Your Baby's Diapers and Skincare

It is possible to eco-chic the fragrant extremes of the baby world, from the pleasant-smelling items to the not-so-much. In the not-so-much category, no matter whether you opt for cloth or disposable diapers, there are eco-friendly options.

Conventional disposable diapers can contain a variety of chemicals, from absorbent gel to plastics to chlorine bleach. Some of those chemicals were banned from women's tampons in the 1980s and can potentially emit harmful gases. Luckily, several companies make non-chlorinated, gel-free disposables, including Seventh Generation , Tushies , or Tender Care . 

Organic cloth diapers offer another way to avoid the chemicals – and the landfill space – of disposables, although it's important to steer clear of cloth diaper laundering and delivery services that use chlorine bleach to wash the diapers. Experts suggest inserting disposable, biodegradable, chlorine-free diaper liners to save cleaning time and energy by flushing much of the waste in the toilet. This concept is similar to that of gDiapers, which fall somewhere in between cloth and disposable. gDiapers consist of a washable cotton pant and plastic-free diaper liners that can be flushed, thrown out or composted. 

Whichever diapers you choose, you don't need an overpriced, vinyl diaper-specific bag in which to carry them. Kimberly Rider, author of Organic Baby , suggests buying any properly sized bag made of organic cotton, hemp or untreated leather, which won't off-gas chemicals.  She turns regular bags into diaper bags simply by either sewing pockets inside or tucking in small organic canvas bags.

If you're carefully monitoring the chemicals that surround your baby, you might also consider the chemicals that you're directly applying to your child. Babies' skin is extremely absorbent, says pediatrician Alan Greene , author of Raising Baby Green, not only because they have approximately three times the relative surface area of an adult. "The skin is one of the last organs to reach maturity in many ways," he says. "The stratum corneum – that's the outermost protective layer – babies don't even have it the first week of life. Because the skin doesn't mature until sometime after the first birthday, during that whole time it's easier for things to be absorbed."

With this thought in mind, many experts suggest eco-friendly, fragrance-free diaper wipes, such as those made by Seventh Generation or Avalon , or using a clean wash cloth or small squares of organic cotton dipped in water. 

Despite baby stores' ubiquitous lines of shelves stacked with baby lotions, creams, soaps and shampoos, doctors say that most of these products are unnecessary. Actually, they may be harmful. Earlier this year, the American Academy of Pediatrics released a study reporting that infants exposed to baby lotions, powders and shampoos had significantly high urinary concentrations of phthalates, which, the report explained, have "potential toxic effects to the developing endocrine and reproductive systems." says Lynda Fassa, founder of Green Babies  and author of Green Babies, Sage Moms, notes that approximately 99 percent of all consumer cosmetics also contain parabens, a type of fake estrogen that has been linked to cancer and hormone disorders.

According to Greene, babies don't even need to be bathed with soap or shampoo until they're old enough to be scooting across the floor. Warm water should be enough. Once an infant learns to grasp things, parents can clean his hands with organic liquid baby cleansers. Except for cases of eczema, babies don't need lotions, whether for the purpose of moisturizing or improving fragrance. 

In fact, the lotions with synthetic fragrances that you put on your baby to make her smell good are precisely the ones to avoid. "Fragrance is a catch-all term which could mean anything, but generally what it means is that these are fragrances made from crude oil," says consumer advocate Debra Lynn Dadd. "Those types of fragrances can cause all kinds of symptoms, such as depression or making someone think less clearly. If a product contains a natural fragrance, it won't be listed as a fragrance. It will be listed as an essential oil, such as oil of lavender."