New FDA Report Says BPA Is Safe
Monday August 18, 2008
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has released a new report on the safety of the chemical bisphenol-A (BPA), which is used to make some types of plastic and to seal some types of food containers. The FDA promised to revisit their previous stance on the safety of BPA following a report by the National Toxicology Program that indicated animal tests showed possible harm to humans from BPA.
Although the FDA report states that BPA can be found in the urine of more than 90 percent of Americans, it also says that those BPA levels are thousands of times below amounts that would cause harm in humans. Despite FDA's reassurances that BPA is safe for humans, several U.S. states have initiated legislation to restrict the use of the chemical, particularly its use in baby products. Several large retail companies, including Walmart and Toys R Us, have said they will stop selling baby bottles and feeding products that are made with BPA. The Canadian government also has said they will ban the use of BPA in manufacturing baby products.
Baby Products Poll: Will You Switch to BPA-Free Bottles and Cups?
Sunday August 17, 2008
Potty Training Books for Toddlers
Friday August 15, 2008
Getting toddlers interested in potty training is often half the battle. Babies & Toddlers Guide Stephanie Brown has chosen some great potty training books for toddlers that you may want to check out if you think it's time to start this process. Books and DVDs are a fun, low-pressure way to get toddlers interested in potty training. Also check out my tips on choosing a toddler potty training chair and a review of the "No More Diapers" potty training DVD.
Cloth Diapering for Beginners
Thursday August 14, 2008
More and more parents today are choosing to use cloth diapers for their babies. Some choose cloth diapers because they are concerned about the impact on the environment from disposables. Others worry that chemicals in some disposable diapers may be harmful to babies or might irritate baby's skin. Getting started with cloth diapers nowadays can seem a little overwhelming, though, because there are so many styles and acronyms. Sometimes it seems like cloth diapering has its own language! Here are some resources to help you get started if you're thinking about using cloth diapers for your baby.
- Cloth Diapering Glossary
- Best Diaper Covers for Prefolds
- Choosing a Wet Pail or Dry Pail for Cloth Diapers
- Buying Used Cloth Diapers for Budget Savings
Australian Regulators Consider Label Change for Baby Food
Monday August 11, 2008
Babies & Toddlers Guide Stephanie Brown recently blogged about how Australian food regulators are thinking about changing the recommended age listed on baby food labels. The labels currently say that baby food is safe for babies over 4 months old. The proposed change would make the labels read that baby food is safe for babies over 6 months old. The reason for the potential change is that evidence shows that earlier introduction of solid foods can limit the amount of breastmilk the baby receives, and could potentially harm baby's kidneys. Furthermore, they want the labels to be more in line with Australia's current recommendation that breastmilk or formula is sufficient nutrition for babies under 6 months old.
Here in the U.S., most parents are told that 4-6 months is the appropriate time to introduce solid foods to baby. My daughter's pediatrician gave me that timeframe, as well. I decided to wait until 6 months to give my daughter solid foods, but my decision was based heavily on not wanting to disrupt our already precarious breastfeeding situation. The prospect of kidney damage certainly would have swayed me, though. When did you decide to start solid foods for your baby? If you're not there yet, do you have an idea when you'll break out the baby cereal and mashed carrots?
Fisher Price Recalls Learning Pots and Pans
Thursday August 7, 2008
Fisher Price recently announced a new recall of about 15,000 Learning Pots and Pans sets because missing screws could cause small plastic balls to be released from the blue pan, posing a choking hazard. For more information on this Fisher Price Learning Pots and Pans recall, including model numbers manufacturer contact information, please visit the Current Baby Products Recalls pages.
Photo courtesy of CPSC.gov.
Recalled Cribs Don't Meet Safety Standards
Tuesday August 5, 2008
Two different crib companies issued recalls recently because some of their crib models do not meet minimum federal standards for the distance between the mattress support and the top of the crib side rail. When the mattress support is in its lowest position, there must be at least 26 inches between it and the top of the side rail in its highest position. Mother Hubbard's Cupboards has recalled about 1,300 cribs in four styles. Customers with affected cribs can call 888-661-8201 for instructions on re-installing the mattress support to meet the minimum standard.
Baby Appleseed also has issued a recall on about 500 cribs in one style. Customers with affected cribs can stop using the third lowest mattress support (the wooden one) for now, and call 877-348-2199 to receive a repair kit. For more information on these crib recalls, including model numbers, please visit the Current Baby Products Recalls pages.
Photo courtesy of CPSC.gov.
World Breastfeeding Week 2008
Monday August 4, 2008
This week is World Breastfeeding Week, a chance to learn about breastfeeding and promote awareness of this amazing feeding method. Whether you'd like to know how breastfeeding works, what common problems you might encounter or how to store breastmilk that you pump at work, you can find the breastfeeding help you need in this World Breastfeeding Week special from About.com Breastfeeding Guide Melissa Kotlen Nagin. If you're considering breastfeeding your baby, I encourage you to take a look at Melissa's advice, as well as the many other breastfeeding articles around About.com, to help you in your decision. The forums are also a great place to turn for additional breastfeeding support. If you're already nursing a baby, or you have done so in the past, in honor of World Breastfeeding Week, way to go, mom!
Stretching Your Baby Products Budget
Wednesday July 30, 2008
Parents-to-be are often overwhelmed by all of the baby products that seem to be "must haves" for newborns. The truth is, babies really don't need that many things for the first few weeks at home, so your initial baby gear budget can be fairly small. Beyond the newborn phase, it's handy, maybe even necessary, to have a few additional products, but there are still plenty of ways to save some money here and there. Here are the basic baby products that you'll need for a newborn, along with things you can put off buying until later, and some other areas to look at when you're trying to make the most of your baby products budget.
- Basic Baby Needs
- Products You Don't Need to Buy for Newborns
- Do I Need a Changing Table for Baby?
- Great Diaper Bags for Less Than $15
- Buying Used Cloth Diapers for Budget Savings
- Budget Baby Cribs Under $250
- Ten Great Strollers Under $250
Hot Baby Products: P'kolino Silly Soft Seat
Tuesday July 29, 2008
Toddlers love to have their own little space to curl up and look at a board board or play with a beloved toy. Designating a special "reading chair" may also encourage a love of reading as your child grows. P'kolino's Silly Soft Seat is a perfect choice for a toddler chair. It combines the durability and safety that parents want with the whimsy and stackability that toddlers love. Silly soft seats have several sturdy covered foam pieces that can be stacked in many ways to be used as chairs of varying heights, as a table and chair, or anything else your toddler's imagination requires. When playtime or reading time is done, the pieces stack together to make a silly face. Best of all, toddlers can easily move these foam pieces without help, so this chair also gets the "I can do it myself!" seal of approval that is so important with the 3 and under crowd.
P'kolino Silly Soft Seats come in four colors, each with a different silly face on it. These seats are available in many independent baby and children's products stores, and also recently became available at Babies R Us stores, along with some of P'kolino's other fun products. Photo credit: Copyright 2008, P'kolino. Used with permission.