Stonyfield Farm YoBaby 3-in-1 Meals Review & Giveaway!

I have always loved Stonyfield Farm yogurt as long as I can remember. Before buying organic was popular and before I knew just how conventional food is made, I would resort to Stonyfield yogurt just because it tasted better than the fat free stuff that lined the store shelves. Back then I didn't look at ingredients (gasp!). Besides, I needed the fat, I was always skinny. I would eat YoBaby yogurt just because it is made with whole milk.

Today, organic just makes sense to me, my husband, and our little daughter. Though she had a milk protein allergy when she was born and she can't have any dairy just yet, I had the opportunity to taste the new YoBaby 3-in-1 Meals myself (courtesy of the company). This new line of yogurt is out to celebrate 10 years of Stonyfield! A very delicious ten years I might add :)

If you have ever tasted the Stonyfield whole milk Cream Top yogurt with fruit on the bottom, then you have a pretty good idea of what YoBaby 3-in-1 Meals are like. The difference is that it has both fruit and veggie on the bottom. What a great combination for moms struggling with getting their babies to eat veggies (fortunately that is not me). In case you are wondering, no, you don't have to be a baby to eat it! But essentially that is the target market. It is sold in a 6 oz cup just like the adult yogurt, that is 2 oz more than regular YoBaby yogurt.

The taste is very yummy. It isn't very sweet, which is good for babies. The yogurt itself is rich and creamy, just like you would expect from whole milk organic. There isn't that much fruit and veggies on the bottom though, I wish there was a little more. I almost had to search for it :) I do think that 0.99 cents (or even more at other stores) for one 6oz cup is really pushing it, especially considering it isn't very different from the Cream Top whole yogurt that is cheaper. I just don't know of any parents who have that kind of money to spend on [yummy organic] yogurt. It would do well at Whole Foods though. I also know that moms will do anything to have their babies and toddlers eat nutritious food that is good for their little bodies. If you look at it that way then it is worth it!

My love affair with Stonyfield continues...

Stonyfield is generously giving one of my readers a prize pack that contains:

1 Yobaby travel bowl with lid
1 Yobaby organic cotton bib
1 Eric Carle growth chart
3 free Yobaby Meals coupons

HOW TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY

Mandatory Entry (both parts are mandatory, in one comment please):

1. Go to the Stonyfield website and tell us in a comment which other product you like
2. Follow Eco-Babyz through Google Friend Connect or let us know you already do (see sidebar, bottom left)

Additional Entries:
(only counted if mandatory entry is completed, each one in separate comment please, include links!)
3. Follow @EcoBlogz on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway (or let us know if you already follow, include a link to this post in the tweet). You can tweet once a day for extra entries.
4. Follow @Stonyfield on Twitter
5. Subscribe to EcoBabyz or let us know you already do (feedburner, top right sidebar)
6. Add the EcoBabyz button to your site or include EcoBabyz on your blog-roll (3 entries, provide link to your blog/website)
7. Blog about this giveaway and link to this post (gives you 3 entries, please leave link to your blog post)

You can also become a fan of Eco-Babyz on Facebook or a fan of Stonyfield just for fun. That will give you zero entries though because Facebook has new rules for promotions and giveaways.

Contest ends at 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday Nov. 20. The winner will be selected using Random.org on Saturday, Nov. 21, and notified by email (so please be sure I have a way to get in touch with you). Open to US residents only. Thank you!

Stonyfield Farm YoBaby 3-in-1 Meals Review & Giveaway!

Do you have an Etsy shop?

Eco-Babyz will be publishing an Etsy Gift Guide later this month. We will be picking 10 to 20 Etsiers to be featured. If you would like a chance to be on our list that will be read by parents from all over, just use the contact form to send us a message! We welcome products for babies, kids, and parents. Preference will be given to Eco-friendly creations.

If we pick you, all we ask is that you send us one of your products to be featured along with a paragraph about your shop. We don't want all the Holiday dollars going to mass produced plastic toys, Etsiers deserve a piece of the pie! Please contact us before Thanksgiving to be included, feel free to pass this message on to other Etsiers.

