Lead levels in lipstick are much higher than previously thought

Pregnant women, take note: A study by the Food and Drug Administration has discovered that lead levels in lipstick are much higher than those detected by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (CSC) in a 2007 study that received international attention.

The FDA found lead in all 20 lipsticks tested, at 0.09 to 3.06 parts per million – four times higher than the highest level reported by CSC. A new device was used by the FDA to analyze lipstick; thus, the organization said earlier test methods likely underestimated lead levels.

There were three manufacturers whose lipsticks had the highest lead levels; however, the FDA is not releasing the brand names.

Current Lead Levels Allowed in Lipstick

The FDA has no standard for lead in lipstick, although any level could be unsafe. “Pregnant women using lipstick are unknowingly exposing their fetuses to unknown and unregulated levels of lead,” said Lisa Archer, national coordinator for the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics at the Breast Cancer Fund. “FDA should immediately set standards to require manufacturers to make lipstick as safe as possible.” Sounds like  great time to switch to organic make-up.

As with anything, pregnant women should check with their doctor if they are concerned about using a product during pregnancy. In addition, if you are concerned or wonder if something is safe to use – don’t use it.

I love free stuff. I really love free stuff when it’s the type of stuff I would buy in the store anyhow, and having it for free just makes me want to dance.

No, it doesn’t take much to make me happy.

I was at a playdate a couple of months ago and a mom there started talking about Bzz Agent, a website she uses to get free stuff. She made the claim that this website had sent her all sorts of great stuff for free and that all she was obligated to do was to let people know what she thought about the products. She never had to return anything and it wasn’t even as though the website wanted her to be some sort of covert agent; she was supposed to tell people, “Hey, I got this for free, and this is what I thought of it.”

It sounded a bit too good to be true, but as an avid HouseParty member, I know that if you fall into whatever demographic a certain company is looking for they’ll be willing to send you a bunch of free stuff in the hopes that you’ll tell your friends and family about how much you love the product. I went to the Bzz Agent website and signed up.

In about a week I got an e-mail inviting me to join a Bzz Agent campaign. I answered a few questions about dishwashing detergent and was told a Bzz Kit would be sent to me soon.  I didn’t know what that meant but figured it would be a sample for me to try.  A few weeks later I received a package in the mail containing a full-sized bottle of Palmolive dishwashing detergent, a handful of single-use samples and a packet of $1 off coupons. All they wanted me to do was try the product, talk about it to people and hand out some samples. I also submitted a report on the website about what I thought of the product and about who I had told about it, but from what I can tell the reports are completely optional.

It didn’t stop there.  So far I’ve received a free Glad Sense & Spray, two cans of Diet Mountain Dew and a coupon for a free 12 pack (yes, they sent the two cans through the mail!) and now I’m waiting for the next product I’ve been promised, which is coupon for a free Taco Bell meal. All of this comes right to my mailbox and I don’t even have to pay shipping.

If you like free stuff like me – and you like to tell people what you think of products like I do – then join the Bzz Agent program.

Let me preface this review of the Baby Traveller Deluxe diaper bag by Gr8X stating that I am extremely picky when it comes to bags. I’m so picky that when I find a purse I like, I carry it until it’s threadbare, the strap held on by a safety pin, the zipper broken so it doesn’t close entirely and when it tips the wrong way, the contents dump out.

I was equally picky selecting a diaper bag; it was one of the last items I added to my baby registry. I like the one I have, but it’s similar to many others on the market — functional, but not particularly noteworthy.

Then the Babies Online owner posted a link to the Baby Traveller Deluxe. After checking out the specs and style on the Web site, I responded with the enthusiasm of a kindergartner trying to get the teacher’s attention. “I MUST have this diaper bag!” I said.

I loved it before it even arrived on my doorstep. This bag is different!

I couldn’t decide which selling point I like best:

The unique fabric colors and styles, suitable for Mommy or Daddy to carry; (The bag comes in a choice of red, black, black w/ a panel of Realtree™ camouflage, and classic woodland camo.)

