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General Recommendations During Pregnancy

General Recommendations During Pregnancy

PREGNANCY JOURNAL A5

  • Pregnancy is such a beautiful time of one’s lifetime and we highly recommend transcribing the journey in one of our gorgeous Pregnancy Journals, to cherish memories and give your child a treasurable gift.
  • Hydration is key during pregnancy and also for energy levels. Increase water to at least 2.5-3L daily.
  • For moisturising the body, you can’t look past our wonder balm which doubles up as a cure for anything!
  • Ginger tea or bread for nausea. Some people find ginger biscuits and oatcakes with a cup of peppermint tea works. Also, sipping on Yogi Mother-to-Be tea in 2nd and 3rd trimester is not only nutritive but soothing too.
  • It is safe and beneficial to continue exercising during pregnancy. The rule of thumb is you do not need to be concerned about heart rate if you have been doing regular exercise prior to getting pregnant.  Low-impact exercise such as walking, yoga and swimming is beneficial during later pregnancy, as we naturally slow down due to the weight of the baby.
  • Get 20 to 30 minutes of sunlight to boost Vitamin D levels, avoiding more intense sun exposure times (10 am to 3 pm during hotter months). This is also great for mood and relaxation for both yourself and baby.
  • Must-have organic personal care products to have a regular supply can be found in our pregnancy section.
  • Most importantly, enjoy this miraculous time and remember it’s just nine months out of your ‘normal’ life!

 

 

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Foods to Avoid During Pregnancy

Avoids List for Every Expecting Parent-to-be…

Depending on where you live in the world, what’s the bet you get told: “Do this, do that. Avoid this, avoid that”. So much so, we start freaking out when we’re pregnant, paranoid at the sight of food and even at the thought of sitting next to someone with a sniffle. Well, bubbles don’t exist but please don’t let this ruin your magical journey. Instead, we’re arming you with no-fuss general recommendations and supplying you with the rightful foods to avoid during pregnancy. Here’s to a happy, healthy (and relaxed) birthing journey!

Foods To Avoid During Pregnancy

  • Raw meat, raw fish, deli meats, raw egg, undercooked chicken all pose a risk of contamination with coliform bacteria, listeria, salmonella and toxoplasmosis.
  • Soft cheeses such as camembert, brie, blue vein and queso blanco can contain listeria.
  • Fish with possible higher levels of mercury include tuna, shark, barracuda, swordfish and king mackerel.
  • Shellfish may contain higher levels of industrial pollutants.
  • Caffeine is a stimulant and can inhibit the absorption of iron. Should be avoided during pregnancy, especially in 1st
  • Sugars, artificial sweeteners, refined carbohydrates and deep-fried foods are to be avoided to minimise food additive exposure, reduce the risk of gestational diabetes as well as excessive weight gain.
  • Acidic, fatty and spicy foods may aggravate morning sickness (1st trimester) and heartburn (3rd trimester).
  • Avoid alcohol, cigarette smoke, recreational drugs and over the counter prescription medications and toxic chemicals (some household cleaning products) for the duration of pregnancy and breastfeeding. Instead, check out our eco-cleaning products.
  • Check out our post on Tips for a Healthy Pregnancy for a complete naturopathic guide for every trimester.
  • For further information, check out Healthline’s 11 Food and Beverages to Avoid During Pregnancy.
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Tips for a Healthy Pregnancy

Healthy Pregnancy Advice From Our Naturopath For Every Trimester

In astrology, new moons are considered a chance to start afresh and create new beginnings. With this in mind, I’m sharing with you some beneficial advice for a healthy pregnancy given to me by a renowned naturopath friend of mine. Whether you are already pregnant, thinking about it or know a friend or family member who is embarking on this magical journey, please share these tips and let me know how you get on!

Healthy Eating Suggestions During Pregnancy

When pregnant, getting the right nutrients and vitamins is of extreme importance for both the health of your baby and yourself. What you put in your tummy will eventually end up in your baby’s too, and certain vitamins and minerals can make a big difference in terms of growth and development.

Eat organic or free-range ingredients wherever possible. This will reduce your exposure to chemicals, pesticides and antibiotics.  Research also shows that organic produce contains significantly higher levels of nutrients than non-organic foods.

Fill yourself up with lots of fresh vegetables, especially yellow and green varieties, as they are a good source of folic acid. Reduce starchy vegetables such as potato and sweet potato to ease constipation during pregnancy.

Include two to three pieces of fruit per day, either in the whole form or in juice or smoothie. Best fruits for high nutritional value include apples, pears, kiwifruit, pawpaw, pineapple, blueberries, pomegranate, tamarillos, plums.

Protein in Pregnancy

Protein is essential during pregnancy. It is quite literally the building blocks of life.  Healthy protein-rich foods include lean meat, poultry, deep-sea fish, eggs, goat or sheep products and low-fat dairy.  Small amounts of nuts, seeds, sea vegetables and tofu are good vegetarian protein sources.  Aim to consume some kind of protein with every meal.

