Happy Mama Monday!  I’ve got a week (hopefully less) to go before we meet baby #2, so I’ve got baby gear on the brain and a lot of online orders have been arriving on our front step (sorry, Richard).  Today, let’s talk about feeding and wake time favorites that should definitely be on your baby registry.

1. The dangers of plastic bottles (even the BPA-free variety) especially when filled with a warm liquid are just too much for me to handle, and I just hate using plastic anything, as it’s not a renewable resource.  Dr. Brown’s Wide Neck Glass Bottles are simply the best; the vent system helps prevent reflux, colic, burping and gas.   They come in both the 4 oz and 9 oz size, and you can purchase these silicone sleeves to protect them from breakage.
2. Sophie La Girafe is the iconic French teething toy that is at once nontoxic, super-cute, stimulating and ergonomically correct for baby.  This deceivingly simple teether provides both bumpy and smooth parts for baby’s sore gums, dark spots for visual stimulation and squeakiness for audible stimulation.  It is also lightweight and easy to grip for little hands, and it’s made of 100% natural rubber and colored with food-grade paints.
3. I loved our Boon Lawn Drying Rack so much that I never put it away after Annabel was finished with bottles.  It’s easy to clean and perfect for wine glasses.  😉
4. Little Unicorn Cotton Milk Bibs are so soft and absorbent, and they carry a lot of organic options, too.
5. I love this little Hazel Village Rattle.  I felt like we could never have enough soft, colorful rattles when Annabel was a babe.
6. Wean Green Mini Bowls are just a smart investment.  They are great for storing and transporting baby food, and we use them for kids’ snacks food and grown-up food, too.
7. I failed miserably at baby-wearing last time, and with this baby, I am determined to succeed!  Many friends have raved about their Solly Baby Wrap Carrier.  They are soft and cute, and there are a million ways to wear them, from infancy on.
8. Using a pacifier was not in our “plan” with Annabel, but once she started teething, it was all that soothed her.  I do have to say, though, that I felt really good about the pacifier we used.  Natursutten is a Danish company started by concerned mother, Anne-Dorthe Schroeder.  Their products are made in Italy and conform to the European Union (EU) directive concerned with safety, health and environment.  These pacifiers are made from 100% natural, sustainable rubber from the tree Hevea brasiliensis.  (The protein that on rare occasions can provoke a latex allergy is eliminated during production.)  They are biodegradable, softer than silicone, and they’re very hygienic because they are molded in one piece without joints or cracks where dirt and bacteria can accumulate.  If you are going to use a pacifier, this is the one I reccommend.
9. I can’t say enough good things about the Babybjorn Bouncer Seat and the coordinating Flying Friends Toy.  It folds down into nothing, making it the only wake time seat that’s actually travel-friendly.  It’s mostly cotton, (I hate all the nast synthetic fabrics most baby chairs/bouncers have) I’ve never met a bay who doesn’t love it, and it’s wear Annabel had her first laugh.  🙂
10. These Bamboo Utensils are great for when kids are ready to try feeding themselves, and they are affordable and sustainable.

More feeding favorites:

• We have loved the Eco Lunchbox Small Stainless Steel Tray.  It’s the perfect size for kids, it’s indestructible, and you won’t feel weird about putting hot food on it. (Does anyone else have my severe aversion to plastic?!)  Also, you’re kids won’t fight over who gets which color/animal/character on their darn plate.  Everyone gets silver.  No complaining.  Done.  I also love Eco Lunchbox’s Nesting Bento Box for when I pack Annabel’s meals.  There is a place for everything, and she seems to like “exploring” and finding the different foods in each compartment.
• While I’m not a fan of the Beaba Baby Food Maker, (I just use our Vitamix) I do love the Beaba Silicone Freezer Trays for Baby Food.  They are easy to use and easy to clean.
• The Klean Kanteen Stainless Steel Sippy Cup is our personal favorite sippy cup.  It is indestructable, nontoxic and doesn’t leak in my purse.  The Pura Kiki Stainless Steel Sippy Cup comes in at a close second.  While most sippy cups are basically just toxic crap, you can’t go wrong with either of these, and they last forever
• Don’t stain your pretty cotton bibs with avocado!  We loved these Silicone Food Bibs when Annabel first started solids; they wipe clean and catch what the baby doesn’t.
• Beaba First Stage Silicone Spoons are the perfect size, shape, material, everything.  They are the perfect “first” baby spoon, for when baby wants to chew on everything.
• High chairs are a more personal choice, and there are definitely more sustainable options, but I did love our Boon Flair Pedestal High Chair.  It was recommended by a friend, and I loved it.  It was safe, good-looking, functional and I could easily wipe down the entire thing.

More wake time & activity favorites:

I’m obsessed with everything from Green Toys, Plan Toys and Hape Toys.  We also love our Finn & Emma Play Gym and Mat.

Have any other nontoxic favorites for baby that we need to know about?

…..