At first glance Little Duck Organics is a fun-loving company. How can I tell? Mostly by their website and packaging. Their description of the wholesome products they represent is anything but boring. Would it be bad if I bought a product just to read what quirky things they were going to say next?? Probably. So it’s good that I like more than just the witty wording. I love that their snacks are made from good things. See:

{Organic Freeze Dried Mangoes, Organic Freeze Dried Strawberries.}

Little Duck Tiny Fruits come in three flavors: Strawberry/Mango, Blueberry/Apple, and Apple/Banana. Baby C loved all three flavors, but devoured the Strawberry & Mango flavor because Strawberry is her favorite fruit of course. I personally like the Tiny Fruits because they aren’t as perishable as fresh fruit, I don’t have to keep them cold, and they’re already in tiny, bite-sized pieces.

As an added bonus, Little Duck Organics also gives 1% of their revenue back to the 1% for Humanityorganization, which I think is great whenever a company gives something to charity.

Check out Little Duck Organics Tiny Fruit snacks here: http://littleduckorganics.com/ and find out where to get your little ones something yummy {and healthy} for their tummies.

I was provided with samples of Little Duck Organics Tiny Fruit snacks for the sole purpose of testing them out. The above opinions are my own, however yours may vary.

Happy Future products are made with ingredients that have no nut derivatives, are paraben free, made without silicone, perfumes, or artificial coloring and even their packaging is recyclable. So not only good for baby but good for the Earth, who could ask for more? Me, I ask that their products also work, what are great, organic, Eco-friendly products if they don’t work?

I used Happy Futures Liniment Lotion (Diapering Lotion), Moisturizing Cream for Face & Body, Non-Rinse Cleansing Lotion, and Delicate Cleansing Gel Shower & Bath. Each product is hypoallergenic and dermatologist tested, so I felt safe trying them out on my own girls who suffer from different degrees of eczema, neither of which are extreme cases, but all-in-the-same it is something that bothers them, and something I want to make sure to take care of.

We found that bathing them every other day, (a good practice to have with kids who have Eczema anyway,) with the shower and bath gel followed up by the moisturizing cream and worked great at keeping the girls skin smooth and soft. In between baths the Non-Rinse Cleansing lotion came in handy and had a gentle non-medicinal smell so I didn’t mind using it throughout the day.

This is the first year we’ve taken Baby C swimming, it seems that the chlorine really irritates her girly bits, which is nothing we saw with Little Miss A, so needless to say the Liniment Lotion has come in extremely handy. The lotion is soothing {from what I can tell} and takes the red away, making baby and me {mommy} feel better. Wondering if any of you have ever had the same issue with chlorinated water.

Thanks to Happy Future I have products I can use on the girls and feel good about them being safe for their skin, resolving their skin problems, AND being good for the planet too. I encourage you to check them out for yourself, whether or not your child has a mild or severe problem I would highly recommend them.

Get your Happy Future products here: http://happyfutureusa.com and check out their other site here: http://babyfun.us

Do your child(ren) have skin issues? How have you tried to make them better/avoid irritations and flare-ups?

Weight Loss while Breastfeeding

Immediately after giving birth, mothers usually want to know two things: (a) how to keep their baby healthy and thriving in this brand new environment, and (b) how to get back to their pre-pregnancy weight without negatively affecting the development of (a) in any way.

At Fusion South, we deal with several post-partum clients who are highly motivated to lose their baby weight, but are unsure of how to go about it – specifically in conjunction with nursing.

A good rule of thumb while nursing is to take in 200-500 calories in excess of what you needed to maintain your weight before you were pregnant. So, if you were consistently eating 1,500 calories per day before pregnancy (remember way back then?!), think about consuming 1,700-2,000 calories during the nursing period. Breastfeeding doesn’t make you gain weight – in fact, you’re burning calories when you nurse, and it helps you get rid of that extra weight more quickly.

If you are a vegetarian, you will not need to change your diet unless it doesn’t include any animal protein (vegan and macrobiotic diets). If you do not want to consume any animal products, consider taking a vitamin B12 supplement. If you don’t eat dairy products, make sure to get enough calcium. A good idea, for example, is a simple calcium supplement vitamin to support health without dairy.

The guide to how much fluid to drink while nursing is “drink to thirst”. There is no evidence to show that forcing fluids will increase your milk supply. Drinking too much water (over 12 glasses a day) can actually decrease and dilute your milk supply.

The real problem is that sometimes moms neglects themselves on occasion, often forgetting to promote their own health while they are so immersed in taking care of the baby. If you’re one of these moms, try drinking a glass of water or juice whenever you sit down to nurse your baby. Most mothers find they are thirstier when they are nursing and this is a great way to stay hydrated.

Just like “drinking to thirst”, you should also “eat to hunger” while nursing. Studies have shown that most nursing mothers tend to lose up to one and a half pounds a month for the first 4-6 months after giving birth, and lose weight at a slower rate beyond that time. They tend to lose more weight than formula feeding moms who take in fewer calories.

If you want to lose weight, plan to do so slowly. It’s best not to try to aggressively lose weight during the first couple of months after birth; during that time your body needs to recover from childbirth and establish a milk supply.

Losing weight too quickly, (more than one to one and one half pounds per week,) has been linked to the release of contaminants stored in body fat, into your milk. So, begin your weight loss program slowly when breastfeeding. Increase your activity level and eat less fat and refined sugar, and more fruits and vegetables. Try to take in at least 1,800 calories each day, and, in most cases, no less than 1,500 calories.

Even moderate dieting during lactation can help lose 4-5 pounds each month. Mothers who breastfeed frequently lose weight faster than mothers who nurse less often, and mothers who nurse for short periods of time tend to lose weight more slowly than mothers who nurse longer.