The adjustable backpack straps, combined with a classic shoulder strap and a briefcase-style handle, providing a variety of carrying options;

The extra long changing pad;

The drawstring bungee to hold a blanket or breastfeeding wrap;

The removable stroller straps;

The outside zippered pocket, giving me easy access to items I use frequently, like my wallet.

The detachable cell phone holder and insulated bottle holder

Keep in mind, these features caught my eye before I even started using the bag. When I stocked it up, I began to appreciate the multiple inside pockets that keep the bag organized and its capability to carry a LOT of stuff in a relatively compact space.

What’s inside this bag?

Open it up via the easy-to-use-with-just-one-hand buckles, and the bag unfolds into two separate sections, featuring:

Five elasticized “pouch” pockets

One zippered pocket

Two mesh compartments, one divided into three separate sections

The extra long changing pad stores in the center to save space.

Let me compare this bag to my experiences with a “typical” diaper bag:

Last week, out to dinner with my old diaper bag, I spent 15 minutes searching for my daughter’s fork and spoon set so she could “eat” with us. (She loves playing with her plastic spoon). It had somehow fallen to the bottom of the diaper bag, beneath her spare outfit, mail I had to drop at the post office, my wallet and cell phone, the baby first aid kit, baby wipes, her teething drops, and random toys. You know what I’m talking about here, Moms!

The organizer pockets in the Baby Traveller Deluxe keep everything in its own separate compartments, easy to find. And if you forgot where you put something, the mesh pockets let you see at a glance. I keep the things I’m likely to need in a hurry, such as teething drops, Boogie wipes, baby wipes, q-tips and her aspirator, in those pockets. And that fork and spoon!

Plenty of diapers store easily in the zippered pocket. Of course, each Mom is different, and the bag provides plenty of flexibility for placing things wherever you feel they will best fit.

I like to keep my “own” items, since I rarely carry a purse anymore, in the zippered outside pocket where they are secure but easy to reach. Those bills that need to be mailed, shopping list, and diaper coupons tuck into the other outside pocket, which snaps shut.

The only thing I’d ask the manufacturers to add in the next version is a clear plastic bag to hold dirty clothes and diapers. I added my own from my old diaper bag, and it fits like it belongs in the longer mesh pocket.

When I finished loading up the bag, I was able to add things that wouldn’t fit in my old bag. Now I carry a jarred baby food holder/dish, a few extra bibs, and two extra outfits instead of just one. (Can you tell I’m a new mom?)

I also tuck my breastfeeding wrap and a receiving blanket in the bungee holder. (A receiving blanket is like rope: you don’t know what you’ll need it for, you just know you’ll need it.)

My husband asked how much stuff I was going to pack away in there, worrying that if it got too heavy, he’d have to lug it around. Then I folded up the bag. My husband studied it and said, “With all that stuff in there, it still seems smaller than our old bag!” It also feels lighter than a conventional diaper bag, but maybe that’s just because it’s so ergonomic.

The Baby Traveller Deluxe excels at stowing a lot of stuff in a compact space. The bag even fits better than my old bag in the mesh basket beneath the stroller.

How did it do in field testing?

Whether you use the shoulder strap, backpack straps, or the briefcase handle, the bag is lightweight and ergonomic to carry. Using the detachable shoulder straps affixes the bag securely to the stroller, and it’s still easy to remove with one hand. (Do Moms ever get to use both their hands to do anything?)

The real question, however, is: How easy is it to get what you need, when you need it, during a day of shopping, a family vacation or a trip to the park?

It was easy to open and unfold the bag and place the changing pad on the public bathroom changing table, while holding my daughter in one arm. Because you can change your baby right on the bag, everything you need is within arms’ reach. Clean up and fold up when we were done went just as smoothly. The buckles are even easier to use than zippers.

