Choosing a baby shower gift is difficult enough at the best of times, but it's even harder if your parenting style is very different from the mom-to-be you're buying for. If you try to buy environmentally responsible products and your friend asked for a disposable diaper shower, do you have to just forget your convictions and buy what she wants? Or is there a happy medium of green baby gifts that any mom, no matter how mainstream, will enjoy? Here are some of the top choices of ecologically-friendly baby shower gifts that any mom-to-be will be happy to receive.
1. Organic baby clothes. Baby clothes are a hit at any baby shower, and clothes made from organic cotton are beautiful, well-made, and good for the environment, too. Consider getting a few outfits in a gender-neutral color so she'll be able to reuse them for future kids.
2. "Recycled" baby clothes. Check first with the mom or the shower organizer to make sure this won't offend her, but for moms who don't mind a few secondhand items, used baby clothes are even better for the environment than organic ones. Consider giving her a big bag of used clothes as a secondary gift along with a nice, brand-new gift so she doesn't feel like you didn't want to invest in a "real" gift.
3. Healthy, organic postpartum meals. Friends and family often volunteer to bring meals after the baby is born, but frequently those meals end up being a lot of the same foods, usually things that are easy to make and keep well like pasta. Consider promising to bring the mom-to-be something especially healthy after the baby comes. To make this gift really special, give her a handmade "menu" at the shower with several healthy, in-season meal options, and let her choose the meal you'll bring her when she's busy with baby.
4. Eco-friendly diapers. If she's the kind of mom who would never consider cloth diapers, she still might be willing to consider a hybrid option like gDiapers or Flip diapers, both of which use adorable cloth covers with disposable inserts. If you don't think she'll appreciate that, then you could buy her a more environmentally-friendly disposable diaper like Seventh Generation. You could also get her a month-long trial membership in a cloth diaper service, which is even more convenient that disposables (what's easier than having diapers dropped on your doorstep every week?). Be sure you check with her before you buy any of these options to see how she'd feel about giving something different a try.
5. Organic baby care products. Many types of baby lotion, shampoo, and rash cream have ingredients that are less than great for the environment--and for a baby's skin, too. The baby care products that are best for the environment are usually the ones that are best for baby as well, so even moms who care nothing about living green will probably feel pampered by these gifts!
6. Non-plastic toys. Plastic toys aren't just bad for the environment; they're less durable and less beautiful than other materials. Consider some natural, hand-carved wooden blocks (made from sustainably harvested trees) or an organic cotton stuffed animal.
7. Baby carrier. Both better for the earth and more convenient than strollers, baby carriers are popular now with all kinds of moms. This is definitely the kind of gift where you'll want to check first, since many moms (and babies) have strong opinions about the kinds of carriers they like or don't like. If you have an extensive selection of carriers yourself, you could let her try on some of your favorites before you get her one of her own. You could also give her a "coupon" for a carrier and let her choose what she wants after the baby is born, so he gets to express his preference, too.
Top Ten Eco-Friendly Baby Shower Gifts
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