How to have an green/ethical baby?

SusanCarter

Lillibet wrote:

Just curious why people feel you have to have several different pushchairs/prams/buggys as a baby develops? I bought a Britax travel system, (although I hardly used the car seat on the pushchair as I liked my son to lie flat when he was very young). It is birth to approx 3 years. He is now 1 year & we are still using it & I don't anticipate we will need to change it for a different one in the next 2 yeaars. It goes flat for when he is asleep and we used this when he was very young, you can adjust the seat to various angles from flat to bolt upright & everything inbetween. It is a bit bulky in the car but I figure if you travel with something this big when they are young you don't need to switch to something smaller just for the sake of convenience or just becuase you are able to. It is a lifesaver when we are out, not just shopping etc (big basket means less bags to carry) but we take it to friends houses on visits etc 'cos he can safely & comfortably sleep in it.

So were you able to use the actual pushchair (as opposed to the car seat) for him to sleep in when you were out right from birth?

Lillibet_2

Yes, no problem at all as a newborn. It was marketed as birth to 3 years & that's what I intend to use it for!!

Sorry if I wasn't clear. I obviously used the car seat in the car, I just didn't bother attaching it to the pushchair much as I liked him to lie flat & the pushchair has a flat option.

HTH

SusanCarter

Lillibet wrote:

Sorry if I wasn't clear. I obviously used the car seat in the car, I just didn't bother attaching it to the pushchair much as I liked him to lie flat & the pushchair has a flat option.

You were pretty clear but I just wanted to make sure I'd understood correctly.

SusanCarter

Thanks for all the tips. Do keep them coming.

CLARABEL

it really is just a case of reusing and reusing clothes toys etc....

My kids have hardly ever had new clothes, as we live mainly on hand me downs, charity shops and car boot sales. why pay the prices in shops if there's no need? as they're finished, pass them on to friends or rellys or charitiy shops.

as for toys, correct they don't need many, but mine seem to be constantly inundated. toy swap parties with friends are great kids get 'new' toys which cost nothing, green too as no more manufacture required. Do one in a winter pre xmas evening, everyone brings the toys their children are bored with and let the swaps begin! Bargain!!:D

Clara.:p

PS Go on with the breastfeeding massive...why oh why is there such a negative attitude to it in this country>? I find it so upsetting, and spend my days ranting about the lack of knowledge and support available to new mums. rant over.:rotfl:

Princessa_2

Liney wrote:

Don't bother buying a big plastic baby bath, my premature baby was really tiny when I brought him home (5lb) so I bathed him in my washing up bowl, now he's 9lb and I just support him in the adult bath, he loves it.

I agree, we bought a big plastic bath thingy, and it was a nightmare! I'd just had a c-section so couldn't help OH carry it, getting the temp right, filling it up.. was all a nightmare. We got ones that they kind of lie in in the big bath, much better. But the best is to have the baby in the bath with you. You have a bath, and then get OH to bring baby in. I love having a bath with my girls, and no need to buy a big bath.

And for nappy creams, I just use vaseline as a barrier. Is less than £1.50 for a big tub and lasts me ages 9with twins). I only use cream when they actually have a rash, and that's very rare.

Princessa_2

Iffy'swifey wrote:

Obviously breast feeding and cloth nappies...

On the cloth nappies theme, don't bother with baby wipes or even cotton wool (both disposable), instead by reusable wipes (that you can wash with your nappy load) and dunk them in a soloution of cold chammomile tea with a drizzle of olive oil and a few drops of lavender and/or tea tree oil - cheap as chips and great for calming red skin. You can also buy nappies that have been hand made from recycled clothing. I've tried http://www.phoenixnappies.moonfruit.com/ and they're excellent.

Those nappies are cute! Could you tell me where to get reusable wipes please. We went through sooo many bags of cotton wool in the early days, cost me a fortune! Think they were cheapest in... oh forgot the name... wilkinsons, got much more of them for your money.

On another note, have just given my two a wooden spoon and a pan, after attacking each other with the spoon, Matilda is now sucking on it and Missy is sucking on the pan handle :rolleyes: they'll get there.

Princessa_2

oh, and you could also make a treasure basket for a toy... basically just fill a box with a load of household objects, babies love to play with it. Things that are safe, but interesting to them, like a sponge, a wooden spoon etc. Then they can just go through the box, it fascinates them, and you can change the stuff about easily. Just make sure they're clean (ie the sponges unused) and if you put stuff in like beads that you always supervise them when playing with the treasure basket ad don't leave them alone with the stuff. Link here: http://www.walesppa.org/en/smalltalk/5/treasure-baskets

Madmel

Have PM'd Princessa about washable wipes.

conradmum

Don't know if anyone's already said this but making your own purees is cheaper, healthier and gives you far greater peace of mind than buying jars.
Baby can also join the library from a very young age. One of mine joined at 2 months - and they do have books for babies that young! And of course you can borrow videos, music and books on parenting too (if you ever feel the need). We also ended up with two sets of the free books and bag they give out to babies. One from the library and one from the health visitor.
You can sell the disposable nappy vouchers you get given on eBay.
Check out Martin's advice on where to deposit the Child Trust Fund voucher.
For a car seat, make sure to get the kind that goes from birth to 4. These are great value for money. Ds3 is nearly three and will get another year's use from his.
I think that's all I can think of!