Category — baby

The decision of whether to stay home or go back to work after having a child is personal—not to mention tough. But for new moms, there’s good news: Children under three whose mothers go back to work may fare no worse academically or behaviorally than kids whose moms stay home, reports a new study in Psychological Bulletin.

The report, which spanned over a 50 year period, showed that having a working mother could be beneficial to the development of a child. Having a working mother increased a child’s overall academic achievement rates and lowered behavior problems in school settings, says Rachel Lucas-Thompson, lead author of the study, and assistant professor of psychiatry at Macalester College.

Children from low-income or single-parent families had better intelligence scores with fewer conduct issues than children whose mothers did not work. The study suggested that the extra income from these working mothers meant the family had more resources, fewer financial stresses, and a positive role model as a provider in the household.

However, children from middle- or upper- class families with two parents, whose mothers worked within the first year of the child’s birth, did not reap the same benefits, resulting in a decrease in achievement later on in life. “This suggests that families who are not struggling financially may not see as many benefits of maternal employment on very young children,” said Lucas-Thompson. “For these families, it’s possible that alternate care arrangements may not be as emotionally supportive as the child’s mother.” Lucas-Thompson reported that the  findings on middle- and upper- class families should serve as support for increased efforts for more flexible maternity leave policies, stating if mothers are allowed to work fewer hours or postpone work altogether during that first year, children would reap positive benefits.

-Amanda, KIWI intern

Finished your latest issue of KIWI and  just can’t wait for the next one to arrive? Now you can get a little taste of KIWI in between issues with our interactive publication, KIWI Slice. The summer issue, available now, is all about pregnancy and babies. If you’re a KIWI mom or dad who’s trying to live greener and healthier with a baby, you won’t want to miss:

• The best kinds of exercise during pregnancy 
• What to eat when you’re nursing
• How to protect your baby from toxins

There’s more—and it’s all free! Once you’ve checked out the baby issue, don’t miss the food edition of KIWI Slice, either: lots of yummy recipes you can call up quickly on your computer (or print, as long as you promise to keep or recycle your print-out!).

—Sarah, editorial director

A few weeks ago, I read an interesting article in New York magazine about domestic workers here in NYC. The nannies talked about the low pay, the lack of vacation time and health insurance, and the tricky situation at the heart of child care workers: You’re a member of the family, sort of, and you’re paid, but not that well. There’s a lot of guilt and confusion when it comes to what domestic workers can and should ask for, and Domestic Workers United, a union, is trying to educate women (these child care providers are usually women) about their rights.

And then this week, I learned that more and more states are allowing unions to represent home-based child care providers, which might help them obtain better pay and subsidized health insurance. The National Women’s Law Center says that this category includes what we think of as nannies (the sitter works in the family’s home) as well as people who take care of kids in their own home, rather than a daycare center. 

What do you think about nannies and other child care providers joining unions? Would you be happy if your sitter did? What kinds of things do you think parents can do to make sure they’re treating their child care providers fairly?

-Sarah, KIWI editorial director

What do you do when your plans to breastfeed or bond with your baby conflict with your employer’s plans for your workweek? If you’re one of these four moms, you don’t give up your goals—you change your boss’s mind.

By Amy Levin-Epstein

Melinda Garland

Cheshire County, New Hampshire

WHAT SHE DID Persuaded her bosses to let babies come to work—twice

HOW SHE MADE IT When Garland became a mom in 2002, she was surprised by her reluctance to return to work at the end of her maternity leave. She loved her job at a small, family-run newspaper, but she wanted to be with her baby even more. Because her boss was eager to keep her on staff, and the office already had a fairly casual atmosphere, they were able to come up with a plan: Rather than leave baby Sophia behind, Garland brought her along to the office until she was 8 months old.

The arrangement worked well for every- one, but by the time Garland got pregnant again, she was working for a larger company. Badger Balm, an organic skincare company, was also family-run, so Garland hoped her new bosses would be open to the idea of bringing a baby to work. “I was realistic that this would be on a trial basis,” says Garland, but she did her homework: She downloaded information from babiesatwork.org (a site started by Moquin), and offered her former employer’s contact information—a reference of sorts for her baby. The CEO, Bill Whyte agreed to give it a try, and the Badger office soon fell in love with little Audrey. Garland designated “baby holders”—literally, office pals who’d watch Audrey when she couldn’t. This was important for meetings or bathroom trips, but Garland rarely had to actually ask anyone to hold Audrey. “There were some days when I had to look for her,” she says.

