A few years ago, I joined a group of co-workers and participated in “march for babies”, a 3 mile walk to raise money for the March of Dimes. March of Dimes is an organization that funds basic and clinical research worldwide and supports services that help women and infants receive medical support and social services. Their mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.
Today is Prematurity Awareness Day and I wanted to take a minute to share a few of the alarming statistics about prematurity in our country.
According to March of Dimes:
- 1 in 8 babies is born premature in our country
- The prematurity rate in America is higher than most other developed nations
- The U.S. scored only a “D” in the premature birth report card, demonstrating that over half a million babies in our nation didn’t get the healthy start they deserved
- In America alone, the rate of premature birth has increased by 36 percent in the past 25 years
- The worldwide rate of prematurity is almost 13 million babies per year; more than 1 million die because they are born to soon
Research concludes that preventing prematurity begins as early as preconception. The March of Dimes website provides resources and tools to help educate parents so they can take steps toward prevention. You can also contact your local chapter for more information.
You can support March of Dimes by participating in march for babies and other events, through financial contribution or by volunteering.
Whether you have had a personal experience with premature birth, or are just now learning about it; as a community we can each contribute to this cause.
Over the past few weeks, something has been stirring in me. I have been restless with discontentment. I am a work at home mom, which means my days are filled with caring for two toddlers, managing our household and trying to contribute to our family’s income.
My home generally looks like something exploded in it, thanks to two very active boys, a dog, and my inability to keep up with the never-ending cycle of dishes, laundry, and other housework. Not only that, but my boys have acquired a small toy store, which has spilled out from their bedroom into the rest of the house.
I won’t go on with the details of our schedules, finances, or priorities, but I will say that I let the stress get the best of me and last week I hit bottom. Don’t get me wrong. I love being a mom and feel its a privilege to stay home with my kids. I love my work too! But the problem lies in the fact that I take on too much at a time, some of it unnecessarily, and in our culture of having a lot of “stuff” and always aspiring to greater heights, I lost touch with the beauty and value of simplicity.
I don’t feel like it was coincidence that while talking to a friend last week, she told me about an Oprah segment she had just watched. After watching it myself, I was convinced that it was time to take some notes from the Danes.
Copenhagen, Denmark is one of the world’s most environmentally conscious cities. One-third of the population rides bicycles. Most importantly, they top the list as the happiest people in the world.
You have to see this for yourself. Here are the videos (part 1 and part 2):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7s89ptz0dA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QS8dROjKNY
Among the things that made the biggest impression on me are:
Less space, less things, more life.
I was amazed at the small homes the Danes have, yet they are so clean and simple! How refreshing! Our U.S. culture is so warped in this area. Our lives are cluttered. I absolutely love the implication that if you have less of the material things, you have more room to live and enjoy what matters.
Happiness is considered success.
Wow. It is not what you have or acquire, or your profession or status. Success is measured by how happy or content you are; by doing what you love, prioritizing your family and living a balanced, fulfilling life.
It is an understatement to say I am inspired. I’m ecstatic! I am committed to make some big changes in my home and personal life. I am committed to carrying these principles over into Zoe Organics and sharing with you the steps I take to finding more happiness by simplifying, respecting the environment, being more true to my own passions and by keeping my priorities straight.
I hope you too are inspired to come along!
My boys have had few diaper rashes, but those they did have were very painful (this I knew by the squirming and screaming during diaper changes!). The process usually involved grabbing an assortment of balms and white creams all claiming to treat diaper rash, but few actually working well. Some required reapplying for days before seeing significant improvement. Balms, natural or synthetic, tend to be great for prevention, but most moms would agree that the most effective diaper rash “ointment” has a high percentage of zinc oxide.
I would now like to introduce Zoe Organics Diaper Cream to our line of products. This is a creamy, mildly sweet smelling product, loaded with natural vitamins, anti-oxidants and healing, soothing and restoring ingredients.
