When a celebrity attaches his or her name to a product, be it vodka, a fragrance, or baby clothing, you wonder just how authentic it is – or if it’s simply part of a large branding strategy. Does having an associated celebrity name mean the item is somehow superior than, say, the standard item? While, at least in terms of fashion, the relationship gives the product an initial edge, it wears off at some point – particularly when a star’s power drops.

Jessica Alba is one of the more recent stars to attach her name to a product. In the past, we saw a proposed baby clothing line from Snoop Dogg and David Beckham, onesies sporting a quote from Kate Moss (“Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels”), and baby sheets from Saved by the Bell and 90210 actress Tiffani Thiessen. Alba, on the other hand, is introducing a line of eco-friendly diapers and other baby products under The Honest Co. Making its first appearance last week, Honest.com, the company’s website, started offering nontoxic, eco-friendly diapers, biodegradable baby wipes, and organic bath and skin care products.

For an actress who starred in television show Dark Angel and more recently in the Fantastic Four and Machete, such an endeavor seems odd; yet, in an interview with the New York Daily News, Alba talked about getting a rash after using baby-safe detergent. Upon researching the ingredients, she found that many weren’t organic, and while she found some truly eco-friendly baby items here and there, they were difficult to come by. To the newspaper, she explained:

“It was exhausting. I had a baby, I was working. I didn’t have time to go everywhere. And I get it. Everything has a green leaf on it or brown or beige. I’m like, just because it’s eco why does it have to be brown, beige, or have a green leaf on it?”

The Honest Co.’s eco diapers are not only nontoxic, but they also come in colorful patterns and are affordably priced. Aside from her new line, other green baby products can be found through Rattlecake and Dada Baby Boutique.

It’s no secret that babies are expensive. In fact, a child costs $12,000 its first year. Parents who want to cut down on this figure often accept hand-me-downs and purchase secondhand items, but are there any other options? One trend, started by site Plumgear, is renting baby clothing.

Reported by Consumer Reports, Plumgear began as a website started by first-time mother Caroline O’Connor. Finding hand-me-downs and baby gifts limiting, she wanted to create a site that has “cute, fun, modern stuff” for babies and allows parents to save at the same time.

Plumgear can be considered a prototype in the field of baby products, but the concept is similar to that of Netflix or any other subscription service. Parents who sign up for Plumgear can purchase orders of five, 10, or 15 garments, and the cost of subscription covers the return price. Garments are purchased in wholesale from Rabbit Moon, Petit Bateau, Angel Dear, Soy Baby, Le Top, Mini Muffin, and other well-known brands of baby clothing. When placing an order, a parent will receive a set of tops, pants, and onesies, with a dress and tights for a girl, and the baby wears these clothes until growing out of them in a few weeks. Once the garments are too small, parents send them back to Plumgear and then receive clothing from the next size up. The site carries clothing for boys and girls ranging from sizes 0-3 months to 2T.

If germs or overall cleanliness is a concern for you, all clothing is washed with fragrance-free Seventh Generation detergent. If, however, clothing is stained or ruined beyond use, the parents are not charged for the damage, and the garment is donated.

If you are looking for an affordable alternative to baby clothing, would you rent from a site like Plumgear? Why or why not?

When a mother leaving a baby in a stroller outside of a restaurant for 10 minutes makes the news and babywearing is a growing trend, where’s the middle ground for being watchful of your child without being overprotective, indulgent, or selfish?

Parents may never know, but a child health expert out of Australia gave them another facet to worry about: carrying children forward. So, what’s the big deal? According to Professor Catherine Fowler, sourced in a Daily Mail piece, a child “suffers” in such a position and may later turn into an anxious adult:

“Imagine if you were strapped to someone’s chest with your legs and arms flailing, heading with no control into a busy shopping center – it would be terrifying. Outward-facing baby carriers and prams give babies a bombardment of stimulus, creating a very stressful situation. In not considering our baby’s perspective, we are inadvertently quite cruel to children.”