Since Audrey’s tenure as Badger’s mini mascot, five other babies have joined their parents at work. “We’ve had a baby boom!” says Whyte. “It’s never been a problem. I joke that we’ll have to rent babies to fill the void when we don’t have a regular one here,” he says. One reason the program works so well at Badger is that there are guidelines in place: Babies are shown the door when they’re 6 months old (too much crawling!), and if parents need time off during those first 6 months, they simply make up the extra hours when they’re able. This can minimize resentment from co-workers and help you do both “jobs”—parent and employee well, says Garland. The ultimate endorsement comes from the boss himself: “I say, ‘How can you afford to have people who aren’t happy in their jobs?’” says Whyte. “You have a short period of time where moms are potentially less efficient, but their gratefulness extends past that period of time, which has a great impact on the workplace.”

HER ADVICE TO NEW MOMS Make your suggestions early—as soon as possible after you’ve told your employer you’re expecting. “Bringing up ideas this big can’t be done in the ninth month of pregnancy,” says Garland. You’ll have more time to convince your boss or find solutions that work for both of you.

Sarah Walton

Tenafly, New Jersey

WHAT SHE DID Staggered her work return

HOW SHE MADE IT HAPPEN Walton was working at a small start-up—there was only one other parent in the company—when she got pregnant. There was no maternity policy in place, and certainly no company history of flexible schedules.

The federal 1993 Family and Marital Leave Act set in place maternity leave policy regulations (twelve weeks of unpaid leave), but companies with fewer than 50 employees aren’t required to offer any leave, and employees who have been with a company less than a year aren’t covered. The Act also doesn’t address the emotional and practical difficulties of going straight from maternity leave to full-time worker.

So Walton had to come up with a solution that worked for everyone—her CEO, the rest of the small staff, her husband, and herself. They settled on full pay for a maternity leave of six weeks, followed by working from home until the baby was 4 months old. “This was very important to me as it allowed me to establish a breastfeeding pattern and spend time with the baby,” says Walton. Once the four months were up, she arranged to come back to the office slowly. For three months, she worked at home three days each week; for the next three, she worked at home two days. After that, she went back to work full time. Since then, Walton co-founded Better Way Moms (betterwaymoms.com), a site about motherhood issues like working- mom guilt, co-parenting, and more. “No one ever tells you how hard it is to be a parent. I’m proud of what I managed to do with my leave, but there are so many things that make you think, ‘There has to be a better way!’ I’m hoping to help other moms out,” she says.

HER ADVICE TO NEW MOMS Be the person your colleagues can count on, no matter where you’re working. Walton told her company she’d be available on her days at home, and she was. “They were always able to get me and I kept things on track,” she says.

Jodie Lucci

Merrimack, New Hampshire

WHAT SHE DID Created a pumping room

HOW SHE MADE IT HAPPEN Even if there’s a law that backs you up, sometimes you have to take matters into your own hands. The recent health care bill guarantees that employees be given break time to express breast milk in a private place other than a bathroom. However, companies with fewer than 50 employees may be exempt if the employer can show that this would impose a hardship. And there’s no guarantee that companies will exactly jump to build pumping rooms.

If you think your company might need a little push to embrace the law, take a cue from Jodie Lucci. When her son Nathan was born 15 years ago, there were even fewer pumping rooms than there are today. (Since that time, 24 states have passed laws protecting breastfeeding in the workplace.) So she went looking for a spot for one at the biopharmaceutical company where she worked and found a shower room in the building that had potential. “I sent an e-mail to everyone who had babies or were pregnant (there were about seven of us at the time) and to the women who were using the shower after exercising. I got everyone interested, and then two of us went down and talked to the facilities person and asked for a curtain and an outlet in the shower area,” says Lucci, who says she’s glad she spoke up. In the past, other women had gone individually to human resources without any luck, and Lucci suspects one of the reasons she was successful was that she skipped the bureaucracy by going straight to the head of facilities. Breastfeeding was important to her, not just for the health benefits. “I wanted to pump because providing milk for my baby was the only thing I could do that the caregiver, my mother, couldn’t do. I was quite jealous of her getting to be there for all of his waking moments, whereas I’d only seem to get him when he was cranky or asleep. When I got home and we nursed, he was happy to see me,” says Lucci.

