A Sustainable Baby Registry Guide for Eco-Conscious Parents
my baby boy - 4 years ago!
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A Sustainable Baby Registry Guide
Baby registries can be daunting. You are most likely new to the baby world and don’t know what you really need to add to a registry. You probably also want to make sure you are picking safe and sustainable products. Luckily, many organic baby brands are creating healthy, eco-friendly products you will love to use. When I was first pregnant, I didn’t know where to start, but now that I have a toddler, I can create the perfect sustainable baby registry for others to use!
Always Look for Secondhand Items First
You can probably knock out many of these with hand-me-downs from your family and friends. Of course, we all want the best, eco-friendly products, but it's always a sustainable choice to go with something pre-loved, especially since you won't use them for long. Most of my son's clothing is secondhand, and it's saved us a lot of money. However, if you have something specific in mind or don't have the best secondhand options, we have all the sustainable alternatives listed below.
Why Choose Sustainable Products For Your Baby?
If you are new to this blog and found us on a quick google search, you will learn that sustainability is very important to us in all aspects of our lives - not just fashion. Not only do sustainable products last longer, but they respect the planet and the people who are making them. When purchasing new sustainable items for your baby, you want quality products you can pass down instead of throwing them in the landfill.
A last note, not all of these products will be useful to everyone. It’s easy to go overboard with your first, but if you don’t feel like you really need it, then you probably don’t.
Now, to our Sustainable Baby Registry Guide:
Clothing
People love to gift baby clothing. I would tell your family and friends to look for ‘organic cotton’ when shopping for new clothing and check out second-hand places like Once Upon a Child. There is this excellent sustainable baby clothing brand called Hanna Andersson. Made from natural materials like organic cotton, their clothing is made to wear and wash over and over, then hand down. Plus, they have a ton of character clothing and PJs, from Disney princesses to Marvel superheroes, which are always fun. Also, check out our post featuring our favorite baby clothing brands here.
A Cute Pair of Booties
While babies don’t need shoes - no matter how adorable a pair may be - they need something covering their little feet. Elliott always had socks or a pair of booties, and I’ve never seen any as cute as these!
Made Trade has a collection of over 20 handmade animals to cover your baby’s feet. This wonderful online marketplace is also great for decorating your nursery with gorgeous baskets.
Plus, they have the option to create your own registry through their actual site.
Stroller
These are my top 3 stroller recommendations:
Greentom: Made from recycled plastic bottles, this stroller weighs less than 15 pounds! We love how the stroller grew with Elliott from bassinet to his older toddler years.
Bumbleride: This one is also made from recycled plastic bottles & is amazing for our neighborhood/beach walks. The big tires are made for rougher terrain, so no getting stuck!
Bombi: If you need something more compact, this is your stroller! It is made from 50% recycled plastic bottles and is exceptionally lightweight. It’s also a more affordable option at $199.
Car Seat
I would have loved to afford the Nuna Exec car seat when Elliott was a baby because it probably is the most sustainable and eco-friendly of them all. Personally, I went for the Graco 4-in-1 because the price was in my budget, and it goes from newborn to booster (so I know I would get my use out of it).
You can find fantastic deals on Facebook Marketplace, and we found a car seat for Elliott for $10 when we visited my parents overseas. For Elliott’s first 6 months, we did buy a newborn car seat that was adaptable to our strollers (makes life a lot easier transferring from car to stroller!).
Baby Carrier
A good baby carrier is essential for completing your daily tasks without having to set the baby aside. There are SO many different options when it comes to baby-wearing. The most popular are sling rings, wraps, and carriers. It really is up to you (and your baby) to decide which is most comfortable.
The brand Boba makes the wrap pictured here, but they also have many carriers to choose from, as well. Plus, they have a page dedicated to helping you choose the right one for your needs.
Crib
For the crib, you’ll need three things - the crib frame, the mattress & the crib sheets—no bumpers or anything fancy.
Babies spend between 10 and 14 hours each day in their cribs, whether sleeping or playing on the mattress. So when you have a baby, a crib and a crib mattress become the most important things you have to buy for your nursery. (even if you mostly co-sleep - like us - you still use the crib during nap times)
If you want options - We’ve recently published a post about cribs and crib mattresses here.
Bassinet
I highly recommend getting a bassinet because babies sleep randomly throughout the day, and it’s nice to be able to put them down in whatever room you are in at the time - instead of having to place them in the crib and check up on them every so often.