Essential fatty acids are important for foetal development, especially the brain and eye development. Naturopaths recommend taking EPA/DHA (fish oil supplement) during pregnancy and best oils to use while cooking includes organic extra virgin olive oil and avocado oil; and flaxseed and Udos 3-6-9 oil blend for salads.

It is important to include whole grains and legumes for fibre and nutrients. During 1st trimester, you may eat bread to curb nausea, however, aim to have one piece of toast at breakfast and one at lunch; or lunch and dinner (rather than having two pieces of toast at breakfast).  As nausea subsides in 2nd trimester, switch grains for brown or basmati rice, oats, buckwheat, millet, amaranth, teff and quinoa.

Calcium in Pregnancy

Calcium is important for skeletal development of your baby and maintenance of your bone health. Adequate amounts can be found in recommended natal multi-vitamin supplement, and nutritional sources which contain high amounts of calcium include goat and sheep products, kefir, sesame seeds (tahini), chickpeas (hummus), broccoli, almonds and bone broth.  Avoid other sources such as hard cheeses and dairy for healthy weight maintenance during pregnancy.

Iron is important during pregnancy to produce more haemoglobin (blood) for you and your baby, and for energy levels. Nutritional sources include red meat, especially organ meats such as liver, eggs, lentils, white beans, brown rice, beetroot, spinach, spirulina, kelp, chlorella, kale and raspberry leaf tea.

It has been suggested that the more foods and flavours you expose your baby to in the womb, the more receptive your baby may be to these items when first trying solid food.

Pregnancy Massage

We have left the best and final pregnancy tip for last, get a Massage! Pregnancy can put extra pressure on joints, ligaments and organs, causing regular discomfort. Massage is a gentle way to alleviate side effects such as backaches and swelling. Massage and exercise along with food is the golden triad of health success when pregnant. If you would like to learn more about the research and benefits of  pregnancy massage you will find an extensive and supportive article here

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A million nappies and 500,000 coffee cups are binned each day in Ireland

Disposable Nappy Waste

This Headline Grabbed Me Today!

 A million nappies and 500,000 coffee cups are binned each day according to RTE, Irelands National TV and Radio Broadcaster reported by Lynne Kelleher

Turns out, this is one headline to advertise the Irish equivalent of our Aussie Show the War on Waste. Many of us in the cloth nappy industry wrote to ABC asking the to include Nappies in their Terrific War on Waste Series but sadly, nappies were not included.

I was very happy to see that Ireland did not shy away from mentioning nappy waste.

The Irish Documentary screening in the UK at the moment is about to enter it’s second show. The documentary tracks Irelands waste over a single 24-hour period – One Day: How Ireland Cleans Up – goes behind the scenes with people whose job it is to clean up after people who just leave their waste behind.

The documentary reveals the mountains of trash binned every day – including a million nappies. There, someone finally said it!      The documentary series reveals that it takes an army of 44,000 workers to clean the whole country daily.

According to the Irish documentary, Ireland uses half a million toilet rolls and wash 700,000 machine-loads of clothes in a single day. 500,000 disposable coffee cups, 220,000 plastic bottles of water and a staggering 1.5 million aluminium cans are thrown out every day. Combined, Irish households generate a staggering 7,500 tons of rubbish and spend €360,000 on household cleaning products and flush away 400 million litres of water. These are staggering figures and they are just one country!

Careless contamination of recycling bins comes across as the biggest frustration.

If you think you are ready to try cloth nappies to reduce waste in your household, head over to our cloth nappy shop

Disposable Nappies Waste UK

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12 Conscious Christmas Gift Ideas – Would you like Less Waste with that?

Unique Christmas Gifts

Looking for a Unique Christmas Gift?

It is easier than ever to have a Conscious Christmas with Ethical Gifts and Gift Ideas for the Eco Conscious!

How about some Self Love, Deep Connection, Precious Memories or a dash of Gratitude? Oh, and can I offer you Less Waste with that? It is easier than ever to have a Conscious Christmas with Ethical Gifts and Gift Ideas for the Eco Conscious!

We are entering that amazing time of year again when family gatherings around the Christmas Tree are a chance to create ritual and meaning with gift giving and sharing a meal together. Are you a tree and decorations family? Are you anti-christmas family? Whatever your values – you are creating culture and memories for your children around Christmas. Think about that for a second – because it’s too late when they are older to realise that was not the message you wanted them to have!

We all need more connection and less waste in this beautiful human life. How do we honour this and still have the joy of wrapping and giving gifts?

“We are the generation of parents raising conscious children in a world where words like plastic free, waste warrior, organic and sustainability are part of our daily lives” Jannine Barron – Nature’s Child

I was recently asked by a customer, why we stock a lot less products than we used to? My answer…”Because we don’t need more … we need less!”  I will explain that a little more.

We have learnt that overwhelm is the No.1 frustration of pregnant women shopping for baby on the internet. Using our 18 yrs experience – we prefer to offer you less options but select the the very safest, waste free, eco products that ensure you spend less and get the best. We look for products with less bells and whistles and less packaging. This results in ‘more’. More money in your pocket, more time with your kids, less shopping, less waste and more connection with the things that really are the most important in this world.