HER ADVICE TO NEW MOMS Stick to the facts. She acknowledges that talking about anything breast-related with a boss can be uncomfortable, but says you have to bite the bullet. “I also reassured him that I would work the pumping around whatever experiments I was running, and if that meant I would have to stay later, I would,” she says.

Rachel Aydt

New York City

WHAT SHE DID Changed her work schedule

HOW SHE MADE IT HAPPEN Aydt was working as the research director for a magazine during her first pregnancy and leave, and was able to arrange to take one afternoon each week off to be with her son Jamie— simply by asking for it. But once he was in kindergarten, she took the opportunity at her annual review to ask for something more valuable to her than a raise: more time with her son. Her boss was receptive to the idea. “I switched to leaving at 2:30 two days a week, and I came in earlier on those days. If I’d only come in four days a week, as opposed to working the five days with two afternoons off, I would have been far more under the microscope because the workflow would have been interrupted. If you leave early, nobody notices,” says Aydt. She used the time for adventures that couldn’t get squeezed into the bath and bedtime routines of workdays. “We went on outings to the zoo, or I would take him swimming or to the playground,” she says.

HER ADVICE TO NEW MOMS Consider how your workplace is run. For Aydt to lead the research department she needed to be available on her cell phone; plus, she asked for her afternoons off to be in the middle of the week to avoid resentment and lessen disruption. She believes that women will get what they want if they have a detailed plan for how to make it work. “A boss once said to me, ‘don’t come to me with problems—come to me with solutions,’ ” says Aydt. “So I did.”

Amy Levin-Epstein writes for Glamour, Self, Prevention, and Babble.com.

YOUR TURN

Tell us about your experience going back to work, and share your advice with other moms.

I cannot even count the number of baby showers I’ve been to this year, but there have been several! I always search online for fun gift ideas and cloth diapers are always a great buy.  Thirsties is a line of sustainable cloth diapers that provide comfort as well as leak proofing for your baby.  CEO Erin Kimmett has made it her mission to provide families with a line of affordable and eco-friendly diapers for their babies as well as to take steps to reduce our carbon footprint. Thirsties’ line of diapers uses high quality fabrics that are PVC-, phthalates-, lead-, and latex- free.  Thirsties also offers other fabulous finds including prefolds, inserts, diaper washing solutions, wipes,  hemp inserts, diaper duffles and liners. The list goes on!  To check out Thirsties adorable products as well as learn more about this growing “green” company, please visit Thirsties, Inc.

-Brittany, KIWI Staffer

As a mom of two young children, I need my hands free now more than ever:  Baby number 1 is 3 years old and always on the move.  Baby number 2 is my “Velcro Baby” and is not happy unless she’s in my arms or right next to me.  So it’s probably no surprise that babywearing has been my saving grace!
It’s also probably no surprise, then, that the newly-issued baby sling warnings had many of my friends and family members contacting me in a state of panic over the last few weeks with warnings of impending doom.  And while I certainly appreciate their concern, I remain unshaken. As a proud and educated babywearer, I know there are many safe and comfortable ways to wear my baby.
I’ve experimented with a range of baby carriers including ring slings, pouch slings, wraps, mei tais, and soft structured carriers (my personal favorite).  One of the many things I learned during the process? Most anything I purchased from large retailers felt unsafe or uncomfortable. Though less expensive and more readily available, these carriers are not made with ergonomics or baby safety in mind.
How can you wear your baby safely? First, make sure that she is near the center of your gravity to ensure she has proper support and even weight distribution. And if you choose to wear a sling, make sure that it is a pouch or a ring sling (as opposed to a “bag sling”) that’s sized correctly for your body (slings are one instance where one size does not fit all!).
Opting instead for a two-shouldered carrier like a wrap, mei tai, or soft structured carrier? Wear your baby in the front-facing in position or on your back.  Front-facing holds your baby in a natural, seated position and and distributes her weight comfortably across her bottom.  (Babies who face outwards are essentially dangling from their crotches and are not given the proper support necessary for their developing hips and spines.)  Carrying your baby on your back (as long as she has good head control) is another great option, since it allows you to have your hands free and a full range of motion.
As a mom who’s worn two babies successfully, I believe the benefits of the practice (lower risk of SIDS, less crying, higher intelligence, better muscle tone, to name a few) far outweigh the potential risks. If you’re considering wearing your baby, I urge you research the subject, and not to let a poorly-made product deter you. Additionally, I welcome your babywearing questions or concerns via e-mail at  amber@heavenlyhold.com.

