But as the piles grew, our son’s spaces became chaotic. Overstimulating for him and overwhelming for us.

Surrounded by too much clutter and too many options—too many brightly colored, loudly beeping plastic toys—he’d get manic and distracted. He’d flit from thing to thing without engaging and struggle to wind down for bed.

So we got intentional about reducing excess stimuli in his environment. The difference has been remarkable: better focus, easier emotional regulation, deeper sleep. The best part? None of these changes required expensive purchases.

Here are our six tips for curbing overstimulation and raising a calmer, happier baby.

1) Reduce clutter

Keep spaces organized with designated places for things. Boxes in a corner work fine, nothing fancy needed.

Visible clutter creates constant distraction and requires the baby’s developing brain to work harder. A clear room offers a crucial visual “off-switch” that allows the nervous system to rest.

We try to tidy up most days and teach our son to do it with us. It’s become part of our bedtime routine.

2) Reduce busy colors and patterns

When choosing clothes, toys or feeding products, choose muted, pastel colors over vibrant ones.

Young children’s developing brains can become overwhelmed by high-contrast patterns and saturated colors, which demand more cognitive energy to process. Softer, muted tones create a more restful visual environment that supports calm and focus.

As we develop products for Haomomo, we’re choosing pastel and muted colors for this reason, creating feeding essentials that are both functional and visually gentle.

3) Reduce bright lights at bedtime

When winding down for bed, use dimmable, warm lights positioned lower to the floor instead of overhead fixtures. Go for warm light with red/yellow/orange tones.

Overhead light signals daytime to the brain, interfering with sleep preparation. Lower, warm light mimics sunset and contains fewer blue wavelengths that suppress melatonin. Supporting natural circadian rhythm this way is critical for healthy sleep patterns.

We’re gradually swapping overhead fixtures for lower lamps we can dim during our bedtime routine.

4) Reduce loud, artificial sounds

Limit toys that play loud, artificial sounds like beeps, buzzes, jingles, and sirens. Banish them from sleep spaces entirely. Keep white noise machines at a safe, low level.

Unpredictable, artificial sounds create stress responses in the nervous system. Consistent, soothing low-level background sound masks jarring household noises without adding stimulation that interferes with rest.

We ditched our electronic songbook and now sing softly to our son before bed. He enjoys it so much that he tries to sing with us!

5) Reduce synthetic textures

Swap plastic toys for wood. Ensure fabrics in clothes and textiles are primarily natural like wools and cottons.

Natural materials provide gentle, predictable input that the brain processes as safe and soothing. Synthetic materials can feel unpredictable or overly smooth in ways that offer less sensory information, sometimes triggering subtle stress responses.

We’ve been gradually making this swap over the last year, prioritizing items our son touches most frequently.

6) Reduce options

Put out only a handful of toys or books at a time. Put out a few crayons instead of the whole box. Offer three to five puzzle pieces instead of the full set.

This approach is rooted in Montessori philosophy, which emphasizes environments that support focused engagement. Too much choice overwhelms kids just like it overwhelms adults.

Intentional scarcity isn’t about deprivation. It’s about removing excess so kids can actually engage.

We’ve seen our son display longer focus and deeper engagement when fewer options are available.

The bottom line

Taming overstimulation boils down to a simple idea: mindful subtraction. By creating a tranquil, natural, low-stimulation environment, you set the stage for happier moments for both baby and parents.

What’s one tip you want to implement today to reduce overstimulation in your space?

But spend five minutes on a parenting forum and you’ll likely see confusing claims about silicone safety. Let us help you sort fact from fiction.

Myth 1: All silicone is the same quality

Truth: Some cheaper products contain fillers that weaken silicone and can leach into food. High-quality silicone is pure, stable, and odorless.

Here’s a quick test you can try with your silicone products: pinch or twist a flat piece and check if it turns white. This test isn’t foolproof, but it may indicate that the product contains fillers.

