last part of the book looks at your home such as diapers,  greener nursery gear, safe toys, green cleaning, and so on. There’s also a short chapter on baby and toddler wellness.

There are some good points and bad points to this book but overall I’m going to recommend it because the mealtime sections are excellent. Coming up my thoughts on the pros and cons of HappyBaby The Organic Guide to Baby’s First 24 Months.

Post from: Blisstree

New Healthy Green Baby Book

1. Breastfeed: Breastfeeding is one of the greenest baby care choices you can commit to. Not only is it free from supplies and waste (bottles, formula, nipples, etc) but it’s the healthiest way to feed your baby and it’s practically free!
2. Co-sleep: Co-sleeping is controversial for sure. In fact Consumer Reports recently bashed it, much to the chagrin of attachment parents everywhere. If you’re not totally on board you should consider that co-sleeping is also green. You eliminate extra temporary furniture (the crib) and bedding plus co-sleeping can really help facilitate green choice number 1 – breastfeeding. If you co-sleep one item that can help is the organic Humanity Family Bed.
3. Go organic: There are so many organic baby care choices available nowadays. From organic baby clothing to organic toys to organic baby shampoo and more. Organics cut out pesticides that are released into our air, water, and soil plus keep harmful chemicals and pesticides off your baby’s skin.
4. Make homemade baby food: Once your little one starts munching, organic homemade baby food is the freshest, least wasteful, healthiest way to go. In fact, a recent study shows that  even store bought organic baby food can’t beat homemade health wise. Note that it’s super easy too – not complicated at all once you get the hang of it.
5. Try cloth diapers: The cloth diaper debate is always raging on. Is it really greener if you have to wash all those diapers? YES. Cloth diapers can be used over and over and don’t languish in a landfill. The newest and best cloth diapers come with handy reusable and changeable inserts which cut down on laundry time. PLUS yes, you can wash diapers on cold with good results then line dry. If you’re not ready to totally go non-disposable try gDiapers which are a hybrid of sorts – breathable, waterproof, plastic free, and 100% biodegradable. For a shock see what’s inside a plastic disposable diaper – you don’t want this stuff on your baby’s bum.
6. Teach green early: Help develop a life-long love of nature in your baby. Babies grow into kids who grow into teens who grow into adults – and these adults will be in charge of keeping our plant green and healthy. Kids who get outside often learn to love this planet. I sound like a broken record about this, but seriously, if your tots don’t learn to love nature do you really think they’ll give a hoot about preserving it? Get your baby outside early and often. Talk to her about green issues from the start – she may not understand now, but she will one day.

BONUS LINK: I recently read this awesome piece at the SF Gate – Is Your Pediatrician Green? 5 Questions to Ask

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Blisstree

Six great ways to raise a green baby

You can get a pink baby basket, a blue baby basket, or other baskets, but all come with the same gifts mentioned above, just in varying styles.

[image via Burgundy Blue]

Post from: Blisstree

Tree Baby – Green Baby Shower Gift

Available Subtle shades of natural colors: Lemony Yellow, Cinnamon Brown, Peachy Peach, Vanilly White, Berry Pink, Minty Green, Purply Grape, assorted.

A $29 Value Prize

Contest ends on: Dec. 7, 2008 and a random winner will be announced the following day.

How To Play and Rules To Follow:

1) Visit Lala Natural and leave a comment here telling me what your favorite holiday toy is.

2) You can enter a second time by posting about the contest and writing why you would love the playdough. Just leave your link in the comments below.

3) Send a tweet on Twitter about the contest. Then leave your tweet URL in the comments below. Now you have 3 entries to win the playdough.

Don’t forget to check out the Holiday Gift Guide! Coupons, gift ideas, and MORE!

Post from: Blisstree

Giveaway – ECO Baby Organic Playdough