Who knew that such a slight action could scar a child into adulthood? But not everyone is impressed. In fact, other experts cited in the Daily Mail’s piece are incredulous to Fowler’s statements and, rather, think that a child facing its mother all the time gets bored.

Parents may never find the fine line between suffering and boredom for their children, but some are getting on board with the theory that a child close to and facing its mother bonds well. Babywearing is the result. Profiled in a piece in The Lufkin Times, babywearing allows a child to be close to its mother at all times, helping with bonding, and her hands are free to do ordinary tasks. Additional supposed assets of babywearing include calming fussy or colicky babies, less crying, and a more restful child.

Regardless of which experts you agree with, there are many options for baby carriers, including wraps, slings, and even strollers, that allow a child to face forward or backward.

Baby products and pop culture can mix, but the combination treads from being inappropriate to a novelty item to practical. An item such as a onesie emblazoned with Kate Moss’ quote, “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels,” is clearly inappropriate, although cartoon characters, even older ones, are less out of place. But, what about video game characters, such as Angry Birds?

While a video game about aggressive birds doesn’t seem like a fit for baby products, Angry Birds, with its growing licensing and merchandising division, thinks it is the brand’s next step. Already with a successful line of toys, Angry Birds partnered with SwaddleDesigns, the first company to introduce large swaddling blankets. Displaying characters from the video game, Angry Birds baby products will include clothing and blankets. While not presently available, Angry Birds products can be purchased through pre-order and will eventually be found at retailers carrying the brand’s toys.

With 40 million players per month, Angry Birds is one of the most popular Apple mobile apps. But, does that translate out to baby products? SwaddleDesigns’ creative director Lynette Damir thinks it does. In a press release she stated:

“As parents, one aspect of Angry Birds we appreciate is how protective the birds are and how much they love their offspring. It’s one of the characters’ endearing qualities that resonates with parents everywhere, and a key reason we believe Angry Birds fans will be enthusiastic about our new line of Angry Bird baby products. We’re excited and honored to be Rovio’s partner to bring these fun, playful and loveable characters to SwaddleDesigns product line.”

If you play the app game on your iPhone, will you be considering Angry Birds blankets or clothing for your child? Or, are such products strictly extravagant novelty items?

Going green has gone beyond turning the light off when you leave a room or recycling. In the present, being green is all about reducing your carbon footprint and limiting exposure and use of harmful chemicals. If you have been asked to plan a baby shower, you might have been instructed to make it as green as possible. This appears to be the case for one woman who wrote to Mother Nature Network about how to plan a green baby shower.

Morieka Johnson wrote in response some suggestions for putting together a green baby shower, and many of her suggestions overlap with ours for being economical with a new baby:

• Send all guests digital invitations
• Stick with a simple theme instead of games
• Go with practical decorations (See our diaper cake suggestion below)
• Make the event a potluck and ask guests to bring some food
• Suggest bringing lightly-worn baby products, such as bedding, clothing, and toys. Used furniture, strollers, and car seats are questionable.

While all of Johnson’s suggestions are helpful for planning a baby shower – any, not just a green party – we have some of our own. Eco baby products are now as attractive as ordinary baby items and are affordable. To add some color to the event, consider:

• Eco-friendly diaper cakes by Rattlecake. A diaper cake is both an attractive centerpiece at a baby shower and a practical gift, providing parents with a large starting supply of diapers. Eco-friendly diaper cakes take this a step further by being made out of organic and environmentally-friendly products. Each diaper cake is made out of Seventh Generation diapers and includes Burt’s Bees products and Dandelion baby toys, which are made out of organic cotton and corn filling.
• Choose an eco-friendly baby gift. Stores like Dada Baby Boutique have a large selection of green items, such as furniture, clothing, bedding, and toys.

You’d think that, with all of the coverage surrounding celebrity babies even before they leave the womb, Victoria Beckham’s baby shower would have been covered in the news sooner. Yet, news of her May 7 baby shower didn’t hit the tabloids until May 16 – even in the U.K., where Beckham and her soccer player husband are far larger celebrities than they are in the U.S. Perhaps the paparazzi are far more concerned with Mariah Carey’s twins than they are with the Beckham’s fourth spawn.