Our business mission at Nature’s Child has always been to contribute to this world by helping parents live simply and with less waste but still shop effortlessly for the essentials when needed. We do all the hard work with our suppliers ensuring toxin free ingredients, certified organic and waste free packaging. So you can just grab it all conveniently

Christmas is potentially the most wasteful season if we take off our conscious cap.  So keeping on our ethical mood, here are some ideas abouat how you can enjoy the silly season without taking away the joy of giving this Christmas or any time a new baby is born all year round.

Here are our top products that are delightful, heart opening, practical and fun. They are a joy to open and a joy to use and most importantly, they are appreciated all year around. We like to say that our products are not the ones that get the most squeals on Christmas Day, our products are the ones that are appreciated all year and half way through the year, your receiver will come back to you over and over to thank  you for your thoughtful and precious that gift that is still being used!

The seminal film by Annie Leonard  “The Story of Stuff” put everything into perspective for me over a decade ago. If you have not seen it yet, search it on You tube and sit back with a cup of tea for 18 mind expanding minutes.  She show us that of all the materials flowing through the consumer economy, only 1% remain in use six months after sale. Even the goods we might have expected to hold onto are soon condemned to destruction through either planned obsolescence (breaking quickly) or perceived obsolesence (becoming unfashionable). You can learn more here  https://storyofstuff.org

As George Monbiot said in his 2012 Article “The Gift of Death”

There’s nothing they need, nothing they don’t own already, nothing they even want. So you buy them a solar-powered waving queen; a belly button brush; a silver-plated ice cream tub holder; a “hilarious” inflatable zimmer frame; a confection of plastic and electronics called Terry the Swearing Turtle”, ; a Darth Vader talking piggy bank; an ear-shaped i-phone case; an individual beer can chiller; an electronic wine breather; a sonic screwdriver remote control; bacon toothpaste; a dancing dog. no one is expected to use them, or even look at them, after Christmas Day. They are designed to elicit thanks, perhaps a snigger or two, and then be thrown away.

They seem amusing on the first day of Christmas, daft on the second, embarrassing on the third. By the twelfth they’re in landfill. For thirty seconds of dubious entertainment, or a hedonic stimulus that lasts no longer than a nicotine hit, we commission the use of materials whose impacts will ramify for generations. “

So what can you get this Christmas with all this in mind?

Here are my Top 12 Ethical Christmas Gift Ideas from Nature’s Child.

With free shipping over $99 – it’s a no waste win/win!

  1. 2019 Gratitude Diary/Journal – I have been using this diary since it was first published 6 yrs ago. Created in Byron Bay – it is a truly special diary that feels gorgeous from the moment you touch the cloth like cover with imagery and prompts to keep positivity and gratitude a daily practice, while scheduling the stuff to do!
  2. Nature’s Child Organic Baby Skincare Gift Box  The very best of our Certified Organic Range for a baby from 0 – 3yrs including our world famous Bottom Balm and talc free Baby Powder, Baby Massage Oil, Baby Wash and Wonder Balm. All Gluten Free, Certified Organic, Australian Made and Non Toxic made with Love!
  3. Self Love Kit – A stunning surprise of organic & natural adult skincare with a twist of self love, there is nothing on the market like this, who do you know that would appreciate this?
  4. Baby Book – This is non gender or family specific so it suits all rainbow and traditional families alike. Stunning Eco Look.
  5. Grandparents Memories Book – what a unique book with an Eco Look.
  6. Mothers Gift Pack with organic goodies for a mum to be or new mum. Get this one while pregnant as the Light  Discreet Breast Pads can be worn immediately to protect sensitive nipples. This introduces parents to be to the idea of Certified Organic, Waste Free, Reusable Products.
  7. Maud n Lil Gift Pack – one of the most stunning presentations in a quality box with organic cotton baby wraps, toys and more
  8. Organic Cotton Baby Towel with free baby wash – A hooded towel is essential to keep baby’s head warm for comfort and warmth after a bath. This limited offer FREE baby wash seals the deal for us!
  9. Bulk Buy Deals – If you are on a tight budget this is our top tip for the best value christmas gift ever! You can make both adult gifts and baby gifts with this idea. Are you ready? Grab our Deluxe Wipes Packet of 4 and make up your own little packs for people with a combination of a product from our bulk buy and some gorgeous organic cotton face washers for any age
  10. Classic Wooden Toys that will remind you of your own childhood made fair trade and from sustainable sources
  11. Pregnancy Journal – A mum to be will love you for this! I love looking back at my journal 21 yrs later and reading my thoughts as my baby approached the world. It’s one of my most precious things!
  1. Bath Toys – Made from Natural Rubber with no holes so no mould. Plastic Free Fun!

Visit our Website at www.natureschild.com.aufor more simple and beautiful choices.

