Sustainable parenting sounds scary.
There’s already so much to think about when raising kids from what they wear to what they eat, swapping for eco-friendly choices might feel overwhelming.
Yet it doesn’t have to be, there are easy swaps you can make that won’t make you feel like you’ve just overhauled your whole life.
Here are four sustainable changes you can make today.
DIY reusable wipes
As a parent, you may find yourself going through a pack of wet wipes more often than you’d think.
Many actually contain plastic which we know isn’t great for the environment so if you’re looking to make a change you can actually DIY it.
With some sewing, you can easily make cloth wipes that you can use time and time again.
Cut up old blankets, shorts or washcloths into small squares. Place on one top of another and swe them together securely around the edges.
Make a wipe solution by mixing two cups of water, two tablespoons of baby oil, and two tablespoons of baby shampoo and pour it into a spray bottle.
When you need to use a wipe, simply spray the cloth with the solution as required. To clean them, rinse them with water before popping into your washing machine.
Reusable nappies
Around the world, more than 300,000 disposable nappies are dumped every minute.
That’s a lot of waste going into landfills and oceans and it can be easily reduced by using washable, reusable nappies instead.
Thankfully you don’t have to break out a needle and thread for this one as many retailers such as Boots have them available for purchase.
Some of them are even adjustable so you won’t have to buy more as your baby grows.
Buy second-hand clothes
Ask any parent and they’ll say the same thing: “My baby was barely in their clothes before they grew out of them.”
So when you think of it, there’s really no reason to spend big bucks on designer clothes for your little one.
Maybe check out your local charity shop or swap with one of your parent friends, that way you both save money and the environment.
Swap prepackaged purees for reusable food pouches
Though this change takes a bit more effort it just might be worth it.
Weaning can create a lot of single-use plastics that will need to be disposed of, so why not try making your own food for your little one and storing in reusable squeeze pouches?
To clean, either hand wash or pop them on the top shelf of a dishwasher.
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