How To Be Environmentally Friendly With Your Baby

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The world is moving towards being more ecologically aware and everyone needs to play their role – especially in minimising waste. Having a new little person join the family is sure to increase your household rubbish enormously…so how do you become more environmentally friendly with your baby? If you start with your baby from day one, you will go a long way towards helping the planet!

Environmentally Friendly With Your BabyReducing baby's environmental footprint

Over the years, innovation in products for babies has made life a lot easier for parents. The problem nowadays is that “convenience” products such as disposable nappies, wipes and nappy disposal bags have contributed greatly to landfill. Here we will discuss some alternative choices that you can use to minimise your baby’s environmental “footprint” going forward,

Nappies

Disposable Nappies

The biggest impact a baby makes on the environment is via the use of nappies. Disposable nappies negatively affect the environment both during production and disposal. Many users only think about the waste caused by disposable nappies but here’s an interesting fact. According to BBC News (news.bbc.co.uk)  “the production of disposable nappies uses 3.5 times more energy, 8.3 times more non-renewable resources, and 90 times more renewable resources than real nappies”. That’s a lot of wastage, even before they hit the supermarket shelf!

Considering how many nappies your child will use over the first few years of their life, your decision in this area will have a huge impact on the environment. A newborn could use up to 12 a day and a toddler around 6-8!

Disposable nappies create hundreds of tonnes of landfill every year and then could take 200 years to decompose. It also takes a lot of energy and water to produce disposable nappies. If manufacturers changed the products used in the content of the nappy, it could definitely go a long way towards helping the environment.  The main alternatives are cloth nappies or biodegradable nappies.

Cloth Nappies

Cloth nappies are a better choice. Even though cloth nappies appear to use less resources than disposable nappies, they still need washing, detergent and drying so they do also have an environmental impact. Be sure to wash them on a full load, using the most energy efficient cycle and hang them out to dry in the sun rather than using a clothes’ dryer. All these can add up to a reduced environmental impact. The UV rays from indirect sunlight can help to remove stains with the sun’s rays acting as a great natural bleach for the nappies.

Choosing cloth nappies can be quite daunting initially, and add a little extra work to your day. There is plenty of advice and support. You can try the Australian Nappy Association for facts, tips on washing or to get in touch with some local providers in your area.

Biodegradable Nappies

There are many nappies on the market these days that claim to be decompostable. Their contents can originate from sources such as bamboo, or paper pulp. But did you know that “biodegradable’ nappies only break down if they are composted? Putting them into landfill does not help the biodegradability process. If you’re wanting to use a “biodegradable” nappy, then you should choose one that is actually compostable and treat it as such. These nappies are often more expensive than regular disposable nappies.

Nappy Bags

Luckily the range of natural baby products has increased dramatically over the years so it’s just so much easier to be more environmentally friendly with your baby than when my babies were little. Nappy bags for example! You can now choose bags that are biodegradeable and compostable making sure you minimise the amount of landfill your family produces. Many nappy bags are made of cornstarch so they break down.

The best way to reduce landfill is not to use a nappy bag at all. If you’re at home, many people suggest flushing the “number two” down the loo and then putting the nappy in the bin without a bag. If you are a long way away from a toilet then you will need to use a nappy bag, so make sure it’s a biodegradable one.

Baby Wipes

Unfortunately regular baby wipes are full of hidden nasties (see What Not to Use below). They can irritate baby’s delicate skin and cause huge issues with plumbing if you dare throw them down the toilet! Thankfully there are now wipes available that are biodegradable and can compost within weeks. Again, always choose plant based, biodegradable and compostable baby wipes to protect your baby’s skin and the environment.

Choose Natural Fibres

An easy way to be environmentally friendly with your baby, is to choose natural fibres when dressing baby. This is especially important at sleep time as baby spends many, many hours asleep.

Natural Fibres are good for baby and the environmentBubbaroo Baby Sleeping Bags are made of 100% organic cotton and our 1.5TOG medium and 2.5TOG heavy weight bags are padded with Merino Wool. Choosing organic cotton supports farmers and helps them (and your baby) not be exposed to chemical toxins that are harmful to their health and the environment.

Not only are natural products better for the environment, but they also offer better quality sleep. Natural fabrics allow baby’s skin to breathe making sure baby does not overheat. Wool has natural moisture wicking qualities that takes away sweat during sleep. This helps to keep baby cooler for optimal sleeping conditions. This is a real plus for babies who are unable to regulate their own body temperature. For more benefits about sleeping in wool, read our blog here.

We also offer luxuriously soft Bamboo Muslin Wraps. Bamboo is natural, fast-regenerating plant not to mention soft and breathable, making it an informed choice for your baby’s needs. Shop the entire Bubbaroo range here.

Re-use & Recycle

Bubbaroo products are built to last. We are very proud that our products stand the test of time and have been handed down to siblings, extended family and friends when no longer in use by you. Our sleeping bags are also very generously sized lengthwise so they will last your baby well beyond the stated age range. See the chart below for more information.

