When I received a stack of sturdy Hefty Basics plates in the mail, I decided to give them a go at an upcoming baby shower I’m throwing, knowing that they’d end up in the compost bin afterwards. They’re free of inks, dyes or coatings and can be composted after use.

Is Hefty eco-perfect? No. But I do feel like when mainstream manufacturers like Hefty start to make environmental efforts, the impact can be tremendous. It makes me think of Stoneyfield Farm Yogurt working with Wal Mart to make organic products available to the masses.  Like many conscientious consumers, I avoid Wal Mart, but their partnership with Stoneyfield Farm does get eco-friendly products in places where they wouldn’t previously be an option.

Hefty is also teaming up with the Arbor Day Foundation to plant a tree for every ten “likes’ they get on their Hefty Basics Tablewear Facebook page.

Are these plates as tough as Chinet? Absolutely, and they aren’t as bleached. Still, Chinet is made of 100% recycled material, and Hefty Basics hasn’t advertised what percentage of recycled material is in their plates.

Would you like to try them for yourself? If you win you’ll get a coupon for a free set of Hefty Basics to try out for yourself. There will be two winners.

Three Ways to Enter The Hefty Basic Paper Plate Giveaway:

1. Simply post a comment

2. Like us on Facebook (then tell us you did it in the comments)

3. Spread the news about the giveaway! Email someone, post it on Facebook, tweet it, blog it, or send someone a message about it via carrier pigeon. (And again, don’t forget to tell us all about it in the comments!)

This contest ends on March 14th and is only open to U.S. Residents.

Winner will be randomly selected from the list of comments so don’t forget to note your multiple entries with one comment each!
We will notify the winner via email.

Also, if you’d rather win a copy of our book, The Eco-nomical Baby Guide, you have until Wednesday at midnight to enter that giveaway!

Exactly one year ago yesterday, our book, The Eco-nomical Baby Guide: Down-to-Earth Ways for Parents to Save Money and the Planet, hit store shelves.  It took us three years of hands-on research and thousands of drafts before we were satisfied with our practical green guide for new parents.  We flavored the manuscript with humor, anecdotes, and lots of humility as we tried to convey what we wished we would have known before our babies arrived.  The cloth diaper information we provide is highly user friendly, but there ‘s also information on buying less, buying used and buying green that helped each of us save over five thousand dollars on our babies’ first year alone.

If you wish you had a copy in your hands right now, you’re in luck!  We’re giving away one copy on the anniversary of it’s publication.

Three Ways to Enter The Eco-nomical Baby Guide Book Giveaway:

1. Simply post a comment

2. Like us on Facebook (then tell us you did it in the comments)

3. Spread the news about the giveaway! Email someone, post it on Facebook, tweet it, blog it, or send someone a message about it via carrier pigeon. (And again, don’t forget to tell us all about it in the comments!)

This contest ends on March 10th and is only open to U.S. Residents.

Good luck!

Also, we have some gorgeous Eco-nomical Baby Guide bookmarks that we’d love to distribute in OB/GYN offices, midwifery clinics and other spots where green moms can find them.  If you have a location where you know they’d be snatched up, please email us your name and address and tell us where you’d like to distribute them.  Thanks in advance for all your help!

Pregnant women need pampering.  Why?  Because when their feet are massaged, when their tongues are bathed in dark chocolate, and when they are immersed in honey bubble bath, their babies are enjoying an atmosphere of relaxation and contentment as well.   Those bambinos will be getting piles of presents in the months to come, but new and expectant moms deserve some special thought as well.

After trolling the Internet for the perfect gifts (and remembering my own pregnancy cravings), here’s what I came up with:

The Microwaveable Flax Seed Filled Neck Pillow or Momma Earth Herbals Aromatherapy Packs are perfect solutions for driving away winter chill while luxuriating in relaxation.  (Please consider a few free foot massage coupons to accompany these lovely gifts!)

No matter what strange cravings your pregnant pal may have, chocolate is always a good bet.  Endangered Species Rainforest has a line of chocolates that sound smooth and lovely–and they’re eco-friendly!  If you want to make a bit more of an investment in the hard core European stuff, splurge on a box of Leonidas Belgian Chocolates.

Deep Steep Organic Honey Bubble Bath blends the scents of grapefruit and bergamont with thick, abundant bubbles.  Afterwards, she can slather herself with Earth Mama Body Butter just to soften that skin and prepare her for a relaxing snooze.

Most of us spend the first few days or even weeks after baby’s birth in pajamas. Aimee Bra-less nightgowns have gotten rave reviews and make a nice transition between maternity and early motherhood. Belabumbum also has some lovely empire waist nightgowns that are specifically designed for maternity and nursing.  If she loves flannel comfort, go for the basic Frankie and Johnny Pajamas, Sleepyheads, or Nick and Nora sets in larger sizes that will accommodate a post-pregnancy shape.