Amber Stevens is the founder of Heavenly Hold, an online retailer of baby carriers, slings, and wraps. She also blogs at Babywearing Buzz.

Yesterday, the Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada announced a recall of nearly 1 million baby slings in the United States, 15,000 in Canada, and 14,000 in Europe. The recall is for the Infantino “Sling Rider” and “Wendy Bellissimo,” pictured above. The CPSC is advising parents to stop using these products for children four months and younger. The warning is posted here.

Three deaths occurred in these slings in 2009. Additionally, the CPSC has been investigating 13 deaths that have taken place over the past 20 years, also allegedly due to babywearing.

This particular recall is due to a risk of suffocation. The Infantino “Sling Rider” and “Wendy Bellissimo” sold at national retailers (Walmart, Burlington Coat Factory, Target, Babies R Us, BJ’s Wholesale) and Amazon.com between January 2003 and March 2010 are included in the recall. Infantino is offering a replacement item and a baby rattle.

The risks included:

• Fabric pressing against the baby’s nose and mouth, causing suffocation within minutes
• The curled shape that results in a chin-to-chest position for the baby, restricting airflow

CPSC is also in the process of creating a mandatory standard for sling carriers. They want to hear if you’ve had any incidents or problems with this particular product. Check here for more information.

Now, I don’t think all slings should be avoided, as babywearing has proven to be beneficial for babies and parents. Babywearing International Inc. shares a great point made by pediatrician Lois Balster, “Using a sling incorrectly is like using an infant car seat without proper installation, infant positioning, and restraints. It’s always important to position your baby safely in any carrier or infant-carrying device.”

Research has shown that babywearing or keeping babies close by caregivers lessens crying, calms babies, and helps them sleep. Babywearing International, Inc. also shares some positioning guidelines:

• Act as if you were holding the baby—be aware of your surroundings, avoid hazardous situations
• Make sure the baby’s back and torso are supported
• Make sure you can get two fingers between the baby’s chin and chest

How many of you are babywearers? Have you used the “Sling Rider” or “Wendy Bellissimo”? Or had any problems with your slings?

-Nicole McGovern

If you have a baby on the way, chances are your typical “Season’s Greetings” holiday cards feel like they’re leaving something out. Like, the biggest, most exciting thing ever. You’re having a baby!

That’s why I love these clever new cards from To Be Greetings. They’re stylish and a little bit cheeky–and they celebrate the holidays and your growing family. Plus, they’re printed on FSC-certified paper, with vegetable-based inks–and the printing plant is powered by wind.

What a wonderful way to share your joy this season!

—Sarah, KIWI Editorial Director

Have you heard about the new eco-conscious documentary, My Toxic Baby? Directed by mom Min Sook Lee, it chronicles her journey to find safe, sane, and affordable ways to raise her child in a world full of chemicals and synthetic ingredients. Motivated by baby care products that she describes as a “mountain of stuff [that] seemed so completely unnecessary”, Lee sought to share her parenting journey with others in an attempt to let moms and dads know about the healthy, chemical-free alternatives that exist.

My Toxic Baby recently made it’s debut at the Toronto International Film Festival, though there’s no word about future premieres. However, you can learn more about the documentary—and even order a copy—at mytoxicbaby.com.

-Marygrace, KIWI Staffer

As a parent, you jump through hoops to find the safest cribs, carriers, strollers, and changing tables for your little bundle of joy, but unfortunately, these items don’t usually come with ingredient labels. Many child products are made with fire retardants, which contain toxic chemicals called polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). Exposure to PBDEs have been linked to health problems including cancer, birth defects, hyperactivity, and reproductive disorders.

Last month, the California Senate proposed a bill to ban fire retardant chemicals on kids’ products. California is currently the only state in the nation that requires these items be fire retarded. Unfortunately, the cheapest way for manufacturers to comply with this law is to make all products according to California standards. So whether that baby crib is going to New Jersey or to California, it’s going to contain fire retardants.

If the bill passes in California, it’s likely that manufacturers will stop adding the fire retardants to products, making the whole nation a bit safer.

Won’t the ban on fire retardants mean that kids will be in danger of fire? Not exactly. Even if a fire retardant product were to catch fire, it’s still not fireproof; the retardant only offers six to 12 seconds of flame resistance. Still, if you feel more comfortable buying a fireproof product, go the natural route. Many baby mattresses are made with wool, which is naturally fire retardant, and there are also products made with naturally flame resistant cotton fibers.

