Baby Registry: 9 things we would (and wouldn't) buy again

The first baby’s arrival is always an exciting, emotional, chaotic time. It also happens to be a time when even the most minimalist parent finds themselves buying a ton of stuff. Odds are, if you are going from a child-free life to one with kids, especially a newborn or infant, you will need at least a few things to get you going. 

That being said, if you spend any amount of time on social media you’ll quickly be convinced you need all. The. things. Mail in developmentally appropriate play kits. Matching first foods kit. Matching pajamas for Christmas and every holiday in between. And don’t get me wrong, I think it’s nice to treat yourself every now and then to something to make your life easier, or just because you want it- but a quick scroll on instagram shows how out of hand this whole thing really has gotten. A quick read from the guardian can show you how something that started out as a low-waste initiative, the reusable cup, quickly became a greenwashed social media marketing campaign as companies fight to keep people buying more and more stuff. 

Before things get to ranty, I’ll go ahead and share my list- it’s certainly not groundbreaking or the end-all be-all by any means, but here are 3 things we registered for and are very happy with, 3 things we wish we purchased but didn’t, and 3 items we bought that I’d probably leave off our registry if I had to do it again- here goes!

Items we’re so glad we registered for: 

Baby monitor: This was my husband’s pick. It seems like a no brainer, but in his own words, ‘we traveled a lot [and it worked well in] a lot of different sleep settings’ It helped us both for safety purposes, for sleep training, and for our own entertainment (watching her sing to herself- so cute!) To be fair, if you’re in a small space or sleeping one room over, you may not need one, but both of our permanent home situations with E we’ve been separated, either by a floor or by the rest of the living space. We actually still use it now (she tells us when she has to use the potty at night through the speaker.) This is the one we were gifted, and we’re probably just going to add a second camera when our baby boy arrives :)

Nose Frida and thermometer: this is 100% biased by me being a pediatrician, and maybe I’d just purchase it for myself, but this is something you definitely want to have when you walk through the front door with your newborn. I have counseled hundreds of parents before they take their newborn home, and seen dozens of newborns in the ER for both colds and fevers. I tell every parent the same thing: you need to have a thermometer that can check a rectal temperature, and you need a nasal aspirator for your baby’s first cold. The first because fever in a newborn can be the only sign of a serious bacterial infection, a true emergency in the first few months of life. The second because the nasal passageways are tiny and even a small amount of congestion can make breathing difficult for a young infant. Newborns are also more prone to a cold traveling to the lungs and causing bronchiolitis. These two items can be crucial to recognizing a serious bacterial infection and also helping your child through respiratory infections at home, before things get too serious.

Carrier: I have to say, before we had E, we registered for 2 carriers (both Sakura brand) and were gifted 2-3 secondhand ones. I 110% am SO thankful for this, but I also sort of wish we had done more research on the type of carrier that would work best for us. I returned the wrap carrier pretty quickly because I was feeling overwhelmed and unsure how to make it work for us, but many people love them! I probably will stick to our core 2 carriers this time around (the Sakura Scout and Ring Sling,) but I’m also going to learn how to get more use out of the ring sling, which I ended up loving when E was just at the top of the weight limit for that carrier. This is definitely an area where a little research will get you far! 

Items we wish we registered for but didn’t: 

White noise machine: A minimalist at heart, I tend to shy away from items that really only serve a single purpose, so we left this one off our registry. Within the first two months my parents bought us one and I’m so glad they did- we tried out youtube clips and even a static-y radio and nothing was working. But pretty much everyone and their Mom told us we needed a white noise machine and when my parents got us one, it was a life changer when it came to E’s sleep. I can’t even find the model online right now, but this list should be a good place to start.

Baby bouncer/lounger: I don’t even know why we didn’t originally register for a baby bouncer- it just didn’t cross my mind, I guess…my sister actually surprised me with one from Fisher Price and we ended up using it everywhere at a certain point - when one of us had to shower, cook a meal, or put E down for a Zoom class or meeting, the bouncer was absolutely essential to freeing up our hands to get a bit of work done (and she love it!)

The babybjorn bouncer was extremely popular among parents in our area (I actually bought and re-sold one secondhand in a span of months!) but you’ll do just as fine with one of the fisher price ones (or any other brand), which can just as easily be found at target as they can on facebook marketplace.

