What does Organic Mean?

When we first started, we got this question quite a bit, but over the years more people are understanding what we mean when we say “Organic”. When i say that we are “an organic baby store” I get the assumption 9 out of 10 times that we sell organic baby food. When i say we don’t sell any baby food, people are surprised. Well then what do you mean by “organic baby products”? is usually their next question.

The label “organic” doesn’t only apply to foods. It also applies to the various products we use on a daily basis from bath and skin care to fabric and cleaners and so much more. Organic essentially means that during the production of a product there has been  no chemicals, preservatives etc…used and the ingredients are derived from natural sources.

We select our products carefully and choose products that are organic, natural and eco-friendly. Recently there has been a lot of exposure to the types of chemicals we put on ourselves and our kids in terms of the bath and body products we use. Our range of bath and body products are organic/natural and free of these harsh chemicals. To learn about which chemicals you should avoid check out one of our previous posts: What are the worst ingredients to look out for in skin and bath products.

You need to start reading labels not just of the foods you buy, but of the personal bath and skincare products you use in order to make sure that these don’t contain any of these horrible chemicals. A good reference site is the Skin Deep website which rates products according to toxicity. Ideally you should look for products that have a 4 or less rating. They also have a mobile app that is quite handy when you are out shopping. You can scan the bar code in of a product and it will pull up the information for this product.

When we use personal care products with chemicals, these chemicals penetrate our skin and enter our bodies. Our poor bodies don’t know what to do with these chemicals and this is where all the problems start. Toxicity levels increase within our body and our body tries to process them but the result is damaging. Hormone imbalances, infertility, disease and strain on major organics are a few problems that can result.  These chemicals are also harmful to our environment. So as we become more conscious of what we are putting in our bodies, we should also start becoming aware of what we are putting on our bodies and the daily chemicals we use and encounter in our day to day living.

 

 

Creating your Own Easter Basket

It’s easy to create your own Easter basket and creating your own basket allows you to tailor your gifts and treats for the individual child. For example an age and gender appropriate toy/craft or accessory. It does take a little bit of planning and thought on your end, but it’s worth it, since you can include edible treats that aren’t full of corn syrup and other yucky chemicals.

I usually start with a straw basket and there are some colourful ones out there for Easter. I add a soft toy or bunny, however if you are making the basket for an older child then perhaps including a book, game or fun activity would be better. You could also add a music CD/DVD. I then like to add a colourful accessory, like a belt, barrette, headband, socks or even a tie/hat. You can’t forget the edible treats. I usually add some organic Easter chocolate and some organic jellybeans or organic lollipops.  Lastly i like to add an age appropriate toy that completes the basket. We have in store Easter Egg Dyeing Kits which are fun for every age as well as crayon rocks, sidewalk chalk, veggie crayons. You have a lot to options and choices.

Once you’ve picked your items, simply line your basket with tissue paper or straw. I go for natural, eco-friendly filler options that can be recycled easily of course. I arrange my gifts and treats usually with the tallest in the bag and shortest in the front.

Once i’m happy with my arrangement, i cover the basket with basket wrap and tie colourful ribbon. You can also you a cloth cover or wrap. You may want to attach a card or note with a special message.

Organically Hatched can help you create your own customized gift basket. All you have to do is go online and pick the treats and gifts you want to include in your basket and add the straw gift basket to your cart. Leave the rest to them. They will put it together beautifully and mail it out on your behalf with a personalized message to the recipient on your behalf.

Getting Educated About Sunscreen by Shaheen Hirji

I’m still shocked and amazed at how many people still don’t read the labels on their sunscreen and don’t pay any attention to the harmful chemicals they diligently apply to their kids on a daily basis during the summer and vacation. My kids are the most precious to me, as i’m sure yours are to you and so i don’t understand why parents wouldn’t be interested in reading the labels on the sunscreen they buy? Once you start reading the labels you will be shocked at the amount of chemicals listed. I had a friend tell me yesterday that his wife bought sunscreen because it said “cancer safe” or had some sort of approval from the American Cancer Society or Association. He asked me to look at the ingredients and i could see about 5/6 chemicals listed just off the top of the list. I showed him the ingredients listed on one of our chemical free sunscreens so that he could get an idea of what to look for.

