Simple Easy Ways to Become an Eco-Friendly Parent on a Budget

Today's economic times we are looking for bargains and ways to save, but at the same time be green and healthy. When you decide to make a change for your family toward a more eco-friendly lifestyle, you may set out on your first eco-friendly shopping trip at your local health food store. And then you see the prices. And then you may question your decision! But don't worry - there are ways to be an eco-friendly parent without breaking the bank. Here are some tips.

1. Shop Locally- Food

Not to disparage the health food store, but it is often not the cheapest source of healthy food. Head to your local farmer's market and buy fresh produce. Because the food is from local farms, you won't be paying for long transport or sprayed-on preservatives.

2. Grow a Garden- Your Own Food

You can save money and teach your children about nature's provision by growing your own food. Raised beds, vegetable planting boxes, and containers make it possible for just about everyone to grow some of their own food. Tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, and squash are good vegetables to begin with, as they grow easily. Blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries are good fruits for beginners.

3. Preserve the Harvest

Learn to can and/or freeze the extra produce from summer's bounty, when the produce is so much less expensive. You can use the same containers year after year, and you won't have to buy canned and frozen fruits and vegetables in the winter.

4. Breastfeed Your Baby

This single thing reduces waste and saves a tremendous amount of money. And if you breastfeed exclusively or "ecologically," you will not have to buy bottles, pacifiers, tins of formula, and so forth. Bottles and pacifiers are plastic or rubber and rarely recycled. And formula alone is very expensive.

The longer your breastfeed, the more you'll save. And it's better for your baby! Check your local library or internet search engine for tips on ecological breastfeeding.

5. Cloth Diapers

Okay, so many of us don't want to go back to the "bad old days" when mothers had to deal with cloth diapers. But one of the most eco-friendly choices you can make as a parent is to use cloth diapers. Disposable diapers are filling landfills at a rapid rate. Backed with plastic and saturated with chemicals like bleach and absorbance-enhancing substances, disposable diapers do not biodegrade completely.

These days, there are many choices for parents who want to use cloth diapers. They can be washed and reused over and over, and a diaper cover made from water-resistant wool can help prevent leaks.

6. Green Cleaning

Before cleaning house as an eco-friendly parent, you may have to - well - clean house! Go through your cabinets and get rid of all the chemical-based cleaners like scouring powders, spray-on cleaners, germ-killing sprays, etc. Replace them with simple, cheap, home-made cleaning products that are non-toxic.

White vinegar and baking soda can be used variously for an enormous number of cleaning jobs. Vinegar and water can be used to mop wood floors, wipe counters, and wash windows. Use baking soda to remove baked-on "gunk" in your conventional or microwave oven. 

7. Teach Your Children

A very important aspect of being eco-friendly is teaching the next generation about the importance of preserving the environment. Include your kids in your eco-friendly decisions and projects. Check out books at the library and explore relevant websites.

Developing a love of nature and the environment in your children doesn't need to cost anything but a little time and effort on your part. And the harvest from that effort will be significant for the future of the planet.

Technical updates so we'll be Right Back!

We are doing some technical updates today so we'll be Right Back! We are sorry for any inconvenience. Just check back or follow us on Facebook to get the latest updates. 

Keep your family safe and clean with this Non-toxic Multi-Purpose Cleaner recipe

If you accidently spilled something on your counter or floor, you probably have some sort of "all-purpose cleaner" that you reach for, and it's most likely in a spray bottle. But some of those chemical-laden cleaners are questionable at best and dangerous at worst - their labels are festooned with warnings about accidental ingestion, inhalation of fumes, eye contact, skin contact, etc.

However, you can recycle the empty containers of these cleaners to hold your own home-made, non-toxic cleaners. Just make sure that you dispose of the contents responsibly (contact your local EPA or solid waste authority) and wash out the bottle thoroughly if you choose to re-use.