-Stephanie Hacker, editorial intern

With a full line of body care products for pregnancy, labor, post-partum, and breastfeeding, Earth Mama Angel Baby has new and expecting moms covered in organic goodness.  The line was created by moms who view pregnancy the way our foremothers did, as a phenomenal natural process to be honored accordingly.  Their offerings feature eco-friendly packaging and 100% natural, vegan ingredients for lotions, potions, sprays, and oils you can feel good about.  We’re big fans of their Mama-to-Be Tea Sampler, which makes a cool, unexpected shower gift.  Learn more at earthmamangelbaby.com.

Marygrace, KIWI intern

Today is our Gotcha Day. This is the anniversary of the day, 10 years ago, that Maylee became my child. Many adoptive families celebrate their own “Gotcha Day”,  “adoption day” or “family day”. Whatever they call it, it’s an important holiday for most adoptive parents and their kids. As I tell my daughter, our first Gotcha Day was the happiest day of my life⎯it was the day I won the lottery, it was the day that all of my dreams came true.

Chinese adoption is much different now than it was 10 years ago. The regulations are stricter, with marriage, health and even certain body mass index requirements.  The wait for a Chinese baby is on average three years (for us, 13 months). A friend  of mine is expected to get her child in the year 2015⎯an almost unbearable amount of time to wait for her dreams to come true. So, my family is very, very fortunate.

Ten years later, my baby is a tween; she loves to draw and write, and wants to learn Chinese calligraphy. She’s not crazy about the Jonas Brothers, but she likes the Naked Brothers. She cherishes her Chinese heritage and gets upset when kids in her class talk about inferior Chinese-made products. She sings our national anthem with pride and jumped for joy when Obama was elected. She is American in every way. But on Gotcha Day she is, to me, still Mao Xiao Qiong, the smiling Chinese baby that was placed in my arms by a tearful nanny from the orphanage.

Happy Gotcha Day to Eric, Gwen, Perri; Kurt, Meghan, Nina, Ella; Dan, Leslie-Jean, Bethany, Miriam, Cristian, Carl; Steve, Kelly, Alex; Doug, Sara, Kailyn and most of all, to my angel, Maylee.

–Maxine Wolf, CEO & Publisher, KIWI Magazine

If the name Pure and Little doesn’t give you enough warm fuzzies, try their logo on for size: Organic. Baby. Love.  Ahhh!  I’m sold.  The company offers organic baby clothing, bedding, and accessories like bath products, books and music, and plenty of plush toys.  Spring and summer babies can keep comfortable in Pure and Little’s organic cotton onesies (we love the peace out natural), while fall and winter babies will stay toasty with a unisex kimono jacket.  But my very favorite?  The Baby Fred monkey plush.  He just looks so happy!  More at pureandlittle.com.

Marygrace, KIWI intern

If a Prius is beyond your budget right now, try a new kind of hybrid: gDiapers.  Perfect for the eco-conscious mom-to-be who isn’t quite ready to embrace cloth diapers full on, gDiapers are made of a washable cotton outer with a disposable, plastic-free liner that can be flushed down the toilet, composted, or tossed in the trash (they decompose in about 90 days.)  A starter kit is available at gDiapers.com, or try their gBaby Shower Gift, featuring the starter kit, an extra cloth outer, and a case of flushable refills.  Oh, and the “g”?  It stands for green!

Marygrace, KIWI intern

Traditional Medicinals, a tea company featuring all-natural, herbal brews, helps new moms and moms-to-be achieve health and balance.  Their organic Pregnancy Tea combines a blend of herbs like alfalfa and spearmint used by women for centuries to nourish the womb and prepare it for childbirth.  Breastfeeding mothers can benefit from Organic Mother’s Milk, made of anise, fennel, and coriander.  And all women will get a boost from Women’s Liberty, which promotes healthy hormonal balance according to Chinese medicinal practices.  Learn about all their teas at traditionalmedicinals.com.

Marygrace, KIWI intern

Purple and Carrot, discuss. Purple carrots can now be found in a fruit & veggie drink for kids. First Juice, Inc. just introduced two new flavors, blueberry+purple carrot and peach+purple carrot. And, if you are wondering…yes, purple carrots are real! Furthermore, their darker complexion brings antioxidants similar to blueberries and red grapes.

It is sold in an 8 oz. reusable and recyclable, spill-proof, BPA-Free sippy-top container that is convenient for parents on-the-go. The First Juice 32 oz. bottle is great for refills.