The Baby Traveller Deluxe is so well-constructed I don’t think I’ll see the day when I have to hold it together with duct tape and safety pins. It’s machine-washable and also has a two-year warranty, so it will definitely see my daughter into her toddler years in good condition. I have found my dream diaper bag; I’ll be using the Baby Traveller Deluxe until my daughter outgrows the need for it.

We’re guilty of it – not cleaning our daughter’s toys as often as we should. I’m sure we aren’t the only ones who just don’t seem to have cleaning the toys high on the priorities list, although we certainly should. Kids? toys, especially when shared with other children, can be a breeding ground for bacteria and viruses that can get your kids (and anyone else who touches the toys, including parents cleaning up the playroom) sick. Or, if your child has been sick recently, it’s important to clean his or her toys to remove any germs and keep him or her from getting sick again.

The next time you’re gathering up all those hard plastic blocks, cups, rattles or whatever it is that blankets your play room or living room floor, don’t just dump them back into the toy bin – clean them.

How often should you clean baby and toddler toys? Clorox says weekly, or every other week, especially if your kids have been sick. Always clean toys according to the instructions (especially wood, cloth or plush toys). For hard plastic toys, remember that most of them can simply be run in the top rack of the dish washer or scrubbed by hand with some soapy water in the kitchen sink.

To disinfect hard plastic toys, use a combination of bleach and water. First, wash, rinse or scrub the toys with water. Then, in the sink, a clean bucket or even the bath tub, mix together a solution of bleach and a gallon of water. Let them soak for five minutes, then rinse thoroughly and let them air dry, spread out on a clean, dry towel.

At my baby shower for my first born, I received a number of useful items – socks, bottles, sleep sacks, and even diapers and wipes. But the most useful item, which we are still using on our now almost-2-year old daughter is the plethora of receiving blankets.

Receiving blankets are not much more than a piece of flannel, with the edges finished so that they don’t fray. Unfortunately, during their 20+ months of use, our receiving blankets are looking a bit scrappy. But they’re still being used, probably more heavily now than when our daughter was an infant. At first, we swaddled her in them, covered her with them when she napped, and rolled them up to be makeshift head rests when the head rest in her car seat was too big. Now, they’re finding all kinds of use, both baby related and around the house. Here are five of my favorite uses for receiving blankets.

1. Clothing cover. When our daughter first began eating table food, we discovered just how messy a toddler can be. Since she takes off any bib we put on her just as fast as we can fasten it, we’ve resorted to all sorts of solutions to protect her clothes. The best one so far has been a receiving blanket. Tied at the back of her neck, sort of like a halter top, then draped over her chest and tucked under her arms and around back, this smock-like device catches most of the crumbs that fall from her hand or mouth, and can be taken outside and shaken out when mealtime is over.
2. Dirty changing table or seat cover. A thin receiving blanket is easy enough to tuck into a diaper bag or purse, and can be used to cover up any untoward-looking public changing table, booster seat or high chair.
3. Sun shade. In the car, a receiving blanket tucked into the top of the window makes a nice, light curtain to help cut the glare of bright sunshine and keep our daughter cool in her car seat.
4. Play thing. Our daughter loves to play with non-toys, and a receiving blanket fits the bill. She can make a fort out of it, drag it around, use it to cover and uncover other toys – the possibilities are as unlimited as her imagination.
5. Cleaning rag. This one’s for the tattered receiving blankets we no longer use for our daughter. The clean and lint-free flannel fabric makes a great cleaning rag around the house – especially when washing windows.

What unusual uses have you found for receiving blankets?

Two similar products. One is a well-known multinational brand. The other is a family-based brand. Which one would you choose?

In a study published in the Journal of Small Business Management, association with a family business can actually give a product the leading edge.

The reasons for this positive impact on customers’ decision can be complex and many but a few stand out:

• Customers are happy to know there is a family behind the brand and not just some faceless corporate identity.
• Family businesses are perceived to put high priority on community involvement.
• Family businesses signify pride – pride in what they do and what they can contribute.

