Category Archives: Minimalism and a baby

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Holistic Moms Network

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Those goofy parenting mags from my doctor that I mentioned earlier – with all those kooky and often frivolous products, I found something that really speaks to me: the Holistic Moms Network. Below explains the basic tenants of this which strangely sounds like how Blake and I would like to be parents. And it sounds so much nicer than hippie parents!

What is Holistic Parenting?

Holistic parenting begins with an understanding and respect for how all living things are connected and how we impact one another. As such, holistic parenting embraces green and non-toxic living, non-violent communication, and natural health.

The Holistic Moms Network believes there are 7 fundamental ideals for holistic parenting:

1. Making informed and educated parenting decisions around issues such as childbirth, breastfeeding, healthcare and well-being, nutrition, interpersonal communication, and education.

2. Seeking respectful and nurturing relationships with others, imparting the values of empathy, love, and compassion to our children, and embracing attachment parenting techniques (including babywearing, extended breastfeeding, co-sleeping, and positive discipline).

3. Actively participating in our own healing process when we’re out of balance; using minimally invasive healthcare modalities to help the body and spirit heal while respecting the many paths to healing, both holistic and conventional.

4. Balancing and integrating the physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects of being into everyday life; using the principles of wholeness – healthy eating, regular exercise, natural healing, stress reduction, non-violent communication – to create a balanced life for the entire family.

5. Teaching our children to respect and care about the natural world by actively providing opportunities for them to be in nature, and teaching them about how they can protect our environment.

6. Limiting our children’s exposure to advertising, marketing, and a consumer-driven culture that is creating rampant materialism, disconnecting them from nature and healthy social interactions.

7. Living more simply and consuming less in an effort to reduce our impact on the environment and to emphasize non-material values.

HMN represents the growing demographic of holistic-minded parents who strive to give their children the love, support, and information they need to become healthy, compassionate, and informed individuals who can live in balance with our world.

{Love this!}

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Diapers

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We will be using gDiapers, an easy yet eco-friendly type of diaper that is a cross between a cloth diaper and a throw-away diaper. The diaper consists of 2 parts: a cloth shell, shaped like a diaper, with Velcro fasteners, and either a flushable or cloth inserts that you change each time the baby potties. You read/see more about these diapers below. We plan to avoid the traditional disposable diapers because they are terrible for the environment, expensive, and can be irritating on the skin – not good if the baby inherits my very temperamental skin (just look at me wrong and BREAKOUT!).

More information from the gDiaper website:

gDiapers starter kit

“The most eco-friendly diaper available, gDiapers provides parents with a diapering solution that is good for babies, parents and the planet. You can have the flexibility of a disposable diaper with a 100% biodegradable gRefill, or opt for reusability with super soft and trim-fitting gCloth inserts. gDiapers are plastic-free, elemental chlorine free, latex free, and perfume free.

Use a biodegradable gRefill or re-usable gCloth inside our newborn tiny gPants and our cotton little gPants. All materials are breathable, just like sports clothing, so babies are far less likely to get diaper rash. And did we mention they’re cute? Babies can flaunt their eco-friendly diapers in a rainbow of adorable colors. Because green diapers don’t need to be bland.

No landfill required.

50 million diapers get tossed each day and each one takes up to 500 years to biodegrade. Ick. Home compost, toss, or flush the biodegradable gRefill for the smallest footprint on earth. gDiapers break down in 50-150 days.

flush, compost or toss

A totally new way to think about diapers.

All new things can take getting used to. Remember when you learned to separate your recycling? And now it’s second nature.

Learn how to flush the biodegradable gRefills and how to get the perfect gDiaper fit. You can also compost the wet ones or simply toss the soiled refill. It will break down in the landfill a lot faster than the 500 years for a conventional disposable diaper. Or learn more about re-usable gCloth. Go green diapers. Go gDiapers. Breathe easy no matter what.”

Using gDiapers

Some Targets and Babies R Us-type stores sell the flushable liners, but the diapers themselves really need to be purchased from the gDiapers website. For the newborn, this kit will be helpful because it has the size for newborns and heavier babies:

“Newborns are tiny, so at first you’ll need specially-sized tiny gPants. They fit new babies best from 6 – 10 lbs. Tiny gPants snap down in front to allow room for the umbilical cord to heal, and a wide leg opening gives plenty of room for newborn legs to curl up. In a few weeks baby will be ready for size small little gPants (fits best from 8 – 14 lbs). The new baby bundle includes 12 tiny gPants, 6 small little gPants (in a rainbow of gender neutral colors), a case of size small biodegradable gRefills (160 count), and a swishstick. Enough to have that precious bum covered from day one.”

This kit costs $149.99. We plan to purchase this kit on our own but if anyone wants to help us stock up, we appreciate the assistance. gDiapers

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Minimalism and a baby

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If you are reading this, then you know me and Blake and the fact that we are hippie minimalist conservationists. Some examples:

  • We don’t like stuff – just ask our parents who keep attempting to give us gifts and we either decline or freecycle the item.
  • We live in a relatively small apartment, our walls are bare, and we continually get rid of more and more of our possessions.
  • We don’t watch TV to avoid the ads.
  • We recycle everything – if there’s a way to recycle it, we do.
  • Our apartment is usually uncomfortably hot, although I never think so, to conserve energy.
  • Showers occur less frequently in our home than in others to save water.

But to summarize, we keep it simple.

The whole baby process, as I understand, can be quite contrary to this way of life. But it doesn’t have to be.

I tell everyone this so they understand that, and I mean it in no way rudely or disrespectfully or maliciously, if you want to get us a gift, don’t. We’re what our parents would consider obnoxiously picky about everything. We’d just appreciate your gift of continued love and friendship. If you do want to go the material route, please please please check with us first or include a receipt. You can also check on here as I add things we DO want. We appreciate your understanding as we try to keep it simple and minimize our footprint. Thank you! Love you!

XO