Myth 2: “BPA-free” means safe

Truth: “BPA-free” only means no BPA. It doesn’t rule out other harmful chemicals or fillers. Look for certified food-grade silicone.

Myth 3: Only “medical-grade” silicone is safe for babies

Truth: “Medical-grade” silicone is an extremely high-purity material used for implants.

For feeding products, “food-grade” silicone is safe when certified to standards like FDA or LFGB.

Myth 4: LFGB is always better than FDA certification

Truth: Both are rigorous safety standards.

• FDA compliant (U.S.): Ensures materials are safe for food contact with strict limits on chemical migration.

• LFGB certified (Europe): Includes additional sensory testing (taste/odor) and broader chemical panels.

Both certifications guarantee safe baby feeding products. LFGB tests a few extra parameters, but FDA compliance means the product has passed comprehensive safety requirements.

Myth 5: Platinum-cured silicone is a different grade than food-grade

Truth: Platinum curing is a process, not a grade. It uses a platinum catalyst instead of peroxide, creating ultra-pure, stable silicone with virtually no chemical migration.

Food-grade certification is what matters most. Platinum curing is an added quality indicator that some parents look for as an extra assurance of purity.

Myth 6: Silicone releases microplastics when heated

Truth: Microplastics come from petroleum-based plastics. While silicone is synthetic, it’s made from a highly stable silicon-oxygen backbone that’s far less likely to degrade into harmful micro-particles.

Certified food-grade silicone handles extreme heat (typically up to 446°F / 230°C) without breaking down. Strong odors, brittleness, or residue usually indicate cheap silicone with fillers, not true food-grade material. Pure, certified silicone does not shed microplastics — even when heated.

Myth 7: If it’s cheap, it’s a good deal

Truth: Quality silicone manufacturing requires investment. Cheap products often use fillers or poor curing, leading to odors, cracking, or breakdown.

The Bottom Line

Silicone can be one of the safest and most durable materials for baby feeding, if you know what to look for. Keep these checkpoints in mind:

✅ Choose high-quality, odorless, filler-free products

✅ Look for “food-grade,” FDA, or LFGB certifications

✅ Consider platinum-cured silicone for the purest option, when available

✅ Be cautious of suspiciously low prices

We hope dispelling these myths helps you feel confident in choosing silicone products that are truly safe for your family.

👉 Parents, which of these myths about silicone have you come across most often?

That simple fact made us rethink pregnancy. Our choices during this time don’t just affect us and our baby, but could ripple across future generations.1

Here's a list of 10 things we’ve changed during our second pregnancy to detoxify our home environment. These are the things that, looking back, we wish we'd known the first time around.

1. Whole, fresh foods: We're reducing ultra-processed foods and choosing more whole foods. Given that CDC data shows 55% of American calories come from ultra-processed foods,2 this shift feels more important than ever. Frequenting the farmer's market has the added benefit of food that doesn't come wrapped in layers of plastic.

2. Water filtration: We installed a reverse osmosis filter. It was our biggest investment. But clean drinking water became non-negotiable once we learned about the disinfection byproducts and heavy metals hiding in tap water.

3. Pots and pans: We replaced our nonstick pots and pans with stainless and carbon steel versions. They require more specific cooking techniques to use effectively, but every meal feels safer without “forever chemicals” like PFAS leaching into our food.

4. Food storage: We purged our kitchen of plastic storage containers and switched to glass. We haven't looked back.

5. Dishwashing soap: We replaced plastic-coated pods with uncoated detergent tablets. Bonus: they're easy to break in half for smaller loads, and no plastic film dissolving in our water means fewer dishwasher clogs down the road.

6. Textiles: We gradually replaced polyester clothing items in our closet, prioritizing those that sit next to skin like underwear and socks. Organic cotton alternatives cost more, but feel better mentally and physically.

7. Laundry detergent: We switched to fragrance-free options. Turns out that “fresh linen” scent comes from synthetic fragrances that often contain phthalates and other undisclosed ingredients.