Family businesses are important to the economy. It is estimated that small family enterprises account for 80% of all business in the US, contribute 50% to GDP, and 78% of new jobs.

However, in recent years, more and more family businesses are being swallowed by corporate giants. The authors of the study conclude that by communicating family pride to customers, these businesses can actually have competitive advantages over their giant competitors. Small can be great!

So tell us what is your take on this. Big firm names or family-based brands?

Our daughter?s crib has been recalled. While we?ve gone through recalls before for our cars and some random house hold items, we?d never had what?s essentially a major piece of furniture recalled, and weren?t quite sure what to expect when participating in a crib recall. Here?s what the recall involved for us.

The first step was finding out about the recall. Watching the evening news one night, my husband noticed that they were showing our exact crib make and model on a recall report. We rewound the program (thank you, DVR!) and were able to hear the entire report, stating that the crib our daughter sleeps in is part of a major, yet voluntary, recall of baby cribs. (A good source for recall information is the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission website or your very own Babies Online Blog recall section)

Since our daughter?s crib was part of a voluntary, not mandatory, recall, we needed to contact the manufacturer and register the crib as part of the recall, including the model number on the tag stuck to the side of the crib. We then accessed the company?s Web site, filled out an online form with our information, and waited about two weeks to receive the necessary paperwork back from the company. The paperwork included another form, instructions on how to proceed and a return shipping label. The instructions told us to take apart the crib and send in the bolts and some other miscellaneous hardware from the crib, so that it could not be reassembled.

We complied, taking apart the crib and mailing back the parts. Fortunately, still have the Pack N Play that we used quite often as a second crib when our daughter was an infant. It?s not the most comfortable place for her to sleep now as a toddler (she does wake up more frequently) but it’s safer than the recalled crib.

Soon, we will receive a voucher in the mail to purchase a new crib of equal or lesser value at the store where we purchased the original crib. We?re looking forward to selecting a new, safer crib, and getting our daughter back into a crib with a comfy mattress and packing away the Pack N Play once and for all!

In my previous post, I discussed some helpful tips on registering for baby products. But what exactly do you include in your registry?

I found registering for baby even more overwhelming than compiling a wedding registry. I?d been running a household for five years before getting married; I knew what kitchen appliances and tools had worn out and what gadgets we?d been eyeing for some time. I knew I needed new sheets, towels, pots and pans and a vacuum cleaner.

But, registering for our first baby was a different experience. We needed virtually everything to care for an infant, and weren?t sure where to start. (Oh, and a new vacuum cleaner, too!) With such a long list, it was hard to keep track of what we had already selected, and what we still needed to add to the registry.

Compiling a check list before we hit the stores and the Web helped. I?ve broken it down into categories for easy reference. Your list may be different depending on what you already have from previous children, or what you?ve found at garage sales, through friends, or even on Craig?s List or Freecycle. Some of these items are optional based on your lifestyle.

Another thing I found helpful was going with an experienced friend to register for many of the more confusing items. We take our expedition tomorrow, and I will report on how it went and what I learned.

Big-Ticket Items

• Bassinet/ Crib
• Crib Mattress
• Changing Table
• Infant car seat/carrier/stroller travel system
• Additional car seat base for second car
• Baby/toddler car seat

Miscellaneous

• Travel playpen
• Baby monitor
• Baby or pet gates
• Diaper bag
• Lightweight umbrella stroller
• Baby carrier/sling
• Child-proofing products (Read this article for an expanded checklist.)
• Glider or rocking chair
• Baby book

* Many of these items overlap. For instance, you can opt for a regular stroller, and then get a convertible car seat that functions as an infant car seat and converts to a toddler car seat when the baby reaches 20 pounds. Or, your travel system may include the infant car seat/carrier, so you?ll want to buy another car seat, which converts to a booster seat later on. Of course, this purchase can wait, but you may as well register for it! You can also find a travel playpen that doubles as a bassinet and changing table.