Read about the history of the purple carrot and First Juice!!!

– Stephanie, KIWI staff and wondering if adults can drink this too…?

In an effort to foster community and help parents help each other, we’ve rounded up some of the best offerings from eco-minded mom bloggers.  Here they are!

-Eco Child’s Play reviews Bringing Home Nature by Doug Tallamy, a book aimed at helping families create their own native backyard habitats.

-Is it better to purchase a conventional, second-hand crib, or buy a new one that’s certified greener or safer?  Green Baby Guide discusses.

-Not sure what to do with the piles of boxes you have in your garage?  Looking to get some boxes on the cheap while still avoiding waste?  Visit Mom Goes Green.

-Inhabitots explores attachment parenting, as well as the merits of an arm’s reach co-sleeper.  Learn more about attachment parenting and other sleep training methods in the March articles by Moms Meet.

-Mom Go Green is gearing up for warmer weather with an outdoor bat house.  It keeps mosquitoes at bay, and provides some fun nighttime entertainment!

-Marygrace, KIWI intern and blog enthusiast

It’s no secret that the healthiest, most delicious foods come from natural sources. Organic Valley’s milk, cheese, eggs, and meats are raised without antibiotics, hormones, or pesticides for authentic food that truly nourishes. A family farm co-op, Organic Valley aims for continual improvement and transparency, making their products food you can really feel good about. Coupon lovers click here.

–Marygrace, KIWI intern and lover of all things natural

Sweet Pea Products knows sensitive skin.  Created by a certified infant massage instructor who was dissatisfied with the lack of natural baby massage oils, all items with the Sweet Pea name are 100% natural and fragrance free.  With a collection of unique baby products including serenity balm, lavender and tea tree soap, and herbal tub teas, Sweet Pea will calm your child’s skin while giving you a piece of mind.  Enjoy a 20% discount with coupon code KIWI.

– Marygrace, KIWI intern and lover of lavender

It’s easy to say no to preservatives and additives with Tastybaby’s organic frozen baby food. They might be serious about nutrition, but with flavor names like “Corn in the USA” and “Peas on Earth,” TastyBaby knows how to have fun.  What’s more, all the food is gluten-free, and is packaged in reusable, BPA-free cups.  Getting a stamp of approval from eco-conscious moms like Cindy Crawford, Ali Landry, and Lisa Loeb, try a Tastybaby gift basket for a great shower gift!

– Marygrace, KIWI intern and fan of eco-consious moms

Earth’s Best’s new diapers are chlorine-free and contain corn- and wheat-absorbent materials.  Made with annually-renewable resources to reduce petrochemicals, they pair perfectly with Earth’s Best durable, chlorine-free wipes, which are all-natural and contain soothing vitamin E and aloe.  Soft and gentle, they’re perfect for stashing in your diaper bag to double as on-the-go hand and face wipes.

– Marygrace, KIWI intern and trying to be reliant on renewable resources

Sock seams making your child scream? Made with a polyester and lycra blend, SmartKnitKIDS socks are seam-free and comfy as can be.  They’re available in white, pink, purple, navy and black, and come in a variety of sizes for kids of all ages.  Check them out at therawear.com and use coupon code KIWI for 10% off at checkout.

– Marygrace, KIWI intern and seam-free friendly

Feel the difference of natural with Noli n Nali skincare line, available for both mom and child.  Certified organic, these eco-friendly products nourish the body from the outside in with ingredients like coconut oil, shea butter, and calendula.  Think soothing belly butter and nipple salve for moms, and gentle shampoo, bubble bath, and detangler for little ones.  Use coupon code KIWI for 25% off your purchase.

– Marygrace, KIWI intern and lover of body nourishment

Helping build healthy bones by aiding in calcium absorption, vitamin D is an important nutrient that’s often hard to find in foods.  Baby Ddrops are an easy way to provide your child with the daily recommended amount of vitamin D, minus the unpleasant taste or clumsy droppers that often accompany supplements. The unique bottle dispenses 400 IU of vitamin D in one easy drop, which can be used while breastfeeding, on baby’s pacifier, or mixed into a child’s food or drink.  For $2.00 your next purchase, call 888-234-5656 and mention code KIWI!

