Top 7 Eco-Friendly Picks for Nursing Moms
There's no doubt that breastfeeding is the most natural -- and eco-friendly -- way to feed your baby. But if you'd like to go that extra step and make your nursing experience as green as possible, here are some products that promise to help make your life easier and are made with the environment in mind:
This lightweight bra is made from organic cotton and is designed to be comfortable yet supportive. It's cozy enough to sleep in and features a cross-over front that makes nursing easy. Whether you're pregnant, nursing or neither, this is a great everyday bra.
Made in the United States, this bra contains 91% organic cotton and 9% Lycra. To clean it, Majamas recommends machine washing in cold water on the gentle setting and hanging it to dry or tumble drying on low.
If the Majamas Organic Easy Bra isn't what you're looking for, be sure to check out these organic nursing bra recommendations.More »
Made with 4 layers of 100% organic cotton, these washable nursing pads are free of harmful chemicals and pesticides. Each pad is 4 1/2” wide. The pads come in a 6-pack and can be machine washed and dried.
These pads are soft and breathable against your skin, but also very absorbent.More »
Motherlove's organic nipple cream is an all-natural herbal salve that helps to relieve the pain associated with sore, cracked nipples from nursing. The cream is safe to ingest, so you don't even need to wash it off before nursing your baby.
Made with 100% certified organic ingredients, this nipple cream earns a 0 rating on the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep database, the best rating a product can receive for toxicity. It is also free of lanolin, which contains pesticides, and Vitamin E, which is unsafe for babies to ingest.
The nipple cream contains extra virgin olive oil, beeswax, shea butter, marshmallow root and calendula flower.More »
These gel-free breast packs from Earth Mama Angel Baby feature a 100% organic cotton shell filled with flax seed. They can be used warm or cold, depending on your needs
To help relieve the discomfort associated with engorgement or weaning, you can put Booby Tubes in the freezer and wear them inside your bra between nursing sessions.
You can also heat them in your microwave for 20-40 seconds or in a preheated oven set to the lowest setting by placing them in an oven-safe dish and heating for 10-15 minutes. When heated, Booby Tubes can be used to encourage milk flow, prevent clogged ducts, promote let-down and help relieve discomfort associated with infection and mastitis. The gel-free design also means a lower chance of burns when using them heated.
Booby Tubes are made in the United States in a fair trade factory.More »
The Nesting Pillow features a 100% organic cotton slipcover over a 100% organic cotton canvas pillow filled with buckwheat hulls. The buckwheat hulls give the pillow a bean-bag-like feel, allowing the pillow to conform to you and your baby, no matter what position you're in, and keeping you and your baby cool and comfortable.
The slipcover can be removed for machine washing and the inside pillow can be spot-cleaned and tossed in the dryer for about 15 minutes to keep it fresh and free of dust mites. The non-allergenic pillow comes in 7 styles with different patterns and materials. The pillow is approximately 26” wide, 16” deep and 5” high.
When you're not breastfeeding, the pillow can be used as a support for babies just learning to hold their heads up or sit, or as a comfortable pillow for toddlers. It can also be used as a support for pregnant mothers, after caesarean surgery or as a laptop lap desk.More »
If you're using an electric pump on a regular basis, a hands-free pumping bra is a must-have. The PumpEase Organic pumping bra is made from an unbleached and undyed knit fabric that consists of 90% certified organic cotton and 10% spandex.
It features “no-stitch” horn openings that can be used with any breast pump on the market. The bra comes in sizes S-XL and is designed to fit moms from 32AA-48H.
Additionally, the PumpEase Organic pumping bra is packaged in a recycled paperboard box that contains at least 35% post-consumer content. The inks used for printing on the box are made from vegetables or seeds and the box's coating and glue are water-based.More »
About 2 million breast pumps are purchased every year, but most of them will end up in landfills -- often after a year or less of use -- because they're designed to be used by one mom. By contrast, Hygeia's pumps can be reused, as long as the new user purchases her own accessory set, or sent back to Hygeia to be recycled or reused.
All of the parts of the Hygeia Enjoye breast pump that come into contact with breast milk are free of bisphenol-A (BPA) and DEHP. The pump can be used while plugged in or using the rechargeable, internal battery pack. It is designed to mimic your baby's sucking patterns, allowing you to customize the speed and pressure, can be used for single or double pumping, and even allows you to record your baby's cry or other sounds for playback while you pump.
