"When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life."

It's Amy and I'm back from the UK!

I had some great adventures, but it's nice to be home. And I'm stoked about all the new products, classes and events happening here at CGB.

In case you've been in a foreign country like myself, here's a list of what's happening:

THIS Saturday, we're having our Crunchy Costume Party! We’ll have an afternoon of fun music, healthy snacks, and great costumes! In fact, all costumed guests will automatically be entered in our raffle for a chance to win our Halloween Trick-or-Treat Bag, filled with fun CGB swag like organic clothes, eco-friendly toys and a few surprises! So saunter over to CGB on Saturday, October 31 between 3 and 5 pm to enjoy a very crunchy costume party!

• Natural Childbirth Refresher Class: Sunday, November 1, 4:30 - 7:30 PM
  $50 fee. Classes will take place at CGB, but please register directly with Jean at www.birth-bliss.com

• Parenting Group Guest Speaker: Harbor Light Montessori: Wed., Nov. 4 at 10AM

• Birth Circle: Mon., Nov. 9 at 7PM
  While this event is free, please pre-register at CGB

• Baby Hand and Footprints: Wed., Nov. 11, 10AM to Noon and Fri., Nov. 20, 10AM to Noon
  $25 deposit required

• Ladies Night: Sat., Nov. 21 at 6:30PM
  Here’s a teaser: Jewelry, wine and chocolate. But stay tuned for details on this inaugural event!

• Vaccine Talk: Mon., Nov. 16 at 7PM
  Workshop is free, but donations for Active Healing Inc. are encouraged.

• Baby Wearing Demonstration: Sat., Nov. 21 at 10AM
  This workshop is free but please RSVP. All Participants receive 10% off any baby wearing product.

• The Three Hour, Learn Everything, Breastfeeding Class: Mon., Nov 23 at 6:30PM
  The fee for this class is $90, register directly with Kathy at 978-922-4289 or abbottkathy@comcast.net

• Parenting Group Guest Speaker: Spirit Wellness Center: Fri., Nov. 27 at10AM

And a few other notes:

• Beginning in November, we're launching a Membership Card for our Parenting and Play Groups. Learn more here.

• Also beginning in November, CGB will be CLOSED on Tuesdays and will be closing at 5PM on Saturdays. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

• CGB is also hosting a special November Promotion: A Coat Drive for Salem Families. Learn more about how you can help local families while also saving on purchases at CGB!
  

*Curious about what I did over in London? Check out my blog at Ms Amy Rose.

Celebrate Halloween at Crunchy Granola Baby

Looking for a kid-friendly Halloween activity in Salem?

Be sure to join Crunchy Granola Baby for a Halloween Crunchy Costume Party!

Last year’s party was such a success that we’re hosting another great afternoon of fun music, healthy snacks, and great costumes!

All costumed guests will automatically be entered in a raffle for a chance to win a Halloween Trick-or-Treat Bag, filled with fun CGB swag like organic clothes, eco-friendly toys and a few surprises!

Saunter over to CGB on Saturday, October 31 between 3 and 5 pm to enjoy a very crunchy costume party!

Tweet Tweet Tweet

Crunchy Granola Baby is Twittering! Are you?

I know how much you guys all love Facebook . . . why not try Twitter?

So come on, follow us on Twitter.

(What is Twitter, you ask? Twitter is a free social messaging utility for staying connected in real-time. It's kinda like Status Updates on Facebook . . .)

Toddler Play Group

Don't forget about our Toddler Play Group tomorrow at 10AM!

Come hang with other eco-conscience parents and watch our toddlers tumble and play.

Please note: We ask that you don't take any snacks out during this group, thanks so much!

Althea's Birth Story

Althea was born on September 29th at the North Shore Birth Center. She was 6 lbs 15 oz and 19 inches long. Labor started for us at 2:30 AM on the 29th. We had breakfast out and went for a long walk on the beach followed by a picnic lunch in Marblehead. The day was beautiful and walking played a big part in our early labor coping. We went to the birth center in the evening, where we met our doula, Joy, and Amanda, the midwife who would be attending our birth. Things progressed quickly and we welcomed Althea into our family at 10:51PM. Our experience at the Birth Center was wonderful and played a big part in us having the calm, supported natural birth we were hoping for (thank you North Shore Birth Center and especially Amanda!). - Ajna Pisani

What We're Reading: "Pushed"

Kansas City Star called it "a worthwhile book for anyone who cares about reforming our health-care system--right from the start" and the Kirkus Review said it was "a gripping expose."