Do you have an Etsy shop?

Britax Advocate CS Review

Until my husband and I had our own baby I always thought that parents were overprotective. Well, I still think some are. But when it comes to motor vehicle safety, I think you can never overdo it. Even if you are a very safe driver, there are a lot of crazy people out there! The statistics always seem to be against you when it comes to car crashes. While all children's car seats pass standard safety tests and they do the job - there are some that go above and beyond what is considered safe. Britax is one company that imagines the unimaginable so that you don't have to. Some people look to buy cars with exceptional safety ratings, shouldn't car seats be the same?

When our daughter was born we drove her home in a Britax Companion. It just looked right to me. She was cradled on all sides, snuggled up comfortably. It wasn't just labeled safe, one look and I knew it was. Of course every car seat is as safe as it is properly installed. Then I discovered just how fast babies grow and I started looking for a convertible car seat because she was getting too big for the infant one (not to mention it was way too heavy to pick up). Thanks to Britax we were able to test drive their latest model, the Advocate CS. We had an incredible experience and I truly wish all parents could have the same, that is how it would be in my perfect world! I hope my review is informative and helps you make a conscious decision for money well spent.

COMPANY: Britax has been in the business of child safety for over 35 years. As one of the best selling car seats in Europe, Britax has also won the heart of American parents since it was introduced to this market in 1996. No other car seats undergo such rigorous testing as does Britax in their five worldwide testing facilities. So as you can imagine, these folks know what they are doing. In addition to car seats they also make a full-size stroller, a lightweight stroller, and special needs car seats and equipment.

SAFETY: Just like with the Companion (now replaced by Chaperone), when I was browsing through car seats at a store the Advocate CS stood apart. It just doesn't look flimsy like many other car seats. For comparison, I see the Britax Advocate CS as an Audi Q7 in the world of cars. It has superior crash test ratings.

Among the safety features of the Advocate CS is True Side Impact Protection as well as the Side Impact Cushion Technology. It isn't some lofty terminology, that is something you can plainly see if you do a side by side visual comparison of the Advocate and some other generic car seat. Many car seats pass safety tests but do not take into account that side impact crashes are very common and often result in injury or fatalities among children. Easy installation is an indirect factor that makes a car seat safe. Also, a rear facing car seat is always safest for children, the longer they can stay rear facing the better. A baby can stay rear facing up to 35 pounds in the Britax Advocate CS.


QUALITY: This is a solid car seat that would last a lot longer if car seats didn't have the six year limit on use. Not only are all the parts and 'hardware' solid, even the plush cover is very high quality and will withstand years of use and washing.

As for the sustainability of materials, I hope that Britax will lead the way for this in the future the way they are leading the way in safety today. Among car seats they would be the first because I don't know of any car seat manufacturers that disclose the source and content of all materials. I don't mean just 'made of plastic and polyester'. We are talking about a break down of everything contained in the materials. Does the plastic contain phtalates? Does it off gas anything? An increasing number of parents want to be sure that not just the children's food and toys are safe, but baby gear as well. Paranoid? Maybe. But for too long this has been ignored and I think it is in the best interest of everyone involved to have baby gear made out of non-toxic materials. I can attest to the fact that when the car seat arrived and I opened it, the only thing that smelled toxic was the large plastic bag, the car seat itself had no smell. I was a little surprised about that because when my new Kolcraft Contours stroller arrived, the stench was horrendous :) So kudos to Britax for using non-stinky materials.

EASE OF USE: Thankfully I never had my share of howintheworldamIsupposed toinstallthisthing car seats. We never had an issue with the Companion and likewise the Advocate CS delivers. I will emphasize, no matter what car seat you have, installation is everything! It has to be done right, it really is a matter of life and death. When the car seat manufacturer makes an easy-to-install seat they have already done half the work for you. We read the directions and installed ours in less than five minutes with the LATCH system. It really was a breeze. The base is compact and fits nicely into the 'bucket' of the seat. The recline is adjusted easily. It is no wonder the Britax Advocate CS is the winner of the iParenting Media award, parents worldwide can attest to how easy it is to use this car seat. I was also wuite surprised it fit so well in our Honda Accord, which doesn't have a huge interior. I can't tell you if three in a row would fit, they might not because of the Side Impact Cushion.

