little organics

30 NOVEMBER 2013 LITTLE ORGANICS EDITION 1

WHAT’S REALLY IN

YOUR FORMULA? !1

OUR ORGANIC JOURNEY

!THE LITTLE

ORGANICS STORY

CHRISTMAS FINDS UNDER $10

GIFT IDEAS FOR BUBS

STORY IN A SLING A MOTHER’S STORY

LITTLE ORGANICS

FEATURE STORY

HELPING YOU TO NURTURE & NOURISH YOUR CHILDREN

www.littleorganics.com.au

http://www.littleorganics.com.au

http://www.littleorganics.com.au


The Little Organics Story My name is Doan and this is me with my little boy, my inspiration for starting Little Organics. I used to love McDonalds and KFC but when I became pregnant, I could only eat bland food. Anything else that was remotely unhealthy that

I consumed just made my tummy lurch and nausea would overcome me. So it’s not me who is healthy, but my son who has made me healthy.

As a new mum and being the first of many of my friends to have a child, I was quite alone in my journey and stumbled m y w a y t h r o u g h motherhood. I have always loved children a n d d e s p i t e t h e sleepless nights and

new experiences I was going through, I was happy. My little boy gave me immense joy. As a mum, I was worried about germs, falls, tears and all of a sudden the food I ate. Everything I ate or drink would directly go through in my breastmilk and hence needed to be reconsidered.

When my son turned 5 months, I started solids. My first baby food was the Bellamy’s organic baby rice and a small amount of organic fruit and vegetables each week. Then I found out at 8 months when the first sign of milk was introduced that he was allergic. Severely allergic. After more hospital tests, it turned out he was allergic to eggs as well. No wonder this whole time I couldn’t get on top of his eczema. It was because I was passing it through his milk. I stopped the milk and egg from my diet and he cleared up. Beautiful baby skin.

But as his friends started getting fancy snacks and nibbles at play dates, my son wasn’t allowed to consume anything.

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In this Little Organic’s Edition … !Read about a mother’s find about what is really in your formula? Written by an American registered dietician and mum!

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With Christmas around the corner, find gifts to suit your price range with many under finds under $10. Find out all the new additions to Little Organics in the featured catalogue

Page 6 - 9

Story in a Sling

Follow our story of why a sling was a necessity not a luxury in motherhood

Page 10

Regular Features

• Recipe featuring Planet Organic Rice Porridge Risotto

• Play Time with Little Organics

• Parenting from a Dad’s perspective

• Little Organic’s Mummy Column Business Spotlight


That was when I started exploring each time I was in a different suburb, visiting friends or going shopping. The organic and health food shops became my main shopping hangout and I got excited to find things like Organix rice cakes that were dairy free, egg free and with no weird numbers! I was so ecstatic every time I found snacks that I could actually give him, especially dairy free teething rusks! Among other things, he was a terrible crier in the car and in the pram. He just liked hanging out in my sling so food did wonders for me. At least he would sit through the car ride or will sit in the pram for a little bit so that I could drive in peace without stressing about my bub crying hysterically in the back seat.

As he became older, I started him on Planet Organic Rice Porridge, just by coincidence, not because it was called baby food but I just wanted to try something a little more solid. It was a godsend and became his main staple in his daily meals. Breakfast, lunch and dinner.

At 13 months, I returned from maternity leave and the luxury of wandering from shop to shop to buy his favourite foods and snacks became a distant memory. It was hard and I was driving to multiple places during my lunch breaks to find his porridge. The only local shop that had his porridge was near my home and only opened on market days at market hours. I was finding it really really hard and one drive to work, I thought, geez, there must be other mums like me who would have this problem. Being from an I.T. background for the last 7 years and with a hubby who is a web developer, the idea of Little Organics was born.

I gave myself a deadline, 2 weeks for the hubby to make the website and 2 weeks for me to source all my products and get them. Without a clue about business, this is how our journey began. It didn’t quite take 2 weeks and probably was more like 2 months, but the idea eventually became a reality. And there you have it, that is how our Little Organics journey began, the start of a strange whirlwind of events and learnings that has helped me be able to connect with other like-minded individuals, parents and mums. Thank you for sharing our journey with us.

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These gorgeous toys are fantastic for the small Christmas gift or for the Christmas stockings. They are all priced below $10 and with the Little Organics Christmas special, are a bargain with the 30% off sale.

Visit us now at www.littleorganics.com.au

CHRISTMAS GIFTS UNDER

$10

Coming soon to Little

Organics….

Natural Mosquito Repellant by Vanilla Mozi


WHAT’S REALLY IN

YOUR FORMULA? !

