Going Green and Feeling Guilty
by: Melissa Moog
Founder of Itsabelly Baby Concierge & Mama to Isabella (19 mo),
blog - www.itsabelly.typepad.com, web - www.itsa-belly.com

Lions, tigers and bears used to be something I was afraid of now it's phthalates, parabens, bisphenol-a, and recalled toys, oh my!   How can any mom or dad ignore the onslaught of media buzz we see on TV and on our computers!?  And as a new parent you would absolutely do anything to protect your children from every toxic item you knew about.  Gone are the days where bath and body products in happy, pink bottles off store shelves were items we could trust.  Essentials that gave us allusions of purity, cleanliness and that fresh alluring scent now make us paranoid.  As new parents it's natural to think diapering, bathing, feeding and skincare products that say "clinically proven" or "fresh clean scent" on the bottle were statements we could totally believe in. 

With my daughter Isabella, I did not learn about organic and green baby products until she was about seven months old. I was the new mom who trusted that "clinically proven or doctor approved" meant safe.  Now, I feel guilty about not having known any better and not having gone green while she was in my womb.  Bad me, right?  Well, as I started down the journey of finding non-toxic products I was able to incorporate green-ness almost immediately, not only to my baby but in our daily lives as a family.  It's never too late to start!  So, where I once felt guilty has now turned into a quest of living a more sustainable lifestyle and keeping a close eye on everything that goes into my child's body.  This is not only for my child but for every child I may come in contact with through Itsabelly Baby Concierge which is a business I created to help new parents like myself navigate the world of becoming green.  I've become entrenched in my research to help new parents find the best green and organic products on the market.  This research has been a great education but it didn't help the fact that I've become more paranoid about anything and everything our family eats, touches or smells!

The most important thing I tell my new parents when going green with baby is to consider products that will go in baby's mouth, touch baby's skin or affect what she will smell.  Since going completely green and organic is not always so affordable I recommend doing it in baby steps (no pun intended).  Like starting with baby's diapering and using cloth diapers or if you don't want the hassle of washing more laundry try eco-friendly gDiapers.  In terms of feeding, baby bottles like Adiri, Born Free, Green to Grow, Siliskin or Think Baby are all Bisphenol-A free which is much safer for your baby to drink out of.  When in doubt or if there is any known risk to your child's health always go the safe route.

So, through this journey I've decided to go as green as possible with our second baby.  Not surprisingly, that nasty feeling of guilt is stalking me again.  The guilt stems from having exposed my first baby to possible toxins and knowing that the second baby will be living a life of purity.   Well, I say banish the guilt to the ends of the earth!  As mamas, we have enough to feel guilty about every waking and sleeping moment when raising our children.  It's a part of being the domestic diva and emotional woman that we are inside.  Focus instead on the good that you are doing for your baby, for your family and for the earth.  Believe me, you'll find something else to feel guilty about when your child turns 12 and you don't buy him that new video game he wants so badly.