Herbal Drinks for
Babies & Children
Mixed Case

• Certified organic
• Uses traditional herbs
• Soothes, calms & supports
• No added sugars
• Nothing artificial added

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It’s far too long since I have written for the Ulula blog – a sign of how busy we have been lately. As a way of restarting our blogging adventures together I have decided to tell you about the new range of organic herbal infusions for babies and infants that we now stock.

I am really excited to be selling these gorgeous drinks because they are made by a lovely lady, Joanna Segrave-Daly of First Thyme,  just a few villages along from us here in Norfolk. I have been to the First Thyme farm and can assure readers that these are top quality infusions made with individual love and care.

Made with Norfolk spring water and blended with orchard fruits, the inspiration for these herbal drinks arose from Jo’s passionate belief in the virtue of herbs. The pleasure of serving homemade infusions to her own children is something she wants to share with other parents.

First Thyme’s gentle herbal infusions revive the traditional flavour of the wayside for children of all ages. Each of the three varieties tenderly awaken tiny taste buds with mild childhood herbs, soft orchard fruits and pure Norfolk spring water. I believe First Thyme capture the best of our countryside in each of their bottles and offer every little baby something truly delicious. With First Thyme we grown ups can effectively soothe, calm and support our little ones with confidence:

• Chamomile & Rose Petal with a Splash of Pear
  perfect for quiet time together to cheer the heart.
• Rosehip & Hibiscus with a Splash of Cherry
  a gloriously fruity favourite for enjoying any time.
• Lemon Balm & Lime Flower with a Splash of Apple
  help your baby enjoy some special me-time

Many may have forgotten the worth of the wayside but Mother Nature has not, she has kept an abundance of flavour in our hedgerows, waiting to be rediscovered. Try a little thyme honoured goodness for your baby.

First Thyme infusions are delicious served warm or straight out of the bottle. Available in packs of three as either a mixed case or as a case of each flavour. With an introductory price of £5.37 they are excellent value – add a pack to your order today.
See the complete First Thyme herbal infusions range for babies and infants.

Since we launched the product here in the UK we have been really pleased with how well the weaning oil has been received by customers old and new. The initial stock we held for the launch was quickly depleted and we have managed to get hold of a more substantial amount – which is already selling well.

If you were waiting for the oil to arrive, thank you for your patience and understanding.

Children Need to Play Out – With Protection

The British autumn is a time that is very special – there is a particular light and the colours are bright and rich. It is surely a time for babies and young children to be out and about exploring the best our local countryside and parks have to offer. And who would deny our youngsters the opportunity of puddle splashing and playing in the snow as the year progresses? There is no doubt that our weather is a source of endless fascination and exploration for our young children. I believe our children should play out at all times of the year – it helps build and strengthen their connection with nature and the world around them. All within reason, of course, and with adequate protection.

Natural Skin Protection for All Weathers

The Weleda Weather Protection Cream is 100% organic and is made from extracts of biodynamically grown calendula flower and precious sweet almond oil. The cream is especially formulated to provide an effective and natural barrier against the elements, as well as nourish your baby’s skin.

This year the Weather Protection Cream has, once again, won the ‘Must Have’ award in the Baby Lotion or Cream category of the prestigious and independent TIPS Awards backed by UK midwives. Here is what the judging panel had to say:

“Weleda Baby Calendula Weather Protection Cream – Must Have”
“Weleda Baby Calendula Weather Protection Cream provides a skin-friendly barrier protection which is especially useful in the winter months when chapped lips and wind-swept faces are all too common. The 100% natural formulation is based on sweet almond oil, hypoallergenic lanolin and beeswax, with the trademark scent of calendula flower. This product is obviously useful for chapped hands and lips, but testers found many other uses for this innovative rescue remedy, including sore noses and weather damaged cheeks. Parents suggested this would be great for winter trips and outdoor activities. In fact so handy was this product that testers voted it a ‘Must-have’ award.”

