BPA-free Feeding Bottles

Avent bpa-free bottle (PES)

Momo bpa-free bottle (PA)

Would like to share some information about BPA-free bottles here:-


What is Bisphenol A (BPA) ?

BPA is an industrial chemical commonly used in the manufacturing of clear polycarbonate plastic, about 95% of plastic baby bottles are made of polycarbonate (PC), including most famous brands in the market.Scientist and international organization have identified Bisphenol A (BPA) as a potential reproductive and development toxin, as well as a hormone-disrupting chemical. Heating polycarbonate (PC) bottles or pouring hot liquids into PC bottles could increase the rate of BPA leaching from bottles.


What Can We Do to Keep Our Child Safe ?

Avoid polycarbonate plastic (PC), which contains BPA (bisphenol A)If we have have to continue to use PC bottles, do not use harsh detergents or put bottles in the dishwasher. Instead, clean the bottles with warm soapy water and a sponge. Scouring brushes can scratch the surface of the bottles can increase leaching rates of chemicals.Do not fill PC bottles with hot liquids as BPA tends to leach faster with higher temperatures.Discard worn PC bottles that are cloudy or scratched. Chemical leach into food more easily when PC bottles break down.




It was a year ago, my younger boy Hao Wen was using Avent (not the bpa-free type) since he was born. Very happy with their bottles but not until this bpa-free issue arises. I don't really want to take any risk after reading the report about this toxic chemical in our bb's feeding bottles. Avent BPA-free bottles are still yet to be launched in Malaysia last year.

The online store which is selling this Avent bpa-free bottles was running out of stock due to the popular demand. It seems like i am not the only panic mummy who's looking for this safe bottles! So, what i did was to purchase this bottles from an U.S. online store - Amazon.com. In fact, I had stocked up "quite a lot" of these bpa-free feeding bottles for Hao Wen as i really have no idea when will this bottles be available in Malaysia!!

While waiting for the Avent bpa-free bottles, i've bought a MAM bpa-free bottle from Megamall. The bottle does come with a nice nipple except it has many parts that needs to be removed and put back each time we do the cleaning.

After a long wait, when Di Di got his new Avent bpa-free bottles, I was so disappointed because it LEAKS VERY BADLY!!! .... Just imagine, trying to fix the leaking bottle while the baby is crying for his milk?! Besides, I received the same feedback from few mummies who are using this new range.


What am I going to do with all the new Avent bottles that i've stocked up?? Since Di Di has got used to the MAM's nipple (wide neck), what i did was to try putting MAM's nipple onto the Avent bpa-free bottle and wow.... it fits perfectly and IT DOES NOT LEAK!!


Now, i'm so glad to see there are lots of BPA-free feeding bottles available in m'sia; either from online store or shopping mall. Hope there will be more parents buying these safe feeding bottles for their babies.

KL Bird Park

Don't know where to bring the kids during the school holiday? A visit to KL bird park will definitely be a good idea for the whole family!

All of us, yes, including me and hubby have never been to KL bird park. The kids were so looking forward to this outing and can't wait to meet the PARROT. They told me that they wanted to TEACH the parrot how to TALK!!

It was a hot sunny day, we reached the park before 10.00am and it's still very quite (less than 5 families).

We were first greeted by pairs and pairs of adorable Lovebirds the moment we walked through the first aviary of the park. Then, everyone was stunned as we saw a BEAUTIFUL... peacock right in front of us. Di Di was a little nervous when the big peacock starts approaching us. Ha ha, i guess this is the first time he ever seen such a BIG BIRD!!!

Next, we went to WORLD OF PARROTS where we can feed the parrots. The children were having fun feeding the birds and we spent quite a while inside there. Very good experience for our kids who live in the modern world now.

There will a bird show at 12.30pm. We didn't stay for the show b'coz we were totally exhausted due to the hot weather.


