ColumnWhere celebrity becomes conscious.

As my grandmother used to mysteriously intone over her crochet needles, “Even kittens can scratch.” Are we really inferring that the adorable, cuddly spawns of joy positioned on celebrity hips everywhere are anything but angels from above? No, the innocents of Hollywood’s loins are blameless. But the media detailing their every move for our tabloid pleasure? There’s some Rosemary in that baby. The cult of baby is careening out of control in Hollywood, and I’m calling for some deprogramming before it’s too late.

You can’t click on a blog these days without seeing a Shiloh, Suri, Kingston, Cruise, or Stefani modeling a new faux hawk or splashing about a swimming pool with their mother. People Magazine has an entire online section devoted to the progeny of celebrity. Headlines such as “Jenna Fisher is having a boy,” “Pink was looking forward to a natural birth,” and “The Beckhams introduce [daughter] Harper Seven” leap from the screen, daring you to click on the private lives of celebrities. And like moths drawn to the adorable flame, we click, we post, we comment. But why?

There is perhaps nothing more intimate on the planet than the act of giving birth. Up until the 1930s, childbirth was essentially one drawn-out Dark Age, often shrouded in grim statistics of low infant survival and high mother and child mortality. Organized medicine and germ theory stepped in, bringing births out of the home and into hospitals. But this meant the birthing process became a sterile event often involving excessive drugs and isolation.

As Discovery Health writes of the mid-20th century birthing process:

The fear of infection, a major killer of mothers and babies, led to such practices as taking away all a woman’s personal belongings when she entered the hospital; shaving all her pubic hair; administering large, uncomfortable enemas; prohibiting fathers and other loved ones from entering the maternity area; keeping babies in nurseries, away from their mothers; and handling babies as little as possible.

Thankfully, times have changed, and women are much more in control of childbirth at the dawn of the 21st century. So when someone else invites us into their birthing process, there’s a secret elation at seeing what was previously forbidden. We want the gory details. Photos? Put them up. C-section or natural birth? Tell it, sister. Perhaps this explains what’s driving the celebrity baby industry, especially exacerbated since the arrival of the internet. It’s the dawning of the Age of Overshare, and our broadening online village lets us feel like we’re personally invested in, say, Victoria Beckham’s newborn daughter.

Not to mention, we get the details and we get to have an opinion. As Brianne posted on People’s celebrity baby blog regarding another celebrity (and former Spice Girl) pregnancy, “Mel, I can hardly wait for this baby to get here! Emma and Jade had their second son, Tate, in May, and Harper Seven Beckham is 8 days old! Boy or girl, I’m SOOOOO happy for you and Stephen, so all the best!!!” There’s nothing wrong with someone’s obvious enjoyment on weighing on the impending birth of a person she’s never met. (We assume apologies to Brianne if she’s a close personal friend of said Spice Girl.) The fact that we get a voice at all now seems expected or even natural to us. Ultimately, we seem to have crossed a line where we’re eager to place ourselves into the most intimate components of stranger’s lives as a form of entertainment.

Actress Isla Fisher and her baby bump on the red carpet.

And then there’s the fantasy factor. Motherhood can be one of the most powerful experiences on the planet. So when it is touted on the red carpet, latest maternity fashions on hand, we feel like we’re getting a glimpse of what it means to be perfect and pregnant. Our current celebrity culture is just a reflection on our ideals or thoughts on fashion, style, and ultimately social acceptance. So we, and by extension the media, are making mountains out of celebrity diapers. Celebrities are supposed to be our cooler cousins, our fantasy extensions of the self. So are their pregnancies, and consequent children, part of the fantasy? Or do we really just want to see them struggle in a parking lot holding a baby carrier and an overloaded diaper bag?

How do celebrities feel about this? It’s hard to imagine Jennifer Garner calls out the paparazzi for her Brentwood family jaunts any more than Reese Witherspoon invites photographers to her children’s birthday parties at Disneyland. Just like us, they likely enjoy taking their children out of the house and into public spaces. This simple act can be a terrifying event – I’ve been caught in a paparazzi crush several times on the streets of Hollywood, and I feel like I’ve barely lived to tell about it. So what does an experience like that do to a child? Only tattered security blankets may tell the tale.

Even the celebrities invite attention to their children. TV actress Elisabeth Rohm blogs regularly for People Magazine, recently detailing how she and her child dealt with the loss of her favorite stuffed animal. 90210 actor Ian Ziering does the same for celebrity fathers. Its mommy-blogging gone Hollywood and it’s no different than the Facebook forums and WordPressed articles we’re sharing amongst ourselves.