By Rachel Tenuta - Registered American Dietician

I am a mother of a 7 month old boy, he is my joy! As breast milk is nature’s perfect food for baby with all the perfect combinations of nutrients, hormones, enzymes, antibiotics and a whole host of other components specifically designed for our individual babies, I had been exclusively breastfeeding my son. At the time when my breast milk supply could no longer meet his needs I was forced to face the challenge of finding a suitable formula to supplement my son's nutrition. I had an abominable discovery. Much to my amazement I was astonished to find that lining the baby food aisle shelves were formulas, organic and conventional alike, that contained many egregious ingredients, that included processed refined sugars, DHA and ARA extracted with Hexane, Carrageenan, and other synthetic nutrients that I do not feel should be in foods, especially in infant formula. !As I stood perusing the ingredients labels of the many formulas, I could not believe that the carbohydrate source used in most of these formulas was a type of processed refined sugar. The naturally occurring carbohydrate in breast milk is lactose, which provides its own natural sweetness, however the carbohydrate source in the formulas on the shelf included corn syrup solids, glucose syrup solids, sugar, or brown rice syrup. I asked myself how could this be when we know that research suggests that refined sugars are linked with obesity, dyslipidemia, and cardiovascular disease. !I further went on to research this choice of carbohydrate now used in infant formulas here in our country and found that this wasn't always the case. At one time, manufacturers here made our infant formulas from cow's milk with lactose being the main carbohydrate source. It appears that this process shifted to refined, processed sugar due to it being a less expensive ingredient or carbohydrate to use. What a shame. !

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With the array of formula in the market, what is actually inside the long names and extra benefits.. this is a mother’s find…

FEATURE STORY


The oil used to provide the essential fatty acids, DHA and ARA, to the formulas in many cases is being extracted with a substance called Hexane. DHA and ARA are believed to beneficial to brain and eye development and therefore I believe that manufacturers of baby formulas jumped at the chance to include them on there labels. However, Hexane, which is used to extract these oils is a neurotoxic petroleum-based solvent that also ends up in the formulas. The National Organic Standards board has stated that Hexane extracted oils are not allowed in Organic formulas, however the USDA has not acted on this, and today, Hexane extracted oils still remain in some organic formulas. Again, how can this be? !Carrageenan is another substance found in some of our formulas. Research has linked this food additive to gastrointestinal diseases, and inflammation. The National Organic Standards Board prohibits its use in organic infant formula however it still remains an ingredient in some of the formulas found in the US. All this while the European Union prohibits its use in all infant formula. !Lastly, there are many synthetic nutrients found in our formulas that include lutein, lycopene, nucleotides, and l-carnitine. Some of these synthetic counterparts to the natural nutrients have been processed with the use of insecticides, toxic and carcinogenic materials, and possibly neurotoxic solvents. !Sadly, my search here in the US for a healthy formula to nutritionally supplement my baby boy ended in disappointment and utter disgust. !I then directed my search internationally. I was able to find an organic formula from a Swiss based manufacturer. This European organic formula does not contain any of the unapproved synthetic nutrients. Instead, it uses lactose as its main carbohydrate source from cows raised on biodynamic farms. Its ingredients are 99% organically grown. I feel it is a far more superior formula to any of those found in the US. !I then was faced with the challenge of how to get this formula delivered to my home and found Little Organics. Even though international shipping is high, I would chose to forgo other luxuries in order to provide what I feel to be a much healthier product for my developing baby boy. !I feel as a dietitian, but more importantly as a mom, that I wanted to share what I have learned about formula since I started this journey, in hopes to help other mom's faced with the same dilemma. Rachel Tenuta RD

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Visit our sister site www.glutenfreewagon.com for gluten free food, not favour free food delivered to your

door. Free VIP membership using code LILORGS


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Endangered Species - Eco 3D Interactive Bath Puzzle - SAFARI

Bathtime is playtime! These fun, 3D bath puzzles are made from eco-friendly recycled materials and encourage improved fine motor skills while educating about the environment $6.60

Gifts under $10

Lanco Christmas Denzel Duck $10.00

Jack and Jill Toothpaste$5.56 each

Endangered species

Wet erase colouring kit $6.60

Endangered Species -

Giant Panda Reusable Ice Pack $8.26


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Gifts under $25

Mother’s corn zippy cup$15.19

Gaia Bath Time Fun$15.99

Endangered Species - Eco Wedge Crayons $16.33

Little Innoscents Massage Oil $12.59


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Gifts under $50

Natural Kids Collection - Bamboo Swaddle $22.80

Assorted Sapling Organic Baby Clothes

Brought by the Duchess of Cambridge Katherine Middleton

From $18 to $28

Baby Luxe Terry Towel $34.20

Aromababy Hospital Set$44.95


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Gifts under $75

Master and Miss

Boxed Gift Set

Blanket and Hat $57

Mother Corn Growing up Set

$61.74

Aromababy Mother to be Gift Set

$42.70


My sling, my humble best friend.

