mother nature

BPA-free Feeding Bottles - To Let Go!

2009-08-24T11:39:00.019+08:00

My youngest boy - hao wen is turning 3 this September and I still have many units of Avent and Momo bpa-free bottles with me. Wanted to let go some of these stocks to those mommies who are looking for a safe feeding bottles.

Avent Natural Feeding Bottle (BPA-free)

9oz/ 260ml (dual pack) with 2 Extra Soft Slow Flow Silicone Nipple

Purchased from Amazon.com (US)

Wish to let go at RM90.00 (postage not included)

Units to let go : 2

Momo (PA) BPA-free Feeding Bottles:-

Anti-colic slow flow silicone nipple with high strength and transparency (Do not worry if you can't get momo nipple here. Avent nipple will fit perfectly)

Free of bisphenol-A (BPA), phthalates & PVC

Non-toxic, lead-free paint

FDA standard compliant

More info about this bpa-free bottles, please click here

8oz/ 240ml (single) with 1 slow flow silicone nipple

Colours : blue/ green/ yellow

Purchased from Amazon.com (US)

Wish to let go at RM30.00 (postage not included)

Units to let go : 4

Delivery : COD can be arranged around Old Klang Road, Jalan Kuchai Lama, Sri Petaling and Bukit Jalil area at no cost. Or by Registered Post - depends on parcel's weight (buyer have to agree and payment to be made before goods are delivered)

Method of payment : Bank-in

Email me at yvonne74@gmail.com should you need further clarifications or you are interested with the above bottles.. Cheers!

BPA-free Feeding Bottles

2009-08-22T20:01:00.019+08:00

Would like to share some information about BPA-free bottles here:-

What is Bisphenol A (BPA) ?

BPA is an industrial chemical commonly used in the manufacturing of clear polycarbonate plastic, about 95% of plastic baby bottles are made of polycarbonate (PC), including most famous brands in the market.Scientist and international organization have identified Bisphenol A (BPA) as a potential reproductive and development toxin, as well as a hormone-disrupting chemical. Heating polycarbonate (PC) bottles or pouring hot liquids into PC bottles could increase the rate of BPA leaching from bottles.

What Can We Do to Keep Our Child Safe ?

Avoid polycarbonate plastic (PC), which contains BPA (bisphenol A)

If we have have to continue to use PC bottles, do not use harsh detergents or put bottles in the dishwasher. Instead, clean the bottles with warm soapy water and a sponge. Scouring brushes can scratch the surface of the bottles can increase leaching rates of chemicals.

Do not fill PC bottles with hot liquids as BPA tends to leach faster with higher temperatures.

Discard worn PC bottles that are cloudy or scratched. Chemical leach into food more easily when PC bottles break down.

It was a year ago, my younger boy Hao Wen was using Avent (not the bpa-free type) since he was born. Very happy with their bottles but not until this bpa-free issue arises. I don't really wanted to take any risk after reading the report about this toxic chemical in our bb's feeding bottles. Avent BPA-free bottles are still yet to be launched in Malaysia last year. Even till now this bpa-free range can only be purchased from the online store.

The online store which is selling this Avent bpa-free bottles was running out of stock due to the popular demand. It seems like i am not the only panic mummy who's looking for this safe bottles!

So, what i did was to purchase this bottles from an U.S. online store - Amazon.com. In fact, I had stocked up "quite a lot" of these bpa-free feeding bottles for Hao Wen as i really don't know when are these bottles coming to Malaysia!!

Avent bpa-free bottles (dual pack)

Besides Avent, i also found out that there's another type of bpa-free bottle that is comparable with my favourite Avent bottle, the brand is called Momo. Momo bpa-free bottles is made of polyamide (PA) and are more economical compare to Avent. The best thing I like about Momo is their bottles are compatible with my Avent nipple. It fits perfectly! We all know very well that our little baby don't really mind a new type of bottle BUT they are VERY fussy about the nipple...!

Momo (PA) bpa-free bottles

Toothpaste for Kids (SLS free)

2009-08-07T11:40:00.018+08:00

Just need to share a good product here, called "Snappy Jaws" toothpaste - not for grownups.

I came across this safe toothpaste when i was searching for castile soap at Country's Farm Organic shop in Bangsar Village. It's imported from Australia with no sugar, no fluoride, no SLS - a natural way to fight tooth decay. Their active ingredient is called Xylitol - a natural substance from the Birch tree. It fights acid-producing germs which cause tooth decay.

