16 June 2012
Eco Nino organic cotton change mat covers are now available in four gorgeous block colours to compliment the popular stripe range. Choose from charcoal, navy, red or sagebrush to add the finishing touch to your baby's nursery. Proudly made in Australia, they are great value at $34.95.
CATEGORY: change table cover, eco, nino, organic, buy |
POSTED BY: Laura McIlwaine |
29 February 2012
The saying "sleep like a baby" makes more sense when your little one is sleeping in a Merino Kids GO GO Bag.
With an inner lining of quality New Zealand merino wool and outer of organic cotton, GO GO Bags are the perfect sleep environment. Merino has been proven to improve the sleep patterns of babies and infants and it's no surprise given that merino is nature's wonder fibre. Benefits of sleeping in merino are numerous and include its superior breathability, ability to control temperature and natural fire resistance. The award-winning design of the GO GO Bag will ensure your baby stays warm too - no risk of wriggling out of this bag and waking up in the middle of the night!
To encourage you to invest in your baby's (and your own!) sleep time, we're offering 15% off any purchase of two standard weight Merino Kids GO GO Sleepbags during the month of March. This will ensure your child always has a bag available in the event of sickness, nappy accidents or the routine wash.
Simply use code 'marchmerino' in your shopping basket from 1 - 31 March 2012 (or while stocks last) to take advantage of this offer. Discount applies to baby (newborn - 2 years) and toddler (2 to 4 years) sleepbag sizes in the striped designs (excludes limited edition prints and duvet weight bags).
CATEGORY: Merino Kids, sale, special, GO GO Bag |
POSTED BY: Laura McIlwaine |
21 February 2012
By Tanya Fyfe (BEng(Environmental))
Rather than purchasing a nursery of new furniture for your baby or child, consider restoring pre-loved furniture to give the piece a second life
It’s easy to think that if you have tired old furniture sitting around, you need to get rid of it and invest in something nicer. But have you considered restoring your old furniture instead? Something as simple as a bright coat of paint can make an amazing difference, and doesn’t require any special skills. As well as saving you money, this can minimise your environmental footprint by diverting materials from landfill and avoiding the materials, manufacturing and transport impacts associated with purchasing new furniture.
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Until recently, I hadn’t restored any furniture before, but was in possession of a tired old bookcase we bought years ago, second hand. We also had some bright yellow paint left over from a previous project, so I decided to give the little bookcase a facelift. The aim was to make a bright bookcase to house my son Billy’s toys and books. After a quick sanding and a couple of coats of paint, I am quite pleased with the result.
What do you think?
About the Author: Tanya Fyfe is an eco mum and environmental engineer and lives in the WA goldfields with her husband Andy and son Billy. The family’s aim is to live sustainably and for Billy to grow up understanding where food comes from and how it is produced. They generate solar electricity and have an organic vegie garden and modest orchard irrigated entirely with grey water.
CATEGORY: restore children furniture, children, furniture, restore, bookcase |
POSTED BY: Laura McIlwaine |
27 October 2011
By: Laura Trotta (BEng(Enviro), MSc (Enviro Chemistry))
The welcome of a new addition to the family is typically accompanied by an influx of items into the household. Fuelled with the excitement of becoming parents and information from advertisers who outline all the ‘must have’ baby products, it’s understandable why many first time parents go a little overboard when shopping for baby.
Add the inundation of presents from a baby shower and again after bub arrives, it’s not surprising many families move to a larger house to accommodate baby, or more accurately, all the stuff that accompanies their arrival.
The truth that marketers and retailers don’t want you to know is that babies don’t
need all this stuff. Here are some common items that you can easily do without and alternatives that will take some pressure off our environment and your family budget and prevent your home being taken over by baby clutter:
1. Baby Bath – laundry sink works just fine
2. Bassinet – place baby into a cot from birth to minimise risk of SIDS
[i]
3. Baby Monitor – unless you live in a mansion you will hear your baby cry
4. Disposable Nappies and Wipes – switch to cloth to save over 5300 disposable nappies
[ii] and 15,900 disposable wipes
[iii] per child going to landfill and save yourself over $3600 in the process
5. Nappy Bags and Nappy Disposal Systems – if you do use disposables, reuse freezer bags from your supermarket shop for soiled nappies only
6. Commercial Baby Food – vegetables, fruits and soon afterwards, family food (and a stick blender) are easy to prepare and are healthier for your baby
7. Bottles, Infant Formula and Steriliser – breast feed if mother has successfully been able to establish feeding
8. Sippy Cups – babies from six months can easily been taught to drink from a regular cup
9. Baby Play Centre and toys, toys and more toys – read and sing to your baby or wear your baby instead if you need to get other things done. Supervised, daily tummy time when awake is beneficial for your baby’s development.
10. Baby Exercise Jumper and
Baby Walker – not recommended due to developmental and safety concerns.
[iv],[v] You are your baby’s best toy.
11. Baby DVDs – ditch the TV until your baby is well past two years and your child’s brain and language development will thank you for it. Read books to your child instead and encourage free play.
12. Baby Shoes – until your baby is up and walking opt for growsuits with feet enclosed or socks to keep feet warm. Hard soled shoes can impair baby’s foot development.
[vi]
13. Baby Body Products – newborn skin is super sensitive and doesn’t need to be bathed in lotions and potions. To minimise eczema and other skin conditions, use water or unscented certified organic bath and body products suitable for newborns and don’t bath your baby every day (top to toe washes are fine).
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So, if you are expecting a baby in the near future, reconsider the purchase of the above items and save yourself thousands of dollars, a home cluttered with items you’ll soon want to offload and unnecessary environmental impact. If you discover you do want or need some of these items, ask your friends whose children are past the infant stage if they have any baby items they want to pass on. You may just find your friends are more than happy for you to take these objects off their hands for free!
About the author: Laura Trotta (BEng (Enviro), MSc (Enviro Chem)) is an eco mum, environmental engineer and founder of
Sustainababy. She lives in regional South Australia with her husband Paul and son Matthew.
CATEGORY: buying, environment, items, new, unneccessary, baby |
POSTED BY: Laura McIlwaine |
13 October 2011
There's nothing quite like a stylish mobile to add the finishing touch to your baby's nursery. Petit Collage offer parents a natural AND modern choice from their range of beautiful bamboo mobiles.
Made in the USA from sustainably harvested bamboo, each mobile piece is laser cut and the mobile is assembled by hand. Choose from designs including Jungle Friends and Owl Family made entirely of bamboo or for something a little more colourful, opt for the deluxe styles of elephants and birds with wool felt detailing.
Petit Collage bamboo mobiles are available from Sustainababy with prices starting from $69.95.
CATEGORY: bamboo, mobile, natural, nursery, baby |
POSTED BY: Laura McIlwaine |