Quit Bugging! Safe bug repellent alternatives

We didn't really expect our mild winter would be without consequences did we? Well, yes- I guess I did! So imagine my dismay to hear that experts are warning that West Nile Virus is expected to be of an all time high this summer. Before you lather your child in over-the-counter, department store bought bug repellent, or bomb your yard with harmful fertilizers and pesticides, check out Safe Start Baby's list of natural, inexpensive (and even free!) safe mosquito control alternatives.

What NOT to do

If you have children or pets, ditch the bug bombs, fertilizers and pesticides. The CDC studied indoor pest bombs and found that exposure to the chemicals in adults can lead to health problems: nausea, shortness of breath, headaches, and other severe symptoms that may lead to  hospitalization. And we know that exposure to chemicals in childhood has much greater consequences than those exposures later in life. With children in the back yard, chemicals are not something to be avoided.

Your child may get a kick out of the sounds and sights of an electric mosquito zapper, but they actually kill more useful insects, such as moths, bees and other beneficial bugs, than mosquitoes! Ironically, the probability of being bitten by mosquitoes increases in the vicinity of electric bug zappers increases. Additionally, the bugs zappers emit UV light and mosquitoes could care less about light, UV or other! There are newer models, such as the Mosquito Magnet, that release carbon dioxide, which does excite and attract mosquitoes. They work, but  be prepared to spend a pretty penny as they cost hundreds of dollars.

What TO do

I know it seems hopeless, but don't panic! There are natural, inexpensive and free alternatives to help keep your family safe this summer.

Grow your own
You’ve heard of citronella in candles - but did you know you can grow it? It is a pretty perennial ‘clumping’ grass, that enjoys full sun. Look for the true varieties, Cybopogon nardus or Citronella winterianus. Other plants may be sold as ‘citronella scented’, but these do not have the mosquito repelling qualities of true citronella.

Unwelcome biters hate the smell of marigolds which makes a wonderful border plant around the patio and play areas. They are safe for children - the flowers are edible and healthy - and they contain carotene. Use potted marigolds near any common mosquito entry point to the home, such as open windows and doors, to help deter mosquitoes from buzzing past. Bonus: Marigolds also repel insects and underground bugs which prey on crops and roots - so a few in the veggie bed serve as added protection! 

Catnip is a natural mosquito repellent which grows like a minty weed in our DC Metro area. It is ten times more effective than DEET and will repel any mosquitoe in close proximity to the plant. Use crushed catnip leaves to scatter around play areas and even rub on the body for added protection, but beware if you have a furry feline, as catnip can cause some strange behavior!

Flossflowers (ageratum) emits a smell which mosquitos find particularly offensive. Ageratum secretes coumarin, which is widely used in commercial mosquito repellents.

Other effective plants and herbs include: basil (yum!), beebalm (horsemint), cedarwood, eucalyptus, garlic, lavender, lemongrass, onions, peppermint, rosemary, and thyme. Grow these herbs around your porch and deck to significantly reduce mosquito infestation. Throw some cuttings on the grill while you cook to send a smoke signal to the biting bugs to stay away.

Beware of standing water
Mosquitoes breed in even a tiny bit of water. Walk around and tip over any containers that may gather dew or rain - check the shed area for that old can. If you have a rain barrel, put a screen on it. Clean out your gutters, fix dripping faucets, and if you have a pond, stock it with “mosquito fish.”

Remove standing water from the trays under flowerpots, or on car or boat tarps. If you have a drainage ditch that habitually fills with water, do what you can to clear it out so it drains quickly, before mosquitoes begin to spawn in the standing water. Refresh the birdbath every 2 or 3 days.

Essential oils are essential!
Common store-bought bug repellents contain the toxin DEET - which according to BeyondPesticides, kills brain cells in the cerebral cortex. Ditch the DEET and opt for essential oils such as, cedarwood, lavender, lemongrass, and rosemary. Simply dilute a few drops in a carrier oil and rub on exposed areas of skin, and add to burners or candles. Keep plenty on hand as you will need to apply often.

DIY indoor mosquito repellent
If you have a plug-in, refillable mosquito killer, you don’t have to keep buying the toxic inserts to kill the mosquitoes. Instead, make your own using an orange peel! Simply cut an orange peel to the exact size of the inserts, and plug it in.

Bring bugs to a grinding halt
Used coffee grounds can help keep mosquitos at bay - sprinkle the grounds around your deck or patio, or put them in bowls and place near sitting areas.