Ingredients: organic sweet almond oil infused with organic lavender flowers, organic chamomile flowers and organic calendula flowers, avocado butter, natural beeswax, zinc oxide, echinacea, lavender essential oil, vitamin E oil, rosemary oleoresin.
One of the things I really value in personal care products is the scent. The scent of a product can be a deciding factor in whether or not I will purchase it. When it comes to diaper creams, so many of the popular ones (desitin, balmex, pinxav) have a very strong, medicinal scent. In contrast, Zoe Organics Diaper Cream smells sweet; a combination of the herbs, essential oils, and natural beeswax.
Additionally, most diaper creams use a petrolatum or lanolin base. We use organic oils and avocado butter, which are not only loaded with vitamins and nutrients, but are safe.
No product would be complete without adding my personal testimony. So, once again, I pulled in one of my loyal product testers. My 1 year old, Wyatt, had a terrible diaper rash yesterday. I grabbed the Zoe Organics Diaper Cream before he went to bed and generously applied it. When he woke up, I was delighted to see that the rash was completely gone.
I would never be satisfied with product that was only “organic” or smelled good. A product has to work! So, once again, I am thrilled to offer a product that is all natural/organic, smells fabulous AND works!
I’m currently working on the conceptual side of the package design for our products, meaning I’m researching into what all of our options are. I’ve always thought that the hardest part about design is deciding what not to do; there are always, always so many options, even when you get down to the tiniest (but not unimportant) details.
Initially Heather and I talked about the idea of choosing by hand whole recycled glass bottles and jars, and using those to house our skincare products. It would mean that every bottle or jar is unique (but with the same label, of differing size). I really love the idea of using recycled containers before we use the energy and cost of re-processing them into something new again. The term for this concept is called upcycling, a term coined by William McDonaugh and Michael Braugart in their book on ecologically intelligent design, Cradle to Cradle. Brilliant book, by the way. I would highly recommend it.
But there is a mountain of obstacles to this upcycling plan. Like the fact that we legally can’t, nor would we have the desire to, dig through people’s glass recycle bins on curbsides and in parking lots. And frankly, trying to even locate a glass recycling plant to contact about this idea is proving more than a challenge than I ever thought! I haven’t had the chance to contact anyone from a plant who would be able to tell me if they would even allow us to rifle through their glass containers and hand-pick our favorites (before they’re crushed and melted). And I’m not too keen on the idea of just purchasing a bulk amount of recycled glass containers, even if they are all the same color of our choice (which was an option I found on one plant’s website). I think due to the nature of our product, and the level of aesthetics we’re shooting for, we would end up paying for a bulk amount and be able to use only a small percentage of it. That’s not a good option.
So at this point it looks like the traditional method of using recycled glass after it’s been crushed and melted down is the best option. There are some definite benefits to this method, of course. It would mean we could design the shape of the bottles and jars themselves (which equally excites and terrifies me!), and then everything would match perfectly and be exactly what we want them to look like. This would cost more, of course, and we’re striving to keep the costs down as much as possible, and in turn keep the retail prices down, so that’s why I’m going to continue exploring all of our options until we know for sure which way to go.
I still love the idea of having mismatched bottles with the same labels, and I’m hopelessly attached to the idea of re-using something before it gets sucked into the cycle of reprocessing (and even then, much of recycled glass is only ever crushed and then dumped into landfills anyway!)
So we’ll see. We’ve still a long road before us, but we’ll keep you updated on the process. I suppose it’s never easy to do something brand new, but that’s all part of the fun, right?
The mission at Zoe Organics is to celebrate and protect the lives of our children, mothers, community and planet… we believe in the necessity of eliminating toxins from our bodies and the environment.
In order for change to take place, we need to be made aware, and then educate ourselves on the realities and the ways we can make positive changes. With that said, Zoe Organics will begin posting articles and information that we believe you will find helpful in your quest for green living.