Bubbaroo baby sleeping bag size guide

Become a sustainable parent by borrowing from friends or family or purchasing slightly-used items whenever you can. It’s obviously important to check a used item is safe and meets Australian safety standards, but you’ll find that so many second-hand baby items are close to brand-new condition. Reusing is just as important as recycling, if not more so!

Sustainable Furniture

Try to buy locally manufactured furniture sourced from sustainable forests. As well as reducing environmental impact, your furniture is less likely to be made up of harsh or dangerous chemicals. A considerable amount of furniture is produced with harmful glues and chemicals, and made of MDF/chipboard etc. Furniture produced overseas could also be subjected to spraying by customs upon return to Australia. This all adds up to an increased toxic load exposure for your baby.

Alternative options include; sourcing your furniture from local manufactures, checking the composition of the furniture, trying second hand websites or asking friends if you can borrow from them. Always check the safety sticker and check yourself that the parts are all secure and that the mattress on your cot fits well. Make sure the furniture is from a smoke free home.

Car seats you should always purchase as new so that you know the history for safety reasons.

We recommend that you follow all the safety recommendations from the Kidsafe website to ensure you minimise the risk of an accident with your child.

Plastic Free Meals

Once baby progresses to solids, you will need to purchase environmentally sustainable crockery and cutlery. Don’t forget about reusable drink bottles, preferably in stainless steel. Avoid plastic for health reasons and environmental reasons too. BPA free is still a plastic! Try bamboo – a regenerative source and also biodegradable.

Rather than buying extensively packaged and processed food from the supermarket, try making your own food and freezing it. This has two main benefits. Firstly, you know exactly what is included – no hidden nasties like added salt, sugar and preservatives. Secondly, you reduce all of that disposable packaging that comes from the supermarket. Try storing pre-prepared batches of homemade baby food in the freezer in reusable, safe containers.

What Not To Use

Despite heavy marketing for sweet smelling baby products, your babyKeeping baby natural skin to skin is better off without using any additional chemicals. Keep things as natural as possible. Avoiding the products listed below will keep your baby healthier and help the environment too:

  • Fragrance – since most products are synthetically fragranced they could cause more harm than good. Synthetic products can actually cause dry skin and irritation.
  • Sodium Laureth Sulfate – this is present in most products that foam. Avoid it.
  • Phthalates – chemical plasticisers that have been linked with genetic mutations and developmental defects.
  • Talc – a lung irritant and it could be carcinogenic as well.
  • Parabens – a preservative used in baby shampoos and creams.
  • Bubble bath – baby doesn’t need chemicals. Just water and a little natural oil if needed. Always try to use natural products for nappy rash.
  • Beware of washing powders that are highly fragrant. Not only are they harsh on your little one’s skin, but they ruin the clothing and cause damage to the environment when they wash away.

This list is not exhaustive but we want our readers to be aware of potentially harmful substances. We’ve become so used to nice smells that sometimes we forget that “no smell” is actually a good thing. The best thing for baby’s skin is to use nothing! That’s right! Absolutely nothing! If you must, use organic, natural creams if necessary and use them sparingly.

Looking To The Future To Be Environmentally Friendly With Your Baby

There are many steps that we can all take to reduce harm on our environment. Endeavouring to be environmentally friendly with your baby is a great start! Reducing water use, consuming less energy, recycling and buying recycled products, reducing waste, buying local and planting more trees can all help.

My kids have been on the Youth Board of Millenium Kids a youth environmental organisation. I’m also now a member of the adult council, first as Secretary and now as Treasurer.

In order to be more enviromentally friendly with your baby, it may help to keep this quote in mind to help you buy well, buy quality and reduce waste: “There is no such thing as “away”. When we throw anything away it must go somewhere” – Annie Leonard.

Nicole Cassey

written by

Nicole Cassey

Nicole Cassey, Mum to Jacob and Emily, founder and general dog’s body at Bubbaroo. Nicole was inspired to create Bubbaroo and Australia’s first swaddle after the personal experience she had with her first child, Jacob.

Nicole explains "It is such a steep learning curve becoming a parent. Getting to know the baby you created and finding your groove as a parent. You sometimes feel like you need to become a detective to try to interpret your baby's cues, personality, cries and behaviour. This is my passion to help parents on their journey, especially new parents as they transition to parenthood."

Nicole has a passion for sharing knowledge and community, regularly organising and presenting at various expectant parent and sleep workshops. Nicole ensures she is up to date with the latest evidence-based safe sleep and health research. Bubbaroo collaborates with experts in their field that share similar values and philosophies and have a passion for helping and supporting parents and expectant parents.

Nicole’s attention to detail with the creation of her premium quality baby, toddler and child sleepwear is exceptional. Nicole has been committed to ensure that Bubbaroo is not just a mass market brand producing products, Nicole’s focus is on helping your baby sleep safely in products that stand the test of time.

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