Easy ways to have a (nearly) plastic-free baby
Last updated 28 February 2024
When entering a home of small children, the child-free are often secretly horrified by all the garish plastic. They may promise themselves that if they ever have children they will never live like that. It will all be tasteful neutrals and sustainable wood. But then they do have a baby and before they know it there’s the giant hulk of a Jumperoo taking up half the lounge. As well as the plastic that enters the home more stealthily through nappies and wipes.
But there are some easy ways to try and reduce the amount of plastic in our homes when you have a baby. And not just because of it how it looks.
Why is plastic bad?
When plastic first showed up in town it must have been pretty exciting. It doesn’t break! It’s light! It’s cheap! It can be moulded into any shape! It was so exciting that people had parties for it. Well, for Tupperware anyway. So, what went so wrong?
First off, plastic isn’t biodegradable and takes a very long time to decompose. Even then it never completely disappears. It lingers in the form of microplastics and toxins that have been leached into the environment. Plastic is very much like an annoying last guest at a party, who has spilt red wine and is throwing up on the carpet.
Some of it finds its way into the oceans. It’s been suggested that by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean. Which is a pretty depressing thought. I’ve tried to cheer myself up by telling myself that the fish are having a great time playing with old plastic toys. And jellyfish are keeping their dinner really fresh in an airtight container. And plankton are using a straw as a fun water slide. But the reality is the creatures are getting caught up in plastic packaging and accidentally eating smaller plastic pieces. If we then eat those fish we are also eating these plastics. Which surely can’t be good.
Microplastics also break away before the plastic item has even been disposed of. These tiny particles then head off into our natural world polluting the rivers and oceans.
There is also the issue that plastics are made from oil and gas, which are unsustainable fossil fuels that pollute our planet. And that some plastic cannot be recycled so it has a very short life span. Unless that plastic toy you got out of Christmas cracker when you were 8 becomes a family heirloom, passed down and played with for generations. But that is unlikely.
So what you can do? It would be very hard to have a completely plastic-free baby. It might also be more expensive. And it’s hard and expensive enough having a newborn. But here are some easy ways to try and reduce the amount of plastic that you use with your baby.
NAPPIES
Regular disposable nappies can take up to 500 years to decompose. Around 25-50% of a standard disposable nappy is plastic. A child will go through (very) approximately 4000 of these. A reusable nappy also contains plastic - sometimes up to 50%. But you will probably have just 20 of these and they can also be used with multiple children and bought second-hand. (Nobody wants a second-hand disposable.) If you wanted to be entirely plastic-free you could use a terry-towelling nappy.
Eco-friendly disposable nappies will usually use less plastic. For example, the Ecoriginals nappies have one of the lowest amounts. Just the tabs and a small amount of elastic are made from plastic. This means this nappy is 90% biodegradable and all its packaging is recyclable and compostable.
PLASTIC-FREE BABY WIPES
Plastic loves to hide in baby wipes. They are often as much as 30% plastic, which is pretty sneaky of it really. It means that it can take up to 100 years for a wipe to decompose and it will still leave a stain on the environment with polluting microplastics. Fortunately, more and more plastic-free baby wipes are coming on the market now and some retailers like Boots and Tesco have pledged to only sell plastic-free wipes. Reusable wipes are also a great option. They can often come in a set with wet and dry storage boxes and laundry bags, which make life easier. Here are some of the best plastic-free wipes to buy:
13 of the best baby wipes including biodegradable and reusable
PLASTIC-FREE NAPPY BINS AND NAPPY SACKS
If you are using disposable nappies and take the bins out more than once a week - you don’t necessarily need a nappy bin or nappy sacks. It depends on how sensitive you are to smell! If you’ve got an easily accessible outdoor bin, you could put dirty nappies directly there.
But if you really want a nappy bin you can get steel ones like the Ubbi, which have the added benefit of being better at locking in odours. This one can also take any kind of bin bag so you could make sure it’s biodegradable. An extra benefit is they are nicely designed and come in some lovely colours.
Nappy sacks can be made from cornstarch film, which is 100% biodegradable and 100% compostable. For example, those by Kit + Kin and ECO by Naty. You can’t use them in the home compost as it’s not recommended that you home compost soiled nappies. But they will leave no trace when they decompose in landfill. It would also be helpful if your bin bags were biodegradable too. Unless you are dropping off your full nappy sacks directly at the landfill, which is unlikely.
