The Nontoxic Gift Guide For New Parents
All new parents shop with the intention to provide the most comforting, safe options for their newborn, toddler, or growing child. It is a golden time of nesting, decorating, & reading the latest blog, all while still having a full life to manage. So in gifting nontoxic options for your loved ones know that you are in good hands here, with vetted products that will brighten any home and protect the health of the whole family.
Nontoxic Nursery & Children’s Favorites
At Artisan Home Health we teach from a place of empowerment and we want to offer nontoxic options as a birthright. It matters what we swaddle our little one’s in, where they get their nourishment, and what’s in their home environment. By choosing nontoxic options we can reduce exposures to environmental toxins dramatically, and this is particularly important for our children. So here are our nontoxic favorites for a growing family, for moms and dads, and children of any age.
Organic Swaddles & More:
Clothing is a perfect place to start in building nontoxic staples because babies absorb 90% of what touches their skin-our little ones can actually absorb the chemicals and heavy metals that are added to most conventional fabrics. But an easy way to reduce this exposure is to purchase natural fibers such as organic cotton, linen, wool, and bamboo. Gifting baby clothes is always a nostalgic gesture because these garments become part of the backdrop of making memories. Here are a few nontoxic essentials to select from: MakeMake Organic Swaddles, Colored Organics Rompers, and Nui Kina Wool Booties.
Bloom Kitchen Essentials:
Bloom Drying Racks are hands down one of the most useful nontoxic kitchen items that promote health at home. As soon as we become parents there are suddenly lots of bottle parts and tiny items that need washing, but we want to avoid washing plastic in the dishwasher because this degrades the plastic and therefore leaches more chemicals into the food and beverages their used for. In an ideal world we avoid plastic as much as possible to reduce exposures to chemicals like BPA and phthalates, but gifting Bloom encourages air drying which is a step in the right direction. You can choose from 16 of their modern, streamlined options.
Naturepedic Crib Mattress:
In gifting to new parents, a crib mattress may not easily make it to the top of the list. But if this higher ticket item hasn’t been checked off of a parent’s nontoxic wish list you may be offering a key solution for reducing exposure to harmful toxicants that negatively impact health. After all, conventional mattresses emit things into the air that a baby ingests such as: flame retardants, phthalates, and PFAS. Naturepedic on the other hand has standards to ensure a safer crib environment-they are GOTS and GREENGUARD certified and committed to safety. Believe us when we say your loved one will thank you!
Crystal Quest’s Bath Ball:
Bath time is a great opportunity for nontoxic bath products, but what about the actual water our children are bathing in? Often times the water our children use during bath time contains chlorine, PFAS, and other contaminants that we don’t want them to absorb. Crystal Quest’s Bath Ball solves this problem by eliminating toxicants like chlorine, chloramine, and PFAS so any parent you gift this to can rest easy at bath time.
Nontoxic Baby Personal Care:
Shopping for nontoxic personal care products for babies and children can be overwhelming because there are buzz words. like “vegan” or “green” or even “nontoxic” that can confuse us into thinking they’re safe. To avoid the greenwashing dilemma when gifting clean personal care, it’s sometimes easier to buy from companies you already know and trust. Two brands that we consistently love for baby products are: Earth Mama and Carina Organics.
Bebcare Low EMF Baby Monitor:
One of the highest EMF emitting devices in a nursery is the ever present baby monitor. We love seeing our babies from a distance to make sure they’re ok, but monitors emit radiation at a higher rate than one would expect and can negatively impact health. Luckily there is a perfect solution where parents can have the best of both worlds-monitoring their little one without high EMFs. Bebcare is a nontoxic essential that offers several low EMF options to fit any home and create a nontoxic nursery.
Stainless Steel Dinnerware:
As growing babies get ready for solids there are quite a few materials to be mindful of in how food is prepared and what it’s served in. Often times chemicals and heavy metals leach into food and beverages from plastic or dinnerware, but we can stop this at the source. Instead there are nontoxic alternatives for growing babies such as these Caveman stainless bowls. They’re shatter proof, lead-free, and will stand the test of time. In gifting this set you’re helping build a friend’s nontoxic kitchen for the foreseeable future.
Safe Stuffed Animals:
Who doesn’t love a “lovey”!? Stuffed animals come in every color, with little to oversized features, and are often a child’s favorite companion. A lovey joins family photos, contributes to core memories, and they become quite the travelers. But in choosing what sleeps next to our little ones it’s ideal that we pick those that are safe and free from things like pesticides and flame retardants. If you’re hoping to gift a nontoxic stuffed animal to a loved one check out these two companies leading the way: Apple Park and Bears for Humanity.
Wee Gallery Nontoxic Toys:
Learning about nontoxic toys can feel daunting but it doesn’t have to be. Once you know what toxicants to avoid or what materials to prioritize you have a nontoxic foundation to work from. Wee Gallery offers curated gift sets that already keep this in mind. They use materials like organic cotton muslin, organic cotton filling, and eco-wooden maple rings so you can rest assured there’s no plastic containing BPA & phthalates. Their site is full of modern black and white designs-from play mats, to crinkle toys, and more.
Nuna Carseat & Stroller:
A common gift for new parents that may not get enough attention is the carseat and stroller combo. Our babies and young children often take naps in them, they’re enjoyed for a trip to the zoo, and so much more. In spending this much time in these items it’s important to remember that what the fabrics are treated with matters. Most mainstream brands use fabrics treated with flame retardants and PFAS. But there are also companies doing things right and making sure our children’s health is protected. Nuna is a company that is flame retardant-free, tests negative for PFAS, and GREENGUARD GOLD certified. You can see their Tavo & Pipa combo here.