Open daily from 9am to 6pm

Entrance Fee : RM15 (adult)/ RM6 (Children 3 - 12)
[for adult, show your Jusco card to get RM5 off]

Bring lots of drinking water. Refreshment kiosks are selling RM4 for a small bottle of drinking water!!

AND, not forgetting - put on your sunblock and hat!

Aero Chamber plus (new)

Di Di was suffered with a chronic cough when he was just few month old. He was wheezing so badly and having difficulties breathing. We sent him to doctor's clinic and he was given one dose of neubalizer. Poor baby was crying and yelling throughout the whole section - about 10 mins, and mummy was crying too....

The doctor advise us to purchase this aero chamber together with the inhaler for Di Di to use at home. I was quite hesitate as I knew my baby will definitely dislike this kind of "scary mask" which he has had a bad experience before. Ya..mummy was right, baby just turn away the minute I show him this chamber! So, after spending for about rm200 (whole set with inhaler), this thing just sit inside my drawer for 2 years and now the inhaler has gone beyond the expiry date!!! What a waste of money....

I would like to offer this brand new aero chamber to those mummy where their little child is suffer from asthma or night wheezing. I bought this from pharmacy at rm83.00 (cheaper than hospital).

My offer for this AeroChamber plus : RM45.00

Sponge Cake (in paper cups)

I've been baking vanilla cupcakes for the kids and i'm still prefer something more spongy and soft. So, I google and found a good recipe from a blog called Baking Mum. From the pictures, it reminds me the "jie dan gao" that my mom used to buy from the market when we were young.

This recipe is so easy to follow and used less butter (more healthy). The sponge cakes turn out really fluffy and my kids love it so much. I've never make vanilla cupcakes since then....

this is how i lined the paper cups

just out from the oven

yummy....

Here is the recipe from Baking Mum

Ingredients:

4 large eggs

100 gm cake flour

100 gm castor sugar

12 gm (3/4 tbsp) spongecake stabliser

25 ml milk

90 gm melted butter

Methods:

Line 8 waxed papercups with baking paper.

Preheat oven at 190C.

Put all the ingredients except the melted butter into a mixing bowl.

Beat everything on high for at least 7 mins until ribbon stage. This means that if you use your whisk with batter to write an "8" on the batter won't sink in but will appear visible for a while. This will be the right constitency for your batter.

Add in melted butter at this stage and mix in thoroughly.

Pour batter into the lined cups abt 3/4 full and bake it in a preheated oven for about 25 mins.

When done, remove the cake from the cup immediately and leave it on wire rack to cool.



my notes:-

• I always use large eggs for baking (make sure the eggs are at room temperature)
• I use 7oz party paper cups.
• Bake at lowest rack of oven.

Happy Baking !!

Combi Stroller

This light weight stroller is one of the best baby items that i have purchased for my youngest boy - Di Di. It was bought from Combi store at Mid valley when Di Di is around 1 year old. I wouldn't have invested for another stroller if only Kor Kor's old stroller is still "able" to hang on for another 1 year or so... Why? Because our heavy duty Di Di is toooo..... great for the old stroller!!

However, most of the time, this stroller is just park at our house and we didn't really making full use of it. As our little boy grows, he prefers to be free and mobile. He refuse to be tucked in his stroller and become restless after a short while.

I always called this stroller - a display item.... Anyone interested? Wish to let go at rm280.00 only (bought at rm599).

• light weight
• easy to fold and carry around
• can takes up to 25kg
• tip-top condition
  

the hood is still in the wrapper, never been used.

Toothpaste for Kids (SLS free)

Just to share a good product here, called "Snappy Jaws" toothpaste - not for grownups. I've came across this safe toothpaste when i was searching for castile soap at Country's Farm Organic shop in Bangsar Village. It's imported from Australia with no sugar, no fluoride, no SLS - a natural way to fight tooth decay. Their active ingredient is called Xylitol - a natural substance from the Birch tree. It fights acid-producing germs which cause tooth decay.