You can definitely find bassinets secondhand easy. I constantly see them at the kids store down the street. However, if you want something to add a little charm to your house, definitely check out the bassinets from Home by Design Dua!
Play Mat
A great play mat is a highly recommended bonus - especially for tummy time, which my son hated.
The Loverly Play Gym kept his interest for several hours at a time, and I see other babies in the family loving it, too. They are designed by child development experts, and use materials like sustainably harvested wood, organic cotton & water-based, non-toxic finishes! You can make it into a little tent for when they get a bit older, and it comes with activities to help them develop throughout their first year.
Diaper Bag
This was optional for me. I used the tote bags I already had to put all of Elliott’s daily essentials in. I always carried a couple of diapers, wipes, a pacifier, a toy, and a small changing station - I couldn’t find an eco-friendly version, so we had a tiny skip-hop changing pad which we put to great use. It was sustainable for me because it’s a small bag that fits your diapers & wipes so that you can throw it into your existing tote. It folds out so you can lay your baby down & change them. Highly recommend! However, if you have more to carry - like some bottles & clothing - check out MomKindness.
Diaper Station
Another thing I don’t think is super essential, but they do come in handy. There is a certified organic changing pad from Naturepedic that is a little more pricey ($99), but it’s non-allergenic and easy-to-clean. My mom used to always say she just changed me on the bed with a towel, so really this is about preference and what brings value into your life. Also, nest Designs has a changing pad you can lay down on any service.
That beautiful bassinet brand from earlier also has changing stations if you are going for a handmade aesthetic.
Diapers
I will be very honest with you; I did not like my experience with cloth diapers. We were living in a small apartment, I was constantly behind on laundry & I could never get the smell out. I applaud anyone who has the patience & time for them, but I know it isn’t realistic for every lifestyle. I think you should try it out, but if it doesn’t work, try Honest Diapers. They never gave him a rash; they have fantastic leak protection and are non-toxic and plant-based. Truly the best option for a disposable - and you can save $ on subscriptions. I will try again for the second one!
one of the only plastic-free baby bottles from Pura
Pump & Bottles
I found this out recently, but check with your insurance and see about them sending you a pump for free before you go out to buy one yourself. You can also check with friends - that is how I got mine! I did buy myself a manual one which I would take around with me, and it was extremely handy. Pumps and bottles are a preference thing for mama and baby so I would do your own research or talk to your doctor.
However, I HIGHLY recommend buying nursing pads. I used them everyday, and now they are nail polish removers.
Towels & Bath Time Accessories
For towels, you can use what you already have. We had a couple organic towels for when he was really little, but around 6 months, we started to just use the ones we use. Burt’s Bees has really affordable organic towels if you do want to grab a few for the newborn days. I do suggest purchasing some washcloths specific for babies, and these ones from Nest Designs look so soft.
I don’t feel they need their own bathtub, but we love the Blooming Bath Lotus for the sink.
Muslin Swaddles & Bibs
I usually don’t say ‘you can never have enough’, but I could for this one.
We had a stack of muslin blankets and bibs because you go through many in a day. You need one in your car, in your bag, in your stroller, and in each room… & all the ones we had were incredibly easy to clean, so he has baby cousins using them now!
Here’s a ton you can choose from on Etsy, & then you can find a ton at BuyBuyBaby from brands like Honest & Burt’s Bees.
Mealtime
Hands down, our favorite products when it comes to eating are from EZPZ!
All their products are made from 100% food-grade silicone that is naturally unbreakable and toxin-free. You can put them in the dishwasher and microwave, and they come in so many different colors and styles. They’ve made eating so much more fun and manageable. Elliott started getting his teeth around four months, so he was eating several foods by six months. Also, these mats have a good grip on the table, so don’t worry about food flying off!
A Few Extras
I’m just going to add links for products we loved, and some are eco-friendly and others were just super practical.
Ecopiggy Natural Pacifier (use code SustainablyChic10 for 10% off)
a pack and play for travel (easy to find secondhand)
If you’ve had a baby before, do you have any products you absolutely loved having on hand? It’s always fun to create registries and stock up on the best for a newborn, but so many of these things listed you can get secondhand. I definitely encourage that first; however, don’t feel guilty wanting to have fun either!! These really are the sweetest days <3
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