Toys

• The possibilities are endless, but here?s a list to get you started.
• Baby swing
• Infant gym/playmate (for tummy time)
• Stationary exerciser
• Crib mobile
• Soft Blocks
• Mirror
• Stacking cups
• Rattles and noisemakers
• Phthalate-free teethers

Grooming & Hygiene

• Potty seat
• Step stool (for toddler)
• Infant bath
• Bath toys
• Baby shampoo
• Wash cloths
• Diapers
• Diaper pail
• Changing table pad
• Baby wipes
• Soft-bristled hair brush

Clothing

• Booties – 2 pair
• Knitted hat or sun hat (for winter or summer) ? 2
• Sleep sacks, pajamas w/ feet or nightgowns ? (total 7)
• Onesies or t-shirts ? 6 ? 10
• Socks ? 10 pair
• Sweaters (for winter and fall)? 2 or more
• Snowsuit (for winter)
• Outfit for hospital photos (may want to purchase in 0 ? 3 mos. and 3 ? 6 mos. sizes) Seasonally-appropriate outfit to go home from hospital

Linens

• Receiving blankets
• Crib sheets
• Bassinet sheets

For meal-time

• High chair
• Breast pump (This can be rented).
• Bottles
• Nipples
• Nursing Supplies
• Pacifier
• Baby spoons & bowl
• Bibs
• Spit-up cloths

For Mom

• Nightgown for hospital (opens in front for breastfeeding)
• New slippers
• Boppy pillow (if you haven?t purchased one during pregnancy, you may want one for breastfeeding)

Readers, have I forgotten anything?

Shopping for baby products is definitely one of the more fun things about being pregnant. What’s even more fun? Registering for baby products! It provides all the pleasures of shopping without spending the money.

It’s even easier, nowadays, to register online at many places. Of course, your hubby will get a kick out of getting to use the electronic scanner as you walk around a brick-and-mortar store and select your favorite products. But if the novelty of this wore off during your bridal registry, you may as well stay home, climb into your favorite comfy chair with your laptop, and register online!

I do recommend trying out certain items in the store. However, a combination of online reviews, information from books such as Great Expectations: Best Baby Gear and Baby Bargains, and your own ‘trial runs’ in the store, where you can actually try out products such as strollers and high chairs, will help you make the best decisions.

Here are a few more tips for registering:

• Register early. Bridal showers may be held anywhere from 3 months to 1 month before your due date. Some people may throw your shower after the baby is born. But register early, just in case out-of-state friends and relatives want to buy presents before your shower. I recommend registering as soon as you find out if it’s a boy or a girl (somewhere around 20 weeks). My theory on this, too, is I have no idea how I’ll be feeling in the third trimester. Right now, I feel great. Also, it is a great way to feed that ‘nesting instinct’ on a budget!
• Include items in a wide range of prices. This lesson came to me from an engaged friend, whose family complained she had ‘nothing expensive on her registry.’ Close relatives may want to spring for a crib or a travel system, so don’t be shy about putting them on your registry. People may even want to chip in to purchase a big-ticket item. By the same token, include lower-priced gifts (under $15) and gifts in the middle range ($15 – $60). If all the mid-range priced gifts are taken but a shopper wants to spend more, she can always put together a lovely gift basket of inexpensive products.
• Choose a variety of sizes. Babies grow quickly. When I fell in love with an adorable pack of pink ‘Princess’ onesies, I registered for both the 0 – 3 and the 3 – 6 month sizes.
• Register in more than one store. Everyone has shopping preferences, whether they are determined by geography, store credit cards or coupons and sales. Give your gift-givers at least two options. If you have a lot of family and friends in other regions – especially rural areas – you may want to make sure your selected stores also offer shopping online.
• Include practical items. Everyone loves adorable baby clothes and receiving blankets in soft pastels adorned with cute little animals. And you’ll definitely need them. But what you’ll really appreciate in those first few months are diapers, bottles, formula. Don’t be afraid to put some of these consumable necessities on your registry, too. Some stores offer discounts on merchandise from the registry that is purchased by the parents after the fact, which is added incentive for registering for every item you may need to buy.