I would have LOVED any of these gifts in the tired last stretch of my pregnancy, but I also would have enjoyed restaurant gift cards or meal deliveries.  Now that I have made it through two pregnancies, I am passionate about supporting women as they transition from pregnancy to motherhood.  What do you do for pregnant friends?  What were some of your favorite gifts as an expectant parent?

Congratulations to the winner of our Sealy Naturalis Crib Mattress with Organic Cotton giveaway!  Catherine Alley will soon be receiving a very large package in the mail thanks to Kolcraft, our giveaway sponsor.  We hope your baby enjoys the unexpected holiday gift Catherine!

You could be the lucky winner of a Sealy Naturalis Crib Mattress with Organic Cotton! Go to our organic crib mattress giveaway post to enter multiple times. We are looking forward to randomly selecting the winner after midnight PST tonight and emailing them with the news. What a fantastic holiday gift for you or someone you love. We’ll post the winner’s name in the next few days. Great luck!

A short while ago I had the honor of being a guest on PregTASTIC, the online radio show for expectant families. It’s a wonderful program that has hosted a multitude of experts including Dr. Robert Sears and Dr. Harvey Karp, but I managed to overcome my nerves while sharing our simple green “progress not perfection” approach  for a full 35 minutes.

Non-pregnant people tend to glaze over quickly when I start speaking of my passion for cloth diapers and secondhand onesies, but Sunny was a great host and the panel of pregnant women had terrific thoughts to contribute.  And it was a treat to be able to share all that we’ve so carefully packed into the Eco-nomical Baby Guide!

I heartily encourage you to visit PregTASTIC too for support, humor and information on all aspects of pregnancy and early parenthood.  Also, you can enter the PregTASTIC sponsored Eco-nomical Baby Guide giveaway by visiting their site and adding an eco-friendly parenting tip to the PregTASTIC forum before December 3rd.  Hurry!

Also, don’t forget that our Sealy Naturalis Crib Mattress with Organic Cotton giveaway is coming to a close soon.  Go to our organic mattress giveaway post and enter multiple times!

The Eco-nomical Baby Guide

Over the years we have reviewed some fabulous products that just might be a perfect find for the pregnant mother on your holiday gift list this year.

1. The Eco-nomical Baby Guide is the book that we both wish we would have had while pregnant.  It emphasizes going green by reducing, reusing and recycling (saving you thousands!) and provides loads of insider tips on cloth diapering.  Plus it’s packed with reviews of quality green gear for every price point. Did I mention that we wrote it? We may be a tad bit biased, but this is a beautiful and very helpful gift!
2. The Ergo Carrier is a gift that will keep baby close to mom while protecting her back.  We’ve had rave reader reviews that attest to the Ergo’s versatility and usefulness over several years of baby’s life.
3. Although most new moms are showered with dozens of receiving blankets, none of them will have the feel and quality of the Bambu Baby Blanket. It’s ample size and fleecy surface will quickly make it her favorite of the bunch. My child drags hers through the dirt on a regular basis, as it has become her official comfort object, and it survives almost daily laundering quite sturdily while remaining soft.
4. A quality Nathan Stainless Steel Flip Straw Bottle is a fabulous gift for someone who is constantly being reminded to hydrate.  Its flip top makes it easy to sip while driving and its wide mouth accommodates ice cubes quite nicely .  It also comes with three extra straws just in case.  Plus, she’ll appreciate it even more if she’s in the extreme thirst of breastfeeding.
5. BONUS!  How about a Sealy Naturalis crib mattress with organic cotton?  You can win one of these for your favorite mom in our organic mattress giveaway! There are only three weeks left and several ways to enter, so jump right in!

Short on cash?  Why not put together your own gift basket, or offer to deliver regular meals during those early weeks with baby?  What were your favorite gifts as an expectant mother?

Note to readers: I did not receive payment for any of these products, but I have to say that I have personally used the water bottle, the baby blanket, and the Ergo carrier and loved them.  As for the book, I can only say that it’s my new favorite baby shower gift!

My True Nature makes organic bath products for babies and kids. This San Francisco-based company’s mission is to “offer top quality natural bath and body products that are rich in organic ingredients and perform like mainstream products.” Each shampoo and body wash features cute little cartoon characters from TubbyTown to interest your little ones in the art of bathing.