Here are three recipes for all-purpose, non-toxic cleaners for your home. Two of them are sprays and the other is a creamy scrubber. While they are non-toxic as far as cleaners go, it's not a good idea to ingest them or let your toddler get into them unsupervised (after all, these recipes smell yummy!). But these cleaners are safe enough for your children to help you clean with your supervision.

Lemon or Peppermint Creamy Scrub

In a 1-quart container (you can reuse an empty mayonnaise jar or plastic yogurt container), mix:

* 1 cup baking soda

* 1/4 cup borax laundry booster

* 1 tablespoon liquid, biodegradable soap 

* 5-10 drops lemon or peppermint essential oil

Add water and stir until you achieve a thick consistency that can still be poured, like a thick milkshake. The thicker the consistency, the more potent the cleaning power. Use this scrub to clean your bathroom and kitchen sinks, bathtub, faucets, and anywhere you would use conventional soft scrubbers.

All-Purpose, Germ-Killing Spray

In a 1-quart spray bottle, mix:

* 1/2 cup of white vinegar

* 3 cups of water

* 10 drops of grapefruit seed extract or tea tree oil

* 1 teaspoon of biodegradable liquid soap

* 10-20 drops of lavender or lemon essential oil

Shake this spray well and use it on sinks, countertops, floors, or any smooth surface and wipe with a cloth. For tough stains on a hard surface or baked-on mess (such as in an oven or microwave), sprinkle baking soda over the stain or gunk and spray with the above spray until the baking soda is thoroughly dampened. Let it sit for 15-25 minutes, then wipe with a cloth. The stain may require some elbow grease, but the crusty stuff should come right off. You can even use this spray on windows.

Oil Soap Spray

In a 1-quart spray bottle, pour:

* 1 tablespoon of oil soap (found in the cleaning aisle of your local store)

* 10-15 drops of your favorite essential oil

Fill the bottle with water. Shake well and use on floors (wood, vinyl or linoleum), cabinets, stoves, etc.

Now you can consider your home truly, naturally clean - not toxically clean!

Great Deal $12 for $25 Voucher!

Check out OrganicSoul.com for our featured deal: $12 for $25 voucher. We have many eco-friendly baby items that can fit your needs. From clothes, toys, feeding, and even decorating your baby's nursery. Please stop by and  check out this great deal!

Nursery Art: Recycled Peace Bird Strand

Nursery Art: Good Night Sweetheart

Super Adorable Hand knit Owl Caps for the fall

A super cute and original 100% handmade organic knit owl cap. This hat will put a smile on you and keep your little one warm all season long.

 100% Organic Owl Hat

Come visit us at www.my-ecobaby.com 

  

Baltic Amber Teething Necklace-Handmade Jewelry for Babies

We have a great solution to help babies’ sore gums while they are teething. We are now carrying Baltic Amber Teething Necklace. 

Baltic Amber has been used in Europe and Asia for centuries because of their very unique and special healing properties. Here is a little history of this amazing stone from our very own Babawear and writes:

Baltic Amber teething necklace is made of natural amber nuggets, to be worn by a teething baby.

Baltic Amber has been used for thousands of years all across Europe and Asia to help calm and alleviate the pain of teething babies for thousands of years. Baltic Amber contains Succinic Acid and when it is heated against the skin it releases an all natural analgesic (pain relief) which helps to ease teething pains in children as well as colic and gas and other ailments. Baltic amber will help calm a baby without resorting to drugs 

This is unique and one of a kind handmade jewelry handcrafted with only the finest quality raw amber materials. There is a knot between each bead so if the necklace breaks beads will not fall off. Do not get soaps or lotions on the necklace as it will lose its properties. 

Weight of teething necklace: 5-7 grams Length: 12.5 - 13 inches (32- 33 cm) 

Recommended for babies from about 4 months to 2 or more years of age. 

* Child-proof plastic screw clasp (matching color and style of the necklace) * Natural Baltic Amber - Best of the world * Natural, drug-free remedy for teething pain * Rounded and olive shaped beads allows for maximum contact with the skin * Synthetic thread * Handmade from Baltic Sea * High quality Baltic Amber only. 

