Baby Blog – News & Tips on Organic Parenting

How to Dress Your Newborn Properly

July 21st, 2010

There are baby clothes to fit every size of newborn, from the tiny premature baby to the bouncing 10-pounder. Most baby clothes are sized by the approximate age and height of the child. Your baby probably won’t require a great number of first-size clothes and may well grow into the next size within a matter of weeks — some babies are even big enough when born to go straight into second-size clothes.

Dressing and undressing your newborn can be difficult enough without having to worry about doing up complicated fastenings, so keep first clothes simple and save buttons and bows until later. Choose well-designed baby clothes that allow you to dress and undress your baby with the minimum of fuss. Look for garments that have wide, envelope necks that will stretch, so that you can slip them over baby’s head easily. Stretchsuits which have fastenings up the inside leg will allow you to change a nappy without having to remove all your baby’s clothes. All-in-one bodysuits, which fasten between the legs, will prevent your baby from getting cold around the middle and are ideal if you dress your baby in separates.

If you have a girl you may well be tempted to put her in dresses from the beginning, but dresses are not practical everyday wear for a young baby. They ride up and can be uncomfortable to He on, they will allow draughts in around her middle, and they get in the way when she is starting to crawl. It is better to save them for special occasions or for when she’s older.

Lacy jackets and shawls are best avoided too, as little fingers can get caught in the holes.

As your baby grows, colourful rompers and dungarees can take the place of stretchsuits. They are versatile and are suitable for both boys and girls. Rompers, which are really stretchsuits without feet, are easy to wear as they allow your baby freedom of movement. When you buy dungarees make sure that they have generous turn-ups and adjustable shoulder straps so that you get the maximum wear out of them.

When the weather is warm, babies need to be dressed in clothes that will keep them comfortably cool, and you should always cover their heads with a sun hat if you are out and about. Outerwear for cold days should be roomy enough to fit easily over everyday clothes.

Easy-care Fabrics

Your baby is quite likely to get through as many as three or four changes a day so it makes sense to buy clothes made in easy-care fabrics that will wash and wear well. Check the labels before buying and avoid any garments that are going to need special treatment. Choose natural fabrics as these are best for warmth and absorbency. Pure organic cotton is ideal for your baby’s underwear and also her stretchsuits.

Whether you are machine- or hand-washing garments, always follow the instructions on the labels so that your baby’s clothes retain their shape, color, and texture. Avoid using “biological” washing powders as these may irritate your baby’s skin. It is important that all clothes are well aired and completely dry before being put away.

Tags: clothes, newborn
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Shopping for Eco-Friendly Baby Clothes

December 21st, 2009

The health of your baby is one of the things parents are most concerned about, especially new parents.  With every little cough or sneeze, they immediately start to worry that their baby has the flu or is having an allergic reaction.  While nothing can protect children from every little virus or illness except putting them in a bubble, purchasing eco-friendly baby clothes can help cut down on the number of allergic reactions children have.

Eco-friendly baby clothes are created out of certified organic cotton that has not been exposed to any sort of chemicals or pesticides.  The manufacturing process does not involve any chemicals, either, and the organic cotton is dyed using only natural, eco-friendly dyes.  What does this mean for your children?  It means they will be wearing clothing that is safer than any other product out there.  There are no chemicals to cause harsh allergic reactions.  Your children’s skin is quite sensitive when they are young, so the fewer chemicals used in their clothing, the better.

Organic doesn’t mean scratchy or uncomfortable—instead, these eco-friendly baby clothes are soft, warm, and look amazing.  The corduroy hooded jackets, for example, are very fashionable.  They feature a very warm hood that will keep your baby’s head nice and warm without causing any sniffles or coughs.  For indoor play, there’s the organic cotton romper.  It comes in three different designs and is completely made from organic cotton.  Eco-friendly baby clothes come in many other designs, too, including dresses, yoga tops and pants, and shorts.  You’ll find them in many colors and designs, too.