8. Dryer routine: We replaced dryer sheets with wool balls for natural fabric softening. And we now wear an N95 mask when cleaning the lint filter. (While we've swapped out polyester basics, items like jackets and athletic wear still contain synthetics that may shed microplastics in the dryer.)

9. Personal care products: We started scrutinizing ingredient lists and using apps like Yuka or databases like EWG to check items like soaps, shampoos, lotions and lip balm. The goal was eliminating parabens, phthalates, and synthetic fragrances.

10. Toddler products: We replaced all of our toddler's plastic cups and utensils with stainless steel alternatives. When we do buy new toys (which we try to avoid anyway), we only choose wooden options. If we're being careful about our own exposure, why wouldn't we extend that same protection to our children?

(P.S. The challenge of finding truly safe feeding products for our toddler is actually what sparked the idea for Haomomo. We can't wait to share what we've been working on very soon!)

These changes didn't happen overnight.

Not every swap was budget-friendly, so we started with the ones that felt easiest and most impactful, then worked our way up. It was a gradual process of detoxing one area of our lifestyle, then moving to the next.

In the end, every swap has felt like a crucial investment in our family's health, now and for generations to come.

What’s one swap you’ve made (or want to make) to reduce toxic exposure, whether during pregnancy, postpartum, or just everyday life?

A recent Stanford Report article repeated the often-quoted claim that “adults ingest the equivalent of one credit card per week in microplastics.”1

A CNBC story from last month claimed that a study “found that human brains from 2024 had an average of about 7 grams of plastic.”2

If you’re reading this, we assume you share our concern about these tiny particles infiltrating our food, water, and bodies. But we also believe in approaching this topic with scientific literacy and informed skepticism.

The media can raise awareness of important health issues, but they can also be careless or sensationalist. So, never take headlines at face value.

When it comes to topics like microplastics where scientific consensus is not established, it’s important to examine the research context and parse what conclusions are backed by solid evidence versus what remains unknown.

What the Research Actually Said

Let's examine the “one credit card per week” claim. Critics have questioned the methodology: how it summarized various smaller studies with different measurement methods, different definitions of microplastics, and often tiny sample sizes. The study was also commissioned by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), which is important context.

The CNBC “7 grams of plastic” story exemplifies how journalistic retelling can get basic scientific findings wrong. The actual study found brain samples contained about 4,800 micrograms of microplastics per gram of tissue. CNBC translated this to “7 grams of plastic” in the entire brain without explaining the methodology.

Meanwhile, studies pointing to the other end of the spectrum rarely make headlines. One published in Environmental Science & Technology suggested that median lifetime accumulation was only about 40.7 nanograms for adults by age 70.3 That's just about 0.008% of the mass of a single grain of sand.

So which is it: 5 grams per week, or 40.7 nanograms over a lifetime? We are still very far from scientific consensus.

Our Philosophy: Being Thoughtfully Cautious

The mass of microplastics isn’t even the most critical question – it’s the biological impact of whatever mass it actually is. This question remains largely unanswered.

We don’t know whether 0.008% of a sand grain’s worth affects our health.

Related plastic chemicals like phthalates have been linked to reproductive developmental effects during pregnancy, suggesting even small exposures can matter during critical windows.

But overall, these uncertainties tell us that it’s important to neither panic nor be complacent. At Haomomo, we believe in making informed choices while research continues. We design our products to help families reduce microplastic exposure.

We can acknowledge potential risks while avoiding extremes of dismissal and catastrophizing. The most productive path forward is taking reasonable precautions based on current understanding while critically reviewing emerging science.

What’s your approach to navigating health topics where science is still evolving? How are you balancing caution with complacency when it comes to microplastics?

When our first baby was born, we used mostly plastic. It was lightweight, durable, and widely available.

