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Center for Science in the Public Interest advocates against BPA

April 7, 2008

The Center for Science in the Public Interest issued a warning April 3rd to pregnant women; reduce your exposure to BPA to avoid passing it to your unborn child.  Read the full article below.

Pregnant women told to avoid BPA packaging
By Charlotte Eyre
Food Production Daily

A US health-advocacy group has warned that pregnant women should reduce their exposure to packaging that contains bisphenol A (BPA) to avoid passing the controversial chemical to their unborn children.

The warning, from the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), will serve as yet more negative publicity for packaging companies, many of which use BPA when manufacturing polycarbonates for water bottles, canned soups and drinks, and baby food bottles.

“We don’t want to tell people not to eat canned beans or tomatoes,” said CSPI nutritionist David Schardt. “But at the same time, it makes sense for all parents, and especially pregnant and nursing women, to minimize the exposure of their kids’ developing bodies and brains to BPA.”

The group cites a scientific study published by the National Institute of Environmental Health (NIEH) in August last year, which warned that rats exposed to BPA experienced “a wide range of adverse effects”.

While the influence on humans has not yet been fully studied, the NIEH said that the changes in the animals indicated that BPA may provoke childhood health problems such as early onset of puberty, obesity, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and urogenital abnormalities.

According to the CSPI, these findings are worrying enough to call for pregnant women to boycott packaging products containing BPA.

“In fact, the food industry could make life easier by phasing it out entirely,” Schart said.

Bisphenol A was first studied in the 1930s as a possible mimic of the hormone estrogen in women. The chemical was later developed to make clear plastics for use in the food industry.

Several scientific results have been conducted into the safey of BPA in recent years, and researchers have also linked it to adult health concerns, especially breast and prostate cancer.

In 2007, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) set a maximum limit for human daily intake of BPA of five milligrams per kilo of body weight per day, but stressed that more studies were needed to link the chemical with human health problems.

The Canadian government has also launched a study into BPA, the results of which are expected later this year.

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A change for the better.

March 22, 2008

It seems early in our online life to make such a move, but my hubby and I have been frustrated and pushed over the edge. It started on a Friday night when I logged into our Internet store to find an order highlighted in red. There was a problem with payment. After a little digging I learned that the service we were using was having problems with their credit card processor. All right, things happen. We called up that customer and processed her order manually. No big deal.

But then it became a huge deal. By the time the weekend had come to an end, the credit card processor had failed FIVE MORE TIMES. We weren’t being notified. We were only learning of these errors by watching the report. My husband was on the phone with our customers as soon as the error came through. Some sales he was able to save, but others felt it was too frustrating and time consuming and were no longer interested or would rather shop elsewhere.

We could not get any technical help as our service provider was closed as of 5:00 p.m. Friday and would not open again until Monday morning.

On Saturday we began our search for a new store provider and soon we had our choices down to a few. We finally settled on one and were talking with them in an online chat late Saturday night and off and on Sunday. We couldn’t get that kind of service with our previous provider!

There are a lot more options in this storefront and behind the scenes that we were eager to learn about. There are some things we aren’t happy with though, me more so than my hubby. For example, because there is a size choice when buying the Natursutten pacifiers, we have to have a box for the different sizes and to enter the quantity desired. Unfortunately having those required options makes those particular page set ups different then the others. All the information about the pacifiers is all right there with no other clicks of the mouse to make, but I like having the tabs for more information, FAQ’s, testimonials, etc., as on the other pages. It makes the initial page short and to the point but still has further information available. The page layouts should be the same though….

Anyway, most things have been small and quick to fix. Thanks to those of you who pointed out the little glitches here and there or who responded to our emails about the site. We appreciate your help in creating a smooth working online store.

