Meet Baby Jones

Since a study published by Pediatrics, the Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, came out that phthalate exposure from conventional baby products may pose significant dangers to an infant’s endocrine and reproductive systems, I’ve abruptly put a halt to using these products. It’s a shame too because I have approximately 5 years worth of Johnson and Johnson baby products in storage. I guess I could always use them for myself. Afterall, my reproductive organs obviously work (although barely).

Anyhoo, there are lots of organic baby products out there on the market these days so finding them was a breeze. I remember many moons ago when organic items were only available in specialty stores. Now, they’re everywhere, even at your local Target.

That’s where I picked up Erbaorganics body wash, lotion and diaper cream for Avery. Here’s the lowdown:

PROS:
*The products are at least 75% organic
*Paraben- and pesticide-free
*They all smell heavenly as most of their products contain rosemary and lavender oils
*The lotion goes on smoothly and absorbs easily
*The diaper cream is extremely rich and you only need a drop of it to use
*Eco-friendly
*When you buy the body wash, the company donates 15% of the proceeds to WWO (World Wide Orphans Foundation)
*Available at Target

CONS:
*Very expensive (lotion - $13/4 oz tube; body wash - $13/6 oz bottle; diaper cream - $15/4 oz tube)

OVERALL RATING:

I discovered the Haute Stuff brand baby clothing while I tried to window shop at Nordstroms yesterday. Almost instantly, I fell in love

Their clothing line features really cute and/or funny designs (check out their Personal Ads line). Here’s an example:

I couldn’t find one for Avery that I could get myself to purchase. They are REALLY expensive, with short-sleeved onesies retailing for $28 - $32 (a 5-pk Gerber or Carter’s cost less than $12). I did manage to pick one up (on sale!) for my goddaughter, Leila. Here it is:

PROS:
*Made of thick, 100% cotton material
*Very cute and funny designs
*Reinforced stitching
*Available in many online retailers

CONS:
*Very expensive (short-sleeved onesies retail for $28 - 32 each!)
*Only available in high-end department stores like Nordstroms

OVERALL RATING:

We use the Diaper Genie Twistaway in Avery’s nursery and the Diaper Genie II in the guest bedroom [1]. Here’s my review:

Diaper Genie Twistaway
PROS:
*Child-proof lid
*Individually wraps diapers to seal away odors
*Has built-in cutting system
*Holds approximately 25 - 30 diapers
*Doesn’t require batteries
*No assembly needed
*Pretty inexpensive at less than $30
*Made of lightweight plastic
*Available in most stores

CONS:
*Proprietary bag refills are expensive ($5.49 each, on sale!), which need to be changed about 2x/month
*The cutting system doesn’t work well every time
*Sometimes doesn’t twist to seal an individual diaper (usually happens when lining is changed)
*Unit seems to retain odor
*Unit is made of plastic that isn’t recyclable
*Needs both hands to use
*Emptying it is awkward, having to open a trap door at the bottom of the pail and then pulling out the smelly bag inside

Diaper Genie II
PROS:
*Inexpensive at less than $30
*Made of lightweight plastic
*One-hand operation
*Internal, child-proof cutter
*Effectively seals odors
*No assembly required
*No batteries needed
*Holds approximately 25 - 30 diapers
*Aesthetically more appealing than Diaper Genie Twistaway
*Easy to empty bags

CONS:
*Lid is not child-proof
*Proprietary bag refills are expensive ($5.49 a pop) and needs to be changed 2x/month
*Unit is made of plastic that is not recyclable
*Unit seems to retain odor

OVERALL RATING:
Diaper Genie Twistaway -
Diaper Genie II -

[1] Melvin and I decided that Avery will co-sleep with either his lola (when I have work) or me in the guest bedroom until he turns 6 months, at which time we will begin to start putting him down in his crib in the nursery.

I was introduced to Pampers Swaddlers at the hospital when Avery was born. I was smitten right away and decided then that I would always get this brand of diapers for Aves. Well, that was until I found out that they are made solely for newborns under 4 months.

And Avery turns 4 months in a few days.

What a bummer.

Anyway, here’s the dealio:

PROS:
* Smells heavenly
* Mesh lining inside helps to keep moisture away from baby’s skin
* Soft and tender to touch
* Super-stretchy tabs
* Holds unbelievable amount of urine
* Coupons when you sign up on website

CONS:
* Very pricey (about .25 to .30 cents per diaper)
* Only goes up to size 2 - 3 (16 - 22 lbs.)

OVERALL RATING: