Living Green with a Baby - Choosing the Most Eco-friendly Products for Your Little One

By: Rene Hernandez

     Healthy, eco-friendly baby products are the best way to ensure that you will give your baby a healthy environment in which to grow their first few years. Fortunately, green baby products have become explosively popular recently. Rightfully so, there are many chemicals that babies do not necessarily need to be exposed to.

     For example, the crib mattress generally contains many chemicals, but there are organic options always available. The same goes with bedding: there are always organic materials (such as wool or cotton) that can replace plastic and chemically infused sheets. Stuffed toys are available in organic cotton, as are clothing. Diapers can be found in recyclable and chlorine-free form, as cloth. However, perhaps a bit more cumbersome, they will save on your home's trash output, and be softer on contact with your baby. Essentially, most wool or cotton materials are enough to keep unnecessary chemicals away from a baby's soft and vulnerable skin.

     As far as the products for feeding your baby goes, many bottles are made with bisphenol A, also known as BPA, a chemical that will seep into the liquid contained inside. As a result, many manufacturers have begun to produce BPA-free bottles. They are also available in shatterproof materials, as many parents are concerned about feeding babies through bottles that may shatter. The same problem exists for breast milk storage containers: be sure to use PVC- and BPA-free containers to store milk, either glass or plastic.

     Lotions for babies also come in an organic variety. Before purchasing your baby's lotion, check the ingredients for chemicals. A plant-based lotion can replace any product whose first ingredient is a chemical. The same goes for shampoo and body soap, be sure there are primarily organic materials, and that the product has not been tested on animals prior to sales. Luckily, organic soaps and shampoos for babies have recently become very popular products, and are thus readily available at low prices.

     Unfortunately, replacing chemical and potentially toxic materials with green baby products tends to be a much more expensive choice. Many parents will have to choose which green products with which to surround their baby. However, a reduction in the chemicals in your baby's environment, as a whole, will guarantee a healthier baby, and help you maintain an overall greener, more eco-friendly lifestyle.