Eco Friendly Living with Your Baby

Going green not only helps the planet, it can ensure a healthier lifestyle for your whole family. When it comes to nurturing and protecting your little ones, eco-friendly options prove to be great choices to help them grow up in a healthy environment.

When it comes to green living, small actions can lead to big rewards. It all comes down to our daily decisions to go for eco-friendly choices. But what does it really mean to be eco-friendly? This term generally refers to products and practices that contribute to a greener way of life through conserving resources like water and energy. It is about looking after the well-being of nature and animals by reducing waste, recycling, and purchasing natural, non-synthetic, eco-friendly products.

Eco-friendly products are manufactured in a sustainable way which causes less toxic additives to our surroundings, thus preventing pollution of the environment. These products are non-toxic, recyclable and biodegradable. Of course, all these can also be applied to your choice of baby products. The good news is, there are many eco-friendly products for babies in the market that come in a variety of sizes, colours and more. From baby wash and laundry detergent to clothing, mattress and bottles, all these eco-friendly baby products are created to ensure that your baby is safe and sound while protecting the environment. Let’s look at some green practices and products that will help you kickstart an eco-friendly lifestyle for you and your baby:

Buying Safe Plastics

Conventional plastics often wreak havoc on the environment. This occurs during production and after disposal. They fill up landfills, end up as litter on land or in water, are toxic to many animals and often aren’t easily biodegradable. Manufacturers also often add different chemicals to plastics to give them the exact characteristics they’re looking for, like flexibility, strength, and reduced production cost – but most of these are hazardous to health. These components can include phthalates, bisphenol A (BPA), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) and tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) – all of which alter hormone expression in humans and other  living organisms.

Unfortunately these types of components are also present in some baby products – for instance plastic bottles. There have been reports by a California environmental group which brought attention to toxic chemicals in plastic baby bottles called bisphenol A (BPA). BPA has been linked with cancer, impaired immune function, hyperactivity, and other problems. On top of this, there has been a lot of debate surrounding the safety of some plastic toys. The chemicals in them and some plastic containers could also be harmful.

What parents can do is to avoid plastic altogether by going for alternatives to plastic baby products. For example, use glass bottles instead of plastic or avoiding plastic cribs and vinyl-encased mattresses by buying an organic cotton and latex mattress. Cloth toys or wooden blocks for infants may be good alternatives to plastic toys as well. If it’s not possible to avoid the use of plastic completely, stay away from hard polycarbonate plastic, which contains BPA and use bottles made of softer, safer plastics ie. polyethylene, polypropylene, or polyamide.

Choosing the Right Diapers

Disposable or cloth diapers? Sometimes parents find it hard to choose which to use as both contain many pros and cons that impact the environment. Disposable diapers are convenient solutions but they clog up landfills. Cloth diapers can be reused but they require repeated washings, which means they use up a lot of water and energy. In this case, it is a smarter choice to alternate the use of cloth and disposable diapers according to what your lifestyle requires while ensuring the cleaning and disposal of these diapers are done in eco-friendly ways. For example, consider using an energy-saving washing machine to wash your cloth diapers. And if you are primarily using disposables, consider buying biodegradable diapers which are made from plant-based plastics (also known as bioplastics) that are compostable.

Feeding Your Baby

Breastfeeding is definitely an eco-friendly way to feed your newborn. After all, breast milk is natural and free from chemicals. It also creates no waste, needs little preparation and does not require packaging. This said however, a nursing mother needs to be conscious about the products she uses for breastfeeding. For example, breast pads, breast pumps, nipple creams and others that aid in making breastfeeding more comfortable. For breast pads, it is advisable to use re-usable organic cotton or wool felt pads as well as creams made from locally produced olive oil or organic lanolin. Nursing moms should also limit their exposure to chemicals such as lead, mercury, and cigarette smoke. If you are using a breast pump, go for high quality ones.

Should you opt for bottle feeding, remember to go for bottles and nipples that are made from non-toxic materials. It is also advisable to get an eco-friendly infant formula. The main difference between a green formula vs. a conventional are the ingredients, how you make it, and organic qualities. Look for the USDA Organic label and make sure to read the ingredients. Always buy powdered formula over premade formula.

Beyond the significant cost increase of premade, the Environmental Working Group notes that the premade infant formulas they’ve tested contain significantly high amounts of BPA – more than other canned food items on the market. Check the background of the company – for example, do they support healthy children and planet initiatives? Finally, follow safe formula preparation techniques and bottle feed your baby correctly. Also, reuse or recycle your formula containers.

Once your baby reaches six months old, your baby will start on solid foods. An eco-friendly option is to offer your child homemade organic food as it is the best way to ensure that what she eats is free from modified starches, sugars, corn syrup, or preservatives. Cook up veggies, casseroles, or tofu and lentils and include kid favourites like apples, peaches, and pears. Make sure that you get organic versions of these foods to avoid pesticide residues. If you would like to buy ready-made baby food, go for organic, frozen baby food which is now readily available. These frozen brands are made from fresh produce that’s minimally processed through quick freezing, which maintains more of the original flavor, colour, and nutrient content than conventional jarred products. These brands also tend to use eco-friendly packaging such as recycled cardboard, vegetable inks, and BPA-free plastic.