Let’s say you decide to forgo the baby bump in Hollywood? You are still risking the ire of the public. Last year, the bloggers at Babble infamously asked us to consider “The [Jennifer] Aniston syndrome” by investigating the soon-to-be barren wombs of some of Hollywood’s leading ladies. After creating a storm of controversy, Babble apologized and pulled the blog, but not before I wrote about it, as well as did several other disgusted bloggers.

Hollywood’s baby coverage is just business as usual. Outside of the confines of Tinsel Town, women regularly wrestle with the decision to have kids, career, or both. With a distinct “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” mentality, we’re applauded for having babies. And if you’re childless? Everyone wants to know why. After all, we’re entitled to know – aren’t we?

So really, Hollywood is just one giant Thanksgiving dinner table filled with your nosy aunts and inquiring cousins. When we endure the “when are you going to have a baby?” question casually tossed over the gravy bowl, we’re really just standing in a supermarket checkout line eyeing the tabloid headlines detailing the adventures of the Jolie-Pitt child crew of six. Once again, we’re playing out our own fears in one big cultural Meta monster. Except this monster breeds.

This is the latest installment in Katherine Butler’s column, Shade Grown Hollywood, where celebrity becomes conscious. “Shade grown” refers literally to shade grown coffee, a farming method that “incorporates principles of natural ecology to promote natural ecological relationships.” Shade Grown is our sustainable twist on Hollywood.

Image: lsuchick142/Flickr

Rather than raise our voices, we girls at EcoSalon prefer to write about it, because if you need to scream, my guess is you aren’t so certain what you have to say is worth hearing.

And really, who wants to hear a grown woman roar?

In the past few months at EcoSalon, women have taken center stage with subjects ranging from brazen to, well, more brazen. If only we could change the world with our steadfast, unwavering commitment to talking about what matters.

Oh yeah, we are.

So what have we been discussing lately with regards to women? The question should be, what haven’t we?

We talked about getting older – why welcoming 30 and reaching for 40 with gusto is a reason to celebrate. Although with age comes the need to decide short versus long…hair, that is.

Is there ever a good time to talk about infertility? But we did. Then we tossed around the wild proposition that we don’t need a baby to feel happy and fulfilled. The horror! Which brings us to contraception and the dirty, sexy pill.

While we’re on the subject of sex, we want our cake, and to eat it too. I mean, why should we have to choose?

Speaking of choices, why are being pretty and smart mutually exclusive? We can have it all! Right?

Wrong. It’s time to face the cold, hard truth. Our fantasy lover is not showing up to sweep us off our feet, because he doesn’t exist. Reality checks can be so annoying.

And so is the office flirt who makes her way to the top using her sexy. But it seems she’ll pay the price once she gets there.

Sticks and stones – but names can be controversial. Gal, chick, girl, lady or ma’m? You decide.

And finally, it’s a relief to know that there are at least nine things we don’t need in order to be happy, and that after all this talk, a little silence and a good book can be a girl’s best friend.

Images: squacco, sleepishly, Vivian Chen, quinn.anya, Samdogs

Don’t accuse me of sacrilege by pushing babies as mere accoutrement, but I see so many adorable baby slings out there, who needs a pretty purse with a pet chihuahua?

In fact, I’m almost ready to ready myself (and my uterus) for one of my own just so I can pick out a cute baby carrier. Almost.

With all the hoopla about attachment parenting and the positive potential for better everything if you carry your baby in a sling – how could I resist? But seriously, holding your little warm and cuddly close to your heart does sound sort of sensational, does it not?

It makes perfect sense that mommas everywhere are wearing their babies up close and personal. The benefits of babywearing include baby crying less and learning more – because living at mom and dad’s eye-level can’t help but involve and stimulate a baby more than laying or sitting in a crib or stroller.

Mod Mum Sling (above) – fawn&forest, $54.

How many times have you leaned down to interact with a baby? And if you aren’t leaning down, what does said baby experience? That’s right, your legs and a whole lot of nothing else. Being in a baby sling engages a baby rather than leaving it lonely.

And yes, I’ve read about the recalls and all I can say is tragic and troubling but please don’t throw away a wonderful way of connecting and being present for your baby without serious thought.

I believe being present is the best way to prevent such accidents from occurring, so please, if you plan to wear your baby in a sling, pay attention and stay connected, which is really the point, isn’t it?