I have written a blog on the truth about sunscreen a while ago but maybe a recap would be helpful. Avoid the following ingredients:

A form of vitamin A called retinyl palmitate, (found in 41 percent of sunscreens). There is investigation ongoing, whether this compound may accelerate skin damage and elevate skin cancer risk when applied to skin exposed to sunlight.

oxybenzone, a hormone-disrupting compound found in about 60 percent of the 500 beach and sport sunscreens analyzed. The chemical penetrates the skin and enters the bloodstream.

Safe, chemical free sunscreens will have Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. These are the natural found minerals and these have the sunblock properties you need.

You may also want to look at the top rated sunscreens according to the Environmental Working Group.

It does take a little bit of time and effort on your part, to look at the ingredients listed on the sunscreen you do buy, but it I think the health of your children and your family is so important and so worth the time and effort.

Natural Easter Egg Dye

We just got these Natural Easter Egg Dye Kits from Wee Can Too and we just love the fact that these are made with all natural ingredients. They are so natural that they are made with food-based ingredients! The kit comes with 3 primary colours to make 6 colours plus a veggie crayon that can be used to decorate. The kit is wheat and dairy free as well as Vegan.  It’s a perfect kit to include in your Easter basket and your little one’s will thoroughly enjoy creating and decorating their Easter Egg art.

What’s the deal with baby powder?

Recently a friend of mine who was expecting her first baby asked me, what’s the deal with baby powder? Is it safe to use? I bet there are a lot of new moms out there asking the same question so i thought it might be a good idea to share some information about baby powder.

Traditional baby powder has been made from Talc and silicates and usage of Talc has shown to increase chances of womb cancer and ovarian cancer. Talcum powder is an extremely fine substance that can be inhaled easily into the the lungs and this is why the American Academy of Pediatrics no longer recommends the use of talcum based baby powder. They feel that talcum powder can cause serious lung damage when inhaled.

As a result, a lot of companies have started manufacturing baby powder with cornstarch as the main ingredient instead of talc. Cornstarch particles are larger and so less likely to be inhaled. Powder made from tapioca or rice flour is also another alternative.

We carry 2 powders that are talc free. The first is the from Gaia Natural Baby and this is cornstarch based and the second is the All Things Jill Baby Powder which is made from tapioca starch, Kaolin Clay and Arrowroot Powder. Both products contain lavender essential oil to soothe and calm baby’s skin.

So, if you are going to use baby powder on your little one, just read the ingredients to make sure that the product you are choosing doesn’t contain any talc, parabens or other nasty chemicals. If you aren’t sure what chemicals you should be avoiding, you may want to look at the post on nasty chemicals to avoid.

 

Why is mineral oil something to watch for in baby bath and body products?

I was talking with a friend over the weekend and we were talking about baby oils and she asked if i used mineral oil and when i told her that mineral oil in baby products is not a good ingredient, she asked me why. This promoted this blog post as this is a common question that most moms probably have. If you look at the ingredient list of most creams, lotions and bath products you will see mineral oil as being listed. Mineral oil is a clear, liquid oil with no scent and no expiry date. It is a byproduct of  the distillation process of gasoline from crude oil. As a result, it is foreign to the body and like other chemicals, the body doesn’t know how to break it down and use it. This results in all kinds of problems.  It sits on top of the skin as a thin layer and clogs the skin making it difficult for skin to eliminate toxins. The amount that does get absorbed, goes to the liver and then into the intestinal tract. There it soaks up all of the vitamins, which in babies can cause nutritional deficiencies. Liver problems, nutritional deficiencies and even Pnenomnia have been linked to mineral oil.  In short, if you are thinking of buying a body and skincare product and see mineral oil listed as an ingredient then it’s best not to purchase it. The safest choice for you and your baby are natural oils such as jojoba, apricot, almond and coconut oil.

What to pack for the Hospital When Having a Baby

As I pack for the hospital today, i realized that it might help to share my list with you. I am scheduled for a c-section tomorrow and this is my second baby so it’s not too difficult to figure out what i need. For those first time moms out there, my list may help.

