Having a child is a huge responsibility for yourself, to your child and to society. We are raising the future generation and that is not to be taken lightly. So many times, it is. Parenting is the most important job I will do and I want to do it right.
Babies in general can be wasteful little things. Between thousands of diapers, wipes, laundry loads, anything disposable you can imagine, the waste can be intense. The first 3 weeks of my baby's life, we used disposable diapers until I got a handle on things. We went through a lot of waste...in just 3 weeks!
So here's how I am lowering my child's "footprint" on this Earth.
CLOTH DIAPERS! This is the best thing I think I could do for my baby and the environment. We all love the cloth and so does my baby's bum! She doesn't get diaper rash with them and they don't leave marks on her like the paper disposable ones do. She is not being exposed to any chemicals from disposables. Let's face it, when I used disposables, I tried the Seventh Generation ones. I didn't like them. So I went with good ol' Pampers and Huggies. I felt terrible but they worked. Now we are in cloth daily and my guilt is gone! :) I have written about cloth diapers many times because they are so awesome. Here are the links to read more. Cloth Diaper Stash and It's Easy Being Green
CLOTH WIPES! This was just a matter of time! Separating diapers and wipes was annoying, not to mention the huge amount of trash the wipes were accumulating. I finally went and bought flannel wipes. Under $20 and all the wipes we will need have been purchased. (I still have back up for out and and about though). The wipes get tossed into the wash with the diapers and reused. They are softer on my baby's bum and get her cleaner than disposables did.
BREAST FEEDING! Not everyone is able to breastfeed and I find myself extremely lucky that we were able to. June breastfed within the first hour of her life and has not looked back since. I plan to BF her until she weans off. Even if I am one of those crazy moms who are feeding a child that walks. I plan on her drinking my milk from a sippy cup if need be. It is Eco friendly, cheap and the healthiest option for babies.
One area I strive to improve is what my baby wears. I want to stop supporting the companies that do not make their clothes in America. It saddens me to look at my babies Gymboree outfit and see "Made in Cambodia"...Seriously?
How many other ways can I lower my baby's footprint on this Earth??? Any ideas?
The children we raise today are going to be running this planet later!!!!
Awesome tips! And your honesty is so great! Yeah those first few weeks are insaine. Even though disposable diapers are crazy wasteful, that's great you knew thats what you needed to do to be the best mama you could be those very 'extra-special' first weeks. You'll make up for it in all the cloth diapers a gillion times over :) You Rock! PS my mom breastfed me until I was 4... and I remember it. yikes.
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