Okay, now let’s have some fun and pick out the perfect accoutrement for your most precious accoutrement.

Market Sling (above) – Serena & Lily, $129.

Maya Wrap Ring Sling (above left) – Maya Wrap, $65.95.

Hemp Baby Ring Sling (above right) – Pretty Momma Sling, $92.

Mod Mum Sling (above) – fawn&forest, $54.

If the sling thing isn’t for you, ERGObaby makes a slew of front-carrier options that achieve the same positive effects as the sling.

ERGObaby Organic Carrier (above) – ERGObaby, $120-$148.

Moby Organic Stretchy Wrap (above left) – Peppermint, $59.95.

Beco Gemini Carrier (above right) – Peppermint, $129.

Market Sling (above) – Serena & Lily, $129.

Whether you fancy a ring, pouch, sling, wrap or front carrier, attaching your precious cargo to your body, leaving your hands free and fully focused, is simply smart and very present parenting. Try it with care.

A for Apple, B is for Beluga, C is for Chullo. Pretty baby!

Parents on planet Hollywood and elsewhere are headed in that fruity, foamy and woolly direction in declaring devotion to Mama Earth via naming their young.

In the roaring Nineties, when real estate and dot comers were soaring, we saw a return to the Old Testament with the names Sarah, Jacob, Rachel and Eli in vogue.

“Eve and Adam, please leave the great room until Mommy is finished closing her Genentech deal.”

Now that resources are scarcer than ever, green is the rule for everything cool. Nature-bound moms and dads can reference all good things from fiber foods and soothing teas to fair trade crafts and endangered species in getting that family branding just right.

Here is an A-to-Z reference guide on the eco-friendliest labels for your bouncing baby Gore:

Acai (boy) Agate (girl)

Boho (boy) Bark (girl)

Corky (boy) Coral (girl)

Deepak (boy) Dibbler (girl)

Energy (boy) Etsy (girl)

Free (boy) Flax (girl)

Gore (boy) Glacier (girl)

Hemp (boy) Henna (girl)

Indri (boy) Ivory (girl)

Jungle (boy) Jute (girl)

Kale (boy) Kharma (girl)

Leonardo (boy) Laurie David (girl)

Marsh (boy) Mauritius (girl)

Nash (boy) Nectar (girl)

Otter (boy) Oolong (girl)

Prius (boy) Polar (girl)

Quince (boy) Quantum (girl)

Rooibos (boy) Rummage (girl)

Stevia (boy) Sprig (girl)

Tiger (boy) Teak (girl)

Urban (boy) Urial (girl)

Vegan (boy) VivaTerra (girl)

Wolf (boy) Watson (girl)

Xeri (boy, girl)

Yosemite (boy) Yurt (girl)

Zen (boy) Zona (girl)

*For catchy middle names with eco associations, we at EcoSalon suggest: Bradley, Sara, Amy, Heather, Scott, Vanessa, Barrington, Derby, Fitzsimmons, Leigha or Katherine.

Share with us what you have namestormed!

Each week here at EcoSalon, the editors choose a post from the archives that we think you’ll love. The original post can be found here.

Image: Will Foster

Recently, an issue so-powerful-it-could-only-be-emailed was batted around the hallowed halls of EcoSalon. The issue was complex, kind of like asking 24-to-39-year-old women to name their favorite Jonas Brother. Sure, the middle one seems a bit cute, but is it really okay to have an opinion on the matter? And while we’re on the subject, could our own Stiv Wilson be dreamier while reporting on insanely important issues around the globe? Probably not, and let’s get back on target. (Seriously, people!)

Rather, the EcoSalonistas were debating another topic – and that was men having children past 50. As some of us saw it, people will go all monster judgey on women having kids over 40, but no one bats a fake eyelash over men doing the same. NBC’s 30 Rock is gravely exploring this topic as 50-year old Jack Donaghy has a baby with his younger girlfriend. He tells Liz Lemon, “50 is the new 40 for men. 50 is still 60 for women.” To quote the great Tina Fey via the great Liz Lemon, “Whatever, Tony Randall.”

Men often remarry or have children late. Aforementioned actor Tony Randall has his last child at age 78, while Charlie Chaplin had his last at age 73. Yet bring up a woman having children into her 40s and you’re going to hear some hooting and hollering on the matter. Recently, the bloggers over at Babble raised a spectacle on the web when they mocked a group of 30s-to-early-40s actresses who dared to risk aging out of their barren wombs. (The original article has since been taken down, but luckily our friends at Jezebel still have it cached.)