Breastfeeding Supplies/milk collectors: For parents that plan to breastfeed, the haakaa and similar milk collectors are both phenomenal for adding a little extra milk to your supply. I actually think I registered for the haakaa, but left off the milk collectors. One tip: when using the haakaa, don’t use excessive suction, as it can push you into over-supply, which then makes you more prone to discomfort, clogged ducts and potentially mastitis.

In addition, there’s about a dozen or so different breastfeeding related items that will make your life so much easier if you plan to nurse your baby. I used these bamboo pads instead of single use ones, and I joke that I should have bought stock in Lansinoh because I used so many tubes of nipple cream those first three months. This time around our list also includes silicone milk storage bags and glass bottles, since we are trying to move away from plastic.

Items we wouldn’t register for/purchase this time around

Clothes: this one may come as a surprise, but I actually feel pretty strongly about it- the reason is twofold. First, babies grow so fast that the secondhand market is incredible- you can get gently used baby clothes from 0-12/24 months for a really good deal, both online and in person. And secondly, no matter what you register for, some people are just going to buy you baby clothes anyways. This happened to us a lot- it really surprised me! But honestly, thinking back to before I had kids, one of my favorite things to do when a friend had a new baby was buy them an adorable new outfit (honestly, I still find this hard to resist.) 

Receiving Blankets: As for receiving blankets, they’re cute, and beautiful to look at- but their use is a bit limited. I think we ended up with 4, and were gifted 3 additional handmade ones (all of which are beautiful, and my daughter still plays with them!) But we quickly switched from blankets to velcro swaddles (specifically this one, which is worth the money, IMO, since it is incredibly easy to use and will get you through 0-6 months of age!) In the future I’d register for 1, maybe 2, as you can use them as floor mats and photo backdrops- but take it from someone who spends all day in newborn nurseries swaddling and unswaddling babies- the velcro ones are much better. 

Bassinet: Ok, this one honestly pains me to write. Let me start by saying I loved our bassinet. It was an incredibly generous gift from my core group of friends. I couldn’t bear to sell it, even when it didn’t make much sense packing it in the move, and we will still use it with baby #2. And then keep it forever and repurpose it as storage or something else because it’s too pretty to look at and I can’t bear to even give it away. 

But. 

Many babies outgrow bassinets fast. Some within weeks! And in the life span of baby products, the amount of time that a bassinet is usable and useful is incredibly short. You will do just as well starting them right off the bat in a crib or pack and play. For parents who plan to breastfeed, there are ones with an (FDA approved) drop-down side to easily access your infant for feeding. As much as I love our sweet little moses basket, I don’t think I would register for it the second time around. 

Other things to consider:

Have a variety of price points. The people who want to gift you something to celebrate the baby may surprise you! Especially for the first baby, people will want to contribute in some way, big or small. It’s nice to have items from a few different price points so that everyone who wants to gift you something can participate, without feeling the pressure to spend a lot of money.

Think about how far ahead you want to look. At first we thought maybe we’d only register for items we’d need for the first 6 months, but the first year of a baby’s life can really add up cost-wise, if you’re not careful. While feeding that tiny newborn solids may seem far away, it sneaks up on you. Consider throwing in your high chair and feeding supplies, or that push walker- you’ll be using them before you know it! Also, registries like, Amazon, Target and Babylist will often offer a one-time ‘completion discount’ close to your due date on whatever you register for- so it makes sense to stock up on any items you may need through the first year.

Consider some non-tangibles, too. Far and away some of the most helpful things I can think of in the newborn period were the meals people sent to us (I still dream about the chicken cacciatore my sister made for my first meal home from the hospital!) and the endless loads of laundry my mother helped with when I was recovering from my c-section. It’s ok to ask for these types of contributions, whether its a door dash gift card, a laundry/cleaning service, or even donations to a college fund (it’s never too early to start saving :)) 

Secondhand Alternatives to purchase baby gear: Lastly, I wanted to end with a list of places you can purchase items secondhand. Not to sound like a broken record, but the first two years your baby grows so fast, some items you’ll use for just a few short months before moving on to the next size or toy or model. It’s ok if every single item you use for your baby isn’t brand new. Plus, if no one else in your family or circle is having kids any time soon, if you’re anything like me you may be eager to de-clutter some items once your child has outgrown them.