Best bug remedy you can use...common sense!
If you lather yourself with lotions and head outside at dusk, you are only asking for trouble. Wear light colored, lightweight, long-sleeved shirts before heading outside, to help minimize bug bites. Avoid perfumes and sweet scents like lotions and try to avoid sitting outside during peak times of mosquito activity (dusk).

Safe Start Eco-Baby
Would you like more information on green and toxic-free living? Safe Start Baby is now offering safer & greener products and services to help you Green Your Scene!

Happy Easter!

Wishing you a Safe and Happy Easter!

~ Safe Start Baby

Prevent Poison Emergencies in Your Home

Remember Mr. Yuk? It’s time to introduce him to your household again as just one serious babyproofing measure in your efforts to prevent any poison emergencies.

In honor of National Poison Prevention Week (March 18-24, 2012), we are highlighting the risks that could exist in your house. If you should suspect a poison emergency, call the American Association of Poison Control Centers at 1-800-222-1222. Program this number into your family’s phones. If your child has collapsed or is not breathing, call 911.

Childproof? Maybe

Your medicines and vitamins look just like candy to your kids. A medicine safe allows you to store all of your pills, potions, and powders in one place and features a locking system that requires adult-sized hands to operate. It’s a necessary safety measure and a big help when it comes to organization too. Just keep it in a high cupboard out of reach of curious hands.

Medications are the predominant cause of poisonings among young children, with more than 60,000 young children admitted to emergency departments each year after getting into medications while unsupervised. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Bathroom Beautiful

Your bathrooms are a haven of poisons: Hair gel, soap, cologne, perfume, aftershave, lotion, powder, hairspray, makeup, mouthwash, and nail polish. These products often smell great, just adding to their appeal. Use a medicine safe in each bathroom to babyproof properly and to also keep dangerous items – including sharp objects like scissors, tweezers, and clippers – far out of reach.

Get Truly Clean

Cleaning products are packaged in such nifty containers with vibrant colors they are most certainly attractive to young children. For poison prevention, keep them all in one place in an extra-large Smart Guard. This box features a convenient carry handle and will keep all of your sprays, wipes, and detergents contained. Not only will this keep prying fingers out of the way of shiny bottles, but having all of your cleaning goods in one place will ultimately be a boon to your housekeeping efforts. 

Household and personal care products, medicines, vitamins, pesticides and plants are among the substances most frequently involved in poison exposures among children. (American Association of Poison Control Centers)

Household Poison Prevention

Some additional precautions: Equip every floor of your home and all sleeping areas with a carbon monoxide detector. Read labels on every product you buy to find out what is poisonous, including plants, toys, and art supplies. Be aware of poisons that could be in your handbag (anti-bacterial lotion) or diaper bag (diaper cream). Never mix cleaning products. Always buy child-resistant packages when available – nothing is foolproof, but every deterrent helps.

Familiarize your child with Mr. Yuk – you can request a free sheet of stickers by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the Pittsburgh Poison Center. Get the details here. And don’t just let your kids play with the stickers. Apply Mr. Yuk to the most dangerous products in your home, then lock them up! 

Poisoning Prevention: Four common mistakes parents make

If you took a tour through your home, you would likely find potentially poisonous substances in nearly every room of your home. Whether chemicals, medications, plants, cosmetics, batteries, the list is endless. Combined a child’s innate curiosity of the world with the numerous potential poisoning hazards within your child’s grasp and it’s no wonder that poisoning is one of the leading causes of unintentional injuries to children. What you may find surprising are the ways you maybe increasing your child’s risk. Many parents are unknowingly contributing to their child’s curiosity of potentially poisonous household items. Avoid these common parenting mistakes and reduce your child’s risk of poisoning.

Monkey See Monkey Do. Avoid taking medications in front of your child as kids love to imitate. You’ll also want to think twice about using products, such as mouthwash, in front of your little copycats.

Mr. Yuk or Mr. Yum? Sure, putting Mr. Yuk stickers on chemical bottles seems like a good idea, but when most kids identify stickers and bright colors with fun, it’s essential that your child understands what this funny man really means…DANGER- STAY AWAY!


Heart Medication or Sweet Tarts? Think your child can tell the difference between candy and medicine? Can you? Test yourself. The California Poison Control System has created a fabulous online test challenging you to identify which picture is the pill and which is the candy. Give it a shot. It’s entertaining, enlightening, and harder than you think! Choose Your Poison.