We responded by looking at the issue of fertility drugs for the plus 35 crowd o’ women. But what about the boys and men? Do men worry about older paternity? Or do they fantasize about changing dirty diapers alongside young girlfriends who look like Elizabeth Banks? We polled a few, prodded some others, and found the following.

PROS OF OLDER DADHOOD

“Derek” (names all changed for privacy aka “How many people are going to read this now?”) thinks older fatherhood enables more financial security and a better life for his kids. Stephanie’s husband is 16 years older, and she tells me that he’s very attentive, calmer and nurturing with their kids. And research backs this up, as “older dads are three times more willing and more likely to share in the daily child rearing tasks, including diaper changes, feeding the toddler, and putting the kids to bed.” Steve said he’s not ready to settle down anytime soon (Steve is 42) so it’s either older fatherhood or nothing. Probably nothing. Thank you, Steve.

CONS OF OLDER DADHOOD

Mike thinks older fatherhood means “more cash, less ass.” Quippy, and as Captain Obvious might point out, indicative of the fact that some people believe children cost money and can hinder your ability to sleep with women, sexually or otherwise. David says “having less energy” and “uh, DYING” as a con of being an older father. And Mitchell told me that he doesn’t want to be mistaken for his kid’s granddad.

Image: Courtesy of NBC

The saying “there’s an app for everything” has become part of our cultural vernacular, and while some apps serve great purposes and provide handy information, the one I’m referring to in this post should have never been created, as it reduces parenting to dismissive gadgetry. Sadly, now you can use your iPhone to monitor your baby’s “cry-it-out” sessions. Adding insult to injury (such as the possible ensuing brain damage that the cry-it-out method may cause a child), the app bears the blasé title: “Ciao Baby.” How can any parent think it’s okay to give their baby the kiss off in such an insensitive manner?

In case you’re not familiar with what letting a baby “cry-it-out” means, it is a sleep-training concept that was introduced by pediatrician Richard Ferber, in which babies between four to six months old must learn to self-soothe in order to fall asleep. This often takes hours upon hours of screaming, crying and hysteria that sometimes culminates in vomiting and convulsions and may affect a child’s psyche by producing “lifelong emotional scars” and abandonment issues.

And “Ciao Baby” can help you achieve all of the above! Since the CIO method means that parents must put their baby in their crib awake, and then periodically check back in on them after certain increments of time, patting their back but not picking them up or – god forbid cuddling or holding them, the Ciao Baby app times and logs a baby’s outbursts and keeps track of the “time until next settle.” Wow.

Renown pediatrician Dr. Sears advises against letting a baby cry-it-out, imploring parents to “consider baby’s cry as signaling a need – communication rather than manipulation.” For those of you reading this who think their babies only had to cry-it-out for a week before getting the picture, Dr. Sears suggests that they simply became apathetic, they didn’t learn what you were trying to teach them. What a great first lesson to teach a child about life: fight for your needs, and then give up, knowing the one person who is supposed to care for you has turned his or her back on you.

I am certain that there are many parents out there who would staunchly support the CIO method, and have successfully and guiltlessly let their babies “cry-it-out,” achieving the end result of a baby who slept through the night at any early age and is perfectly well-adjusted. But as an advocate of attachment parenting, I deplore this practice with every fiber of my being. It is fundamentally wrong and unnatural to let your child suffer in order to achieve a convenient end for yourself. I’ve known parents who have shut their baby away in their crib so they could enjoy a movie, dinner or a glass of wine in the other room “in peace,” yet their child is screaming bloody murder within earshot and they are unfazed. And if you aren’t hard-wired to respond to your child when he is in need, why bother having a child in the first place?

Proponents (parents who use) the CIO method will argue that if it’s practiced responsibly and done correctly, that letting your baby wail their lungs out and go ignored is perfectly fine. But these are just excuses to make a parent feel better about not tending to their child’s primal need to be held and comforted. Or, these excuses resemble regurgitated theories from doctors and books that parents advise for information as they stray away from what feels right for them instinctively.

What would the world become if we simply said “ciao” to those in need and timed their cries for help on our iPhones? I shudder to think anyone is buying this app to help them better monitor their neglect.

In the U.S alone, 18 billion pounds of dirty diapers are sent to landfills on a weekly basis, and each diaper takes up to 500 years to biodegrade. In an effort to minimize the impact that disposable diaper products make on the environment, diaper companies are trying to create greener products that biodegrade more quickly, and that don’t contain harsh chemicals that leach into the earth.

