Top Finds for a Plastic-Free Baby Registry

By Alexa Napoleon, plastic-free crusader

Having a baby is an exciting time. However, for a first-time mom, the products available and the confusion about what they’re made of can be a bit overwhelming. Starting a baby registry can help organize your thoughts and outline what you need to be prepared, and, for a plastic-free wannabe, it gives you a chance to start anew, avoiding the plastic rut right from the start.

As a preliminary viewing before registering, my husband and I walked into Babies R Us to get an idea of what we needed and what the mainstream options are for babies. Holy plastic dungeon!!! Everywhere we looked and everywhere we turned, we were surrounded by brightly-colored shiny plastic. I left feeling slightly defeated, as I would have to turn to the internet for this challenge, and I’m not exactly the master of internet finds.

Alexa’s Plastic-Free Journey
Go Plastic-Free Without Going Crazy
Plastic-Free Cooking: Is It Possible?

Attempting to create a plastic-free baby registry requires you to get out of the mainstream stores and look to more diverse stores carrying eco-friendly products, such as Amazon and BabyEarth. To make the search more bearable, I split the registry up into categories as I went hunting for plastic-free alternatives.

Diapering:
Cloth vs. biodegradable.  Naturally, if you are going plastic-free, the first no-brainer may be to go with the crunchy mom method and opt for 100-percent cloth diapering. This is a guaranteed way to reduce your waste footprint, avoid toxins from touching your baby’s bottom, and stick to the plastic-free model.  Being an adventurous weekend warrior, I began to think about if cloth diapering could be for me, and whether or not I could commit to carrying soiled panties for four days at a time. Is this just a pipe dream, or could I really do that much laundry?  Realizing that I may not be able to keep it up, I switched my focus to non-plastic biodegradable alternatives. With other conscious moms out there, the biodegradable market surprisingly exists, although it is small. Jessica Alba’s The Honest Company uses strictly non-plastic biodegradable diapers (in pretty colors and designs, too!) and offers a drop-shipment monthly club to deliver all of your supplies.  How can I pass this one up?  This is not something for which I can register, so for now, I’ll leave that as my option and cross diapers off my list.

Other biodegradable options available include Seventh Generation and Nature Babycare.

Diaper pail.  As with most trash options these days, the diaper pail is no different—it is plastic.  Whether it is the large Diaper Genie, or the smaller Safety 1^st Simple Step or Easy Saver, it is plastic.  The thought of having a large plastic can, that only works with custom plastic bag inserts just makes my eco-stomach turn.  Curious to find an alternative, I continued my internet searches, and lo-and-behold, someone makes something non-plastic!  A nice $320 stainless steel diaper pail!  Um, on a budget, no thanks.  While contemplating cloth diapering, I also got to reading about cloth diapering “disposal” as well.  A common theme among the successful cloth moms has been to switch to a standard stainless steel step can, using a 100% PVC-free, no-plastic-bag-waste reusable insert.  The inserts close at the top to control odor and can be washed with the soiled diapers.  The best ratings seem to have gone to the PlanetWise reusable insert.  But what if I don’t want to cloth diaper?  Would the PlanetWise insert still work for me?  I cannot seem to find that answer yet, so, in my first potential fail, I may be looking at the small plastic Simple Step diaper pail (hey, at least it’s not touching the baby) that accommodates any trash bags, and ordering biodegradable bags as inserts.

Changing table pad and cover.  At first glance, one might think that it is easy to find a plastic-free changing pad.  Heck, there are lots of changing pads made with organic covers! Unfortunately, the organic cover is usually hiding a vinyl-wrapped mat. The argument for vinyl is that it is waterproof, and if the child may have an accident at changing time, a vinyl waterproof solution is it.  But, read the reviews…vinyl cracks.  So if a plastic covering and cracks, what good is that?  In my search, I have found a completely non-vinyl, nontoxic organic solution in the highly-rated Naturepedic organic changing pad, but it comes at the higher price of $99.

