The Natursutten is the latest in safe pacifiers for baby. They are made from pure natural rubber and the name comes from the word Natursut which means “Natural Pacifier.” Natursutten Pacifiers are made in Europe where they have strict standards for safety, health and environment.

With all the talk about BPA (Bisphenol A) in baby teethers and pacifiers it is awesome that the Natursutten is available to provide a safe alternative for baby and peace of mind for mom.

These rubber pacifiers are quite a bit softer than silicone pacifiers and extremely hygienic because they are molded into one piece, so there are no joints or cracks where dirt and bacteria can gather. This also make sit easy to wash. This also ensures that it won’t fall apart and make you worry about potential choking.

I found my baby took to it really well. He was happy as a clam. I was very happy as well to know that his paci had to BPA, chemical softeners, parabens, PVC or phthalates. It is just a useful product without any chemical nasties.

I also found them to be comparable in price to other pacifiers so you aren’t paying a premium for safety. They can be found online for as little $5.95. The Natursutten is also a green product as it produced using a sustainable raw material, the tree sap from the rubber tree.

To care for it we just sterilized in boiling water before the first use and then we followed up from then on with soap and water since our baby is older than six months.

Where to buy: Amazon.com

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Encourage independence, watch your kids blossom into cheerful workers, reward performance, and get a little help around the house with the Magnetic Responsibility Chart. It includes 134 wooden magnetic pieces to help your kids reach their goals.

I bought two of these charts about a year ago for my two oldest kids and we LOVE them! It is a magnetic chore/responsibility chart that encourages independence and responsibility. It is really easy for children to understand even young children that can’t yet read. Basically you have spaces along the left side for chores or goals and then corresponding spaces for every day of the week. It offers a variety of chores and positive behaviors on magnetic pieces that kids love. They are actual chores like set the table or make your bed and then there are goals like no hitting and use the potty. There are plenty of different ones to choose from, suitable for all ages, and there are blank ones so you can customize.

If the goal is met or the chore is accomplished that day the child gets a reward button such as a star, a heart, a flower, a trophy, a bear, and many others. The right side has a section for even more magnetic buttons that show the results of the goal or chore set at the end of the week. I imagine this would be were you could write out a reward or incentive they receive, like allowance. The chart is also a dry erase board and you can write on it as well. It is simply outstanding and its bright colors and adorable pictures mean kids love it to. It can be folded for easy storage and it has a sturdy strap so you can hang it on a wall. The only feature missing is a snap closure so you can snap it closed while it is hanging so that little brother or sister can’t reach it and grab the magnets and run off with them! This is a very helpful product!

Where to Buy: Amazon.com

Parents are becoming increasingly aware of the dangerous products and toxins that make their way into our homes these days. From the household cleaners under the kitchen sink to the lead in many lipstick brands it is not hard to find chemicals in the products we use every day. These dangerous chemicals are hidden in places we might never suspect though and shockingly they can even be found in products designed for the smallest and most vulnerable members of society, babies.

An industrial chemical called Bisophenol A or BPA is making the headlines all too often. Interestingly it is not getting so much attention because of it hormone-like qualities and dangerous ramifications as it is the fact that it can most commonly be found in products like baby bottles, sippy, cups, and baby formula cans. It is hard to understand why products aimed at babies would contain such harmful ingredients.

What is BPA and why should it be avoided?

Bisphenol A is an industrial chemical used to make polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins. BPA is used to make lightweight, high-performance plastics that are tough and heat resistant. It is also used to make durable epoxy linings for metal cans. Immediately then you can see the benefit to companies in choosing to use this ingredient for things such as bottles, cups, and formula cans. This chemical has the ability to mimic hormones as well and several studies have linked BPA to weight gain, abnormalities that can lead to breast and prostate cancer, brain damage, abnormal organ development, and hyperactivity. The companies using BPA have declared their products only contain amounts considered safe but this does not address cumulative exposure from all the various products we use that contain BPA. When you consider all of the different products you may use that contain this chemical the exposure level does not appear to be so safe or small. In fact the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences has declared that “human exposures are above the current U.S. safety limit.”

What can you do to avoid BPA?

The good news is that consumer demand has prompted several companies to refrain from using Bisphenol A in their product formulations. If you use baby bottles in the home you can find safe alternatives from companies like Born Free, Nubi, and Green to Grow. They all offer plastic baby bottles that do not contain BPA. Classic glass baby bottles are another good alternative as well. They are quite durable and since they are plastic free they are also BPA free. If you are worried about possible breakage there also a few companies like Siliskin and Wee-Go that sell glass bottles covered with protective silicone sheaths.

In lieu of sippy or toddler cups that commonly contain BPA parents might opt to use stainless steel sippy cups and bottles from Klean Kanteen or Thermos. Sigg makes an aluminum alternative with a water based epoxy lining on the inside and a large array of kid friendly designs. Born Free also makes a safe sippy.

Breastfeeding would reduce or even eliminate the need for bottles or formula and subsequent exposure to BPA. For parents that need to use formula though it is hard to find companies that are not using BPA to line their cans of powered or liquid formula. A new study from the Environmental Working Group has discovered that 4 out of 5 formula manufacturers acknowledge using BPA in their formula cans and while some did not acknowledge using BPA, they could not provide documentation of their alternative packaging. Their study also concluded that powdered formula has 8 to 20 times less BPA than liquid formula. So parents who need to use formula should look to powdered formula to reduce overall exposure to BPA.

While BPA exposure should be a concern for parents they can take comfort in the fact that there are a growing number of alternative products that are designed to keep our babies safe.

See also BPA free popsicle molds.

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