(Disclaimer: Just my opinion based on my limited personal experience)
Diapers
Chinese cotton prefolds. You can get organic, bleached, unbleached… (must wash about 7+ times before use).
There are hemp prefolds available. Hemp is more absorbent than cotton and growing of hemp is gentler on the environment than cotton. Hemp diapers are more expensive than cotton. Check the fine print, hemp fabric is typically a hemp/cotton blend so you want to make sure you are getting the hemp you are paying for.
Covers
Most moisture retaining, least leaking covers – Proraps (but they are polypropylene)
Imse Vimse Bumpy covers are very nice and more natural, but they do get damp so you need to own more and to change baby more often.
The place to buy diapers and diapering supplies is ebay. Not only will you find cheaper new and gently used brand-name items, but there are also tons of work-at-home-moms selling homemade products there. There are also some diaper swap websites that will offer deals and save some items from the landfill.
Storage and Cleaning
There are dry and wet diaper techniques for storing dirty diapers for wash. We did wet.
Either way you want diaper sacks
For wet -buy a regular kitchen garbage can with swinging lid, this keeps smell at bay just fine. Line it with one of the sacks. Toss the diapers, sack and all into the washing machine
For dry- simply hang a diaper sack on a doorknob and put damp diapers, covers, and wipes in.
Great personal innovation – salad tongs! Store by the potty for rinsing solids out of diapers. Keeps hands clean and dry (but then you are not wringing the water out the diapers, which is why we weren’t able to have a dry diaper bag system)
Washing
Wash in cold water, followed by a 2nd wash or rinse in hot. Always air-dry covers.
Use Biokleen or other natural detergent for diapers (and all your baby clothes). It’s no more expensive than Dreft and has alot fewer chemicals for baby and earth. These natural detergents also rinse clean without a residue, which is important for diaper absorbancy and gentleness on skin.
My favorite “ natural” disposable – 7th generation, best price – Amazon.com
Wipes
We use flannel wipes. We kept them in a wipes warmer, soaked in a home-made solution (recipe below). If you purchase a store brand, Huggies Natural has fewer yucky chemicals than some of the others. Better even is tushies and I think 7th generation makes one too. It is also easy to make your own with paper towels, there are lots directions for this online.
Personal Care Products
We’ve used California baby for 3 ½ years, but have stopped as it does have parabens. I’m going to switch my kids over to an adult natural shampoo next. Right now I’m using Jason’s for Kids shampoo and use naturally made soaps, such as oatmeal soap, for bodies.
Diaper cr̬mes РBurts bees or Weleda
Cups and Bottles
Bottles – Glass is probably the best bet. The Greenguide lists Rubbermaid chuggables, Rubbermaid Sippin sport bottles, Evenflo, Evenflo colored, Gerber, and Medela all as being made from #5 plastic (currently believed to be the safest plastic) and Lamby and Evenflo make glass bottles. Do not use Avent as I did. They are made of #7 plastic (category 7 is a catchall for plastics that don’t fit into one of the other categories, but #7s are often polycarbonates and leach bisphenol-A (BPA), an endocrine disruptor).
Breast Pump – I had an Avent hand held pump and liked it, but it’s probably made of #7 too.
Sippy cups:
Born Free –BPA-free plastic (suspiciously, they don’t specify what #. I may call them and ask). They also make plastic or glass bottles.
Kleen Kanteen -stainless steel. They come with sippy cup top and a water bottle top.
Of the more common brands Gerber has some that are all #5 plastic and silicone, like their hour glass shaped ones. However, don’t get Gerber’s 2 handled cups with clear plastic bodies. The clear plastic is #7. Several of the other major brands have at least one of their bottles that is made of the safer plastic categories, #1,#2, or #5. With any of these cups, it is ideal to hand wash and not put in the dishwasher. Heat and detergent can make the plastic breakdown faster.
Foods
Baby foods – First of all, you can breastfeed exclusively till 12 months. Typically, enlightened folks start babies on solids somewhere between 6 -12 months when baby can sit up, has teeth, shows interest in your table eating.
Don’t buy the organic in plastic tubs. They are packaged when the food is hot, which increases leaching of the plastic into the food. The tubs are soft, the softer a plastic is the more plasticizers it potentially contains.
Earth’s Best and the more mainstream brand packed in jars is better.
Better yet, buy organic veggies and make your own! Put it in baby food jars and freeze. Don’t freeze it in plastic ice cube trays (again, the hot food can cause leaching of chemicals from the plastic).
Toothpastes – Weleda, Earths Best/Jason Naturals
Toys
Whenever possible choose wooden toys. Avoid soft plastic, particularly for babies putting objects in their mouths.
Other Suggestions
Absolutely must get Dr. Sears’ The baby book. It shaped our parenting in ways I am incredibly grateful for.
Take fish oil supplements. Getting the omega 3s through your breastmilk helps baby’s brain development
Get a sling!! Wear your baby. Sleep with your baby (safely)
If you are getting a crib consider an organic mattress.
Best books I’ve read on parenting (not babies) so far –
Raising our children, raising ourselves. Naomi Aldort
How to talk so kids will listen and listen so kids will talk