When we learned about potential health concerns, we switched to silicone. Silicone was safer than plastic, but odors built up and our toddler started rejecting foods served in it. We realized even “safer” materials have downsides.

Now, pregnant with baby #2, we're synthesizing everything we’ve learned about the pros and cons of different foodware materials.

Here's how we score six popular materials on a scale of 1 (problematic) to 5 (excellent) on two dimensions:

1. Safety: No chemical leaching, food contact safe, stable/inert, well-regulated

2. Practicality: Durable, convenient, easy to clean and maintain

How different materials score

BPA-Free Plastic:

• Safety 2/5 - BPA-free is good, but microplastics and other compounds may still leach when plastic is heated or scratched.

• Practicality 4/5 - Lightweight, unbreakable, and widely available, though best to avoid putting it in microwaves or dishwashers.

• TOTAL 6/10

Food-Grade Silicone:

• Safety 4/5 - High-quality silicone is stable and inert, but lower grades may leach chemicals when heated.

• Practicality 4/5 - Lightweight, flexible, and technically dishwasher-safe, but can absorb odors from both foods and dish soap over time.

• TOTAL 8/10

Food-Grade Stainless Steel:

• Safety 5/5 - Completely inert, never leaches chemicals, and trusted for decades as safe for food contact.

• Practicality 4/5 - Ultra-durable and easy to clean, but can’t be microwaved.

• TOTAL 9/10

Glass:

• Safety 5/5 - Like steel: completely inert with zero chemical leaching.

• Practicality 3/5 - Easy to clean, see-through (for liquids) and microwave-safe, but serious breakage risk unless using a protective sleeve.

• TOTAL 8/10

Natural Wood:

• Safety 5/5 - Naturally non-toxic when properly finished and cared for.

• Practicality 2/5 - Durable but high-maintenance: hand-wash only, frequent oiling required. Neither dishwasher- nor microwave-safe.

• TOTAL 7/10

Bamboo Composite:

• Safety 3/5 - Naturally non-toxic when pure, but composite products typically use melamine binders that can leach chemicals when heated.

• Practicality 2/5 - Like wood: durable but high-maintenance.

• TOTAL 5/10

What This Means for Your Family

The clear winner? Stainless steel at 9/10, combining unmatched safety with everyday practicality.

Silicone and glass both score 8/10 but with different tradeoffs: silicone's odor accumulation versus glass's breakage risk.

As we prepare for baby #2, we're building around stainless steel for daily essentials, with silicone and glass mixed in for specific needs. Steel delivers the safety and durability we want without maintenance headaches, while silicone and glass each bring their own advantages when used thoughtfully.

Perfect doesn't exist in baby foodware, but informed choices do. For families looking to go plastic-free without sacrificing function, this combination approach works: prioritize steel for everyday use, then add other materials where they make sense for your family.

What's been your experience with non-plastic foodware? We'd love to hear!

Around his first birthday, we started giving our son oatmeal for breakfast. It was fascinating to watch him gradually learn how to tuck into his bowl of oatmeal on his own: grasp the spoon, scoop oatmeal, bring it to his mouth, and swallow just the right amount.

Today, he is capable of eating his whole meal on his own.

We are convinced that self-feeding sets a good foundation for lifelong healthy eating habits. Here's what we’ve learned about the benefits of this approach.

Physical Development

• Motor Development: Grabbing, pinching, and bringing food to mouth builds crucial fine motor skills. Practicing at every meal reinforces neural pathways for precision movements, while grip strength improves through natural, purposeful practice.

• Oral Skills: Self-feeding naturally strengthens oral muscles needed for eating and speech. Lateralization skills develop as babies move food side-to-side in their mouth, while gagging (a protective reflex) becomes stronger over time.

Self-Regulation

• Appetite Control: Baby-led weaning emphasizes letting the baby learn and express their hunger and fullness cues rather than controlling their intake. This helps babies develop stronger internal hunger signals, potentially preventing overeating and reducing obesity risk.

