Green Nursing Part 2

This idea will save you money and the environment! I was at the store looking for some nursing supplies and the cost of nursing pads caught my eye. I thought it was just outrageous for disposable nursing pads! You can only use them once! Are you kidding me?! Maybe its just me and my pinching pennies ways but it got me thinking.

Couldn't you just make these? I know they use to have reusable pads. Turns out I'm not the only one that had the same question. There are tons of websites and blogs to help you decide what is best for you. There are differences in size and how thick. But really all you need is a little fabric or even receiving blankets you have already and a sewing machine.

I started with tracing a large mason jar lid on the fabric using flannel and fleece. I used two layers of flannel and one of fleece then sew these two together. I tried many different ways of sewing trying to decide on contour or flat since I can't test these out yet as the newest addition has decided to take her sweet time to join us I can't tell you which ones work the best for me. I only made six for the time being to see if they are even thick enough. If you have any other great ideas I would love to hear them!

Green Nursing

So as the time draws closer for baby, the more I am looking into what can be reused and recycled with breastfeeding. I went to the store to find somethings that are reusable. Unfortunately, they don't offer these at just any store. So I did some research into what I may already have around the house.

Some nursing containers that you can find in the store can be made of PVC and can leak toxins into the milk, such as BPA. They are getting better at making storage bags that don't do this but think of all the plastic waste by the time you are done breastfeeding. The chemicals that can leak into the milk have been associated with hormone disruption, prostate cancer, breast cancer, and other health concerns. Plastic bags made of polyethylene show no chemicals leaking but have shown that some nutrients from the milk cling to the plastic instead of going into the bottle where you want them to be.

Glass canning jars, which are already in my kitchen, can be cleaned out in high heat and be a perfect way to have a cheaper and greener way of storing breast milk. The jars can be bought in many different sizes. Only fill them a little over halfway and store in the fridge. They can be put directly into hot water to heat the milk too.

If you have a large amount of breastmilk and want to freeze you should check out milk trays at www.sensiblelines.com. They aren't too expensive and you can freeze breast milk in 1 ounce cubes. After putting the milk in the trays and freezing, pop the cubes out and place into freezer bags which are probably already in your kitchen and then date it. Now the tray is ready for another use.

Hopefully this helped you as much as it helped me. Now to find out what else I can make reusable to save money, waste, and make safer for the new addition.