It is one of those visuals that you quickly see and think huh?  You pause, and then gasp “that’s brilliant!”  I had one of those moments when I tripped onto the website called Smart Mom.  Two moms started this company and created ‘teething bling’ for moms.  

Parents know that children put everything they shouldn’t into their mouth - keys, money, and jewelry to name a few items.  I can remember Francesco knawing on my collar bone to try and relieve some teething discomfort as a little guy!  Well now you can multi-task looking good and soothing your child’s aching mouth.  Enter Teething Bling that is a product that can only be described as cool!  This product combines an attractive piece of jewelry and a safe alternative for your baby/toddler to play/teeth with and it stays clean hanging around mom’s neck.  Check out this visual and read more…

Not only are these pendants totally safe and non-toxic, but they look very hip!  They are made from phthalate-free, bpa-free, latex-free, PVC-free and lead-free (wanted to cover all the bases) high quality silicone and are even dishwasher friendly!  For added safety the pendants come with a breakaway clasp, although they state these are for moms to wear, not children or toddlers.

You are able to order directly from the Smart Mom website or you can check out their retail partners list…there are stores all over North America that carry these ‘practical and pretty’  shower or baby gifts.

I’ve been slowly gathering ideas because there are a few special people in my world expecting babies.  What would a person that is starting to learn wayyyyy too much about toxic baby products give as a baby gift?  Here is a compilation of very affordable ideas that I’ve bookmarked over the last few months. I’m sure there’s a few you haven’t seen!

1. Milk Lush, organic baby quilt. Made by an amazingly talented new mom, her line of organic quilts are  the perfect size.  These are a special, affordable, and a unique present. Her choice of fabrics is magical and each quilt is one of a kind made with 100% cotton, stuffed with organic cotton batting, and the side that is dreamy next to a baby is minky. (If you haven’t felt this material…it is amazingly soft!) It has tabs for baby to chew and that can attach to the stroller or carrier so you don’t loose it. She is currently sold out of her quilts, but will have new designs on her Etsy site on August 15th so stay tuned!  Check out these sweet designs from Ashely.

2. Whipstitch Backstitch These Eco-friendly stuffies will be available in the Fall, (I’m just a tease) but I had to show off this latest find! A wildly talented artist has created environmentally conscious creatures that children will adore! Looking for the perfect 1st friend or stuffie for baby? These are hand stitched with love and are filled with Ecofill stuffing (recycled plastic that is non-toxic).
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Timing is everything right?  With parents concerned about plasticizers, chemicals, and just a little paranoid about their children mouthing plastic toys, along comes a company called Green Toys. Being a toy company, the words that describe their adorable product line are music to concerned parent’s ears:

“Made in the USA”
“Made from 100% recycled products”
“Contains no BPA”
“Contains no phthalates”
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Sounds like the story of my life these days!  The fallout from BPA and phthalate products has changed how all parents view plastic.  I still use my Ikea plastic plates for snacks for the kids, but other than that, I’ve really purged most of it from the bathroom and kitchen.  So when Leigh left a comment on my previous article called Plastic Food Alternative Solutions recommending a site called Life Without Plastic, my ears perked up. After checking out the site, I ordered four of their cereal bowls with stainless steel interior. I’ve included a picture of these bowls below. They are totally adorable and I wish I’d found them months ago because they are getting so much use! They are a little small for my oldest son’s cereal, but I’m finding them very handy for all the fruit and snacks all four insist having in separate bowls. They have a special on 2 pink bowls and 2 blue bowls…so for my clan this was perfect! I would highly recommend these for a 1st or 2nd birthday present for a child…or for that age bracket so they get good use out of them. With the plastic on the OUTSIDE of the bowls, it actually works well because you don’t have to worry if they slip out of little hands or off the table…they are not going to break easily.

The site also offers a product I’ve never seen for kids….a stainless steel mug that is double walled to protect hands against the heat and a stainless steel lid for the top. Very cute designs and characters on the outside. Again, what a cute present idea for toddlers getting away from bottles and sippies.

There are products for older kids and adults. The idea of litter-less lunches has really taken off for school aged kids. Read about one mom’s vision for this in the article about Green Fundraising. On the Life Without Plastic site, you’ll find stainless steel food storage containers that act as a lunch box, or sets of 4 airtight stainless steel containers all in different sizes, and Asian stainless steel lunch boxes that are in tiers of 2 and 3 layers. WOW - lots of options for lunches to bring to work or storing snacks for kids off to school for the day.  Oh yes and did I mention this company is Canadian!  I love saying that because it means no hidden shipping/duty/tax surprises when your order arrives.  They will ship to Canada and the US.

Have you heard about the online store called Bug & Blossom? WOW - what an awesome on-line site to source products for babies, kids, and new moms. They have everything you need AND they’re Canadian! I love saying that! One of their best product lines at the store is the organic skin care line Trukid. They have graciously agreed to honour the 20% discount off Trukid products for Canadian Mommy Footprint readers so we don’t have to pay extra costs with Trukid products coming up from the States. At the Bug & Blossom checkout, use the code ‘footprint’ and enjoy the savings! US parents wanting to source Trukid products can order via the Trukid site and also use the discount code ‘footprint’.

Trukid sunscreen was rated #2 from the Environmental Working Group, their facestick in particular, is an amazing product for kids. How awesome to not have to read ingredient labels or worry because this product line is 100% safe and non-toxic. Not only do they have sunscreen, but a full product line including shampoo, body/face wash, conditioner, hero stick for boo-boos, lipbalm, etc. Unlike the large companies that have dominated the bath skin care line for years with their products full of phthalates and fragrance, Trukid is leading the way to chemical free skin/hair care. I’ve tried sourcing all of these products because of Isabella’s eczema and my concern over how harsh most sunscreens and bath products react with her skin…it’s not easy! Well, it is now because these products are at my fingertips with the ease of on-line and low shipping within Canada.

Don’t wait, the 20% discount will expire August 22/08 and is valid for purchases over $25.00.