Eco-Friendly Newborn Must-Haves

Last Updated on June 16, 2023

Our little one is almost 2 months now (everyone says time flies but it really feels like the blink of an eye 😅). These are my must-have baby items that we use almost every day. I hope this roundup is helpful for planning for your new baby, buying gifts, or filing out your registry.

While we’ve luckily been able to get a lot of things secondhand (and I definitely encourage you to check out what secondhand options are available!) you can’t always find everything you need secondhand, and in that case here are some great eco-friendly options!

Diapering & Care

CLOTH DIAPERS – We were given a secondhand set of cloth diapers with a variety of brands so have had a chance to try out some different kinds. Our favourites are:

• For diaper covers we actually prefer some of the all-in-one covers, however we actually use them with just regular prefolds. My husband’s favourite are the GroVia hybrid shells because the hook & loop makes it easy to use and the size is totally adjustable (UPDATE: the hook & loop does seem to wear out, so not sure if these are a great long-term option, we’re currently looking into ways to revitalize it) . I also like the Lil Helper covers because of how soft they are and the snaps are pretty easy, however I usually use them with regular prefolds – the fleece inserts they come with are nice for something less bulky but I prefer to use organic cotton.
• Speaking of prefolds, we have a bunch of organic cotton ones from Bummis they’re pretty basic but work great! (although I don’t like their covers much 🤷‍♀️)
• We also use these hemp boosters which are great!
• If you’re looking for a more natural diaper cover option, there are also wool covers.

WIPES – I easily DIY’d a huge set of washable wipes from an old cotton flannel sheet, but I also like these hemp & cotton ones, they’re nice and soft and the most affordable I’ve found at $12 for 12.

DIAPER CREAM – Our baby developed a little diaper rash and my midwife said not to bother with anything without zinc oxide because they don’t work well so we picked up this one from Weleda and it’s cleared everything up!

SOAP – We use Dr. Bronner’s unscented baby soap, it’s super multipurpose!

LOTION – I use the same oils that I use on myself, usually sweet almond or jojoba. However you can also get lotions made just for babies.

Feeding

NURSING BRAS – This wasn’t an item I thought much about but after nursing 10+ times a day you definitely realize how practical a comfy nursing bra can be! Check out my roundup and reviews of sustainable nursing bras.

NURSING PADS – I leak, sometimes a lot. 😬 I’ve tried a few different kinds of reusable and washable nursing pads and so far these bamboo ones are the only ones that I don’t leak through.

BURP CLOTHS – Not just for burping, they are a multi-purpose necessity! I made a bunch of cloths from cotton flannel but there are also organic cotton ones you can buy.

BOTTLES – Glass or metal bottles seem to be the way to go for a more sustainable option. Kleen Kanteen makes a baby bottle, I’ve also found these and these cute ones for glass options.

NIPPLE BUTTER – Something I didn’t think I needed at first, but I was given Earth Mama’s organic nipple butter and it’s really nice, I use it multiple times a day! Especially for the first couple weeks when we were working on her latch and my nipples were very sore and cracking.

Going Out

STROLLER – Going for a walk has become an integral part of our day – it’s easy to get cabin fever with a little baby. Finding a sustainable stroller was really challenging though, so I was excited to discover Bumbleride who uses Oeko-Tex certified recycled PET fabrics. We have the Era* (plus bassinet attachment) and really love it – read my review here!

CARRIER – I love baby wearing and it’s probably our daughters favourite way to sleep, she’s immediately asleep when we put her in. 😴 I like using a wrap both when we go out and to be hands-free at home. We have a stretchy modal Solly Wrap that we found secondhand, and I’m planning on making a ring sling but apparently they only work well for smaller babies and buckle carriers are better for when they’re bigger.

BLANKETS – Useful for at home, but especially important when going out now that we’re getting into winter! My mother kindly knit a cotton blanket for B 😊 and I also like Parade Organics’ Everything Blanket which is organic and a great size for a variety of uses, plus comes in really cute prints.

CAR SEAT – Although I wasn’t able to find an eco option for car seats, we opted to get a convertible car seat as this allows us to use the same seat for years instead of needing to buy one for infants and another one once B gets a bit bigger. If you know of any eco-friendly options for car seats, please share in the comments!

DIAPER BAG – Personally I don’t find it necessary to have a specific diaper bag (we just used a backpack we already had), but there are some cute ones like these recycled sari bags if you are looking for one.

WET BAG – Important to have when going out for wet cloth diapers or wet/dirty clothes. We have one from Applecheeks but all the wet bags seem very similar? 🤷‍♀️

Sleep

CRIB – We got ours secondhand, but if you’re doing this make sure it meets the current safety regulations. For a new option Ouef’s cribs are made from sustainably sourced wood and non-toxic paints – they also convert into a toddler bed for longer use!
UPDATE: we actually ended up ditching the crib and moving baby B into a Montessori-style floor bed.

MATTRESS – We luckily scored an organic cotton and wool mattress secondhand which was barely used and covered in a protector, but I totally get wanting to buy a mattress new and in that case Naturepedic has a few different types of organic crib mattresses.

MATTRESS PROTECTOR – We did get a waterproof mattress cover from Naturepedic, so far we haven’t really needed it, but I’m sure a time will come where we’ll be glad it’s on! 😅

SHEETS – We have some organic crib sheets from both Naturepedic as well as these jersey ones which work great because our mattress seems to be slightly larger than standard so the stretch of the jersey makes them more flexible.

SWADDLING BLANKETS – Our baby doesn’t love being swaddled, but they are still useful for many different things! We have organic cotton ones like this.*

PACIFIER – I know some people don’t like using pacifiers, but it honestly has been a lifesaver. We have used and liked both these natural rubber ones by Ecopiggy* and these Hevea ones.

Toys

SOFT TOYS – I especially like Under the Nile because they use all organic and fair trade materials. I also really love Ouistitine’s beautiful toys, handmade from mainly recycled natural materials.

RATTLES – Pebble makes some super cute cotton, fair trade rattles. We got the mushroom for our little one. 🍄

PLAY GYMS – We don’t have one of these yet, I was thinking of making one but we’ll see if I have time. 😅
Finn & Emma make beautiful wooden ones though and Lovevery has an engaging one for learning/development!

DEVELOPMENTAL TOYS: I really like Montessori-style toys and Lovevery has a convenient play kit subscription which sends you toys every couple months designed for your babies age and development stage.

TEETHING – Although we’re not there yet, I plan on getting one of these sustainable wooden teethers.

Clothing

We got the vast majority of our baby clothes secondhand, but I also have a roundup of sustainable and organic baby and kids clothing if you’re looking for eco friendly brands!

SLEEPER – Our hands-down favourite sleeper is this gown-style from Parade Organics. I’m always sad when it needs to be washed and we have to use a regular sleeper. The open bottom allows for easy changing at night and the fold-over mittens keep baby’s hands warm and from scratching themselves.

Also an amazing idea are clothing rental services! These are a few I’ve found so far:

• Bundlee (UK)
• Belles and Babes (UK) – also rent maternity clothing
• Everlasting Wardrobe (US) – 6 months +

If anyone knows of a service like this in Canada please let me know!

That’s my roundup, but did I miss anything? Let me know what your must-have baby products are!

💚

*indicates the product was gifted, however my opinions and thoughts are my own and I’ve only shared gifted products I truly enjoy and use.