Prefold Cloth Diapers

I’ve noticed that the topic in everyone’s conversations these days (aside from employment and the economy), is going green. It’s all over – TV, newspapers, magazines – you name it and it probably has something about going green. Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s great. I do think it is important to care for the environment, but everything I hear to do to help seems to be on a larger scale. So it got me thinking, what could I do as a parent to help the environment? Well, I discovered some simple green parenting tips to follow, which can help save the environment.

Tip#1 – Rethink the baby wipes
I was on one of my most favorite sites, babycenter.com, and they had an article on steps to take to go green and something caught my eye. They reported that most baby wipes take several hundred years to break down. To be honest, I never really gave much thought to wipes or the footprint they leave on the environment. I read that on average people use about 5,000 wipes per baby, which means there are a lot of wipes in landfills. So as an alternative, I found that there are companies that have created 100% biodegradable wipes. One company I’ve seen in particular is Nature Babycare (www.naty.com), and they offer a variety of biodegradable products including biodegradable wipes.

Tip #2 – Switch to cloth diapers
According to an article from the Mother Nature Network, kids use an average of eight diapers a day until they are potty-trained. So if you take an average age of 2 ½ years to potty train a child then you are looking at approximately 7,300 used diapers and that is just for one child! Just think of all the diapers out there that are in landfills for years (along with the wipes). An alternative to using disposable diapers are today’s version of cloth diapers. I know what you are probably thinking, “cloth diapers, never”, but the thing that makes it different from our parents’ time is the inserts that fit inside the cloth diapers. A company called gDiapers has created a 100% biodegradable insert that is actually safe to flush down the toilet.

Tip #3 – Purchase wood toys instead of plastic
In the book, Green Parenting, it says that plastic and battery operated toys can contain hazardous materials such as phthalates or plastic softeners. This can be dangerous for many reasons, one primarily because it seems that most babies learn by putting things in their mouths, I can personally attest to this, my child is at this stage and puts everything in her mouth. So the answer to this is to purchase wood toys finished with nontoxic paint instead of the plastic ones. They may not be as shiny or as loud (which actually may be a good thing for parents), but they don’t contain the dangerous toxins which is key. The company Wooden Toys carries over 500 wood items that are each crafted with non-toxic paint and 100% child safe design.

Tip #4 – Toy and clothing swaps
As most parents have probably seen, it is amazing the number of toys, activity centers, and clothes. that are recommended for babies to grow and learn. Personally, my daughter’s clothes and equipment seem to outnumber our belongings by at least two to one, and she is only four months old! Not only are these things generally bulky and take up space, but it can also get expensive keeping up with her development. To try to combat this, I‘ve started to see parents exchanging toys and clothing. This can help save a lot of money plus it can save on storage space.

Tip #5 – Make your own baby food or buy organic
In an article on green parenting called “10 Tips for Green Parenting” they say that “[i]n addition to being better for the environment, natural healthy food from the start reduces the later risk of heart disease, allergies, behavioral problems, and many other ailments”. Whether this is completely true or not, it is something to think about. One way to do this is by making your own baby food. This has been a “hot” topic for many of my friends with babies, and I’ve read that it is pretty easy to make yourself. But if you like the idea but would prefer some assistance to make the job easier, then Williams Sonoma has a product called the Beaba Babycook. It is a steamer, blender, warmer and defroster in one small appliance that makes it easy to prepare fresh, healthy meals for a baby (I haven’t tried it out personally but it looks easy). But if making baby food isn’t your thing you can always purchase organic baby food at your local grocery store, which is also healthy and nutritious.

As people are beginning to understand how their behavior alters the planet, ecological consciousness is becoming a popular trend. Children are taught by their parents the importance of the environment as well as the interaction between themselves and their surroundings. Taking some simple measures in your home will instill in your child the meaning of action and advocacy. Children learn from example, so teaching them early on that environmental concerns are important will help.

