Eco Baby

If you're a new parent or parent to be, congratulations! Both Rachel and I are mothers and we love babies. We hope this guide helps you navigate the surprisingly simple world of babies, which advertisers have overcomplicated.

Babies don’t need much and what they do need can easily be found used. Babies have been around for a lot longer than Target and Amazon. Before there were bottle warmers and car seat mirrors, babies – and their parents – managed just fine. Remember, everything you buy or use comes with a footprint – from the materials, to the manufacturing, to the shipping – and the smaller the footprint, the better.

So, what does a baby actually need? It's pretty simple - check out our simple guide below to keep baby healthy and happy without going overboard.

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EcoBaby Guide

The Simple Eco Baby Guide

FEEDING YOUR BABY

Nursing your baby is, of course, waste free, happiest, and healthiest. Not every mother can nurse her baby, and using a breast pump and reusable glass or silicone bottles is the next best thing. If you need to use formula, try to buy an organic formula in a big container and still use the glass or silicone bottles.

I delve into waste-free baby food here, but suffice it to say, you never have to buy baby food in a tiny jar or pouch. Ever.

Turning adult dinners into baby food is as easy as turning on your blender!

CLOTHES

Baby clothes are one of the easiest ways to save money, resources, and waste. Babies grow out of their clothes so quickly, that you can find like-new clothes practically anywhere and repair them easily. Ask around to find someone with a child a bit older than yours for a steady supply of hand-me-downs. Then make sure to pass on the love when your kids outgrow them. You can patch your clothes to make them hand-me-down worthy too.

For more advice on baby clothes, check out this eco-fashion guide.

SLEEP

Cribs in the United States, like car seats, have a multitude of regulations and American pediatricians have a very clear list of dos and don’ts for how and where your baby can sleep. I am not going to make any suggestions here except to say that babies sleeping in brand new cribs in rooms by themselves is unheard of in many developed countries around the world (ones with lower rates of SIDS than United States). We recommend Chapter 1 of Parenting Without Borders: Surprising Lessons Parents Around the World Can Teach Us by Christine Gross-Loh.

At the very least, ask around for a used crib, sheets, and the like because someone you know probably has one you can have or borrow.

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GETTING AROUND

We have found the best way to carry a baby is on our bodies in a cloth carrier. There are hundreds of kinds and I am not an expert, but I will say my favorite is a twice-handed down bright orange Tula carrier (like this one, but more loved).

Strollers are nice and you can certainly find them used, but they are often bulky and, as least the way we live, pretty superfluous. And yes, you’ll need a car seat, but please ask around. Remember, for everyone having a new baby, there is someone else putting a barely-used infant car seat out to the curb.

Here I am sporting two carriers on a winter hike when my kids were younger.

DIAPERS

Lastly, your baby will need diapers, unless you’re planning to go super eco-friendly and fertilize your lawn all summer. We have found cloth diapers to be not only easy, but incredibly economical, and pretty cute as well.

You can see our cloth diapers have been through a lot – three active babies and countless trips through the laundry – but they are holding strong!

Check out my post here on cloth diapers.

THAT'S IT!

So, that’s really it. That’s all your baby needs! A place to sleep, food and drink, clothes, and diapers. I just saved you a ton of money you can use to pay for college!

As your bundle of joy gets older, he or she will need some books and toys and such, but remember, those too are easy to find used. Small babies are really perfectly happy to see, touch, and feel their family members and the natural world.