I will finish in the words of George Monbiot again who said it beautifully

“Bake them a cake, write them a poem, give them a kiss, tell them a joke, but for god’s sake stop trashing the planet to tell someone you care. All it shows is that you don’t”

SOME RESOURCES

  1. http://www.storyofstuff.org/movies-all/story-of-stuff/
  2. monbiot.com
  3. https://www.greenpeace.org/international/act/lets-end-the-age-of-plastic/
  4. https://iview.abc.net.au/show/war-on-waste

Baby First Christmas

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When it comes to Baby Products, what does Natural and Organic mean?

What does organic mean?

Have you purchased an ‘organic’ product lately? How did you know if it was biodynamic, natural or organic? The Label?

Today I would like to simplify the terms Natural and Organic when it comes to organic skincare and organic baby products. This quick and simple guide aims to inform and empower you as a parent who is looking for the very best for their baby.

Being an empowered consumer is increasingly important when there are less ethical companies using the words Natural and Organic to sell a product rather than actually describe the purity level or ingredient focus of their ethical product.

As a new parents, we all love a good baby bargain. We like the best baby products at the cheapest price. While this is sometimes possible, price is actually one of the ways you can tell a product must have a mix of some natural ingredients but plenty of non natural cheap fillers.

When it comes to baby skincare, anything under $10 needs a lot of scrutiny! It usually has a mix of natural and non natural ingredients to achieve this price. Remember, a product can have the word organic and natural on the label with only one little ingredient that is mixed with standard cheap ingredients.

Organic Baby Skincare GIFT CODE
Get your 10% off Nature’s Child Organic Baby Skincare with this CODE

You can face serious consequences in Australia if products that have been labelled ‘organic’ are not in fact organic. While Australia has laws that protect customers from being misled about goods and services they purchase, there is a real grey area when it comes to natural products.

The most common example of this in skincare is “derived from coconuts” It makes it sounds natural but “derived” indicates a lot more is going on. Another example is Vodka. This alcoholic drink could be called natural when it starts being made from potatoes, but a lot happens in the processing and the additives before it ends up in a bottle called Vodka. Is it still natural?

In many cases, “organic” is used inappropriately but it is a grey area. Annie Gunn explains the organic labelling certification requirements

A business in Australia is not allowed to make statements or representations that are incorrect or are likely to create a false impression in the mind of the consumer. This protection is managed by the ACCC and the TGA. But how is this managed or policed? If you don’t place an official complaint or question for the ACCC to investigate, a lot of companies simply get away with it.

In 2018, the first baby skincare company was fined for incorrect labelling. The business was built on huge supermarket and pharmacy distribution over a 15 yr period but it was only after 15 yrs and an official complaint being made that they were fined. You can read the ACCC ruling on Gaia Baby Skincare here.

It is actually up to us as consumers to be aware and question labels. There is no official approval process for any product to go through. There are guidelines to follow but no company has to get their label “checked” before they print and make it look pretty on a shelf. Shocking right?

Natural Nipple Cream Look for the LOGO!

There is no one out there doing it for you. Until there is! That is the role of concerned citizen groups, families and communities. To question authority, to express concern and to use the right channels to complain or question. We are lucky to have formal complaint bodies in Australia. But we still have to take the first step to question.

Having said that, there are private companies that offer an independent certification service. Nature’s Child Baby Skincare Products uses ACO. Australian Certified Organic. We voluntarily put our products through a process of scrutiny and certification so that our customers have independent verification of our product claims, organic ingredient claims, GMO free claims. We call it Truth on Label.

This should not have to be something special! But sadly it is. You can look for this ACO logo on other products too. Always look for this logo if a label says organic. Be an aware consumer!

Organic Baby Skincare
ACO 12013 Nature’s Child Organic Baby Skincare

Related Reading – Nature’s Child Organic Certification

It is why sell via the Inner Origin shopping platform with multiple shopping categories that has an approval system before a product can be sold. Inner Origin is the only company in the world that has a panel of 12 experts to verify claims on the product – they call it Truth on Label. Ambassadors of Inner Origin include Peter Evans, Therese Kerr and David Wolfe.

Another grey area are products like Bamboo. I have seen Bamboo called organic and natural. Bamboo baby productshave seen a huge rise in popularity for the belief that they are natural.

Some companies do check that their bamboo source is certified as free from harmful pesticides but most bamboo starts as a beautiful plant but is processed with all sorts of chemicals to end up with that soft fabric that you think is natural.

It is why we don’t stock bamboo baby products. Any exceptions we make have their production sources checked and we never call them organic. It is simply not true.

So lets get to what Organic actually means and how you can tell a real organic baby product vs a fake organic product.

Here are 4 terms you need to get to know and understand as an ethical consumer.

What is NATURAL?

does not mean much. Renee Loux wrote a great article on this for Women’s Health Magazine.

There is no standard or derivative and is very difficult to police. She says “Some companies and brands create their own internal standards for “natural” claims, which may or may not have real credibility”

What is BIODYNAMIC?