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Organic Baby Jackets Will Keep Your Babies Nice and Warm

December 2nd, 2009

During the summer, your babies don’t need much more than a little onesie, and sometimes parents just dress them in long shirts.  However, during the winter you want to keep your babies as warm as possible.  To that end, you need to have a little jacket for your baby.  If, however, you want to avoid dressing your baby in anything that contains artificial fibers or chemical dyes, there are many jackets and coats that you’ll want to avoid.  However, there are a number of organic baby jackets out there.

Corduroy hooded jackets are great choices for keeping your baby warm during the cold winters.  These corduroy jackets are made out of top quality fabric that features no artificial fibers.  Corduroy is very warm, and once the jacket is buttoned up, your baby will be snug and protected from chilly drafts.  These jackets can be found in several different sizes and colors.

Organic cotton jackets are also an option for natural yet warm baby outerwear.  Made from cotton, they’re incredibly soft.  They’re lined with a plush cotton lining that will keep your babies comfortable and warm.  Since cotton is so breathable, you’ll be able to use this jacket during the fall and the spring, too, until the weather starts to warm up.  None of the snaps used on these organic cotton jackets contain any nickel, and there hood comes without a drawstring so there’s no choking hazard.  These jackets are available in 1T and 2T sizes and in several different colors.

In addition to these two types of organic baby jackets, there are a number of other accessories you can get.  They include organic hats and booties to help keep your baby warm during the winter, plus they look incredibly stylish.

Tags: baby, jackets, organic
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Buying Organic Designer Baby Clothing

October 21st, 2009

Many new parents want their babies to look chic.  While it might sound somewhat crazy to other parents, buying designer baby clothing can actually be very important to many people.  They want their children to look great, even if the babies don’t really understand fashion or what they’re wearing.  If you’re invited to a baby shower for one of these parents or if you want your baby to look amazing, you may find yourself shopping at some designer clothing stores aimed specifically at baby wear.

However, other parents want to only dress their babies in organic clothing.  This helps protect them from allergens, chemicals, and other harsh things.  These organic clothes can keep your children healthy and protect them from a number of illnesses as they grow up, plus they’re ecologically friendly as well.  But while these organic clothes will keep your baby healthy, can they also look like designer outfits?

The answer is yes, there are organic designer baby clothes out there.  For example, there’s a corduroy hooded jacket that will make any baby look chic and stylish.  This jacket is completely organic, containing no chemicals at all.  Yet it is still just as great looking as many of the different designer jackets out there.  In fact, some people won’t be able to tell the difference at all.  For those who are into doing yoga with their babies, there are many different designer yoga outfits for babies and young children.  These organic outfits look very much like designer clothes, and they will make your baby the envy of all others in your parent and baby yoga class.

Tags: baby, clothes, organic
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Don’t Forget the Organic Baby Jacket

September 28th, 2009

When it comes to purchasing organic items for babies, many people start with the mattress, sheets, and blankets.  Since many allergies come from the crib, it’s very important that babies sleep on hypoallergenic sheets and have mattresses that do not contain harmful flame retardants and other chemicals.  However, after getting a good night’s sleep, what happens to many babies?  They’re dressed in clothing made from traditional, artificial fibers, so they immediately get exposed to dust, dyes, and all those chemicals that organic sheets and such don’t have, which kind of defeats the purpose of the organic bedding.

But wait, many people purchase organic outfits for their babies.  These little onesies and other outfits are made out of the same organic cottons and other materials as the sheets and blankets are, so the baby isn’t exposed to any chemicals.  However, many parents forget to purchase organic baby jackets.  That’s because jackets and other outerwear is often not stocked in stores, or if it is, only a few options are available.  Fortunately, organic baby jackets are available in many places, and you can find jackets, hats, and even boots made out of organic materials if you search for them.  A lot of times, the stores will even special order these organic items if you ask for them.

Is it really that important that your baby have everything made out of organic materials?  If you want them to avoid the many allergic reactions that humans have to various chemicals and dyes, then yes.  While it’s true that most babies don’t wear their jackets that much, still, it’s a period of time when they’re exposed to chemicals if the jacket isn’t organic.  As a parent, it’s your decision how much to go organic, but if you really want your baby growing up free from exposure to chemicals used in fabrics, organic jackets are a necessity.

