Parents today are very concerned about the chemicals their babies are exposed to. It is small wonder that parents are now considering every aspect of what their babies wear, sleep in, and eat from. Scary chemicals are showing up everywhere from phthalates in toys to BPA in bottles. Fortunately, you have more choices than ever about what to put in your baby’s world – and in many cases you can save a lot of money by going with the simpler choices. Parents often wonder, what does a baby actually need?
Here are some ideas for reducing exposure to chemicals and saving money at the same time:
* Sling vs. Stroller. Your little one will naturally be most comfortable in your arms – but that keeps you tied up and unable to do much of anything. You will be happier, and so will they, if you have a comfortable baby carrier. We did not even use a stroller for the first 6 months after my daughter was born. It was just easier to pop her in the Moby Wrap baby carrier or sling and go.
No messing with getting a heavy stroller in and out of the trunk. We didn’t even carry her heavy car seat. We just picked her up and nestled her in the wrap for walking the mall, hiking, or going to the grocery store. We knew just where she was (and who was touching her!) at all times.
If you choose a carrier, look for a wrap style baby carrier for best weight distribution or a mei tai baby carrier for babies up to 35 pounds. These carriers are more ergonomic for both of you. Savings are significant and there are very few recalls on these styles. You’ll pay $40-100 instead of hundreds for a stroller.
* Cosleeper vs. Crib. With the recent crib recalls, I am even more glad that we chose a cosleeper instead of a crib. Cosleeping (having your baby in your bed) is safe if you follow suitable precautions such as making sure there are no gaps for them to get stuck in or fluffy bedding to restrict ariflow. A large organic cotton in=bed cosleeper will keep your little one safe from rolling out until they are ready for a big bed. You’ll spend about $180 versus hundreds or thousands for a crib and mattress.
* Cloth diapers vs. Disposables. Washing cloth diapers is as easy as running the washer a few times a week. I learned that it takes me about 18 minutes weekly to wash three batches of diapers. In return, we have spent only about $500 on diapers that will last until our baby is ready to potty train. Even better, these diapers are still in great shape and will last through another child – making diapering a younger sibling essentially free. The average family will save about $1,500 by using reusable diapers.