]]> http://blogs.babiesonline.com/products/tips-for-putting-together-your-baby-registry/feed/ 0 http://blogs.babiesonline.com/products/high-heels-for-babies/ http://blogs.babiesonline.com/products/high-heels-for-babies/#comments Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:43:41 +0000 VaMomma http://blogs.babiesonline.com/?p=3086

High heels for a baby? Yes, really it is true.

Today I discovered a company called Heelarious, which manufactures tiny shoes with heels. The shoes have been created in the United States by two childhood friends, Britta Bacon and Hayden Porter, and are ’specifically designed for babies.’ I was wondering what that really means. How exactly does one design a pair of high heels specifically for a baby?

A check on the company’s website reveals that they have 6 designs in various styles and colors including pink, black, and leopard print. The shoes are intended for babies up to 6 months of age and are ‘extremely funny, completely soft, fully functional high heel crib shoes for babies.’ Each pair of shoes costs $35 and can be purchased at a limited amount of retailers in the United States, Canada and Switzerland. They can also be purchased online.

The high heeled shoes are not intended for walking as the ‘heel will collapse with weight’ and are intended to be worn in the crib only. The website claims that the shoes were actually created as a joke product one day when one of the designers thought, while on the way to a party, about what fun it would be to bring her daughter to the event in high heels.

Perhaps I am old, or prudish. I don’t really see anything funny about high heels on a baby. I certainly don’t see anything even remotely amusing about buying a pair of $35 shoes for my child that aren’t intended to actually even be used as shoes. That’s just me though.

What do you think? Would you buy high heels for your infant? Do you think that $35 for a pair of shoes which aren’t actually usable is a good deal? Would you buy a pair for your infant daughter?

Recent studies have found that the chemical BPA, also founds in other plastics, has some retailers pulling products from shelves. Many eco-conscious Americans actively use hard plastic refillable containers to carry water and other liquids in in order to help keep the number of disposable water bottles out of landfills. These types of containers have seen a sharp spike in consumer purchase, especially seen in stores on the west coast. Earlier this year the mayor of San Francisco put an order into effect that banned plastic water bottles inside the city limits to help cut down on the environmental impact being felt all over the world by this type of un-biodegradable waste accumulation.

While this has been a good step for the environment, residents of San Fransisco complain that the tap water and public water supply contains added fluoride supposed to help slow tooth decay but has been shown scientifically to be mostly ineffective and harmful to health, arguing that this added chemical is a waste of tax payer’s dollars. Because of many residents not wanting to consume water straight from the tap many have turned to in-home water supplies such as deep rock and Sparkletts machine and have turned to the refillable plastic containers put out by a variety of companies, most notably including those at Nalgene. The recent findings of the hormone copying chemical BPA has retailers and consumers concerned and many stores have pulled these and other related products from shelves. While there has not been a national or full state ban on these type of materials, many individually owned businesses have already pulled products. California is currently discussing a state-wide ban on these affected products and if passed would be the first ban on a chemical in the world.

In response to the findings of this chemical in other products such as baby bottles and children’s drinking cups, green companies are encouraging parents to pay attention and check online sources before buying such products. While green alternatives can be a little bit pricier and harder to find, sources say that plastic companies are working hard to remove this chemical and are turning towards developing their own green products for mass production in the upcoming year. For now, moms concerned about plastic baby bottles should do their research and a good option to help reduce this risk is the drop in disposable liner products that are found in mostly all retail stores and are put out by Playtex, Evenflo, and other store-brand generic alternatives.