Feeding:
Breastfeeding. It was no question to me on whether I would try to be a breastfeeding mama or not. I am all for it! Finding a non-plastic pump, however, is virtually impossible. From everything I have found, from the attachments, and tubing to whatever else is in that backpack contraption, you cannot avoid the plastic. One the bright side, though, is that a couple of companies do exist that boast biodegradable (and BPA-free) milk storage bags.  So, if anything, having more environmentally-conscious bags is of more concern to me than the actual pump, since the milk bags are the disposable pieces and the ones that need to be used for freezer or longer-term storage. It was surprising to discover, too, that a number of the popular brands don’t even advertise BPA-free bags. If I try to avoid this for myself, I’m not going to subject the baby’s milk to it either. Check out Honeysuckle or Green Sprouts biodegradable BPA-free milk storage bags.  Both have reviews comparable to the leading brands, but they leave a smaller footprint. So, it’s a fail for the breast pump, but I would call it a small win for the storage bags.

Bottles. When telling others about my quest for a plastic-free baby registry, the bottle was the first mention from anyone’s mouth: “Well, at least they make glass bottles!  Too bad the cap is still plastic.” And, this is true. There are a couple of brands of glass bottles, with Dr. Browns seeming to be the most popular. The bottles are glass, with BPA-free plastic internal vents and plastic caps. For a plastic-free purest, though, is this good enough? Of course, I had to keep looking. My first thought was Klean Kanteen, who makes the Kid Kanteen bottle collection in food-grade stainless steel with silicon nipples in three various flow rates. The Kid Kanteen also comes with the classic cap which can be used for storage and packing, eliminating the need for a separate pump-to-bottle storage solution. Organickidz also makes a full line of very colorful stainless steel bottles with a silicone convertible nipple, but it is also compatible with other popular brand nipples. Both Kid Kanteen and Organickidz are BPA, lead, PVC, and phthalate free. Kid Kanteen has a plastic nipple cover, while Organickidz comes with a stainless lid. The only real plastic catch on the bottles seems to be the cap ring that attaches the nipple. There is also another convertible bottle-to-sippy solution by Pura stainless that offers a 100% plastic-free solution. Right down to the cap that attaches the nipple, the Pura Kiki bottles are a stainless solution, with silicon changeable nipples (also compatible with other brand nipples) and silicon sleeves to change the look, prevent sweating, and suit your needs as baby grows.  Further reading on stainless steel versus other bottles has reported that stainless steel bottles warm a lot quicker than their plastic counterparts, making for quicker bottle prep. Some folks have even claimed that the warming process in stainless takes about one-quarter of the time of plastic bottles, so why not try stainless? (Just don’t put metal in the microwave!)  Great win in the bottle section!

Teethers.  Another thing that was a bit encouraging is that when it comes to teething, there are a lot of non-plastic alternatives available.  The last thing I wanted was for the baby to be sucking on plastic throughout his/her early years. One of the most popular teethers out there, Vulli’s Sophie the giraffe, is made from 100% natural rubber, which makes it BPA- and phthalate-free. Luckily, this one can make the registry. A close second to the popular Sophie are the Chan Pie Gnon teethers, made also by Vulli of natural rubber and completely non-toxic and safe. For a change of pace, BabyEarth also offers a nice selection of organic cotton teethers. The cotton teethers come in a range of cotton rings, teething blankets, and even cotton fruits and veggies!

Solids.  As the first large section in Babies R Us, the plethora of spoons, plates, sippy cups, and storage containers are overwhelmingly plastic. A few brands boast silicon BPA-free spoons with no plastics, but finding non-plastic plates and cups in the mainstream stores is uncommon. Online, however, Amazon offered a selection of stainless plates and bowls from Thinkbaby, Innobaby, and Fresh Baby. The stainless plates and bowls are free of BPA, lead, PVC, and phthalates, and can hold both hot and cold items. Since they are not glass, they can be “accidentally” dropped from the table by over-zealous babies. BabyEarth also carries a line of Natural Corn plates and feeding spoons, if you don’t want to go stainless.

For those who are interested in making baby food, as I am, there is also a decent selection online of baby food storage in both silicon freezing trays and individual glass containers by Green Sprouts, Beaba, and Wean Green companies. Of course, normal glass reusable containers come in a variety of sizes and are generally freeze-safe, so you can look beyond baby stores or registries for glass storage containers, possibly to those you may already have in your cabinet.  However, I have yet to find a baby food mill or food maker that is not made of plastic. So, a BPA-free mill may be the best alternative for homemade purees.