• Encouraging Openness to Food: Letting babies choose from varied tastes and textures may help prevent picky eating later on, as this approach empowers them to explore and develop curiosity about different foods at their own pace.

Social and Emotional Growth

• Family Connection: Self-feeding lets babies join family meals from the start, where they learn by watching and copying others. This makes mealtime a space for shared experience and bonding, not just eating.

• Independence Building: By actively participating in their own feeding, children build a strong sense of agency and self-confidence. This not only aligns with Montessori principles but also has practical benefits, such as making family outings to restaurants easier and more enjoyable since children can manage themselves better.

Addressing Common Concerns

“Is it unsafe?” With thoughtful food preparation and supervision, self-feeding is just as safe as traditional feeding. We learned to offer appropriately sized, soft foods and always stayed nearby during mealtimes.

“It's so messy!” True, self-feeding is messy at first! Our son loved to grab his bowl and shake food everywhere. 😮‍💨 We discovered that using stainless steel bowls and plates with a strong suction base helped minimize this mess. As our son matured and learned to focus more on eating than playing, mealtimes became less chaotic.

“Will my baby get enough nutrition?” Rather than counting calories or obsessing over nutrients, we offered diverse, nutrient-rich foods and trusted our son's natural hunger cues. Some days he ate more, some days less, and that was perfectly normal.

Have you tried self-feeding with your little one? What was your experience?

Why Feeding Therapists Don't Recommend Sippy Cups

Sippy cups – small, lidded cups with a spout that helps young children drink without spilling – are a popular choice. However, many feeding therapists and pediatricians do not recommend them.

Concerns include that they can:

• Interfere with proper tongue positioning

• Limit jaw development

• Contribute to speech delays and dental issues

So what do professionals recommend instead? Open cups or straw cups. These encourage proper swallowing patterns and support natural oral development.

Supporting Natural Development

Teaching kids to drink using these cups aligns with Montessori-inspired "help me do it myself" thinking, supporting independence with thoughtful tools that match a child's developing capabilities.

Montessori-inspired methods emphasize:

• Real experiences over simplified versions when developmentally appropriate

• Clear materials that allow children to see and understand cause and effect

• Gradual progression toward independence rather than rushing milestones

A recent viral TikTok perfectly illustrated why these principles matter: a toddler learning to drink from a free-flowing straw cup couldn't control the water flow and spilled everywhere. The real issue wasn't the child's technique. It was that the cup made flow control difficult for his developmental stage.

The Question of Valves in Straw Cups

Building on this challenge, there's an interesting question about valves in straw cups. Many toddler straw cups come with valves for two reasons:

1. Prevent spills - stop water from spilling when tipped

2. Control flow - prevent water from being drawn up too quickly

Here's where it gets controversial: some feeding therapists argue that valved straw cups are just as problematic as sippy cups, recommending only free-flowing straws for proper oral skill development.

But we believe preventing spills and helping babies control water flow matters during early cup introduction. Spill-proof valved cups can be helpful for travel or teaching a very active toddler who likes to shake his cup to drink without splashing water everywhere (i.e. ours 😅).

Our Practical Recommendations

At Haomomo, we draw inspiration from evidence-based approaches that prioritize independence – including Montessori principles – while staying grounded in modern parenting realities.

Very little in parenting is black and white. Sometimes supporting your child's learning means using a valved cup during the transition phase, then moving toward open cups as skills develop. This respects both developmental best practices and the practical needs of busy families.

Here's what we advise for supporting "help me do it myself" cup transitions:

It's perfectly acceptable to use a valved straw cup for the initial transition. The reduced mess and better flow control support success during this learning period.

When you do choose valved straw cups, we recommend:

• Choose gentle valves that don't require biting or hard sucking

• Look for clear straws when possible - babies learn better when they can see what's happening

• Switch between valve straw cups and open cups so your child develops both skills naturally

The key is supporting development while being realistic about the learning process and your family's needs.