Biodynamic farming treats the farm as one whole organism with the soil as the foundation. It is a very wholistic approach to farming that includes the humans that farm the land. Biodynamic farming uses a closed-loop system which means everything that goes into growing crops comes from the farm itself. This results in a very rich soil system which means nutritionally, this is the most superior and nutritionally rich food to consume.

What is ORGANIC ?

Organic farming is similar to biodynamic farming in that no conventional chemical fertilisers are introduced, but they will normally ‘feed’ the plants and soils with organic manures and approved organic fertilisers that are set by the ACO Standards.  Organic agents are still used to protect plants from pests and disease, but these are approved organic sources from the ACO, who routinely audit farms to ensure they are complying with their strict standards.

Australian Certified Organic (ACO) is Australia’s largest certifier for organic and biodynamic produce and has over 1500 operators within its certification system. ACO is a not for profit fully-owned subsidiary of Australia Organic Ltd.

ACO provides certification services to operators from all sectors of the organic industry. Certification ensures compliance with national production standards and allows trace back of all products to their origin. This is why our Nature’s Child Organic Baby Products are certified with the ACO for your peace of mind.

What is GMO FREE ?

Non-GMO means non-genetically modified organisms. GMOs (genetically modified organisms), are novel organisms created in a laboratory using genetic modification/engineering techniques. Scientists and consumer and environmental groups have cited many health and environmental risks with foods containing GMOs. You can read more about GMO free and why it is important for our ecosystem. The Nature’s Child Bio Liners use GMO free material. This means they are just a few dollars dearer than similar brands in on line baby stores. If you can afford the few extra dollars, you can see why we think this is worth it.

I hope this very brief summary of natural and organic helps you navigate the world of baby products when you are shopping for your baby. We are just so proud at the high standards we set for you and for the baby world.

We have always had a very simple but important mission here at Nature’s Child.

  1. To set the standard for the purest baby products possible.

  2. To ensure parents knew the difference between safe, natural and organic by having an independent certification so anyone could verify our organic claims instead of hoping the label was truthful.

  3. Ultimately and most importantly, our purpose is to ensure that our children can enjoy the health and nutritional benefits of the very Organic Baby Products available and especially the very best Organic Baby Skincare

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The Meaning and Origin of Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is credited to Anna Jarvis after the death of her own mother in 1908. She conceived the idea as a way of honouring the sacrifices mothers made for their children. She organised the first celebration at a church in West Virginia USA. After the huge success, she successfully lobbied to politicians and the media at the time to have Mother’s Day recognised on the National Calendar.

In 1914, the second Sunday in May was officially named Mother’s Day under a proclamation from US President Wilson. Anna Jarvis envisioned the holiday as a day for everyone to visit their mother and to wear a white carnation as this was her mother’s favourite flower. Soon after, card companies and florists began to capitalise on the popularity of the day.

As the tradition of gifting carnations on Mother’s Day grew, carnation colors took on new symbolism. White carnations are meant to honor the memory of deceased mothers while red and pink carnations honour those who are living.

In 1920, Anna was so horrified by the commercialisation of Mother’s Day that she launched a law suit against companies who started to use the term mother’s day in their sales. This was clearly unsuccessful.

Mother’s Day continues to be a holiday celebrated around the world. Australia follows the US tradition of the second Sunday in May.  In the United Kingdom, Mother’s Day (also known as ‘Mothering Sunday’) is celebrated in England, Scotland and Ireland on the fourth Sunday in Lent so the date changes every year.

Mother’s Day is celebrated around the world from as early as March in the UK to December in Indonesia. Every country has a different meaning for the date but at the end of the day, it is all to honour mother’s.

You can avoid the commercialism by hand making a card or giving love in action on mother’s day. It is not about the gift. If you talk to most mums, it is fun to get a gift but the fact of feeling honoured for a day is enough gratitude.

So on this Mother’s Day, however you celebrate, I wish you some precious time of feeling valued and loved today.

Article by Jannine Barron

Acknowledgements to Dani Smallwood for the inspiration and – PBB Media among other sources.

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LOVE your CUB Silicon Baby Teething Toy

Nature’s Child is proud to add this gorgeous peace loving silicon baby teething toy to our range of simple, affordable baby teething toys and teething rings. These will be a hit with all eco loving parents. We love the Peace Symbol and Soft Mint Colour of this Teething Toy which will suit some or the blue which has a little more brightness.  Design inspired by the timeless teething ring concept for babies, this is a wonderful non-toxic solution made from silicone.

This plastic free baby teether is easy to hold.  8cm diameter and  comes in a lovely gift box as well. Available in Mint or Blue colour. Find this NEW toy along with all our other baby teething toys at this LINK.

Signs of teething

  • Rosy, flushed cheeks.
  • Increased dribbling.
  • Tugging at ears.
  • Chewing on everything.
  • Tender swollen gums.
  • Irritability.
  • Disturbed sleep.
  • Poor appetite.
  • Loose, frequent stools.
  • Sore red bottom or rash.

When does teething begin?