Some tester comments:

• “This little tube was full of magic – what a lovely product!”
• “It sinks into your skin beautifully leaving you feeling like there is a barrier but without looking greasy or shiny”
• “Value for money as a tiny amount goes a long way”

TIPS Midwives Awards 2010

Weleda Weather Protection Cream – At a Glance

The Weleda Weather Protection Cream comes in pocket-sized 30ml tubes and, at just £5.50, is excellent value for money:

• Dermatologically tested for use on sensitive skin;
• Product and ingredients not tested on animals;
• Suitable for use from birth onwards;
• Suitable for vegetarians.

The Weleda Weather Protection Cream is a real all round winner that will help you provide your little one with the skin protection he or she needs while still being able to get out and about. Let us know your experiences this winter.

Weleda’s Pregnancy Body Oil

• Safe for pregnant mums
• Treat and prevent stretch marks
• 100% natural organic ingredients

I am delighted to tell you that Ulula now stocks the fantastic Weleda Pregnancy Body Oil. The oil is part of Weleda’s new pregnancy care range which has been developed in conjunction with doctors and midwives to provide comfort and skin care for mums before, during and after pregnancy. The specially formulated pregnancy body oil helps prevent and treat stretch marks during pregnancy and has recently been awarded the  ‘Must Have Belly Balm’ award by TIPS. Read the TIPS review below.

The pregnancy oil has a base of sweet almond oil, which gently works to deliver intensely moisturizing essential fatty acids that keep your skin supple and protected from drying. Because pregnancy is a big job for your muscles and skin, the organic arnica flower extract helps ease tightness and provides a layer of comforting warmth when you indulge yourself with a soothing massage using the oil. Nourishing wheat germ oil conditions and refines your skin’s texture and delivers a high quantity of vitamins A, D and E.

In summary then, regular use of the Weleda Pregnancy Body Oil visibly helps to correct the appearance of stretch marks on your pregnant belly; your thighs, bottom and breasts; and helps prevent the appearance of new ones.

Using Weleda Pregnancy Body Oil – Banish Stretch Marks

Weleda Pregnancy Body Oil can be applied two to three times daily – from the beginning of pregnancy up to three months after birth – with light, circular massage movements over the stomach, thighs, bottom and breasts.

A kneading massage is not recommended. If you are unsure of the best way to apply body oils, please consult with your midwife, nurse or doctor. Please note that oils containing Arnica should not be used on broken skin as they may cause irritation.

TIPS Awards 2010 – Must Have Belly Balm

“Manufactured to the highest standards using naturally sourced raw materials and organic essential oils, this pregnancy oil was a favourite with our pregnant testers. The extensive Weleda range is produced by a company with ethical and environmentally-friendly credentials that are second to none. The information on pack and online is excellent. It follows the latest guidelines published by National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) and by the Department of Health. Testers said the product was easy to use and absorbed immediately. They liked its ‘gorgeous’ scent. Testers were impressed that the oil contains arnica, which is a natural anti-inflammatory. Testers suggested awarding this excellent product a ‘must-have’ to show how much they had enjoyed using this soothing oil.”

The Weleda Pregnancy Body Oil is rapidly becoming a very popular must have item on every mum-to-be’s shopping list. And who doesn’t want to avoid those disfiguring stretch marks if at all possible? Let us know how you get on with the oil by either leaving a comment to this article or posting a customer review using the link at the bottom of the Weleda Pregnancy Body Oil page itself.

Don't panic - I am organic

Today marks the launch of this year’s Organic Fortnight – the UK’s biggest celebration of all things organic. This year the theme is ‘choosing organic everyday’, and feeding your baby organically everyday has never been easier. Of course, when we buy organic we are not only looking after the welfare of ourselves or our precious babies and children, we are looking after the planet that we leave to our future generations.

The UK Government has committed in law to cutting the country’s greenhouse emissions 80% by 2050. This is a huge target for which we all have a responsibility. And with our industrialised food and farming system currently responsible for around 30% of UK’s current emissions it’s clear to me that we need to make some fundamental changes to the way we grow and eat our food.

Only radical changes to our diets and farming systems can achieve the level of greenhouse gas cuts needed. And some of these changes can be made the next time you shop. Buying organic and biodynamic baby food and supporting organic farming, alongside a shift to eating less and mainly grass-fed meat and dairy products, can be a simple first step for anyone who takes climate change seriously.