Sleeping:
Mattress.  There are tons of options for crib mattresses. Finding a mattress without plastic isn’t the hardest challenge, however. It is finding a mattress that meets all your criteria that is. In my searches, I have found numerous plastic-free non-vinyl alternatives, but also wanted a mattress that contained no harmful flame retardant chemicals and was as organic as I could get. Most organic mattresses that meet flame retardant standards, but without the chemicals, are a little harder to come by and generally cost a great deal more than the “regular” mattresses.  Many online stores offer the Naturepedic No-Compromise organic cotton mattress ($300).  Naturepedic uses 100% organic cotton filling, free of allergens that meets the fire retardant standards without the harmful chemicals, and a food grade polyethylene surface instead of vinyl or PVC for waterproofing. Babies R Us carries the Stearns & Foster Baby Dynasty Eco Luxe ($230) made of organic cotton and rayon from a bamboo cover, but which also has no harmful flame retardant chemicals. Target stocks the Munchkin ComfortSafe brand organic mattress at a lower price ($130), which contains no phthalates and is made of wool which is naturally flame retardant (and also allergy-free) without the chemicals. So, finding a plastic-free mattress is doable, but it is really a matter of preference in terms of how organic you’d like to go.

Mattress pad.  So what good is an organic green-friendly mattress, if you may cover it with a vinyl-lined or chemically treated mattress pad? Finding a mattress pad with the same criteria is a bit like sifting through sand. The details of the pads are not as readily elaborated upon on the packaging. Many claim organic, but are lined on the bottom to be “waterproof.”  This generally means vinyl.  Three of the big brands boast natural or organic mattress pads at a reasonable price (and seeing that it is recommended to have more than one, price-conscious is a plus in this area).  The Serta Deluxe pad with organic cotton ($25) is PVC- and phthalate free, but has a waterproof underside. With a waterproof underside, this could just be vinyl. Snoozy makes a cotton mattress pad ($25) that is also advertised as organic. It is dust mite free, breathable, and waterproof.  However, after researching mattress pad reviews, the waterproofing in the organic Snoozy is a polyurethane membrane which has some customers claiming makes the pad “not organic at all.”  The Sealy Naturals Cotton Crib mattress pad ($33) contains no harmful waterproofing chemicals or solvents, no vinyl backing, and no plastics. Revealed by reviewers, the waterproofing is actually a bioplastic made from corn. So, for a plastic-free purist, is this really plastic, or is this the better option to avoid any vinyl and waterproofing chemicals?

Mobile.  To finish off the crib, I had to look at the crib mobiles.  Sure, the baby should never get within reaching distance of the mobile, so does it really matter if it’s plastic?  Well, why try to go plastic-free and then leave small items like this in plastic, when beautiful non-plastic versions exist?  Luckily, I get to use the same wooden, Made-in-America crib mobile for my child that my Mom used with both my brother and me. Still, others may not be so lucky.  I have a personal preference for wooden mobiles, with some really cute and colorful versions online, including Beetles and Bees from Handelshaus  G. Gollnest & F.R. Kiesel KG, as well as dragons, angels, animals, insects, and ocean figures by Goki.  As an alternative to wood, Haba makes beautiful cloth hangings with “Twitterling” insect figures and a flowered “Sunshine” mobile.  Of course, there is always the option of making your own crib mobile to match the décor. With a couple of dowel rods and fishing line or string, you can attach any figurines you would like to accent your room.  Diy.com offers some step-by-step instructions for mobiles for those that need a little guidance.

Seating:
Infant seat/bouncy chair.  To rest the weary arms and as something I have heard that baby loves, every registry needs some sort of infant seat. Many infant seats are made with a removable fabric, but the structure and functions of each seem very different. The souped-up models, melded with plastic, include vibrations, music, flashy lights, and hanging toys. Most of the plastic, other than in the hanging toys, does not really come into contact with the baby, but the plastic functions are almost unavoidable with the flashy features. I have found one infant seat, a little on the pricy side, however, that does not have any of the bells and whistles, but that comes highly rated—the Baby Bjorn Babysitter. It is a metal frame, with an organic or non-organic cover, that bounces off the baby’s natural movements. An optional toy bar can also be purchased that is wood!  There is one tiny plastic piece in the middle of the toy bar, but for an almost fully-non-plastic highly-rated seat, I’ll take it!

