My Baby News Blog

Why Choose Organic Products for your Baby?

2011-08-18T12:31:00.000-07:00

Baby product manufacturers are offering an increasing number of organic choices in baby clothes, toys, bedding, baby carriers, diapers, mattresses, lotions and other products.

Organic products often cost more than their identical non-organic counterpart. So why are more and more parents choosing organic for their baby?

The reasons can be grouped into four categories:
1) Health concerns

2) Environmental concerns

3) Exclusive organic product

4) Intangibles

The Organic Trade Association defines organic, in part, as, “Organic production is based on a system of farming ... without the use of toxic and persistent pesticides and fertilizers...”

The manufacturing process for organic fabrics uses low-impact dyes or no dye and stays away from chlorine bleach and chemical finishers for things like wrinkle-free, stain resistant, flame retardant, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, anti-static, odor-resistant, permanent-press, non-shrink and softening agents.

Health Concerns
Organic products haven’t been exposed to the chemicals commonly used in non-organic farming and standard manufacturing processes. They also don’t contain the chemicals and materials found in synthetic materials such as polyester and plastic. Studies have shown many of these chemicals and materials are hazardous in large doses.

With so many different products and manufacturing processes, it may be hard to make a generalization about; A) How much of the unwanted chemicals remain in the finished product and, B) Whether exposure to ultra small amounts of the undesirable chemicals is harmful. There’s plenty of anecdotal evidence, however, of people developing sensitivities to various commercial products.

Conventional clothing dyes and garment finishes are believed to cause a wide variety of health problems for chemically sensitive people ranging from skin rashes, headache, trouble concentrating, nausea, diarrhea, fatigue, muscle and joint pain, dizziness, difficulty breathing, irregular heartbeat, and seizures. Symptoms in children are believed to include red cheeks and ears, dark circles under the eyes, hyperactivity, and behavior or learning problems.

Some parents are distrustful of the safety net in place to protect the public from chemicals in our products which are truly harmful, not just to people with chemical sensitivities. The combination of industry product safety testing and governmental oversight has not always succeeded in filtering out dangerous products. Numerous cases can be cited of chemicals which were widely accepted as safe for many years, only to later be banned as toxic.

Every parent wants to create a safe and clean environment for their child. Choosing organic products will reduce exposure to a variety of substances and may help avoid allergic reactions in a person with chemical sensitivities.

Environmental Concerns
The impacts on the environment of conventional cotton farming are significant. It’s been reported that 25% of all pesticides used internationally are for cotton farming. Cotton is also a major user of synthetic fertilizer. There are many documented cases throughout the world of air and groundwater contamination stemming from the use of these chemicals.

Toxic chemicals from dyes also create severe environmental havoc. Large amounts of water are used to flush conventional synthetic dyes from garments and then this waste water must be treated to remove the heavy metals and other toxic chemicals before it can be returned to water systems, sewers and rivers. At least that is what should happen.

Most garments are produced in developing countries where pollution controls are often lax or nonexistent. Discharges from huge numbers of the textile producers go straight into rivers where the river water might be bright green one day and yellow the next. Developing countries are also lacking in standards and enforcement concerning the use of toxic chemicals in dyes and garment finishes.

Organic cotton and alternative fibers such as soy, hemp, bamboo, silk and wool can have a reduced environmental impact.

Unless you live in an agricultural or industrial area, you may not be personally affected by these negative impacts to the environment. Concern for the global environment, however, may lead you to choose organic.

Exclusive Organic Product
A number of new product lines like clothing, bedding and toys are being made exclusively with organic materials. An identical non-organic product does not exist. In these cases, you may choose the organic product based on its style, function, value and overall desirability. The organic content may elevate the item to “premium product” status in your mind.

Intangibles
Some people are “organic” and some aren’t.

I’ve talked to customers who bristle at the “political correctness” of organic, natural and recycled products. They would never pay more for the organic labeled product and, in fact, prefer the conventional product. Not only doesn’t the organic label have any added value for them, but it represents an imposition on them of someone else’s value system. For this consumer, the conventional product will be their choice.

Other customers are lukewarm, and may choose the organic product only if it’s the same price. Or, they may feel a small additional measure of safety in choosing the organic product for their baby.

Then there are the true believers. These consumers will choose organic, natural and recycled whenever possible. Maybe they have personal experience with chemical sensitivity; maybe they are strongly concerned with the global environment. They may be especially skeptical of the private/public product safety assurance system. To them, the organic content is a feature that adds significant value.