Feed Your Baby Organic with Ulula

Keep your eyes open for local events near you during the coming fortnight and discover why organic is good for you and your baby’s well-being as well as that of our planet; is kind to animals and wildlife; and allows us all to make a big difference – simply through the way we shop.

And remember, every single item of baby food, toddler food and every skin care product that Ulula sells is certified organic, with many of our foods even being certified  as biodynamic. Look for the certification logos on all our packs – producers can only legally display those logos if they meet very particular and strict farming criteria.

So, have fun shopping for your baby and yourself and remember that every shopping choice you make is a vote for the future of our planet as well as the future health and well being of you and your family.

PS Many thanks to customer Abbie for allowing us to use a picture of her beautiful daughter – another gorgeous Holle baby.

Holle organic baby weaning oil

Every now and then there comes along a baby weaning idea that makes you ask, “why on earth hasn’t this been done before?” The new Holle Organic Baby Weaning Oil is one such idea. Read on to find out why this unique weaning supplement will change how you think about weaning your baby.

When a young baby is fed exclusively on either breast milk or a baby milk formula, concerned mums and dads can be assured their precious baby is getting all the nutrients necessary to thrive. But when weaning starts and the amount of nutrients taken in through milk decreases, there can be a period when your baby’s body doesn’t get all the energy and other vital nutrients needed for optimum growth and development. This is where the Holle organic weaning oil comes in. With this unique oil you can supplement your baby’s diet through the transition to family meals and replace some of the very specific nutritional benefits of breast milk and baby milks lost during this process.

Providing Your Baby with a Balanced Weaning Diet

Other supplements start from the premise of isolating and then artificially producing specific nutrients found in a given food. These artificial nutrients are then added by some manufacturers to their baby foods – giving you no real choice. Holle, on the other hand, takes a more natural and holistic approach. Holle rightly recognises that individual nutrient chemicals cannot simply be removed from the foods in which they occur and still retain the same overall nutritional effects. The baby weaning oil concept, therefore, provides a special blend of organic oils, an actual foodstuff, which allows you to supplement your baby’s diet with much needed nutrients while still using the full nutritional value of their sources – three very nutritionally valuable plant oils. And you remain in control of your baby’s diet.

From the age when your baby is ready for solid foods, organic baby weaning oil becomes an important part of a balanced diet. It is an excellent source of energy; the essential fatty acids omega 3 and omega 6; and other nutrients. This is why Holle recommends adding 1-2 teaspoons of baby weaning oil to milk-free meals such vegetable, potato and meat based meals as well as porridges made with water. Holle also recommends adding the weaning oil to its porridges and jars.

A Uniquely Natural Blend to Help Your Baby Thrive

The mixture of high quality rape and sunflower oils in the Holle baby weaning oil results in an ideal ratio for infants of the essential fatty acids omega 3 and omega 6. Essential fats, and the other fats they are converted to in the body, have a wide range of functions in humans. They are vital for the structure of cell membranes making them flexible and able to allow nutrients into, and toxins out of, cells so body processes can function correctly. They also play a role in cardiovascular health, immunity, and nervous – system functions. The omega oils are especially important for a developing baby’s brain and nervous system.

As well as rape and sunflower, the weaning oil also contains 5% hemp seed oil. Hemp seed oil is not only rich in polyunsaturates, it is almost unique in nature in that it contains a special fatty acid called gamma linolenic acid. One of the few other foods in which gamma linolenic acid is also to be found is breast milk and it is especially important for the skin, providing your baby with an effective protective barrier. Gamma linolenic acid also has an anti-inflammatory effect and it is especially helpful for children with eczema as they don’t have the necessary enzyme that changes other fatty acids into gamma linolenic acid.

Pure, Organic and Cold Pressed – A Recipe for Success

Here are a few more details about each of the oils used by Holle, and why they were specifically chosen for their baby weaning oil:

Rapeseed Oil (Certified biodynamic/Demeter)

Rapeseed oil is produced by pressing rape seeds. Over 90% of rapeseed oil is made up of polyunsaturates and therefore contains more than most other oils. Additionally, rapeseed oil contains lots of vitamin E and carotenoids. Nutritionally, rapeseed is a very valuable oil.