A major step that you can take is to use cloth diapers. Some parents tend to immediately disregard the idea but it is definitely one worth considering. The advantages of cloth diapering are not limited to cost as the popularity of cloth diaper increases with the quality of materials used for the diapers themselves. ModernToday’s cloth dipaers are not like those your parents used. Cloth diapers are now very stylish and even have cute patterns and designs. Many of the latest cloth diaper designs use snaps or Velcro style closures in place of the old-fashioned diaper pins. They are very cost-effective over disposable diapers since you use them again and again, and there are even one size cloth diapers that will last your child from the day they are born to the day they are potty trained. This can amount to an enormous cost saving. It has become easier to use cloth diapers while going out or if your child is daycare with the modern day wet bags – stylish, smaller bags designed to contain wetness and odor that you put your cloth diaper in until you get home and throw it in the washing machine.

Paper products use a lot of energy in the manufacturing process and reducing and/or eliminating their use in your home can be very eco-friendly. Although convenient, paper products are impacting our planet. Choosing to reduce how many times your family uses paper plates is an environmentally-friendly choice, eliminating them entirely from mealtime is even better! Use your regular plates instead. In place of paper-based towels and napkins at mealtime, which are thrown away after each meal, use cloth towels and cloth napkins which can be washed and re-used many times. Not only are you helping with environmental savings but you’ll also see savings in your weekly shopping.

A cost-effective, environmentally-aware approach to starting your baby on solid foods is to make your own. It’s easy as well. While at the grocery store you can purchase organic fruits and veggies and some ice cube trays. Dice the fruit or vegetables and puree in your food processor or blender. Once they are sufficiently mashed fill the ice cube tray and put it in the freezer. After they’ve frozen, pop the cubes from the tray and place them into baggies. As your baby’s feeding time approaches, take a veggie or fruit cube from the freezer and let it gradually thaw, or microwave ot for 10 to 15 seconds. Organic, nutritious meals made from wholesome ingredients can be easily made and stored with the added benefit of being able to reuse all the items required for this process.

The environment can even be effected by the toys your child plays with. Today, children’s toys tend to be made from artificial materals such as plastics which are not manufactured in an eco-friendly manner. Some have even been found dangerous to kids. It is possible to purchase stuffed animals made of organic materials or even wooden toys intead of plastic ones. You can even knit or crochet your own baby toys. Another great choice would be a book. For obvious reasons books will increase your child’s brain power and imagination, but books can also be recycled when they are outgrown.

You and your family can be proactive in hundreds of ways to make your household as earth friendly as possible. Your day-to-day activities can easily be adapted to the adage: “reduce, reuse, recycle”. Be sure to explain to your children the purpose of these actions so that they understand that everyone has an impact on the world they live in. And remind them that it is their future that they are protecting by taking these steps.

Diaper cake is a useful relic for a baby shower party. Baby shower is an ideal way to celebrate an infant’s arrival in a family or home. There are numerous things to think about while planning for a baby shower celebration. You have to plan for games, party favors, gifts, decoration and of course cakes, especially diaper cakes. One popular and decorative option is a diaper cake.

Diaper cake is nothing, but baby diapers structured in a shape of cake. In addition, diapers make an outstanding gift or centerpiece. Usually, it includes baby associated things such as rattles, bibs, clothes as ornamentation for your diaper cake. By presenting such diaper cakes to an expecting woman, you can give her as many surprises.

Direction to make a diaper cake is extremely easy, as you can make a diaper cake using disposable diapers or fabrics. It is better to find which ones the expecting woman wishes to use the most. Next, bundle up numerous diapers and keep them within the same elastic band. This is the base of your diaper layer.

Repeat the procedures for second as well as third layers correspondingly. Keep the layers on crest of each other. Remember to decorate your diaper cake with vital baby associated items. It is also a fantastic idea to cover your diaper cake with netting or cellophane to ensure everything remains perfect in its place and travels well.

Final Look:

When you attend a baby shower celebration, take out your diaper cake and keep it at the middle of the table, so that everybody can see. Assure that your diaper cake grasps the attention of all guests at the party. There are numerous decoration ideas that you can team with your diaper cakes to turn them into elegant diaper cakes.