Ingredients : Calcium hydrogen phosphate, water, sorbitol (from berries), glycerine, hydrated silica, lauryl glucoside (from palm), natural flavour, hydrogenated castor oil, vegetable gum, citric acid, potassium sorbate, peppermint oil, natural colour.

Comes in 3 natural flavours - superstrawberry, orange and pineapple.

Selling price : RM19.40

or you may check it out at their website : http://www.naturesgoodness.com.au/

Before this, the boys are using Kodomo lion and they also tried Jordan kid's toothpaste once (they prefer kodomo lion). Kodomo lion has yummy taste and very foamy and Jordan only comes with 1 flavour which taste a bit funny and less foamy (both with SLS and fluoride).

My personal review on this product :- This is a safe toothpaste for the kids as it didn't contain artificial sweetener (saccharin), Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (detergent foaming agent-toxic!) and fluoride; as kids normally have the tendency to swallow the toothpaste while they're brushing their teeth. However, there is always a price to pay if we need a good product; it's 5 times more expensive compared with Kodomo Lion. Will not mind to pay a little more as this is very safe to be put into my kids' mouth everyday.

Just got a new tube today (this is the 3rd), but they are running out of stock for the strawberry flavour so i choose the orange flavour. Hope the boys will like it...!

"scary spider" and "ghost"

2009-08-06T10:38:00.006+08:00

With the recent outbreak of H1N1 flu, we have not bringing the children to our favourite shopping mall (mid valley) every Saturday morning where we'll usually have breakfast and then head off to MPH bookstore.

Saturday is our family day, the children will relax and have fun with daddy and mummy after 5 days of schooling. So, mummy is given a task now as to think of some interesting activities that we can do with the kids at home.

Hao Wen was watching "The Little Einstein" one day and that episode was showing some scary spider and ghost. He didn't not find this show scary but very interesting and entertaining instead!! It gives me an idea to make this 'paper spider' (learned from Barney's show) and 'ghost' over the last weekend. I used craft paper and old cloth to make these. Not very nicely done, especially the ghost but we really enjoy the moment when we're doing these together. I did the paper cutting and hao wen helped to paste the eyes and mouth for the spider. For the "ghost'', he helped me to draw a big smile on it.

When these are done, hao wen will bring his scary stuff around and look for a target to scare them off! So, everyone must act and shows that "oh.. it's so scary....!". Ha-ha. that's kind of fun!

Manuka Honey

2009-07-28T10:42:00.009+08:00

As mention in my post earlier, i was trying some natural remedies to help Chi Wen and Hao Wen sinus problem. I have bought this manuka honey with Active 5% from a organic shop somewhere near OUG market where i used to do my marketing every Sunday morning. The shop owner is very helpful and will only recommend something within your budget. I was given a choice of an organic manuka honey with active 5% (RM70 after discount) and a non-organic and non-active manuka honey (RM30). I took the organic one since it comes with active 5% and it sounds like more effective, i guess... ha ha!

Woodland's Organic Manuka Honey Active 5%, after discount- RM70.00 (500gm)

Notes:-
- Unpasteurised Active Manuka Honey
- Very thick texture, pure and dark brown in colour (the darker the better)
- Do not give honey to young children (below 2 years)
- Do not use metal spoon on honey
- Do not mix honey with hot water

At first, i let both the boys have the honey water and they don't really like it! OMG, what happened? Aren't honey sweet and children suppose to love it?? So, i give it another try by given them the honey straight from the spoon without mixing it with water. Surprisingly they like it because it is really sweeeeeet !!

It has been a month now and i still didn't notice any significant improvement on their sinus. However, it really helps on the digestive system- good bowel movement! And also very good for bringing down the heatiness inside our body.

Safe and Natural Soap (Part III) - Try it!

2009-07-02T11:31:00.017+08:00

After a month of using Soapy Soap, my whole family is so happy with this natural soap as our skin texture had improved tremendously. I even recomment it to my two sisters; all came back with very good feedback. I really wish more people (mummies esp.) will get to know about Soapy Handmade Soap by sharing what i have learnt so far in 100% natural handmade soap where it's not only beneficial to our skin but also kind to the environment too (biodegradable).

I always wanted to start a small home-based business but not until i find a good product that i really like and trust. Here, my first product of my home-based business - SOAPY SOAP!