Buy Nothing Groups. I will forever sing the praises of Buy Nothing Groups. I’ve received and gifted so much baby stuff in these spaces. People’s generosity will really amaze you, and it builds community as well. 

In person secondhand stores. Check your local google maps for consignment shops focused on kids- in addition to local spots, we like Kid2Kid and Once Upon a Child.

Facebook Marketplace. I haven’t ventured into this space as much down in Florida, mainly because the local Boston parent BST groups were so well moderated and many of the ones down here are just a bit messier. But if you’re looking for something specific or too large to practically ship (like a jogging stroller, or a particular brand of clothing,) these can be a great option.

Other Online Markets. Kidizen is probably my favorite and where I’ve had most success finding baby items, but Poshmark, Thredup and Goodbuygear are some other great options. 

That’s all I’ve got! Anything I missed? What would you add or take away from your registry for baby #2?

Low Waste Mama: adventures in EC

 Hi! 

One of my goals after completing my MPH was to write more, so moving forward I’m committing to writing one blog post a week. It’s probably going to focus on low waste, parenting, and sustainability topics, maybe with some home decor thrown in there. This one is about our year using EC with our daughter. Hope you enjoy! 

As we prepared for E’s arrival, both Peter and I were focused on trying to keep things low waste. We are in no way perfect, but are really trying to reduce use of single use items when possible, etc. Quite quickly we saw how bringing a new baby into the world would change that, and we started looking into ways to limit our footprint. One topic we stumbled onto was elimination communication, or EC. I honestly can’t remember where I first heard about it; probably somewhere between googling ‘how to limit diaper use’ and parenting practices I had encountered working outside of the U.S. We decided to give it a try.

You might be asking yourself what EC is at this point. It’s essentially what it sounds like: learning your infant’s bodily cues and using them to help your child pee and poop on a toilet. Here is a VERY watered down summary of what we did: 

In the early weeks of our daughter’s life we observed her, both with and without her diaper. We noted times she tended to poop and pee (nursing seemed to do the trick for her!), and what kind of behaviors she had while pooping. For most babies this is some version of grimacing, reddening in the face, or squirming. For pees, which are a little less obvious, we also watched her while diaper free on a pee pad. 

Once we figured out her cues, we tried to do EC when we were home with her. This evolved quite a bit during E’s first 12 months of life. During the first twelve weeks, before I returned to work, I’d catch her straining to poop and sit with her between my legs facing backwards on the toilet or potty (see below.) I actually got pretty good at catching her poop when it didn’t occur while breastfeeding. Peter ordered the tiny EC potty that some breastfeeding parents use to do EC while ACTIVELY nursing, but dear reader, I was never going to be that parent. My coordination is just not that great (if you’ve seen me play any video game ever, you know this to be true.) 

At this point E was a bit heavy for me, so we switched to sitting her on the potty, but the position is essentially the same!

We also went through a phase of giving her opportunities to pee every 3ish hours. I chose convenient times for us, like right after waking her from a nap, diaper changes, etc. This worked marginally well, but we found it to be pretty time consuming, and once I started working at the hospital again, we just didn’t have the time to do it consistently. 

EC blogs will also tell you to make a noise (like tsss tsss for pee and a hard K sound for poo,) that your child can start to associate with voiding and stooling. This didn’t work for us, but probably because we both began working when E was 12 weeks old and were not able to be consistent in our practices after that point. Overall, once I was back at work we practiced EC a lot less, but still tried to catch poos when we recognized that she was trying to go. We even got into a good rhythm where around 9-12 months,  when she could sit independently, we’d sit her on the potty, make our little tss tss sound, and let her pee before bathtime. I think she actually enjoyed this routine too, and it certainly saved her a few diaper rashes from all that diaper free time.

Around 12 months, we had gotten into a rhythm, but E was not feeling it any more. We’d place her on the potty and she’d immediately stand and try to walk or crawl away. We decided it was time for us to call it- I had gotten busier with my class and work schedule, and Peter was working harder than ever- we just didn’t have the space for EC anymore, and didn’t want to push our child when she was clearly resisting.

