Kelly Tirman » Baby

Dolphin Organics, Only and Always Natural

kellytirman — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 19:33:41 +0000

Many people are surprised to find out that although a label says “natural and organic” what it may really mean is “contains natural and organic ingredients along with a bunch of other crap”.

As a mom, I have often been frustrated by brands that CLAIM to be natural and organic. This is one of the reasons why I blog about organic beauty. I want to be able to celebrate companies that are actually making real organic and natural products with quality ingredients.

Dolphin Organics is one of these companies.

While at Blogher11 I had the pleasure of meeting the founders of Dolphin Organics. I fell in love with their story and bonded over our mutual understanding that what we put on our body is just as important as what we put in our body.

I was eager to take their products for a test spin – they kindly provided me with a few samples and an adorable onesize for Linden.

Here are the top ten things I like about Dolphin Organics:

The labels are straightforward, simple and easy to read so I know exactly what is in them!
Instead of being filled with water the first ingredient is ALOE. This provides a more concentrated and stable product.
The packaging is made with Post Consumer Recycled material.
The products are never tested on animals.
The shampoo and body wash actual has a nice lather which is often hard to find in a natural product.
The products are tear-free so it doesn’t bug our babies eyes.
The products are truly unscented.
The products are hypoallergenic.
The conditioner does a great job of detangling hair and doesn’t weigh down beautiful curls.
Great price point compared to other organic and natural products.

About Dolphin Organics
Dolphin Organics™ is a New York based family-owned and operated company committed to making the best, most honest organic and natural products for your baby. For more information and to place an order check out dolphinorganics.com. You can also follow them on Twitter and friend them on Facebook.

Have you read the ingredients on the back of your baby’s beauty products?

About Kelly Tirman

Kelly Tirman is the mom behind kellytirman.com and serves as Sr. Manager of Operations for Walmart’s Global eCommerce User Experience, Insights & Analytics teams. Kelly’s blog focuses on sharing ideas on urban living; including general lifestyle, raising multilingual children and organic beauty.

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Baby Products for the Urban Minimalist – 0 to 3 Months

kellytirman — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 14:25:06 +0000

Confused on what you REALLY NEED for your baby? Don’t have a ton of space in your urban dwelling? Here is a complete list of products that should get the typical urban minimalist through the first three months.

Moses basket – Even better than an empty dresser drawer; a moses basket is a perfect place for an infant to sleep. It is also easy to move from room to room which is great since the average newborn sleeps roughly 16 hours a day.
Puj Tub – Finally a infant bathtub that isn’t awkward and is easily stored out of sight no matter how small your place is.
Baby wash – This baby wash from Nurture My Body is organic and leaves your baby smelling divine. It is a tad on the pricey side but use it sparingly and it could last you a good 3 months.
Organic JojoBABY Oil (basically organic jojoba oil) – use this to give your baby a massage. Jojoba oil is much better for your baby’s skin (and the environment) than traditional baby oil or baby lotion.
Mother Love Diaper Rash & Thrush – An all-natural herbal salve for diaper rash and it also great for soothing nipples. Buy one jar for baby and one jar specifically for your boobs.
Graco SnugRide Infant Car Seat – This car seat has a removable all-weather boot with blanket flap that keeps baby warm during our crazy cold San Francisco summers. This product also doubles as a “bouncy chair” while you are in the house.
Graco SnugRider Infant Car Seat Carrier Stroller Frame – A lightweight stroller is a must! When folded it is small enough to hang on the back of your front door.
Kimono tees – Sometimes onesies can be a pain in the butt. These work day or night and don’t have to be taken off to change a diaper. You are probably gonna want half a dozen of these suckers.
Cotton pants – For wearing with the kimono tees when it is too cold to only wear a diaper. You are probably going to want 3-4 pairs.
Monthly onesies (0-12) – These onesies are perfect for taking pictures in. Wearing them will also eliminate questions from strangers asking, “how old is he/she?”
Moby Wrap with SPF 50+ – Not only will keep the baby calm this wrap will double as a wrap/shawl for yourself. This product will literally give you back your hands and allow you to get things done. With a little practice this will allow you to breastfeed and ride public transportation at the same time.
Organic Cotton Cloth Diapers – Instead of using these as diapers use them as burp rags and changing pads.
Muslin swaddles – These ones from aden + anais are large enough to ensure a good swaddle and can also be used as a burp cloth, nursing shield, stroller cover or portable crib sheet. Plus they are super soft and get better with each wash.

