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We recently found this fun site called "How Stuff Works".

It has all sorts of different topics and we felt the one on how to choose a crib might be useful.

"For the sake of the consumer, a lot of attention has been paid to crib safety. Any crib manufactured after February 1974 must conform to strict safety codes, which were necessitated by a large number of serious crib accidents. If you are considering an older crib, perhaps one that has been in your family, compare its features with the current safety standards"
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Labels: baby, cribs, how to

Living in the Greater Vancouver area and looking for some deals on baby products? Why not check out Tiny Tots Coupon Book

For just $10 - - you can get hundreds of dollars in savings on:
1) Product Companies including: Milk Factory and of course Kohlr Baby (coupon 24)!
2) Services Companies including: Helen Sands - Sleep Consultant
3) Stores including: Room for 2 Maternity

AND even better as a Halloween Special, the books are available for an unbelievable $5!!!

Limited numbers available, so get yours while they last!

Labels: coupon, sale, special

Rarely a week goes by that I don't get some sort of question about fleece fabric. Is fleece safe for my baby? Is fleece breathable? are some of the more common ones. So I thought it was time to give some more detailed information about fleece.

A bit of history on fleece: Polartec fleece was first invented in the early 80's by Malden Mills as an alternative to wool for extreme outdoor adventurers. Fleece has forever changed the way the world dresses for cold weather.

But it's not just for athletes. Fleece has found a great home in baby's and children's apparel. In fact, in 1999 Time Magazine named Polartec fleece "One of the hundred great things of the 20th century."

So what is fleece then? Fleece is basically a 100% polyester fabric with an “altered” fibre structure. This unique way of creating the fibres and the fabric result in the ability of the fabric to transfer moisture through itself (wicking) from the baby’s skin to the outside of the garment.

While cotton is a great fabric for some things, it is also a porous fabric and absorbs moisture holding it against a baby’s skin. This means when cotton fabrics get wet, they will stay wet --and clammy. They become uncomfortable and uncomfortable children become cranky. Further, cotton’s properties hinder the evaporation process which is important for keeping baby’s temperature at an appropriate level. In the winter it will make baby cold, in the summer too hot. Fleece breathes well and comes in a variety of weights appropriate to different seasons and climes—Vancouver rain or Whistler snow! Parents in the know are aware of these advances and use fleece to keep their baby warm and snug.

Fleece’s characteristics –

• Highly breathable – keeps baby dry. No rashes etc Highly breathable to provide comfort in all activities; does not restrict the movement of moisture vapour this idea links to the next benefit)
• Provides warmth without weight – great for long days. In the baby bag etc
• Pill resistant – stays soft and comfortable against baby’s skin even after many washings
• Low maintenance and durable, cleans ‘messes food etc” less laundry time = more play time
• Virtually stain-proof
• A quick-drying fabric
• Machine washable/dryable
• Very SOFT and immediately warm to the touch.

I was reading an article on carbon credits and came across a couple of interesting sites.

Dell has an initiative called "Plant a Tree for Me". In their own words, "Dell now makes it easy to help protect the Earth’s climate by offering anyone in the U.S. and Europe the opportunity to offset the CO2 emissions related to the use of an extended selection of IT products. Participants can also help offset the total one-year carbon impact of the average citizen. "

In Canada, this initiative has partnered with Tree Canada. Another great organization that "creates opportunities for individuals and groups with an interest in planting and caring for trees for non-commercial use. We assess projects from an environmental perspective and offer funding and/or technical assistance. Our planting partners, who have planted over 75 million trees in ten years, are responsible for ongoing care and maintenance."

What an interesting baby gift, instead of the usual!

With all the recalls happening with baby products made in China, it's time to take a close look at the products our babies are using and playing with. We decided to do a bit of digging to see what locally and ethically-made, baby products we could find to share with you.

Here are a couple we found:

Wooden Toys:
Making handcrafted wooden toys in Vermont, Maple Landmark has been around for 25 years and has been getting rave reviews from their customers for their building blocks, toy trucks and trains, rattles, wooden games and more!

Stuffed Toys:
Another great find from Vermont is this Organic Stuffed Dog sold by Our Green House. Who wouldn't fall in love with this puppy! They also make an elephant, a pony and a bunny and other toys.

If you have any others you would like to recommend, please email us a link!