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First Years (0-2)

Eco-baby An OC Family mom blogger shares a variety of tips and earth-friendly products By allison hukePublished: June, 2010

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I remember wandering aimlessly around baby stores, seven months pregnant with my first child, trying to complete my baby registry. Many of the products on the market were designed to make life easier for parents and baby, and they do.     Convenience is great; however, the most important thing to me was to find products that were safe for my baby. Back then, making safe, eco-friendly choices could be very confusing. Fortunately today, finding healthy baby products is easier than ever. From bottles to diapers to skincare products, there is a continuous stream of new and innovative alternatives that are healthier for your baby and better for the planet. But which ones are best? I’ve compiled some tips to help guide you through the abundance of green baby products currently on the market.     When choosing a baby bottle, the most important thing to look for is a bottle that is free of the chemical bisphenol-A (BPA). Glass is the safest and best choice. I especially like LifeFactory bottles, made from safe nonleaching glass with protective silicone sleeves to prevent breakage. There are also a number of safe, BPA-free plastic bottles on the market.     For bath time, steer clear of big-brand products, and stick to skincare products that are as simple as possible. According to the 2009 Campaign for Safe Cosmetics report, “No More Toxic Tub,” dozens of top-selling children’s bath products that are labeled, “safe,” or “gentle,” contain toxic chemicals such as formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane. Read the labels and look for products with simple ingredients – the fewer the better. Avoid synthetic fragrances or dyes and anything containing PEG-100 stearate, sodium laureth sulfate, polyethylene and ceteareth-20.     The best resource for finding safer skincare products for baby is the Environment Working Group’s cosmetic safety database, Skin Deep. It allows you to search by product, ingredient or company. The site lists all ingredients of products, including any known or possible toxicants, and rates the hazard level of each product so you can find safe alternatives.     Consider cloth diapers and saying no to the Diaper Genie. Gone are the days of folding and pinning; today’s cloth diapers are easy to use and safe for your baby, and can save thousands of dollars over disposables.     And consider the chemicals in disposable diapers, particularly those in the absorbent gels. Those envelope your baby’s skin 24 hours a day. And disposable diapers fill up landfills ­– a terrible thing for the environment.     Think “organic” when it comes to clothing, bedding, skincare and food. Also, look to reduce the use of household chemicals, including conventional cleaners, pesticides and laundry detergents. Then, welcome your little one to a safe, healthy environment free from chemicals but full of love. Allison Huke is OC Family’s Green Mom blogger and co-founder of buygreen.com. ECO-CONFUSED? Check out these helpful resources to help answer any questions you may have. 1. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) provides information about BPA, PVC, and other chemicals to avoid in children’s products.  ewg.org 2. The EWG's Skin Deep site helps you check the safety and ingredients of all the skincare products you use on baby.  3. Healthy Child provides resources and tips for reducing or eliminating toxins and keeping our kids’ environment safer.  4. The Real Diaper Association offers support and education to parents across the U.S. for the use of simple, reusable cloth diapers.  5. TheSmartMama.com is a Web site created by a mom and former attorney who became a children’s environmental-health advocate. 6. Belly Sprout is a Fullerton retail store run by an O.C. mom who is passionate about green products and natural parenting; it has become a community of moms helping moms. WHERE TO BUY GREEN > Baby bottles lifefactory.com bornfree.com greentogrow.com > Cloth diapers bumgenius.com cottonbabies.com greendiaperstore.com landofnod.com > Skincare products californiababy.com drbronner.com earthmamaangelbaby.com > Organic baby clothes babybambu.com kee-ka.com organicbabywarehouse.com hannaandersson.com > Organic baby food plumorganics.com earthsbest.com sproutbabyfood.com

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