Kimya Dawson- Alphabutt CD review

My kids and I LOVE the Juno soundtrack, so i was so excited to hear that Kimya Dawson (who sang many of the songs on the soundtrack) had put out a kids CD.

This is currently our fave Kid CD! The kids love it, and so do I. Its very folky and quirky, and reminds me of a cooler-funkier Raffi CD.

This is one of those albums that kids and parents can enjoy together. Some songs such as the title track "Alphabutt" and "Seven Hungry Tigers" really appeal to the under 5 set, while the songs "Smoothie" and "Happy Home" are songs I love. All of my girls have a blast dancing around and singing along to this album- even my 11 year old.



Where to get it:

You can download this CD from itunes or purchase it at your local CD store.

Burt's Bees- Baby Bee Soap Review

I love this soap! I first tried it when my baby was newborn and i bought the Burt's Bees 'Baby Bee Getting Started Kit'. I was so impressed, I've been buying it ever since.

It smells so good, like honey, milk, and baby breath. Its so nice to snuggle up to baby after her bath, when she smells so sweet.

Is very mild, with the main ingredient being buttermilk. I have very sensitive skin, and so do my girls so its wonderful to find a product that isn't irritating. It can even be used on the girly bits without any problems.

Thankfully this product is 99.14% natural and does not contain any Phthalates ( potentially harmful man-made chemicals that effect reproductive development and hormone levels).With my first 2 girls, i wasn't very worried about all the chemicals found in baby products. I just assumed if the Canadian government allows it to be sold, it must be safe. With my newest addition however i have started to read baby product labels, and there is some scary and possibly harmful stuff in there.

Like all Burt's bees products, this soap is not tested on animals- yay :)

Where to buy:

Burt's bee's products are available in many drug stores and health food stores throughout Canada. I buy mine at London Drugs. Find out more about this and other Burt's Bees products here: http://www.burtsbees.ca/

Special Thanks

I wanted to post a special thanks to Nicole from The Pixel Boutique who deigned the lovely banner featured on the Natural Mama blog. She did such a great job of taking my random ideas and creating a truly beautiful and unique banner. She was also very quick, and nice to deal with. I can wholeheartedly recommend her for all your blog design needs.

Baby Loves Beco- The Beco Butterfly Review

I have really gotten into baby wearing with my youngest girl. Not only does baby wearing make life easier for me, studies have shown it reduces the risk of SIDS, helps to sooth colic, increases mother baby bond, and fosters cognitive development. I personally also found that it was very helpful for dealing with my babies reflux.

My "go-to" carrier is the Beco Butterfly. We use this carrier daily for walks, hikes, shopping, housework, and so much more. Its so easy to use and very comfortable. It Can be worn on the front, as well as in a back carry. It is so beautiful too, I get a ton of compliments whenever i wear it. It comes in a variety of colors and patterns and is made with extra soft cotton.

This carrier is good from newborn all the way up to 45lbs, so you get a lot of use out of it. Its also well made (in the Us) and completely washable, so it will easily last through several kids. It can also be used by a variety of people: from a very petite women (my 11 year old can wear it comfortably) to a large man (my husband is 6'4).

Another great feature is the Beco can be passed between users without removing baby. So if I'm shopping with my husband and i get tired of baby wearing, I can leave baby in the carrier and safely pass her off for him to wear, even when she is sleeping.

I recommend the Beco to all moms with babies!

where to buy- For more information and pictures the Beco web page can be found here (they do not ship to Canada) yet they have a list of Canadian Retailers.

Why I Created This Blog

I created this blog to give other parents feedback and information about products that are available to Canadian families.
A personal goal of mine is to raise my family as environmentally responsible and compassionate as possible. Therefor i will try and choose products that are green, natural, and cruelty free as often as possible. I am by no means perfect, and i am still making the shift towards this in my own family.
Cost has been a large barrier for me in my quest to become more green, so i am always searching for deals and giveaways. I am hoping to be able to offer my readers discounts and giveaway as often as possible.
Please follow along if you are interested in making a similar change in your life, or if you are just looking for tried and tested reviews of some great products. I have gathered a couple of my parent friends to also submit reviews on products, so watch for guest reviewers from time to time.
Thanks
Tara and the Natural mama team