UNSCENTED RANGE

1. Fresh Goat Milk Soap (100g) mild & gentle

2. Goat Milk Honey Soap (100g) moisturise sensitive skin

3. Oat & Milk Soap (100g) sooth itchiness

4. Olive Wheatgerm Honey Soap (100g) soften & rejuvenate

5. Cocoa Butter Soap (130g) pamper dry skin

ESSENTIAL OIL SOAP

1. Geranium Rice Soap (100g) sensual

2. Pandan Mint Soap (100g) sweet refresh

3. Lavender Soap (130g) calm & relax

4. Floral Herbal Soap (100g) great for hair too

5. Tomato Citrus Soap (100g) lighten naturally

6. Charcoal Tea Tree Soap (100g) remove impurities

7. Cocoa Vanilla Soap (100g) pamper & indulge

8. Orange Mint Soap (130g) refresh & awaken

9. T-tree Lemongrass Lime Soap (130g) care for oily skin

If you can't decide or find a soap that suits your skin, click here to know more..

Selling Price : RM11 (100g)/ RM13 (130g)

Method of Payment : Bank-in or maybank2U

Delivery : COD could be arranged around OUG, Kuchai Lama, Sri Petaling or Bukit Jalil area. Or by Poslaju at buyer's cost (will be quoted accordingly before your purchase).

Safe and Natural Soap (Part II) - Soapy Soap

2009-06-22T11:26:00.028+08:00

All Natural Handmade Soap - for delicate skin

The moment i got my first bar of fresh goat milk soap purchased from the soap maker of Soapy Soap, i just can't wait to discover the goodness of this soap (hoping that it's not going to be another disappointment again like the earth mama baby angle bath). Well, my first experience with this soap was GOOD (no irritation nor rashes) and then i started to use it on both my boys - they just LOVE IT!! My little boy HW will call this soap 'the soft soft soap' as he can feel the softness of his skin after using this soap (his skin a bit dry before this- using Johnson & Johnson). Kids are very straight forward, I believe if they dislike certain stuff (esp new things) they will turn away or just say no to it, right?

I'm so glad that i've found this simple yet natural soap; it does meet my basic needs as a 'back to basic' cleansing agent. My comment for this goat milk soap - safe, gentle and affordable. However, bar soap has become less popular now as compare with shower gel. Most people will find that bar soap is an outdated and old fashion stuff as it looks boring. I must admit that Soapy soap does not come with nice packaging for environmental reason. Why do we need to pay extra costs in packaging where it will end up in our trash bin and what we actually need is only a SAFE SOAP.

FACTS ABOUT SOAPY HANDMADE SOAP

Soapy Sdn. Bhd. is a GMP certified manufacturer. Soapy All Natural Handmade Soaps are manufactured to meet the high standard of quality and hygiene. These soaps are mild and gentle soaps made of natural ingredients, mostly extracted from plants. Do not use animal derives except for honey and fresh goat milk.

SOAP BASE

The soap base is made of food grade edible oil of sunflower oil, coconut oil, water, palm oil, sodium hydroxide, castor oil, rosemary oleoresin and vitamin. Overall, our soaps are good in

moisturizing quality but not too soft that it will just melt away.

Sunflower Oil - Rich in linolenic and linoleic acids give the soap good moisturizing quality and promote creaminess in the soap.

Coconut Oil - Promotes hardness and cleansing quality of the soap.

Palm Oil - This semi-saturated oil has moderate moisturising quality, promotes creaminess and gives the soap a hard waxy touch.

Water - A medium to promote the chemical reaction between the alkali and fatty acids in the oil to produce glycerin and soap.

Glycerin - A humectant, which attracts water in the air to the skin to moisturize it. Handmade has between 5% to 8% glycerin compare to soap made with soap noodle, which normally contains a maximum of 1% glycerin. Most machine made soaps contain less that this level and only a very few may contain more. This is because as itself, glycerin can be sold to other industry especially pharmaceutical for good price.

Sodium Hydroxide - No sodium hydroxide means no soap. It is the alkali that is needed to bond with the fatty acid in the oil, resulting in soap and glycerin. Soapy Handmade Soaps do not have excess sodium hydroxide in it. We even reduce the amount to ensure there is and excess of 5% fat left to moisturize the skin.

Castor Oil - The only oil that contains ricinoleic acid that promotes a very good moisturizing quality to the soap. Ricinoleic acid is also an important component in the soap to exert anti-inflammatory effects.