In addition to easy installation it features easy operation as well. The head restraint is adjustable with the twist of a knob. No annoying re-threading to adjust harness height, thanks Britax for realizing that babies grow fast and it is hard for parents to find the time to re-thread the harness. The harness straps also have a place to get them out of the way when you are putting the baby in. The cover is easily removable and washable. I really like the Click & Safe feature, along with the harness it makes for an easy in-and-out.

COMFORT: Lets not forget that the comfort of the child is very important too. The Advocate CS gets an unbeatable thumbs up on this! For me, car seat comfort is defined by two things: head support and seat contour. You probably noticed in the videos that the head support is exceptional. When our baby falls asleep in the car seat her head gently lays on one of the head 'wings' and doesn't slump on her shoulder. The height of this headrest is adjustable as well so it will grow with your child. The plush contoured seat looks so comfortable I wouldn't mind riding in it! I really like the infant body pillow, not only does it make the seat comfy for smaller babies, it works great holding the harness straps back as you put the child in so that they don't get in the way. It is not wonder munchkin falls asleep in this seat so fast, I would too. I also really appreciate the pads on the shoulders that prevent harness marks on the neck. I am convinced the HUGS chest pads make the chest buckle a lot more comfortable, especially on impact (which hopefully we will never get to experience).

The only issue we have is with the belly pad and strap being a little too far back in the seat. As far as I understand there is a reason why it is where it is, for a newborn it would have to be in that spot. For an older child it just means you will have to fish for it under the baby's bottom once you seat the baby in. I always have to look for it under her; it would help if this was somehow adjustable from newborn to toddler. In the photo below you will see that it is meant not to be directly on the belly, but a little lower to protect the child on impact.


STYLE: Britax doesn't skimp on style either. The Advocate CS comes in four attractive color combinations. We have the Opus Gray, it goes very nicely with a black fabric or leather interior of the car. There is also a girly Kathryn, a fun Opus Tan, and a classic Onyx print. The only thing that I don't like about the looks is the color of the plastic parts and Side Impact Cushions. I wish it wasn't white/light gray, but a dark gray or black instead.


VALUE: If you really wanted to, you could get by with one car seat from birth to 65 pounds with the Advocate CS. That would really give you the most bang for your buck. But of course with an infant it really helps to be able to carry the sleeping baby in and out of the car without disturbing him or her. So in our experience a convertible car seat is only good after 7 months, when the baby has complete head control, sits on his own, and weighs more than you want to carry with an infant car seat. What makes the Advocate CS a great value is ultimately the weight and height range. There are very few car seats on the market with a range of 5 to 65 pounds. It was also important for me to have our daughter rear facing as long as possible, Britax makes it work for us since the rear facing weight limit is 35 pounds. She is 17.5 pounds at nine months so I am glad she can stay rear-facing well past one year old.

The MSRP on the Advocate CS is $369.99. But onine you can actually get it for under $300 with free shipping.

For more information please visit the Britax USA website.

Britax Advocate CS Review

Boba Organic Review

Before our baby was born we decided we want to give baby wearing a try. Now at nine months our little girl enjoys being in a baby carrier and we love it too. She has been in one since birth and it is a great way to soothe our rarely fussy baby. Although I haven't tried many, I have come to love the Soft Structured Carriers for their ease of use. Recently I had the opportunity to try out the new Boba Organic carrier made by NAP, Inc., the same people who brought us the Sleepy Wrap. Here is a little intro to my review:

FIT: The fit of a baby carrier is important because it will determine the level of comfort for both the parent and the baby. It looks like the people at NAP, Inc. thought things through really well. I am reassured they did when I read about the thought process that led to the design that met the needs of their toddler son. I can say that it is very comfortable for me to wear and it fits well on my husband too. He is a foot taller than me. So it is very versatile. I also think my husband likes it because it is not 'feminine' but very gender neutral and stylish. The fit on the waist/hips and shoulders is great. I do wish the waist belt was a little softer, it seems a bit stiff. At the same time it feels very secure with the baby in it because of that feature.