Seven months pregnant, staring at the sling stand in an department store and looking on my baby list. Sling… Surely I won’t need this that much, after all, I will have my arms, pram and in theory, shouldn’t be carrying baby too much anyways as everyone tells me that I will be spoiling him too much and make him dependant. Price range….50 to $200. Whoa, that is expensive.

A sling, surely shouldn’t cost as much as a modest pram, after all, it’s so small and just some material put together. Right, after some debate, even though I had mostly insisted on the best mattress, nicest cot and safest car seat, the sling, that can be compromised. Let’s just get the cheaper one and just have it ticked off on the list. Select a colour hubby was comfortable wearing, not that there were many choices anyways and off we went.

Boy, was I so wrong! One month after giving birth, I decided to venture out to go visit the hubby at work with baby all by myself. The cheap sling we bought, oh dear, a Tommy, felt like a bulky alien backpack. I didn’t feel comfortable putting it on and didn’t feel comfortable wearing it so it stayed home. The drive was cruisy and the lunch went well. It was only after lunch that I decided to waste a few hours walking the banks of the city and strolling into the inner city that I realised motherhood was not a walk in the park.

Pushing my pram along and watching my little baby slowly falling asleep to the rhythmic push of the stroller was relaxing until a few hours later when he woke and demanded to be carried. Not only that, just in the moment my husband had called to say he had arrive and was parked ready to pick me up at the next block, it started raining. In between pushing a pram, trying to cover ourselves from the rain with an umbrella and trying to carry my son in my arms, things were least to say, pretty hard! To top it off, I had people looking at me as my son was in hysterics and I could only muster a meek nervous smile as they walked past. The worse experience of all came when a lady walked next to me and started talking to me in a foreign language frowning and shaking her head at me. I finally gathered from all the

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Organic Hugabub - Carry newborn close to your heart $95

Prams, cots, car seats….priority shopping list items for my newborn…sling… any old one would do…. boy, was I so wrong!

Story in a Sling


sign and body language that she said I wasn't properly supporting my baby's head while he shook and bawled. I felt like a terrible mum.

I went home that day determined to find a sling and I wasn't going to go out on my own again unless I had one! I googled and googled and saw rave reviews about the Hugabub. I found out where it was stocked and went to check it out. Ever since, it always leaves the house with me and when it doesn't, I turn the pram or car around to make sure I do have it! My baby hates the pram but can stay

happily in the sling all day. Hubby and I fight over who gets to wear it. It's awkward to tie initially but even hubby got the hang of it. We love the feeling of being able to hold him so close and he looks so snug in it.

Nowadays, my baby is not so tiny anymore so we have switched over to an ERGOcarrier. It's quicker to get on and off but I have washed and carefully put away my Hugabub, ready for number two one day…

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Of all the hormones in the body, OXYTOCIN probably gives us the greatest happiness in life..

www.facebook.com/homeandlifeorganising


Playing is Learning Many skills in life starts from play. The art of playing teaches them many skills from fine motor skills to balancing and walking. There are particular toys for different age group but what might appeal to one

child may not appeal to another. The trick is to keep them stimulated by being aware of their likes and dislikes. And again, a dislike on a Monday may be a favourite on a Friday. Toys for kids don’t have to be expensive. A lot of simple toys and favourites are simple household items like the tissue box, roll of tissue or some rice grains in a tupperware container that is used as a rattle.

Sometimes what you perceive is a mess is actually stimulating for

young minds.

At about 7 months, my son used to like pulling the tissues from the tissue box and he would end up pulling almost all the tissues out. My husband was concerned over the mess he

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PLAYTIME

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Snack Packs

Once they start solids little kids love testing and tasting, some snacks when they are starting out can be

• Organix Rice Cakes in Apple, Raspberry and Carrot and tomato

• Happy Munchies Rice Cakes in Apple, Bettroot and Carrot

• Holle Spelt biscuits

For little tots and parents, these are a great favourite

• Yummy Gummy bears - lollies without the guilt!

• Bellamy’s Apple and Pear Snacks

• Wholekids sultanas

• Little Bellies FiddleSticks, perfect for the avocado dip or hommus dip


was making but I merely pointed out that if he is stimulated by pulling tissues out of a box for $2, that makes a pretty cheap toy anyway. Once he finished, I would just put it back in and he would play with it again the next day, else I would use to clean up messes from the floor which at that age and starting solids, there is plenty.