Sunflower Oil (Certified biodynamic/Demeter)

This vegetable oil, with its light yellow colour and its mild taste, is made from pressing the seeds of the sunflower and is very suitable for a developing child’s diet. Sunflower oil contains lots of vitamin E and is specially selected for the weaning oil as it produces an ideal, baby friendly ratio of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids when combined with rapeseed oil.

Hemp Oil (Certified biodynamic/Demeter)

Because of the gentle cold pressing process used in producing the Holle baby weaning oil, all the precious, essential fatty acids and the naturally nutty taste of the oil are preserved. One special component of hemp oil is the rare gamma linolenic acid, making it unique amongst edible oils. Hemp oil, which is made from the pressing of hemp seeds, is guaranteed to be free from the potentially intoxicating effects present in chemicals found elsewhere in the seed’s structure and poses no health risk, in fact just the reverse.

By the way, it is extremely unusual to get all three of these oils in certified biodynamic, or Demeter, quality. Biodynamic produce is the highest form of organic and it is partly because Holle have insisted its weaning oil is of such high quality that it has taken over two years to research, develop and bring it on to the market.

Premium Quality Organic oils -
Because Only the Best Is Good Enough for Your Baby

Holle recommends adding only cold pressed and non-refined oils to your baby’s meals, for several very good reasons:

• In the warm pressing process, seeds are heated up before they are pressed, so as to extract as much oil as possible from them. This heat however, destroys valuable nutrients.
• With conventionally grown, that is, non-organic seeds, refining is necessary to clean the oil. This way any residues of pesticides or solvents are largely eliminated – but so too are many vital nutrients.

Cold pressing on the other hand, is a much more gentle process with less oil yield but with a far higher oil quality. Important nutrients are preserved by cold pressing the seeds. Only oils that are cold pressed and without further refinement can be declared as cold pressed on a food’s label.

With the Holle organic baby weaning oil, the risk of pesticide residues that are found in other, non-organic, oils are fully eliminated. This is guaranteed through organically farming the raw seeds and the consequent strict pollutant controls that are in place.

The use of cold pressed and non-refined oils for preparing your baby’s food is, therefore, completely safe. In fact, through cold pressing, more vitamins and other nutrients, natural colours and the natural taste of the oils are preserved.

How to Use the Holle Baby Weaning Oil

I have written in some detail about the weaning oil and I hope you will see why I think this is such an exciting development in how we think about weaning our little babies. Part of the beauty of the oil is that it doesn’t require you to greatly change what you are doing now or have done before when introducing solids to your baby.

Simply stir one to two teaspoonfuls of the oil into your baby’s existing meals and you are already helping to give him or her that extra nutritional boost during this time of enormous change and development. And all completely naturally.

To ensure your baby gets the optimum nutrients Holle recommends the following amounts to be added to each 200g of food:

• Vegetable or vegetable and meat based meals: 2 tsp;
• Fruit based meals: 1 tsp;
• Milk-free porridge meals: 1 tsp.

The weaning oil can, of course, be used with your own homemade weaning recipes as well as with Holle’s own ranges of milk free baby porridges and their fruit jars, vegetable jars and meat based jars. And if you are just starting out on the weaning journey with your baby and are preparing much smaller amounts, simply adjust the amount of oil you stir in proportionately. Experience shows me that one bottle of 25o ml goes a long way.

Premium Quality at Everyday Prices

Holle has managed to keep the price of its weaning oil down at a very low level, meaning we can sell it for just £4.95 per bottle. I find this especially surprising in view of the lower yield involved in cold pressing the seeds and the oil’s unique biodynamic quality. When I asked Holle, they were clear about their reasoning to keep the oil at such a low price level. Because this supplement is for use at a time when most babies are vulnerable to missing out on vital nutrients, Holle took the decision not to make their oil an exclusive product. By pricing the weaning oil low, all babies are able to benefit from its nutritional qualities.

So, as your precious baby begins the transition from an all milk diet to joining in with your family meals, make sure he or she doesn’t miss out nutritionally. The Holle organic baby weaning oil is a natural supplement that will ensure your baby gets all the energy and other vital nutrients needed for optimum growth and development. Your baby will positively thrive.

