The wait is over–KIWI’s latest issue hits newsstands today! I’m willing to bet our adorable cover shot is enough to draw you in (we’re dedicating extra attention to pregnancy and babies this month) but here’s a sneak peak of what you’ll find inside:

• Mama’s on the move Keep your mind, body, and baby bump healthy with these simple exercises you can do right at home. Plus, yoga for moms-to-be.
• Go green, baby! Small tweaks to your baby’s routine make bedtime, mealtime, and playtime more eco-friendly.
• Family matters From creating a pumping room to bringing babies to work, these four moms were determined to make their workplaces more family-friendly.
• More The best natural remedies for your baby, fun car games for your next family road trip, and birthday parties that give back.

-Marygrace, KIWI staff writer

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

KIWI is excited to be one of the sponsors of this FREE upcoming event on Sunday, February 7 at noon: Mama Moves Post-Natal Fitness and Pilates at Nimble Fitness.

Personal trainer and pre/post Pilates instructor, Charlotte Blake, will be offering a post-natal FREE Pilates class that will launch a regularly scheduled Mama Moves Pilates class on Sundays at noon. (Read more about why KIWI loves Charlotte.) Nimble is a unique fitness facility, offering integrated personal training, cutting-edge classes, and holistic workshops and seminars.

This exciting event will be an hour for you to rejuvenate your body, ask questions, meet other moms, learn about pelvic floor and diastasis rehabilitation, and connect with your NYC mom community. Bring your baby (although not required), a blanket to rest your baby on, small toys for your little one, and wear comfortable clothes. You will walk away feeling more limber and more connected with your community, resources, and body. You’ll get a goody bag that includes the latest issue of KIWI, too!

Space is limited, so RSVP with Nimble Fitness: info@nimblefitness.com, 212-633-9030.

Have fun!

-Sarah, KIWI editorial director

You may still be on the hunt for that perfect pair of cute-and-comfy shoes, but at least you can end the search for your little one. ScooterBees makes adorable, snug-fitting, eco shoes for the infant and early toddler sets.

The soft-soled shoes are designed to accommodate a variety of sizes (which means even the chubbiest of feet will fit!) and thanks to no laces, they’re easy to put on squirmy feet as you’re running out the door. They’re also green: Each pair features a recycled fleece lining (making socks optional), a midsole made of recycled milk cartons, and an outsole that contains recycled rubber.

The best part (besides being machine washable)? They’re incredibly cute and kid-friendly. Interchangeable flaps tell a story (watch as a baby owl grows up!) and let your kid pick which design he wants on top. Find a retailer here.

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

It’s time again for another round-up of the best of the mom blogosphere!  Here’s what’s going on…

• Hopping on board the backyard vegetable garden train this spring?  Nature Moms reviews garden tool sets and gear for your little farmers-in-training.
• To school or not to school?  Read about Mama-Om’s journey on her family’s decision to send their son to school or stick to unschooling at home.
• Green Baby Guide puts the bokashi bin, an indoor composting system from Japan.
• Forget balance.  Instead, Healthy Green Moms says we should be seeking harmony.
• The Soft Landing Blog covers possible legislation for federal ban of BPA in children’s food containers.  Yes!

What’s happening on your blog?  We want to know!

Marygrace, KIWI intern

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

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

Calling all sensitive skin types! We’ve teamed up with Lavera Organic to give KIWI readers 10% off on a soothing slew natural and organic skincare products (use promo code Kiwi09 at checkout). Lavera’s Mom and Baby Set pampers mom with a wild rose facial mask and moisturizer and keeps baby’s delicate hair and skin soft with almond shampoo and cream. Offering protection from harmful ingredients while creating effective products for allergy-prone and sensitive skin types, Lavera’s skincare line is a goldmine of green baby shower gifts.

–Marygrace, KIWI intern and lover of organic skin care

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.

January 19 is the day this year that we celebrate the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.;  a man who changed the world. Who knows where we would be without this hero who put his life on the line so that people would  “not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character”?

I wonder if Dr. King’s parents, while he was growing up, ever realized how great their son would be. What did Alberta and Martin Luther King, Sr. do to create such an incredible child? What values, what inspiration did they give him? Did they know that he would improve the lives of countless people and change the face of our world? Did Barack Obama’s mother know as she held her beautiful baby in her arms that he would someday become President; that the hope of a nation would rest on her angel’s shoulders? Do any of us know what greatness lies in our children?

As parents, we all think our children are special. We love them with a biased heart.  However, the lesson of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Barack Obama is that our children truly are the future of the world. This realization makes our job even more critical—raising our children with a social and environmental conscious can actually make a difference.

Let’s take these next few amazing days, the celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the inauguration of Barack Obama as President of the United States, to see that the potential is there for our children to make the world a better place. We are raising the next scientists, politicians, philanthropists, explorers, nutrition experts, artists, computer geniuses and more.

So, as you kiss your children goodnight on the 19th, on this crossover between two historical days, feel the power that is yours and theirs.  Infused with love and wrapped in your commitment, anything is possible.

—Maxine Wolf, CEO & Publisher, KIWI Magazine

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

In the beginning, it was so easy to go to the movies with Sylvie. We hit the theater at 11 a.m. (“Devil Wears Prada” or “Matchpoint,” anyone?) and she nursed in the dark on and off. I became increasingly proud of my status of nursing mom, and in a shameful moment, I told off a woman in a Cosi sandwich shop who tried to get my friend to abandon the upholstered chair she had marked off with a paper bag and newspaper (looked like trash to us!). My friend needed to nurse and was going a little nutty herself, and I was irate. It was an ugly scene. I am not proud. I thought womankind had taken two steps back because this woman was not being supportive of my friend’s need to breastfeed. If she’s reading this, I am sorry! Blame it on the hormones!

-Audra Hughes

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 am sure some of you have received the latest issue of KIWI. For our January/February issue, KIWI had a special “delivery.” (Ignore the lame pun!) We rounded up some wonderful gift ideas for parents-to-be in our “Oh, Baby!” green baby shower feature. Obviously, we can’t mention everything in the magazine, but luckily for us, we have KiwiLog and everything we wanted to include… we now can. Hooray!

Our first in our blog series on baby shower gifts is the Chubby Bunny and Snuggle Blanket sold by Happy Healthy Baby. Both pieces, the bunny and the blanket, are 100% organic cotton and dyed with metal free dyes. The doll is 7″and the blanket is 29″ X 29″. If you are searching for the perfect snuggle buddy for your baby or a friend’s baby, this bunny and blanket duo should fit the bill. And look how cute!

Available at Happy Healthy Baby, $36.