Honestly for most of my pregnancy, I have either been in bed too sick to get out of bed, exhausted, soaking in moments with Stephen in between deployments or attempting to catch up on work.

It wasn’t until about week 26 when a few friends offered to host a baby shower and I realized I was almost in the third trimester that I started thinking… “maybe I should prepare for baby Roo actually being here!”  I started putting together a list on Babylist, which really helped keep me organized!

My sweet friend Kylie, told me in the midst of the worst sickness and fear of loosing baby Roo due to my miscarriage over a year ago, that decorating the nursery would really help! She was totally right.  When Stephen and I finally sat down to start choosing things, many of my fears dissipated.

In choosing things for baby Roo, we had two main and very important goals in mind—only choose the basics (yes, we both are minimalists and don’t like clutter) and choose mostly organic and non-toxic items.

First—there are many items that people say are “must haves” that we are personally choosing not to get for now because honestly I think that less is more and would rather go back and get things I think we need than have things we don’t use.  Plus, I have never had a child and know that every baby is different, so I want to get the right things for Roo!

Second—non-toxic living has been a huge priority for use the past two years, and especially this last year of me having a miscarriage and dealing with hormone issues, I have seen a HUGE difference that natural beauty products, organic sheets and towels and non-toxic cleaning products have made in my life!

And trust me, I don’t say this in a snobby way at all, I firmly believe that each parent should be able to raise their child the way they desire with more love and less judgment…I have done the research and seen the effects of non-toxic living and both Stephen and I feel that this is the best decision we could make for our growing family!

Other Motherhood posts:

• Self Care During Pregnancy
• Non Toxic Pregnancy Skincare Favorites
• Ethical + Organic Children’s Clothing
• How I Balance Work + Being a Mom

**Update: I updated this post as we are expecting baby #2 with the items we truly love!**

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10

Sleeping & Room Decor

Moses Basket: Originally, we thought the baby would sleep in her crib from the start, since our room is right next door, but because my husband is going to be deployed the first 2 months, I decided I would have much more peace of mind having Roo right next to me.  I settled on this Moses Basket made with natural elephant grass and this rocking stand.  I felt comfortable with this basket because it is free of pesticides and flame retardants, but also a good price point compared to others.

Also love Plum and Sparrow!

Organic Crib Mattress: This was one of the most important parts of the nursery for us, because a baby spends about half of her life in the crib, at least the beginning years.  We chose this organic mattress from Naturepedic as it has a firmer side for newborns and softer side for toddlers, so we will get to use it for a long time. Update: it has lasted SO well and is now in baby #2’s room!

Waterproof Mattress Cover: This is a lifesaver and a must have, it lies flat on top and is so easy to change.

Organic Sheets: I love Make Make Organics, Coyuchi (silky soft + worth the investment), and Pottery Barn Kids has some great organic options too. We have Boll and Branch on our bed and they are SO silky soft, so I imagine their crib sheets are amazing too. I also fell in love with the softness of Solly Baby’s sheets with baby #2—they are not organic but made with modal, a natural and sustainable fiber that is clean and safe!

Blankets: I love Quincy Mae’s swaddles and these adorable ones from Little Unicorn (occasionally they have organic options). Solly Baby has the softest swaddles too—I’m in love! I also am getting this thicker organic cotton honeycomb blanket for when she is a bit older (update: Remington still uses and loves this one, worth the investment). I splurged on a Willaby organic blanket I have been eyeing for a few years now for baby #2 and am totally in love!

Sheep Felt Mobile: My husband and I went to Ireland shortly after I had a miscarriage and it honestly I my favorite place on earth.  I got to hold a 5 day old baby lamb and so when I found this sheep adorable mobile, I knew it was perfect for the baby’s room! It was the first item I found when I was too sick to even get out of bed at the beginning!

Rug: I fell in love with this rug designer when I was so sick the first 22 weeks and then found out she is actually from Spain, so little Roo has a piece of Spain in her room.  It’s machine washable, so that is a plus!

Changing Pad: I had the hardest time deciding on what changing pad, mostly because the dresser we are using is the size of most changing pads.  I decided on this organic Naturepedic one and we love it. I also got this basket style for a downstairs option for the new baby.

Gathre Changing Pad: This has been one of my top 3 favorite items with Remington and it is SO easy to use for poop explosions (inevitable) as well as staying sanitary when out in public or traveling. I got a second one for our new baby I love it so much!

Bath & Care

Towels: I love Willaby’s hooded towel (so soft!). Parachute Home has a great towel that is cotton and soft! Pottery Barn Kids always has some cute organic options too. Keep in mind, a baby’s skin is more sensitive to toxins after a bath (since warm water opens the pores) so materials matter.

Primally Pure Baby Balm: I have been using this on my tummy to help with stretch marks and love the silky feel when applying and am super excited to use it for baby girl. (Update: It is AMAZING!!!)

Primally Pure Goat Milk Baby Bar: Both calming and nourishing, so this is great for a baby’s sensitive skin, plus it can double as a light face cleanser for me!

Diaper Cream: I was using and LOVING Beautycounter’s but it was just discontinued.

