http://www.care2.com/greenliving/safe-fun-and-eco-conscious-baby-products.html
Safe, Fun, and Eco-Conscious Baby Products
Eco-Conscious Baby Products
As of yesterday, I am the mother of a happy, healthy one year old girl named Emerson. In my year of motherhood, I have figured out a few things including what products I absolutely love and want every other mommy to have. We haven’t had to buy much thanks to our generous community of hand-me-downers. When we do buy, we do as much research as possible on function, toxins, and quality (so that we can hand them down someday). The following products are items that meet some eco criteria. All have made life easier, look great in our small space, or are loved by Emerson.
1. Born Free glass bottles
My husband and I are completely freaked out by plastic–even BPA-free plastic–particularly when heating it and using it for our child. We used only Born Free glass bottles for those middle-of-the-night expressed milk daddy feedings (thank goodness we’re not up at night anymore). We heated them in the First Years bottle warmer or in a pan of hot water (we’re freaked out by microwaves too) and had no issues with cracking. As an avid breast feeder, Emerson loved the stern sucking required from the flow-controlled nipple too.
2. The Svan high chair
This product is expensive ($250), but well worth the price given its look, quality, functionality, and long life. The Svan’s flexible design works as baby’s highchair and continuously morphs to fit “baby” through toddlerhood, childhood, and teenage hood. We live in a small space so it is nice to have a compact, nice looking piece of furniture in our kitchen and it’s easy to clean to boot.
3. Sophie the Giraffe
The word is out that Sophie the Giraffe is one of the most loved squeaky, fun teething toys ever. This classic French toy, made in the Alps with non-toxic materials is a happy distraction from shoes, electrical cords, and everything else nasty that baby tends to chew on when teething.
4. Natursutton All-Natural Rubber Orthodontic Pacifier
Luckily Emerson found her thumb early, but every now and then she loved to suck or chew on a pacifier. Again, due to our fears of toxic plastics, phalates, and BPA-full products, we found these fantastic natural rubber pacifiers, and Emerson loved them!
5. The Orbitz toddler car seat and stroller combination
We were given a handed down infant car seat. Given that our baby is huge, and now one year old, we started researching toddler car seat options. The first place we went is healthycar.org to see what the lowest toxin car seats were (toxic off-gassing in a small car compartment is a big problem). The Orbitz was one of two seats with a green rating, meaning it is made with the lowest amount of toxins. Next, we looked at a variety of consumer product ratings around the web and the Orbitz was a five star product from a user perspective on every site. In addition to being comfortable, convertible (it can go backward or forward and lasts up to 50lbs), it is the only toddler car seat I’ve found that fits to a stroller. We’ve always worn Emerson in the Bjorn or Ergo, but the girl is getting heavy and having an easy car seat stroller combo started to make sense. This is another pricey product, but, because of its many qualities, we’re going for it (well, OK. Grammy’s getting it for Emerson’s first birthday).
As a conscious consumer, I am thrilled to find more and more products that combine great design, quality, and eco-characteristics. I’d love to hear from readers what their favorite products are too.
Green Options Media is a network of environmentally-focused blogs providing users with the information needed to make sustainable choices. Written by experienced professionals, Green Options Media’s blogs engage visitors with authoritative content, compelling discussions, and actionable advice. We invite anyone with questions, or simply curiosity, to add their voices to the community, and share their approaches to achieving abundance.
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9 comments
add your comment »These are all great ideas for the new green mom. However, I have one item on your list that I would have to disagree with. That would be your glass bottles. My husband and I used the Dr. Browns bottles and we have loved them. I understand your worries of chemicals harming your child, but glass is very dangerous. A friend of mine had your same concern and used the glass bottles. Her idea was suddenly a bad one when her child fell on his bottle as it burst on the ground. He had to have many surgeries and he still has scars. Thank goodness it did not kill him. I understand you were only giving the bottles to him at night, but I wanted to explain a risk associated with constant use. Especially since children tend to get psychologically attached to their bottle, they may grow to want their bottle at other times. And children grow so fast, before you know it they are on the move and I wouldn't want to worry about them hurting themself with a bottle. In my opinion, I would be much more concerned with using glass products compared to BPA free plastic bottles.
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We got the wonderful Tripp Trapp chair for my son when he was ready to join us at the table. It may seem expensive but when you consider that it will grow with your child into adulthood it is well worth the initial cost. It is not a "high chair" as it pulls up to the table and does not have a tray but is much nicer since baby joins you at the table. It easily morphs into a toddler chair as the child grows and then continues to be easily adjustable through youth and now my adult son uses it at his desk. It is wood and easily maintained and is a very nice looking item of furniture in its own right. An investment that we are very glad we made.
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thanks
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thanks for sharing
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I recently discovered a great line of all-natural and organic baby care products by Shaklee. All of these baby care products have been given a green/buy rating by the Environmental Working Group and they work really well. I've been using them on my baby since she was born.
Copy and paste the link below into your browser and check out the Shakleebaby products:
http://shannon.myshaklee.com/us/en/category.php?main_cat=Nutrition&sub_cat=ChildrensHealth
They offer a gentle wash, massage oil, soothing lotion & diaper cream.
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Peggy,
why would an organic mattress have latex? I know Serta makes a pillowtop mattress with bamboo, but I couldn't tell you if it's organic or not (most uses pesticides). I think Care, or possibly the Environmental Working Group listed some green mattresses and ranked them between the most economical and the greenest. I would check through those two. Another option is a mattress cover. We couldn't afford an organic crib mattress, but we found a mattress cover instead. Just a thought. Good luck in your search.
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Anyone have any advice on a twin mattress for toddlers? I'm thinking of going organic, but confused by latex mattresses, and want to get the best one if we're going to spend top dollar. Thank you--
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Talking about Green-washing, we also need to be aware of the products we are using on our babies to clean them and care for the nappy area. My children are 3 and 6, unfortunately I was green-washed with the products I was using at the time. They were labeled natural and organic but I have learned now these are just marketing terms and mean very little. I found a company that create certified organic products - certified internationally to food standards. I used these products and found them amazingly unique and beautiful for the skin and body, plus they have a massive range. Only last year they released a Baby Range which is made from food, certified organic and even better it is scent free. I loved what these products stand for (safe, environmentally friendly, support organic farming, toxin free, energy of organic products) and how they feel on the body and hair so I joined as a Representative. If these sound interesting and you would like to have a look at them too please visit http://www.vjcorganics.com
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My kids are teenagers now, and these choices were not available to us, but I am so glad that they are now! It's all about education and ways to create awareness about the dangers in certain products that we all have in our homes.
I don't know what you're cleaning your baby's things and your home with, but please don't be "greenwashed".
Please go to: www.wowgreen.net/13254 for more education about a truly safe, 100% green way to help protect your children,your pets, yourself and the planet and if you have any questions,please let me know.
Thank you,
Adriane Coplan
WOW GREEN
Independent Distributor
www.wowgreen.net/13254
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