Rosemary Oleoresin - This is the best natural antioxidant. It helps to prolong the freshness of the soaps. It also contains amino acid that nourishes the skin.

With further additives, each soap becomes unique and gives additional benefits to the user.

UNSCENTED SOAP

Our very mild range of soap, which is unscented, is suitable for hypersensitive and baby skin. Even though unscented, it still contains very light natural aroma from the ingredient used like honey, milk, etc..

ESSENTIAL OIL SOAP

Essential oil soaps are scented with oil distilled, cold press or CO2 extracted from different parts of plants. The aroma is light and natural. The aroma is more prevailing when the soap is used during bath. Essential oil contains benefits to care for skin, face or hair. These soaps can be used on most skin types, except those stated otherwise.

click here for more info about Soapy Soap

Safe and Natural Soap (Part I)

2009-06-20T15:16:00.010+08:00

I am a mummy who's always concern about children safety and health. Before this, i was so anxious about the BPA issue with feeding bottles; and now the chemical used in our family's daily bath gel/ shampoo. It is very upsetting that the commercial cleansing items in the market now mostly are all FULL of chemical - that includes our favourite Johnson & Johnson. When we talk about baby bath, it SHOULD be simple, safe yet natural for babies little delicate skin. However, when we take a look at the list of ingredients labelled at the back of the products, non of us here could even pronounce them.

I've did some research on how to find a good and natural cleansing products. Please don't waste your money on buying those so called anti-bacterial hand/ body soap with triclosan (a toxic chemical). There's studies shown that this anti-bacterial soaps may not only be ineffective, but harmful. The best way to get rid of germ and dirt is just only water and soap, that's it!

Without much delay, i went shopping, online just to look for a basic yet natural soap for the whole family. However, i could only found 1 baby bath and shampoo for my younger boy - it's called earth mama angel baby. It's a very gentle liquid castile soap in a foam pump and it cost rm55.00 . This bottle of soap can only last not more than 2 months on my little boy's hair and body! Besides the cost matter, this soap mustn't get into bb's eyes - it sting!! For my case, the soap never goes into my boy's eyes but each time when i wash his bottom using this soap; he will screamed and says "mummy, pain.. pain...".

AGAIN, i sat in front of my laptop and started to look for a 100% natural soap. It sounds crazy but i really can't go back to those chemical soap anymore... and Finally, i've found a all natural handmade soap called Soapy. to be continue.... (Part II)

Nose allergy

2009-06-10T12:13:00.007+08:00

It has been years that my eldest boy-Chi Wen is having sinus problem and he was treated with Claritin (antihistamine) and Nasonex (Nose spray). Unfortunately, now the little brother is also having the same problem as soon as he turned two!

The medication that Chi Wen is taking has lost effect on him as his body has get immune to it. I decided to stop all the medication and start looking for "natural remedy" to help my two little boys. It's so painful to see them taking those 'drugs' everyday. Here are the few new things in my house now waiting for testimonial :-

- Sharp Air Purifier
- Manuka Honey
- Latex Pillow

It sounds like a big project for me, but i believe it'll worth everything. Just want my kids be healthy and get away from all those drugs!!

Holiday at Cherating Beach, Kuantan

2009-06-09T16:19:00.028+08:00

3 days 2 nights trip (5 ~ 7 June 09)

It's has been a long time that we have not been to east coast as Penang is always our first choice when we plan for a short break with the family. This time around, my elder sister- Corrine was inviting us to join her and 2 more groups of family to Cherating, Kuantan and stayed at a beach hotel called Impiana Resort. We have booked the Superior Deluxe Room for two nights, our room comes with 1 king size bed (actually 2 joining single bed), a big living hall + 1 extra bed with breakfast included. The total bill that we've paid : RM759.00 . Here are some photos that i've taken during our stay:-

.view from our room
(all the rooms are sea facing)

.hotel just fully refurbished
.bed is clean and comfy
.extra bed in bad condition
.bathroom is big with long bath tub
.air-cond not cold (need to turn on the fan)

.a day bed near the window

.beautiful long sandy beach

.breakfast at Kedai Kopi
.not much variety

My First Post

2009-06-08T23:15:00.001+08:00

As a new blogger and with a very little knowledge about how to create a blog, i finally decided to give it a try by using Blogger to create my first blog and found that the steps are so easy to follow. However, due to my computer literacy and time constrain, i finally managed to have my very simple blog set up in 4 days! Hmmm.., i am a little perfectionist!