With the increased popularity of organic products, the price premium is shrinking. We can expect to continue to see more organic alternatives and exclusive organic baby products in the future. - George

World Breastfeeding Week 2011

2011-07-07T11:02:00.000-07:00

World Breastfeeding Week is August 1 - 7, 2011.

Since the inaugural year of World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) in 1991, the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) has paved the way for hundreds of countries to join together and protect, promote, and support breastfeeding in their communities. WBW website

The World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) is a global network of individuals and organizations concerned with the protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding worldwide. WABA website

The theme for 2011 is focused on engaging and mobilizing youth with the slogan: "Talk to me! Breastfeeding - a 3D Experience".

In connection with WBW, the Quintessence Breastfeeding Challenge 2011 is sponsored by the Quintessence Foundation. Quintessence is a non-profit group providing education to parents and professionals about breastfeeding. Quintessence website

Quintessence Breastfeeding Challenge 2011

On October 1, 2011 at 11:00 am mothers and children at sites across Canada, the United States and other countries around the world will compete to set the record for the most children breastfeeding at one time

Why this challenge? Breastfeeding has many well-documented benefits including better health for both mothers and babies. It has become very clear from the disasters such as earthquakes that the world has watched through modern media, that breastfeeding plays a lifesaving role not only in day to day life but also when the unexpected comes into our lives. In the middle of chaos and destruction, breastfeeding protects the most vulnerable- young children. However, many women fail to meet their own breastfeeding goals and wean their children prematurely, well before meeting recommended guidelines. Two of the biggest hurdles for mothers continue to be lack of support and marginalization by the community. In North America this lack of support is demonstrated as many women find breastfeeding in public a major barrier.

The Quintessence Breastfeeding Challenge began in 2001 in British Columbia Canada with 856 children at 26 sites. By 2010, there were 4,373 children in eighteen countries at over 213 sites with a total of over 20,000 supporters. We hope for even greater support in 2011!

This event takes place as part of the celebration of World Breastfeeding Week in Canada. The theme for World Breastfeeding Week is Talk to me! Breastfeeding- 3D highlighting the need to communicate with sectors of society about the importance of breastfeeding and human milk and the need to promote protect and actively support breastfeeding in our communities. One key step is welcoming mothers to breastfeed anytime! Challenge website

National Nurse-In

A new grassroots group is promoting an initiative in conjunction with WBW - the National Nurse-In.

"When women want to breastfeed, there are many things that can interfere with their success, but one important one is the education and support of the medical professionals in the mother's life. Despite a lactation consultant's expertise, unfortunately any advice given by an in-office LC can be overridden by the pediatrician, even when it's contrary to the needed practices to continue breastfeeding. This is a huge flaw in the medical system."

"The goal of the nurse-in is to demonstrate outside hospitals and doctor's offices, to spread the message that pediatricians and nurses either need to become educated and trained in breastfeeding, or need to actually default to the real trained professionals when it comes to lactation. Too many times a doctor's own bias or lack of information is the leading cause of a woman's failure to have the breastfeeding relationship she desired, and can even make her feel inadequate." National Nurse-In website

More related links:

http://thestir.cafemom.com/baby/122615/breastfeeding_advocacy_strengthens_with_national

KellyMom.com

Tough New Crib Standards - June 28, 2011

2011-06-28T11:26:00.000-07:00

Beginning June 28, all cribs manufactured and sold in the U.S. must comply with new and improved federal safety standards. The new rules, which apply to full-size and non full-size cribs, prohibit the manufacture or sale of traditional drop-side rail cribs, strengthen crib slats and mattress supports, improve the quality of hardware and require more rigorous testing.

Retailers and crib manufacturers have had several months notice of this change and have purged their inventories of non-conforming cribs.

The biggest impact to the general public is that it is now illegal to sell a used crib - even between private parties. Only cribs that are certified to the new standard may be sold on the used market. A search of Craig's List SF Bay Area this morning returns over 1,000 postings of cribs for sale. Few, if any, of these cribs may legally be sold.

At My Baby News, all the cribs we have for sale are in full conformity with current safety standards.

If you purchased a crib before June 28, 2011, it may be possible to order a retrofit kit from the manufacturer which will bring your crib in conformity with the new standard. Each crib manufacturer has a list of cribs that can and cannot be brought into conformity with the use of a retrofit kit.

Non-conforming cribs have not been recalled - they continue to be safe to use in accordance with the manufacturers instructions. It's a good idea to check the Consumer Product Safety Commission's website for recalls and safety information if you are using a crib for the first time.

