I'm just going to start out by saying that this child.....is blessed. Already, even before he arrives, he has had SO MANY in my life extend their hands to shower him with love and support. While we have much that is left unknown about the coming year, there are no doubts in my life that we are and will be absolutely surrounded by an incredible network of love.
Several months ago, in my process of well, processing, and accepting an unexpected pregnancy, I decided to re-arrange the house to create space for the baby. While my general plan is to engage in co-sleeping and have the baby sleep on the other side of my bed, I still wanted him (we now know that it's a him) to have a space of his own. On a weekend day when I was able to scoop together a few hours of actual energy, I rearranged almost every room in the house and started creating a space for baby boy based on odds and ends I already had around the home.
The chest of drawers? Thrifted years ago by my mom. It's been hanging out in my closet and now holds 3 months worth of hand-me-down clothes from my nephew's baby and hand-me-down receiving blankets from my coworker's kids.
The sheep skin on top? Will make a great changing pad once covered with an old towel, is hypoallergenic, washable, and has been in our family for decades (my aunt brought it back from a trip to Australia).
The Ikea chair that luckily bounces? Thrifted five years ago by my ex, recovered in thoroughly washed outdoor/indoor material by my aunt, and tossed with a thrifted knitted throw.
In the closet? My old childhood shelf full of additional hand-me-down clothes for 3-6 months, thrifted shoes, hand-me-down breast pumps, left over nursing pads & items from gal pals, and a few wood toys and books. A hand-me-down scrubbed & washed infant to booster car seat and a used REI infant hiking pack from my college gal friend. A bag of (newly purchased) glass bottles. Two hand-me-down wraps from my coworker and a larger carrier from my nephew. A bin full of old wood blocks for eventual play times.
That box on the floor? Hand-me-down cloth diapers. I intend to mainly use the Portland-based Tidee Didee Diaper Service though and have an account started with them. One of my local gal friends is making re-usable cloth wipes. (Based on advice from my naturopathic colleague, I also tend to use Naty (compostable disposable) diapers that have reduced chemicals for travel, etc and some chlorine free disposable wipes).
The basket on the side? Hand-me-down and homemade burp clothes, and I plan to go through my stained kitchen towel stash in the garage to add to it. Mom is also making bibs and a few more burp clothes from fabric she has on hand.
On the walls? The elephant print was painted by one of my high school friend's father and I purchased it from him several years ago. The safari animal mobile was purchased on this summer's trip to Tanzania. The phrase sign and the picture frames have both been hanging in my house for several years already.
The newest additions to the room within the last month include the crib.....purchased used from online, super easy to set-up, and included sheets. The bassinet in the corner loved both my cousin's babies and her husband... and will eventually make it's way into my (small) master bedroom. The bassinet removes from the stand and might actually go on the bed next to me to ensure the animals can't roll over the little man.
The only other "major" thing to purchase is a used Bob jogging stroller. I have been eyeballing them on Craigslist and already have the cash set aside for it, but will wait until it's closer to get one.
I did create a very small registry with toxic free wood toys, multiracial children's books, the disposable diapers & wipes, and safer personal care products etc mainly because I've had requests from additional people who want to give something. There's also a registry on the diaper delivery service and one of my relatives is going to set up a meal delivery calendar that people can participate in.
I'm truthfully hoping to forgo an actual baby shower (my female relatives and I have been discussing a post delivery local wine tour instead), as I tend to struggle with too much attention on just me at these types of events....and I tend to struggle with receiving items that are unnecessary or uh, toxic :) I'm not trying to be ungrateful....but baby showers and many of the items that are gifted have always set me on...edge....
For instance, there are many additional hand-me-down toys available as well, but I'm also trying to be mindful of plastic exposures (and mouthing). Generally speaking there are still wood or cloth varieties of most toys available and I'm hopeful that he mainly engages with toys of this nature...at least in the beginning. While plastic has its purposes (and is impossible to fully get away from it), many of these items also contain chemicals that can off-gas and/or be ingested by babies. While most toys no longer are made from BPA, there's usually a new chemical in its place that we don't know the longer term effects of...and phalates and vinyl can be used in plastic items as well.
Additionally, one of my main reasons for wanting mostly used items is the fact that it uses less resources versus continually producing new items (thereby decreasing consumerism and the overall environmental footprint)...and truthfully used items tend to have already had the ability to off-gas or wear off some of the initial potentially toxic residues. When a baby only uses items for so short a time period, it makes more sense to just re-use furniture, clothing, linens, diapers, etc.
Over this past weekend, I also investigated safer baby personal care products (using Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep database), re-enrolled myself in Organics To You which is an organic produce delivery service (I need to get much more mindful about pesticide exposures again), and ordered some additional Oregon based natural personal care products for myself and the baby (Wild Carrots Herbals based out of Enterprise, OR (NE Oregon) and the Etsy shop of EarthMineralCosmetic based out of Grants Pass, OR).
While I'm trying to investigate and make the "healthiest" choices possible for the little one, I recognize that the best made plans tend to go awry :) He could decide he won't breastfeed, he might sleep better in his own room, I might get so tired that I only eat crap food, and the list goes on and on. And truthfully, chemical exposures are unavoidable....I'm just hoping to lessen the burden that is initially upon him (the average newborn baby already has a body burden load of 180 toxins in its cord blood)....and to be mindful of trying to make choices that both lighten the load for the environment he's headed into and increase the potential that he'll have a healthier life ahead.
While it's been incredible to take count of all the thrifted/gifted/hand-me-down items, we've already been blessed with.....The thing I'm most grateful for however is the amazing supportive network we have surrounding us: the love that is shared, the advice that is offered, the excitement that has flowed, the acceptance that has been unconditional (even toward my hippy, healthy ways), and the fact that this child will arrive into a strong tribe of men and women who believe in him and are working to create a happier, healthier, fuller future for him to live within.
So now here's to the next 4.5 months of relaxing, hopefully not stressing, sleeping as much as I can, saving as much as I can, growing what I hope will be a healthy, outdoor loving baby...and just plain being mindful of the many blessings that already are so apparent in this happy, healthy, full life.
Thanks for being part of this journey 💕
