When your wee bundle of joy comes home with you, all you want to do is protect them…we know. Other than hugging them as much as possible and ensuring that all of you get lots of rest and proper foods, we have one more way you can breathe a healthy sigh of relief when you tuck your little into bed at night: green your home & baby routine.

When you have littles around, going green takes on a whole new perspective-with their health and future as the shining benefit. But what can you do? Everything from your cleaning products and bathing essentials to skin care and diapering can be greened, creating a safer, cleaner world for your wee babe.

For Cleaning

We know (from experience!) that most babies put pretty much everything in their mouths, so everything-and we do mean EVERYTHING-needs to be cleaned: over and over and over again. Here are our top suggestions for what you need, and which products to choose:

1. Good, natural dishwashing liquid:
Dishes and bottles need to be kept sparkling, but not with harsh chemicals that baby can possibly ingest-even after rinsing. Clean glass and plastics with natural soaps like Attitude’s Littles Ones Dishwashing Liquid, Dapple’s Fragrance-Free Baby Bottle Dish Liquid or the plant-derived Natural Dish Liquid from Seventh Generation.

2. Toy and pacifier cleaners:
In addition to bowls, spoons and plates, your wee one is likely to chomp away at their own hands, toes, and of course toys and soothers. Keep toys and soothers sparkling clean with a spray, like Attitude’s Little Ones Toy Cleaner, or wipes like these from Aleva Naturals.

3. Multi-surface cleaner:
Keep the surfaces these hand-to-mouth items rest on clean with Green Works Natural Cleaning Wipes or a grapefruit-lime All Purpose Cleaner from LOVEFRESH; both super convenient without any harsh chemical residue.

4. Laundry detergent and stain remover: 
After a day filled with fun, food and frolicking when you and your little are tuckered out, you know there will always be laundry. Of course that doesn’t trouble you, since you’ll be well-armed with green laundry liquids like the hypoallergenic Nature Clean Laundry Liquid, the fragrance-free Aleva Naturals Gentle Baby Laundry, or the concentrated Method Free and Clear Detergent . And of course, for when the food goes everywhere (which it will, we promise!), Buncha Farmers have you covered with their Canadian-made, natural Stain Remover Stick.

For Bath & Skincare

Babies have the softest and the most delicate skin and taking care of it is a priority. Greening your wee one’s skin care routine is so very important since everything that touches them gets absorbed, and wouldn’t you prefer it all be made from natural and organic ingredients? Here are our suggestions for things you should have on hand at bath time, including:

1. Tub:
Start with bath time and clean that wee babe easily and comfortably (even as they grow) in the PVC- and phthalate-free Moby Sling Three Stage Tub by Skip Hop.

2. Bath time accessories:
While babe is in there, splashing around, grab an antibacterial silicone Skinsoother from Fridababy (it’s so awesome, we want one for ourselves!) or one of the super soft Organic Cotton Washcloths from Colibri. Don’t forget to have a little fun-while encouraging hand-eye coordination-with a wee ducky bath toy from Hevea Planet that is made from sustainably produced 100% natural rubber.

3. Shampoo & body wash:
Don’t forget to squirt on some Baby Shampoo and Body Wash from Carina Organics and scrub all of baby’s glorious little nooks and crannies.

4. Towel:
After bath time is over, it’s time for some snuggles with your damp little water baby, so you’ll want to wrap them up in a hooded towel that is warm and cozy, made from 100% cotton and cotton terry cloth, like this adorable 3 Sprouts Raccoon Towel.

5. Baby oil or lotion: 
And don’t forget to protect and moisturize baby’s beautiful, soft skin with Earth Mama Organics Angel Baby Oil from Earth Mama Organics or Calendula Baby Oil from Weleda with a before-bed massage. If you prefer lotion to oil, look no further than the Gentle Moisturizing Baby Lotion from Live Clean to ensure your baby’s skin is as soft as…well…a baby’s bottom.

6. Grooming products: 
After you’ve soothed and spoiled that wee babe with a bath, some snuggles and a massage and they’re completely relaxed, you might want to brush or comb their hair with Roost’s Baby Brush and Comb Set, and carefully trim their nails with Zoli Buzz B Nail Trimmer, all designed with baby’s delicate skin and hair in mind.

For Diapering

Diapers might be the first thing you think about when you find out you’re expecting (well, one of the first things anyway), but it’s likely one of the last things you’d consider “greening” on the list of baby supplies…and it should be the first! As new parents, you will go through between 2,500 and 3,000 diapers in the FIRST. YEAR. ALONE. Shouldn’t those disposables at least be eco-friendly? And it’s not just the diapers, it’s the wipes too, which as you can imagine, are highly used for many, many years (because, even once potty training is over, bums will still need to be wiped).

1. Diapers: 
Little bottoms need lots of diapers, and they can be eco-friendly while still being disposable. All of our top brands are chlorine-free and have an absorbent fluff layer manufactured sustainably from plant products, so you can feel good about your choice. Whether you diaper that wee bum with options from Naty By Nature or Seventh Generation, or your wee ones’ behind gets decked out in with cute designs from The Honest Company or Parasol Co.-you’ve covered your (…ahem…) butt when it comes to eco-friendliness.

2. Wipes:
You know you need them, but you feel bad that you’re buying something simply to be discarded after one use. They’re a necessity though and you’ll need a box pretty much in every room, in every diaper bag, and in every vehicle for a long, long time: for bums, faces, noses, hands, spills and even tears.

Luckily, there are some great, eco-friendly options out there from companies who know what they’re doing. The Honest Company makes Baby Wipes that are infused with pomegranate, while Waterwipes are made with 99.9% pure water. Hand-n-Face Wipes from Aleva are extra soft and Free and Clear Wipes from Seventh Generation are generously-sized for baby-sized messes.

3. Bum care:
After wiping and before diapering, the bottom of your wee one needs a little TLC. That’s where bum cream comes in and you’ll want this to be made from all-natural ingredients, to be as soothing as possible, and to be a barrier between baby’s tender skin and a wet or dirty diaper. Earth Mama Organics Baby Diaper Balm is a safe, effective, herbal cream that battles diaper rash and protects against flare ups, while Weleda’s Diaper-Care gives quick, effective relief for diaper rash and minor skin irritations. Zinc oxide protects and promotes healing, while calendula soothes the skin. You can’t go wrong with either.

There you have it-all the consumables you’ll need to keep a newborn happy and healthy-and keep the earth the same way. We know this list seems long and possibly even a little overwhelming right now, but babies are a long and winding journey that you will learn something new from every day. Enjoy it, it’s going to be rough at times, but remember-we’ve always got your back!