Out of Reach AND Out of Sight. Storing chemicals and medications on a high shelf is not enough – most resourceful toddlers can master a countertop climb. Instead keep items out of sight, out of reach, and locked up! Childproof your cabinets and drawers and add door locks to closets that contain potentially poisonous items. Child safety lock boxes are an excellent way for you to lock up chemicals and medications. Childproofing is a must and will significantly reduce the likelihood of an accident.


Coins, Cosmetics, and Pills – OH MY! What’s in your purse? If your purse doubles as a pharmacy, you may want to think twice about where you store it. Allowing your child access to diaper bags, purses, and backpacks also allows them access to the contents. Avoid using your purse as a medicine cabinet and keep all bags up and out of reach.

For more Poison Safety Information and Tips visit the National Capital Poison Center.

Fight Back with Fitness. A fundraiser to help end pediatric cancer.

I’ve been cancer free for 8-years. I admit it’s a badge of courage I wear with pride. Yet if you asked me to give you the day-by-day details of the battle, it would be a struggle. Much of my experience has become a vague, distant memory; however there is one significant event I remember vividly – the diagnosis. I remember the sterile, cold room where I awaited my fate. I remember the doctor and nurse entering the room. I remember the Doctor standing at the foot of the examining table and the nurse who stood at my side – was she there to soften the blow or catch me if I were to fall? I remember the doctor deeply inhaling, preparing to say the words- “I’m sorry. You have cancer.” I recall my husband’s face turn to panic and just as quickly to a determined look of how can I fix this. I remember the tears welling in my eyes. I remember leaving the office, averting the gaze of waiting room visitors who wondered, what could be this woman’s fate?

Repeat this scenario. You’re sitting in a doctor’s office. The doctor and nurse enter. The nurse stands at your side, as if there to catch you if you were to fall. The doctor who sits before you, takes a deep breath as to prepare himself to speak the words that will inevitably change your life forever - “I’m sorry. Your child has cancer.”

I find it difficult to even type the words. Saying them out loud is nearly impossible. Hearing those words? Unfathomable. Yet these were the words that Jake Wetchler’s parents heard and are the same words that approximately 12,400 parents in the US are told every year.

Jake Wetchler

Jake Wetchler was a senior in high school when he was diagnosed with Stage IV Hodgkin’s lymphoma. His parents describe him as a born philosopher who pushed himself to the max both physically and mentally. Jake fought hard and successfully beat his Hodgkin’s into remission; however the joy was short lived. Nearly a year later, Jake was diagnosed with AML- an aggressive and relentless form of cancer which was likely caused by the chemotherapy used to treat Jake’s Hodgkin’s. Not without a fight, AML eventually took the life of Jake Wetchler. Here is an excerpt from Jake’s story, which I urge you to read in full:

"In many ways, Jake’s story has a tragic ending. But while cancer killed Jake, it never defeated him. Jake went the distance—and more—and his story is one of an indomitable spirit. In his honor, and in our continuing fight against cancer, that spirit is ours."

In this age of incredible scientific and medical advances, the treatments for most pediatric cancers have yet to advance in recent decades. The Jake Wetchler Foundation- don’t let the cancer win is fighting to make a change. Their fundraising mission, Fight Back with Fitness, helps raise the necessary funds for research and improvement of pediatric cancer treatments.

Challenge yourself to a personal fitness goal and raise funds by promising to stick with it. You get fit and kids get a better chance at beating cancer. Everyone wins.

I’m a child safety professional by day, but a volleyball coach by night. In Jake’s honor and in his spirit, our team, the “Sparx”, are joining The JakeWetchler Foundation as part of the MVSAFight Back with Fitness Invitational. In addition to playing in this tournament, our team of 11 girls are determined to reach a fundraising goal of $500. Why Fight Back with Fitness? Because it challenges participants to Pick a Fitness Goal, Set a Fundraising Goal, and Go For It!

The Sparx are Fighting Back with Fitness!

Team Sparx wants your help! Will you help us reach our goal? It’s easy to do. Simply click on the link to our fundraising page and donate what you can. Every dollar counts but you must act fast. We want to reach our goal by March 25^th. It is on this day that Team Sparx will dedicate each serve, set, pass and dig to this cause. We will strive to play each game with the strength and courage Jake Wetchler demonstrated every day.

