"I just prefer natural products for my baby."

As parents, we all want the best for our bubs. It was about day four into the whole parenting thing that I realised my best wasn’t going to be good enough.

Throughout my pregnancy I assumed I would breastfeed – after all, everyone and every baby book said it was the best option for any newborn. Sure, they talked about the hurdles of latching, feeding every two hours to get the milk supply going, yadda yadda. But there was no hurdle too big that was going to get in the way of me giving my baby the best.

Unfortunately, my boobs had other plans. By day four it was looking like my milk was never going to get going. For the following 10 days I fought a long, hard battle with my boobs. I could list everything I tried, but here’s the shorter version: the only things I didn’t try were eating the breastfeeding cookies and drinking the breastfeeding tea.

By day 15, I waved the white flag, cursed my boobs and cried in the shower.

I give up. Image: Giphy.

Ever since that day, I’ve become obsessed with making sure that everything my bub gets is as natural as possible. Sure, it could be mum guilt for not being able to give my daughter breastmilk. Or it could be First Born Syndrome (where nothing is too good for my first born). Most likely it’s a combination of the two.

First stop was the formula I chose to give her. While I was in the hospital, I didn’t have much of a choice on which one to go with to supplement my (lack of) milk. Once I was out… well there is nothing more bewildering than standing in the grocery aisle staring at all the different cans of formula. I turned to the internet, to mummy Facebook groups and to reviews. I wanted one that other mums recommended.

Next, I raided the bath and body products I had accumulated from very thoughtful baby shower presents. While opening them at the baby shower, I was trying to figure out which one went on at which time. Now, I studied the ingredient label. Most had chemicals. Only a couple boasted about being organic. Many ended up in the bin (sorry friends, your gift was truly lovely, just didn’t fit within my mummy obsession).

Sincerely, I'm sorry friends. Image: Giphy.

My credit card got a working out with a ‘baby pack’ filled with products made from natural essential oils and nothing else (except for probably fairy water from Scandinavian mountain tops and unicorn hair).

Parenting in a more natural way means I’m making an effort to limit use of electronics. Now, I’m going to admit that my bub loves the TV. Even from an early age, she loved watching the movement and hearing the sing songs of the TV. And… well… I didn’t mind her watching a bit of TV. In an effort to ensure she doesn’t turn into a kid that sits in front of the TV/iPad/computer every afternoon after school (I know, I’m probably fighting an uphill battle), I decided early on to make a daily habit of spending time outdoors.

In the beginning she could only lie in the pram while I went for a walk, but now she watches the ducks at our local lake, or crawls and attempts to eat grass, dirt and dead flowers while hanging outside. That hour outside makes me feel so much better when I do need the TV babysitter.

I thought I was covered. I thought I my ‘only natural’ itch had been scratched. But no.

I decided early on to make a daily habit of spending time outdoors. Image: iStock.

When my bub started solids, I became a puree mum. Now, there is nothing wrong with mums making their baby’s food instead of buying it in store (there is also nothing wrong with buying it in store). Let me explain though… I’m the type of person who burns toast. The fact that I make fish pie with a roux and then successfully puree it in the blender without it bursting out of the blender all over the kitchen is phenomenal. The fact that my baby l-o-v-e-s the food I cook her… winning (I just hope it lasts into the toddler years).

You could say I’m being silly. I don’t need to feel guilty about not being able to breastfeed (true), and I don’t need to go to all the lengths I’m going to for my bub (probably true as well). Making sure the products she uses and eats daily are as close to natural as possible makes me feel like I’m doing the best for her. And it makes me feel like I’m being the best mum I could be.

What products do you prefer for your baby?