But basically, if you want less plastic in life, avoid putting a 50% plastic nappy in a plastic nappy sack in a plastic bin bag. As this is going to be around for a very long time.
Two of the most popular cornstarch nappy sacks are by Kit + Kin and ECO by Naty.
PLASTIC-FREE CHANGING MATS
Changing mats are often made of plastic as it’s so easy to wipe clean. A fabric mat is much softer and warmer for your baby but a lot of these are foam-filled for comfort. And foam is a form of plastic. You could just use a large muslin or an old towel.
Another alternative is a changing basket which will contain your child for a nappy change. You just need to add some kind of soft layer like a towel or muslin.
PLASTIC-FREE DUMMIES
Most soothers are made from plastic with a silicone teat. The amount of dummies that are dropped and abandoned in the street is probably enough to clog up an entire landfill site for the next 500 years. But you can also buy ones that are 100% rubber latex. Just make sure the rubber is naturally derived - i.e. from the rubber tree. This is a sustainable crop and natural rubber is biodegradable and recyclable.
One of the most popular natural rubber dummies is by the Danish company Bibs.
PLASTIC-FREE TEETHER AND TOYS
It’s the plastic toys that are the most visible reminder of the amount of plastic a baby gets through. But you don’t want to be a Victorian parent who gives their child a satsuma, piece of coal and one wooden block for Christmas. Luckily there are a lot of lovely wooden toys available - often in colours that don’t stab at your eyes. Try Jojo Maman Bébé, Scandibørn, Kidly, Great Little Trading Company, Little Dutch, Envirotoy and Melissa and Doug.
Green Toys are made from 100% recycled plastic. So far nearly 50 million milk jugs have been repurposed as lovely toys.
One of the most popular baby toys, the Sophie the Giraffe teething toy, is made entirely from natural rubber.
There is also Matchstick Monkey. This popular teether is made from FDA approved silicone. Silicone is better for the environment as it’s derived from sand. And there doesn’t seem to be any shortage of sand. Plus it’s more ocean-friendly as it doesn’t leach microparticles.
PLASTIC-FREE BABY BOTTLES
The only bottles I want bobbing around in the sea are glass ones with messages inside. But around 82% of baby bottles are now plastic. Despite the recent discovery that millions of microplastics are being shed into the milk. Some fear using glass bottles as they think they’ll be doing more sweeping up broken glass than actual feeding. But modern glass bottles are made from toughened, reinforced glass. You can also buy silicone sleeves to make them sturdier and easier to grip. They are slightly more expensive but glass is more durable so they can be used for more than one child. All the main baby bottle brands now do glass versions. The most popular ones are on this blog post all about glass baby bottles.
PLASTIC-FREE BABY BATHING
Definitely avoid the rubber duck. But it’s much harder to find baby shampoos, body washes and body lotions in plastic-free packaging. The very popular baby brand Childs Farm are trying to improve things. 100% of their bottles are made from recycled ocean-bound plastic and 70% of their tubes. Both can easily be recycled through your home recycling collection. They also sell large refill bottles.
The Solid Bar Company sell organic, vegan, cruelty-free toiletries in plastic-free packaging. For babies, there is the soothing Calendula Nappy Rash Cream. There is also a Chamomile Flower & Oatmeal soap that is suitable for sensitive skin.
PLASTIC-FREE FABRICS FOR BABIES
Most high street baby clothes are made from natural fibres like cotton but check they don’t contain man-made fibres like polyester, nylon and acrylic. Basically, anything that the flammable nightie you wore as a child was made from.
The same goes for bedding. Aside from the environment, natural fibres are also much more breathable so are always a better option.
Outdoor waterproof clothes often have plastic in them but Frugi sell ones made from recycled polyester.
If you want a plastic-free mattress for your baby, then choose one that isn’t made using polyester or foam. The Little Green Sheep Natural Twist Cot Bed Mattress is made from just four chemical-free ingredients: cotton, coconut coir, wool and natural latex. They also do a plastic-free mattress protector.
It can be quite difficult to be plastic-free with a baby. And in some cases, more expensive. But even making one plastic swap is something. It’s one less item polluting the Earth. And one more step towards a more tasteful looking home. Until your baby can hold their head up and you buy a Jumperoo. Anything for a moment’s peace. Start making space in your living room now.