By Kimberly Spair, Speech/Language Pathologist from Reclaimers of Health and guest Melissa McDonald, Speech/Language Pathologist and Certified Lactation Counselor
Non-Toxic Baby Products: What to Look For
One of the best parts of my job is helping mamas feel good about what they do with and for their babies! I get questions all the time about feeding, nursery planning, and the best products to add to their registry. I know I definitely felt I needed more, back when I was expecting baby #1, so I tried to keep that in mind while creating this list by including the basics and more (since as repeated mamas know, you somehow just feel like you need less the second, third, etc. time around).
Check out some of our favorite products below for a non-toxic baby registry. Just know that this does not include ALL available products out there as we’re lucky to live in a world where new companies and products are always popping up.
Generally speaking, moms-to-be should be looking for products that are organic/eco-friendly/non-toxic when possible. Some harmful chemicals to avoid (across all categories of baby products) include:
- BPA (often in bottles, toys, dishes, etc.)
- Phthalates (watch out for “vinyl;” found in personal care products and plastics)
- Parabens (in many topical products)
- Fragrance (added to lotions, laundry detergent, and other countless products)
- Flame retardants (look for this in carseats, furniture, bedding, clothing, etc.)
- Formaldehyde (often in topical products like shampoo and soap)
- Polyurethane foam (often used in mattresses, pillows, etc.; always look for CertiPUR-US or GREENGUARD certification if your product has this)
- Talc (added to powders) and mineral oil (think “baby oil”)
- 1,4-dioxane and ethylated surfactants (especially in soaps; lookout for any ingredients that contain the letters “eth” because it is an indicator of the presence of 1,4-dioxane. Stay away from polyethylene, polyethylene glycol, sodium Laureth sulfate, ceteareth, oleth, oxynol, -xynol, and PEG.)
Non-Toxic Products for Your Baby Registry
The following are some ROH recommendations.
For the Car/Travel
- Travel system (Be aware that no strollers are perfect as they do not have the same safety regulations as car seats and other products. This is one that works well for our family – it’s great if your family is active like we are!)
- Find a car seat that is compatible with your stroller (The above system comes with a Britax.) Also, keep in mind that an extra base will make your life easier if your child will switch between two cars!
- Sleep sheep for white noise
- To occupy your baby in the car or while out in the stroller, check out some of our toy recommendations later in this post.
Baby gear
Nursery
- For the nursery, you’ll want to seek out furniture that is:
- Made of solid wood if possible
- Painted with no- or low-VOC (volatile organic compound) paint
- GREENGUARD Gold certified
- Baby Monitor – this is a tough one! What I can say is that there is no perfect monitor but you want to be mindful of EMFs and Internet connection. We’ve had success with this Infant Optics Closed Circuit Monitor.
Breastfeeding
- Nursing bras
- Nesting Pillow nursing pillow and Holy Lamb Organics nursing pillow
- Nursing cover (multi-use!)
- Breast/nursing pads
- Electric Breast pump or Breast Pumps (Note: Be sure to check with your insurance company to see if you have coverage for this!)
- Manual Breast pump
- Breast milk storage bags – Obviously glass is ideal for storage, but if you need more in terms of space saving, you may need bags such as Kiinde Twist bags. (And if you haven’t had success with milk supply thus far, a high fruit diet will certainly help!) These silicone molds might work for storage too!
- Hands free pumping bra
- Burp cloths
- Breastfeeding cream
Feeding
- Baby Bottles – Glass bottles are optimal. Some of ROH faves are BornFree, Lifefactory, glass Mason bottle. Another option if you don’t want to do glass is this Mason silicone baby bottle.
- Bibs
- Blender
- Plates / cups / silverware – Green Sprouts
- Plates, bowls, utensils, etc.
- Pacifier
Diapering
- Diapers – While cloth diapers are optimal, I recognize that they don’t work for everyone. If using disposable diapers, you’ll want to make sure they’re chlorine/bleach and fragrance free and also avoid latex, PVC, and other preservatives. Thankfully more and more brands are coming out that are safer for our babes (just always be mindful of greenwashing)! Some of the top brands right now are Bambo Nature, Naty by Nature, Seventh Generation, Andy Pandy and The Honest Company. As with all things, I always encourage you to do your own research as companies are often changing ingredients.
- Baby Wipes – be sure to avoid ingredients such as perfume/fragrance, Ceteareth-12, Ceteareth-20, Propylene glycol, as well as Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate. Some of the better brands are Water Wipes, Bambo Nature, Caboo, The Honest Company, and Seventh Generation.
- Baby Calming Diaper Rash Cream (or view all Beauty Counter products)
Clothes
Bath
- Bathtub for baby
- Soap for the whole family (baby included)
- Kids bath collection by Beauty Counter (includes body wash, shampoo, conditioner)
- Towels and Bathrobes
- Wash cloths
- Bathtime toy
Sleepwear
- Burt’s Bees blankets, Hanna Andersson blankets, and Zenssia blankets. All are made of 100% organic cotton.
- Receiving blankets
- Snuggle Me Organic swaddles or Amazing Baby swaddles
- Muslin swaddle blankets
- Halo Sleepsack and Love to Dream Sleepsack
Play/Toys
When choosing baby toys, ideally you’ll want to opt for wooden, organic stuffed, 100% rubber or safer plastic. Some of our favorite toys are:
Medical
- Saline Nasal Spray
- Nasal aspirator
- Cold compress
- Teether toys
- Probiotic
- Lactation support
- Pre and postnatal vitamins
Other
- Consult with Kimberly of ROH – Consultation options include: 1 Hour Health Intuitive Reading, 2 Month Support Package, and 6 Month Support Package.
- The next session of Empowered Moms begins March 28, 2022! Returning moms can retake the course for $60 with the code, EMSISTERHOOD. For a FULL list of items for your mamas medicine cabinet for acute situations, daily care, and first aid, join Empowered Moms.
Get Personalized Support
Having a baby is one of life’s greatest miracles. I hope this list will be helpful for you and any mamas-to-be as you experience this wonderful gift. Please check out the Empowered Moms course ($75 off now or $60 total for returning moms) or seek assistance via an individual consult for more personalized help.
Empowered Moms Begins September 28th!
While Empowered Moms is conducted in a group format, you still gets real, personalized help from me because I have decided to keep this session small. Even better, with the course you gain access to a private Facebook group where you can ask ME any questions you may have. Seeing what other moms are going through and how you can apply their questions to your own life can also be a huge help. We are a sisterhood and are all here to support one another. We’ll talk a lot about back to school—especially the new challenges we’re all facing, immunity, supplements, prevention & remedies for acute illness, and much more. Hoping to link arms with you soon!
Dr. Kimberly Spair brings an enormous amount of compassion and light to her work as a healer. Her personal experience of overcoming chronic health issues while managing the demands of her busy life as a mother, wife and health practitioner gives her a special and invaluable insight into the challenges and struggles so many of her clients face. I deeply respect and honor Kimberly and her genuine commitment to helping her clients heal. She is a true ambassador of the healing information I share.
– Anthony William, Medical Medium
Nothing is more powerful than a mother in touch with her intuition and power. Dr. Kimberly Spair’s course will help awaken that within you.
– Dr. Christiane Northrup, M.D. OB/GYN, Women’s Health Expert, Visionary Health Pioneer, Wellness Speaker, and New York Times Best-Selling Author
Falafel Stuffed Peppers
