As frugal souls, we love that you can get our book for free at your local library. It’s even more exciting when the price of The Eco-nomical Baby Guide randomly falls to below eight bucks on Amazon! You can now score a copy for just $7.98, which is sixty percent off the original price of $19.99.  Considering that our little gem can save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars, it’s worth the meager investment in a green baby guide that’s infused with humor and humility.  These price dips usually last just a few days so you might want to pick up a few for gifts while the sale lasts. Good luck!

As a new mom or a pregnant woman, I didn’t always feel particularly romantic on February 14th.  But I did appreciate any efforts to make me feel loved and appreciated.

My husband, who is a fantastically thoughtful fellow, took me out for Valentine’s Day sushi while I was pregnant with my son.  I had been experiencing deep and vivid sushi cravings and enjoyed the food so much that I actually asked him to stop talking so I could chew in silence with my eyes shut.  It was so rude–but the sushi was divine!  That kind of patience and grace is really the stuff of true love.

So what would a pregnant mother or new mother want this Valentine’s Day?  I can’t speak for everyone, but I know that for many women, their longings aren’t limited to flowers and chocolates.  Here are some suggestions based on my hazy memories from those time periods.

Sleep. Taking the baby overnight so that a new mother can get a solid six to eight hours of consolidated slumber is utterly glorious.  I know I would have even been thrilled to get a break for a few hours for a nap and a shower.

Food. Growing another human being in your body is bound to make you hungry.  When that little person arrives and you’re breastfeeding ten times in twenty-four hours, it can seem impossible to get enough to eat.  What a gift to provide dinner or offer to grocery shop for someone! My mother filled my fridge with nutritious foods and served them to me at regular intervals when each of my children arrived.  It wasn’t Valentine’s Day, but I felt nourished with love!

Housecleaning. What would it feel like if someone arrived at your door and spent a few hours washing dishes, doing laundry, and straightening up?  I suppose some people would feel uncomfortable, but I am not one of them.  What a gift to save time and be able to enjoy a more orderly home.

A date. It took my husband and I a long time before we could secure a babysitter, make plans, and haul ourselves out for an evening with a new baby.  But what a wonderful reminder that we aren’t just parents, we’re partners!  If you can provide babysitting to friends or family to allow a couple to go on a short date, it would probably be greatly appreciated.

Time alone. As mothers, we become accustomed to being with our children every waking moment.  I was just laughing with a friend about how we sometimes have to hold our babies on our laps while we use the toilet.  What happened to privacy?   Imagine having two hours to clean out your closet, journal, or run errands.  Bliss….

The Eco-nomical Baby Guide. This is pretty much a shameless marketing ploy, but we do heartily believe that our book is a good investment at a cost of twenty bucks.  Even though we’re frugalistas, sometimes you have to spend a bit to save heaps.  And maybe they’re just being polite, but we keep getting enthusiastic thanks from readers who are glad to have found an eco-friendly, budget-friendly baby guide like ours.   We also get regular praise from women who read our book after they’ve had a few children, and wish they would have had it years ago.  It’s packed with the sort of realizations you have in the years following your first child, such as “We don’t really need a lot of gear!” And, “We could save heaps by buying secondhand clothing and using cloth diapers.”  And, “Hey, why don’t we just puree up the baby food ourselves?”  Plus it has a full guide to the best values in new green gear.  Who could resist?

Whatever you get for Valentine’s Day this year, I hope that it makes you feel cherished.   Many of us will receive roughly scribbled pictures on red construction paper, bordered with glitter.  Really, what could be better than that?

These Valentines are more interesting than a heart-shaped box of waxy chocolates–and they’re better for the planet, too.

Greenfire 3 Pack Lavender Sandalwood Vanilla All Natural Massage Oil Candles, fragranced with essential oils

$25

The tins are even recyclable!

The Lorax Project by Dr. Seuss Eco-friendly 24 Valentines

$1.49

These bookmark valentines are perfect for a child’s whole class.

8 Organic Chocolate Bars, Tea-infused, in Organza Bag

$29.90

Organic tea-infused chocolate!

Lettuce Mesclun Valentine Certified Organic Seed

$2.39

What could be eco-friendlier—or more romantic—than some organic Valentine lettuce?

Come back later this week for some DIY Valentine gift ideas!

If you’re in a last minute panic and can’t imagine lugging your children through crowded shops, our vintage posts can save the day!

These fast and easy gingerbread cookies taste great and handle beautifully.  Although people always seem to be impressed by the mysterious qualities of gingerbread, you’ll have a batch whipped up in no time flat.  (There’s no refrigeration required.)

You can involve your children with making DIY: salt dough ornaments.  You can also use the dough for their little handprints if you want a great gift idea for grandparents.

Simple homemade play-dough is a great stocking stuffer or holiday craft to keep your kids busy while you tuck presents under the tree.