My daughter was excited to try out her My True Nature products. She loved the pictures on the bottles and enjoyed smelling each product and choosing which one to use during her bath. They shampoos and body washes we tried all smell natural and citrusy. They appeal to kids without reeking of bubblegum or harsh chemicals. The bubble bath foams up nicely (a rarity for natural bath products), and the shampoo cleaned her hair gently.

We recommend My True Nature and would like to offer this gift set for one of our lucky readers to try! The set includes a naturally scented shampoo-body wash and bubble bath.

FOUR WAYS TO ENTER:

1. Simply leave us a comment on this post.

2. Email friends or family and tell them about the giveaway (and comment)

3.  Like us on Facebook (and comment)

4.   Link to this giveaway post on Facebook or Twitter–tell all your friends to stop by (and comment each time)

***The contest ends on Tuesday, November 23, 2010***

The winner will be randomly selected from the list of comments so don’t forget to note your multiple entries with one comment each!

Don’t forget that our Sealy Naturalis Crib Mattress with Organic Cotton giveaway is still going on! Head on over to that post to enter!

Most of us would swoon with delight if a new, eco-friendly crib mattress showed up on our doorstep. It could happen to you!  Kolcraft (Sealy’s partner in this product) is sponsoring this month’s fantastic giveaway. If you’d like to read more about the product, check out our review of the Sealy Naturalis crib mattress with organic cotton.

You can also head over to Kolcraft’s blog to read more about our journey as green moms and also win their giveaway of a signed copy of our book, The Eco-nomical Baby Guide.

Since this is such a huge prize, and we want to include listeners who are finding out about our site from the interview on Preg-tastic, we’ll be keeping this going for a full month.  (Preg-tastic is also sponsoring a giveaway of The Economical Baby Guide, so stop by and check it out!)

If your due date is sooner or you don’t win, you can rest assured that this is still a very affordable product.  The Sealy Naturalis crib mattress with organic cotton is currently available for less than a hundred bucks.

Our favorite part of this giveaway is all the ways you can enter:

1. Simply leave us a comment on this post.

2.     Email friends or family and tell them about the giveaway (and comment)

3.     Like us on Facebook and/or like Kolcraft on Facebook (and comment)

4.     Link to this giveaway post on Facebook or Twitter–tell all your friends to stop by (and comment each time)

5.     Link to this post on your blog (and don’t forget to comment!)

***The contest ends on Monday, December 6^th, 2010***

Winner will be randomly selected from the list of comments so don’t forget to note your multiple entries with one comment each!

We will notify the winner via email. Please Note: This contest is open only to U.S. readers.   Enjoy!

We wrote about making your own organic baby food in the Eco-nomical Baby Guide. Most DIY baby food enthusiasts know about Super Baby Food, which Joy reviewed once upon a time. Do you have a favorite baby food book—or do you rely on the Internet for recipes? Or do you just wing it? (After all, pureeing yams is not exactly a complicated culinary skill to master.)

Speaking of baby food recipe books—we’re giving away Great Expectations: Best Food for Your Baby & Toddler. Go to our giveaway post, comment on it, and you’re entered to win!

Homemade baby food became somewhat of a hobby for me. I don’t think my daughter had more than three or four jars of store-bought food, and I smiled smugly when she rejected it in favor of my delectable concoctions of ground oats, flax seeds, and kale. (That smugness has since faded: See the Any Brilliant Ideas for Picky Eaters? post!)

As obsessed as I was with making my own homemade baby food, I could have used this incredible book: Great Expectations: Best Food for Your Baby & Toddler by Jeannette L. Bessinger and Tracee Yablon-Brenner of Real Food Moms. Their guide goes way beyond my boring purees, with more than 150 recipes and snack ideas for babies and kids under three. Many of the recipes sound delicious for adults, too—zucchini cupcakes with mascarpone frosting, veggie pancakes, pasta with pesto and garbanzo beans, creamy choco-banana smoothie. And don’t worry—there are still plenty of recipes for “traditional” baby fare such as teething biscuits, grain cereals, and apple sauce.

The book also includes tips for establishing good eating routines, information on organic foods and vegetarian diets, and a comprehensive list of whole foods companies and products.

Would you like a copy of Great Expectations: Best Food for Your Baby and Toddler? I have one to giveaway to a lucky winner!

You can enter up to three times! Just post a comment for each entry by Monday, November 1st.

Three Ways to Enter the Giveaway:

1. Simply post a comment

2. Like us on Facebook (then tell us you did it in the comments)

3. Spread the news about the giveaway! Email someone, post it on Facebook, tweet it, blog it, or send someone a message about it via carrier pigeon. (And again, don’t forget to tell us all about it in the comments!)

Good luck!

Congratulations to Mary, winner of the BornFree straw cup giveaway!