A few folks have asked me since then about our experience- was it worth it? Is it doable while working? Does it help with toilet training? Would we recommend it to other parents? 

I can’t speak for my partner, but here’s my own perspective of our year of EC: 

It’s a great and unique way to learn about and bond with your child.

It’s not hard to learn, but is physically and logistically challenging. We struggled to find time to EC with E as two working parents, but I imagine that even with a parent home, it would be time consuming to watch your kid closely, stop what you’re doing and rush to catch a pee or poop. 

It maybe cut our diaper usage down by 5%. 

We just started working with E on toilet training this month, and from what I can tell (from our n of 1), it has had zero effect on potty training our child, either positive or negative. And from my brief literature search, there is no solid evidence that EC contributes to early toilet training.

And that’s our EC journey with E! Do you have any questions, or your own experience? I’d love to hear in the comments.

Here is a video we found super useful when first looking into EC.

And here is a great article about two pediatricians who did a combo of cloth and diaper free!

Travel with a baby (hi, we have a baby!)

 Um, hi, hello! I always tell myself I will never take a month off from writing...and then life hits. And to be honest, I don't think I've ever had a bigger distraction than the one we've got right now...

In November I became a mom, maybe a couple days after that last post (and a few days early, to my shock and disbelief!) It has been a wild ride but suffice it to say we are so incredibly happy to have little E in our lives.

I'm not up for sharing the birth story just yet (may never be, to be honest) but I did want to pop on here and share how our travels went and what we learned. We traveled a lot before E came into our lives, and since her birth we've lived in 3 different places(!) Some days I felt really awesome managing to continue working in global health and travel with a baby in tow. And some (many) days I felt like I was drowning and life was irrevocably changed and I was failing at both my career and being a good mother. I think both are true to an extent (that's a story for another day.) So without further ado, here's some general advice and things we found that made traveling with a baby easier. 

Have a loose routine. Like it or not, your life will change when a baby arrives. When E first came (aka before reality hit,) I was very motivated to keep life as unchanged as possible. I tried to get her to sleep anywhere, with normal daily life buzzing in the background, in hopes that she'd learn to sleep on the go. HA. ha. Did you know that babies are actual humans? (note the sarcasm here.) And sure, some humans can literally sleep anywhere...Others need pitch black, total silence, Abby the bear and a lavender diffuser in the room to sleep well. Once we were exhausted into submission, we found a happy medium that worked for us by tracking and identifying our kiddo's wake windows/sleepy times and establishing a flexible schedule and sleep routine that worked for us. We loved the Huckleberry app for this (side note: none of these shares are sponsored.)

Obviously we didn't want something too complicated so it would be easy to implement in a bunch of different places (in the last month alone we have put her down for naps/bedtime in 2 houses and 3 different hotel rooms plus the occasional car or lap on the airplane.) So I'd argue for something really simple/loose- for us it's change diaper, sleep sack, books, bed with the sound machine on/lights out for naps (we just add a bath for bedtime, which can be skipped in a pinch) and naps around 9 am, 1 pm and 5 pm +/- 30 minutes. It really did work wonders for us. E is a different kid when she's able to sleep well, and this simple routine goes a long way in helping her get the rest she needs.

...And be willing to break it. Ok so I know I just went on and on about how amazing routines are...but hear me out. If you've got limited time somewhere (whether a few days or a few weeks,) you're not going to want to spend 5 hours of your vacation sitting in a hotel room in the dark, texting your significant other because you can't actually speak since the little one is sleeping two feet away. Peter and I agonized over this for a long time. Ultimately what worked for us was prioritizing naps in the first parts of the day, and either skipping or pushing off the later nap to do things as a family, since the third nap is hit or miss for her anyways. Sometimes we ended up with a grumpier baby. Sometimes it ended with E excitedly flailing her arms at the sighting of her first ever bison, a truly sweet and hilarious thing to see. 

We really tried not to do this every day, but on weekends or special occasions we wanted E to see or do something with us as a family, we made it work. It ended up giving us some sweet family moments that we would have missed out on if we were nap-trapped in our hotel room. 