Ingredients : Calcium hydrogen phosphate, water, sorbitol (from berries), glycerine, hydrated silica, lauryl glucoside (from palm), natural flavour, hydrogenated castor oil, vegetable gum, citric acid, potassium sorbate, peppermint oil, natural colour.

Comes in 3 natural flavours - superstrawberry, orange and pineapple.

Selling price : RM19.40

or you may check it out at their website : http://www.naturesgoodness.com.au/

Before this, both my boys are using Kodomo lion and they have also tried Jordan kid's toothpaste once but they would prefer kodomo lion. Kodomo lion has a yummy taste and very foamy whereas Jordan only comes with 1 flavour which taste a bit funny and less foamy (both with SLS and fluoride). However, the boys fell in love this new toothpaste after using it as they claimed it has a pleasent "strawberry" taste!

My personal review on this product :- This is a safe toothpaste for the kids as it doesn't contain artificial sweetener (saccharin), Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (detergent foaming agent-toxic!) and fluoride; as kids normally have the tendency to swallow the toothpaste while they're brushing their teeth. However, there is always a price to pay if we need a good product; it's 5 times more expensive compared with Kodomo Lion. Will not mind to pay a little more as this is very safe to be put into my kids' mouth everyday. Just got a new tube today (this is the 4th), but they are running out of stock for the strawberry flavour so i choose the orange flavour. Hope the boys will like it...!

A Fragrant Holiday Gift

Soapy all natural handmade soaps make the perfect, fragrant holiday gift idea for this Christmas season.

Here are 4 beautiful range of handmade natural Christmas presents for your family, friends and yourself:

Set A (unscented)

1 bar (100g) of Goat Milk Honey + 1 bar (130g) of Cocoa Butter Soap

Good for : sensitive, mature and baby skin; mild and nourishing.

Set B (with essential oil)

1 bar (100g) of Geranium Rice Soap + 1 bar (130g) of Lavender Soap

Good for : people (ladies especially) who love great scent; balancing and calming.

Set C (with essential oil)

1 bar (100g) of Pandan Mint Soap + 1 bar (130g) of Orange Mint Soap

Good for : people who love a real refreshing bath; very cooling.

.

Set D (with essential oil)

1 bar (100g) of Charcoal Tea Tree Soap + 1 bar (130g) of T-tree Lemongrass Lime Soap

Good for : oily skin, removing impurities and sweaty smell; soothing.

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Original Price : RM24.00/ set

X'mas Promotion : RM21.50/ set (with wrapping as above)

• This promotion valid from 23/11/09 till 31/12/09.
• Please place your order at dehomemaker@gmail.com

Safe and Natural Soap (Part III) - Try it !

After a month of using Soapy Soap, my whole family is so happy with this natural soap as our skin texture had improved tremendously. I even recommend it to my two sisters; all came back with very good feedback. I really wish more people (mummies esp.) will get to know about Soapy Handmade Soap by sharing what i have learnt so far in 100% natural handmade soap where it's not only beneficial to our skin but also kind to the environment too (biodegradable).

I always wanted to start a small home-based business but not until i find a good product that i really like and trust. Here, my first product of my home-based business - SOAPY SOAP!

UNSCENTED RANGE

1. Fresh Goat Milk Soap (100g) mild & gentle

2. Goat Milk Honey Soap (100g) moisturise sensitive skin

3. Oat & Milk Soap (100g) sooth itchiness

4. Olive Wheatgerm Honey Soap (100g) soften & rejuvenate

5. Cocoa Butter Soap (130g) pamper dry skin


ESSENTIAL OIL SOAP

1. Geranium Rice Soap (100g) sensual

2. Pandan Mint Soap (100g) sweet refresh

3. Lavender Soap (130g) calm & relax

4. Floral Herbal Soap (100g) great for hair too

5. Tomato Citrus Soap (100g) lighten naturally

6. Charcoal Tea Tree Soap (100g) remove impurities

7. Cocoa Vanilla Soap (100g) pamper & indulge

8. Orange Mint Soap (130g) refresh & awaken

9. T-tree Lemongrass Lime Soap (130g) care for oily skin


If you can't decide or find a soap that suits your skin, click here to know more..



