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Sassy Mama’s Guide to a Green Pregnancy

Post Category - PregnancyPregnancyHealth & WellnessPost Category - Health & WellnessHealth & Wellness - Post Category - WellnessWellness

When you’re expecting, everything from the ingredients in your food to the air you breathe eventually makes its way to your baby. Once you’ve let that reality sink in, it’s never too late – or impossible – to make some eco-conscious decisions for the health of you, your baby, and your baby’s environment. Get good with Mother Nature by incorporating some of these green habits into your pregnancy and beyond.

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Close to the Source

Fresh H2O
Since you’ll be drinking for two, staying hydrated is key. Using a purification system like Brita or PUR assures you’ll get a steady stream of clean water by eliminating the harmful contaminants in your drinking supply. Click here for a comprehensive report on Hong Kong’s drinking water quality.

Avoid drinking from plastic bottles, which can seep toxins and other harmful bacteria into drinking water, especially after sunlight exposure. Instead, invest in a portable glass or stainless steel canteen bottle, which won’t drain out toxins.

Organic Eats
If you don’t recognise an ingredient on a food label, your body probably won’t be able to either. Adopting a more holistic approach to your diet means ridding your body of the pesticides, additives, and genetically modified contents found in conventional foods. Your baby, who won’t be able to process and eliminate the pesticides as well as you can, will reap longterm benefits from your clean diet.

When shopping, select organic options for foods like potatoes, apples, milk and beef, which have a higher nutrition profile (and much lower chemical traces) than their conventional counterparts.

Can Canned Foods
Once you’ve made a lifestyle commitment to eat as fresh and sustainably as possible, avoiding canned, prepackaged foods comes next. The interiors of most food cans and plastics are lined with bisphenol-A or BPA, known for leaching itself into food, water, and eventually into the bloodstream. A known endocrine disruptor, prenatal BPA exposure has been linked to anomalies like chromosome alterations and even birth defects – yikes.

Minimise your BPA exposure by storing foods in glass – not plastic – containers. After the baby’s delivery, turn to glass bottles and stainless steel sippy cups; companies like Kleen Kanteen stay ahead of the curve, and deliver in Hong Kong.

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Natural Beauty Hacks

Makeup & Skin Products
Green up your beauty regimen by applying mineral makeup, which contains no fragrances or preservatives.  Containing elements like zinc and titanium, this makeup acts as a natural sun-proofer – also valuable when hormones may cause your skin to go haywire.

Hair Products & Shampoos
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that some of the hair products we swear by to ward off Hong Kong humidity are riddled with chemicals. Ditch the blend of parabens and phthalates found in shampoos, serums and such – chemicals linked to permanent birth defects in the male reproductive system. Rather, aim for products that are fragrance-free or contain essential oils.

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Eco-Friendly Threads

Maternity Clothing
As you’re shopping to accommodate your ever-changing body, be on the lookout for eco-friendly maternity wear. Swap synthetic, toxin-ridden fibres like polyester or acrylic for organic cotton, linen, or silk.

Clothing lines like MEV-Mother’s en Vogue use sustainable fibres in a wide range of nursing and maternity styles. Once you’re back to your pre-pregnancy shape, you can donate or pass on this clothing to a mum-to-be.

Bedding
Conventional bedcovers are manufactured using a mix of pesticides, formaldehyde and dyes, eventually travelling into your bloodstream. While it’s not entirely dangerous (phew!), cover up in linens made with hypoallergenic and natural fibres, minimising your sensitivities to chemical mixtures. Get a better night’s sleep with environmentally-friendly bedding from Butterfly Dreams and Mother Organic, delivering locally.

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A Green Home

Pure Air Fresheners
Bad news – your favourite scented plug-ins, air sprays and candles are loaded with a number of toxins to produce that artificial aroma. When inhaled, these seemingly harmless scents have been linked to diarrhea in infants and headaches in mothers. The good news is that unprocessed deodorisers, like aromatherapy diffusers, are a far better solution for both you and baby. Of course, use safe aromatherapy oils in small doses, like lavender, citrus and eucalyptus.  Alternatively, concoct your own air freshener by boiling cinnamon sticks and citrus peels in a pot, making every day smell like a holiday.

Green Cleaning Supplies
A majority of cleaning products work through a cocktail of noxious chemicals, releasing toxins and pungent odors into your home’s air. Be on the lookout for nontoxic cleaners using minimal ingredients, and avoid anything with labels like “Warning” or “Flammable”. Better yet, channel your inner DIY guru and create your own mixtures with perfectly safe items like vinegar, lemon juice, castile soap and baking soda.

Fibre-Friendly Detergents
Detergents with fabric softener can contain musk xylene, a potential hormone disruptor. Using products like Seventh Generation Laundry Detergent and Chlorine-Free Bleach are hypoallergenic, nontoxic and super concentrated.

Purifying House Plants
With pollution at the top of everyone’s mind, adding some foliage to your home is an affordable method of detoxing the air and creating a cheerful ambience. Some plants also significantly reduce exposure to airborne toxins like benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene. The next time you’re at the flower market, be sure to pick up a heap of Mother-in-Law’s Tongue, Bamboo Palm, Peace Lilies or Chinese Evergreens!

DIY Home Improvements
Though you may be meticulously preparing for your baby’s nursery during this time, it’s actually not advised for you to conduct any home improvements. Using wood finishes, glues and spot removers are out of the question, as they’re replete with chemicals. Should you wish to have the room painted, however, go for No-VOC paint, short for No Volatile Organic Compounds. Fortunately, you can get Ecozomo Natural Paint and other eco-friendly home improvement hacks from Natural Living in Hong Kong.

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The Greenest Transport Available  

It all begins with a small step. Apart from lowering your carbon footprint, walking has proven itself to be an ideal prenatal exercise. This low-impact leisure activity is linked to boosting pregnancy outcomes, improving your baby’s cardiovascular functions as well as reducing stress during infancy. Fortunately, living in a safe, pedestrian-friendly city like Hong Kong means having access to some of the best promenades, walkways and hiking trails!

Main image sourced via Shutterstock, Image #2 via PinterestImage #3 via PinterestImage #4 via PinterestImage #5 via PinterestImage #6 via Pinterest

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