Green Days:Maternity Musts

GREEN DAYS: MATERNITY MUSTS
ENVIRONMENTALIST HEATHER WOLFSON SHARES
HER FAVORITE ITEMS FOR AN ALL-NATURAL PREGNANCY

GUT INSTINCT
There is nothing more beautiful than a healthy pregnant woman and, as everyone knows, true beauty comes from the inside out. In fact, what goes on inside of our gastrointestinal tract is reflected in our skin. Good skin during pregnancy depends on a healthy gut and a healthy gut depends on the presence of adequate amounts of health-promoting bacteria, collectively known as probiotics. Many things in today’s toxic world (think: vaccinations, NSAIDS, tap water, stress, a high sugar diet, insufficient sleep, antibiotics) disturb the normal gut ecology and limit healthy bacterial growth. But, you can promote healthy bacteria by taking a probiotic supplement like Garden of Life’s Primal Defense ($48, www.amazon.com). I've prescribed this truly amazing product to my patients for years. As an added bonus, this product will get you through cold and flu season without a hitch.

GLOW ON
Maintain your beautiful inside-out pregnancy glow with the face products by Healing Anthropology. The fabulous Sampler Bag comes complete with Nourishing Body Cream, Rejuvenating Vitamin C Solution, Rejuvenating Face and Body Mist, Rejuvenating Face Cream and two packets of Purifying Clay Exfoliant ($22, www.twigandtwill.com). The samples come in an organic cotton drawstring bag that can be reused or filled with a bar soap for a gentle exfoliation.

THE SMARTER CARRY-ALL
To all the new moms out there who think you have to give up fashion for function, take a look at these great eco friendly diaper bags from Fleurville. Recognized as one of the environmental leaders in parenting products by becoming one of the first PVC-free companies, Fleurville's bags are hip, useful and environmentally-sound. I love the Lexi Tote and the Re-Run Messenger Bag ($165 and $75, respectively, www.fleurville.com). And here's something cool: The Re-Run Messenger Bag is thusly named because it's made from recycled plastic bottle fabric. Tote this one and you're keeping ten 600-milliliter plastic water bottles out of our landfills.

SLEEP—SAFE AND SOUND There is nothing more important than protecting your children from harm. However, many of us don't realize that the most harmful things can be found in your baby’s bedroom. Most soon-to-be moms spend the last few months of their pregnancy as a painter and interior decorator for the nursery. What they don’t realize is that, because of the off-gassing from the new paint and furniture, they are creating a toxic soup of chemicals for their newborns to come home to. In fact, one of the most toxic items in the nursery is the crib mattress. Conventional mattresses are loaded with chemicals, including borax, a roach killer, and formaldehyde, an embalming fluid, which act as flame retardants. As adults, we spend one-third of our lives on our mattress and newborns can spend at least two-thirds of their formative years on their mattresses. To avoid these toxic and dangerous chemicals, purchase an organic crib mattress. The core of an organic mattress ($580, www.twigandtwill.com) is a natural latex rubber from the milk of a rubber tree, enclosed by layers of certified organic cotton and wool. These mattresses are naturally flame retardant and are produced using the strictest organic standards. But, don't stop there! Put your new, smarter-choice mattress inside a beautiful crib made from natural and untreated wood ($965, www.twigandtwill.com). And now for the sheets: standard or conventional sheets are loaded with chemicals, including formaldehyde, that stay on the sheets, despite many cycles in the washer and dryer. Complete your au-naturale sleep setting, rest baby on organic, chemical-free crib sheets by Kee-ka ($262, for crib set, including bumper, www.kee-ka.com or www.twigandtwill.com).

THE GREEN GIFT
Looking for the perfect eco- and baby-friendly present? Kee-ka also makes the most adorable onesies you’ve ever seen ($24, www.kee-ka.com). Available in short and long sleeve with fun sayings and pictures, the onesies come prepackaged in a ready-to-mail box. See, it is easy being green!

Heather Wolfson D.C. is the owner of Twig and Twill (www.twigandtwill.com), a chiropractor and in-demand speaker who speaks around the country on health and well-being. Wolfson lives in Scottsdale, Arizona, with her husband and young son.