Tags: baby, clothes, organic
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Top 5 Baby Clothes Buying Tips

August 11th, 2009

For many parents buying baby clothes is one of the most complicated sets of decisions thrown at them. I wanted to take a few minutes to summarize some of the baby clothes buying guidelines that will not only make your life a little easier but also will most likely save you some money in the process.

1. Buy Baby Clothes Big

Now this one is a bit obvious, babies grow. And so it is always smart to err on the side of buying big as apposed to a perfect fit. In this same stream of thought plan ahead, a great way to save money on baby clothes is to look for good deals on clothes your child will need next season or even next year.

2. The Unisex Solution

Of course this one applies to if you do not yet know the sex of your child, but the value in this baby clothes rule doesn’t stop there. By buying unisex outfits of gender neutral colors such as cool yellows or lime greens you open the door to saving money on clothes for future children and make handing them down over time much easier.

3. Function before Fashion

This one is a huge pet peeve of mine. Function before fashion is one of the most important rules regarding baby clothes second only to safety. It can be easy to get charmed into super cute outfits that are completely impractical. Watch out for lots of bows, buttons, ribbons, etc. Extra fasteners and such only get in the way of diaper changing duty which parents know at times can be quite urgent. Function is especially important at bedtime, make sure your child’s pajamas are safe and easy access. The last time you want to be trying to figure out some crazy elaborate outfit is at 2:30am while your child is screaming.

4. Don’t Forget the Feet

Covering your baby’s feet can be very tricky. Socks don’t always stay on long and easily get lost in the day’s action. The best bet here is to go with onesies or pants with footsies attached.

5. Wash Before Wearing

This is something that most people do anyway, but it is worth mentioning. Many baby clothes are made or treated with harsh chemicals and even if you buy organic cotton baby clothes they still have gone through a lot of handling and moving about. Baby skin is much more sensitive then adults, washing new baby clothes not only makes the clothes safer but softer, your child will thank you.

So there you have it, 5 simple guidelines that can make the process of choosing baby clothes much more simple. Good luck, and if you have any questions please feel free to ask.

Tags: baby, clothing, Cotton
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How to Buy Baby Clothes

June 30th, 2009

So you would think that with all of the crazy super important decisions that you are called to make while having a baby that buying baby clothes would be a piece of cake, well guess what, it’s not. Buying the wrong baby clothes can potentially stunt your child’s growth, lead to difficult teenage years, and cause diabetes. Now, while none of those things are true it is still an important part of preparing for your child’s  time in this world. As a father I can honestly say that when Ruby (daughter) came into this world I had no idea how the respective sizes of baby clothes worked. It was a sphere of knowledge somewhat akin to women’s shoe sizes, by that I mean that it is different then my sizes, probably important to someone else, and something I don’t care about at all. That being said, I wanted to take a moment to write some tips on buying baby clothes to save you from some of the bumbling mistakes and eventual research I had to do to figure it out for myself.

1. Function is King

There are some pretty awesome outfits out there for your newborn or toddler and many of them are completely ridiculous when it comes to actual utility. I don’t care how awesome that baby biker or cowboy outfit is, if you cannot get in there quickly to defuse whatever diaper bomb is cooking they are not real baby clothes. Look for clothes with a snap-crotch for easy access; you will be glad you did. As for the top half of things weight your choices towards necks that are stretchy and or have buttons to widen the opening. Your baby will love you more for not trying to forcibly squeeze their head through anything more then is necessary, and you want your baby to love you, don’t you?

2. Think Season Appropriate

When purchasing baby clothes before the child’s birth, spare a moment to figure out what the general temperature will be when that kid meets the world and shop accordingly. How would you feel if you went to visit some family in January and you lost your bags, and as chance would have it  also happened to be naked when you got there. It would be pretty great if your hosts had some nice warm clothes for you to wear.

