From our first product in the Scandinavian Child collection, we have always chosen products that focus on safety for our children. So, when we requested a plastic tray cover for the Svan High Chair, we specified that we wanted it to be Phthalate-free and BPA-free. This idea came from a simple call from a concerned parent because, back then, the BPA issue was complete unheard of in the media.

Since then, we have discovered all sorts of things that should make parents paralyzed in fear from buying anything for our children ... pesticides, flame-resistant chemicals, BPA, and so much more. One of categories that worries me the most is the off-gassing that can be created from all of the chemicals we put in our upholstered products in order to meet flammability standards.

What worries me the most? Mattresses! I put my children's heads to sleep every night on mattresses that were considered very good when I bought them. But then all of these studies started to show the effects of off-gassing and every night was a struggle for me ... in part because I wanted to make a change, and in part because no obvious solution was available. While some natural mattresses became available, none were waterproof or they were only partially natural. And waterproofing is a necessity for potty-training families like ours!

I finally discovered a truly natural solution at the ABC Show in September - Naturepedic . We got our mattresses about a month ago and are so happy! These mattresses are made with entirely natural materials and are truly waterproof (and well-tested by my son). They are also certified by Greenguard. There are many options available including quilted covers, waterproof covers, or both.

I honestly teared up when our mattresses arrived. I feel like this is the single best thing I could have done to improve the environment around my children. I just wish it would have been an option for us sooner.

As for comfort, we switched our son's mattress without letting him know. We let him sleep on it for several days before asking his thoughts. He hadn't even noticed. Our daughter was a little more particular. She thought it was harder than her old mattress, but was perfectly fine with it once she slept on it. And I slept better too ... knowing they were placing their heads on natural mattresses.

I know these mattresses are not cheap. If you can't afford this option, please consider these tips from Healthy Child Healthy World .

"As are all things that err toward prevention rather than convention, the price tag for a safe mattress is a bit higher: a crib mattress usually starts at around $250, a toddler mattress starts at around $600. If you're not able to splurge on an organic mattress, a more economical safeguard is to place an organic wool mattress pad down. Wool is a naturally flame resistant material that wicks away any moisture and provides that essential barrier between your child and the mattress. In addition, be sure to let your conventional mattress off-gas outside before installing it in the nursery. Use your own nose to dictate when its ready be inside: if it still reeks of the factory, it's not ready to be near your baby."

One of our favorite holiday traditions is to celebrate the Swedish Holiday of Lucia ... throughout the holiday season ... with Lucia Rolls and Glögg.

Lucia Rolls are woven bread rolls made with saffron and topped off with raisins. They are as fun to make as they are to eat (yummy!). This year, my mother-in-law helped out by making the dough so we could focus on making rolls for a few happy and messy minutes. Enjoy a look at our fun!

*If you have any Swedish friends, please ask them to share some Glögg with you. It is like mulled wine, with a twist!

Everyone here at Scandinavian Child would like to wish you and your families a wonderful holiday season!

For our family, this means Christmas celebrations that involve Lutefisk (yuck) on Christmas Eve Day, followed by the ever-anticipated presents, with Santa arriving over night. It is a wonderful celebration that is shared this year with both sets of grandparents!

We hope you too have a wonderful day with friends and family!

I am pleased to announce that we have a new addition to the Scandinavian Child family. Erin, our wonderful Director of Marketing and Communications, has given birth to her first child -- a baby boy named Aidan. Here are some of the first family photos. My favorite part is the look of adoration that her husband Jason is giving her. What an amazing miracle!

Congratulations to Erin and her family!

In my blog posting "The Corn Syrup Myth ... Fact or Fiction?", I noted that there seems to be no conclusive information to support the idea that High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is really that bad for us. So, I went to my friends at Healthy Child, Healthy World and asked for any information they have on the subject.

I cannot say if this is conclusive evidence, but I do want to share the little information we can find. At the very least, it is clear that we consume too many sweeteners  period. Whether HFCS is the worst type of sweetener is still somewhat unclear, but cutting down on all sugars is certainly a good start.

Here is the information provided by Healthy Child, Healthy World:

There are limited long-term studies of the health impacts of HFCS. Some early results indicate negative impacts that compel further research. Others show no difference between HFCS and other sweeteners (although many of these are funded by industry). Here are some primary and secondary sources on the issue, as well as one pointing out the large carbon footprint of creating HFCS (so even if it's not worse for us, it is worse for our planet).

High Fructose Corn Syrup--Not Such Sweet News . UC Berkeley Wellness Letter. August 2008.

Beyer, PL, Caviar, EM, & McCallum, RW Fructose intake at current levels in the United States may cause gastrointestinal distress in normal adults.

The Health Effects of High Fructose Syrup . American Medical Association. 2008. (found links to ill effects, but uncertain if HFCS is any worse than any other sweetener)

Consumption of high-fructose corn syrup in beverages may play a role in the epidemic of obesity . American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2004.

