Are you in that time of life when your friends are having babies?
Have you been invited to a baby shower and don’t know what to take as a gift?
Perhaps your conscious of taking gifts that will just add to the piles of plastic in the house.
Do you want to give something that has been fairly and ethically made but will also be useful?
I know that feeling.
As a mum or three children I know of what is and isn’t a useful gift to be given at a baby shower.
I am also conscious that there are lots of things we think we need to buy for babies that either aren't useful or that can be really damaging to the environment.
This short blog post is full of all the things that I would have wanted to be given as a new mum or mum-to-be.
They are from small businesses that take care in making things that are kind to the planet and world around us.
1. Cloth Nappies
Nappies. We all know that babies need to wear nappies and with the recent news that traces of dangerous chemicals have been found in disposable nappies then cloth nappies really are the way forward.
Baba + Boo are one of my favourite cloth nappy brands. Their manufacturing process is fair and safe, their founder, Eve, works in schools to raise awareness of environmental and waste issues and they donate to charity too.
Cloth nappies are also just as easy to use as disposable nappies. Gone are the days of terry squares and boil washing. With around 20 nappies you can do a nappy wash around once every 3 days – that’s about an extra two loads a week for me.
Oh, and they come in really cute designs too!
2. Organic Cotton Rainbow Swaddle
Swaddling just got whole lot cooler with this amazing rainbow swaddle from Pattie & Co.
There are so many swaddle cloths on the market that are white or pastel colours that it took me quite a while to find one that was kind to the planet and came in rainbow colours too!
Pattie & Co swaddles are made from organic cotton and come in three great designs. They also donate £5 from every swaddle sold to Tommy’s the Baby Charity
Swaddles are £22 and an be bought from the Pattie & Co. website
3. Mum and Baby Gift Set from Halia Rose
Halia Rose is run by the lovely Sarah. She sells gorgeous teethers and mama jewellery which make fantastic gifts.
You might think that teething is a super long way off when you go to a baby shower but trust me, these things always come round quicker than you realise.
Each Mama and Baby gift set come with a necklace for Mum and a teether for baby – which recently won gold at the Mother and Baby Awards too!
Sarah makes sure her products use only sustainable and 100% non-toxic materials which meet all safety standards are BPA free and contain no latex, PVC or phthalates.
Each gift set is £29.99 from the Halia Rose website
4. Storybook Subscription
If the mum-to-be has older children too then a storybook subscription can be the perfect gift for the whole family.
I love the family subscription from Amanda at Books & Pieces.
For just £14.99 a month Amada will handpick three books for the family you are buying for. Just let her know the ages of the children in the family and she will make sure there is something for everyone to read each month.
5. Organic Baby Comforter
There are so many baby toys around that searching through to find one just right can take a lot of time!
My children all loved Sophie the Giraffe ands I was really pleased to find that they offer an organic version!
For £19.99 the organic comforter comes in a lovely gift box making it the perfect gift to take to a baby shower.
Find it on the Babi Pur website
6. Mums Back Hamper
These hampers are just awesome. Full of all the things that a pregnant woman ‘can’t’ have during pregnancy they are a gift that is just for Mum.
From wine and cheese, to coffee and chocolate there is something for everyone.
I can guarantee that if you turned up to my baby shower with a hamper full of pate, cheese and wine you would be a friend for life!
£1 from the sale of every hamper is donated to PANDAS too – a charity that supports perinatal mental health
Hampers start from just £25 and can be bought from the Mum's Back website.
7. Earth Conscious Baby Balm
Babies get dry skin and sore bottoms. This baby balm is perfect on dry skin and baby bottoms – so is the perfect gift to take to a baby shower.
It is made from 100% natural ingredients, vegan and cruelty free and made in the UK.
It comes in plastic free and recyclable packaging and Earth Conscious also donate money from every sale to the Marine Conservation society too!
The baby balm is just £7 from the Earth Conscious website.
8. Plant a Tree
There comes a point where we can all have too much ‘stuff’ – particularly if this baby will be a second or third (or fourth or fifth…) baby.
Someone suggested to me that instead of buying a gift why not plant a tree – and I just love that idea.
The Woodland Trust puts it perfectly – ‘Celebrate new life by supporting precious woods and wildlife with a tree or woodland dedication.’
You can choose which woodland area the tree is planted in too – make it local to the family with the new baby and they can visit the tree as it grows up alongside their baby! Such a wonderful idea!
From just £20 you can dedicate a tree over on the Woodland Trust website.
I do hope that this short post has given you some ideas and inspired you to shop ethically for your new baby gifts.
Have you found a great eco friendly product or service that you think should be added to the list? Why not let me know in the comments!
A consultation with a Sling Consultant makes a great gift so parents can learn more about carrying and choose a sling or carrier to suit them and their baby rather than being given something that doesn’t work for them that ends up in the back of the wardrobe. Once they know style they like they can look for something pre loved or eco friendly.
Tammy on