Clean Air, Clean Water

It’s highly important that the nursery or the room your baby sleeps in has constant fresh and clean air. There are potential sources of air pollution in just about every room of your house, but fret not as there are easy, and affordable solutions for most of them. For starters, it helps to open the windows now and then to let fresh air in. You can also use an air conditioner with air purifying features that can help to remove pollutants in the air. It is also good to invest in a high quality air purifier for your baby’s room. Opt for those that come with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters which are effective in removing particles like dust, pollen, and mold spores.

Additionally, limit toxic chemicals like VOCs (volatile organic compounds) in your nursery. VOCs are commonly found in paint, furniture, carpeting and other interior features and they can cause headaches, nausea, and even organ damage if there’s long-term exposure. Go for natural paint made from food-safe ingredients from plants and minerals. To ensure your paint is safe, choose a brand that’s clearly labeled non-toxic and make sure that claim is backed by a creditable association.

Safe and clean water is also one of the top essentials for you and your baby. Whether it’s for drinking, mixing formula or cleaning baby bottles, it is essential that you use safe, clean water that has been properly treated and sterilised. This includes the water you use to sterilise baby bottles and feeding equipment. If you’re concerned about the purity of your water supply, install a water filter. Certain filters can remove lead and other contaminants from your water. There are many types out there, so do your research to see which one will fit your lifestyle the best.

Dressing Green

It’s easy to want to buy all those cute baby outfits that you see everywhere. However, it’s far more practical to choose clothing that are made from safe materials. As your baby has very sensitive skin, organic clothing made from hemp or cotton, bamboo or wool fabrics are the best options.

There are many types of eco-friendly fabrics, the most popular ones are:

• Organic cotton: Cotton that is grown, farmed and processed without the use of pesticides or fertilizers, and has a low impact on the environment.
• Recycled cotton: Cotton that would otherwise be cast off during processing is recovered and made into recycled cotton. No harsh chemicals are used to process recycled cotton, making it an ideal eco-friendly textile.
• Soybean fibre: Made from the soybean pulp left over from the production of tofu and soymilk, soybean protein fiber is thought to be healthy and nutritional for your baby’s skin.
• Bamboo: Bamboo, which grows at up to 4 feet per day, is naturally antimicrobial and doesn’t require any pesticides or chemicals to grow.

Green Washing

What you wash your baby’s clothing with may affect her too. It’s best to wash nappies with laundry wash made specially for babies or just pure soap and warm water. Some parents also like to make their own non-toxic cleansers with simple ingredients such as baking soda and vinegar.

No matter how you would like to keep your diapers super white, never use chlorine bleach as it is highly caustic – when it goes from your drain into the natural world, it can create organochlorines, which are suspected carcinogens as well as reproductive, neurological, and immune system toxins. They also damage the earth’s ozone layer.

To conserve energy, resist the urge to do several small loads over the course of a week, and wait until you have a full washer’s worth of laundry. Even the most high-tech energy-efficient washing machines use a lot of water, and older models can consume up to 55 gallons per load.

If you’re buying a new washer, remember to look for Energy Star models. Traditional top-loading washing machines use about forty gallons of water per load, whereas Energy Star washers use only about twenty-five gallons per load. That’s a 40 percent savings in water, which translates into an energy cost savings of almost 50 percent.

Skincare the Organic Way

For baby skin care, less is more. Ensure that the soaps, creams, lotions and shampoos that you use aren’t loaded-up with artificial colours, perfumes and additives. A baby’s sensitive skin naturally responds better to products that are natural, gentle and nourishes her skin while keeping it clean and protected. In fact, many parents report that their babies’ skin condition sometimes rapidly disappears once the switch is made to organic lotion or wash.

Fortunately, there are many 100% organic and certified natural baby products in the market today than ever before – all created with the safety and health of both your baby and the environment in mind. Even so, it is important that you read the label carefully. A good rule of thumb is if it doesn’t sound like something you’d like to put in your mouth, it’s probably better not to put it on your or your little one’s skin.

When choosing a skin care product, it’s advisable to stay away from additives like phthalates, parabens and DEA which are the most common chemicals found in skin care for both baby and adult. SLS (sodium lauryl/laureth sulfate) is also used in many products. These ingredients is harsh on the delicate skin of a baby and it comes from a non-renewable petroleum source.

Look for products that contain plant sourced and non-petrochemical based ingredients whenever possible, which are renewable and sustainable without depleting our natural resources. Also opt for products that are formulated with natural, plant based ingredients and are gentle and free of harmful toxins and chemicals. For instance, when it comes to choosing baby bath products, look for fruit or vegetable-based oils to help retain the soft texture of your child’s hair and skin. You can also look for products that are derived from vitamins A, C and E. Some parents also like to use completely pure ingredients, such as coconut oil or olive oil, which is an excellent moisturizer.

Additionally, look for recyclable packaging and biodegradable ingredients. Buy products manufactured by eco-friendly, environmentally conscious companies with the goal to preserve our earth and make as little environmental impact as possible.

Greener Toys

Get to know a toy before you buy it. What’s this toy made of? Where does it come from? It is best to opt for toys made with recycled or natural materials, those that are guaranteed 100% non-toxic and ideally those that can be recycled or passed on to other children. Finally, buying fewer toys is definitely much more eco-friendly, not to mention it’s better for the planet – and your wallet too!