As I recall...

Seems like there have been a lot of recalls the last few years, doesn't it? If it's not tainted peanut butter or questionable produce, it's lead-paint laden toys or faulty baby slings.

In fact, March's SlingRider recall prompted one baby carrier manufacturer to take a look at the numbers and create this sweet infographic* illustrating which baby products were recalled from January 2009 through April 2010.

(*P.S. Dontcha just love infographics?! Numbers are so much better when they have pictures to go along with them.)

Holy overexposed TV personality, Batman!

I first saw this ad in Real Simple. And I was like What?!? That Ty guy from the Home Makeover show? And baby formula?

Similac's copywriters sure tried hard to tie (no pun intended) it all together by talking about good design. (Both of these ads are from Similac's guide to putting a nursery together.)

But, really?

Anyway, gratuitous celebrity usage aside, it does seem like good packaging design. No clue how their formula stacks up against others, but someone (not Ty Pennington) definitely thought about making it come in an easy-to-use container.

• The scoop attaches to the lid, which is attached to the container, so you don't are less likely to lose either one.
• It's designed so you can easily hold it with one hand.
• The label peels back and has Spanish instructions on the back. But good luck doing that with one hand! (¡Pues, buena suerte con hacerlo con una mano solamente!)
• The opening is wider for scooping.

What I think is really cool is that they made the scoop the exact size to get every last bit of formula out of the corners! Wish my coffee canister was like that.


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Ads from the Similiac newsroom.

Coffee canister photo by me.

The cart cover report

Like I said, the multitude of cart cover options was starting to confuse me. So I went to Consumer Reports, not expecting them to have anything on the topic...but they did!

And it's right here. They focus on the health aspects of the cart covers (and whether they're worth it). I wish they had addressed the comfort issue, as well, but they don't really go there. I still thought it was a helpful article, though, in explaining what to look for.

*****

Photo by orionoir. CCL.

Bases covered

You know how I wasn't sure about shopping cart covers? Well, I got to check one out up close at the baby shower of Jill, cousin of the Hubs. (Not the same cousin I mentioned before, BTW. It's just that everyone has babies at once.)


I didn't get a photo of Jill's (I think the Hubs had run off with the camera at that point). But I decided it would come in handy. Really would be difficult to arrange a blanket in a way that covers the front and back of the kid seating area of the cart and still allows their little legs room to stick out. So not a necessity, but nice.

In case you're wondering, we got her the Wiggle Worm Gym, which was on the registry. Pretty cute, huh?!

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Photos: 1) By happykatie. CCL. 2) By me.

Yo baby, what's up?

Yogurt for babies? Really? Do babies need different yogurt than the rest of us?

I think the company just liked the name and came up with a product to go with it.

Lego mania

We did go to the new Lego Store...


but since there was a serious line...


we did not go in the store. The good news is that adding to the giant R2D2 did not require entering the store. Ergo, no waiting in line.


In fact, it was in another part of the mall altogether - next to Victoria's Secret oddly enough.


But I digress. Since we couldn't just pop into the Lego store, after the Lego-builder-guy put the Hubs' brick in place...


we went shopping for work clothes for the Hubs.


Not quite as fun, but there was no line to get in.

*****
Photos by me.

What I almost got...

A lot more gift options opened up for our nephew James's birthday this year. Now that he, the youngest of his siblings, just turned three, the possibilities seem endless. All those ages-3-and-up toys are no longer verboten.

In the end, I went with simplicity: this adorable little red wagon filled with sidewalk chalk.


I figure that after he uses up all the chalk (with the help of some older siblings I'm sure), he can still cart stuff around in the wagon. As we know, boys like things with wheels.

What I almost got - the thing that drew me to the chalk section in the first place - were these giant stamps that you wear on your feet, so you can make animal stamps in your driveway. How fun is that, right?!

(Pretend there's a picture here. I seriously cannot find one. I'll try to sneak one next time I'm at Target.)

But I talked myself out of it. I was worried that they would be too big for his little feet. Or that he'd get bored with it after walking down the sidewalk a couple times. (Not really a multi-functional toy.) Then I realized you fill the foot things with a (potentially messy) colored chalk powder. And that's what sealed the deal.

My sister-in-law and I have a good relationship. I try to keep it that way by not buying her kids anything that will drive her crazy.