Have an on the go routine option. I guess this is an extension of having a routine. South Dakota is pretty rural and spread out, so we spent many 3 hour chunks of time driving with E having a meltdown because she was so tired and couldn't sleep more than 10 minutes. That was until we stumbled on the magic of mimicry- in an act of desperation I flung my nursing cover over the car seat, we blasted the AC to make some white noise and just kept driving in total silence. While I wouldn't recommend using this method routinely, it did work for us and could prove useful if you're in a bind. 

Modify your expectations. When we first arrived in South Dakota one of the first websites I found had a list of '15 things to do in a day in the Black Hills.' Being a realist with a 5 month old, I cut the list down to 8 or 9 things that were realistic with an infant and sounded like fun. In the span of 4-ish days in the area we did 4-5 of them. Some of that was weather and not baby-related, but the reality is time just disappears with an infant. The days of driving for 8 or 9 hours straight are gone- instead, every 2-3ish hours we were stopping to check a diaper and feed. When we visited the site of the Wounded Knee Massacre I ended up stuck in the car nursing and didn't get to climb the hilltop to pay my respects. 

The first weekend I was super disappointed that my 7-item to do list went so terribly. By the last weekend there, we'd figured out that for stuff we were trying to do (mostly scenic drives, sight-seeing and short hikes) a list of 3 felt less daunting- 2 things we would definitely get done and one that was a maybe, depending on how well the day had gone. You can probably adjust this based on driving time, how long it takes to do something, your child's age, etc. But the more laidback schedule definitely made for a more enjoyable time for all of us.

Stay close to the action. I wish we had learned this sooner! Our first weekend out exploring we booked a hotel that we knew was kid friendly but was also an hour away from the hikes and parks. With a small infant often the timeframe that they're awake and happy is pretty short- in our case at most 3 hours on a good day. Staying somewhere we could walk or quickly drive to the spots we wanted to check out made a huge difference! Less time driving = more time to do things you enjoy as a family. It's that simple :) If you do one thing differently on your travels, I'd say this should be it, even if it means paying a little more for that convenience.

Come up with your packing list. Having moved to two states in E's first 6 months, I now have a good sense of what we do and don't use for her in the span of a couple days, a couple weeks, etc. This will definitely look different for everyone, but in general we realized we should have packed more clothes and fewer toys. E went through multiple outfits a day some days thanks to spit up, drool, and blow outs, and babies are often down to play with just about anything (just make sure it's safe/not a choking hazard.) They also LOVE repetition- she ended up playing with the same 1-2 toys every car ride, and we read her 4 of the same books over the span of of that month we were gone. I would also add that it is helpful to calculate how many diapers your kid goes through in 24 hours, then figure out how many you should bring for your travel day from there and maybe multiply by 1.2- just for peace of mind :) then you can buy as many diapers as you need once you arrive. We always purchased more than we needed and ended up donating what was left over to a local organization. 

As far as large items, a few things to know before you go: if you're renting a car you can also rent a car seat, and most hotels have pack and plays/cribs you can use- just ask! If you've got a mobile little one I'd also think about if there's a safe space to put the baby down, if you can make a space up by moving stuff around, or if it's worth it to try and buy an exer-saucer or playpen secondhand. I'd also add if your kiddo is taking some solids a high chair would be useful if you're going to be somewhere long term. We had some pretty comical dinners where we'd sit E on our laps in a diaper with a towel to keep things clean. A high chair would definitely have made life easier!

Stroll (or carry? or...) So this is less of a recommendation than a call for advice...do you bring your stroller or carry your little one through the airport? We've done both- it was super useful to have in Boston when we flew to Florida with all our stuff- but once we arrived at our hosuing in South Dakota we didn't touch the stroller as Peter carries E in our Lille carrier (linked, no commission.) I imagine once the family grows the stroller is kind of a must. But with one baby and a backpack diaper bag we found it much easier to navigate travel with our Sakura Bloom or the Lille. We also found the more stuff we could check or gate check to the final destination, the easier life was. And the less sore and exhausted we were by the time we made it to our lodging.

If you're a parent let me know what you find to be the best way to travel with your little one! Would love to hear more tips/advice. :)

Photo by the insanely talented Lyndsay Hannah. Definitely check her out if you are in the Boston area and in need of a family photographer.

Dipping our toes into low-waste parenting.

