Having a baby can often be an ecological epiphany for many women who suddenly realise concerns that the impact of environmental damage may have on their offspring in the future. However being environmentally friendly and ethical when you have small children has historically been difficult, time consuming and expensive.
From countless nappies, to clothes that are too small within weeks and endless toys streaming through the doors from well-wishers, those first years of your child's life arguably produce more waste than any others. And then there are the chemicals to take into consideration. What impact do all the products you use daily on baby's delicate skin actually have? No-one can be sure, but concerns have lead to increasing numbers of parents desperately seeking out clothes, toys and skin care products that will limit their little one's exposure.
These same concerns lead Canadian Jill Barker to found Green Baby, which sells eco-friendly baby products, 8 years ago, after finding it hard to source natural products for her baby in the UK. Her book, 'Caring for your Baby the Eco-Friendly Way' is launched in September and she has given Coutts Woman some of her top tips on having an eco-friendly baby.
"Try washable nappies. they are easier than you think and even using one a day can make a huge difference to the amount of waste you throw away."
1)Try washable instead of disposable nappies. They are easier than you think and even using one a day can make a huge difference to the amount of waste you throw away. If you do use disposables use 'Tushies' which use natural cotton to absorb rather than chemical super absorbers.
2)Use washable baby wipes instead of disposables. Not only do disposables create waste but they also contain perfume and alcohol which your baby's skin can do without.
3)Dress your baby in organic baby clothing. Cotton is one of the most heavily sprayed agricultural crops in the world - organic cotton will ensure that there are no pesticide residues which can end up on your baby's garments.
4)Let your baby sleep on organic cotton bedding, which wont have used any chemicals or dyes used in production - all the more important when you consider your baby will sleep for up to 17 hours a day in the first few weeks of its life.
5)Use natural or organic toiletries. There are countless new artificial ingredients that have been developed in recent years, most of which end up in our bathroom products. Skin is the largest organ of the body and absorbs almost 60% of what you put on it. Read labels and choose products that you would be happy to put inside your body.