* Please note: This is not jewelry meant for a baby to chew or suck on. It is specifically a necklace that should stay around the neck, next to the skin, to have the most effective release of therapeutic properties. Do not leave the necklace on baby while sleeping or unsupervised.

Please go to www.my-ecobaby.com to find these amazing necklaces.

Healing Powers of Breast Milk

Breast milk is extremely amazing stuff. It can't be replicated in formulas, and it has components whose relevance modern science has still not figured out. You may have heard that breast milk is healthy for your baby, but did you know it could also be a natural healer?

Breast milk has antibacterial properties. Thus, it can be applied to various types of topical and even internal infections. Here are some things to think about regarding the healing power of breast milk.

1) Eye or eyelid infections in baby, child or adult can be cleared up with breast milk. A few drops in each eye several times a day will fight the infection.

2) Ear infections have been effectively treated with breast milk. Treat the breast milk like an antibiotic eardrop (which it is!) - a few drops in each ear several times a day. 

3) Breast milk offers antibodies to boost baby's immunity every time he or she nurses. Sick babies often need to nurse more, so be sure to follow your baby's cues and give his or her immune system what it needs.

4) The suckling action of breastfeeding helps develop the muscles in the face and jaw, encouraging correct alignment and strength. Bottle-feeding does not produce the same results.

5) Minor cuts and scrapes can be soothed with breast milk, and its antibacterial properties help with healing. Rub a drop or two into a cut or scrape and allow to air-dry before putting on a band aid or other cover.

6) Diaper rash can be treated with breast milk as well. Rub some of it gently into the area of the rash and let it dry before re-diapering.

7)  Breastfed babies are less likely to develop childhood leukemia.

8) Incidents of heart disease and high blood pressure are lower among adults who were breastfed as babies.

9) Help clear up acne-prone areas by rubbing breast milk on the skin. Eczema can benefit from topical applications of breast milk as well. Plus breast milk softens and moistens skin. Some even claim that it works as a make-up remover!

10)  It is worth noting that women who breastfeed their babies are less likely to develop breast cancer. The longer you nurse, the better the protection. It is more a result of the hormonal effects of nursing than breast milk itself.

11)  Donated breast milk has been used to successfully treat a host of infant disorders, such as failure to thrive, kidney failure, metabolic problems, and diarrhea. Immune system diseases such as severe allergies have been treated with breast milk ingestion as well.

12 ) Chronic adult disorders of the intestine, such as ulcerative colitis, have responded positively to breast milk.

No cow's milk or formula can do all of these things!

Handmade Organic Teddy Bear Hat

Sorry we will be down for the rest of the evening.

We will be closed for the rest of evening due to some technical updates. We will be up and running tomorrow morning at 8 am. Thank you and have a great evening. Please come at www.my-ecobaby.com

Coming up for this September: Featuring Handcrafted items

This month we will be featuring Handmade Items made with plenty of love and care by other mom's. Please come check us out because we do carry a lot of specialty handcrafted items for babies or toddlers. We have our handmade crochet hats, shoes, and onesies. Also we have handcrafted soaps just for mom's, and we carry plush dolls from Heart Felt Design made by hand. Come stop by and check us out at www.my-ecobaby.com

Babawear Onesies

Happy Labor Day Weekend-Giving Back to the victims of Hurrican Irene.

We hope everyone enjoys their long weekend.Have a safe and fun filled Labor Day Weekend.

Starting Saturday, September 3-15, 2011 Here at My-Ecobaby Store we will donate a 10% to the American Red Cross for any purchases  from the Heather Hobbies collection, they are  handmade 100% organic crochet shoes for baby boys or  baby girls. Made here in the USA.

Here at My Ecobaby Store we care and want to do our part to help. Let's support the victims deeply affected by Hurricane Irene. Thank you for your support.

Handmade Crochet Mary Jane's with Crossover Strap