Green Baby Shower Gifts that Make a Difference

Going green is a special concern for an expecting mom-to-be. Nothing brings out the protective instinct like babies do, and parents like to know that they are caring for their newborn with safe and gentle products. So consider giving an eco friendly baby shower gift. Because really, landfills across the world are already piled high with wipe warmers and diaper stackers. And the usual baby shower gifts are so common, nothing will liven up a shower more than an interesting, eco friendly gift. Here are a few green baby shower gift ideas that are bound to make any mom cheer. When possible, I've chosen small businesses over large companies. All product links are at the end of this article.

1. A sustainable fabric baby carrier. Cloth baby slings have gone from mostly unknown to wildly popular within the last five years. They keep baby close to Mom while freeing her hands for work, and they adjust as baby grows. Not only that, but they are very easy to breastfeed while wearing, and the extra fabric is a great privacy cover. Most of the organic fabric slings on the market right now are made of cotton. While natural fabric is great, the fact is that growing and harvesting cotton is very hard on the earth - not all that green! It's a labor intensive process that strips the ground of nutrients. On the other hand, hemp and tencel are much more sustainable fabrics. They are more expensive, but a well-crafted sling can be used for kids up to 35 lbs - well into toddlerhood! That's a green baby gift that will keep on giving for years. Pretty Momma slings are $92.00 (not including shipping and handling) and can be bought at their website.

2. Natural goat's milk baby soap. This was one of my favorite green gifts that I received at my baby shower, and I've purchased it as a green wishing well gift for every baby shower I've attended since. Growth hormone free goat milk soap is great for the skin and will leave baby smelling naturally wonderful, without any chemical fragrances. Organicways soap is cold pressed, meaning there is no heat used in the soap-making process to destroy beneficial vitamins and minerals. One bar of soap is $5.95 and the minimum order is 3 bars, but the soap is dense and lasts much longer than any cheap store bought soap. The three bar minimum means you can buy a bar for baby, a bar for mom - and a bar for yourself! There's a wide variety of yummy soaps available, such as hazelnut, cinnamon, cucumber, lemon verbena...and much more.

3. gDiapers. Anyone interested at all in green and eco friendly baby products has been involved in an argument about cloth versus disposable. Which is better? Disposables go to landfills, while washing cloth wastes the energy needed to wash and dry (unless you wash and dry by hand). gDiapers are a great compromise between the two. Their diapering system consists of a pair of "gPants" (chlorine-free cotton/spandex underpants that fasten in the back with Velcro) and snap-in flushable, biodegradable liners. The liners are made of chlorine-free tree farmed fluff pulp and a super-absorbent polyacrylate that can hold 100 times its weight in water. Liners can be flushed, trashed, or even composted (wet diapers only). One starter kit is $26.99 and consists of 2 pairs of gPants, 10 flushable refills, 3 water-resistant snap-in liners, a swish stick (for dumping solids in the toilet) and a user's guide.

4. SoapNuts Natural Laundry Soap. Why go to all the trouble of buying organic baby clothing, only to wash baby's clothes in chemical laundry detergent? SoapNuts are the fruit of a tree, harvested and dried, that are an excellent alternative to laundry detergent. They are 100% natural, organically grown, biodegradable, and anti-microbial. They're great for baby's sensitive skin are well as anyone with allergies, eczema, or psoriasis. One start kit retails at 14.99 and will wash up to 40 loads of laundry.

5. A babysitter. The best gifts are those that you can't buy in a store. Either offer your own sitting services, or line up a great babysitter who already has rave reviews from moms. Pay the sitter in advance, so that Mom won't feel timid about calling for help. Sometimes, all Mom really wants is a chance to nap or someone to come over and provide an extra set of hands. Keep offering past the newborn stage, when most babysitting offers mysteriously disappear. Cost - Free if it's you, or choose a qualified caregiver through Sittercity, a service that screens sitters across the US. You can input your zip code and search profiles of sitters in your area.

Once you've bought your chosen green baby shower gift, don't forget to choose eco friendly wrapping paper (like recycled paper, which you can always decorate yourself with ink stamps). Or for an extra flourish, wrap your gift furoshiki-style. Furoshiki is the Japanese custom of wrapping gifts and goods in cloth rather than paper. It's much more eco friendly than any kind of commercial wrapping. A beautiful organic silk scarf can be reused by Mom long after baby's nursery days are over.

Pretty Momma Slings

Organicways Goat Milk Soap

gDiapers

SoapNuts

Sitter City

Furoshiki