One mama's Perspective on Living Lightly on our Earth

Sharing information, products and experiences to help keep our children safe, green and happy!

Showing posts with label Detoxify. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Detoxify. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Choosing the Right Crib Mattress for your Baby!

When you're planning for baby to arrive one of the most important purchases is the crib mattress. Your baby can spend up to 20 hours sleeping in the newborn phase! That's a lot of time spent on a crib mattress- you want to be sure you've chosen a toxin free, safe and comfortable mattress for your baby.

All of our mattresses at Abby Sprouts in Victoria BC Canada are Green Guard Certified- this means they've been tested by a third party and given their seal of approval so you can sleep easy.

Quality Crib Mattresses range in price from about $200-500 depending on the manufacturer, materials and type of mattress you choose.

Be weary of companies trying to jump on the natural baby wagon and marketing their product as natural by putting a bunch of green leafs or alike on the packaging. What you want to know is if there is any chemical flame retardants and what type of plastic has been used if the mattress is waterproof in addition to what the inside of the mattress is made from. Steer clear of vinyls, Polyurethane foam and brominated flame retardants as well as any mattress without firm edge support. 



If budget is a primary concern and even spending $200 is going to stretch your family budget. The basic Lullaby Earth Crib Mattress is a great budget friendly option that will suit your needs without compromising your values. Bonus it's lightweight so changing sheets is actually quite easy! (If you're looking for an added feature there's a 2-Stage Lullaby Earth Crib Mattress as well which means one firm side for Infants and a softer side for toddlers).
 
 
 
 

If you're looking for the best of the best, choose a Naturepedic crib mattress.

Naturepedic is the only company that uses low density, food-grade polyethylene for the purpose of waterproofing and dust mite proofing. Strict independent testing confirms there are no phthalates or any toxic chemicals in this polyethylene. A waterproof mattress is important when dealing with messy babies because any moisture in the mattress could cause mould to grow. If you opt for the non-waterproof make sure to get a waterproof crib mattress protector!

None of the Naturepedic baby or crib mattresses contain any wool or latex (which can be allergens). They use certified organic cotton as the filling material. There is no polyurethane foam in their mattresses. With Naturepedic’s innovative design, the mattresses passes all Federal and State flammability standards without the use of any fire retardant chemicals or barriers. They use organic cotton fabric, organic cotton fiber and PLA fiber (made from plant starch).

All Naturepedic baby and crib mattresses are GOTS certified. They are certified to the GOTS standard by Oregon Tilth Certified Organic (OTCO) and Control Union (CU). All Naturepedic mattresses passed independent testing by the strictest GREENGUARD Select standard.
In a Naturepedic mattress, there are no flame retardants or flame retardant barriers, no perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs), no antibacterial treatments or biocides, no glues or adhesives, no allergens, and no GMO cotton or other GMO fibers.


Naturepedic Offers a Full Line of Crib Mattresses to choose from which makes it a challenge for the indecisive!





There is 3 Main Types and here's the Jist of Each:
 
 

The Classic Lightweight Crib Mattress by Naturepedic:

  • The Mattress Core is wave foam support system instead of coil inner springs. 
  • Lightweight Means Easy to Change Sheets. Perhaps less durable than innerspring models though if you're planning to use for subsequent children. 
  • Polyethylene Food grade Waterproofing.  
  • Budget Friendly 
 
 

The Ultra Crib Mattress with Inner Spring and Organic Cotton Fill, Seamless:
  • Features a Durable 252 Inner Coil System 
  • Filling is just organic cotton + steel inner coils
  • Polyethylene Food Grade Waterproofing featuring seamless edges so there is no where for liquid to enter unlike traditional mattress edges
  •  Available in Regular Infant Firm on Both Sides or Dual Firmness ie. 1 Infant Side and 1 Toddler Side
 
 
 
 
The Non-Waterproof Quilted Organic Cotton with Innerspring Mattress
  • Offer 252 Coil Durable Inner Spring System
  • More mature Quilted Organic Cotton Top
  • The entire crib mattress is certified organic to the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). This ensures that your crib mattress meets a healthy non-toxic standard and is truly organic!
 
Give us a call at the store at 250-294-8978 or come into Abby Sprouts Eco-Friendly Baby and Kids Store at 1841 Oak Bay Ave. in Victoria BC Canada

We do offer free local deliver for crib mattresses too!
 
 
 






Monday, October 25, 2010

New Piggy Paint Colours on the Way!

Twinkle Toes 
Love the name of this one! 

Glass Slippers

And since everyone loves the polish so much we have no added the Piggy Paint Nail Polish Remover
 
 

Nail Polish Remover

Low odor, hypoallergenic nail polish remover.
  • Biodegradable
  • No acetone
  • Contains aloe vera and vitamin E
4 FL. OZ. (120 ml)
Ingredients: Corn alcohol, butyl diglycol, Aloe Vera, Vitamin E, embittering agent.
Warning: Because Piggy Paint™ Nail Polish Remover is flammable when heated, do not use or store near heat or an ignition source. Do not ingest.  Keep out of reach of children, and always have an adult supervising while using this product.