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The Foogo Myth

January 17, 2008

It has come to our attention that many moms and dads are finding that their Foogo sippy cup is leaking.  My nice cozy couch has been prey.  I didn’t know this until I sat on that said couch and felt my pants soaking up something cold indeed! The problem I found was on my end.  When I put my son’s sippy together fresh out of the dishwasher, I forgot one of the small clear pieces that makes this sippy leak proof.   

The Foogo comes in four pieces, plus the stainless steel body.  That does sound like a lot, I know, but you need all pieces, set firmly in their place, for the sippy to function properly.   

How to put sippy parts together.

You have the lid, soft spout, valve and what’s called the valve plate.  I discovered my wet back side was the consequence of forgetting the valve piece among the kids’ forks and spoons back in the dishwasher.   Even if you have all pieces, you must be sure to take an extra moment to press each piece firmly in place. I experimented with my son’s Foogo for a bit and found that it seems to matter if that little head on the valve plate pokes itself above the top of the valve.  When putting it together, it’s very easy to push on that part with your fingers, allowing the top of the valve plate to come right on through.  Don’t forget the other side.  That other area is for the air hole in the top of the lid.  If everything is flush and snug, your sippy won’t leave your pants, I mean, furniture, wet!

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It really is the closest thing to mom!

January 6, 2008

I breast fed my second son and am currently breastfeeding my third.  I tried to get away when number two was a baby, but it didn’t work.  He absolutely refused to take a bottle from his dad.  I had already accepted I’d be another living pacifier, this time to baby number three, slinging him on my hip, going wherever I went.  No date nights with my husband, no girl night outs with the ladies….

But then while researching what BPA free products to choose for our store, I found The Natural Nurser by Adiri.  Could this man made bottle compare to Mother Nature?  The only way I’d find out is if I tried it with my son.At first glance, the molded bottle with a twist bottom was unusual only because it was different than any other bottle currently on the market.  The colored area that extended from mid bottle to bottom was hard and comes in white, blue or orange.  The colors are not cosmetic.  They  categorize the different liquid flow rates, depending on baby’s age.  Closer to the nipple, the 100% polycarbonate-free material was surprisingly soft.  The nipple itself was a bit firmer and long enough that it did indeed represent the way mom’s would be once in baby’s mouth.  It depressed easily and I could imagine it being massaged comfortably between my babe’s tongue and the roof of his mouth.The “Twist and Feed System” is something else!  It really is possible to pour liquid into the bottle with one hand and be holding a baby in the other!My little one was a little confused at first.  He gnawed on it for a few seconds, but then he took the top in completely, his lips spread wide over the softer area like he was opening up for a Big Mac!  I knew then I wouldn’t be in a lock down. 

He’s a little older now and likes to carry his Stage Two Natural Nurser with him just about everywhere!  Here’s a cute picture I took of him doing just that! 

#2 with Adiri Natural Nurser Stage 2

Even though he is almost 11 months old, he still uses just the Stage Two bottle, which is for 3-6 month babies.  If I wanted to wean him off the breast I’d switch to Stage Three, the orange one, because it has a faster flow rate.  But I want to nurse him as long as possible, so I give him only a bottle that he still has to work at to get the milk.

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Treats For Troops

January 2, 2008

We recently became aware of a woman in our hometown area who has been supporting our troops over seas for a few years now.  She’s not sending the typical care packages of chewing gum, toothpaste and batteries.  What she does is mix together a few sweet, mouth watering ingredients and adds her own love and affection for those men and woman serving our country.

Connie has baked, packed, and shipped more than 30,000 cookies.  She joined the national Treats For Troops group, an organization of individuals who spend their own money and time on sending these care packages to our troops, based in Hilton Head Island, S.C., in 2005. 

My husband was in the military.  From them he got the training and education that has helped him reach his career goals.  We wanted not only to donate to this worthy cause, but pass on the word of these tasty deeds being done for our troops and make it easy for you to show your support.  100% of the proceeds go directly to the Treat the Troops program.

Click on the image below to make your donation today.

  

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