Pauline Amell-Nash worried that the pesticides and additives used to grow and preserve food were bad for her 1-year-old daughter Sophia, not to mention the earth itself. That‘s why the pureed carrots, sweet potatoes and fruits Sophia ate were purchased from makers of organic baby food.
The environment has become a very hot topic these days, especially among parents who want to protect their children‘s health and the world they‘ll be inheriting. Parents like Amell-Nash are propelling a surge in organic baby food sales, and that has prompted more companies to either join or expand their offerings in the sector.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture inspects food producers to insure they meet its standards for organic products. They include banning the use of conventional pesticides, fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge for produce, and antibiotics or growth hormones for animals.
Gerber Products replaced its Tender Harvest brand last year with a line called Gerber Organics and added products such as cereals, juice and food for toddlers.

http://www.localnewsleader.com/kindred/stories/index.php?action=fullnews&id=102499

From MSNBC.com
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18091189/

When I recently tried to prove my thriftiness by pointing out to my husband that I had no intention of buying a $899 stroller for walks in the park with our soon-to-be new arrival, he scoffed at me. I had to find the catalog and prove to him that such a thing existed.
Not only do they exist, but they’re only a small part of the avalanche of marketing aimed at new parents. Add the color-coordinated bedding sets, the mahogany furniture suites, the complicated activity centers promising to boost a baby’s I.Q., and it’s amazing parents keep any money in their wallets to pay for diapers.

Glass baby bottles, replaced decades ago by unbreakable plastic, are making such a comeback that parents can’t get their hands on them.
Online and brick-and-mortar retailers report a run on glass baby bottles in recent weeks that they say was spurred by reports that the most common type of plastic in baby bottles may leach a toxic chemical.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/04/09/MNGPBP56A71.DTL

From 6abc.com
http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=healthcheck&id=5176333

New research is firing up the debate over how much weight gain is OK during pregnancy. And the standard advice on how many pounds a woman should put on may need to be changed.

A Harvard University study found that women who gained more than the recommended amount had a greater chance of babies that will be overweight as toddlers.
But even the moms who followed the current guidelines had a greater chance of having an overweight toddler.
The guidelines recommend differing amounts of weight gain, depending how much a woman weighs before pregnancy.
Those with a “normal” Body Mass Index are encouraged to gain 25 to 35 pounds.
Those with a higher BMI, meaning they are heavier at a given height, are encouraged to gain less weight.
The researchers say it’s too early to tell whether women should gain less than the standard, because that increases the risks of a low birthweight baby.
That poses health risks to the baby.
So for now, stick to your doctor’s advice.

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=healthcheck&id=5176333

What a great time of year for the kids. If you’re from South Jersey, there are tons of Easter Egg Hunts up and down the coastline. Find the one nearest to you:

http://www.thedailyjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070329/ENTERTAINMENT01/703290350/1041

Have a great Easter Week from your friends at PhillyBabyStuff.com