Sustainable Baby Care
Congratulations! You’re a parent, and of course, you want the best for your beautiful little bubs. With so much parenting advice out there, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. But when it comes to raising your baby sustainably, the simplest, most loving choices are often the best for you, your baby and the planet.
Let’s look at some of the main areas in your baby’s first 1000 days where small, thoughtful choices can make an enormous difference, for your family, your wallet, and the environment.
The first week of August is Breast Feeding Week so let’s begin with:
Feeding Your Baby:
If you’re able to, breastfeeding is a natural, zero-waste option. It provides perfectly balanced nutrition, fosters bonding, and costs nothing. However, sometimes breastfeeding isn’t possible, consider expressing milk or use a high quality formula along with choosing reusable bottles made of glass, stainless steel, or silicone. Silicone teats are especially durable and less likely to release microplastics.
As your baby starts solids, skip the single-use food pouches and plastic packaged purees. Instead, make your own baby food from fresh, wholesome ingredients. This gives you total control over what your baby eats while avoiding added sugars and preservatives. Invest in stainless steel food containers, they’ll last from babyhood through school years and reduce exposure to microplastics.
Nappies and Wipes:
A child can go through up to 8,000 nappies before potty training. Using disposables could cost you around $5,290 per child and make a hefty contribution to landfill and microplastic pollution.
Alternatively, a full set of reusable cloth nappies and wipes costs about $1,045, including laundering. That’s a potential saving of over $4,000 for your first child alone, and even more for any future siblings. Plus, cloth nappy babies often toilet train earlier, as they feel the wetness and begin to connect cause and effect.
Clothing and Bedding:
Choose natural fibres like organic cotton, linen, bamboo, and wool. These fabrics are soft, breathable, gentle on delicate skin, and free from microplastics. Avoid polyester and acrylics, these shed particles your baby can breathe in or ingest, especially as babies love to suck on clothing and blankets. Op shops have some really good quality baby clothes available at a fraction of the new price and, just like new clothing, will require laundering before use.
Hygiene and Cleaning Products:
A baby’s skin is sensitive. Choose natural, fragrance-free soaps, shampoos, and lotions. Look for products made with ingredients like jojoba oil, calendula, chamomile, or coconut oil, and packaged without plastic where possible.
In the laundry and kitchen, use eco-friendly cleaners that are free from harsh chemicals. These not only reduce your family’s exposure to toxins but also protect waterways and ecosystems when washed down the drain.
Toys:
Many modern toys are plastic-based and full of chemicals. Instead, choose toys made of wood, metal, natural rubber, wool, or organic cotton. Babies love to mouth their toys, so natural materials are safer. You can also create a heuristic play basket with safe household objects (like wooden spoons, pinecones, or cloth). Rotate the items regularly to keep your baby interested.
Baby Gear:
Not everything needs to be new. Second hand baby gear like prams and cots are often in excellent condition and cost a fraction of the price. Be careful with items that impact safety, like car seats, cot mattresses, and breast pump, these should be new. Focus on quality and simplicity over quantity; many baby gadgets are trendy but unnecessary.
Raising a baby sustainably doesn’t mean doing without, it means choosing wisely, not more. By choosing reusable, natural, and non-toxic options wherever possible, you will support your baby’s health, reduce waste, and save money. It’s good for your baby, good for you, and good for the planet.