“…though I might die tonight, I must plan on fighting for tomorrow. Fear is real and right, but must be confronted and sometimes conquered if it gets in the way of living. I must embrace my fear, for it is here for a reason—but I must not let it stop me. It will make me stronger. I will love life better. I have the chance to fight nobly. I will go to sleep, and wake up tomorrow knowing that a battle has been won, and there is a full day ahead of me for celebration.” -Jake Wetchler

Babyproofing Baby Steps

When you’re expecting, the urgency to nest comes on strong – you feel like everything has to be just right before baby arrives. You “must” purchase all the necessities, “must” finish the nursery, “must” have a freezer full of food. Well, as any parent will tell you, these intentions are great but they put a ton of pressure on parents-to-be, especially exhausted and very round mothers.

It’s OK if you’re not completely ready for your baby. Everything will fall into place, even though it may not seem that way pre-baby. The same goes for babyproofing. While the best way to childproof your home is to be proactive rather than reactive, your house doesn’t have to become Alcatraz by the time your baby is born.

So if you’re freaking out that you can’t secure your home all at once because of financial constraints, time issues, or otherwise, take a deep breath. It’s OK. Just make it your goal to have certain safety tools in place by the time your child reaches specific ages and milestones so that you’re keeping him as safe as possible while he grows.

 

Newborns: Babyproofing for newborns? They don’t need baby gates! No, but they do need safe places to sleep since that’s what they’ll be doing with most of their time. As cute as those crib sets may be, we’re hoping they soon go the way of the dinosaur. Bumper pads, blankets, toys, and pillows are all hazards to a tiny baby. Keep the crib clear of these items – use only a firm mattress and sheet. If you want to feel the need for a bumper pad, make it a breathable one.

3-6 months: This is an age when you may underestimate a baby’s ability to get into mischief. Curiosity is kicking into full gear and your child will begin to realize that reaching and grabbing for something may get him that item. Be careful when holding your baby near things like a hot coffee mug, boiling pots on the stove, or sharp utensils.

Tubby time is likely becoming one of your child’s favorite activities. But they’re just beginning to master the art of sitting. Even if they’re beyond the Leaning Tower of Pisa stage, you always need to be on full alert during bath time. Don’t leave your child alone for a second, even in the shallowest water. Get all your gear ready before your child hits the water. To avoid the temptation of making the mad dash to grab the oh-so-important phone call, bring the cordless into the bathroom with you. 

Babies are starting to put everything in their mouth at this halfway point of the first year too so it’s important to look at things from their vantage point. Get down on the ground, peer under furniture, change to one-piece doorstops if necessary, and vacuum, vacuum, vacuum.

6-9 months: Mobility has arrived or is on the very near horizon. It’s time to batten down the hatches – add furniture straps, gate the top and bottom of your stairs, install latches and locks to your cabinets, and change outlet covers. Be prepared for that crawler to turn into a walker and climber in the blink of an eye.

You’ve also got a little eater on your hands by this point and it will be great fun to test out new foods with your child. Avoid “slippery foods” (e.g., grapes, baby tomatoes) and keep things cut to very small pieces to avoid any choking hazards. Make sure you know what to do if your baby is choking.

A little bit of babyproofing is better than no child proofing at all. Do your best and always try to think one step ahead of your baby. Just remember that exploration is how your child learns so make your house safe, but don’t make it boring.

Spring Forward into Fire Safety

Reluctant as you may have been to change your clocks, I'm sure the task has been completed, but did you also remember to change your smoke detector batteries? Just as turning the clocks forward each Spring is not an option, changing the batteries in your smoke detectors shouldn't be either.

Smoke detectors save lives.
By having working smoke detectors in your home, you reduce your chances of dying in a fire by half! Worth the 5 minutes of hassle to me.

Do you have smoke detectors in every bedroom?
You should. Smoke alarms should not only be installed on every level and outside of every sleeping area, but they should also be installed inside every sleeping area. Imagine a fire starting in your child's bedroom; it could take minutes before the smoke would set off a hallway alarm- especially if it's behind a closed door.

Change yearly, check frequently.
Make it habit to change your batteries when you change your clock and you'll be more likely to remember. Even if your alarms are hard-wired, batteries must be changed in the event of a power outage.

Check your expiration date.
Smoke alarms do not last forever! The maximum life span is 8 - 10 years. Do you know how old your detectors are? If they are older than 8 years, it's time to replace them.

As sleep deprived as you may be, spring into action and change your smoke alarm batteries today; it could save a life!

For more fire safety resources visit:
The Baby Proofing Blog- Spring Forward into Safety
Safe Kids USA Fire Prevention Tips
Fire Safety for All Families- Safe Kids USAs Video