Fructose, weight gain, and the insulin resistance syndrome. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. November 2002.

And, from an interesting article in the Washington Post. "Though the jury's still out on whether the substance is to blame for rising obesity rates, environmentalists have been trumpeting another reason to avoid it: Doing so is a step toward going green."

Talk about a product that goes from baby to toddler to school ... our smock bibs have been a lifesaver in our household. I know this is kind of obvious, but I wish I had known this when I was stocking up on regular food bibs. We definitely had more regular bibs than we needed and should have instead registered for a few smock bibs.

We started with the more expensive Baby Bjorn bibs ($30 at giggle.com ) and graduated to Bumkins ($17 at rightstart.com). Whatever brand you choose, get the largest size that will work with your child now, then you can count on using them for a very long time.

At this stage with Kelly and Anton, smocks are finger painting's best tool.

*Guest Blogger, Erin Lane, SCI Marketing Communications Manager

Today is the day. I am 37 weeks pregnant. My little boy is officially considered full-term. He could come at any time. Yikes! I don't know if I'm ready. The nursery isn't done, my house is wreck and I definitely don't have everything in order. What's a girl to do?

If you are me, you ignore all the pending To-Do's that are looming overhead and you sit on the couch with a Vanilla Dreams Belly Bar Shake, a Baby Needs Chocolate Belly Bar and RELAX!!

Seriously, sometimes you just want a yummy snack and Belly Bar has 3 awesome options for moms at all stages of pregnancy and beyond. Our friends at Nutrabella did a lot of research and have been brilliant in the creation of bars, shakes and even chews - all in truly YUMMY, fabulous flavors. While I would normally want to run out to McDonalds or Chick-Fil-A for a shake, I know that is not a healthy option for me and Little Lane. (Don't get me wrong, I still splurge occasionally. I'm a pregnant woman with cravings after all.) But a Belly Shake or a Belly Chew (the chocolate ones taste like Tootsie Rolls) can be very satisfying. Not only that, but I'm getting folic acid and the ever important Omega-3 DHA at the same time.

So if you are trying to conceive or currently pregnant or nursing, you need to go out to your local Target or Whole Foods and buy some Belly Bar products. Believe me when I say you'll be telling all your pregnant friends about them.

Being Green is really hard to do on a budget. We all have to make priorities. For example, while my family would love to eat only organic and free range food, it's simply not in our budget. So, we make choices. In our case, we choose to prioritize organic milk over other things in our shopping cart.

I have recently become more aware of a great organization that helps point out the no-cost and low-cost things you can do to live a happier, healthier life with your children. Healthy Child, Healthy Word has a program called 5 Easy Steps, which provides a terrific resource for families.

Step 1: Manage pests safely

Step 2: Use non-toxic products- cleaners, body care, home furnishings

Step 3: Clean up indoor air

Step 4: Shop smart  eat more organic and healthy foods

Step 5: Be wise with plastics

Another resource is the CHEC HealtheHouse site where you can find environmental tips for your home. While you might not be able to go totally organic, they provide some very simple recommendations that don't cost anything, such as washing and pealing your fruits and vegetables to remove any chemicals. (See article. ) Also, did you know that taking your shoes off when you walk into your home is a simple way to limit the spread of pesticides? I can do that! And it costs absolutely nothing. (See their article )

In my never ending search to find snacks and drinks that are not loaded down with sugars, I think I have found the perfect option for drinks ... Minute Maid's Fruit Falls.

We don't typically let our kids drink a lot of juice because the pure juices are way too sugary and the non-pure drinks worry us with additives, corn syrup, and worse. We prefer for our kids to drink milk or water but sometimes they want something sweet, especially on hot summer days when they need the electrolytes that juices offer.

Fruit Falls are different from regular juice drinks because they are really more like flavored water. They have great flavors that our kids love, but they have a relatively tiny portion of juice in them, therefore less sugar. Plus, they are made with real juices, not corn syrup or other additives. It has only 5 calories and less than one gram of sugar. Here is the official word from Minute Maid: Fruit Falls

I also looked at similar options, like Capri Sun, but don't be fooled. They are packaged and positioned the same, but Capri Sun's Juice drink has 90 calories and 25 grams of sugars (Fruit Punch flavor)!

Halloween at Scandinavian Child is always a treat. We take our silliness very seriously.

Everyone showed up to the office this year in costume and we were joined later in the day by well-dressed kids and pets for an office party. There were surprisingly few (none) political costumes, unless a pregnant nun is considered political. We had a few aspiring doctors, an 'outrageous' Frenchman, and a fabulous lady bug with a coordinating outfit for her dog.

Please visit our Facebook "Halloween 2008" album for a full assortment of photos and to see me dressed as Fay Wray, carried by my own personal King Kong!