Weleda Calendula Baby Nappy Change Cream

Weleda have recently celebrated four coveted new awards. In the Ethical Living Health & Beauty Awards, a shortlist of 10 categories was drawn up by the editorial team and readers’ panel. Weleda won each of the 4 categories where they were shortlisted thanks to readers votes.

Weleda Skin Food – Best Skincare Product

Weleda Skin Food scooped the Best Skincare Product award, making this the 10th award in the UK for this true beauty  classic in the past two years alone! This impressive multi-tasker has proven to be unbeatable in all areas: from high  fashion glossies through to trade journals and complementary health practitioner magazines. This product now enjoys a  high profile following with dozens of beauty professionals, supermodels and ‘screen goddesses’ amongst its fan club.

Weleda Nappy Change Creams – Best Baby Product

Weleda’s Calendula Nappy Change Cream was awarded Best Baby Product, squeezing out of the limelight other well  known products from Green People and Burts Bees. This award comes hot on the heals of the 2010 TIPS midwife-tested  awards where Weleda’s nappy cream also won Best of the Best. Not surprisingly this unbeatable cream is Weleda’s no.1  selling product in the UK and has a huge following of mums and midwives, as well as a celebrity fan base of ‘yummy mummies’ including Dannii Minogue.

Weleda – Best Overall Brand

Weleda also celebrated the Award for Best Overall Brand, beating other natural brands Lavera, Green People and Jason for this coveted prize!

Ethical Living’s editor Kim Marks enthused:
“I’ve always loved Weleda’s range and that our readers agree is no surprise! These awards are well deserved and I’m  delighted for Weleda, a brand I know is led by principles and quality.”

Do you agree with the readers of the Ethical Living magazine? Which is your favourite Weleda product and why? Let us know your story.

Animal shaped pasta for babies and kids

I am really pleased to announce the arrival on the Ulula website of our organic pasta for babies and children. If you’ve not seen them already, take a look and see why I’m so excited.

Pasta is always a children’s favourite and these three fun pasta shapes are ideal for slightly older babies and children of all ages. Pasta is highly nutritious and a great energy source for your growing baby or child. From 8 to 10 months your baby usually needs more lumpy food and this lovely shaped organic pasta will help to encourage chewing and introduce variety.

In Search of the Best Pasta for Babies and Children

I spent a long time searching for a pasta that I would be happy to sell to discerning mums and dads. I wanted a pasta small enough for young babies’ mouths; that kids would enjoy eating because they easily recognise the varied shapes; and that is made from the highest quality ingredients by a company that really cares about both food and the environment.

These new pastas come from Alb Gold, a traditional family-owned company with a proven organic background and who take great care in not only choosing their raw ingredients but also how each pasta is made. As usual with the food I stock on Ulula, you are guaranteed that you will only be feeding your baby food that has not been grown with the use of artificial pesticides or fertilisers and which has no artificial preservatives, colourings or any other chemical nasty. I only stock those foods that I am happy to feed to my own family.

Tested by Babies – Approved by Mums

And so, how do these pastas for babies measure up? As usual, we asked family and friends to taste test these pasta shapes with their babies and children. Without exception the feedback was great – a particular favourite with the youngest children were the farm animal pasta shapes, while older children loved the roaring safari animal pasta shapes and the dinosaur pasta shapes. A definite winner with babies, children and mums and dads alike.

Mums and dads told us how their little ones ‘loved the animal shapes’, ‘had fun making all sorts of animal noises’ and several commented how ‘having such fun at meal times encouraged him to eat everything in his bowl.’

These delightful pasta animals are specially developed for babies and children and, as such, are small enough for your baby’s mouth – so no choking on adult sized pasta. And every animal piece keeps its shape even after cooking – which makes it great fun to eat as your baby spots the animals he or she knows.

Pasta for Babies and Children – Now Available

Each of the pastas for babies and children is available as single packets as well as in multi-packs of three. There is even a multi-pack with one packet of each pasta shape, which is aleady proving very popular. And, with 10 portions per pack they really are excellent value!

So, take a look at the new organic pasta for babies and children range and tell us what you think.

It is currently impossible to source vegetarian baby milk derived from cows milk. The only fully suitable vegetarian baby milk is the Holle Organic Goats Milk Formula, which is also the only certified organic goats milk for babies on the market.