– Marygrace, KIWI intern and promoter of vitamin D 

Check out the Lil Diaper Depot for a great selection of eco-conscious products. You can ditch disposables for good with their organic cloth diapers, or swaddle baby in an eco-fleece baby blanket made from recycled soda bottles. The company caters to moms, too, with super-soft, organic nursing pads, extra-comfy body pillows, and stylish diaper totes. Pick up a gift certificate for an upcoming baby shower, or register for your own. Receive 10% off your first order with promo code KIWI9 before 2/28/09.

–Marygrace, KIWI intern and lover of eco-conscious proudcts

Your baby can stay warm in the cold with this adorable 100% organic cotton baby cap. Sold individually or in sets, it makes a naturally wonderful gift. Cute and comfy, these caps are a must have. For only $6 your baby can rock this hat in natural or brown. Receive 20% off when you type KIWI20 at checkout! Get it now at Wee BE Organic Baby Cap.

– Brittany, KIWI intern and green enthusiast

By now, we’re all plenty familiar with the fact that many types of reusable, plastic bottles are unsafe-full of toxic phthalates and BPAs, drinking from these bottles can do serious harm to your body. Imagine, then, the impact such chemicals could potentially have on babies that drink from plastic bottles on a regular basis. With smaller bodies and rapidly developing systems, they’re left extra vulnerable to these dangers.

Enter Green to Grow’s collection of non-toxic bottles and nipples. Their BPA- and phthalate-free bottles ($9.99-$10.99) are made from 100% recyclable PES, an alternative plastic that’s safe for babies and the environment. Contrary to traditional, rubber counterparts, their nipples are made from heat-resistant silicone without any harmful nitrosamines ($5.49). And if Green to Grow hasn’t already made your life a little easier by providing a sound piece of mind, their products are completely dishwasher safe. Talk about milking a good thing!

Visit greentogrow.com for more.

My neighbor just had a baby boy. Infants and their security blankets are like peanut butter and jelly…they go perfectly together. I found a soft security blanket with assorted tags adorning all four sides called Little Taggies Naturals. These blankets are made with 100% certified organically grown cotton fibers, pure silk ribbons and safe dyes. For $28.95, you can buy one too at taggies.com or your local specialty gift shop.

- Stephanie, KIWI staff and lover of families

I love buying baby clothes. When I was younger, I remember going shopping with my mom and my best friend. While my mom was busy looking for clothes, my bf and I pretended to shop for baby clothes. Now, my friends are having kids and I can actually buy clothes for real babies. My new favorite line is Organically Grown. It is affordable 100% pure organic cotton baby wear. How affordable? $22-$38 at Macy’s and Gottschalks!

- Stephanie, KIWI staff and lover of families

My cousin, Maggie, loves The Earth Friends dolls. She takes Jayden everywhere she goes. I know she’ll be happy to receive another eco groovy doll to add to her entourage. They are handmade in California and inspire to learn to honor ourselves, each other and our planet. The best part is that all of the materials are either recycled or organic. For $64, you can get one for girls and boys at Whole Foods nationwide or theearthfriends.com.

- Stephanie, KIWI staff and lover of families

By the time I left the hospital, baby Sylvie had bit my nipple and swallowed part of it. It was bleeding and raw. We both had yeast infections, which my doctor didn’t treat so the pain grew more and more intense. Not only was I angry at my doctor for not knowing anything about breastfeeding, angry at the hospital lactation consultant for pushing her social agenda of “keep breastfeeding no matter what,” but I was also angry at my girlfriends who never told me how difficult and painful it was. I was terrified of my sweet little baby every time she had to eat. So instead of being happy and elated, I felt angry, stupid, scared and alone. Great.. But I was not giving up!

After breast infections, house calls from the amazing boob doctor Dr. Mona Gabbay and the illustrious Susan Berger, emailing photographs of my breasts to them both, weekly breastfeeding support group meetings at Real Birth, begging and paying our post-partum doula Tara Brooke to sleep over, having my dear husband latch Sylvie onto me (which was like waiting for the perfect wave), banning my unsupportive mother from coming over for weeks, and even pumping for two weeks to get of the mental hang-ups I had created, at exactly eight weeks and one day, it stopped hurting. And we got into a rhythm. And no formula! I won! But don’t get me wrong—this was my Olympic Event and no one else’s.

I learned that women don’t tell their pregnant friends how hard it is because they don’t want them to stop trying, give up or be scared. It’s like a gang initiation rite. I now give the Sears “Breastfeeding Book” at any and all baby showers. New moms look at it with an “oh….” and soon-to-be grandmothers look at it equally suspiciously, hoping for cute Baby Gap outfits. But a month after the babies are born, they’re all grateful!

