Ask a Groovy Gal (Bump Watch)

ASK A GROOVY GAL
TFG EDITOR-IN-CHIEF JILLIAN SWARTZ ANSWERS YOUR PREGNANCY QUESTIONS

I read your in your August issue about how bad plastic is for you and for the environment. Do they make safe baby bottles? I am panicking—help!—Karen, Addison, TX

I am not a fear monger, but I have to say that this is a panic-worthy topic. I advise you to channel that panic into a proactive call to action not only in your life, but the lives of those around you. Get a water filter for your faucet instead of buying bottled water, replace plastic wrap with parchment paper and never ever use those flimsy plastic bags offered at the grocery story (spend a small amount of money and buy reusable ones instead).

As for non-BPA baby bottles, we're all in luck. The AdiriTM Natural NurserTM ($12.50 for one; $35.50 for three, www.adiri.com) is a 100% BPA and polycarbonate-free bottle. It's got a nipple that shaped like a mother's breast, a special vent that helps reduce colic and it's dishwasher safe.

I will definitely use it next time around. When you've just had a baby, there are plenty of things you wind up panicking about; a chemical-laden plastic bottle shouldn't be one of them.

Click here to win a set of Adiri bottles.

Are there any good protein bars made especially for pregnant women?—Caroline, Coral Gables, FL
			I recently sampled a BellyBar ($1.99, www.target.com) and, in addition to it being pretty tasty, it had a lot of other redeeming qualities. The delicious Burstin' Chocolate bar had 200% of your daily requirement (RDA) of folic acid, 100% RDA of B6 and iron, 35% RDA of calcium, 8 grams of protein, 100 milligrams of omega-3 DHA (essential for baby's brain development and also helpful in battling postpartum depression before its onset) and it was only 180 calories and five grams of fat. Available in three other flavors, too, (Mellow Oat, Berry Nut Cravings and Baby Needs Chocolate), these bars hit the spot for on-the-go moms and moms-to-be before, during and after pregnancy.

I'm on the prowl for cool cards to announce that we're pregnant. I've found a lot of birth announcement cards, but none for baby on the way.—Samira, Brooklyn, NY
	You make a good point: no one's doing “Hey, y'all I'm pregnant” cards. I suppose you could customize a birth announcement, but I did stumble on these funny cards from Tummy Talk (www.tummy-talk.com). With sayings like “Guess What?...Baby Butt!,” “Looks Like We're Going to Need a Four Door Model!” and “Womb With a View,” these pregnancy announcements do sentimental spiked with humor. Available in ten packs ($16.99), the cards also feature a write-in space for the baby's due date—hey, it's never to early to drop hints to all the prospective gift givers in your life.

Click here to read about Jillian's life in the 'hood—motherhood.