A Guide to Green Baby Products

The birth of a baby is a great time to learn how to go green! Many new parents become more eco-conscious because they are concerned for their children. Fortunately, there are now more choices available for parents interested in green living. There are many green or eco-friendly baby products. Here are a few to try.

Cloth Diapers
One big question for new parents is whether to use cloth diapers or disposable. Most who are trying to go green think cloth diapers are best both for the environment and for baby. They are re-usable and don't end up in a landfill right away. They don't contain harmful chemicals, and (except for some white cloth diapers) they don't go through an industrial-strength bleaching process to make them white (regular disposable diapers do).

Cloth diapers are much more convenient than they used to be. Fuzzi Bunz diapers, for instance, fit on a baby just like disposables. They're known as pocket diapers, because they consist of a fabric pocket, with the outer side waterproof and the inner side made of soft microfleece. A cloth diaper or absorbent pad (made from either cotton or hemp fabric) is placed in the pocket, and the diaper is snapped around the baby (no pins!). The microfleece helps keep the baby's skin feeling dry even when the diaper is wet, much like a disposable diaper.

Fuzzi Bunz are sometimes available in stores, but are more often found on the internet. Visit http://motherofeden.com for more information and pictures.

Earth-friendly Disposable Diapers
If you just can't stomach washing cloth diapers, there are eco-friendly versions of disposable diapers. Many people say that these diapers are actually better for the environment, because you're not using the water and energy required to wash cloth diapers.

Seventh Generation disposable diapers are more eco-friendly than conventional disposables because they are made with recycled chlorine-free wood pulp fluff. They're tan in color, because they aren't made with bleached paper products. They do contain sodium polyacrylate as an absorbent material (this is the same absorbent in conventional disposables), although Seventh Generation claims that the kind they use is non-toxic and non-irritating. One advantage of these diapers is that they are widely available in supermarkets and natural food stores.

Finally, many parents use a combination of cloth and disposable diapers. Some use cloth at home and disposable when going out, and some prefer to use disposable diapers at night. Whichever way you go, there are green baby products available.

Organic Baby Clothing
Much of a baby's clothing is made from cotton, which is a natural fiber. However, conventionally grown cotton is grown with large amounts of both water and pesticides. The chemicals can be harmful to a child if absorbed through the skin, but they are also dangerous to the environment in general, as they get into our soil and water. Therefore, organic cotton clothing is an excellent green product choice for babies. Under the Nile is one popular manufacturer of organic baby clothing; you can find their products in many stores or on the web at http://underthenile.com. Under the Nile clothing is made from soft and beautiful certified organic cotton; parents and children alike will enjoy its touch on their skin.

Baby Food Grinder
Who needs jarred baby food? You just end up cleaning and recycling a whole bunch of little jars and lids. You can only do so many craft projects with baby food jars! Why not feed your little one the same things you are eating? A baby food grinder will help you do this. Just run carrots, potatoes, even some meats through the grinder to make your own baby food. If you want to make extra for another time, just freeze the puree in an ice cube tray, and then transfer to cubes to a plastic bag or container (don't forget to label) when frozen. You're using less packaging and feeding your baby better quality food.

The KidCo BabySteps Food Mill is a good eco-friendly choice. It is made from BPA/Phthalate-free plastic, with a stainless steel blade. This green baby product can be purchased from Amazon.com.

Bath and Skin Care products
Parents want only the best products for a baby's delicate skin. For those trying to go green, that may mean no artificial chemicals! Burt's Bees baby products are natural and gentle, as well as very effective. One of the best is the Baby Bee Skin Crème, which doubles as an excellent diaper rash crème. It's made with beeswax, sweet almond oil, aloe vera, and grapefruit seed extract (an anti-bacterial and anti-fungal agent). The skin crème contains no phthalates or parabens.

Burt's Bees eco-friendly baby products are available in many grocery and drug stores, as well as online (their website is http://www.burtsbees.com, but the products are also available from other retailers). They have a number of great products for adults, too!