Babies can get their first tooth anywhere between 3–15 months, but commonly between 4–9 months – although discomfort may start earlier. Dribbling at 3–4 months is usually as a result of your baby learning to put things in their mouth, which is part of normal development.

What can you do to help relieve teething pain?

  • Note: Generally, teething does not cause a fever. If your baby has a high temperature, see your doctor.
  • Rub your baby’s sore gums gently with your finger.
  • Give your baby a teething ring – either a soft rubber one, or the plastic type that are cooled in the refrigerator.

What not to do when baby is teething

  • Don’t dip dummies or teething rings in honey or sweet foods, as it may lead to dental decay (and honey shouldn’t be given to babies under 12 months for health reasons).
  • Don’t suck your baby’s dummy and give it back to them, as you will transfer bacteria from your mouth to theirs.

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10 Easy Ways to Stop Pollution and Save a fortune along the way

10 Easy Ways to Stop Pollution and Save a fortune along the way!

Below we list 10 absolute essentials all new parents buy. So before we begin, I need to first teach you the “stuff test” which is a little test I made up to help you every time you shop for anything, not just baby products.

The “stuff test” is 5 simple questions that help you assess if an item is essential or a pollutant.

Q1: Where was it made? – Was someone paid a fair wage and how many air miles got it here?

Q2: What is it made of? Is it biodegradable? Toxin Free? Environmentally Friendly?  Is it plastics ( polyester, nylon included ) Was bleach or fire retardants used? How was it farmed?

Q3: Can the item be resold, repurposed? If its an essential item? Can recycle or reuse this item?

Q4: How will I dispose of this item after use? Will that make pollution? Can I break up parts of it to be recycled or repurposed?

Q5: Is this item essential or just desired? Don’t get me wrong, decorations are great if they will make you feel joy –  but does it pass the 4 questions above and how much joy will you or baby really get out of it in the long term? Maybe holding it in the shop or staring at it on line is enough joy? LOL – worth asking!

If you apply these 5 questions above to any baby purchase you make –  you are actively part of the solution by preventing pollution. 

 

  1. DON’T BUY “STUFF“ you don’t need. Baby Shops are full of things that look cute and tempt you but apply the “stuff test” above every time
  2. Breast Pads – Reusable Breast Pads are 100% biodegradable if organic cotton or bamboo only. Avoid brands that add nylons, PUL or other layers that don’t biodegrade. Bonus: Save $250 by reusing instead of throwing away
  3. Baby Wipes – There is a whole generation of parents who are born to parents who used disposables so many new parents actually think the throw away ones are the only option. Reusable baby wipes are super easy to use, easy to wash and Bonus: An average saving of $900 if you use cloth wipes not disposable wipes
  4. Nappies – Before you run for the hills in horror at the thought of cloth nappies. Consider this. 1 – Have you actually tried them? 2 – If you did – did you have the right support to continue? 3 – Did you know it is $5000 cheaper per child to use cloth instead of disposable. Lets call this one the MASSIVE BONUS!!
  5. EQUIPMENT HIRE before you buy or instead of buying – 50% of new parents buy a pram they don’t like as soon as their baby is born. If you can borrow, hire or get gifted a pram, carseat or cot, I strongly recommend this before committing to your own purchase.
  6. Baby Shower – this wonderful, fun activity is often the cause for much pollution. Well meaning friends create games and food that ends up in the bin after the “fun” is over. When planning your baby shower, create a theme around essentials and cloth reusable products. Your girlfriends and relatives will roll their eyes but they will end up being inspired by you once they see it all make sense.
  7. Gifts – people are going to give them. You can pretend not to mention the elephant in the room but they are right now, out there, buying you something so why not find a subtle, happy way of letting them know you only want organic, cloth or reusable. Go on…you can do it, get that chatty friend or sister to do the dirty work for you and let them spread the word if you are not comfortable with this.
  8. Clothes – People love to give cute baby clothes and I say great! Get that chatty friend to let them know only organic cotton – rather than them just thinking you are a born again hippy, I find it helps to explain that chemical free and will prevent excess and allergies, people seem to respond well to that!
  9. Bedding – Off gassing from mattresses is a real thing. Plastic may seem a practical solution for a child’s bed but the off gassing and toxic nature of plastic is not worth it. There are wool underlays that do the job way better! Seek out Natural Mattress Solutions. It’s really common these days to find latex, bamboo, organic cotton mattress solutions. Get a new bed for yourself if you can afford it, you will all be spending a lot of time there! Well, I hope so.
  10. Nappy Change Table – get one that can turn into a cupboard or other useful family furniture item rather than a specific one if possible. Mind you, they have good resale value if you have the room for one.

So Congratulations – if you followed these 10 points you are now officially a revolutionary! And all you had to do was shop…which is what you were going to do anyway.

Parents have a big responsibility to save waste if we don’t change.

THANK YOU! –  Your kids and our planet thank you for  being a conscious shopper

Article by Jannine Barron www.natureschild.com.au

Want to read what others have to say about Jannine and Nature’s Child?

