Being a new mom can be an exciting milestone for many. Indeed, taking care of your precious mini-you can bring joy and a sense of responsibility. However, caring for your baby can be hard on the environment due to the popularity of disposable items. However, you can stand apart from the crowd by being an eco-friendly mom. Not only will you play your part in reducing pollution, but you can also avoid getting products with toxins that can harm you or your baby. Moreover, you can build a sustainable lifestyle that your baby will observe and practice as they grow. Fortunately, several tips can help you maintain eco-friendliness as a new mom. Here are some you can leverage for the desired outcome.
- Reduce your car use
Admittedly, cars can conveniently get you from point a to point b. But using your car often may not be the best option if you’re going green. While car emissions can be devastating for the environment, they can also have consequences for your health. Research indicates that inhaling these fumes can lead to premature birth and low birth weight. And a smaller birth weight makes the child more vulnerable to blood disorders, jaundice, diarrheal diseases, respiratory problem, and brain damage. This, in turn, can increase their mortality rate. Also, babies’ exposure to air pollution in the first six months can alter their gut bacteria, triggering diabetes, allergies, obesity, and gut inflammation. Therefore, reducing your car use to lower air pollution makes sense if you want to protect your born or unborn baby.
Instead, you can take the train or the bus with your little one strapped in front of you, especially if you’re going long distances. Better yet, consider carpooling, where various people can ride in the same car. This can translate to fewer cars on the road and reduced air pollution. If you still want to enjoy the comfort of your car, you can consider switching to an electric car if possible. If you aren’t going far from home, you can consider walking while carrying your baby in a stroller to prevent tiredness. It helps you work out while allowing your baby to enjoy outdoor time.
- Consider second-hand baby items
You may be itching to shop for new clothes and toys. However, babies grow quicker, and buying new stuff for each stage of life can lead to waste, especially when you won’t have another child. Moreover, many used but high-quality items risk being dumped in landfills, increasing land pollution and harming the environment. Therefore, you want to reconsider getting new items. Instead, invest in second-hand stuff, as long as they are in good condition. Furthermore, it’s great for your pocket, as used baby items are less expensive than their newer counterparts. Hand-me-downs from your friends, family, and other trusted person can work well, so feel free to consider these. You can also buy them from dedicated second-hand baby stores.
However, it’s essential to determine what items you can buy second-hand and what to buy in its newest state. Experts advise buying used baby clothes, shoes, hats, and coats, as you can clean and disinfect them easily, and they will be as good as new. Consequently, you can acquire second-hand toys, a playpen, books, a high chair, and a bathtub. Avoid buying a used car seat, crib mattresses, or breast pumps, as they are likelier to accommodate microbes that can harm your baby’s health. Strollers, swings, and furniture can be reused- you only need to get them from the right place to ensure safety.
- Invest in reusable cloth diapers
Disposable diapers appeal to many moms, as it’s convenient to toss them away once they are soiled. However, they aren’t sustainable, or eco-friendly-your baby may use approximately 3000 diapers annually. Not only are they expensive, but they go to landfills once disposed of. They also don’t degrade quickly and can easily introduce body waste like feces and urine into groundwater, making it unsafe for human consumption. Seeing these effects, swapping to reusable options becomes essential.
Moreover, they are affordable and made from fewer chemicals than their disposable counterparts. You can also rest assured that you wouldn’t be contributing to environmental degradation. You can also save your little one from diaper rash while making potty training easier. Seeing these benefits, you want to invest in reusable cloth diapers if you haven’t already.
You should note that these diapers are made from different materials, and you can choose one suitable for your baby. Hybrid, pre-fold, one-size, and pocket-cloth diaper options are available on the market, so feel free to consider them. As a tip, research the best reusable cloth diapers by reading online reviews or seeking recommendations from your friends and family. Before washing, read the manufacturer’s guidelines to prevent damage. Ensure you wash them daily, not washing more than 18 pieces simultaneously. You also want to dry them out in the sun to destroy microbes, so keep this in mind.
- Use natural skincare products for your baby
One benefit of being an eco-friendly mom is using natural skincare products for your little one. Indeed these items are made from sustainable ingredients free from harmful chemicals. Also, most are ethical, as they aren’t tested on animals or genetically modified. They are also easy on your baby’s skin, so you don’t have to worry about them getting allergies or skin conditions. It’s essential to get products specially designed for babies to prevent reactions. You’ll also find investing in dye-free and fragrance-free items helpful, so feel free to consider this.
- Breastfeed often
Formulas have become popular in recent times. However, the production and distribution of some brands can increase carbon emissions, which isn’t great for the air quality. Moreover, much water is used to produce them, defeating the purpose of water conservation. Therefore, you can consider breastfeeding your newborn instead of depending on formulas. As a tip, leverage a breast pump to draw and store breastmilk in your fridge so it can come in handy whenever your baby is hungry. If your baby isn’t easy;y satiated with breastmilk, you can research eco-friendly brands to supplement your breastmilk.
I love all of these tips so much. Some of them were obvious, but some weren’t. This is the kind of post that can really help you cover all your baby bases.
These are awesome tips for the benefit of any baby! Plus going eco-friendly is the best for our baby’s well-being! Great reference especially for those in the first timers that will be having a baby! Loved it!
We have been reliant on cars since it’s very convenient but reducing car use is really great help. We need to find more alternatives to it such as using bikes.
Great ideas, we definitely need to reduce car use and save gas. It helps even with saving money these days.
These are great, we’ve done the first two, but reusable diapers was a challenge. Wasn’t able to do that .
I liked that tip of investing in reusable clothes the most. It seems really helpful
Great tips. My friend is a new mum, and she uses Reuseable Diapers and walks everywhere. She made us walk for 2 hours, from the city centre to her house. I was not happy.
Investing in reusable cloth diapers is the only sustainable way to go! If you looked at our rubbish dumping site at home, you wouldn’t believe the sight you would have of used diapers! It’s sickening.
Those are all great tips you got there! My friend recently became a new mum and I am sure she will love to read this.
YES! I agree with second-hand baby items and reusable cloth diapers! Not many will do, unfortunately.
These are helpful and practical tips. We actually started using reusable cloth diapers. It takes a lot of effort but is definitely worth the savings and of course, our commitment to reducing trash/ garbage. Thank you for sharing these tips.
Not yet a mom but this is indeed a good read! Will definitely take note of this and for the meantime I will share to my mommy friends. Good and practical points!
I support the use of pre-owned baby gear and cloth diapers. Sadly, not many people will act upon this.