Greener choices for baby products – because you’re never too young to make a difference

When a new person comes into the world, it’s natural to want to make their environment as pure and nurturing as possible.

Here are a few choices for your baby (or that baby shower) that help care for the big planet as well as the little people.

Lotions and Potions

Keeping baby clean, moisturized and smelling sweet goes a long way to creating happiness. Here are some more sustainable options that can help make the planet a little happier, too.

Attitude Products

This Canadian company produces the Little Leaves baby care line that is hypoallergenic, vegan and comes in packaging that contains recycled plastic. Look for products that are EWG Certified (Environmental Working Group) for the most stringent ingredient standards.

 

Live Clean Baby

The gentle effectiveness of plant-based ingredients without parabens, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), or harsh chemicals. Made in Canada.

 

Burt’s Bees Baby

A selection of products made with no phthalates, parabens, petrolatum or SLS, from a company that is CarbonNeutral® certified and supports honeybee health and biodiversity.

 

Baby Bum Mineral Sunscreen

More and more authorities are recommending mineral-based sunscreen these days. Baby Bum is free of frangrance, gluten, sulfates and oxybenzone. It’s reef-friendly too.

 

Go Organic at Feeding Time

Besides keeping your baby’s food free of pesticides, organic agriculture has been shown to help regenerate the health of soils and ecosystems.

Love Child Organics

Started in a Canadian kitchen, this brand offers the best of organic ingredients in puree pouches, snacks, and cereals.

 

Baby Gourmet

Baby Gourmet’s tasty organic baby food and toddler food delivers high quality, non-GMO ingredients, free from fillers, added sugar or salt, and artificial preservatives. And it’s Proudly Canadian as well.

 

Alb Gold Organic Kids Pasta

For toddlers and up, this certified organic pasta offers nutritious and fun eating with animal shaped noodles. Plastic-free packaging helps reduce waste.

 

Diapers

Ever wonder what’s in your baby’s diaper before they fill it? Check out these greener alternatives.

Hello Bello Diapers

Plant-derived core liner, sustainably harvested fluff pulp & processed chlorine-free.

 

Seventh Generation Diapers

Made without fragrances, lotions, or chlorine bleaching, and using only FSC® Certified, sustainably sourced wood pulp that’s a bit easier on our planet’s forests. 

Zoocchini Organic Cotton Training Pants

Made from super soft organically grown cotton certified by Global Organic Textile Standard

 

Toys and Things

Here are a few ideas for fun and function that help baby take some first steps with a smaller footprint.

BioBuddi Eco Blocks Set

These educational building blocks are made from the leftovers of sugarcane plants and are recyclable. (But still just as painful to step on)

 

Red Rover Bamboo Fiber Plates and Bowls

Made of lightweight easy-to-handle bamboo, they’re stackable, durable, dishwasher-safe and free of BPA and phthalates

 

Tot2Walk 

Help build motor skills while saving your back! This innovative toddler walking aid is made in Canada from a closed-cell foam free of phthalates, heavy metals, PVC and latex

 

Breast Pumping Discussion and FAQ – Medela & London Drugs

breastfeeding questions answers breast pumping

Among other concerns, new parents often wonder exactly how—or whether—breastfeeding will work for them. These questions can become more complex when breastfeeding moms get busy with life and/or a return to work.

A potential solution is a breast pump from Medela Canada, including the mobile Freestyle system, Easy Expression bustier, Calma feeding system, and much more. They’re all available at London Drugs. You can even rent the Medela Symphony Breastpump, which is a hospital-grade double breast pump proven to reduce pumping time through faster milk flow. The benefits of the double pump are:

  • Initiate, build & maintain your milk supply
  • Get up to 18% more milk per session
  • Cut your pumping time in half vs single pumping
  • Express more fatty milk; great for brain development

Of course, knowing where to access breast pumping products isn’t enough.

Other questions include: 

  • When to start pumping.
  • How long breast milk will keep and how to store it.
  • When to change bottles and parts.
  • Whether breast pumping costs are often covered by medical plans.
  • And more…

Luckily, London Drugs buyer Laurie Leeder and Medela expert Karli Kirkpatrick, along with LD pharmacist, Marmar Rabiei, joined forces recently on Facebook Live to answer these and other questions.

Find their two-part discussion in the video section of the London Drugs Facebook page. Or simply click below to watch now. (You’ll also find answers to some frequently asked questions in this post, below the videos.)

Breast Pumping Discussion from Medela & London Drugs

Part 1:

Part 2: 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How long will breast milk last?

A: The answer depends on a couple variables. First, whether the breast milk is fresh, refrigerated, frozen or thawed. And second, whether it is intended for a healthy term infant or one that is currently in a neonatal intensive care unit. Of course, the majority of cases fall within the first category. See the chart below for complete details:

breast pumping freshness table Q: Which breast pump option best suits my needs?

A: The short answer is it varies based on your lifestyle and breast milk feeding goals! But there are two main options.

Double Pump: If you would like to provide breast milk to your baby full-time, share feedings, or return to work or school and continue providing breast milk, you will likely need a double pump. Double pumps are ideal for frequent, daily use and can be used full time, or to complement a full-time breastfeeding relationship. You can use them to pump one breast at a time (sequential) or both at once (simultaneous, which comes with some amazing benefits!).

Single Pump: These pumps are ideal to occasionally supplement full-time breastfeeding. They should only be used to fill roughly 1-3 bottles a week. This is because baby is responsible for maintaining your milk supply. So you should only be occasionally supplementing your breastfeeding with single pumping sessions.

Still Unsure? Click HERE for a great breakdown of all Medela pumps and how they should be used!

Additional Information

Did you know, many extended benefit insurance providers cover the cost of a breast pump. Check your coverage to see if this applies to you.

About Medela Canada: Many recognize Medela as the leading brand of breast pumps and accessories worldwide.  What you may not know, however, is that Medela is the world’s largest supporter of scientific research surrounding breastfeeding, breast milk, and everything to do with lactation. We support Ph.D. research, nurses & doctors at universities and hospitals worldwide to conduct rigorous research. Then, we design, manufacture and bring to market products which incorporate their findings. 

Our goal is always helping moms provide their babies with breast milk for as long as they choose. Breast milk provides three key benefits to babies: perfect nutrition, immunological protection and enhanced developmental growth.  Moms benefit too, by lowering their incidence of certain illnesses and conditions, including breast cancer, diabetes, depression and more.

About the video: This Q&A was the first London Drugs Facebook Live broadcast. It was filmed in our Learning Lab studio, located this time at the Park Royal location in West Vancouver. We plan to create more helpful Facebook Live events, featuring various LD Experts. So we would would love to hear what topics or products you think we should cover next.

Until next time, thanks for watching!

London Drugs bettercare – Baby Care


The addition of a baby to the family allows parents to enjoy the wonder of life in new ways, but it is so easy for new parents to get swept up in buying all the right equipment, reading all the right books, going to the right classes, and having a perfectly clean house. But no matter how much you prepare, there will be times when you feel like you just don’t have a clue about what’s going on with your baby. Don’t worry; that’s normal. Take reasonable precautions, follow your doctor’s advice, love your baby, and you’ll do just fine.

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