Now comes the next challenge: teaching baby to drink from a cup.

With our son, we weren't quite sure how to approach this. Watching him suck happily on his milk bottle, we could easily picture how upset he'd get if we ever tried to pry that beloved bottle from his fingers.

Through trial and error (and lots of spilled water and patience), we developed a three-step approach that worked for us:

Step 1: Straw cup with water (~6 months)

First, baby needs to learn to drink from a straw.

Use a dedicated cup for this transition so baby can form an association. And start with water, not milk. It's less messy and a lower hurdle for baby as they won’t have to break their milk bottle attachment just yet.

💡 Tip #1: Use a clear straw so you can see if baby is actually drinking.

Offer the straw cup consistently and practice regularly. Eventually they'll understand: this cup means water time.

Step 2: Transition one milk feeding to straw cup (~12 months)

Once drinking water through a straw is well established, it's time to move to milk.

Use a separate, dedicated cup for milk during this stage. Start small by replacing just one bottle feeding per day.

💡 Tip #2: Replacing the morning feeding works well since baby is hungry and more motivated.

Be patient if they resist. Just keep trying.

Step 3: Introduce the open cup (~18 months, or earlier if baby’s motor skills allow)

Eventually, as baby becomes a toddler, they will naturally get interested in copying everything adults do. Including drinking from open cups. Ours did.

Remove the lid from the straw cup and let them try with small amounts of water! Expect spills, accidental or otherwise. (Our son thought hurling water on the floor was really funny… 😩)

And just like that, your bottle days are behind you!

Along the way, we also learned that you can skip these popular items:

• Sippy cups - Pediatric experts say hard spouts can adversely impact oral development.

• 360 cups - Biting the rim increases microplastic exposure.

• Squeezable silicone straw cups - They create dependency on squeezing rather than teaching natural drinking skills; plus children outgrow them quickly anyway.

The whole transition took us about a year, but breaking it into these three phases helped make it much more manageable for everyone!

What's been your biggest challenge with the bottle-to-cup transition?

Some substances on these lists are well-studied and confirmed safe. But many newer ones are still being researched.

Most of us aren't PhD chemists. So how are we supposed to know?

Rather than memorizing every chemical, we focus on the handful of ingredients that are most common and proven harmful.

Five ingredients we avoid:

1. Fragrance or Parfum are catch-all terms that can hide hundreds of undisclosed chemicals, including phthalates and allergens linked to developmental issues. Look for "fragrance-free" products instead.

2. Parabens (methylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben) are shelf-life extenders that mimic estrogen and disrupt hormone development in babies.

3. Phthalates make plastics flexible and stabilize fragrances. Check for "phthalate-free" labels.

4. Bisphenols are found in plastic feeding tools and can seep into food when heated. Many products are "Bisphenol A (BPA) free" but may contain similar chemicals like BPS.

5. Sulfates (SLS, SLES) are foaming agents that strip skin of natural oils, leading to dryness and irritation. SLES may contain traces of 1,4-dioxane, a possible carcinogen.

Our general rule: shorter ingredient lists with recognizable names usually mean safer products. When we see long lists of unpronounceable chemicals, we check for alternatives.

We've also learned not to trust marketing claims on packages. Phrases like "organic," "natural," or "hypoallergenic" can be misleading. Always check the ingredient list, as these claims don't guarantee the product is safe.

💡 For quick ingredient checks while shopping, resources like the Yuka app or the EWG database can be helpful. They let you scan barcodes in-store to get analyses of ingredient lists, making it easier to spot red flags.

Which ingredient is a no-no for you? Let us know in the comments!

Like most new parents, we followed recommendations from WhatsApp groups and friends' baby registries. We trusted what everyone else seemed to be using without questioning it.

Those convenient plastic bottles and feeding spoons sure felt like lifesavers during the chaotic early months.

Everything changed after a health scare made us dig deeper into what we were actually putting in our bodies. The research alarmed us.

