From conception to delivery, sustainability starts in the womb. Check out these eco-friendly tips for a healthy motherhood.

It all starts with trying to conceive.

So, you’ve decided that you want to grow your family and you’d like to try for a baby – congratulations! That may look different depending on your situation, who your partner is or if you have tried in the past.

Maybe it only takes a few try’s or maybe it takes many. Either way, if you’re clocking your cycle you will want to be enlisting ovulation tests to help determine your best time to try to conceive, and a pregnancy test to determine if you were successful. Whether it happens quick or it doesn’t, usually you go through quite a few of these tests. You will use quite a few ovulation tests when trying, and even more pregnancy tests. You might get that frustrating negative every month, or you might get that happy positive- but still want to confirm it a few times:).

These tests are expensive usually sitting around $20 a test, but not only that- they are incredibly wasteful. They have a big plastic handle and can come with a digital screen just to read your result once, before throwing it into your trash can.

Enter Ovry. Ovry is a Canadian, women-owned and operated company that I think is beyond genius. They make affordable ovulation, pregnancy and male fertility tests. The tests come in a discreet box and only include the test strip that you need. They come with a reuseable cup for urine and don’t have the huge plastic handles, unnecessary plastic packaging or a digital reader screen.

They participate in 1% for the planet and donate proceeds to local charities which Ovry is very transparent about on their website. They even have a take back program where you can send back unused strips free of charge to give to people in need!

If you’re trying to conceive or need these tests for your own reproductive health, want to save money while cutting down on your waste – these are the tests for you!

Use my link OVRY x DO MORE GOOD and code DOMOREGOOD10 to get 10% off you order!

Maternity Clothes

Okay, so you got that positive result! What’s next? Your body changes in SO many ways, and the best thing you can do is try to keep yourself comfortable. Even though pregnancy feels like FOREVER when you are in it, its only 9 months and it isn’t worth spending all your money on a whole new wardrobe.

Depending on your pregnancy, you will be able to wear your own clothes for a time being. You might even be able to wear some things your entire pregnancy. And before you say Launne, you crazy…I am not talking jeans, more like oversized sweaters or cardigans that you already own.

I know, I know you want to get some cute things. First, take a audit of your closet and see what you think might work for the length of your pregnancy. Write down a list of what you need and start by asking your friends of similar size that have been pregnant in the past if you can borrow any of their clothes.

If you are needing to purchase a few things, try find them second-hand. Whether that is facebook marketplace, an online seller or a second-hand store, most maternity clothes are in like new condition because they aren’t worn for very long. If you’re in Saskatoon, check out https://reclaimsaskatoon.ca/ for some great secondhand maternity pieces! I got the beautiful dress pictured below from there!

Lastly, if you need to buy new- vote with your dollar and look toward items with the environment and ethics in mind.

Baby Gear and Nursery

Baby gear and the nursery is a lot like maternity clothes. If it is your first baby, marketing will tell you that you need to buy everything and have the most beautiful nursery. But the truth is that you can start with not very much and add on what you need down the road.

My advice here is much the same. See what you can borrow from friends, more than likely they have a stack of stuff in their basement that they are not currently using. They’d be happy to help and it will save you hundreds of dollars.

Next, if you know you’ll need an item – search for it second-hand. Whether at second-hand stores or online.

Lastly, if you are buying new – not only look for a item with the environment and ethics in mind- but if you can afford it, buy a quality item. We spent a lot on our stroller, but we were ok making the investment as we knew it would last to be used for 2-3 kids. I didn’t want to buy something cheap and end up having to replace it in a year.

As for the nursery, you don’t need to spend thousands to make the room pinterest perfect. Sure, you want it to look cute but it might also give you a bunch of unneccesary stress. Odds are the baby will be in your room for the first few months after its born, so you have time to think about where you want to go with this one.

Sustainable Baby Shower

If you’re having a baby shower, you might have it prior to baby’s arrival or once the baby has arrived. Either way, you can ask your hosts to try keep it a bit more environmentally friendly.

A few ways to do that could be:

• Send invites online to save paper and cost!
• Keep the food as plastic free as you can!
• Use reusable plates, cutlery and cups
• Make a sustainable registry- only ask for what you need, ask for money instead of gifts or suggest secondhand gifts
• Keep decorations natural, reuseable and second-hand
• Keep the games plastic free and meaningful. We have all been to events where the accessories for the games head to the trash or are donated. Think of games that have items that can be reused or kept as a special memory for the family.

And there you have it.

As I’m writing this, I’m 37 weeks pregnant. It is my third baby so I didn’t need to pick up too many things, but I wish I had read a blog about sustainability and pregnancy prior to having my first baby.

So please share this blog with someone that you know who is expecting and stay tuned for more blogs in the baby space as I navigate the fourth trimester soon. Wish me luck!

Until then,

Keep doing more good,

Launne