The pump weighs about 4 lbs. and is backed by a 3-year limited warranty. The set also includes a tote bag and a milk storage cooler bag with an ice pack.More »
1. Majamas Organic Easy Bra
This lightweight bra is made from organic cotton and is designed to be comfortable yet supportive. It's cozy enough to sleep in and features a cross-over front that makes nursing easy. Whether you're pregnant, nursing or neither, this is a great everyday bra.
Made in the United States, this bra contains 91% organic cotton and 9% Lycra. To clean it, Majamas recommends machine washing in cold water on the gentle setting and hanging it to dry or tumble drying on low.
If the Majamas Organic Easy Bra isn't what you're looking for, be sure to check out these organic nursing bra recommendations.More »
2. TL Care Organic Washable Nursing Pads
Made with 4 layers of 100% organic cotton, these washable nursing pads are free of harmful chemicals and pesticides. Each pad is 4 1/2” wide. The pads come in a 6-pack and can be machine washed and dried.
These pads are soft and breathable against your skin, but also very absorbent.More »
3. Motherlove Organic Nipple Cream
Motherlove's organic nipple cream is an all-natural herbal salve that helps to relieve the pain associated with sore, cracked nipples from nursing. The cream is safe to ingest, so you don't even need to wash it off before nursing your baby.
Made with 100% certified organic ingredients, this nipple cream earns a 0 rating on the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep database, the best rating a product can receive for toxicity. It is also free of lanolin, which contains pesticides, and Vitamin E, which is unsafe for babies to ingest.
The nipple cream contains extra virgin olive oil, beeswax, shea butter, marshmallow root and calendula flower.More »
4. Earth Mama Angel Baby Booby Tubes
These gel-free breast packs from Earth Mama Angel Baby feature a 100% organic cotton shell filled with flax seed. They can be used warm or cold, depending on your needs
To help relieve the discomfort associated with engorgement or weaning, you can put Booby Tubes in the freezer and wear them inside your bra between nursing sessions.
You can also heat them in your microwave for 20-40 seconds or in a preheated oven set to the lowest setting by placing them in an oven-safe dish and heating for 10-15 minutes. When heated, Booby Tubes can be used to encourage milk flow, prevent clogged ducts, promote let-down and help relieve discomfort associated with infection and mastitis. The gel-free design also means a lower chance of burns when using them heated.
Booby Tubes are made in the United States in a fair trade factory.More »
5. Blessed Nest Nesting Pillow
The Nesting Pillow features a 100% organic cotton slipcover over a 100% organic cotton canvas pillow filled with buckwheat hulls. The buckwheat hulls give the pillow a bean-bag-like feel, allowing the pillow to conform to you and your baby, no matter what position you're in, and keeping you and your baby cool and comfortable.
The slipcover can be removed for machine washing and the inside pillow can be spot-cleaned and tossed in the dryer for about 15 minutes to keep it fresh and free of dust mites. The non-allergenic pillow comes in 7 styles with different patterns and materials. The pillow is approximately 26” wide, 16” deep and 5” high.
When you're not breastfeeding, the pillow can be used as a support for babies just learning to hold their heads up or sit, or as a comfortable pillow for toddlers. It can also be used as a support for pregnant mothers, after caesarean surgery or as a laptop lap desk.More »
6. PumpEase Organic Hands-Free Pumping Bra
If you're using an electric pump on a regular basis, a hands-free pumping bra is a must-have. The PumpEase Organic pumping bra is made from an unbleached and undyed knit fabric that consists of 90% certified organic cotton and 10% spandex.
It features “no-stitch” horn openings that can be used with any breast pump on the market. The bra comes in sizes S-XL and is designed to fit moms from 32AA-48H.
Additionally, the PumpEase Organic pumping bra is packaged in a recycled paperboard box that contains at least 35% post-consumer content. The inks used for printing on the box are made from vegetables or seeds and the box's coating and glue are water-based.More »
7. Hygeia EnJoye LBI Breast Pump with Deluxe Tote Set
About 2 million breast pumps are purchased every year, but most of them will end up in landfills -- often after a year or less of use -- because they're designed to be used by one mom. By contrast, Hygeia's pumps can be reused, as long as the new user purchases her own accessory set, or sent back to Hygeia to be recycled or reused.
All of the parts of the Hygeia Enjoye breast pump that come into contact with breast milk are free of bisphenol-A (BPA) and DEHP. The pump can be used while plugged in or using the rechargeable, internal battery pack. It is designed to mimic your baby's sucking patterns, allowing you to customize the speed and pressure, can be used for single or double pumping, and even allows you to record your baby's cry or other sounds for playback while you pump.
The pump weighs about 4 lbs. and is backed by a 3-year limited warranty. The set also includes a tote bag and a milk storage cooler bag with an ice pack.More »
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