bath time

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There are so many chemicals in the things we use these days. I think if we knew just how many we come into contact with on a daily basis it would be enough to make our skin crawl. In reality those chemicals do make our skin crawl. The chemicals in products we use can give us exema, allergies

This information hits me but often doesn't call me to action. I look at the price tags on the organic or chemical free beauty products and think that I would much prefer the chemical ridden $2 variety but the sollution is simple! We actually don't need fancy products to stay clean. Here's what we use.

Baby bathtime - For Lucy I use pure soap at bathtime. I lather her up in it before putting her in the bath. It's chemical and fragrance free. It's hypoalergenic and good for cleaning off all her little baby messes. I use it on her head as shampoo too. I give her a bath in beautiful pure Sydney water and then towell her off. After she is dry I rub olive oil into her skin. Not fancy olive oil cocoa butter but just the extra virgin variety used for cooking. Sometimes I use the same bottle for cooking if i've run out.

This keeps her skin really beautiful. For the last week I have been using up her stash of expensive baby soap  samples and she has got cradle cap and a bit of nappy rash. I think I'll stick with the soap and oil.

For me I rarely use soap. Because I'm breastfeeding I don't like to get soap where Lucy is putting her mouth. Water usually does the trick and sometimes I use a bit of pure soap under the old arms. It's winter so this might be a different story in Summer but I haven't been told I stink. On my face I use the body shop Aloe Vera exfoliating wash and witch hazel toner. These products are both chemical free and work really well. I had pretty bad skin when I was pregnant but when I use these two products combined my skin seems really healthy.

I was put onto a really great tip of using oat water in a spray bottle as a nappy rash preventer. It's cheap, easy and chemical free. I haven't properly made it yet but an oat bath was the only thing that helped when I had really itchy and sore feet during pregnancy.

Do you have any great chemical free tips?

practical craft

before the little one arrived I made a decision that she would be a sustainababy.

My number one method of procreating sustainably was to use cloth nappies. Emergency c-section put a dint in these plans but now I am fit and ready to start. I'm awaiting my first shipment of pikapü nappies.

It has been pretty mind blowing to see how much waste is produced by using disposables. I feel like I am always taking bags out to the rubbish bin. We have also gone through a heckofalotta baby wipes and while they are ohh so handy for when we are out and about they do kinda creep me out. (How do they stay so wet for so long?)

So the other afternoon I made my own wipes. I bought the fabric ages ago but didn't find the time to make them.

Little Luce was feeling cuddly so we crafted like this...

 I bought 25cm of towelling and cut it into squares with 3 squares along the width. I sewed two squares together with zig zag round the edge.

They frayed a lot so I had to pull at all the loose threads.

They work really well. I just pop them in a washbag so that they don't get stuck in the door of the washing machine.

Easy to make, easy to use and good for the environment. FTW!

Have you made something similar?

mama who mops

Talk about divine provision. Just as I settle into my crazy preggo mama nesting spree I get given the fantastic Rubbermaid Reveal Mop in the mail.

My house is wooden floors throughout with tile in the bathroom so this product is absolutely perfect. I have never had a mop before. My kitchen isn't huge so I have previously used a chux on my hands and knees but this is oh so much better for my preggo non bendable body! Not to mention the ammount of *ahem* baby stuff I anticipate having on my floor in the next little while.

With the reveal mop I don't even need to use a bucket like the good old days. This mop has a bottle attatched that you fill with whatever you like to clean with. (in my case a bit of vinegar and water) With the pull of a lever you squirt your cleaner out just in front of the mop head and away you go.

The Reveal Mop comes with a washable microfibre mop pad that you can was 100 times. Great for the environment just pop it in with your tea towels.

my incredibly beautiful just mopped floor

Feeling jealous of me and my amazing mop?

Well you don't need to. If you live in Australia you could have one too. To be in the running just leave a comment with an interesing/handy/funny story of your cleaning exploits. The best one will get a reveal mop in the mail. How easy is that?

You have a week to enter the competition. I will reveal the winner next Friday morning.

If you wanted me to look upon you with extra favour you could also hit the "Follow me" button on the side, vote for me on top baby blogs or give me a back/foot massage. Anyone?

Enter once, enter often. This is a pretty swell prize.


Image Credit - Corbis Images

sustainababy

I like the earth.
I like that it is green and blue.

It seems like people mess up this green and blue balance a bit. We over use, under recycle and waste like there is no tomorrow. I am not innocent of any of these things.
I'm going to have a baby soon. Babies use up a lot of stuff.
Here are some ways I am going to try and reduce my little ones teeny tiny carbon footprint.

1. Cloth Nappies.

What a fantastic invention is the modern cloth nappy. Gone are the days of terry towell and safety pins, hello velcro/snap fastners and groovy prints and colours.
Sure they do need to be washed which uses water but when you think about the water that goes into making and disposing of the other kind of nappy it works out much better in the end.

They also end up being much cheaper in the long run not to mention absolutely adorable. You can also go cloth on things like baby wipes, breast pads and the like.

I could even go totally green and practice Elimination Communication or start my potty training really early.



2. Go Handmade

I'm a bit of a crafter. Have made a few things for the little one already. Here, here and here. I'm going to be making a whole lot more. You can make things for your baby out of old adult clothes by recycling the fabric. T-shirts into onesies or trackpants. Not only is this cheap and good for the environment but it is also ethical as many cheaper clothing brands are only cheap because they don't pay their workers well.

If you can't manage to sew then go second hand. Most babies don't wear clothes long enough to wear them out. You can also go second hand on cots (as long as they still fit safety regulation) and other baby furniture.

3. Make use of the Library.

Books are great and wonderful and I love them so much. But they are made out of trees and those trees come from somewhere.

While I intend to have a good collection of literature for the babe there is no reason why some or most of those books can't come from the library. We are lucky enough to have a library five minutes walk from our door which is stacked with great children's books, games and toys.

Myl and I already loan books and dvd's from there for us. I'll definately be paying them many a visit.

4. Chemical free baby products.

It is a little scary to realise just how many chemicals are in the products we use every day. Soap, shampoo, moisturiser and cleaning products are full of weird ingredients. Just what is cocamidipropyl?

It's amazing how much cleaning you can do with vinegar or bi-carb soda and where there isn't a cleaner/product that you can find in your pantry there are many organic, chemical free baby soaps out there on the market. Much better for the environment and baby's sweet skin.

5. Organic baby food.

I am so looking forward to starting the little one on solids.

Yes I know this is at least 9 months away but I think it will be so exciting to create beautiful meals then puree them for her tasting pleasure. I've always been a bit confused by the multitude of pre tinned baby food. I'm sure there is some reason for it but how easy can a bit of pumpkin mash in a sealable container be? Make 10, freeze them and use as needed??

And how could I forget the best organic food of all? Breastmilk. Save money on all that formula and bottles and give little one all the nutrients she needs.


6. Less toys, better toys.
There are so many horrible plastic toys out there nowerdays. How many toys can a kid play with. I guess the answer is about a billion but how many do they need? I really love making my own softies and will be making some for the little one.
Wooden toys are also better for the environment than their plastic counterparts. They last longer and give children better imaginations. I can remember playing for hours in the plastics cupboard or with a drumkit made out of pots and pans.

7. Sling it.

There are loads of busses in my area. There are loads of places I can walk to. I drive the car far too much because it is so much easier. It's better for the planet (and my behind) if I get out and walk. I can pop the little on in a sling or pram and off we go.

Here is a really fantastic blog dedicated to keeping your baby home as good for the environment as it can be.