- Pregnancy
- Baby & Toddler
- Parents
- Getting Pregnant
- Baby Names
- Product Reviews
-
Registry
- Community
-
More
Want a personalized experience?
Download the free app
Eco-Friendly Family
5 things for your baby?
If you were only going to do 5 things to keep your baby healthier, what would your five things be?
(I mean eco-friendly wise--obviously not talking about not smoking, babyproofing, etc. The things that are "out of the norm" or "a little crunchy" as my friends say. 
This discussion has been closed.
Re: 5 things for your baby?
For us:
*Organic baby food
*Glass Bottles or BPA free plastic
*Trying to choose a good mattress
? That's all I can think of on Monday morning.
I was going to say low VOC paint, but then I realized how many brands are now and how easy that was.
organic baby products (washes, lotions, sunscreens, etc)
organic fruits/veggies/meats/dairy
non-toxic household cleaners
stainless steel cookware
glass and metal flatware and dishes
Breastfeeding.
'Safe' sunblock and body products (we LOVE the brand California Baby).
Cloth diapering.
Locally and/or organically grown food.
Baby gear that is not full of chemicals (or at least let it off gas outside before using and/or buy used).
1. Natural cleaning products (with everything baby touches, licks, crawls on, etc, I feel like this is one of the most important things we do).
2. Organic foods for the dirty dozen within the first few years.
3. Making our own food (although for me this is more of a teaching baby to eat healthy and get them acclimated to 'real' tasting food from the get go just as much as it is knowing what is in there).
4. Safer, paraben/SLS free shampoos/soaps/bug sprays, etc.
5. BPA free foods/bottles/etc as much as possible (we struggle a bit here with canned tomatoes and beans - but I'm hoping to can my own this year to rectify this one!).
Glass bottles
A breast pump
cloth diapers/wipes
EF cleaning supplies
EF baby wash
Once they are older I worry more about local/organic foods.
Oh - and I consider BFing mainstream (as it is in my circles) and CDing, well, that didn't even cross my mind as being out of the ordinary at this point.
I'll add babywearing - I don't know that that would trump one of my others or not... it may, though. I guess it's not particularly EF, but it may be one of the more 'crunchy' things.
1. Breastfeeding.
2. Cloth diapering.
3. Making my own baby food.
4. Avoiding plastics and BPA (using glass and metal instead.)
5. Cleaning with vinegar/water/EOs instead of harmful chemicals.
1. cloth diapering
2. safe cleaning products
3. breastfeeding (though I barely made any for DD #1 I want to try again for #2 and I am happy to have given #1 SOME breastmilk.)
4. giving organic/healthy foods (no matter if you make your own baby food or jarred, IMHO I like to be sure to give wholesome "good" foods. We used jarred for travel, quick meals and always bought organic w/ good ingredients).
5. safe bath/body products (lotions, sunscreens, body wash, shampoo, and diaper cream)
1. Eat healthier (organic, homemade-when-possible, unprocessed, etc.). It sets an example and a precedent for my child's health.
2.Breastfeeding
3. Do away with chemicals in the home (all beauty products, toiletries, cleansers, plastics, paints, etc. etc. etc.).
4. Plant a garden, plant trees, have plants inside the home.
5. Reduce the # of distractions; simplify.
<a href="http://s1103.photobucket.com/albums/g471/HealthfulMama/?action=view
Pretty much what everyone else said!
Breastfeed
Cloth diaper
Natural cleaning products
Organic or homegrown foods/veg/dairy
Garden
Make own baby food
Limit purchases/toys/etc (I like what Soyager said- Simplify!)
1. Breastfeeding
2. Natural/Organic/Homemade foods whenever possible the first year (and beyond!)
3. Reduced chemicals in the home (cleaning supplies, soaps, triclosan, etc)
4. Reduce the amount of allergen-inducing items in the home (soft toys, rugs, etc, both my kids have asthma)
5. Set a good example of being outside & being active; take baby along in a carrier.