Play activities for kids change over time and often they just want to be involved so when they are being fussy and demanding, show them what you are doing? Are you washing the dishes? Give them a few bowls and plates to pretend to wash with you or to bang on from their little high chair.

What about if they are a little older? Some fun activities for tots can include decorating gingerbread mens, find them something to paint or I love this one, get them to make a Papier-mâché. Attention span might be short but worth a try until you find what might work best. When shopping, ask your child for their thoughts and ideas? Can you find me a nice top? Involve them in the process. You might end up with too much to try and buy that’s all! And praise, don’t ever forget to praise your child.

Daddy Time!Parenting from a dad’s perspective!

Sometime’s it’s good to hear it from a dad, and my guest writer who prefers to remain anonymous tells us how.

‘As a dad, we are often not left to make our own mistakes and learn to become a dad. Mums must allow us to have one on one time and learn to trust that we also have paternal instincts that will naturally guide the way.

When my son was 13 months, my work arrangements allowed me to take one RDO off a week and allow my wife to return to the work force. I then began my first official day of daddy day care. Taking care of him without an extra pair of hands was at first very different. I was really pumped to have alone time with him. My best friend to be. We spent a lot of initial time at the playgrounds. But for me, quality time does not need to be activity based. Doing nothing is also good. Watching activities around the house like picking up rubbish with a dust pan, vacuuming, helping with the laundry while giving me pegs, these were just as important.

Some people define roles for mothers and fathers, but fathers are learning too. It takes a bit of time for us to recognise what the cries are about too. Is it because he didn’t nap, is it too late his nap, is he hungry, or is he looking for some attention. The cues and sounds are something I got to learn more about when I had one on one time with him and this helped me be a more confident dad and bond deeper with my son. He is now 4 and we spend a lot of time together. My family means everything to me and I believe being entrusted with my son helped us bond that friendship further.’

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RECIPE IDEAS

Baby Fast Risotto I’m not a great cook, so when I found a way of cooking simply yet healthily, I was escatic. The Planet Organic Rice Porridge has been my staple for my son since he grew out of Bellamy’s rice cereal and served me until he was almost 2 years. I play around a lot with the variety that I added to it. Fruits in the morning to help with the digestive system, veggies for lunch and dinner, with more puree fruits for dessert.

I tend to steam once in the morning with all the fruits and veggies for the day. Then add the fruits and veggies to the meal during the day. If I am home, then I usually cook the porridge fresh, then stir through the steam veggies of choice for that meal, heating it up as I go. I prefer using only glass and use Vision glassware to cook. This mushroom risotto is a bit more ‘fancy’ as his taste buds became

more fussy. I hope your hub enjoys this and don’t forget to eat the leftovers, it’s quite yummy!

‣ Planet Organic Rice ‣ 1 organic zucchini ‣ 3 organic mushrooms ‣ clove of garlic (optional) ‣ oil

1. Sprinkle some Planet Organic Rice porridge flakes, pour some cold water and bring to the boil, stir and simmer for 3 minutes

2. In a pan, drizzle a dash of oil and fry the garlic, add finely diced cucumbers and finely diced mushrooms, pan fried until soft

3. Stir zucchini-mushroom mix into porridge and finito. Remove garlic to serve.


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Happy Little Tummies www.happylittletummies.com.au

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Melbourne based business specialising in organic cakes using all natural

colours. Cafe in Cheltenham

Gluten Free Wagon www.glutenfreewagon.com

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An online store selling gluten free, not flavour free food to your doors. Breads, mixes,

flours, condiments and sweets.

Boo Boo Designs www.booboodesigns.bigcartel.com

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Handmade with love in Melbourne. Children clothes and

accessories, boys and girls 0-7 years

MamaChic www.mamachic.com.au

www.facebook.com/mama-chic

Stylish pram sleep covers to ensure you still keep

your chic even though you are a mama

!PROUDLY SUPPORTING MUMS IN BUSINESS Contact us at [email protected]

Business Spotlight

Duck’s Back - Sustainable Fitness and Food!Moira Tobin is the face behind Duck’s Back. Like so many people today, Moira leads a busy personal and professional life. She understands why people struggle to find time and motivation to exercise. With experience as a personal trainer and a belief in the importance of environmental sustainability, she believes that exercise is possible for everyone. It shouldn’t cost a fortune, and armed with the right advice and a positive attitude, the path to health and wellness is “like water off a duck’s back!”. With four kids almost all grown up, Moira’s tips on sustainable fitness, food and healthy living can be found at http://www.ducksback.com.au and Facebook: Duck’s Back - Sustainable Fitness and Food

Fitness tips that you can do anywhere.


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