So we went with the sticks of chalk. In a cute little wagon. But I can't say I didn't have some second (and 3rd, 4th...) thoughts about that.

As it turns out, though, James was really only into things that shoot.

BPA free me!

If Wal-Mart won't sell it, it must be pretty bad.

Remember how, just last month, data was inconclusive about whether the chemical bisphenol A (BPA) was harmful or not? Well, now Canada is concerned about it. And the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says it "possibly" affects human development.

However, I think the biggest cause for alarm is that a company who will sell you just about anything is planning to discontinue baby bottles, pacifiers and other products containing BPA.

I don't know about you, but that's enough to sell me on BPA-free baby stuff!



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Photo ("How many things can you find wrong in this picture?") by Unsure shot. Creative Commons License.

Covering up

I'm still not sure what's so controversial about breastfeeding in public. You are still welcome to comment on that.

What I do know is that, if you want to be discreet about it, you have options.

1. Nursing covers are exactly what they sound like. I came across one brand called Hooter Hiders, which made me laugh. Anyway, they go over your head like an apron, so you can see your baby and still maintain your privacy. Come to think of it, I wonder if you could just use an oversized apron--? Think it would work? Either way, nursing covers apparently can also help your baby sleep....
2. Most babywearing slings and pouches will allow you to nurse discreetly. So if you already have one of those, you may not need a separate cover, although I would think your baby could get too big for that to work eventually. Depends on how fast your little one grows and how long you plan on nursing, I guess.
3. Finally, you can just use a plain ol' blanket - that I'm sure you have - draped over your shoulder. If it's hot out, you're probably gonna want a lighter weight one. (The photo in my last post makes me hot just looking at it - heavy blanket on a warm day! :P )

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Photos: 1) By spaceninja. Creative Commons License. 2) By amcdawes. Creative Commons License. 3) By kellyandapril. Creative Commons License.

Talc

I started to notice products claiming to be "talc free," and it made me wonder why do we need to be free from talc? I thought talc was good. I thought it was so safe they could use it in baby powder.

Of course, I started googling. What I found is that it doesn't seem like talc itself is the problem (as long as there's not anything else mixed in with it that's not supposed to be - like asbestos). The problem the teeny tiny particles that make up talc have a way of getting into places they don't belong. Like babies' lungs.

The research seems pretty mixed on the effects of this. It may cause breathing problems in babies. It may cause cancer. So I'm thinking it may be better not to risk it.

Here is some more info, if you're interested:

• An easy-to-read answer to the question "Is Talcum Powder Safe for Babies?"
  
• Talc according to Wikipedia
• Things that (might) (or might not) cause lung cancer
• Talc might cause ovarian cancer (American Cancer society says so too) - So, ladies, watch how you use that stuff!

Stuff part 2: It begins

Stuff, part 1 is here.


From the moment we're born, we're surrounded by stuff: toys, clothes, sleeping stuff, eating stuff, diaper stuff (even EC has accessories - potty chairs, baby legs, etc.). And as we get older, we just accumulate more. We start earning money and then we're able to pick out our own stuff.


I came across this photo - appropriately titled "How can one tiny person possibly require this much stuff?" after writing the first paragraph. Not only is the photo itself great, but it is followed by a fabulous string of comments discussing the same topic. Take a look and see what you think.

Don't think there's more I need to say today.

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Photo by J. Star. Creative Commons License.

Stuff, part 1: Meet the Freegans

On Wednesday I was sick again. Or still. Whatever. The point is I watched Oprah. She was featuring Freegans, who, in protest of our society's consumerism and wastefulness, seek to live outside the "conventional economy" as much as possible. In an effort to purchase less, they often dumpster dive to find food, clothing, and household items discarded outside of stores and restaurants. Apparently, there's a surprising amount of good stuff in the trash. (Do you think homeless people are irritated that secret is out? Just wondering.)


I had heard of the Freegans before. But being home sick gave me some time to think about stuff.

Literally, stuff. As in material goods.

And I had so much to think about that I decided to break the massively long post I was writing to parts. So come on back (or subscribe), and we can take a look at the problem of stuff and what this all has to do with babies and why I'm okay posting about Freegans when there's an ad for a t-shirt from my shop in the sidebar.

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Photo by inhisgrace. Creative Commons License.