Have a special request  for colours? Leave a comment letting us know and we'll get it in!



Monday, September 20, 2010

New Soft Toys from Organic Cotton In Stock Now!!

These four pals made from Organic Cotton and rubberwood have joined the Family!

Introducing...



My personal fave, the Pop Up Lion


The Planet Pixies are Here!!

Meet Maia in red, She's a Tree Pixie from the Amazon Rainforest.

Kayla, in green, is a Marsh Pixie from the Florida Everglades.

Anyu, in brown,  is the Ice Pixie from the North Pole.

The Planet Pixies are made from Organic Cotton too.

Enjoy and add these to your wish list!



Sunday, June 13, 2010

Little Late but Better than Never All Better Balm Update

Ok, so we're into Day 5 of applying the All Better Balm by Momma Goose and have seen improvement with her horrible rash. Yesterday it seems to flare up more I think because she had a sun dress on and wouldn't stop stretching but still looks better.

On another note is working wonders on relieving my ridiculously painful sun burn from yesterday too. I guess I should have had the Sun Defense on!


Hopefully I'll have one of a rash free baby soon!

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Momma Goose All Better Balm Gets a Real Test!



I have tried many products to clear up the rash behind my daughter's knees and I'm yet to have any luck finding a product that will completely clear it and be safe and gentle on her skin. I did try the Lalabee baby butter but it really is only a moisturizer so just helped with the dryness but not the rash itself. It seems to have gone from bad to worse lately and it just looks so sore.



 Here's the blurb about Momma Goose All Better Balm, handmade in Victoria, BC, Canada! 


All Better Balm - A wonderful cure-all. Great to treat cradle cap,
rashes, burns, minor scrapes, eczema, and even diaper rash. Coconut
oil has natural anti-fungal properties to combat rashes, while
calendula, comfrey and St John's wort provide excellent healing
properties. This cream is a perfect bum cream for cloth diapers!

The photo of her rash is from today and I put the all better balm on about an hour ago now.  I figure the best way to see if it works well is to do a real time test. I'll post new photos tomorrow or the next day.



Friday, May 21, 2010

First Line drying Day for Us

I thought it was so great to finally get the diapers on the line for a little natural sun bleaching action and then it rain. One of those spur of the moment 5 minute pours on an otherwise gorgeous sunny day here  in Victoria, BC. Another load to go up today and I'm hoping that once I hang the diapers the sun will get over here and do it's thing. 

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Bottled Water Vs. Tap Water

While 1 billion people lack access to clean, safe drinking water we are choosing to drink it from plastic bottles and pay a ridiculous price for what is nearly free in our own kitchen. 


The link will take you to the story of stuff website which is a fabulous resource for understanding the effects we as consumers can have on the planet. Don't worry, it's not all doom and gloom. Annie, the woman in the video provides reasonable and easy to implement solutions for "taking back the tap" water as she puts it. 

If you don't already have a stainless steel water bottle to ensure you're not grabbing for plastic bottles while you're out. Get one. Stainless steel comes in variable grades depending on nickel content. Most of the major brands use 18/8 but with that knowledge you can choose any bottle on the market while stll getting the same quality of stainless steel. 

I'm not perfect. The odd occasion I end up with a plastic bottle after working out because my trainer has them all sitting there.

What do you find the hardest about remembering to bring your own tap water? What about the kids?




Sunday, March 7, 2010

Support Smoke Free Playgrounds in Victoria's CRD

One local mom who's the host of CFAX 1070 Real Parenting Show has taken the initiative to go to the CRD and ask for a CRD Wide Ban on smoking on Victoria's public playgrounds.

Find more info on the Real Parenting Blog: http://www.realparentingradio.blogspot.com 

Support this important causes by joining the Facebook group and inviting your friends too. Join now!

Thursday, March 4, 2010

FuzziBunz Just Arrived Today!

 
Our FuzziBunz have arrived! 
I just love this lime green one.

 
I love FuzziBunz Truthful advertising too. The one-size is great for your wallet and works well on baby but will be bulkier when they're smaller.

 
 The perfect size fit (most babes only need small and  medium) is more fitted with less bulk but you'll need to buy two sets one of small size and one of medium. 

The adorable prints are too shabby either.

 
Simple sizing chart for snap placement courtesy of FuzziBunz
We're thrilled to be stocking these in beautiful Victoria, BC, Canada but we'll ship worldwide too!

Monday, February 1, 2010

Clean up the air- Inside!

Did you know that indoor air can be more polluted than outdoors?

Exposure to pollutants including VOC's (volatile organic compounds) and mould can be the result of poor air quality.

  • Remember to open your windows, even in the winter to let in fresh and cleanse your home of pollutants.
  • Quit smoking indoors (actually just quit)!
  • Don't store paint, solvent or varnishes in your home
  • Use low VOC paint 
  • Remember to dust and vacuum regularly (does dust actually appear with kids?)
  • Control Humidity and Allow ventilation!
See what Environment Canada has to say about indoor air polution