Archive for July, 2007

Safe plastic baby bottles and sippy cups?

Posted July 18, 2007 * Comments(0)

Who knew? We’re about to drop a bunch of Avent and Dr. Brown baby bottles into the recycling bin.

We’ve heard about possible toxic “leeching” from certain types of plastic bottles. After learning more from this KCRW Good Food Podcast, and the linked Smart Plastics Guide report from the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, we’re now making a big switch.

Turns out there could be problems (and why risk it) with several types of plastic – types 3, 6 and 7. Usually hard and clear plastic are indications of potential toxicity. Clarity bad, opacity good.

We picked up some Avent and Born Free sippy cups. And we’ve been using the Playtex bottles with disposable (and recyclable liners). We’ll probably get a few Born Free bottles to fill things out.

A more thorough explanation, and a fully-tested Sippy Cup Showdown can be found here, at Z Recommends.

Sherpani Wahoo update

Posted July 3, 2007 * Comments(1)

We’ll have some photos and video coming soon. But we got our Sherpani Wahoo (the REI Outlet deal is still out there, btw) and have some first impressions.

  • Nice styling. The colors, support legs and attention to detail are very impressive. Aesthetically, we like this better than the Kelty and REI brand packs we’ve seen.
  • Very comfortable for the wearer. Nice placement of adjustment straps and a surprising amount of waterproof storage space, with a zippered section down at the bottom and some stretchy netting up top.
  • No manual from REI and we haven’t heard back on our request for one from Sherpani. So we’re wondering – are those little hanging bags on either side foot stirrups or bottle holders? Our money is on stirrups.
  • Adjusting the chest plate, straps and clips relied on a lot of trial, error, and screaming from the little man. I’m still not convinced we’ve got it set up optimally though.
  • Little man loved riding high and checking everything out from up above. Pack was stable and comfy and should be great on trails and hikes.

Must-have books for baby’s first food

Posted July 3, 2007 * Comments(0)

As your bebe steps it up from milk and formula to purees and solids, there are some good books we’ve come across that are quite helpful.

Petit Appetit Cookbook, by Lisa Barnes, is way more than just a cookbook. It’s chock full of delicious information about organic produce, baby’s health and diet. Until we read the pages on nitrites in carrots, we were making our own carrot purees. Turns out even when you buy organic, you can’t control the prevalence of nitrites in the soil, and thus the root veggie. Packed food manufacturers have a greater ability to ensure quality control, so buy from them. There’s much more advice like that, as well as hundreds of great recipes. Ever heard of a pluot? Our little guy loved his pluot puree.
Food Adventures, by Frances Boswell, is a beautiful book with an international flair. There are plenty of asian and european recipes that will expose your little one to a variety of flavors and textures. This is less of an everyday resource than the Barnes book and a little higher maintenance with some of the recipes. But it’s got some great ideas and is definitely a nice complement. Enjoy.