Selling Price : RM11 (100g)/ RM13 (130g)

Method of Payment : Bank-in or maybank2U

Delivery : COD could be arranged around OUG, Kuchai Lama, Sri Petaling or Bukit Jalil area/ Poslaju at buyer's cost (will be quoted accordingly before your purchase).

Safe and Natural Soap (Part II) - Soapy Soap

All Natural Handmade Soap - for delicate skin

The moment i got my first bar of fresh goat milk soap purchased from the soap maker of Soapy Soap, i just can't wait to discover the goodness of this soap (hoping that it's not going to be another disappointment again like the earth mama baby angle bath). Well, my first experience with this soap was GOOD (no irritation nor rashes) and then i started to use it on both my boys - they just LOVE IT!! My little boy HW will call this soap 'the soft soft soap' as he can feel the softness of his skin after using this soap (his skin a bit dry before this- using Johnson & Johnson). Kids are very straight forward, I believe if they dislike certain stuff (esp new things) they will turn away or just say no to it, right?

I'm so glad that i've found this simple yet natural soap; it does meet my basic needs as a 'back to basic' cleansing agent. My comment for this goat milk soap - safe, gentle and affordable. However, bar soap has become less popular now as compare with shower gel. Most people will find that bar soap is an outdated and old fashion stuff as it looks boring. I must admit that Soapy soap does not come with nice packaging for environmental reason. Why do we need to pay extra costs in packaging where it will end up in our trash bin and what we actually need is only a SAFE SOAP.

FACTS ABOUT SOAPY HANDMADE SOAP
Soapy Sdn. Bhd. is a GMP certified manufacturer. Soapy All Natural Handmade Soaps are manufactured to meet the high standard of quality and hygiene. These soaps are mild and gentle soaps made of natural ingredients, mostly extracted from plants. Do not use animal derives except for honey and fresh goat milk.

SOAP BASE
The soap base is made of food grade edible oil of sunflower oil, coconut oil, water, palm oil, sodium hydroxide, castor oil, rosemary oleoresin and vitamin. Overall, our soaps are good in moisturizing quality but not too soft that it will just melt away.

Sunflower Oil - Rich in linolenic and linoleic acids give the soap good moisturizing quality and promote creaminess in the soap.

Coconut Oil - Promotes hardness and cleansing quality of the soap.

Palm Oil - This semi-saturated oil has moderate moisturising quality, promotes creaminess and gives the soap a hard waxy touch.

Water - A medium to promote the chemical reaction between the alkali and fatty acids in the oil to produce glycerin and soap.

Glycerin - A humectant, which attracts water in the air to the skin to moisturize it. Handmade has between 5% to 8% glycerin compare to soap made with soap noodle, which normally contains a maximum of 1% glycerin. Most machine made soaps contain less that this level and only a very few may contain more. This is because as itself, glycerin can be sold to other industry especially pharmaceutical for good price.

Sodium Hydroxide - No sodium hydroxide means no soap. It is the alkali that is needed to bond with the fatty acid in the oil, resulting in soap and glycerin. Soapy Handmade Soaps do not have excess sodium hydroxide in it. We even reduce the amount to ensure there is and excess of 5% fat left to moisturize the skin.

Castor Oil - The only oil that contains ricinoleic acid that promotes a very good moisturizing quality to the soap. Ricinoleic acid is also an important component in the soap to exert anti-inflammatory effects.

Rosemary Oleoresin - This is the best natural antioxidant. It helps to prolong the freshness of the soaps. It also contains amino acid that nourishes the skin.


