*$1 from the sale of each copy of Mother’s Little Helper will be donated to Plunket.

Did you know that some baby wipes contain a substance which is banned for use in products which are inhaled? How many times have you wiped your baby’s nose with a baby wipe?

Wendyl Nissen’s latest book on chemical-free living analyses many commonly used products used on and around our babies and comes up with many natural and old-fashioned alternatives to use instead.

In the US health authorities and paediatricians are so concerned about the number of chemicals babies are being exposed to, even before they are born, that they are petitioning their government to act now before it is too late.

“There has never been a better time to focus on getting back to the days, only about 70 years ago, before the 80,000 chemicals which make their way into our food, beauty products, homes and most importantly near our babies were invented,” says Nissen.

She was prompted to write the book when she ran a poll on one of her weekly Green Goddess newsletters and found that out of 301 respondents only 8.6 per cent were confident that they had the knowledge to avoid chemicals and toxins in their pregnancy.

“The next day I was standing in the supermarket aisle having a look at the baby products on offer and I overheard two young mothers looking at the ingredients label on baby wipes and expressing their concern that they had no idea what was in them,” says Wendyl.

“I immediately bought several brands and took them home to analyse. By the time I’d finished I knew I had to write this book.”

Mother’s Little Helper takes expectant mothers through their pregnancy and right through to the first year of their baby’s life and gives them 85 old-fashioned recipes for everything from baby wipes to face cream and rice cereal.

It also explains which chemicals should be avoided and quotes numerous health studies which are warning us about the dangers of some chemicals in our lives.

The book has already received rave reviews from three mums: “Mother of the Nation” Judy Bailey, Lorraine Downes and Kerre Woodham.

“What a thoroughly useful, sensible and reassuring source of information for new mums ...... I'm certainly going to make sure my daughter has a copy!”

Judy Bailey

“Her honesty and humour is clearly heard in her words. I wish I had this book to read during my first pregnancy. What a wealth of vital information for all new mums."

Lorraine Downes

“This wonderful book is the perfect gift for new mums. Packed full of sensible advice and common sense, it’s like having a grandmother on hand at any hour of the day and night.”

Kerre Woodham

Author Biography

Wendyl Nissen is the mother of five children and grandmother of two as well as being the author of the back-to-basics bestsellers Domestic Goddess on a Budget and A Home Companion – My year of living like my grandmother.She has helped thousands of women change their lives overnight by turning back the clock to a simpler, more natural life led by our grandmothers. Now she brings her trademark common sense and humour to having babies.

She is a well-known writer, broadcaster and businesswoman who is the driving force behind Wendy’s Green Goddess natural cleaning products, is a columnist for the New Zealand Herald, Herald on Sunday, New Zealand Woman’s Weekly and New Zealand Gardener magazines, and a regular voice on Newstalk ZB. She has also written parenting columns for both Woman’s Day and the New Zealand Woman’s Weekly since 2001 and sends out a weekly newsletter to over 7000 subscribers every week.