Green Parenting: Ideas for Raising an Eco-Friendly Baby

If you are looking for ideas on how to become an eco-friendly parent, I applaud you! Turning to environmentally-friendly products will not only help you save money but it will also keep your child away from toxins and help preserve the planet. But truth be told, this is not always easy because finding the time and energy to look for eco-friendly solutions when you have a newborn is a challenge on its own. And that’s why I’m here today – I know the struggle and I really want to help you in your quest to surround your baby with nothing but the best of everything that you can afford.

bébé et couche

Diapers

Once you have a baby, you need to face the fact that you will have to deal with diapers for at least 18 months. So, with a bit of thoughtful thinking and good organisation, step by step you will be able to go green when it comes to your baby. One option is to use cloth diapers. While this still has an environmental impact (you will have to wash them, after all), cloth diapers don’t take up nearly as much space in landfills as their disposable counterparts. Plus, they will cost you much less in the long run.

If you are not up for the cloth solution, you can try biodegradable diapers. While they don’t break down in landfill conditions, there are options to compost these diapers, such as using an earthworm system, a compost toilet, or a properly conditioned composting area. There are also the Hybrid diapers which come with removable inserts that can safely biodegrade when flushed. But you will have to be careful when choosing this option because some removable inserts can contain petroleum gels, so make sure you do your research first.

Wipes and Cream

Ordinary baby wipes are not only harmful to the environment, but they are also packed with chemicals. Being conscious of how you use them is the first step towards reducing your impact on the environment. Another option is to use bamboo baby wipes that are made from ultra soft bamboo cloths that biodegrade in just 14 days. When it comes to diaper cream, you should make sure it is natural and safe for your baby.

Clothing

Designer baby clothes are so cute and hard to resist to thanks to their tiny size and fruity colours. But think twice before buying them – not only will your baby grow out of them incredibly fast, but you will spend tons of money on clothes that may not even be suitable for their gentle skin. Choosing organic bamboo, cotton, or wool fabrics made without toxic chemicals is the best option for your baby’s sensitive skin. Plus, these fabrics last so much longer than others, considering how often you will need to wash them.

Laundry

It is a fact that babies make piles and piles of laundry and there’s no way you could help it. But load after load and you realise just how much water you have used, not to mention chemicals. So, unless it is an emergency and you need a specific onesie right at that moment, try to run full loads. The thing with washing machines is that most of them use the same amount of water regardless of how full they are, so make sure to maximise your load and use an eco-friendly laundry detergent that will help preserve the planet and won’t expose your little one to unnecessary chemicals.