High chair.  Although the high-chair market has largely been taken over by the mainstream baby product companies and the plastic industry, it is not too difficult to find a high chair that suits a non-plastic household. Anywhere from Ikea to Target or Amazon, there is a fairly wide variety of wooden high chair models available, both with and without trays (of course the trays seem to come only in plastic). So, as a green alternative, stick with a wooden chair and pull it up under your table for a family-style experience with your child. If you are looking for a space-saver alternative, as I was in an urban home, the best non-plastic choice seems to be the HandySitt from Danish company Minui.  You can buy the seat in sections and use it as a full size high chair to push under the table, a space-saver seat on your existing dining chairs, or even an on-the-go chair for traveling and dining out.

On-the-Go:
Car seat.  In the realm of baby on-the-go products, it is virtually impossible to avoid plastics.  Take a walk down the car seat aisle, and you will see that every model is made of plastic.  This is a baby essential, so there is no getting around the plastic.  When choosing a car seat, however, be conscious of your purchase.  It is never recommended to buy a used car seat since you do not know the history of the seat.  A car seat that has been in an accident should be destroyed (or recycled if your area takes plastics) and never used again.  Also, after talking to others about the subject, it seems that some folks are not aware that there is actually a life span on car seats, as a result of the breakdown of the plastic.  The life span of a car seat is roughly 6 years.  Check the bottom of the seat, and make sure the seat has not passed its noted expiration date or is not 6 years past the manufactured date.  A fail for the plastic-free registry but, hey, it can’t be avoided!

Pack n play/travel crib.  If you plan on traveling a lot, I have been told that a pack n play or travel crib is a must.  The traditional pack n play is vinyl, which of course is a plastic.  When searching for alternatives, I have found really only one comparable non-vinyl product, recommended by moms.  The Arm’s Reach Original Co-Sleeper is steel with nylon, and is a traditional co-sleeper bassinet that can be converted to a playard once the bassinet is no longer useful (around 5 months of age).  It comes with a nylon carrying case of carry-on size, like pack n plays, but runs higher in price (you can get a nice pack n play for  $70-$100, whereas the co-sleeper runs around $170) and weighs in approximately 10 pounds heavier (22 pounds for a Graco on-the-go versus 32 pounds for the co-sleeper).  So, for frequent travelers or those who do not plan to use the unit in the home as a traditional in-room bassinet, the co-sleeper may not be as appealing.  Other suggestions by plastic-free conscious moms who gave in to the vinyl pack n play, mentioned the need to be sure to use a mattress pad or quilted sheet for protection from the surface, and to purchase the crib used or early enough before baby comes, to allow time for you to open it and let is off-gas before having to use it.

Once my husband found out that the entire pack n play was vinyl and off-gassing was suggested, he became strongly interested in other alternatives.  Also, as a frequent traveler and our soon-to-be family pack mule, he was not excited about carrying 20-30 pounds of extra weight.  For families on the go, various other travel cribs are suggested, weighing much less (in the range of 7-12 pounds) and coming with less concern over vinyl leaching and off-gassing.  For infants, the Brica travel bassinet came recommended from other first-time parents, and is made of polyester and steel supports.  As the baby grows, however, this cannot be used for long.  The Phil & Ted’s Traveller ($180) looks much like a baby tent, with a vinyl inflatable air mattress, and a polyester shell.  One of the noted downfalls of the newest version of this crib, though, is that the crib cannot be used with a sheet if the air mattress is placed in the bottom encasing as recommended.  Another self-inflating (or hand pump) air mattress travel crib is the KidCo PeaPod (runs $70-$90).  The mattress is vinyl, again like a travel mattress, with a nylon shell.  If price is not an option in this area, Baby Bjorn offers the Travel Crib Light for $220.  From the online posts and descriptions, I cannot figure out exactly what it is made of, but boasts to be completely free of harmful chemicals.  I would assume that leads to a non-vinyl alternative but I’m not sure I’m ready to pay the price to find out for myself when it arrives on the doorstep.

So, the travel crib is essentially an area where you pick your poison, or the degree to which you’ll go non-vinyl for the price.  Since we are campers and carry our Big Agnes mattresses everywhere, we have opted for the mini version of our camping gear in the KidCo PeaPod.  We’ll see how it goes!

So, to wrap-up, compiling a fully plastic-free baby registry is virtually impossible, but many non-plastic and eco-friendly alternatives exist if you are willing to pay the price and do the legwork.  Best of luck to anyone else attempting to go plastic free with baby!