Nevertheless, as reported in celebrity gossip blog Hollywood Life, Beckham was thrown a pink-themed baby shower at the Hotel Le Petit Ermitage in Hollywood. A-list guests, including Selma Blair, Eva Longoria, and Nichole Richie, were invited. Source Beginnings, a Hollywood baby boutique, claims that, even with Beckham’s insistence that all gifts be pink, guests chose presents in other colors.

Baby products used by celebrities are not as far removed as, say, fashion choices. A Petunia Pickle Bottom diaper bag is closer to the average woman’s budget than a pair of Louboutins or a Hermes bag. If you are curious about the gifts given to Beckham, the following items have been mentioned by Hollywood Life and the Daily Mail:
• A Quinny Buzz Special Edition Stroller in pink
• A mamaRoo baby swing
• A Hoppop bath tub
• A Little Giraffe Luxe Blanket
• A Timi + Leslie diaper bag
• A custom-made stuffed giraffe by Melissa & Doug
• A Bonpoint clothing set
• An Orbit Baby Infant Stroller in red
• A Bloom Alma crib; and
• A Bloom Fresco high chair

Surprising a friend at a baby shower with a gift like one Victoria Beckham received isn’t out of the question. In fact, many of these brands can be found through ordinary baby boutiques. Baby and Me Boutique, for instance, carries Quinny Buzz strollers and Timi + Leslie diaper bags. Brands Melissa and Doug and Little Giraffe are sold through Hunky Dory.

You thought about having a baby, but have you thought about the costs? Many don’t. Rather, the thought of having a family, of painting a nursery, or of watching your child grow surpasses the practical side of parenting.

Once you decide to have a baby, however, you need to start planning financially: Saving for those unexpected circumstances, adding baby products to your budget, and investing in baby furniture.

A baby, according to a recent article in U.S. News & World Report, can end up costing a middle-income family $12,000 during its first year. But, you don’t need to spend that. Instead, think about what is necessary and what is just a luxury. The U.S. News article gives the following suggestions:

• Just have the basics before your child arrives. This includes diapers, some clothing, blankets, and a car seat.
• Do not buy everything at once. See what fits your baby later.
• One have one place for sleeping.
• Used items will end up costing more later. Start with new and high-quality baby furniture.
• Convertible furniture, particularly cribs, will last longer than a year.
• Changing tables, strollers, and novelty products are not necessary.
• Look for substitute items around the home.
• Accept baby gifts.
• Look for a place to exchange slightly-worn baby clothing, toys, and furniture with other parents.

We have given these suggestions for over the past year now, particularly regarding convertible furniture, secondhand items, and baby gifts. In terms of planning financially, baby gifts often give you a starting supply and secondhand clothing and toys, when lightly-worn, will alleviate your budget.

Convertible furniture, on the other hand, is a sizeable investment up front. In the long term, a convertible crib can last a few years. The crib becomes a toddler bed, which may last a child through preschool.

Angelina Jolie was seen recently carrying a StorkSak Gigi Chocolate Diaper Bag, and when such a finding is reported on a handbag site, instead of one for baby products, you know that celebrity baby fever is far from over. Suri Cruise is a pint-sized fashion icon, and tabloids are always on “bump watch,” especially when it pertained to Mariah Carey. But much like the Balenciaga and Chanel bags seen on stars, diaper bags are becoming the latest sub-section of baby pop culture to get some attention.

The StorkSak Gigi Diaper Bag is made out of nylon and leather and has a tote bag style. A thermo-insulated bottle holder, a changing pad, and various pockets are inside. Jolie, however, is not the only celebrity to be seen with StorkSak. The other half of Bradgelina, Brad Pitt, has been seen with a black leather StorkSak bag, and Pete Wentz and actress Gretchen Moll have also been seen with the brand.