If you have a big chunk of unexpected time, you can whip up some DIY fabric holiday gift bags.  Give a set away as a gift or make one for your own crew.  We’ve used the set my mother made for our family nearly four decades and I now have a set of my own.  It makes wrapping presents incredibly easy and eliminates those scrapes of wrapping paper that litter your floor after those gifts have been opened.

What are you doing in the next week?  Are you taking any steps (even small ones) to make your holiday green this year?

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!

How do you like it? We’ve written before about this electronic reading device: The Kindle for Breastfeeding Mothers: Is It Green? We never reached a perfect conclusion. While conventional books are made from trees and travel hither and yon before they reach the reader, the Kindle takes energy to produce–and one day, it will need to be recycled (or thrown in the trash).

If you have a Kindle, how do you like it? Do you think of it as a green alternative to regular old books?

You may have savings on hand for heirloom green gifts, but if money is tight this year, consider some creative thrift store gifts that any child would love. (They’ll be just as cherished and even more eco-friendly!)

1. A Dress-Up Treasure Chest: Fill up a wooden crate with lovely secondhand ensembles.  Costume jewelry, scarves, purses, vintage hats, and princess dresses are all easily found while hunting for thrift shop treasures.
2. A Real Tool Box: Find everything for an older child’s toolbox secondhand including a real hammer, screwdriver, wrench, screws, and nuts and bolts.  Throw in a few pieces of scrap lumber and a promise to help build a birdhouse sometime soon!
3. A Stationary Set: Have you ever noticed how much kids adore paper clips, post-its and rubber bands?  Pick up an old tackle box secondhand and stock the sections with office supplies.  You can even throw in a hole punch and stapler for fun!  (For younger kids make it an “Art Box” and limit it to crayons, erasers, and other objects that are safe for little ones.)
4. A Sporting Kit: Fill a plastic crate with all sorts of thrift store loot such as frisbees, soccer balls, bats, and whiffle balls.  If you’re athletically gifted, throw in some coaching coupons along with the gear.
5. A Doll Bed: Pick up a secondhand basket, line it with a pillow case, and fill it full of whatever you can find in the thrift store toy aisle including stuffed animals, beanie babies, or baby dolls.   Make little cards telling the name and care instructions for each of the toys you include in the basket just for fun.
6. Toys: Don’t underestimate what you might find in the toy aisle!  We have scored some amazing gifts for our son as people begin to purge their shelves to make room for incoming holiday presents.

The whole thrift store gift idea may seem downright depressing to you if you’ve never cruised through your local secondhand shop.  But used gifts offer an opportunity to give something that’s more personalized, less expensive and greener than just about any other option.  Plus, you’ll be able to purchase more on a limited budget. Have you braved the aisles of your local thrift shop lately?

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!

Searching for the perfect Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/Solstice/some other winter holiday gift for the expecting parents in your life? Well, you are in luck because we have the perfect suggestion: The Eco-nomical Baby Guide: Down-to-earth Ways for Parents to Save Money and the Planet. We can vouch for its brilliance because we wrote it ourselves.

Me simulating a pregnant woman who is ecstatic upon finding The Eco-nomical Baby Guide under the tree.

We packed it with information we wanted to know when we were pregnant or immersed in those early days of parenting, from how to outfit the nursery to the ins and outs of eco-friendly diapering and feeding. This book will save parents thousands of dollars in their baby’s first year.

Also, 9 out of 10 pregnant women have placed the Eco-nomical Baby Guide on the top of their holiday wish list. (Okay, I made that up.)

When the rain hits around here, cabin fever quickly descends unless we seek creative indoor entertainment.  Luckily we have a huge supply of cozy kid-friendly fall activities for those chilly afternoons indoors.

If you’re still waiting for that first baby to arrive, you can while away the time with our DIY baby mobile made of beautiful paper birds.  Or, you can whip up a few homemade hemp diaper liners to fill out your cloth diaper layette.  Don’t forget to buy or use your library for free access to books! Check out our practical little publication, The Eco-nomical Baby Guide for some entertaining and eco-friendly reading.

Those of us who already have a few little helpers will enjoy our homemade Play-dough recipes. You can even combine playtime with snack by making Edible Play-Dough!  While you’re mixing up play clay, make some salt dough for Baked Dough Christmas ornaments that can be slipped into stockings in just a few weeks.

Clove oranges are another great craft that can later be used for homemade seasonal gifts.  You’ll enjoy pomanders as all natural air fresheners that will bring those spicy scents into your home before the holidays hit.

Even if it isn’t quite time for snow, you can make some elegant paper snowflakes with your children on those long cold afternoons and then string them in the windows!  And one of our favorite creative recycled playthings is the DIY Cardboard Dollhouse made of a box and a few furniture catalogues.

And when this list runs out, you can always get the kids outfitted in PVC-free children’s raingear and hit the puddles!  Have you had any cold weather fun yet this year?  What is the temperature at this time of year where you live?

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!