Plan to exercise after nursing so your breasts won’t be full and uncomfortable. Drink a glass of water before and immediately after exercising. If you regularly lift weights or do other exercises involving repetitive arm movement, start slowly. If you develop plugged ducts, cut back and start again more slowly.

Take walks with your baby. If you carry him in sling or baby carrier, his extra weight will burn even more calories! Weather permitting, go for lots of walks – this counts as exercise and gets you out of the house at the same time. If the weather keeps you inside, try carrying your little one while you do housework or try dancing with him. You may feel silly, but he’ll love it and so will you. Whatever you do try to make exercising fun so that you’ll stick with the program, life as a mom already has enough stresses.

In conclusion, eat a nutritious diet while you are nursing, for your sake and baby’s. Don’t worry if your diet isn’t perfect – your milk will still be fine. Although you may feel like you are “starving” when you are nursing try to eat in moderation: making sure you’re making your daily calories count.

If you’re nursing and want to lose the weight, don’t stress out. Remember that many mothers lose weight while lactating even without modifying their diet or exercise regimen. If you want to lose weight, you can lose it without radically altering diet while nursing. If you want to lose weight faster, start slowly, increase your activity level, and eat nutrient dense, healthy foods. You will typically keep three pounds of extra tissue in your breasts while nursing, so be sure factor that into weight loss goals and don’t be too hard on yourself, you’re taking care of yourself and another life.

Most of all enjoy nursing your baby, eat a healthy diet, and plan to lose weight slowly and consistently!

About The Author: Bobby DeMuro is the Founder of FusionSouth, a personal training/sports conditioning firm in Charlotte, NC. He is also the Executive Director of NoFizz Charlotte, a non-profit dedicated to bringing awareness on the importance of proper hydration. He resides on Lake Norman with his 2-year old boxer, Dakota.

Fortunately, Softlips® has just the right stuff. The newest Softlips® PURE flavors, which are 100%-natural and USDA-certified organic, are formulated with the same quality moisturizing ingredients as the original organic flavor –Pomegranate– to condition the lips, helping to keep them soft and healthy naturally. Softlips® PURE, the line of premium organic lip conditioners, are now available in new Peppermint, Acai Berry, Papaya and Chai Tea.Softlips PURE lip conditioners are available at mass retail, supermarket and drug stores nationwide for the suggested retail price of $2.99.  Look for the newest flavors – Peppermint, Acai Berry, Papaya and Chai Tea – on display in the natural beauty section of select Target and Rite-Aid stores.

One of my favorites, if you’re not into the fruity flavors, is Peppermint. This flavor makes your breath feel cleaner and is very refreshing. My favorite though would have to be the Pomegranate. Aside from Softlips® coming in amazingly “delicious” flavors it’s super smooth and easy to apply. I love the feeling of Softlips because it really does feel like velvet.

Because the PURE line has such great natural ingredients I have no qualms about putting it on Little Miss A, in fact she asks for it all the time. So you want to go out and grab one of your own?? Check out the Softlips Facebook page for news, giveaways, and organic makeup tips: http://www.facebook.com/softlips

Want to win one of your very own?? Softlips is offering one lucky reader the chance to win a set of the new Softlips limited edition winter flavors or a set of the new Softlips PURE flavors.

Here’s how to win:
Using the entry form directly below this post (NOT the comment form), submit your name, an email address that you check regularly, and the entry you are submitting. *Please note the Mandatory Entry MUST be completed before you can qualify for additional entries.

Giveaway ends March 29th @12:00 am. The winner will be chosen at random, verified, emailed, and announced in a Winner’s post. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the email from MommyB to claim the prize, if the prize is not claimed within 48 hours a new winner will be chosen at random. You must be a US resident and 18 years or older to enter.

Grow Green Baby is a great website for organic baby products and a few fun mom products as well. They have everything to cover your baby necessities from 100% organic clothing to baby safe Green to Grow bottles and bubbly body wash to keep your baby fresh and clean.

Grow Green Baby isn’t the kind of store that wants you to take all of your baby products and throw them away just in the name of being eco-friendly, rather they’re a shop that wants to help parents and grandparents make small choices to slowly turn your home into a healthier and more earth friendly one. I love that about this site.

I got the opportunity to test out one of their wearable items. The Isabooties pictured below, aren’t they cute??

Isabooties are American made and 100% animal-free and formaldehyde free. Great for indoor and outdoor, but not recommended on heavy pavement. Can you believe these Ultrasuede shoes are machine washable?? If you were to compare these shoes to another big name you’ll find that most are not machine washable and obviously not as eco-friendly, but very comparable in pricing.

Personally, if I can find similar organic or eco-friendly products at the same or lower price I’ll definitely go for those instead. It’s my responsibility to make choices for my daughters’ future home.

Don’t worry if you don’t have a “baby,” Isabooties run all the way up to 18 months for your little one and come in several colors and styles for your little boy or girl.

Check out Grow Green Baby here: http://www.growgreenbaby.com/default.asp for more great earth friendly items.

Grow Green Baby is also giving away 1 pair of 6-12 month Granite Isabooties to one lucky reader!!

Here’s how to win:
Using the entry form directly below this post (NOT the comment form), submit your name, an email address that you check regularly, and the entry you are submitting. *Please note the Mandatory Entry MUST be completed before you can qualify for additional entries.

cforms contact form by delicious:days

Giveaway ends March 19th @12:00 am. The winner will be chosen at random, verified, emailed, and announced in a Winner’s post. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the email from MommyB to claim the prize, if the prize is not claimed within 48 hours a new winner will be chosen at random. You must be 18 years or older to enter.