3. Sizes

For most new parents this is where things get a bit weird. Baby clothes sizes are by age, so for example 0-3 months, 1 year, 2 year, etc. Of course, this system is insane, but it is the best that we have come up with so far. I mean can you imagine if we stuck with the baby clothes model of sizing throughout life? Shopping for a size 34 year could be wacky and potentially embarrassing. Anyway, the rule of thumb with baby clothes is to aim for a little big at the start (babies grow) and then once you get to know the baby, assuming you like him or her, and feel like buying them more things, you will know where they fit in relation to the universal age size scale.

And so to sum things up, the best way to buy baby clothes is to use common sense. Think of the weather, remember that babies grow so aim for bigger rather then smaller, and the most important thing is function.

Tags: baby, clothing, how to
Posted in Baby Product Safety, General, Organic Baby Clothes, Organic Baby Skin Care, Organic Baby Yoga, Organic Crib Mattresses | View Comments

The Benefits of Organic Cotton

June 21st, 2009

Organic cotton is cotton that is grown and processed without chemical pesticides or fertilizers from plants that are not genetically modified.  The organic cotton industry is one that has been growing by leaps and bounds the last several years.  But what are some of the reasons to choose organic cotton over traditional produced cotton products?  I mean you don’t eat it right so what is the big deal.  As it turns out there are many reasons to go with organic cotton starting with the effects the industry has long before it ever reaches the consumer.

Cotton farming is among the most intensive with the use of toxic chemical fertilizers and pesticides, some of which were originally designed as chemical weapons.  We are talking about 2.6 billion pounds of pesticides a year released into the environment.  These chemicals make up around 16% of the worlds pesticides. For pair of jeans and t-shirt produced there is an associated one pound of toxic chemicals added to our environment, yikes.  The cotton industry is also heavily reliant on forced child labor, which is bad in and of itself, but when you add these toxic chemicals into the work environment it is just awful.   So, after the cotton is harvested it obviously must undergo rigorous processing to become the cotton products we use.  Traditional cotton is also treated with many other toxic chemicals at this stage, residuals from these chemicals can irritate the skin and are potentially bad for your health.  The risks from the toxins used on cotton are especially bad for babies whose skin is thinner and more porous then adults.

There are many companies now that manufacture and sell quality organic cotton products.  After doing the research the choice is clear, choosing organic cotton is choosing better health for your family as well as the workers on the farm, it is choosing a cleaner environment for all of us, and due to the general higher quality and resilience of the cotton it is choosing to save money.

Tags: Cotton, organic
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Baby Clothes – Why Organic Is Better For Your Baby

April 28th, 2009

Many of us know of the ecological impact of producing non organic cotton baby clothes (where cotton crops account for 25% of the worlds pesticides and 10% of the worlds insecticides each year). The question we hear often is are there really any actual health benefits for buying organic baby clothes.

And the answer is Yes, organic baby clothes are better for your baby!

Your baby’s skin is more porous and thinner then an adults. Also, with such a smaller body and developing organs even a small minute of toxins will cause much more overall harm then it would for an adult.  Baby skin is also more susceptible to bacteria and harmful substances in the environment and in clothing, which is why baby skin becomes irritated so easily.

So this all means that our kids have a much higher risk of getting pesticide or toxic related health issues then grown ups from our clothes. Some recent studies suggest that most kids receive 35% of their estimated lifetime dose of toxins and carcinogenic pesticides by the time they are five years old through food, drinking water, household products, and pesticide drift.

Traditional baby clothes made with cotton  fiber are manufactured with bleaching, dying, scouring, softeners, formaldehyde spraying, and  flame redardent spray, before it is even shipped to be adjusted for patterns. Many of these chemicals do not come out after many washes.

So yes true organic baby clothes grown from organic cotton and manufactured without bleaches, dyes, toxic softerners, and all the other traditional toxins are better for your babies health.

Tags: baby, clothes
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Baby Clothes – Whats new?

April 21st, 2009

Make sure to check our huge new line of organic baby clothes and baby products on our new products page. We’ve added our spring and baby clothing lines, including; new baby yoga crepe sets, fold over skirts, baby pants and much more. As usual please leave feedback on our blog on our baby clothes!

Tags: baby, clothing
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