MAMA AND ME

COMMONGROUND BYRON BAY 

CHEMFREECOMMUNITY

BABY BEEHINDS 

INNER ORIGIN

AUSTRALIAN NAPPY ASSOCIATION

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Welcome to Natures Child Organic Baby Shopping

Welcome to Nature’s Child.

Thanks for being part of the solution – We are proud to simplify on line shopping for you with the very best Toxin Free – Zero Waste – Ethical Natural & Organic Baby Products 

We are so excited that you are joining our Organic Tribe of Parents.

It means YOU KNOW you can impact this beautiful world for your little one, just by how you shop for them.

At Nature’s Child, we help you to: BUY LESS BUY ORGANIC (toxin free!) SHOP SUSTAINABLY for baby and beyond.

You can always afford the best when you buy less. We take your trust in us seriously, after all, there is a reason we have been around since 2000 and proud to be Australia’s First Organic Baby Store and one of the very first baby stores on the internet.

We don’t aim to be the biggest but we do aim to be the best. Our customers tell us how relieved they are to find a shop that focuses ONLY WHAT YOU NEED.

Our Customers feel part of the solution when they buy products THAT DON’T MAKE POLLUTION

As we like to say around here…there is NO Planet B. so we really do have to look after the one we’ve got!

Let’s face it, there is “stuff you NEED” to look after a new baby and “stuff you WANT” – the trick with so much web browsing and hash tagging and cuteness abounding is to decipher the difference between NEED and WANT. This is where we SHINE at Nature’s Child.

And we are HAPPY to BOAST about it.

Organic Parenting, Eco Parenting, Natural Parenting, …whatever you call your tribe you connect with, if you are still reading this article then I know you care about our planet and you want to take action to ensure a beautiful world for your gorgeous kids. GREAT….you are in the right place!

5 easy steps to get started with organic parenting

STEP 1. Tick…you found us, congratulations!

STEP 2. Join our Organic Tribe on the home page for your FREE GIFT code giving you access to our introduction videos and blogs to guide you from here to where you want to be. You also get free access to all special offers, helpful articles and free stuff that we find for you.

STEP 3. Download our Baby Checklist to discover what is essential. If you are still pregnant, download our Birth Checklist that is suitable for everyone including homebirth, birth centres and hospital. And YES DADS, partners and support crew…you are on that list!

STEP 4.  Our Ultimate Guide to Cloth Nappies is a must read. Even if you use disposables, at leat you can say you did the research so come on a good read will get you started. will help you decide if cloth is right for you or not. Just be open minded and then still do what you choose after reading it. Whether you have decided for or against Cloth Nappies, this article is still a must read. It is the most comprehensive article on cloth nappies you will ever come across. As Australia’s first cloth nappy on line retailer and first organic cotton manufacturer of nappies in Australia, we know a thing or two. I was president of the Australian Nappy Association in 2016 and remain a founding member of the Australian Nappy Association.

STEP 5. Pre register to get our NEW PARENT GUIDE…it’s nearly ready! Choose start your journey here or from our home page anytime. We take you step by step through how to live simply and stick to your values without buying more than you need. This suits all budgets and includes our bonus chapter HOW TO PREPARE FOR MOTHERHOOD & PARENTING on any budget BY ONLY BUYING STUFF YOU NEED. There are even BONUS tips on being resourceful if you have a limited budget. Once this article is finished in EBOOK in 2018 we will send it to you if you register above.

How to Spot Fake organic marketing!

What we notice out there in the land of internet searching and green-washing is that there is a lot of FAKE eco and organic marketing. With such pretty natural colours and organic claims, how are you supposed to know what is really natural and what is not? That’s where we can help. The Guide above will talk you through this and so will our webinar so just click on article or webinar depending on your preference to read or watch. What the hec….do both! currently being updated…link to come soon –

You see, our owner, Jannine Barron, ( that’s me!) scrutinizes all the products before we place them on the Nature’s Child Website. We never use the word organic unless we have verified this our suppliers with appropriate certification. If we can’t, we let you know it is “made with organic cotton” versus “certified organic cotton” which is verifiable. That way, you know anything you buy is OKAY and truthfully labelled! I mean, who has time to read labels, search forums and get a headache trying to find out what is real and what is fake marketing? You just need a website that you can trust and after 18 yrs. of on line shopping, we reckon we have the track record that other eco stores on line don’t. PROUD as punch!

Nature’s Child has a great track record that you can trust. Imagine us standing up from the computer right now and taking a bow. Yes…I really did do that I’m so damn proud.

Saving the World has to be FUN!! or you won’t do it!

EASE AND JOY…that’s our reference point for you when designing our website and choosing our products.

Shop for your little ones – get what you need – and get off the computer so you can go and play and swim and do all that groovy stuff that makes parenting and childhood worthwhile. All with a big smile on your face because you know that the shop you just did made the biggest impact possible on our planet by shopping ethically and naturally.

Did you ever think you would be a revolutionary?

