There are several eco-friendly options that you can choose, when it comes to raising your child. Going green while raising a child, does not mean letting your child suffer through illnesses without any medical intervention. Raising a ‘green baby’ is indicative of the fact that you will choose greener options while buying baby products like oils, lotions, clothes, foods etc.

The Effects of the Environment on Babies

Babies have very sensitive skin and are prone to rashes. Their immune system is also weaker than that of adults and so, extra care has to be taken while selecting baby products.  Catherine Cervasio, the founder of Aromababy, says that anything that is applied on the skin can get absorbed into the bloodstream. Thus, such products can be responsible for rashes.

Products that are derived from petro-chemicals, (e.g. mineral oil), are said to decrease the skin’s natural ability to breathe. Cervasio believes that in case of babies, a more natural approach to personal hygiene needs to be followed. You should not bathe a child too frequently, and it’s best to use non-commercial products for babies.

Precious Products

The clothes and bedding for babies should be made of natural fabrics. This will ensure that the baby is not exposed to harmful chemicals and dyes unnecessarily. Dyes and chemicals can cause allergies in young babies, so it’s best to avoid them. Toys that are made of wood and cloth are great for toddlers. Plastic toys last longer, but they are made from petrochemicals. Some of these toys may contain polyvinyl chloride, which releases harmful fumes. Why subject your baby to such harmful chemicals, when you can prevent this by using toys that are made of natural materials.

You CAN “Green” Your Baby Food

Food is yet another area where you can go green, while raising your baby. The safest and best food for a baby is breast milk. It is more nutritious for the infant, and you also eliminate all the packaging that baby food would come in. Andrew Radford, a member of the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action, believes that if every US infant was bottle-fed, about 86,000 tonnes of tin plate would be needed for 550 million discarded formula tins. Not to forget the fact that formula needs to be heated up, resulting in increased energy consumption.

Green Cleaning & Your Baby

When you have toddlers and infants at home, you are automatically conscious about germs. So most parents tend to sterilize, bleach and sanitize everything that the baby may touch. Why not use natural cleansers? Vinegar and soda bicarbonate do a great job, and they also reduce the unnecessary exposure to chemicals. There are several other eco-friendly green products that your baby can benefit from, and you can find a listing of such products on the Green Pages green directory.

Eco-friendly parents can pass down their green lifestyle to their young ones. So choose to raise a ‘green baby’ from day one. Chances are, your baby will grow up to be an eco-friendly, environmentally conscious adult. After all, all the eco-friendly measures that we adopt today are aimed at leaving a healthier, greener and better environment for our kids.