What makes the Boba stand apart are the foot straps. They are designed to take the pressure off the hamstrings for longer toddler legs. That feature alone makes this the perfect toddler carrier. It also has a taller rise to support the back of toddlers.

QUALITY: My first thought when I took it out of the box was "oh it is so soft!" It truly is an amazing material, a very soft yet durable organic cotton. The stitches on all the seams and where the straps meet the carrier is top notch and ready for years of use. I truly believe that there is a different level of quality for products made in the US, this is what you will get with Boba.

EASE OF USE: If you are intimidated by wraps and slings with five page directions on how to put it on, the Boba is for you! It is basically like putting on a backpack with some parachute buckles. Of course you have the added factor of the baby. It will not be nearly as complex as the carrier you saw in the beginning of the video above! For me the tricky part is putting her in the back carry position on my own since she doesn't understand yet when I say 'hold on to mommy' and she is very wriggly. So back carry takes some practice or you do it when someone is around to help you. Front carry is a piece of cake really, that is what I use most of the time. As with anything, practicing a few times makes things a lot easier. For me the hard part is reaching for the chest strap to buckle and unbuckle it when she is in the front.

VALUE: For the quality you get in this particular Soft Structured carrier, it is very competitively priced. You will not find another carrier made from organic cotton at $99. It comes in six stylish color combinations. Although you can't use it from birth (only starting at 15 pounds), it will last you through the toddler years though other carriers would be too small already. I do wish this carrier also had the option of the hip carry position, which I found a lot more comfortable when the baby is 6 to 8 months of age. Overall I think the combination of the Sleepy Wrap and the Boba will get you from birth to 4 years comfortably and as a cost effective option.

COMPANY: NAP, Inc. is a company that I as a natural parenting advocate, am happy to endorse. Their company mission is something that resonates with me as a green living advocate and with my motherly instincts. "NAP, Inc.'s mission is to provide comfortable and durable baby carriers to parents throughout the world and give them a helping hand in raising confident, joyful and compassionate children." This really sums up the baby wearing support provided by NAP, Inc.:

"When a mother shares her life and space and moves with her baby through her day she will fall in love with her child. She will naturally treat her baby with understanding, compassion and respect from which will blossom a loving relationship based on trust. This "trust" is critical as it is the basis not only for a child's healthy neurological, behavioral, and social development, but sets the stage for which that child will build and form all of his subsequent relationships throughout his life."

They also support many natural parenting organizations. They are an advocate for home birth, doulas, breastfeeding, elimination communication, home education and unschooling, etc. The perfect match for EcoMama I'll have to add :)

Use code ecobabyz10 for 10% off through December 8th

Boba Organic Review

EWG Tests Cleaning Products

We often wonder just how bad household cleaners are for children's health. Can they be that bad? Do they really help cause asthma? A little can't hurt, right? Well, EWG gives you a pretty good idea of the answers to those questions and just how much household cleaners affect the air we breathe.

EWG tested over 20 cleaners used in California schools and found that they released over 457 chemicals - many not listed by the manufacturer. You'll find that Febreeze contains acetaldehyde, which is on the California's Prop 65 List for cancer and reproductive toxicity. You'll also find that Comet contains formaldehyde and seven cancer causing ingredients from that same list. Reason enough to get rid of it now!

It is perfectly legal for manufacturers to hide the ingredients in their toxic potions. If we have the right to know what is in our food and skin care products we need to demand to know what is in cleaning products as well. We breathe this stuff and eat off of surfaces treated with these potions. The least you can do is buy non-toxic cleaners and protect your family's health, but we should take action as well to demand responsibility from ruthless companies.

To make maters worse, children are especially sensitive to toxic chemicals. Our government does not protect them. Many states have their own legislation for safe cleaning products in schools, but things need to change on the federal level.

These toxic chemicals are used to clean your kids' schools across the country.
Do you see something wrong with that?

VISIT THE EWG REPORT FOR MORE DETAILS

EWG Tests Cleaning Products