But what about a diaper bag?
Many hospital (example: Kaiser) will often provide you with a diaper bag, besides as a chic urban professional you must probably have a dozen or so over-sized purses cluttering up your closet. Use one of those! If not, swipe one of your husband’s backpacks/messengers bags. If you still insist that you NEED a “diaper bag” I suggest a Skip Hop Duo because it fits nicely on a stroller.

How about diapers? Should I buy cloth or disposable?
If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area I suggest you checkout Earth Baby’s Diaper Service. They deliver compostable diapers and wipes right to your door and pick-up your soiled ones.

Note(s):

Make sure you swipe the following items from the hospital prior to your departure.
If and when the time comes that you feel you NEED something that is not on the above list (example: a huge ugly baby swing) try picking one up on craigslist.

About Kelly Tirman

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Ten Products to Swipe from the Hospital After Having a Baby

kellytirman — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 01:24:44 +0000

To set the record straight I am not condoning stealing. I am pretty sure (except for the blankets) the hospital has no problem with you taking the left over supplies from your room. You paid for them right? Leave them behind and you’ll just have to shell out more money at the store later.

Wash Basin – Good for giving the baby a sponge bath until the umbilical cord comes off. Great for washing bottles as well.
Diapers – You will be neededing a lot of these.
Thermometer – Instead of registering for one just keep the one from the hospital.
Surgical Scrub Brush/Sponge – The scrub brush is perfect for washing baby’s scalp. I used it for my first child for over a full year. Also great for cleaning your toddler’s grumby nails.
Peri Bottle – Grab one for you and one for the baby. Great for your private parts and works well for rinsing shampoo off a newborns head.
Bulb Syringe – For all those baby boogers.
Large Maxi Pads – Trust me you will need these. Doesn’t matter if you have a c-section or vaginal birth.
Disposable Panties – Do you really want to ruin your good underwear?
Newborn Hat – Perfect for those first few short weeks when a 0-3 month sized hat is just too big.
Receiving Blankets – Multiple uses and provides a great memory.

Note: If you didn’t get a chase to swipe a receiving blanket from the hospital you can purchase them here.

Question: What did you swipe from the hospital? Did you find anything useful that I didn’t include in the above list?

About Kelly Tirman

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Finally an Infant Bath Tub that’s Perfect for City Dwellers

kellytirman — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 21:41:43 +0000

Living in the city without a garage (or even a storage closet) often means living a minimalist modest lifestyle if you want to or not. With my first child I tried to use a traditional plastic bath tub however I was at a complete loss on where to store it and began to dread bath time since using the tub was so awkward.

This why I think the Puj Tub is pure genius.

Since it is made from a soft foam that folds and conforms to almost any sink, the Puj Tub cradles and protects the baby during bath time. When bath time is over, you just toss the water out of it, unfold it and hang it up a hook behind the bathroom door. Finally an infant bathtub that isn’t awkward and is easily stored out of sight no matter how much storage space you have.

And believe it or not you can buy it from Walmart.

About Kelly Tirman

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Simple Operating Instructions for First Time Urban Parents

kellytirman — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 04:31:13 +0000

Step 1: Learn to identify when the baby’s batteries need to be recharged – ideally prior to meltdown. Resist the temptation to laugh (muwhahaha) once a meltdown strikes although not always easy, laughing only seems to further frustrate the small child.

Step 2: Install binky and satin blanket. Tip toe out of the closet you are using for a nursery and pray an ambulance doesn’t barrel down the street.

Step 3: Once the baby is done charging, let her power back on at her own speed. Be sure to keep the binky installed until you are ready to remove the baby from the charger.

Step 4: Take the baby out to a nice restaurant, ideally some place that serves gourmet mac and cheese. Home worked well for us on this occasion.

Disclaimer: Since each model is unique these instructions are only meant to provide humor. Truthfully, you might want to ignore these instructions altogether since the author can’t remember the last time she slept through the night and probably shouldn’t be giving advice to anyone.

P.S. For more WW fun, please visit A Beautiful Mess, Parenting by Dummies, Live and Love Out Loud, 5 Minutes for Mom, SuperMom, Seven Clown Circus, Better in Bulk, The Paper Mama, Dagmar*s momsense.

About Kelly Tirman

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