The Scandies are just genius about effective design. I don’t know why, but those Vikings seem to understand function like Huns understand engineering, and Italians lines. This “Rockid”, from the Netherlands is a rocker cum cradle that would sell like hotcakes, were it to be sold here, in the US. Perfect for small spaces, and for a baby that needs to learn to sleep “alone” but with the comforting presence of mama and motion – the “Rockid” is one item that I hope is knocked off immediately and sold at Pottery Barn.

The coatings and wood aren’t really detailed at the site – but it must comply with high EU standards.

Tot ziens!

If you live in a small space, and have a bump, you’ll want/need/lust for this.

Basically, it’s a crib slash changing table slash chest of drawers all under one roof. Literally: theres a roof.

Compact, beautiful, on roll about wheels – this is really the most perfect small space solution I have ever seen. Who needs an actual nursery with this thing to roll about?!

Honestly, is this not just the sweetest solution ever?!

I don’t know if it’s green – but I do know that these things tend to be custom built – so you could most likely choose your non-toxic paints and finishes.

Nina’s House is designed by David Keune, who I never heard of until today – but who I hope gets into the baby design business for good.

(Why are all those Vikings such good designers? It’s so strange….)

Een mooie dag verder!

For your friends named Sloan, Poppy or Something Jane, Serena & Lily now has an organic mattress that mumsy can add to the very discreet registry, (which will most certainly not be mentioned on the Mrs John L Strong invitations).

Serena & Lily also have several sweet, Palm Beach (sans “West”, thank you) worthy organic sheet sets, that would all look positively darling on said mattress.

and…

and…

It’s nice to know that headband wearing mums can keep their heirs and spares just as safe as the rest of us.

Now go fix mummy a martini….

If you read this blog, you most likely have an organic mattress for your little one.  But this, this fantastic invention makes our organic mattresses look positively archaic.

Nook, a company brought to my attention by an old friend from my days in advertising, is making this fantabulous organic mattresses, called Pebble, that, in their own words:

” From a unique air layer that fosters oxygen flow inside the mattress, to the superior softness of all-natural eucalyptus fibers, to the unique pebbled surface that promotes air circulation, every detail is examined for maximum breathability, non-toxicity and smart design in the crib.”

Now. It could all be bollocks – but for $610 it had better not be.

The funky futuristic looking thing will delight trendy parents, the air circulation thing will assuage the traditionalists.

What I love most, is that this mattress is an indication of things to come. Organic baby things are the future – and all our gear and furniture will just continue to get better, healthier, safer and more beautiful.

Which makes me happy.

Happy Sunday!

We all have that frugal friend who is horrified at how much we spend on this or that.  She usually is the one who scolds you for not maximizing your 401k, (which is not a new brand of jeans), she knows words like “diversification”, (which, apparently, has nothing to do with having a choice of several little black dresses), and just shakes her head when she realizes that you paid an extra $400 to have red soles.  She doesn’t understand it.  

This post is for her.

When I bought my Cariboo bassinet my frugal girlfriend was confused. “But you have  a crib, and he’ll grow out of that in a year”, she lamented.  But, as I wanted to nurse, and am afraid of smooshing my son, I knew that a movable, keep by the bed bassinet, was the answer. It’s an important year.

Anyway - what to give a friend like her, when you know a wee bassinet or cradle IS helpful to have about, and schlep around?  Why, a recyclable and biodegradable cradle  which adhesives, paints, lacquer and fire retardant are water based and nontoxic, that’s what!  For how much? About the price of two bottles of Veuve. $99.50.

And what to give Ms. Automatic Savings if she is already borrowing a cradle (these friends are very big on borrowing baby things)?

The uber practical equally non-toxic, cardboard storage boxes! Price? Less than a bottle of Grand Marnier at $59.99.

And what if her child is already big enough to pretend to run his own business? Why…a non-toxic cardboard executive desk is just the thing to play CPA…

(Dog sold separately.)

So. Now you have three genius, recyclable, practical gift ideas for those mamas that just don’t understand how an acai, caviar and champagne facial is, actually, worth four bags of groceries. From Whole Foods.

Have you ever wondered why Pixar or Disney hasn’t re-made the “Princess and the Pea” story, though the Princess category is one of the most profitable for licensing?  I’ll tell you. Because that Princess was too damn ill from polyvinyl chloride, diethyl hexyl phthalate, formaldehyde, and flame retardant exposure from all those mattresses, to sign over the rights to her life story.

After you read this, which describes the malevolent tetrogens that are in a conventional baby mattresses, you’ll buy an organic one (you will, you’ll see): http://www.healthychild.com/toxic-sleep/part-i-toxicity-analysis-of-baby-mattresses/

I think that the Princess, now married for the second time,  to that adorable stable boy, is also too upset to speak to producers after discovering that her breast milk (and yours, and mine), most likely contained flame retardant levels 10 to 20 times that of our European sisters.  How the boll#$%^ have we been so exposed to flame retardant chemicals? Our mattresses. Every single one we have ever slept on: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2003-09-22-breast-milk_x.htm 

(Note: Mattresses are not the only culprit, sadly. Flame retardants are now found in most household dust – as a result of the chemical saturated foam in furniture, textiles and the plastics in TV’s, etc. VACUUM!  ALOT! And get a non-ozone producing air purifier. I’ll talk about vacuums and air filters next.)

And of course, the Princess was less than amused to discover that that pile of mattresses also contained PVC’s that will never, ever, ever leave her system: http://www.safemilk.org/article.php?list=type&type=55 

Alright. You get it. I know you do. The good news? Organic crib (and adult) mattresses are everywhere today. Buy one. If nothing else, just do this one thing, and reduce your child’s chemical body burden and statistical chances of suffering from asthma, allergies and SIDS, among other diseases and conditions. http://www.healthychild.com/toxic-sleep/has-the-cause-of-crib-death-sids-been-found/

Understandably petrified to buy anything else, I now have several organic mattresses in the house (which use naturally flame retardant wool): one for the crib, one for the bassinet and one for the toddler bed, all from http://www.naturepedic.com/ The least expensive organic mattress that I have found that is kosher INSIDE AND OUT is here: http://www.babyearth.com/naturepedic-mattress-naturepedic-no-compromise-organic-crib-mattress-150-seamless.html  When looking for a mattress, please be VERY CAREFUL of “Greenwashing” – it’s when part of a product may be organic, but other parts are not, the latter not being mentioned in it’s promotion - as an example – the very inexpensive Sealy “organic” mattresses actually have a non-organic FOAM core.  Most foam is evil. Repeat after me….MOST FOAM IS EVIL. That’s the bit that they usually treat with the most chemicals. So do NOT go by cost alone. Again, when it isn’t perfectly clear what is IN a product, either don’t buy it, or contact the company and ask.

This recent article from The Chicago Tribune on choosing a crib mattress may prove helpful: http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/chi-tc-fam-cribs-0806-0802aug02,0,4564480.story

Lesson #3: Your child is breathing in whatever he is on, or is on him. And as he breathes in TWICE as much as you do, he will absorb in TWICE the toxins.

PS: No matter how toxic your breast milk, it is still the best for baby. That’s how good the stuff is.

PSS: The Princess is actually fine. She’s Danish and Denmark is part of the European Union which has already banned most of the insidious chemicals that we are happy to expose our children to. http://chemicalwatch.com/2553 and http://www.euractiv.com/en/environment/relaunches-controversy-children-exposure-chemicals/article-166009