"Pushed: The Painful Truth About Childbirth and Modern Maternity Care" takes a hard look at healthcare, particularly women's healthcare and pregnancy, in the US. It's intense, stirring and informational. Check out the Publisher's Weekly Review below:

"According to writer and editor Block ("Our Bodies, Ourselves"), 'the United States has the most intense and widespread medical management of birth' in the world, and yet 'ranks near the bottom among industrialized countries in maternal and infant mortality.'

Block shows how, in transforming childbirth into a business, hospitals have turned 'procedures and devices developed for the treatment of abnormality' into routine practice, performed for no reason than 'speeding up and ordering an unpredictable...process'; for instance, the U.S. cesarean section rate tripled in the 1970s, and has doubled since then.

Block looks into a growing contingent of parents-to-be exploring alternatives to the hospital-and the attendant likelihood of medical intervention-by seeking out birthing centers and options for home-birth.

Unfortunately, obstacles to these alternatives remain considerable-laws across the U.S. criminalizing or severely restricting the practice of midwifery have led the trained care providers to practice underground in many states-while tort reform has done next to nothing to lower malpractice insurance rates or improve hospital birthing policies.

This provocative, highly readable expose raises questions of great consequence for anyone planning to have a baby in U.S., as well as those interested or involved in women's health care."

"Pushed" is available as part of CGB's lending library.

Or learn more about "Pushed" here.

Parenting Group Membership Card

Here at CGB we offer Parenting and Toddler Groups weekly.

Wednesdays Toddler Group (toddling and walkers)10-11:30 am,Fridays Parenting Group (newborns to crawling)10-11:30am

If you are interested in natural and organic living come spend some time with like minded parents, caregivers and their children.

Starting November 1st a 3 month membership is $25. This includes Guest Speakers and discounts at local restaurants and shops.

You will receive a 15% off shopping discount at CGB when you shop during the group. (excludes consignment, classes, Once Crunched and Hip Baby Gear Items)

Your first group is free, drop in fee is $5.00.

Show your CGB Parenting Group Member Card on Wednesdays and Fridays 11:30am-1:00pm

at these participating restaurants and shops and receive great discounts.

Lynde Street Café
2 Lynde St
978-219-1188
www.lyndestcafe.com
Free drink with meal purchase

Ben and Jerry’s
60 Washington St
Free kiddie cup or cone with purchase of $4 or more.
978-744-7500

Modern Millie Vintage & Consignments
103 Washington St
978-745-0231
www.modernmillieshop.com
10% off any full priced purchase

Salem Wine Imports
32 Church Street
http://www.salemwineimports.com/
978-741-9463
10% off any full priced purchase

Seed Stitch
21 Front St
978-744-5557
www.seedstitch.com
10% off 5 skeins or more

Caffe Graziani

133 Washington St

www.caffegraziani.com

978 741 4282

free soft drink with purchase of sandwich or entree

Massachusetts "License to Breastfeed"

IT'S THE LAW! . . . and don't forget it.

A mother may breastfeed her child in any public place where the mother and child may otherwise lawfully be present.*

No person or entity shall "restrict, harass or penalize a mother" who is breastfeeding her child. A civil action may be brought by a mother subjected to such harassment, and the court may award damages up to $5oo and reasonable attorney fees.

To Lodge a Complaint: Contact the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination at 617.994.6000 (Boston), 413.739.2145 (Springfield), or 508.799.8010 (Worcester).

For Breastfeeding Help: Contact Zipmilk or the Mass. Breastfeeding Coalition or Kathy Abbott at BusyMomsBreastfeed.

*with the exception of houses of worship or places of religious instruction.

Coat Drive

PARENTS UNITED 3RD ANNUAL COAT DRIVE
Bring in your clean coats to Crunchy Granola Baby through December 15th!
All coats donated will benefit Salem families in need.

When you donate a coat you will recieve 10% off your purchase.
(valid only at drop off, some restrictions may apply)

Going Green: Baby Showers

Gotta love Mothering Magazine.