Whenever I talk to Holle about this situation they tell me that they would desparately like to make their baby milks and formulas suitable for vegetarian babies and families. As a caring and ethical company they have enormous sympathies with animal welfare issues. The organic full cream milk used in Holle baby milks and formulas comes from cows raised biodynamically in the organic fields and pastures of Germany and Austria. The superior quality of their infant formulas derives from the traditionally high quality farming and the expert care the animals receive, as well as the naturally lush vegetation available to the cows.

Vegetarian Baby Milks – The Difficulties

As a company, Holle has a policy of working to make their baby milks suitable for vegetarians and, as such, do not add any fish oils to their baby milks – unlike some other baby milk companies.

However, they are not yet able to source sufficient quanitities of  whey powder, which they are required to add by the strict EU baby milk and formula regulations, from strict vegetarian sources. Whenever they can source the whey from vegetarian sources they do so, but it is currently almost impossible to get vegetarian whey powder in the amounts baby food manufacturers would need to offer a consistent supply.

The company is constantly talking with its trusted biodynamic and organic farmers and suppliers as to how to work towards a more reliable supply of vegetarian whey powder for use in its baby milk. As soon as we hear any news we will post further articles on this blog and update our product descriptions.

Your Views on Vegetarian Baby Milks

I also pass on all your enquiries about vegetarian baby milks to Holle so that they continue to realise the importance of this issue to many mums and dads. So, if you would like to leave your comments here, I can guarantee that your voice will be heard.

Last month’s edition of the internationally respected journal ‘Pediatrics’ carried an article suggesting that even low levels of  chemical pesticides are associated with an increased risk of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children.

Researchers at the University of Montreal and Harvard University looked for organophosphate pesticide metabolites, an indicator of pesticide exposure, in the urine of 1,139 kids ages 8 to 15 and found that close to 95 percent had at least one of these chemical byproducts in their system. Those with the highest levels were 93 percent more likely to have received an ADHD diagnosis than children with none in their system. Those with above-average levels of the most common organophosphate byproduct – they made up a third of the whole group – were more than twice as likely as the rest to have ADHD.

Even Low Levels of Pesticides are Harmful

“This is not a small effect,” says study co-author Maryse Bouchard, a researcher in the University of Montreal’s environmental and occupational health department, “and it is certainly cause for concern.” She adds that while prior research has proved that high levels of organophosphate exposure can have negative impacts on children’s behavior and cognitive function, in this study “we are talking about very low levels of exposure . . . levels that were believed previously to be safe and harmless but which are now associated with a serious health risk.” She points out that most pesticide exposure today comes through food, particularly conventional fruits and vegetables.

Reducing Pesticide Intake in Babies

So what can concerned mums do to protect their precious babies? You’d be hard-pressed to find an expert who doesn’t advise that people, especially pregnant women and small children, reduce their pesticide intake as much as possible.

The top recommendation is to eat an entirely fresh organic diet, which has been shown to significantly lower children’s pesticide exposure levels. For many that is not reasonable or possible as there just isn’t the variety of foods always available that you would like to feed to your baby.

It also helps to carefully wash and scrub all your fruits and vegetables thoroughly in cold water. But be aware that you can’t scrub away all the risks because most pesticides don’t wash off, and seep into the produce itself.

A more practical answer for many parents is to avoid fresh non-organic foods that have the highest risks because of the large amount of pesticides used on them and the porous nature of their skins in retaining pesticides. See an earlier article on Weaning Your Baby With Organic Food – Pesticides in Fruit and Vegetables for more information. The list provided there gives us useful guide if we are serious about feeding our babies a safe and wholesome diet.

Of course, you want your baby to grow up enjoying a varied diet and so, whilst avoiding the non-organic fruits and vegetables that pose the highest pesticide risk, why not top up mealtimes with some guaranteed pesticide free baby foods?

Pesticide Free Baby Food

Many parents tell me that the large variety of Holle baby jars perfectly complemented by their huge range of organic baby porridges, alongside the homemade food that mum makes from locally bought fruit and vegetables makes the ideal combination. This mix and match approach will help you avoid pesticides while giving your baby the nutritional variety he or she needs.

Share your experiences with other parents. How do you make sure you avoid feeding your baby a cocktail of chemical nasties?