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This first post is a review of a recent presentation by the Environmental Working Group, which provides some very disturbing facts concerning the number of chemicals found in the cord blood of ten newborns in America.
watch video [opens in a new window]
To summarize their findings:
One blood sample was taken from the cord blood of 10 newborns across the country. These blood samples were tested for 413 toxic chemicals. They found 287 of those chemicals among these samples; averaging 200 per sample.
Among these chemicals were industrial chemicals and pesticides banned 30+ years ago, consumer product ingredients and waste byproducts.
Exposure to these chemical toxins was ALL IN UTERO! This is the most vulnerable stage of life, where we want to do everything we can to protect them from these toxins. Now we know that we aren’t. Pollution begins in the womb.
Of the chemicals tested, 134 are associated with cancer, 151 associated with birth defects, 154 associated with hormone disruption, 186 associated with infertility, 130 associated with immune system toxicity and 158 were neurotoxins.
The Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 is long overdue for revision. For more regarding the Kid-Safe Chemicals Act, take a look at the fact sheet below or go to their website.
The information in this study brought tears to my eyes. I am working on the line of pregnancy products, and this information further confirmed my belief in the necessity of not only providing babies with pure skin care products, but also their pregnant mommies.
Pollution begins in the womb.
My name is Pam, and I’d like to introduce myself. I’m going to be working on the design aspects of Zoe Organics, from the logo, colors and design of the labels, to the package design, and the overall look and feel of this lovely company – and I’ll be researching into the best ways to go about printing and producing everything in the most sustainable way possible. Sustainability is such a strong value that Heather and I hold in our daily lives, and it only makes sense to have a company that we’re a part of be sustainable as well. In fact, we have so much in common, Heather and I, that I was thrilled when she asked me to be a part of the fledgling Zoe Organics. I had to jump at the chance.
My background isn’t in package design, however; I’m a print designer, and though I’ve always had a fascination with and respect for package design, that’s a whole new ocean that I haven’t had the opportunity to dive into yet. So this is a new thing for me, and yes, I am a slow learner when I want to do something right. So I’m off on a journey of discovering the best (most sustainable, cost-efficient, gorgeous, cost-efficient!) ways of packaging our new products, and hopefully this blog will be a way for me to share some of my research and experiences along the way.
And now that my toes are wet, I can say yes, I’m in! Here we go.
Zoe Organics Baby Bath Tea
One of our products I am most excited about is the Organic Baby Bath Tea. I wanted to include an alternative to soap in the product line, especially suited for newborns. This ultra gentle cleansing and moisturizing bath tea is the perfect solution.
The simple, elegant unbleached muslin tea bag is filled with organic oatmeal, organic lavender and calendula flowers, cocoa butter and lavender essential oil.
Infants have such delicate skin, and even gentle commercial soaps, when used frequently, can be irritating. Most babies don’t need to be bathed every day, and when they are bathed, don’t require being sudsed up from head to toe with a perfumed bath gel which contains artificial and potentially toxic ingredients. What I love about this bath tea is that the natural ingredients cleanse, soothe, moisturize and calm baby. This bath tea is perfectly suited for the newborn and can be enjoyed by young children (and mommy as well).
I recently discovered a rash on my infant’s scalp and forehead after wearing a hat on a warm day at the park. He has that pale, almost transparent delicate skin. I was unsure, but it appeared to be heat rash. On the second day it hadn’t improved, so I decided to experiment. I happened to be working on this bath tea at the time, so I put him in the bath with one of these tea bags and specifically rubbed the tea bag on his scalp and forehead. The next morning, the rash was barely visible. Thus, I became a mommy fan of these bath teas!
Oatmeal, lavender and calendula all have cleansing (anti-bacterial) properties. They also work as anti-inflammatories, soothing ezcema, burns, sunburn, bites, diaper rash, and other skin irritations and allergies. Oatmeal has healthy lubricating fats that moisturize. Natural cocoa butter is a luxurious moisturizer that will leave baby’s skin silky soft.
If you want to try a Zoe Organics bath tea for your own little one, send me an email, heather@zoe-organics.com, and I’ll send you a sample!