Their most recent issue features a wonderful article called "Your Sustainable Shower," which tells the true story of a couple dedicated to hosting a seriously green shower.

Sound good? It's not as hard as you may think and Mothering has compiled some good ideas/resources/links to help you and your new babe go green. We're posting a few ideas below, but definitely visit Mothering for a comprehensive list of green shower ideas.

Remember: Baby showers are not about who can buy the biggest plastic toy, but about celebrating the beautiful new life about to be born, and the proud parents who are bringing that life into the world.

Help shrink paper waste by sending your invitations online.

From what to bring to the type of gifts to choose, you can make this shower the sort of event that people look forward to by giving clear, concise information that will intrigue, not annoy. You may be the consummate ecologically minded host who looks forward to honoring your friend, sister, daughter—or yourself—with a party that’s close to perfect, but don’t assume that everyone knows what an eco-shower is.

Any successful party has great food—but how much food does a great party really need? We’ve come to associate satisfaction with overabundance—we enjoy seeing tables overflowing with selections, but all too often, such generosity leads to waste.

Instead of a commercial “bride bingo” game, which relies on and reinforces the old babyshower model, ask each guest to bring a photo of herself and the guest of honor enjoying a favorite memory together.

Encourage guests to wrap presents in ecofriendly ways by including a reminder in your invitation: “In an effort to reduce paper waste, we ask that gifts be wrapped in recycled or reusable materials: baby blankets, storage boxes, or reusable bags.” (or recycled bags/boxes like at CGB!)

Learn more at Eco Savvy Showers. And be sure to visit CGB online for the cutest and most eco-friendly shower gifts!

Hemp Isabooties!

They have made a hemp style! YAY! I am so sad Tommie can't wear these anymore! These were a favorite of ours for sure! Customers keep coming back for more!

* Super-soft, breathable Ultrasuede® fabric
* Non-slip, durable Toughtek® soles
* Machine-washable, machine-dryable
* Pediatrician - recommended soft-soled shoes
* Stain-resistant
* Easy slip-on design doesn't slip off
* 100% animal-free
* IsaBooties work great on many outdoor surfaces, including grass and mulch. However, IsaBooties are not recommended for heavy pavement use.
* Made in the USA
The are Green America approved too!

Emily Skin Soother: Perfect for Fall

Well, the colder weather is right around the corner and so is the season of dry skin. So be prepared this year and stock up on Emily Skin Soothers products!

We especially like the Skin Soothing Soap, whose rich and moisturizing ingredients won't strip your protective oils or make your skin drier. Instead, this soap will help relieve dry type eczema, flaking dry psoriasis, cracked hands and cuticles, dry cracked heels, rosacea and diaper rash.

And to supplement this amazing soap, we like the Baby and Adult Skin Soother. It is made of bare, essential ingredients of the highest quality with no colorants, artificial fragrances or preservatives. Plus, it works like a charm.

Stop in today and see why we love Emily's!

Hip Baby Gear Opening Grand Opening at Liberty Tree Mall

Hip Baby Gear opens its third brick and mortar location inside Mall Tots at the Liberty Tree Mall in Danvers, Massachusetts, Saturday, October 3rd. Featuring its select yet practical array of gear, toys, and apparel for kids, Hip Baby Gear will be fully integrated to the Mall Tots playspace allowing parents who want to shop the convenience of full view of their children while they play.The Grand Opening Saturday October 3rd from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. features snacks, a stroller raffle, gift certificate giveaways and half price admission to Mall Tots.“We are so excited to partner with Mall Tots for the opening of our third brick and mortar location. Being able to offer parents a safe and fun place for their kids to play while they shop makes it a great experience for the entire family,” notes Monica Winter and Rick Winter, owners of Hip Baby Gear.

PEM: Surfland and Trash Menagerie

Looking for something to do?

Well hurry in to the Peabody Essex Museum to check out SurfLand: Photographs by Joni Sternbach, which is ending its run on Sunday, October 4. Utilizing 19th century tintype photographic techniques, Sternbach captures portraits and seascapes along America's coastal regions. Learn more here.

Not a fan of surfing? The head over to check out Trash Menagerie, which presents over 30 improbable works of art created from things most of us simply throw away. Learn more about Trash Menagerie here.