Here's what we discovered about plastic in feeding products:

• Microplastic ingestion - Plastic breaks down into microscopic particles that are difficult to eliminate from the human body. Microplastics provoke inflammation and ferry endocrine-disrupting chemicals.

• Chemical leaching - BPA, phthalates, flame retardants, and PFAS in plastic migrate into food and drinks, especially when heated or scratched. Studies suggest these toxins increase risks of cancer, metabolic disorders, endocrine disruption, and chronic illnesses.

What hit us hardest was learning how babies' developing systems make them especially sensitive to these endocrine disruptors. Every bottle warming and dishwasher cycle potentially increased our child's exposure.

Once we understood the risks, we took immediate action. We systematically eliminated plastic from our son's feeding routine. We gradually purged our kitchen of plastic containers and cookware.

(More on that and how to do your own “low-toxic swap” in an upcoming issue!)

The transformation wasn't easy. It was surprisingly hard to find good non-plastic alternatives that function well and don't break the bank.

We realized other parents shouldn't have such a hard time. This sparked Haomomo's mission: offering thoughtfully-designed non-plastic options that give you peace of mind from day one.

What made you first question the safety of plastic baby feeding products in your home? Comment below!

We know we've been quiet for a couple months. Truth is, we've been in the thick of bringing our first products to life.

We've been visiting factories, testing samples, and diving into food-grade materials. Our kitchen island has been covered with boxes of samples and prototypes for weeks!

The factory visits were particularly educational. Learning about different steel and silicone types and seeing how they get shaped into products has been a crash course in materials science.

What's been most fun? Crystallizing our vision of how Haomomo's products should look, feel and work.

Our starting point has been our own experience as parents. We've looked at each product and asked: what's frustrating about this for busy parents? How can we solve that? How do we balance practicality with sustainability?

After years in corporate tech, starting something new has been a fun stretch. We've learned to get comfortable with not knowing what we're doing most of the time.

AI tools have been incredibly helpful here, from researching competitor products to understanding the differences between digital and industrial colors.

We're embracing speed over perfection. Test, learn, iterate, repeat. Some days feel overwhelming with information to absorb and tasks to tackle. But watching our vision come to life has been incredibly satisfying.

And what's next feels exciting: we're putting finishing touches on our first collection! More on that soon. Fall launch is still on track.

Until then, expect to hear from us weekly to biweekly. We'll dive into science-based baby-led weaning tips, microplastics science, and topics that motivated us to become mindful parents and create Haomomo.

Hope you’ll continue following along with us!

Regardless of what we might think about Trump and his policies, this order deserves our attention. As the world's largest buyer of consumer goods, the US federal government's purchasing decisions ripple through markets and communities, shaping both policy and everyday choices.

We get why paper straws can be a convenient scapegoat in this debate. We've struggled with them too. They often dissolve and collapse after getting soggy. And ironically, they're frequently paired with plastic cups anyway! So it's easy to see why people can get frustrated and ask: what's the point??

Paper straws exemplify something we come across often: well-meaning solutions can undermine the cause they're trying to advance when they create too many practical difficulties for real users. The best solutions are both principled and practical. They meet rigorous health and environmental standards, and everyday needs.

The pushback on paper straws is understandable, but no, we’re not going back to plastic. Beyond its environmental impact, plastic can shed micro-particles and leach chemicals into our food and drinks — a risk we believe is best avoided as much as possible, especially when it comes to our children.

The good news? Parents don't have to choose between just plastic and paper for their little ones. This is not a binary choice.

Reusable straws made from food-grade silicone or stainless steel are great options to use at home or on the go. They're nontoxic, environmentally responsible, and they work well, offering a suitable solution for families and the planet.

At Haomomo, we try to approach these questions with a clear, practical, and non-partisan perspective. Our focus is simple: finding solutions that protect both our health and our environment without sacrificing functionality. Because the most meaningful changes often start with the small, everyday choices we make for our families.

