When I was selecting items for my baby registry, it was really important to me to not go overboard. As a doula of 14 years, I’ve seen families get overwhelmed with the amount of stuff in their homes and nurseries and I knew I wanted to keep things on the simpler side. I also wanted to be mindful of the impact on not only the environment, but also my baby’s microbiome - which meant finding a lot of eco-friendly products to keep waste down and keep our home as “low tox” as possible. Here you’ll find some of my favorite sustainable and most useful items that I registered for.

Milk Storage Bags

No doubt you’ve heard of the Haaka manual pump, but did you know that they make a lot of other products as well? And most of them are super eco-friendly! My favorite find from Haaka was their BPA free silicone milk storage bags. Most milk bags are single use plastic and while I still use the Medela ones for longer-term freezer storage, these reusable and easily washable bags from Haaka allow me to reduce the number of single-use bags and are great for transport when I’m out and about. They come in two sizes, 4.4oz and 9oz - I registered for a mix of both and absolutely love them!

Cloth Diapers

I used to work at a cloth diaper boutique, so I knew long ago that I’d be cloth diapering my baby. It can be overwhelming to navigate your way through the world of cloth, so I was determined to keep it easy, not only for my sanity, but for my husband’s as well! I also wanted to keep it as low cost as possible.

I went for basic unbleached organic prefolds from OsoCozy (I got both size one and size two) and polyurethane laminate covers from Thirsties (they also have two sizes, as well as the choice of snaps or velcro. I personally prefer the snaps!). I also got two organic wool covers for overnights. For ease, I registered for some fitted diapers from Esembly, which make changing her really quick when I’m out of the house or in the middle of the night. These are my husband’s favorite because they’re very little fuss!

I personally avoided microfiber inserts and the like, with the exception being fleece liners that she wears during the night to help keep the moisture from irritating her skin.

Don’t forget to register for cloth wipes, a wipe solution, a travel wet bag, an at-home wet bag, wool dryer balls and cloth-friendly laundry detergent. Yes, I know that sounds like a lot of items to include in your baby registry, but you will likely only need to purchase the above items once (with the exception of the detergent) so you’ll be getting a lot of use out of a one-time gift or purchase. You can find all of our cloth diapering recommendations in our storefront.

Clothing Rental

Avoiding synthetic fabrics as much as I could was high on my priority list. As someone who struggled with fertility, I did a lot of research on environmental stressors on the body and synthetic fibers was a big one! Knowing that, I decided to clothe my baby primarily in natural fibers like cotton, linen and wool, preferably organic. I had quite a bit of sticker shock when I started adding up the numbers of buying organic for 0-3 months, 3-6 months, 6-9 months… you get the idea.

Enter upchoose. A monthly clothing subscription for children that rents out all organic clothes! Can you say “GENIUS”??!

You select the size range, climate, color palette, and more! There are 3 subscription options: Mini, Standard and Full. The Mini comes with 12 items, the Standard comes with 22, and the Full set comes with 56 items. I have the Standard Preloved Set and pay $49/month. You can also request brand new items for a higher monthly rate. Our upchoose items make up about 75% of her clothing as we bought a few items and were gifted some items as well.

One romper from Kate Quinn (one of the brands I received in my monthly subscription) can run about $15-$20. If you have to buy multiple items at that cost every 3-ish months, it’s going to add up REAL quick!

Upchoose is definitely worth the subscription price, not only because of the quality of clothing, the savings, and the great customer service, but also because of the sustainability factor. Fewer clothes in the landfill (especially synthetic ones!) is always a good thing. Use code Lauren99 to get $15 off your first months subscription.

SHAMPOO BAR

Body & hair care products are a prime contributor to landfills… can you say “plastic, plastic, and more plastic”? And while I don’t use soap or shampoo on my baby often (maybe once every 1-2 weeks), I did want a non-toxic and sustainable option. Ethnique shampoo bars are amazing and can be used for both hair & body. The gentle lavender scent is soothing and I have peace of mind knowing that it’s plastic-free, cruelty-free, and doesn’t irritate my baby’s eyes. They also have a conditioner bar, which I haven’t tried yet, but plan to once my baby’s hair is a bit longer.

Sustainable Baby Toys

Again, we have plastic as a big culprit in the children’s toy industry. I get it, it’s cheap and easy to clean, and lasts forever. But, helloooo endocrine disruptor! We also have to worry about lead, formaldehyde, and phthalates in kids toys. UGH. Keeping all this in mind, I chose to focus on finding non-toxic toys that were good quality and would still last a long time.

Some of my favorite brands are Pebble, Haba, Plan Toys, and Under the Nile. These brands are eco-friendly and are comprised of organic fibers, wood, lead-free paint, and silicone. . Here is a great selection from these brands, many of which I personally registered for.

Regardless of what items you ultimately add to your baby registry, always, always, always look at the materials used and research the brands themselves! Read product reviews! Prioritize finding items made in the US or the EU, as the manufacturing in other countries can invite more chemicals and less regulation into the process. When in doubt, email a brand for more information on their materials, sourcing, and manufacturing practices.

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