Our pediatrician recommends the use of Crisco to treat a myriad of issues, such as diaper rash, healing circumcision, chapped skin on the face or elsewhere, cradle cap and sunburn. Women have used Crisco for years as a moisturizer. It’s inexpensive, fairly natural and has a high vitamin E content. The primary ingredients in Crisco are soybean oil and cottonseed oil in full and partially hydrogenated form. The texture of Crisco is fairy greasy, but it smoothes on nicely and is colorless on the skin. The main things I have not been able to get past, though, are the scent of Crisco and the ugly Crisco tub in my diaper bag or on my changing table.
During one of our appointments, our pediatrician said in jest “someone needs to bottle up Crisco and label it as a beauty product and they would have a successful business!”
Zoe Organics Mommy & Baby Balm was inspired by the use of Crisco as a multi-purpose skin care product. The ingredients of ZO’s balm are dramatically different than Crisco, and I believe they are more effective as a skin care formula (after all, Crisco was intended for cooking, right?). Every ingredient of ZO’s balm is natural (even the preservatives) and almost entirely organic. The scent is amazing and the packaging is being designed for the environmentally conscious and hip momma!
Here are the ingredients (listed by common name):
Certified Organic Shea Butter
Certified Organic Jojoba Oil
Certified Organic Coconut Oil
Natural Beeswax
Echinacea Extract
Certified Organic Lavender Essential Oil
Certified Organic Vanilla Essential Oil
Vitamin E Oil
Rosemary Extract
I will be posting a glossary of the natural ingredients used in Zoe Organics products and their beneficial and healing properties shortly.
Just for fun, here is a comparison chart between ZO Balm and Crisco (as a skin care solution):
| ZO BALM | CRISCO | |
| Texture | very similar – creamy balm, colorless when applied to skin, fairly absorbent while providing a barrier | very similar – creamy balm, colorless when applied to skin, fairly absorbent while providing a barrier |
| Scent | mild, clean, sweet | hmm…like heavy cooking oil |
| Uses | diaper rash prevention (barrier), cradle cap, sunburn, dry or chapped skin, cheek balm for teething wet faces, lip balm, cold dry weather barrier for exposed skin, and many other creative uses! | same basic uses |
| Ingredients | all natural butter, oil, beeswax, extracts and essential oils | hydrogenated oils, mono and diglycerides, TBHQ and citric acid |
| Properties | each ingredient is not only pure and organic, but it is loaded with healing and beneficial properties | junk food in comparison |
| Overall Effectiveness and Satisfaction of Product | stay tuned for testimonies of the moms who have tried it (and hopefully that of my pediatrician  ) |
Overall, it produces some beneficial results as a skin care product, however much is left desired by its scent, packaging and image as well as it lacks many of the healing and beneficial properties of ZO balm (I guess this goes back to Crisco’s original intended use: vegetable shortening – for cooking) |
For a sample of ZO Mommy & Baby Balm, please contact heather@zoe-organics.com and I would be happy to send some your way!
Oh, and although the name of this product (mommy & baby balm) is true to our mission to serve moms and babies, this balm is fabulous for anyone! My husband loves it as a lip balm!
My shipments of raw ingredients arrived last week, so I am finally able to start creating the products I have been formulating over the past months. There are few things as therapeutic to me as rolling up my sleeves and concocting potions of organic herbs, oils and butters. The intoxicating fragrance of lavender and mandarin essential oils are wonderful lingering in the air (and on my children’s skin).
I was originally going to hire a chemist to help with my formulas, but after developing my business plan, I realized that I would not be content with someone else creating these products for me. Over the past year and a half, I have been immersed in product research, learning everything from the properties of essential oils to the shocking truth about toxins in our cosmetics and personal care products.
This week marks a new beginning for Zoe Organics and for me personally. No longer only a concept in my mind and on paper, but the start of something as wonderful as the smell of the baby balm I just applied to my own baby’s bottom.