For more information and sourcing material please visit: http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/1198311904271120.xml&coll=7

and please visit this site for information on this issue ad many others: http://www.organicconsumers.org/school/bpa041505.cfm

I have found my favorite online company for natural mom and baby care products!
Earthmamaangelbaby.com has an amazing selection of products to pamper
mom-just in time for Valentine’s Day. It offers organic treatments to care for
all of those unpleasant pregnancy, labor and post-labor symptoms.

There is a morning wellness tea, to soothe the queasiness which is often
present during the first trimester, heartburn tea, and 3rd trimester tea,
specifically formulated to tone the uterus and prepare for baby’s birthday.

You’ll also find bottom balm to treat mom’s sore bottom after delivery,
stretch oil to prevent and treat stretch marks, soothing treatment for those
lovely post-partum hemorrhoids, cream for swollen feet and much more.

Also featured are natural formulas for breast feeding mothers, including
creams to treat sore, swollen breasts and cracked nipples, a formula to help
stimulate milk production and a formula to help soothe breasts during a
reduction in milk supply and the weaning process.

The site also features CDs to help relax moms during pregnancy and labor.

For baby, you’ll find a nice selection of lotions, shampoo, baby wash, diaper
ointment and more. There is a baby care kit which makes a great gift!

Best of all, everything is 100% natural! I will soon be trying out some of
these wonderful products, myself.

As a new mom who unfortunately falls into the category of “low income” and “below poverty level”, when my daughter arrived I was very concerned about our finances and how we were going to afford all the bells and whistles that come with a new baby. My first attempt at finding frugal buys was to turn to an old fallback, good old Craigslist.com. This is a GREAT place to look for gently used items at garage sale prices without leaving the comfort of your old faithful couch. I was very pleased with the few items that we purchased off of Craigslist, and after talking to a few of the families we were buying from also made some friends and were given additional items from those families and from other families they knew. The most important thing to remember is that you have a common bond with all of the people who are looking for or selling baby items, and it is very easy to connect to others in your area who are also in the same band wagon. If you receive from those in your community, make sure to spread the good karma and give back when you are in the position to.

After finding some amazing deals on Craigslist I posted a help message on my myspace page asking for advice and help from those in my friends’ list. I was first turned on to the yahoo group called Freecycle, which you can check out yourself at www.freecycle.org, by a friend of mine that lives across the valley. What a blessing! I can NOT gush enough about how wonderful this group is, the Freecycle network literally has changed my life and enabled us to give our baby a great new start!
The Freecycle network is a social network run through yahoo that is committed to keeping the earth a greener place by giving away unwanted items to others in their community that are in need instead of throwing them away, keeping our landfills from getting out of control! With groups all over the world you are sure to find a group that functions near you. The idea is simple, give away unwanted things to those in need, find things that you yourself may be in need of, and help save the environment at the same time! The best thing about Freecycle is… IT’S FREE!!!!

It is easy to join, and once you offer an item up for freecylcling you are allowed to request up to five things a month. You can either receive emails of new posts or scan them on the group site, but either way the person who ends up getting your item is up to you. If you have an item someone else needs they will contact you and you can arrange for them to pick it up or meet you someplace! This is also great because you make connections with other people in your community that have kids or share interests with you! And most of the time people who have one item up for freecycle also have other things to give or know others that do.

Thanks to freecycle we have made many friends in the Las Vegas area and I have started attending a new moms’ group at the community center. This is a GREAT way to meet other moms and widen your “baby” base to people from all walks of life. From this group alone we were given a swing, two car seats, a walker, a bassinet, formula samples, diapers, baby clothes, a play mat, a sling, a diaper bag, a stroller, and a myriad of baby toys that would have ALL cost us a fortune to buy individually. We are so thankful for those in our community that have donated items to us and we are actively involved in returning the favor. It’s amazing what the power of community can do.

If you are a mom in need or know of a family that needs help, PLEASE REFER THEM TO THIS GROUP. It is a blessing and filled with people just like you who are ready to help! Spread the word and spread the good, and remember to help out others less fortunate to make this world a better and greener place! Cheers!

Http://www.freecycle.org