13 smart tips for a green pregnancy

Going green during your pregnancy doesn’t have to be a totally overwhelming — or outrageously expensive — experience. And while it’s best to be as green as possible during your pregnancy, simply following just one of these tips will make a difference for you, your Little One, and the earth.

But be sure to leave the guilt at the door if you\r\ncan’t manage to accomplish all of these tips. Do what you can, ladies! Even if\r\nthat’s just sharing this info with the pregnant women in your life.

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1. Makeup and body products like lotions, acne\r\ncreams, and anti-wrinkle serums are loaded with chemicals that could be harmful\r\nto your Little One. Opt for nontoxic ones, or forego them altogether for a\r\ntruly au naturale pregnancy!

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2. Glass food containers (Pyrex is my favorite!) are\r\nway better than plastic containers that often have BPA, a chemical that\r\n"can have some kind of a feminizing effect on fetuses and babies since it\r\nmimics estrogen.

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3. You're expecting a baby and you want the house to\r\nbe perfect before he arrives. BUT, you might want to consider postponing home\r\nimprovements. Major projects might uncover old lead paint, which is highly\r\ntoxic. But even smaller improvements like painting the nursery or installing\r\nnew carpeting bring harmful toxins into your home. If you just can't resist\r\nbecoming a DIY weekend warrior, opt for eco-friendly paints and natural-fiber\r\ncarpets.

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4. According to Eco Child's Play, "When aiming\r\nfor a green pregnancy, you should try to eat organic foods because the fewer\r\npesticides that go in your body, the better it is. Vegetables and fruits such\r\nas spinach, potatoes, celery, bell peppers, strawberries, apples and peaches\r\nare the most common foods that get contaminated by pesticides. However, fruits\r\nlike oranges and bananas have a lower chance of getting contaminated since they\r\nhave a tough peel."

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5. Look for ethically made, eco-friendly maternity wear\r\nfor your green pregnancy. Cotton is best, especially organic! Avoid synthetic\r\nfibers, like polyester blends, which are made with plastics. It is difficult\r\nfor skin to "breathe" in anything but natural fabrics.

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6. Air fresheners -- including air sprays, plugins,\r\nand even scented candles -- contain toxins. The use of air fresheners have been\r\nlinked to diarrhea in infants and headaches in mothers. Instead, opt for\r\nnatural room deodorizers, or simply boil orange rinds and cinnamon sticks in a\r\npot on your stove for an easy DIY home scent.

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7. Know what's in your home's water, and then be\r\nsure to use a purification filter, like Brita or PUR. High levels of\r\ncontaminants have been linked to miscarriages. And don't be fooled by bottled\r\nwater! According to Fit Pregnancy, bottled water is " seldom cleaner than\r\ntap, it's not as well-regulated, and some brands are municipal water with a\r\nfancy label. Worse, in the U.S., only a quarter of those bottles are\r\nrecycled!"

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8. This one seems like a no-brainer, right? Well,\r\nyou'd be surprised how many cleaning products in your home are all-out toxic.\r\nListen to the experts: "Anything that is labeled as 'flammable' or\r\n'caution' is to be strictly avoided. There are many organic/natural cleaners\r\nout there that have greatly improved in efficiency over the years. You no\r\nlonger have to depend on anything toxic for cleaning purposes."

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9. BPA isn't just for plastic bottles. This toxin is\r\nalso found in canned foods, so skip anything that comes out of a can.

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10. Walking is considered the "perfect prenatal\r\nexercise," and if you are able to ditch your car and walk for your evening\r\nerrands -- or daily commute -- you should seize the opportunity! According to\r\nFit Pregnancy, "a four-mile round-trip walk will keep about 15 pounds of\r\npollutants out of the air. Some studies have found that if people nationwide\r\ngot their recommended daily exercise by walking instead of driving, we could\r\nreduce our oil consumption by up to 38 percent. So once you've found your\r\nroute, get outside regularly for a brisk walk. Sunshine will boost your vitamin\r\nD levels (very important during pregnancy), and believe it or not, outdoor air\r\nis less polluted than the air inside the average American home." Walk on,\r\nladies. Walk on.

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11. Plain and simply: House plants improve the air\r\nquality in your home. Worried you don't have a green thumb? There are plenty of\r\nlow-maintenance plants that barely require anything.

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12. Babies require a lot of stuff. Figure out what\r\nyou really need -- and what you don't. Ask other moms, check out blogs, and\r\navoid buying anything that's not a necessity. And if you're going to register\r\nfor baby goods, be sure to include eco-friendly products!

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13. Countless studies continue to find that\r\nbreastfeeding is healthiest for baby and for mother. And according to Fit\r\nPregnancy, "Your choice to nurse also takes a load off the planet's\r\nshoulders. The manufacturing of infant formula is an industrial process, and\r\nits distribution involves trucking nationwide. Canning the prepared formula\r\nrequires the resource-intensive use of steel, and the cans may be lined with\r\nresin that can leach BPA into the formula. Powdered formula is safer, but you\r\nneed to decide what kind of water to add. Some bottled waters contain\r\nphthalates or BPA, and depending on where you live, tap water may contain\r\npesticides, disinfection byproducts or pathogens."

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AELA\r\nMASS - https://www.babble.com