Green Living
Ms.MKBT
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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
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Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Green Moms
in Green Living
What green things do you do that are baby-related? I am newly pregnant and want to start getting ideas together. We already use green cleaning supplies, recycled paper products, etc. We would like to cloth diaper as well and have started making a wishlist of organic toys. Anything else we should look into?
BFP #1: 3/20/10, EDD 11/22/12, DD born: 11/20/12
BFP #2: 8/26/12, EDD 5/3/12, M/C 9/4/12
Living Simple Blog
BFP #2: 8/26/12, EDD 5/3/12, M/C 9/4/12
Living Simple Blog
Re: Green Moms
there is a good list of baby products here. we cloth diaper, there is lots of info on the eco friendly family board about that.
i made our baby food, it wasn't as hard as you think it would be and it's way cheaper. i try to buy used clothing and toys/books as much as possible, and then donate the stuff we outgrow or don't use anymore.
the biggest challenge i've found is that people, esp family, love to buy new things for kids, and they just don't "get" that we'd rather have homemade or used stuff instead of plasticky junk from china. its hard to communicate those wishes before you have a baby too, because people will assume you have no idea what really want since you're a 1st time mom.
breastfeed
make your own baby food
stay away from all that plastic-y junk- does your kid really need 10 plastic sippy cups, their own plastic plates and bowls, etc?
My best recommendation - get the book "Raising Baby Green" - it's awesome. You can get it on half.com for cheap. I love that book - it has tons of ideas from very simple to what I'd consider a bit extreme. And they go up through older children as well and have ideas for parents, so it's great.
I switched to green products - cleaning/cosmetics while pregnant and will keep them around.
Consider organic baby layette items (clothes), mattress, sheets, etc. When getting furniture, look for sustainable, eco-friendly things if possible - or at least products that will last a long time verses something you'll use for a short period of time.
Low or no VOC paint for the nursery.
For your shower, if you are doing favors, do eco-friendly ones like seeds or something like that.
Cloth diapering and breastfeeding are very eco-friendly choices.
Ditto this - Be prepared for the comments from family/friends about cloth diapering and other eco-friendly choices. Our family just doesn't get it, although they've at least tried to buy organic clothes when they see them for us. They still think CDing is silly - although I can't wait until they see how easy it will be, then I think their mind will change. There's lots of incorrect/uninformed opinions out there and at a point when people some how feel like its their job to tell you all the advice about parenting, it's ironic to get so much outdated information. I've had family members actually say to me - Are you still planning to do that 'cloth diaper thing'? and 'You'll hate breastfeeding - it's so inconvenient and time consuming' (the latter from people who never even TRIED to BF...)
Ditto on the making your own baby food too.
We used to CD but it gave B a horrible rash so we switched to biodegradable diapers (Nature BabyCare). We also use biodegradable wipes that we put right into our composter (except the poop one's).
We have an organic crib mattress, organic linens and towels, the crib and dresser were made with sustainable wood and no VOC stain. He has some EF toys but not as many as we would like. Same with clothing. We do get 99% of his clothes from a used clothing store (Once Upon A Child) though.
We are using up our Aveeno baby products and have some biodegradable one's waiting for us to use (Nature BabyCare).
We make all our own baby food and use as much organic as possible. I am BF'ing and when he does get a bottle of pumped milk it is in glass bottles.
BFP #2: 8/26/12, EDD 5/3/12, M/C 9/4/12
Living Simple Blog
Do you have laws that mandate that they allow you the time and place to pump?
You could always BF until you go back to work if that is an option. I know some people who give bottles of formula during the day and then nurse at night so that could work too.
I have seen a few organic formula's in the stores so at least you have some options!
We cloth diaper and try to avoid plastics when possible. Right now my favorite "green" thing we are doing is homemaking baby food. It's a really addictive process! California Babies' bath products are the only ones we use because they are so gentle on DS's sensitive skin. Coconut oil makes a great cradle cap removal oil and diaper rash cream.
My blog is about raising our son in a more environmentally friendly way. Check it out because I might have forgotten something!
i have a different job this time around and i do a lot more local travel and my schedule is all over the place...i'm trying to figure out how i'm going to pump with that craziness. I think i will become good friends with my car adapter + pump.
Even better than making your own baby food is not feeding baby food at all: follow baby-led weaning. (Google for more info.)
And even better than organic toys is buying/exchanging stuff second-hand. That goes for everything baby-related. Nearly every "big" item we got for DS is second-hand. Lots of his clothes and toys are second-hand too.
Don't discount the time you'll be able to BF while on maternity leave, not to mention that you can still BF a little even if you don't pump during the day. I haven't pumped since DS was 6 mos. but I was able to supplement his formula with breast-milk.
It's so beneficial to both you and your baby to BF, even if it's only for a few weeks.
Ditto previous posters. Aim for high quality wood toys, try to minimize the amount of "stuff" baby needs. If you end up using formula try glass bottles. Cloth diapers are a biggy! Start shopping garage sales this summer to stock up on baby clothes and toys.
Other little things like stocking up on freezer meals before baby comes so you don't have to rely on convenience foods later.
Blog: Baby Mama's Drama