The new rules also apply to cribs currently in use at child care centers and places of public accommodation. By December 28, 2012, these facilities must use only compliant cribs that meet the new federal safety standards.

More details of the rules are available on Consumer Product Safety Commission's website at:
http://www.cpsc.gov/onsafety/2011/06/the-new-crib-standard-questions-and-answers/

Baby Idol - Baby Photo Contest

2011-05-23T10:00:00.000-07:00

We are a lead sponsor of "Baby Idol", a baby photo contest being held by Santa Rosa radio station, Y100.9.

Designer Showcase Features My Baby News

2011-05-14T10:03:00.000-07:00

We're proud to be the supplier of nursery furniture and decor for the 2011 Sonoma Designer Showcase House at the Fox Hill Estate in Kenwood. Interior Designer, Susy McBride, has created a beautiful nursery for twins using premium cribs, dressers and decor supplied by My Baby News.

2011 Sonoma Designer Showcase House
At Fox Hill Estate in Kenwood - Sponsored by the Rotary Club - A benefit for United Cerebral Palsy of the North Bay | Kenwood Education Foundation | The Boys and Girls Club

The Showcase Home is owned and built by Reiter Fine Home Building who has created an exquisite European-Style Farm House that features reclaimed architectural elements from Europe that have been expertly merged with eco-friendly building materials.

Reiter Fine Home Building brings a unique combination of construction expertise and design aesthetic which results in authentic, richly detailed estate. The public can view 10 professionally IDS designed spaces in this 4,500-square-foot home and the 800 square-foot guest house.

Open Thursday - Sunday May 12th - 15th & 19th - 22nd
11am - 4:30pm last entry
Tickets are $25 at the door
Event parking will be at
Chateau St. Jean Winery
8555 Sonoma Highway in Kenwood

http://www.idswinecountry.com/showcase-house-2011.html

The 14th Annual Great Petaluma Chili Cookoff, Salsa & Beer Tasting

2011-04-29T16:13:00.000-07:00

My Baby News is proud to announce that we are competing in the The 14th Annual Great Petaluma Chili Cookoff, Salsa & Beer Tasting! Our category is "Meat Chili - Businesses".

Our team is called, "Yeah, Baby!". We've got the bad teeth. We've got the funky glasses. But most of all, we've got the grooviest most switched-on chili recipe that'll be sure to get your mojo going! Oh, behave!

Join us! All the details are here:
http://www.cinnabartheater.org/chili/index.html

The Great Cloth Diaper Change 2011

2011-04-01T16:06:00.000-07:00

Cloth diapers have come a long way in the past ten years. An event called The Great Cloth Diaper Change 2011 is creating buzz not only in North America but all over the world. On Saturday, April 23, 2011 in locations all around the globe, The Great Cloth Diaper Change will set a world record for the most cloth diapers ever changed simultaneously.

My Baby News is proud to be a host site for this effort. Pre-registration forms are available in our stores now. Join us at 9 a.m. at our Santa Rosa store for refreshments, raffle prizes and a little bit of silliness while we participate in this international movement!

Parents, child birth educators, lactation consultants, pediatricians and environmentally responsible businesses agree that it is not environmentally or financially justified to continue sending billions of disposable diapers to landfills every year where it will take hundreds of years for them to decompose. Heather McNamara, of the Real Diaper Association, says that “our local volunteers are finding growing numbers of parents coming to find out about cloth diapers, whether it be for environmental, financial, or health reasons - - or even because these diapers are just plain cute!” It is the hope of the organizers that this event will be an eye opener and an inspiration for expecting and new parents to use cloth diapers, a more planet friendly alternative that also saves parents substantial money.

Help set a Guinness World Record. Follow the challenge on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/GreatClothDiaperChange and Twitter www.twitter.com/ClothRecord and, for frequent updates, http://www.greatclothdiaperchange.com.
Date and Time is Saturday, April 23 at 9AM Pacific ‐ which means that on a global level some CD enthusiasts will gather and do the diaper change in the middle of the night. Exact information is available on a local level so that all participants, no matter where they live, can find the appropriate location and time.
A multitude of locations will be available for families all over the U.S and around the globe, across the ocean, in Europe, Australia, and the list keeps growing. Parents, care givers, educators, retailers, playgroups, day care centers – anybody can apply to become an organizer and host a location.
This event is part of a larger (and growing) movement. Participants may contribute $1 (or more) at all North American events to benefit the Real Diaper Association, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization working to help families across the U.S. and Canada find and use reusable cloth diapers.
Rules: Show-up time is 9 a.m. Child must be no longer than 39 inches. One adult per child. Child must be changed into a commercially available cloth diaper.