1 pack of newborn diapers (i like to take my own as the hospital provides regular diapers that aren’t eco-friendly or plastic free)

1 pack of baby wipes (i like to take my own as the hospital provides regular diapers that aren’t eco-friendly or plastic free)

1 newborn sleeper

2 swaddling blankets

1 newborn outfit to bring baby home in

1 hat

1 pair of socks

1 pair of baby mittens

2 burp pads or towels

1 pack of disposable wash cloths

1 pack of nursing pads

1 or 2 nursing bras

1 travel pack of bath & body essentials for you

toothpaste & toothbrush

deodorant

lip balm

1 travel pack of baby bath & body essentials

3 pairs of c-section underwear or regular underwear

1 nipple butter

1 c-section salve if you are have a c-section

1 earth mama bottom balm or bottom spray  if you are having a normal vaginal delivery

breast pump (if you already own one). The hospital will have one you can use if you don’t own one.

baby formula. It usually takes 3 days to get your milk to come in and so you may want to supplement with formula. The hospital will have baby formula, however if you prefer a certain brand take it with you.

2 or 3 small baby bottles

1 bum bum balm or bum spray or travel sized diaper kit

diaper bag to fit all these in

1 night gown/pyjamas/lougewear (to wear while you are in the hospital to be comfortable)

1 pair of clothes (to come home in)

1 pack of menstrual pads

1 belly bandit

1 package of milkmaid tea to help with milk production

Don’t forget to install the car seat and have it ready for inspection at the hospital. They will not let you take baby home without looking at the car seat first.

What is Propylene Glycol?

If you are used to reading product labels and ingredient lists like me, you will notice that Propylene Glycol appears quite a bit from everything from shampoo to food items. I recently saw it as an ingredient in fruit roll ups.  So what exactly is Propylene Glycol and is it good for us? “When listed in food products, it is is a form of mineral oil, an alcohol produced by fermentation of yeast and carbohydrates. This gives it the designation of carbohydrate when used in foods. It is commonly used as a solvent in oral, topical and injectable drug products as well as in foods.” This doesn’t sound good to me, so it is safe? “The FDA includes Pharmaceutical grade PG on its Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) list. The World Health Organization also considers it as safe for use.” This safety rating has been debated over as the concentration of Propylene Glycol varies from product to product. It seems that formulations of Propylene Glycol that are less than 50% concentrate are safe for use, however it was also found that Propylene Glycol provoked allergic reactions in patients with eczema and other skin allergies, even in formulations of much less than 50%.

In order to be on the safe side, my recommendation would be to avoid products containing Propylene Glycol as there has been documented toxic effects after repeated small doses of propylene glycol were ingested or repeatedly applied to the skin. In Europe where authorities are more cautious about what is allowed in foods and cosmetics, it is limited to non-food uses.

For baby bath & body products that don’t contain Propylene Gycol go to: http://www.organicallyhatched.com/natural_organic_baby_skin_care_bath_products_s/3.htm

For Natural bath & body products that don’t contain Propylene Gycol go to: http://www.organicallyhatched.com/Bath_and_Body_s/222.htm

Learn more about Propylene Glycol

Top Rated Sunscreens According to the EWG

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) analyzed more than 600 beach and sport sunscreens and found that they could only recommend one in five sunscreens for this summer! The rest either don’t protect enough or contain hazardous ingredients that don’t belong on your skin. That being said, when you look at their Top Rated Sunscreen list, the sunscreens we offer are listed. The Badger line of sunscreens is on that list as well as Think Sport and Think Baby Sunscreen. Also the Keys Sunscreen we offer has a 1 rating just the same as these other brands. This is good news for us since it confirms that we picked the best sunscreens to offer our customers.

For more information visit the EWG’s Sunscreen Guide.

Choosing the best Easter Chocolate

There are a lot of chocolates out there right now for Easter, but not all are healthy or good for you or your children for that matter. It’s important to read the ingredient/nutritional labels to choose the best ones. A lot of the common chocolate have ingredients like fructose/glucose, modified milk ingredients, polyglcerol polyricinoleate, artificial flavor and modified palm oil. None of these  ingredients are good for you and you will not find these types of ingredients in quality chocolate. We carry organic Easter Chocolate and the first ingredient is organic chocolate, made from organic sugar, organic cocoa butter, organic cocoa power. Pure and simple ingredients that you recognize are a good test to whether it is quality chocolate. The higher the cocoa butter content the higher the quality so always look for cocoa butter to be listed as the first or second ingredient. Avoid anything with chemicals that you cannot pronounce or don’t understand. It’s great to enjoy a little chocolate now and then, especially for  Easter however it’s important to read labels and pick the best quality of chocolate!