Bath Toys: Oli & Carol, Hevea natural rubber duck, Sophie la girafe bath toy, Boat Bath Stacking Set

Diapers

Bambo Diapers: My best friend recommended these and I love that they are free of all the junk and toxins that can harm baby!  Love this for the newborn stage as you go through them so quickly.

Coterie: These are my favorite diapers by far and seriously explosion proof. They are a bit more money but well worth it, especially as baby starts to grow and use less! This link gets you $10 off!

Water Wipes: These are probably the cleanest wipes on the market and made with water and a bit of fruit extract.  Very gentle, toxic free and hypoallergenic to protect that new baby skin!

Transportation

Uppababy Vista Stroller: I will be honest and say, I was initially drawn to the beautiful tan leather handles, but fell in love with this stroller once I started researching.  Now that it is in our house, it is so easy to use, sturdy and beautiful!  The break also is push down, so you can easily apply the break in flip-flops! One thing I love about their bassinet addition is it has built in air ventilation and it is extremely hot here during the summer and fall months and I walk a-lot so I want to keep Roo cool!  Plus, if we decide to grow our family, we can get additions to the stroller without buying a new one which is a huge money saver, long term.

^ Worth every penny!!!

Uppababy Car Mesa Seat: The safety features and ease of use attracted me to this car seat and my husband and I just tested it out and it is so easy to install!  We chose to spend a few extra dollars to get the special edition Henry (gorgeous blue/grey color) that uses naturally fire resistant materials, thus avoiding a lot of chemicals.  The Mesa is one of the only car seats to successfully do this!

Wildbird Sling: I just adore this sling and once you get the hang of it, it’s so safe and secure. When they say it has sleepy dust it really does. Its quick to put on too!

Solly Baby Wrap: Just love this wrap!!! It is so comfortable on your back and I traveled all over with Remington on my chest—it’s so secure. Does take a while to figure out though!

Bloom Organic Chair/Lounger: We love this one!

Clothes & Bows

Clothes: I try to do as much organic cotton as possible especially in the early months and for nighttime! I am big on the softness factor and honestly very minimalistic. People are always shocked by how few clothes our children have—but the quality of these makes them last through washing and use!

My favorites include: Quincy Mae, Make Make Organics (FLOURISH for 15% off your order), Baby Mori, Petit Pehr, The Simple Folk, Hanna Anderson organic cotton (love their sweaters and pants but their onesies are so thin and cheap to me)

<< I have a full post on Organic + Ethical Children’s Clothing! >>

Bows: My favorite are from All the Little Bows. Just adore this brand!

Toys + Dolls

Pacifier: Look for one that is made from natural rubber from the Hevea tree—these are safe, not made from plastic and don’t contain toxins! Favorites: Ecopiggy, Natursutten, Bibs and Hevea.

Cuddle and Kind: My sister introduced me to this brand and I fell in love with their mission and adorable stuffed animals.  All their dolls are ethically made with natural cotton and tested for toxins, plus each doll you purchase donates 10 meals to children in need!

Hazel Village: Their dolls and animals are made with organic cotton, plus they have additional dress up clothes for when baby grows up!

Rattles + Teethers: Cheengoo rattle (FAVORITE baby toy!!), Wooden rattle (also very loved in our house), Mushie Rainbow Teether

Lovery Play Gym: My husband initially thought I was crazy for spending that much money on a play gym, but then he said…wow that’s worth every penny! It’s built with baby’s education and development in mind!

Wooden Toys: Raduga Grez Rainbow Stacker (Remington loves this still at age 2!), Wooden Baby Walker (on my wishlist for baby 2!), wooden block set,  Hape, Natural wood farm animal set, Shop Bitte, Bannor wooden toys

Books: Bunny Roo I Love You, anything Nancy Tillman, Little Blue Truck, When I Pray for You, Who Sang the First Song,  What Do You Do with an Idea?, The Wonderful Things You Will Do, Guess How Much I Love You, Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See?, Pout Pout Fish

Feeding

Nursing Pillow: Never used one but I have heard really great things about the Nook Organic Nursing Pillow. It’s also machine washable!

Spectra S1 Nursing Pump: After researching and getting many of your expert opinions, I settled on the Spectra brand because it is dual voltage (we live overseas), VERY light and is a closed system which protects against bacteria. Update: it is the BEST. So easy to use!

Bottles: Look for glass or silicone bottles. My favorite for the newborn days are Olababy because they are so light and the flow is perfect. Heorshe is another silicone slow flow bottle I’m excited to try. Also love these glass bottles: Heava, Natursutten, Dr Browns Glass Bottles, Joovy Boob, Lifefactory 

Stokke High Chair: I have heard such fabulous things about this high-chair and I don’t plan on buying it for a few months, but it will match perfectly at our dinning room table and family meal time is of big importance to me! (Update: been using this for 2+ years and I know it will last many more, so worth it!)

Gripe Water: When I nannied in college, I remember this being a miracle worker and it really is!

Happi Tumi Gas Relief Belly Band: I’ve used this before with babies and it is amazing!

Young Living TummyGize Blend: This is amazing to roll on the tummy for any gas or discomfort. It truly works!

Have a favorite natural + organic baby item? Do share!!

xo Caroline