Earth Friendly Baby products have long been among our favourites, for their gentle formulations with yummy natural fragrances, all at a really affordable price. They've been going through a bit of a revamp and have been hard to get hold of the last few months, but today we're delighted to be able to say that they're now back in stock and looking lovelier than ever. 

Earth Friendly Shampoo & body wash comes in Soothing Chamomile, Calming Lavender and Happy Mandarin

Earth Friendly Baby bubble bath comes in Soothing Chamomile, Calming Lavender and Happy Mandarin

Earth Friendly Baby body lotion comes in Soothing Chamomile and Calming Lavender

Earth Friendly Baby Wipes are now known as Earth Friendly Baby Gentle Aloe Vera Wet Wipes. They are 100% biodegradable and come in a great value 72 pack.

They don’t contain parabens, SLS, synthetic colour or fragrance or petroleum based oils. None of the products are tested on animals, and all products are suitable for vegans. Try them out today and see the difference >>>

I've just read something that makes me really angry, (maybe being a new mum has made me a little more sensitive to issues affecting babies), but I was appalled to discover in this morning’s email from The Ecologist, that the European Food Standards Agency (EFSA) have decided NOT to ban Bisphenol A (BPA) in babies' bottles.

Despite there being numerous pieces of research which show that there are potentially adverse effects on the nervous system, immune system and links to breast cancer and other reports linking BPA to heart disease and reproductive disorders, the EFSA have stated that there is still insufficient evidence to justify a ban.

Well I personally wouldn't be willing to just wait and see whether any future studies can give conclusive proof of a link before protecting my daughter from this ingredient. My position would always be that if there's a potential risk with BPA and bottles that don't use it work perfectly well then why would you continue to use ones that contain it?

Happily most bottles I've seen don't use BPA and make a clear statement on the label that they're BPA free so it's easy enough to avoid buying the wrong type of bottle if you're aware of the issue. If the EFSA are not going to ban it then we have to protect ourselves, so tell your friends!

Recently I heard two very different birthing stories about two very different cultures which I thought may be of interest to all those new Mum’s to be that are interested in bringing their newborns into the World as naturally and safely as possible.

The first was from a 35 year old Mexican woman, 2 months pregnant with her second child. Over guava, banana, papaya and pear salad with homemade strawberry yoghurt, Isabella told us of the ´maternity ward reality´ of Mexican hospitals. Apparently the general consensus amongst doctors here is that it is better for the baby to be born at the 8th month mark instead of allowing them to grow to full term. 

The second shocking fact (which holds true in the good hospitals as well as the poor) is that doctors actually encourage women to have caesareans, often after confirming both mother and unborn child have perfect health throughout the pregnancy only to make up a health problem or complication right before the birth time. This is so common that it is considered normal practice.

Isabella also told us of how she was laughed at by a doctor when she demanded to breastfeed her first child whilst still in the hospital. They wanted her to use the milk formulation the hospital supplied. It is as if the health professionals of this health system have been trained to take the natural out of the most natural process that occurs in life. This kind of story is not restricted to one small Central American country.

Women in the UK have spoken of similar experiences where control of their labour has been stripped from them at a time when they are somewhat powerless amongst the popular opinions of the professionals. Gas or epidurals being given without consent or conversely withheld when demanded, are quite common. It is when I hear these stories that I think of how important it is for women to share their positive stories of natural births in order to pass on their knowledge and the knowledge they’ve learnt from their elders.

Two stories come to mind. One is about a friend of mine, Sarah who recently had a homebirth. She convinced herself that she would have a painless, easy and quick labour… and guess what? She did.  It took one and half hours to push wee Amelie out. Could it be the power of positive thinking or a natural fluke?

The aboriginal culture of Australia may agree with Sarah that preparing for yourself birth– mind, body and physical space – goes a long way to making labour a beautiful rather than painful experience. To prepare or and give birth to their children the aborigine women who still follow their old cultural customs go off on their own into the bush to give birth. They dig a pit then line it with Boab flowers, crouching in the hole to allow the baby to come out as easy and painlessly as the body will allow. The reason they us the Boab flower is because it supposedly contains energetic qualities that help the new child cut any genetic characteristics that are not useful or relinquish past life issues that are not serving to their spirit in this life.

If you have any positive, natural labour stories you’d like to pass on to other women please send them to us and we’ll help to share them.

Researchers at the University of California have found that children up to the age of 7 are more susceptible to the toxic effect of some pesticides. The reason being they lack a particular enzyme called paraoxonase which helps to protect most of us from some of these toxins by neutralizing and then eliminating them from the body.

This enzyme increases as we grow but it does take those young formative years to be effective in helping the body fight off toxins. Organophosphate pesticides are the prime suspects; extremely toxic and banned from home use they are still used widely in agriculture.

These pesticides affect the nervous system of insects but could also have a similar effect on children. Studies have shown that mothers exposed to the pesticide during pregnancy have children with significantly lower IQs.

It's not just kids that are more susceptible. A person's genes can determine how affected they are as genes are responsible for deciding how effective the enzyme is at breaking down the toxins. Variations of the paraoxanase gene will affect the quantity and quality of the paraoxanase enzyme and thus a person's natural ability to fight the pesticides.

Our best defence is to avoid pesticides where we can. Go organic and grow your own, make your own. It's the best way to avoid these body disruptors.

We know up to 60% of what is applied to the skin can be absorbed. But during pregnancy a woman's skin is more sensitive to outside influences ie body lotions, perfume, synthetic pollutants like the chemicals found in household cleaning products etc. This is partly due to hormonal changes and partly due to the stretching and thinning of the skin as the baby grows. So what can you do for your (or your partners, sisters, friends) skin to ensure the pregnancy is as natural as possibly can be?

Firstly, you can start by scrumaging through your laundry and cleaning cupboards for items that are packed with toxic chemicals. Ecover, Alma Win and Bentley Organic are a couple of companies that make more natural options for mummy to be.

If there was ever a time for a woman to pamper herself with organic beauty products it is when she is expecting. A good massage (try using Mother's Massage Oil by Neal's Yard), a relaxing bath (the Prenatal Bath Soak by Natalia will soothe), and a good anti-stretch cream (like Bump Butter by Essential Care) are vital for help mum to be comfortable and as natural as can be during her pregnancy. If you're buying for someone else Natalia's Pregnancy Relaxation Box with an organic cotton flannel, Prenatal Bath Soak, Morning Sickness Ease and Prenatal Body & Bath Oil is a beautiful gift.

What else touches the skin? Bedding or clothing almost all day everyday (except whiles bathing of course!). It's now very easy to find bedding made from organic cotton and thankfully (on behalf of all the eco chic yummy mummies out there) more designers than ever are using natural fibres for their fashion savvy creations. Liv Waffle Robe is a popular choice for mum's hospital bag.