Mommy Plannerista

Planning. Passions. Parenthood.

Buds Baby: Organic Alone Is Not Enough

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As a mom, I’m very careful about the products that I use on my kids, especially on my youngest, Zander, who has sensitive skin. I usually gravitate towards natural and organic products because I know that they don’t contain harsh chemicals that can irritate my kids’ skin. But did you know that organic alone is not enough? That’s what I learned a few weeks ago at the launch event of Buds Baby Philippines at Lola’s Cafe in Quezon City.

Buds Organics is a Malaysian brand of organic personal care products for babies, toddlers and children that include a line-up of shampoos, skincare lotions, organic oils and toothpaste gels. Buds Organics also has mommy products like breast massage oil, nursing salve and soothing belly cream. These products are all certified organic by ECOCERT in France.

Organic Certification

The key phrase here is “certified organic”. I learned that although there are many baby brands out there that claim that their products are natural and organic, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s true. This is because no one governs the words “natural” and “organic”. So, how do we know their claims are true then, right?

The only way to know if products are natural and organic is by way of a certification from organic certification bodies like ECOCERT. ECOCERT conducts inspections in over 80 countries, making it one of the largest organic certification organizations in the world. They require that 95% of the ingredients used in any product be of natural origin and have extremely strict restrictions on what is allowed in the remaining 5%. For a product to be certified organic, 95% of the ingredients must be of certified organic origin AND a minimum of 10% of the total product must be organic.

So moms and dads, we really should be very careful about reading the label on baby products before we use them on our kids!

Buds Baby Products

I was happy to learn that Buds Baby finds this important as well and so they chose to be certified by ECOCERT. In fact, it is the only certified organic baby skin care brand in the Philippines. All of its products have gone through safety assessment in the UK in accordance to EU standards. They have no harmful chemicals and GMO (genetically modified organism) ingredients. Each product is environment-friendly and made from safe, mild, effective, and the highest quality organic and natural ingredients.

Buds Baby also has the largest range of certified organic baby skin care products in the world including the following:

Buds Everyday Organics (BEO)

This is a full line of effective and protective products to meet baby’s needs, developed for daily use. This includes cleansers creams, diaper rash, lotions, sunscreen and more.

Buds Soothing Organics (BSO)

This line is what I’m most excited about because our Zander has bouts of eczema. This line was developed to meet the needs of babies with severe dry skin, eczema, and other problems like nappy rash, insect bites, small cuts and wounds, cradle cap, and tummy discomfort among others.

I’m so glad that their eczema care products are steroid-free. A lot of the products available in the market these days have steroids and I don’t want that for my baby as much as possible.

Buds Cherished Organics (BCO)

This is the premium organic skin care line for moms and babies. The products include breast massage oil, nursing salve and belly cream for moms. I could definitely use these!

Buds Oral Care Organics

This line features a toothpaste for every stage of a child’s development from 1 to 12 years old.

Buds for Kids

This line of basic skincare products are meant for kids 3 years old and above.

Buds Household Eco – Powered by Nature

Aside from skincare, they also have an ECOCERT certified natural detergent, plus fabric softeners, bottle and utensil cleaner, and floor cleaner.

I’m excited to explore the Buds Baby range of products! If you wish to learn more about them, you can visit www.budsbaby.ph or follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

But wait, there’s more!

If you wish to purchase Buds Baby products, you can get a discount! Buds Baby Philippines has so generously given me a promo code that you readers of mine can use.

Just use the code BUDS10OFFPLANNERISTA to get a discount on your purchase on the site.

So, what are you waiting for? Check out Buds Baby now!

 

Crib Safety — Top 6 Ways To Keep Your Baby Safe

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Over 2 dozen babies each day have some sort of crib related injury in the United States.   These are injuries that can be prevented!  Here are my top 6 ways to keep your baby safe in the crib:

  1. Make sure your crib is up to standards

You may not be aware of this, but there are federal regulations put in place that dictate what crib manufacturers must do to make sure cribs are safe.  Cribs are no longer allowed to have drop sides as of 2011, as they were banned by the United States Consumer Product and Safety Commission  and manufacturers are subject to federal recalls often if their crib does not meet federal guidelines.   Make sure your crib is not on a recall or a “do not buy” list.  Additionally, if your crib is a hand-me-down or purchased at a second-hand store you’ll definitely want to inspect it extra carefully, because it may not have undergone the same testing as the cribs that were sold in the major chain stores.

  1. Double check your crib hardware

Double check your crib hardware to make sure everything is up to specifications.   The slats should be no more than 2 3/8 inches apart.   There should be no giant holes or spaces, like wood cut outs or decorations, because your baby can get his head stuck and either break his neck or suffocate.  You should also check for splinters, screws that aren’t screwed in properly, crooked nails, brackets or hardware that might be jutting out, and any other elements that may pose harm or injury to baby.

  1.   Make sure you have the best crib mattress and that it fits properly

If you’re not sure which crib mattress is best, check out this list of top rated and reviewed crib mattresses for 2017.   Generally, crib mattresses should be between 27 5/8” in width and 51 3/4 to 53 inches in length, although the bare minimum accepted standard size for a crib mattress is 27 1/4 by 51 5/8 inches.   The mattress itself should be no thicker than 6 inches, and it should be properly seated between the crib walls.  If you can fit more than two fingers between the crib and the mattress around any point of the mattress, your baby is in danger and the mattress needs to be bigger so it achieves a tighter fit.

  1.  Only use minimal bedding for baby

Your baby probably looks uncomfortable lying on a sheet without anything else, but that’s what is appropriate for your baby.  We spoil ourselves with extra pillows, throws, stuffed animals, and anything else that seems comfortable, but the truth is that’s all a choking and suffocation hazard for baby.  The proper set up for your baby’s crib is one crib mattress and one crib sheet pulled tightly over the mattress, that’s it.  If your baby seems cold, or uncomfortable, you can swaddle her or use a sleep sack.  Anything else puts baby at risk for suffocation.

  1.    Make sure your baby sleeps face up

SIDS, or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is the cause of many babies dying in their cribs, in their sleep.  This is a horrible and tragic thing but you can lessen or even prevent your chances of something happening to baby by making sure you follow all of these instructions.   When you place baby in the crib, he should always be face up and on his back.   A common misconception is that baby may be more comfortable in the fetal position, but the truth is that baby cannot turn over at this point for a reason.  Make sure he sleeps on his back to avoid the risk of SIDS.

  1.    Get rid of anything dangerous around the crib area.

Mobiles, lamps, mattress pad ties, and anything with strings or wires can pose a choking or strangulation hazard for baby.  Make sure all cords, ties, and cables are tied extremely securely and well out of reach for baby.  Blinds and curtains should be far enough away to not be able to be grabbed, and the family pets should be restricted from climbing on the crib or bringing items into the crib.  When baby is old enough to start to crawl and stand, you should remove the mobile so she cannot reach it and chew or bite on it.

Crib safety can be a very scary thing—- it’s extremely common for mothers to stay up all night worried watching the monitor because they can’t hear baby breathing.  It’s something that everyone goes through, but as long as you follow these simple tips and take all of the proper precautions you and your child will both be able to sleep like a baby!

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