We recently told you about baby wipes options that will help reduce your child’s bumprint, and in this post we’re taking a look at two hybrid diapering systems that are a cross between cloth and disposable diapers. These systems are an answer to the cloth diaper vs. disposable diaper debate, which is rife with questions.

The vast majority of parents want to stick with the convenience of disposables, while a growing number of eco-conscious consumers want to minimize their crappy contributions to the demise of the planet by opting for cloth diapers. (But some environmentalists blast the use of water to launder said cloth diapers). gDiapers and Charlie Banana are two diaper companies that are trying to find a happy medium: cloth diapers with the convenience of disposable diapers. Each diapering system features a disposable insert that is 100 percent biodegradable, and is designed to use in tandem with a cloth diaper.

gDiapers

gDiapers pioneered the hybrid diaper effort with their “no landfill required” tagline and their innovative design in which parents can “flush” the soiled insert component of their baby’s diapers. (But it’s important to note that some plumbing systems can’t tolerate the dissolve and flush aspect of the flushable inserts, and could cause damage). gRefills simply slide into the outer gPants diaper covers. The gRefills are made of sustainably farmed wood fluff pulp, with sodium polyacrylate (SAP) for absorbency, and cellulose rayon. They are plastic-free, biodegradable, and they contain no elemental chlorine or perfumes. Additionally, the wet (not poopy) gRefills inserts may be composted or simply tossed out after waste is flushed, where they will break down in 50-150 days.

If you’d like to make your diapering regimen an even deeper shade of green, gDiapers also offers gCloth inserts which are made of two layers of soft 100 percent polyester microfleece, and are washable, reusable, and require no folding since they are specially designed to fit right into the gPants.

This video demonstrates how quickly gDiapers biodegradable inserts dissolve into the earth, in comparison to their disposable counterparts.

gDiapers “New Baby Bundle” starter kit is $149.99

Poised to make their debut on the diapering scene, Charlie Banana boasts a 2-in-1 reusable diaper that also offers the option of choosing between a reusable or a disposable insert, secured inside a cloth diaper cover. When I asked a representative for Charlie Banana about the flushable aspect of their 100 percent biodegradable disposable inserts, here is the reply she gave:

“Charlie Banana recommends the biodegradable insert (made of wood pulp) be thrown in the trash. They recommend you shake the solid first and then trash it. You do have the option of flushing it, but they recommend you tear the insert into a few pieces and then flush… however flushing it may do more harm to the pipe/plumbing and the sewer plant than it does good.”

Charlie Banana cloth diaper covers come in a wide range of colors and prints which may be seen here. The collection is expected to hit the market next month. For up to date news on their launch and availability, check the Charlie Banana website.

Charlie Banana also donates one percent of all sales worldwide to Operation Smile, so you can feel good knowing that you’re not only helping to lessen your diapering impact on the planet, you’re also contributing to another worthy cause!

Still “ooohing and ahhing” over the Honeydumplings newborn gift set we recently featured? Well, new and expecting parents and their sweet little bambinos are in luck! We’re giving one reader the chance to win this luxurious gift set from Honeydumplings. Complete with a padded bamboo/organic cotton baby hat which features a removable pillow insert to cushion a newborn’s delicate and developing noggin, and a soft and soothing organic cotton security blanket, this gender-neutral, vanilla-hued gift set will welcome baby to the world in style and grace.

Honeydumplings‘ mission is to create sleep accessories that provide the ultimate in comfort for babies and children. They use all natural and organic materials in their collection and they stick to basic, comforting hues that induce peace and tranquility in a child’s setting, giving them the ability to self-soothe. In a world filled with baby gear designed to excite and stimulate, Honeydumplings wares are a refreshing departure that help evoke the calm environment newborns so crave.

If you’d like to win this adorable, heirloom quality hat and security blanket for the new baby in your life, leave a comment on this post! Can’t wait to swaddle your bundle in green bliss? Visit Honeydumplings and order up the gift set now!

For complete giveaway rules go here, and you’ll find FTC guidelines here. Good luck!

In a perfect world, all parents would use cloth diapers and reusable baby wipes to greatly reduce the footprint their baby’s bottom leaves on the planet during the diapering stage. But in reality, one-time-use baby wipes are a staple in every parent’s bag of tricks. Used for wiping up messy tushies at home, and to thwart or contain many a childhood catastrophe on the go, there are millions of baby wipes being used across the land, that get tossed out within moments of their use. Read on for some top tips on how to reduce your impact when using baby wipes, and to learn about three biodegradable baby wipes options that will get the dirty work done without leaving the planet a mess.