Hey friends! Hope everyone is doing ok. It’s been insanely busy around here and I’m REALLY looking forward to being done with clinical duties (after this weekend! So close!) The husband and I have meanwhile been trying to wrap up a few last minute tasks before baby’s imminent arrival- installing our car seat base, packing the last odds and ends into our hospital bag, and squeezing in quality time whenever we can. After all, we’re not going to be a twosome much longer :) 

I’ve been wanting to write about low-waste parenting throughout this pregnancy. Reducing our impact on the environment is something I’ve been interested in since learning about how my fast fashion habits were impacting the planet, and since raising kids inevitably requires that you increase your consumption, we’ve been thinking and reading about this quite a bit lately and wanted to share some of what I’ve learned. This may or may not be inspired by the zero/low-waste parenting panel (link) we attended last night :) But for real, we have been making a LOT of purchases we normally wouldn’t and also reading a ton on this topic. So it's definitely been on my mind quite a bit.

Before we dive in I wanted to raise a couple caveats to the low-waste parenting movement. I think talking about any aspect of parenting gets tricky - there can be a lot of emotions and criticism of the ‘other way’ of doing things when it comes to parenting, and I want to say off the bat - there are very few wrong ways to raise a child. I’m not a parent yet, but from my experience as a pediatrician, this is 110% true. Do what works for your family. A lot (but not all) of zero-waste lifestyle choices are time-consuming and costly. Even considering cloth diapering as an option is a privilege. For that and plenty of other reasons, I think shaming families for choosing to do things a different way is unacceptable and not what this post is about.

Secondly, a big criticism of the consumer side of low-waste/zero-waste movements is that big corporations generate a LOT more waste and play a bigger role in squandering our natural resources, so what’s the point of ditching plastic straws? My response to that is I agree that we need to hold large, powerful corporations responsible for how their actions impact all of us- we can do this through advocacy and political activism, as flawed as the process is. But I don’t think that negates the importance of individual choices, and if I have the privilege to choose a more sustainable option, I’m certainly going to try and do that.

Lastly, in total and complete transparency, I am not a perfect consumer. I’m really lucky to have the time and resources to consider some of these options as a parent. I also work nights, attend grad school part-time, and have a not-great debt-to-income ratio. While we haven’t fully decided, we are definitely going to at least start this kiddo out on disposable diapers. We also received a really generous gift card to Amazon from family, so we’re going to be making some purchases from Bezos. I guess my point is I don’t want this post to come off as holier than thou. I’ve learned a good amount the last few months and want to share in case another parent finds it helpful. So with that in mind, here’s a few of the big take-home points we’ve gathered the last few months.

Get items used or second-hand if you can. This spring I learned about the buy nothing movement and it has honestly been a life-changer. I received some unused breast pump parts and a bottle rack for free, and plenty of strollers, baby clothes, toys and gear have been posted since I joined. If you live in a larger town, I can almost guarantee there’s also a parenting listserv you can join where people will be giving items away or selling them at low costs. I also really like buying clothes second hand when I can (Poshmark is my favorite so I can search specific brands but there’s literally dozens of sites and of course in-person stores if its safe in your area.)

One caveat to this that parents should be aware of is car seats. Because the plastic decays in heat, most infant car seats aren’t safety approved beyond about 6-10 years. Believe it or not, they have an expiration date you can check on their label or manual if its still around. There’s also a risk of a car seat that’s been in a crash being unsafe, even if it looks ok. So keep this in mind when scouring second hand sites and groups.

Get on top of gift giving. It’s no secret that Americans own a lot of stuff, and yes, you can actually have too many toys. Kids tend to play better if they just have a handful to choose from. In addition to this, while the jury’s still out on the human health impacts of microplastics, they definitely aren’t great for the environment, especially marine life. One option we’re considering to curb excess and unwanted plastic toys is a gift moratorium - outside of immediate family, requesting no gifts for your kid at holidays and birthdays. Instead, you can ask for donations to a favorite nonprofit, or for people to contribute to a college fund if they’re able- or nothing! A mom on a recent panel also suggested guiding grandparents towards second-hand gift options, preferably plastic free, which I think is a great option.

