LilSugar

Cute Alert! Animals Getting Their Drink On

PetSugar — Mon, 23 May 2011 11:40:53 PDT

Humans may have to give up their formula habit when they reach a certain stage of development, but it's perfectly acceptable for animals to hit the bottle at all ages. If you are in need of a midday smile, drink up these touching pictures of cuties quenching their thirst. Sometimes you gotta let loose and party like an animal.

When Did Your Tot Give Up the Bottle For Good?

Rebecca M Gruber — Fri, 13 May 2011 08:16:21 PDT

Bottoms up! Doctors have long advised parents to make the switch from bottle to sippy cup around a tot's first birthday, but now they have a research behind them.

In a new study in The Journal of Pediatrics, researchers found that kids who continue to use a bottle as their primary source of liquids at two years, and those who are put to bed with one, are 33 percent more likely to be obese at five-and-a-half years old. According to the researchers, lil ones come to rely on the bottles for comfort or convenience, rather necessity, "Prolonged bottle use may lead to the child consuming excess calories, particularly when parents are using the bottle to comfort the child rather than to address the child’s hunger or nutritional needs."

Making the switch to a sippy cup can be an arduous task that some parents put off out of fear of their children giving up milk altogether. When did you make the switch?

The 5 Best Bottles For Breastfed Babies

Rebecca M Gruber — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 18:35:47 PDT

Breastfed babies don't only take their milk from the breast. While lactation consultants suggest waiting at least three weeks before introducing a bottle, breastfeeding mamas often abide by their own schedules. Finding a bottle that truly mimics the motion, flow, and feeling of the breast is often the hardest part of making the switch. Check out our picks for the most breast-like bottles on the market and let us know which one you (or your children) prefer.

Pepsi Unveils 100 Percent Plant-Based Bottle

Susannah Chen — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 10:40:27 PDT

Pepsi isn't just making a killing off of the past - it's also banking on the technology of the future with a new plastic bottle made completely out of plant material.

The company claims it has "cracked the code" on a first-of-its-kind bottle made from switch grass, pine bark, corn husks, and other materials, and it purportedly looks, feels, and protects the drink in exactly the same way as traditional plastic packaging. It beats out the carbon footprint of competitor Coca-Cola's PlantBottle, which is only 30 percent plant-based.

Pepsi is even thinking further ahead: in the future, it plans to use orange peels, potato scraps, and other leftovers from its food enterprises in its new plastic bottles.

Source

Best of 2010: Our Favorite Baby Products

LilSugar — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 02:05:00 PST

Every year there's an avalanche of new baby products that promise to be the best on the market. Sometimes they are, but often times they don't live up to the hype. Among all of the products we test, there are those worthy of winning the LilSugar Editors' Picks of the Year. Here are the 2010 winners!

Little Vignettes With Glass

Casa Community — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 05:00:28 PDT

Here's a post from CasaSugar Community member JolieElise from the Lovely Little Vignettes group:

Above my kitchen sink I've a little gathering of cobalt blue glass. Wine, water, and coffee bottles gathered around a vintage vase create a nice splash of color when the sun shines through.

For another glass vignette from JolieElise,

Pura Kiki Offers a Stainless Steel Option to Plastic Bottles

babysugar — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 09:00:54 PDT

Could stainless steel replace plastic baby bottles? From stainless steel water bottle company Pura, Pura Kiki is a colorful line of baby bottles ($16 each) that convert into sippy cups. They're BPA-, phthalate-, and plastic-free, making them a seemingly safe option for new mamas. Unlike breakable glass bottles, stainless steel can be dropped or thrown and still be no worse for the wear. The bottles are compatible with most major brand's nipples (including Born Free, Dr. Browns, and Think Baby) and can be converted into sippy cups with a simple switch of the nipple. To monitor a lil one's liquid intake, the bottles feature interior markings rather than the traditional exterior versions. Would you switch to stainless?

The Dad Behind the Bottle: Ron Vigdor of BornFree Interview

LilSugar — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 08:02:57 PDT

Ron Vigdor's two sons were already out of diapers when he created BornFree bottles, but he wanted to give fellow parents a safe way to feed their babies. The real estate and high-tech entrepreneur "saw a way to do good and have a viable business" after watching an early 2006 news report about toxins. His company put the first Bisphenol-A-free bottle on the market. When the BPA scare made headlines, the product flew off the shelves while those of long-trusted and bigger baby brands collected dust. Vigdor won't disclose the exact number of units he sells annually but says it is in the millions. And, despite relatively new BPA-free competition, Vigdor says BornFree remains the leading manufacturer of toxin-free bottles. We recently had the chance to chat about his current and future environmental endeavors.

LilSugar: How do you feel about being attributed with raising awareness about BPA?
Ron Vigdor: First of all, I want to acknowledge the scientific community because I am not in any way related to them. I think that BornFree has been blessed with phenomenal media and phenomenal awareness to be able to elevate it to be known as the safe or toxic-free feeding system.

LS: You had perfect timing because your bottles were online and at Whole Foods before the BPA chaos?
RV: We were online first, but I think that Whole Foods recognized (the need for) BPA-free and gave moms and dads an alternative, which made them just as much of a pioneer as I was. They were the first retailers to carry it (the bottles).

To see what Vigdor had to say about expanding his brand,

read more. LS: As far as BPA, scientists are finding it in everything. Are you going to expand your line to include plates, utensils, etc? Do you have any plans to broaden the scope of your business? RV: BornFree is in transition to become a lifestyle company where it would be just as much for babies, toddlers, and teens as adults. There's a huge void out there with BPA-free products. Whether it would be the lining of cans we buy in the grocery store to reusable bottles. All kinds of products today contain not only BPA or phthalates - there are so many other chemicals and toxins out there - that are not even being spoken about right now and BornFree is transitioning itself to become more of a lifestyle company. LS: As far as toxin awareness, America is late compared with what's going on in Europe. Are you trying to speed up that process here? RV: 100 percent. Actually, I believe (we will) catch up to Europe before Europe is ready for us to catch up to it.

At What Age Is It Time to Move On From . . .?

LilSugar — Mon, 31 May 2010 08:37:28 PDT

You don't see many kindergartners wearing diapers or popping a bottle in their lunch bag. Some milestones like rolling, talking, and walking just sort of happen and others like giving up a lovey, forgoing a pacifier, and moving from crib to bed are more learned. Some parents help their offspring progress by limiting the time their tot is wheeled around in a stroller or eats in a high chair. We're curious what you think. Chime in with your opinion on everything from bottle feeding to snuggling with stuffed animals!

The Five Best Baby Bottles

LilSugar — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 15:45:37 PST

Most babies put back a lot of bottles in their little lifetimes, so moms, especially first-timers, want to figure out which brands are best. Some companies cater to tots moving from breast to bottle, while others boast to be made of more pure components. Like children, the feeding contraptions come in all shapes and sizes. Some infants reject one brand and latch right on to another, so we've tested numerous lines and rounded up five of the very best bottles on the market. Check out our picks and let us know which one you (or your children) prefer.