4 Ways to Get Started with Non-Toxic, Sustainable Baby Products
How cool is it that you literally get to change the course of your baby's health over a lifetime, starting when they are small? Did I mention these changes impact the trajectory of your grandbabes too!? Yes- your baby girls are born with all the eggs of your future grandbabes that they’re ever going to have. And those boys of yours? They’re constantly producing sperm once they hit adolescence, and a healthy body makes healthy sperm. Okay, okay, but how do you know that all the research and science is true? The truth is, we can’t. Due to all the variables (genes, environment, lifestyle, diet, etc.), we can't be 100% certain if we, or our children, will encounter chronic illness or disease from using plastic and endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
What I do know is that we can take responsibility of what the variables we can control by choosing to say "YES" to toxin-free products.
*I receive no endorsement or commission from any of the following companies. These are simply products I have used and love, and want to share with other mamas*
Silicone Foodware
I love this plate for so many reasons!
It is free of toxins: sans BPA, lead, phthalate. Food grade silicone.
It is durable stain resistant, toddler proof, shatter proof, and hasn't cracked after almost 6 years of using at nearly every meal (and multiple runs in the dishwasher).
It can not easily be pulled off the tray/table. It has incredible suction.
It's heat-resistant: oven and dishwasher safe.
Glass Bottles
Glass bottles are one way to better ensure that your baby won’t be ingesting toxins if bottle feeding, since bottles are usually warmed. Heat activates the plastic bottle’s contents, allowing them to be absorbed into the bottle’s contents. I used these Avent ones, because they were basic and I liked the natural nipple. Because I was, and still am a working mother, we did bottles a few days a week when I was away. I didn’t want to buy a ton of one kind of bottle in case she wouldn’t take it. So just use your mama judgement when trying out different brands. The ones with the silicone slips are a wise choice too, since bottles tend to get dropped (or thrown). Some of these can be more pricey, but since plastic bottles wear down over time and require replacement, investing in quality ones that last is a win-win in my book.
Silicone Teether/Pacifier Clip
With all the adorable babies all over social media, you surely have seen these trendy pacifier clips. I like them for alternative reasons, although all the cute babies posing with them are an added bonus! Surprisingly, some of those nasty toxins are still in our baby’s toys and teethers.
I personally made my own using this DIY, but there are several available locally or online. When looking for teething/toy options, make sure it is food-grade silicone. I like this one on Etsy that is wooden + silicone. It's perfect for teething and giving baby different textures to explore.
When searching for teethers and toys for your little one, avoid harmful chemicals like PVCs (polyvinyl chloride), lead, BPA (bisphenol A), and phthalates. I mention lead because if it comes from another country, there is a good chance there is lead in it. You can read more about that here. Exposure to these toxins can cause a number of health issues for babies. According to this journal, these are known carcinogens and endocrine disruptors. Opt for food-grade silicone or wooden products. I always recommend doing a total investigation of the materials involved in any items that are going to enter your babe’s mouth. The good thing is, they are normally just as as happy chewing on spatula or simple wooden ring than having all the fancy teething toys with textures.
Organic Clothing & Secondhand Clothing
According to Why Opting for Organic Cotton Matters, “non-organic cotton receives 16 to 25 percent of all insecticides, 10 percent of all pesticides and nearly 7 percent of all herbicides used WORLDWIDE, many of which are among the most hazardous.” This is absolutely disturbing.
I should preface this with even though I feel really strongly about this, I understand if you don't. That is totally fine! Rather than an overhaul of all your clothing items, consider committing to incremental changes. For example, have a selective, smaller baby wardrobe (check out this post about capsule wardrobes for baby/toddlers). These smaller wardrobes allow the pieces you have to be higher quality, free of toxic endocrine disruptors/carcinogens, good for our planet, and from companies that do not contribute to slavery. Please consider the effects that these chemicals have on our tiny baby's bodies, with their pure, permeable, sensitive skin and new body systems.
Before you ask “Hey crazy lady! Are you saying everything you own for your baby is organic? How do you expect me to afford that?” Heck no! Do we have clothes from Old Navy, Target, etc? Of course. Do we get most of our clothes second hand, meaning they have been worn and washed, ridding at least some of the chemicals that went into them? Also, yes! Did it take some convincing and sharing of this information to get hubs on board with this? Yep, sure did. No, we can’t afford for ALL of our clothes to be toxic free/organic/sans chemicals. But we choose to invest in SOME quality, organic clothing like PACT. Low-toxin clothing is becoming more abundant in stores as companies are realizing how important it is to consumers.
Pact is fair-trade certified and GOTS certified. Two important labels that means it is good for both people and the planet. That is something I want to get behind. PACT offers sizes NB-5t, plus women's and men's clothes. They are always offering discounts, sale items and promos. I got 2 pairs of 100% cotton, cotton tights for less than $6 total 6 years ago on sale, and they’ve sustained two busy toddler girls in our family.
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I receive a small commission from Amazon for providing these recommendations. I only recommend things I love and use in our own family.