I was so adamant about nursing my newborn and never having formula touch her lips that I told my husband that, should I be unconscious or writhing in pain, if he so much as hinted to a doctor or nurse that they could give our baby a bottle, I would harm him and then the entire hospital staff. This alone was reason enough to hire a doula, but my husband couldn’t understand why I didn’t trust him to honor my wishes. So instead, I taped little signs in her plastic baby warmer shoe box thingy that said “100% BREASTFED. NO FORMULA.” The store The Upper Breast Side actually had little index cards for that purpose.

At any point, you can say that this behavior is crazy. After four days in NYU Medical Center, I know the system. And they’re actually pretty good about the whole nursing thing, or at least wanting the new moms to nurse. My husband may opt for a doula next time around because I was pretty rough around the edges and the birth contract I drew up to review with my doctor, in hindsight, may have been a little crazy.

Long story longer, this is about breastfeeding, not about my birth. But I ended up having to have a C-section and in the haze of the post-op recovery room (which was literally a storage closet) I yelled and demanded my baby so I could nurse her for the first time. I had no idea what I was doing. Even though I had watched a breastfeeding video at Real Birth, and the most brilliant lactation consultant ever, Susan Burger, had drawn me diagrams of proper latching, which I brought to the hospital, I knew nothing.

Nursing killed. I thought of “American Psycho” and “24.” I was supposed to be thinking lovey-dovey things, but I was so freaked out, confused and hormonal, I had no idea if I was doing it right. The nurses couldn’t help—they all told me different things. I needed one clear voice, but realize now that the whole business of lactation support and instruction is a complicated soup of medical, cultural, social and personal issues.

I had to make it through that first night alone until the lactation consultant at the hospital could visit me the following day. However, even though she insisted I attend her support group, my legs were numb and I couldn’t walk for 2 days. So instead, I ate microwaveable Annie’s Mac’N’Cheese in bed and continued schooling myself in breastfeeding.

-Audra Hughes

I had the benefit of working from home during my pregnancy.

Since I had only two pregnant friends ever, when I became pregnant I dove into research, becoming obsessed with things that had no prior relevance to me. My neighbor was an infant massage and prenatal yoga teacher so I devoured all of her books. I read everything, including out-of-print hippy-dippy books like the Wise Woman books, “Spiritual Midwifery” and “Our Babies Ourselves,” and the bestsellers with some good fiction (“Midwives”), and comedy (Jenny McCarthy’s “Belly Laughs”). I could talk the talk. By the time my husband Michael and I began our baby classes, I could have taught them! One thing was certain: I did not trust the medical community and I was obsessed with both breastfeeding and immunization policy. Unfortunately, the Sears “Breastfeeding Book” came along after my pregnancy, I can now recite it by chapter. If my next kid is a boy, his middle name may be Sears.

I have a hard time not being so forthright about nursing and pushing my social agenda because it’s consumed my life for the past two years. I could have an associate’s degree in breastfeeding at this point. I realize that ultimately and most importantly, a woman has a right to choose whether or not she wants to nurse. Some women physically cannot nurse (or have surrogates or adopt) and certain occupations make it very difficult to continue, so I try to be very respectful. But sometimes I’m not. (Sorry!)

-Audra Hughes

My daughter Sylvie just turned two. For the past year, I’ve been trying to wean her, and guess what: I am failing. I am not in control.

This morning, my fearless toddler leaped out of her crib sideways as if jumping into a wave, all in an effort to coax me into the glider chair that has become my straight jacket. If I try to do anything else, she has a meltdown. What would happen if I got rid of the chair or put it in the family room so my husband could glide, drink beer and watch hockey? Well, we all know what would happen. I’d be sitting on the floor of Sylvie’s room while she wrangles my bra exclaiming “BOOBIE, BOOBIE, BOOBIE!”

So for a moment, I relax, and melt into her moody blue eyes that give me a special flirtatious wink, reserved only for me. A few minutes go by, I fall back into my morning panic, peek at the dog who is desperate to go outside and imagine the boob job I’m going to need in a few years.

I experience a hundred different emotions on a daily basis about breastfeeding. It consumes me. I have my highs and lows. Some days I feel empowered and loving, while other days I feel resentful and guilty. To be a Type-A control freak who is controlled by a baby comes with its own set of issues.

Hello, and welcome to The Boob Chronicles.

-Audra Hughes