 You are now if you shop with us! Each and every one of us can be a wild revolutionary and save this planet just by how we shop! You may think you need to hold a rally, lobby government and corporations, write letters and all that time consuming stuff that you wish you had more time to do – well, all those things certainly make an impact and we love to participate in lobbying and education on your behalf but changing the way you shop has more impact than any of those things. Truly! Every Little Bit Counts!

Every Little Bit Counts!

Every single product that exists in this world, every item of clothing, all food you eat, every travel experience, every toy, every car, every medical formula, every health tonic…absolutely everything that you use, drive or live in right now has been made.! Well, that might sound obvious BUT the most important question is…how was it made and what happens to it at the end of its life? Is it sustainable?

I have dedicated the last 22 yrs. of my life to Natural Parenting both in practice raising my two sons and in products by what we make for our “needs” Our products also use ingredients and materials that use natural resources but here are the 4 ways where we shine and differ to other brands so that you can relax and stop spending hours researching.

1 – Nature’s Child Organic Baby Products are made by someone who was paid fairly – I still can’t believe I have share this as something special, isn’t that a human right?

2 – Nature’s Child Organic Baby Products are packaged in a way that STOPS pollution and can be 100% recycled. Most companies use cheap plastic tubes have the potential that leach chemicals – not us! We are almost plastic free and continue to work towards 100% in this lifetime.

3 – ZERO WASTE – you will use every drop and inch of our products due to the packaging design giving you access to every single drop. No 10 – 15% wastage like most plastic tubes!

4 – When we say its Organic…we mean CERTIFIED ORGANIC by ACO or GOTS so you can independently verify our claims. Check every packet or bottle of ours for the logo and Certification number. This is a voluntary action on our part. Yes, a bit expensive and time consuming but worth it so you know our claims are independent, not just marketing speak. If you currently use a brand claiming to be organic and natural, it’s possibly not if they don’t have certification. Check any ingredients in any product you use with www.ewg.org to ensure you are using a truly non toxic product.

That’s it! EVERY SINGLE PRODUCT made by Nature’ s Child ticks those 4 boxes.

If we all made a decision to stop buying the stuff that’s killing our planet and damaging our health, and buy the stuff that is essential, simple and beautiful to keep life thriving, our planet is going to make it with ease!

This attitude results in less waste, better mental and physical health, more fun, less expenses, less waste and more joy. Yup! It’s that simple!

Change the World, One Purchase at a time

 Back in 2001, I wrote the phrase, lets “change the world, one purchase at a time” This simple phrase has guided the development of Nature’s Child. You see to change your life, you just need to change your shopping habits and your health and happiness will automatically follow.

At Nature’s Child, we are all about Convenience, Sustainability and Quality for Organic Baby Products.

We achieve this with the motto “Products that don’t end in pollution”

We focus as much on our packaging and wondering what you will do with it once you open our packets as well as choosing the finest certified organic ingredients so you are using the purest quality on those precious children you are buying for.

Less Products – Less Waste – Less Packaging – Less Spending – Greater Sustainability

  • We keep your shopping list simple by focusing on the essentials.
  • We offer less choice but better quality to stop the overwhelm that big shopping sites lure you into. That’s cheap, that’s cute, that’s nice and before you know it you have a bunch of products that look great, felt good to buy but you have no money left for the essentials.

We proudly hand craft and meticulously design the very best certified organic baby products to bring you the purest Australian made baby skincare and fair trade certified organic cotton necessities made in India.

We compliment our Nature’s Child products with hand picked items that we know you will need from respected brands to complete your nursery.

We partner with Inner Origin because they are the only other company that is #truthonlabel and who practice #foodasmedicine. Inner Origin is a company we link to and yes, we earn commissions for recommending them to you and we are proud of that. There are even business opportunities for you to earn commissions as well so email us about that if you want to know more.

We focus on essentials only. We offer less choice so you are not overwhelmed by the razzle dazzle of marketing, keeping our focus on non-toxic purity, great prices and less packaging waste for your family to deal with This results in your automatic lighter footprint and less spending which is what we, as conscious consumers want.

We offer the very best in organic and natural quality for babies while being conscious of price and less packaging waste.

It’s simple really, buying quality means buying less, saving money and living sustainably.

Most importantly, we make it convenient and easy for you to shop with us.

Our Shipping is Fast. Our shopping can even be fast with PayPal checkout if you are in a hurry.

We have this great stockiest list so you can support your local retailer instead of always internet shopping if you are a passionate local shopper for your local town. Find it here https://www.natureschild.com.au/stockists/

Our communication is passionate and helpful.

And by the way, we have been doing this since 2000 so we have seen many brands come and go. We reckon this kind of experience might give you a little faith in our credibility.

We are proud to be a small, efficient, loving family that cares about every baby in every belly and family in the world right now.

100% ACO certified organic skin care for babies
wellness products for living a luxurious and soulful life

Beware of labels that say ‘natural’ and ‘chemical free’ if they are under $13! It’s not possible! The few natural oils in the product are sadly complimented with irritating extra ingredients. Treat carefully!

We help Conscious families raise a family sustainably.