With further additives, each soap becomes unique and gives additional benefits to the user.

UNSCENTED SOAP

Our very mild range of soap, which is unscented, is suitable for hypersensitive and baby skin. Even though unscented, it still contains very light natural aroma from the ingredient used like honey, milk, etc..

ESSENTIAL OIL SOAP

Essential oil soaps are scented with oil distilled, cold press or CO2 extracted from different parts of plants. The aroma is light and natural. The aroma is more prevailing when the soap is used during bath. Essential oil contains benefits to care for skin, face or hair. These soaps can be used on most skin types, except those stated otherwise.

Safe and Natural Soap (Part I)

I am a mummy who's always concern about children safety and health. Before this, i was so anxious about the BPA issue with feeding bottles; and now the chemical used in our family's daily bath gel/ shampoo. It is very upsetting that the commercial cleansing items in the market now mostly are all FULL of chemicals - that includes our favourite Johnson & Johnson. When we talk about baby bath, it SHOULD be simple, safe yet natural for babies little delicate skin. However, when we take a look at the list of ingredients labelled at the back of the products, non of us here could even pronounce them.

I've did some research on how to find a good and natural cleansing products. Please don't waste your money on buying those so called anti-bacterial hand/ body soap with triclosan (a toxic chemical). There's studies shown that this anti-bacterial soaps may not only be ineffective, but harmful. The best way to get rid of germ and dirt is just only water and soap, that's it!

Without much delay, i went shopping, online just to look for a basic yet natural soap for the whole family. However, i could only found 1 baby bath and shampoo for my younger boy - it's called earth mama angel baby. It's a very gentle liquid castile soap in a foam pump and it cost rm55.00!! This bottle of soap can only last not more than 2 months on my little boy's hair and body! Besides the cost matter, this soap mustn't get into bb's eyes - it sting!! For my case, the soap never goes into my boy's eyes but each time when i wash his bottom using this soap; he will screamed and says "mummy, pain.. pain...".

AGAIN, i sat in front of my laptop and started to look for a 100% natural soap. It sounds crazy but i really can't go back to those chemical soap anymore... and Finally, i've found a all natural handmade soap called Soapy. to be continue.... (Part II)

Manuka Honey

I wanted to try some natural remedies to help Chi Wen and Hao Wen sinus problem and was told by a friend that Manuka Honey might help.

I bought this manuka honey with Active 5% from a organic shop somewhere near OUG market where i used to do my marketing every Sunday morning. The shop owner is very helpful and will only recommend something within your budget. I was given a choice of an organic manuka honey with active 5% (RM70 after discount) and a non-organic and non-active manuka honey (RM30). I took the organic one since it comes with active 5% and it sounds like more effective, i guess... ha ha!

At the begining, i let both the boys have the honey water and they don't really like it! OMG, what happened? Aren't honey sweet and children suppose to love it?? So, i give it another try by given them the honey straight from the spoon without mixing it with water. Surprisingly they like it because it is really sweeeeeet !!

It has been a month now and i still didn't notice any significant improvement on their sinus. However, it really helps on the digestive system- good bowel movement! And also very good for bringing down the heatiness inside our body.


Woodland's Organic Manuka Honey Active 5%, after discount- RM70.00 (500gm)



Notes:-
- Unpasteurised Active Manuka Honey
- Very thick texture, pure and dark brown in colour (the darker the better)
- Do not give honey to young children (below 2 years)
- Do not use metal spoon on honey
- Do not mix honey with hot water

My second baby (blog) !

It has been a while that i didn't not post anything on my blog (mother nature), ever since my gmail's account was hacked! I've still not recover from the "nightmare" where my blog, picasa web, my gmail with all the contacts, documents are just "disappeared" and unrecoverable...no matter how hard i try..!

It took me a long time to start off with another blog as the phobia still with me. Well, i think the "grieving moment" should end now and I told myself: let's start all over again!