Every January brings whispers of fresh starts and new intentions. But this year, instead of sharing another overwhelming list of resolutions, let's talk about something that truly matters: creating a healthier environment for our little ones, one small change at a time.

When our son Marcus was born in 2023, we thought we knew what mattered most — sleep schedules, developmental milestones, and the perfect swaddle technique. Then came the unexpected wake-up call: recurring postpartum health issues that led us down a rabbit hole of research into environmental toxins, particularly microplastics and endocrine disruptors.

Here's the truth that anchored our approach: reducing plastic exposure isn't about perfection — it's about progress. At Haomomo, we believe in empowering parents with knowledge to make informed choices from a place of love, not fear. Through conversations with our community, we've learned that many parents share the same desire to make good decisions, but feel overwhelmed by where to start.

Here are three high-impact changes that can make a real difference in your family's daily life right now:

1. First, rethink feeding time. If you are doing bottle feedings, consider transitioning from plastic bottles to glass alternatives with silicone sleeves for practical on-the-go feeding. Start with just one or two bottles to see what works best for your family.

2. Second, upgrade your mealtime essentials. Replace plastic utensils, cups, and plates with stainless steel or food-grade silicone options. These alternatives are not only safer but more durable. We particularly love stainless steel for its lightweight, unbreakable nature – perfect for when they reach that naughty toddler stage!

3. Third, reimagine food storage. Swap out plastic containers for glass or stainless steel alternatives. Our favorite approach: replace items with plastic-free options as they wear out, making the transition both practical and budget-friendly.

Remember, you don't need to overhaul everything at once. Start where you are. Any step toward reducing plastic exposure is a step worth celebrating.

We're excited to continue learning and growing alongside you in 2025.

What simple changes are you planning to make this year? We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

Our Story

When our little Marcus was born, it wasn't just the beginning of our parenting journey. It was the start of a profound transformation.

Our own health challenges in recent years had already sparked a deeper curiosity about the materials we surrounded ourselves with. When those personal health wake-up calls intersected with the overwhelming responsibility of protecting our newborn, we found ourselves diving deep into research about everything that would touch his precious skin and enter his developing body.

What began as a simple search for safe baby products turned into an eye-opening journey into the world of microplastics and their effects on children's health. Despite growing evidence about the impact of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in plastics, finding practical, safe alternatives remained surprisingly challenging.

Our Mission

This realization didn't just worry us — it mobilized us. That's how Haomomo was born, and why we're launching this newsletter today.

Here's what we believe: good is better than perfect. We're not here to promote fear or guilt, or to suggest that you need to purge every piece of plastic from your home tomorrow. Instead, we're advocates for progress over perfection, for making thoughtful choices when and where you can.

This isn't just about sharing product recommendations or concerning statistics. It's about creating a balanced approach to mindful parenting — one that acknowledges the challenges while offering actionable, common-sense solutions.

What to Expect

In this space, you'll find evidence-based information about environmental health, real stories from other parents, expert insights made accessible, and practical approaches to reducing plastic exposure without overwhelming yourself.

We believe in quality over quantity, so you may hear from us approximately twice a month. Each edition will focus on a specific aspect of mindful parenting, from plastic-free mealtime solutions to understanding the latest research.

Our upcoming editions will explore:

• Understanding BPA-free plastics (and why it's not the whole story)

• Creating sustainable mealtime routines that work in real life

• Expert conversations about environmental health

• Practical guides for starting your plastic-free journey — no perfection required

Share Our Community

We're grateful you're here. Your presence helps build a community of parents who care deeply about their children's health and the planet they'll inherit.

Have topics you'd like us to cover? Reply to this email — we'd love to hear from you.

Know other parents who might be interested? Please forward this and invite them to subscribe!

Here's to healthier choices, together—one step at a time.

Warmly,

Ruth and Jeff

Founders, Haomomo