Some things to consider when purchasing baby wipes: first, seriously consider using reusable wipes. Bottoms-up offers a great all-in-one starter kit. If you’re set on going the disposable route, once you buy your first plastic pop-up tub of wipes, keep the container for life. There’s no need to fill your home and landfills with plastic tubs when you can buy refill packs of baby wipes for less of the cost and pop them into your reusable plastic bin.

Incorporate one of these three biodegradable baby wipe options into your diapering routine – they’ll help save the earth while saving your baby’s bottom from harsh chemicals.

Nature Babycare Wipes

Nature Babycare baby wipes are fragrance free, chlorine free, alcohol and perfume free and their packaging is free of plastic, made of natural and renewable materials, and 100 percent compostable. Their cloth-like feel and absorbency make these wipes less moisture-prone than say a mainstream ‘wet wipe,’ but I really like the subtle scent they emit, perhaps from their aloe vera component (even though they are technically unscented). They also come in a lightly scented variety. You can get 10 packages with 70 wipes in each package for $49.99.

gWipes from gDiapers

gDiapers recently added gWipes to their eco collection of diapering accouterments. These hypoallergenic wipes are designed especially for baby’s sensitive skin and contain aloe vera and vitamin E to soothe and protect baby’s bottom. These biodegradable wipes may be composted when wet, and because they are made of cellulose pulp and regenerated cellulose, they break down much faster than mainstream baby wipes. You can get 12 70-count packages of gWipes for $45.

Elements Baby Wipes

Elements baby wipes are 100 percent natural, compostable, and they are also free of chlorine and fragrances. Developed by a mom, Elements baby wipes are made from Ingeoâ„¢ Fibers, the world’s first man-made fiber from 100 percent natural renewable resources. Ingeoâ„¢ fibers are free of chemical additives and surface treatments, and production requires 68 percent fewer fossil fuel resources than traditional oil-based materials. These wipes are also larger in size than most baby wipes on the market, which equates to less use of additional wipes to get the job done. Priced at $5.99 for a package of 80 count wipes.

Pesticides, BPA and hormones abound in our food. And with all the work and research we put into eating organic produce and avoiding toxins at the dining table, parents should also make certain that their child’s feeding gear is non-toxic and BPA free, so chemicals don’t enter into food and a little one’s body via their plate, bowl, cup or utensils. Here are several kid-friendly, captivating options of kid’s serving ware that will make mealtime fun and safe!

Smiling Planet

Smiling Planet offers an array of plates and bowls that feature whimsical illustrations and inspiring statements. Kids will want to eat all of their supper to see the hidden messages and cheerful drawings waiting to greet them under their food. And the raised rim on the plates keeps food in place for even the messiest eaters. Smiling Planet plates and bowls are made in California from 100 percent recycled, medical grade polypropylene plastic, they are 100 percent free of BPA, phthalates, and lead, and their inks are non-toxic. Priced at $14.

Thinkbaby BPA Free Feeding System

Thinkbaby features an all-in-one stainless steel feeding system (with a polypropylene exterior) for babies and toddlers, that is convenient and functional for both home and on-the-go use. The set includes a Bento Box and lid, a soup bowl and lid, a baby bowl and lid, a mug, and a contoured, easy-grip spoon and fork. All components are free of BPA, lead, melamine, PVC and phthalates. Priced at $39.99.

Trebimbi Puppets Cutlery

How irresistible is this cutlery from Trebimbi? I bet a friendly fork of this nature might even convince a kid to eat his broccoli all gone. Each cutlery set is made in Italy and includes a smiling spoon, fork and kid-friendly knife. The stainless steel body is contained in a non-toxic, colored polypropylene handle. The happy trio also locks together, ready to stand at attention and serve! Priced at $23 per set.

CaliBowl Santa Barbara Stack Ceramic Bowls

These chic CaliBowl Santa Barbara stacking bowls will last beyond the baby and toddler feeding years to be used for many a cooking and baking task. Toddlers learning to feed themselves will feel more successful given the patent pending, angled lip that runs around the top of each bowl to help maneuver food onto utensils with minimal spillage. These non-toxic ceramic bowls are also microwave and dishwasher safe. Priced at $20 for a set of two.