Blog Posts by Ask an Organic Mom, The Daily Green

As much as I'd like to ignore holidays devoted entirely to acquiring stuff, I cannot. I live in the modern world. And my almost four-year-old - who isn't a stuff-ist, actually - would notice. So would other relatives and friends.

So here's my top ten list of what to think about and look out for when gathering holiday presents for any small family member or friend.

1. Give Without Giving Stuff
Can you gift items that aren't stuff? Tickets to shows or a series of classes are a personal favorite. We always ask the grandparents for these. They support local theatres and businesses, are a great shared experience, and, in the case of classes, are really a gift that keeps on giving, especially in a long winter when getting out to go to a class (soccer, dance, music, etc.) is a much needed break from being indoors at home. Bonus: tickets and classes do not clutter the house, they do not later become landfill fodder, and they do not contain potentially harmful chemicals you do

Normally this organic mom steers clear of the vaccine debate. We skirted it in The Complete Organic Pregnancy on purpose - parents need to discuss the issues (real and less real) with their doctors and trusted advisers, and to make educated decisions that are right for their families. That's what I do. But what's right for me might not be right for you.

I cannot tell you how many emails I've gotten in the past few weeks asking me what to do about the H1N1 vaccine, and I don't feel like I can ignore them all. These are from pregnant moms, parents, and even concerned grandparents from all walks of life. These are people who have never given their kids shots, people who have delayed vaccinations and never done flu shots, people who do give shots for deadly diseases but tend to think of flu shots as unnecessary. It's a real conundrum. And it's made that much worse by the media hype and misinformation. There's even a pediatrician in my neighborhood telling parents there's something

There have been many studies coming out lately that validate my entire approach to pregnancy and parenting. The latest, just announced by the Washington Toxics Coalition (WTC), shows babies are exposed to chemicals in everyday consumer products even before they're born.

WTC tested blood and urine from pregnant women in California, Washington, and Oregon during their second trimester of pregnancy and the results showed chemicals that are found in a wide variety of consumer products.

From the study:

• 100% of study participants had bisphenol A (BPA) in their bodies, which is found in polycarbonate water bottles and food and beverage cans and has been linked to cancer, early puberty, diabetes, obesity, and reproductive problems.

• 100% had mercury, a known neurotoxin.

• Most had several different types of phthalates, which may have an impact on masculinity in boys. These are plasticizers and fragrance carriers found in consumer

I'm surrounded by newly pregnant people. Like too-early-to-tell-anyone early. But I'm the happy keeper of their wondrous secrets. Don't ask for hints on who I'm talking about. I won't tell.

It's funny how short that newly pregnant moment is, because when you're in it, it feels so long. And it's amusing how no one would ever guess because it's so not apparent bump-wise even if inside your own head it's the LOUDEST thing that has ever happened, and ever will again. Well, maybe until your own kid(s) tells you they're pregnant.

One pregnancy I'm spending a lot of time thinking about is a third. The first two times, the mom was severely nauseated. She threw up for months on end. And she's expecting to be so again. But until that nausea comes on, she's cramming herself full of all sorts of great and crucial food and sleeping when her kids will let her. These are weeks to take care of yourself as much as you possibly can. While we were on the phone strategizing about how best to

Hi,

I'm due any day now (!) and am planning on and really looking forward to breastfeeding my son. But I can't help but wonder how I will do it on the go. I'm not sure this is really an "organic" question but thought you might be willing to answer me about how this is all going to work?

Thanks.

-Marie from Connecticut

Marie,

Thanks for your question. As far as I am concerned, any question regarding breastfeeding is an "organic" question! What's more organic than breastfeeding?

Congrats on your plans. Intentions and plans are important when it comes to starting a breastfeeding relationship (that's lactation consultant speak - funny, no?); you can set yourself up for success. That said, breastfeeding isn't always easy. And can be far from it. It takes getting used to for you and the babe.

Which is why I commend you for already considering what it will be like to nurse in public. Some mothers really seem to be able to whip their breasts out anywhere,

Another great and timely reader question in my inbox this week:

I'd love to know what you think of Microban. It seems this label is appearing on more consumer products all of the time, but I'm kind of afraid of it since it sounds like an "antibacterial coating", and I wonder if it's really necessary. I will be having a baby in January, and I see a lot of baby and children's products that say they use Microban - so I'm wondering if I should be avoiding those products. I now question everything that states "antibacterial" - even those that say "naturally antimicrobial". Would you be able to clear this up for me?

Thank you,

Kim

Hi Kim,

I have seen this label on a lot of plastic items lately. I first saw it in potty seats a while back and most recently encountered it when I went to a store to buy "big girl scissors" for my three year old. Should you avoid it? Well I personally ran from the place - scissor-less - when I noticed every single pair was "protected by"

This week a great question arrived via Facebook email, from someone I went to school with. Here's her plea for advice:

I have a REALLY bad case of dandruff (and I apologize here for the TMI). I can't use dandruff shampoos because as a curly-haired girl they dry my hair. My dermatologist gave me something which works great BUT (and here's the problem) I'm trying to get pregnant and you're not supposed to use it if you are pregnant, and I don't want to risk it.

So ... as the organic pregnancy guru and a fellow curly-haired girl, any suggestions? I tried apple cider vinegar but it doesn't work.

I feel her pain. As someone who wages war with eczema and had tried every possible remedy - organic and otherwise - I know these itchy, flaky skin issues can be excruciating because they're impossible to figure out how to cure, uncomfortable, and ugly. I'm no expert on dandruff but from my research, it sounds like it can be as difficult to "fix" as eczema.

Here's my checklist to

In my neighborhood, Halloween has become a month-long holiday. If you've got young children, this can be sort of fun (who doesn't want to dress up in costumes and romp around at parties and street fairs for weeks on end?) but a big issue (too! much! candy!). I am a strong believer in the link between diet and behavior. It should come as no shocker that we eat basically no candy in my household. So I was interested last week when news of a British study linking daily candy intake in childhood to a life of crime wandered into my email inbox (over and over again - thanks for forwarding, everyone).

When you have a baby, the Hallow-hell candy fest is easy to avoid. They do notice the good stuff - costumes, parades - without focusing on the sugar overload part. Last year, when my daughter was two and a half, hiding the sugar started to become more difficult. This year I am screwed.

It's not that I never permit sweets - au contraire. It's that I want to be able to select the sweets