Celebrities, of course, carry plenty of other diaper bag brands. To see what some of the stars are carrying, go here.

As you can see, some celebrities aren’t even going with a diaper bag brand and, instead, have turned an ordinary purse into a diaper bag. To the horror of fashionistas everywhere, Jessica Alba made a Fendi purse into a diaper bag. Gwen Stefani, similarly, uses a handbag from her Harajuku Lovers line to carry around diapers, bottles, and other baby products.

If you’re looking for a tote-style diaper bag, StorkSak isn’t all that’s out there. JP Lizzy diaper bags generally have a tote bag style and include wipes cases and changing pads. If you want a similar style to Angelina Jolie’s, JP Lizzy has designs in chocolate brown, as well in pink, green, and black.

Diaper bags can look like ordinary purses. Petunia Pickle Bottom diaper bags, for instance, all have ornate looks. If you want the look of an ordinary leather handbag, go with Timi and Leslie diaper bags, which are made out of nylon or faux leather.

Even though the amount of items in a diaper bag continues to grow, the designs for them are becoming smaller. Diaper bags are a fashion statement, and instead of a bulky, pastel-colored bag, handbag styles are in. With an exterior mirroring that of a designer handbag, these diaper bags still contain all amenities inside, including space and pockets for diapers. Brands like Petunia Pickle Bottom offer several style choices: satchel-, tote-, and messenger-style diaper bags.

The latest trend, however, is diaper clutches, and Petunia Pickle Bottom has its Glazed Diaper Clutch, a coin purse-style bag in a red, white, and black floral pattern. An ordinary clutch, as you know, holds keys, some cash, and makeup, but diaper clutches, for obvious reasons, are larger. StyleBistro.com describes the Glazed Diaper Clutch as having a magnetic closure with a top snap, a changing pad, a strap option, interior pockets for diapers and a cell phone, and a wipes case. With a compact design, the Glazed Diaper Clutch is ideal for bringing a few items along when you take your baby out for a few hours.

Parents, however, may be gone longer and need to bring more baby products. In this case, a diaper clutch is too small, and a handbag-style diaper bag offers more features. With a black and white plaid pattern, this Oi Oi Check Carry All has same interior features as a diaper clutch plus exterior pockets and a bottle holder. Pyknyk takes features a step further, and the Pyknyk Paris Nightclub bag is designed with four large interior pockets for diapers, wipes, and lotions; two pockets for bottles; additional exterior pockets for personal items; and a pacifier ring. If you plan to be out longer – or even take a vacation – with your child, these larger but still fashionable diaper bags have all the features and space parents will need.

A ban on drop side cribs went into effect at the start of 2011, and retailers, daycare centers, hotels, and secondhand stores have six months to a year to remove and replace all drop side models with safer designs. Retailers of baby furniture appear to be having the easiest time. Parents now shopping for cribs at chains and smaller baby boutiques will no longer see drop side models on shelves. Although this model, prior to the ban, was going out of favor for convertible furniture, parents shopping for a new crib can find safer models only in stores.

Those needing to replace a large quantity of drop side cribs, such as daycare facilities and hotels, may experience the most financial strain over the next six to 12 months. As all drop side cribs need to be gone, 59,555 daycare centers may need to spent $550 million to fully replace them with safer designs. 43,000 hotels and inns have six months to remove and replace all unsafe cribs.

Consignment and thrift stores are also restricted by this ban, and they need to make sure drop side cribs do not end up for sale. Although such secondhand stores have seen overall sales increases, taking drop side cribs out of circulation may reduce the amount of baby products offered. Parents, when looking to save on baby furniture, should still examine all products for safety hazards.

As many brands of cribs saw recalls this past year, other aspects of baby sleeping areas are being questioned. Recently, this has been crib bumpers. Added to cushion a child against the wooden sidebars, crib bumpers have caused 14 suffocation-related deaths over the past year, and Illinois wants to ban this product. Although crib bumpers have not been removed from stores, parents should consider alternative methods for cushioning their child.