Another parent at the panel we watched recently emphasized experiences over stuff, so if you’re in an area where it’s safe to do so, having an aunt take your child for a day of fun together can also be a really special gift option that doesn’t have to generate waste.

Repurpose for play. This is one we probably all grew up doing- our paper towel rolls became castle towers, cardboard shipping boxes were anything from boats to houses to planes, and we raided the garage as kids for junk to make into robots, costumes, and pretty much anything you can think of. Sure there’s plenty of sparkly, colorful, fancy kits you can buy to add to your arts and crafts box, but looking around at home first can yield a lot of great options! Side note: did anyone else grow up playing with home-made playdough? Here’s an easy recipe .

Alternatives to diapering. this is one P and I are still scratching our heads on. Wirecutter has a really great article that briefly addresses the environmental impact cloth to disposable diapers (link), and unfortunately, the term biodegradable diaper is somewhat misleading as well (see this post). Another option, elimination communication (explained in detail here), involves monitoring your child’s behavior to figure out when they void and stool and offering them the toilet when they give you these cues, but requires a lot of time and attention (also I’ve heard from a personal account it gets quite messy.) 

I’m going to be honest here- we’re not sure what we’re going to do in terms of diapering just yet. We really want to find the lowest impact option that works for us as a home with two working parents and a limited budget. I’ll keep you posted on this one (and if you have any advice or experience, I’d love to hear!) 

Consider your feeding options. Another sensitive subject that comes with a lot of emotions packed into it, so I will start by saying, in all caps letters, while pulling my pediatrician card: FED IS BEST. If your baby is developing and growing on target, great job Mom! (and Dad :)

Now that that’s out of the way, breastfeeding (whether breastfeeding or pumping and giving breastmilk) is the most low-waste option, if it works for you and your baby, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways that formula can’t be lower waste, too. The most wasteful option is unfortunately the most convenient- pre-mixed bottles that just need a nipple attachment, and can then be tossed or recycled once the baby has emptied the bottle. Obviously re-using bottles by mixing your own formula is a better option, and should only take a little more work. Just follow the instructions on the can...I am not 100% sure, but I believe this option is a lot cheaper, too. 

Once you hit around 5-6 months, and have been cleared by your child’s doctor to start introducing solids, a whole new fun challenge arises- pre-packaged baby food! If you do have the time to make your own veg and fruit purees at home, this is just another small area to reduce single use items in your home and life. To be clear, it IS extra work- remember that babies have immature kidneys and can’t handle the salt and seasoning that you have in your own food, so even that pureed spinach needs to be prepped separately. If you can manage to prep some baby-friendly solids at home, even a couple times a week, its a great option to reduce your use of single-use plastics. 

That’s all for now! The reality here is we are first-time parents, and are in for the ride of our lives. That’s partly why I wanted to post now, pre-baby, when I’m not sleep-deprived and can be a total optimist; I am sure this list will look totally different in reality once the baby comes, and I will try to post a follow up so we can see what worked and didn’t work for us in a few months’ time. I’ll leave you with a few resources we’ve used to gather information on low-waste parenting these last few months. Have a great week!

Babylist - this isn’t a low-waste resource per se, but using a babylist registry allowed us to register for more items from smaller businesses and fair trade/sustainable companies over Amazon, when we could find them. You can still register from bigger sites like Amazon and Target, but also include these smaller companies, or even a cash fund, so it's pretty flexible, which is nice.

ZeroWasteNYC: While their focus is NYC, we really appreciated the low-waste parenting panel they hosted. We found it through Instagram, and they were able to sponsor some free tickets as well to make the event more accessible. I also appreciate their honesty about the privilege behind whole zero/low-waste parenting and importance of advocating for policy change as well as individual lifestyle changes to tackle climate change.

Veronica Milsom/Zero Waste Baby: She was a panelist on the ZeroWaste talk we attended last night, and I really appreciated her candor on a lot of subjects, including the cloth versus disposable nappy debate. She has a low-waste parenting podcast I’ll definitely be following :)

TheGoodTrade: A site I’ve loved for a long time, mostly because they post great lists of organic and fair trade companies for all sorts of things, from baby products to thrift stores to home goods. 

Any sites or resources I’ve missed? Any personal experience or advice with living low-waste with a baby or kids? Would love to hear!