Petaluma Grand Opening - Saturday, February 5th

2011-01-30T14:13:00.000-08:00

You're invited to join us at our new Petaluma store on Saturday, February 5th for our Grand Opening Celebration!

We'll have special one-day sale prices ..... free raffle for premium baby product and store gift cards .... refreshments .... product demonstrations .... and a live radio broadcast by The MIX. Register for your baby shower and receive a free gift!

Saturday, February 5th

10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

921 Lakeville Street, Petaluma

In the Lucky's Gateway Shopping Center

Coming Soon to Petaluma

2010-11-07T08:55:00.000-08:00

I scream, you scream, we all scream for Petaluma! The papers are all signed. My Baby News will open a Petaluma store in mid-December.

We’re building out our new space right now at the Petaluma Gateway Shopping Center on Lakeville Street near Highway 101. Our neighbors are Luckys, McDonald’s and Blockbuster Video. The center is just across the street from that well-known Petaluma landmark, In-N-Out Burger.

The new store will carry the full line of baby products you’ve come to expect from My Baby News; Cribs, strollers, car seats, baby clothes, bedding, gifts, toys, and all the rest. It’ll be your one-stop shop in southern Sonoma County!

By expanding, we hope to better serve our customers in Petaluma as well as the other nearby towns of Novato, Sonoma and Napa. And it should help relieve congestion at the Santa Rosa store during peak busy times.

Petaluma is a great town and we look forward to becoming a contributing member of the community. - George

What’s Up with All the Crib Recalls?

2010-10-10T12:12:00.000-07:00

“It seems like there’s a recall of baby cribs announced every week. What’s going on with cribs and how do I choose a safe one?”

You’re right; there have been over a dozen major crib recalls announced in the last few years involving nearly ten million cribs. The vast majority of these recalls have been for “drop-side” cribs. Drop-side cribs are cribs having one side which moves up and down. This is so the adult can reach in and get the baby easier when the side is in the lowered position. Usually, the side is lowered by leaning into it with the adult’s knee.

The moving side of the crib slides up and down in a track and is operated by a mechanism using springs. These mechanisms sometimes are installed incorrectly by the consumer. Sometimes they break or wear out over time. Sometimes the wood warps or screws get loose. When the mechanism malfunctions, the moving side of the crib can detach from the track. It may fall off entirely. A more dangerous situation arises when the moving side of the crib partially detaches and creates gaps that can lead to entrapment, suffocation or strangulation.

Other reasons for recent crib recalls are; 1) lead in the paint, 2) instability in the metal spring support under the mattress. If you’re using an older crib, you’ll need to check the recall list and other safety suggestions at the website for the US Consumer Products Safety Commission (http://www.cpsc.gov/info/cribs/index.html).

If you’re buying a new crib, there are a lot of safe and beautiful choices on the market.

While some drop-side cribs are still being sold, you may want to choose a stationary side crib with no moving parts. One alternative, particularly for a shorter adult, is a “Safety-Gate” crib by Baby’s Dream. In this design, a small section of the front of the crib releases on a hinge allowing the adult to access the baby easier (http://www.babysdream.com/SafetyGate.aspx).

Other features you may want to look for:

Crib converts to a toddler bed and an adult bed
Availability of matching dressers, chests and changers
Solid wood construction (no particle board or plywood)
Multiple mattress height adjustments
Compliance with the highest standards for formaldehyde, lead and phthalates
Green company practices

We are proud to represent these premium manufacturers of safe cribs and nursery furniture:

Munire (http://www.munirefurniture.com/main.htm)
Baby’s Dream (http://www.babysdream.com/Default.aspx)
Million Dollar Baby (http://www.milliondollarbaby.com/)

- George

6 Things I Like about Santa Rosa

2010-09-17T17:45:00.001-07:00

Our country is full of great home towns. Indiana has plenty of them, so does Colorado and most of the other fifty states. Count me among the self-satisfied people who like where we live.

I moved to Santa Rosa when I was a nineteen-year-old college student at Sonoma State University. In all, I’ve lived in nine different houses in Santa Rosa over the last thirty-four years.

Things I like:

1) Can’t complain about the weather. It’s usually mild, mostly warm, and not too rainy. In the summer, humidity isn’t an issue, and it almost always cools down at night. Indian summer can make October, November and December positively spring-like.

2) Not too big, not too small. One hundred and sixty thousand people means we don’t have to go elsewhere for necessities. All your major shopping, government, health care, recreation, education, culture and employers are here. Big city problems creep in, but they don’t dominate the conversation.

3) Close to a lot of great stuff. I’ve always enjoyed the beaches, even though they aren’t the sun-drenched bikini-clad variety. Big city attractions are at our doorstep; San Francisco, of course, but also there’s fun stuff to be found in Sacramento, San Jose and Oakland. Redwoods, wineries, state parks, small towns and Lake Tahoe , too.

4) Not touristy. Unless you have relatives here, I don’t think you’re coming on vacation to Santa Rosa. (Sorry, Department of Tourism!) The people you see walking around are people who live here, work here and go to school here. I’m all for vibrant commerce, but it feels better to me to live in a town focused on serving the locals, not the strangers.

5) The ”L” word. Liberal. There, I said it. This area is liberal and that suits me just fine. I may have some independent and conservative opinions mixed in here and there, but I’m happy we have a pretty accepting attitude here.

6) Downtown has a good feel to it. There’s always room for improvement and some people would like to see grand things happen to downtown, but I kind of like it the way it is. I live in an old neighborhood near downtown and often walk or drive in for events, errands, restaurants or just a stroll.

Santa Rosa has been berry, berry good to me. - George

Our Place in the Retail Landscape

2010-09-16T11:58:00.000-07:00

Over the last few years, the retail world has been full of news of store closings and going out of business sales. How does a local, independent specialty store like My Baby News make a place for itself in the current retail environment?

Right down the street from us are Target, Toys R Us, WalMart, Sears and all the other big box discount stores. They carry the same product categories we do – strollers, car seats, cribs and all the rest. Every one of us is just a few mouse clicks away from hundreds of online stores with more of the same. Used baby products are widely available both locally and online. Who needs a My Baby News?

Fortunately, people buy a lot of baby products. Even in a suburban/rural area like Sonoma County, there’s room for all kinds of different baby products stores. My Baby News doesn’t need all of WalMart’s business to be successful, we only need a little piece. We don’t need to beat out hundreds of online stores for their millions of customers; we only need a few. There seems to be plenty of business to go around.

To get our share of the business, we need to do one thing. Be different. If our store looks like Target, there’s no reason to come in. We don’t carry the same products as the big box discounters. We let them handle the lower end products, and we carry the next step up; the middle and higher end products. We don’t make our customers roam the isles by themselves like at the discounters; we have sales people to explain the products. Our stock is not limited to what’s on the shelf; we carry multiple color choices and we’ll place special orders. The wood furniture we carry comes fully assembled and is too big to be shipped by UPS or FedEx; so it’s not available from online stores or in the big boxes.

To be successful, it’s not necessary for us to outsell the national chains or the internet. Our goal is to create a full line baby store that fills a niche for local parents looking for top quality baby products that can’t be found elsewhere in the area. We strive to bring in new, innovative products before they appear in the national chain stores. We’re on the leading edge with organic and safety-conscious products. Our store is for parents who want to talk with knowledgeable sales people about making the best choices.

I love online shopping for some things and I love big box discounters for some things. Fortunately, I'm also lucky enough to have the additional choices and shopping experiences provided by our robust community of local specialty stores. - George

A Short History of My Baby News

2010-09-13T09:40:00.000-07:00

My Baby News, under one name or another, has been in business in Santa Rosa since the 1960’s. Originally Lohman’s Baby News in Montgomery Village, the store moved to Santa Rosa Avenue in the 1990’s and was alternately renamed Heller’s Baby News, Baby News Outlet, Baby News Children’s Store and now, My Baby News.

My Baby News is a member of the Baby News network of about fifty stores in the U.S. and abroad. All the stores are independently owned. California has fourteen stores. The Baby News network does not impose a standardized store format or design on its members. Each member is free to create the look of their store and decide what products are carried.

The Baby News network provides valuable benefits for the member stores. These include group buying to get the best possible price from manufacturers, cooperative advertising, and most importantly, the opportunity to meet with and develop relationships with the other store owners, sharing ideas and experiences.

My wife and I bought the store in 2007 and renamed it, My Baby News. My previous career was as a CPA, business broker and business appraiser. My wife, Paula, also had a long career as a CPA before operating an interior design and home staging business for several years. Two of our four children work with us in the store.

We find retail to be an exciting and energizing business and a good fit for us. Being around all the babies and young parents is our fountain of youth! - George

First post in new blog

2010-09-13T08:48:00.000-07:00

Just set up this blog today. Hopefully we'll develop this into a nice resource for our fantastic My Baby News community! - George