What do you think?
Rate this book
Green Mama: Giving your child a healthy start and a greener future
What are the most pressing problems facing new parents today? As the world has become increasingly more complicated, so has parenting. We are concerned about pervasive toxins in the environment and anxious to raise our children in ways that will protect them as well as safeguard our already fragile world.
Manda Aufochs Gillespie, The Green Mama, shares what today’s science and Grandma’s traditional wisdom tell us about prenatal care for mothers-to-be, breastfeeding, detoxifying the nursery, diapering, caring for baby’s skin, feeding a family, and healthy play — redefining the “basics” of parenting for today’s world. With an upbeat tone, stories of parents who have “been there,” real-world advice for when money matters more, and practical steps geared toward immediate success, The Green Mama engages and guides even the busiest, most sleep-deprived parent.
The Green Mama helps parents become what they were always meant to be: experts on the care of their own children.
Manda Aufochs Gillespie, The Green Mama, shares what today’s science and Grandma’s traditional wisdom tell us about prenatal care for mothers-to-be, breastfeeding, detoxifying the nursery, diapering, caring for baby’s skin, feeding a family, and healthy play — redefining the “basics” of parenting for today’s world. With an upbeat tone, stories of parents who have “been there,” real-world advice for when money matters more, and practical steps geared toward immediate success, The Green Mama engages and guides even the busiest, most sleep-deprived parent.
The Green Mama helps parents become what they were always meant to be: experts on the care of their own children.
184 pages, Paperback
First published June 14, 2014
3 people are currently reading
66 people want to read
About the author
Manda Aufochs Gillespie
3 books5 followersManda Aufochs Gillespie is a consultant, writer, environmentalist, mother, publisher of the award-winning website thegreenmama.com, and author of Green Mama: Giving your Child a Healthy Start and a Greener Future and Green Mama-to-Be: Creating a Healthy, Happy, and Toxin-Free Pregnancy. In her 20 years as an ecological designer she has helped green a large midwestern daycare, an orphanage in Guatemala, and one of the world’s only urban ecovillages. She lives off the coast of British Columbia. Visit her website at thegreenmama.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 4, 2015
As a librarian, mother of small children, and environmentally conscious person. I am always interested in books about natural or earth-friendly parenting. Green Mama is the newest book on the topic and one of the only books I know of that synthesizes a lot of common natural parenting themes into one book. Themes include: cloth diapers, baby wearing, breastfeeding, low-tech and low-consumption play, and healthy eating. This book covers a lot of territory.
So I’ll start with what I liked about this book. Some of the anecdotal stories and statistics especially on cloth diapers were really eye opening even for someone like me who already uses cloth diapers. In the introduction Aufochs Gillespie mentions a daycare that started cloth diapering all its kids and that initiative kept 2 semi-trucks of disposables out of the landfill each year. She also mentions that diapers are the “third largest single consumer item found in landfills and account for about 4 percent of all solid waste.” These arguments along with cost savings of using cloth should convince parents using disposables to switch. But are those parents reading this book?
Perhaps that’s the main problem with any book of this type. The likely audience is someone who’s already interested in green parenting and those people probably do all these green parenting things already either because they are common sense, because their friends do it or because they have read about it on the internet. With that in mind, this book felt long-winded and repetitive. I also found the presentation of the information a little off putting. There are a lot of facts about chemicals and toxins, a lot of statistics that require footnotes but instead the author chose to list her sources at the back of the book, organized by chapter but still not as useful as a footnote.
Sometimes her advice is beyond common sense environmental tips, sometimes is pseudoscience bullshit. She recommends parents make their own formula instead of resorting to buying commercial products, talks about “detoxifying” while pregnant and breastfeeding and suggests that corn, sugar and soy are not “real” foods (sorry, they are real despite the fact that are often ingredients in not-so healthy processed foods.)
Overall, I have very mixed feelings about this book. It’s well-intentioned but overly detailed. It’s informative but dangerously misinformed.
I much preferred the Eco-nomical Baby Guide by Rebecca Kelley. It’s more concise, less judgmental and just as earth-friendly. (Perhaps more so because it isn’t printed on glossy paper!)
So I’ll start with what I liked about this book. Some of the anecdotal stories and statistics especially on cloth diapers were really eye opening even for someone like me who already uses cloth diapers. In the introduction Aufochs Gillespie mentions a daycare that started cloth diapering all its kids and that initiative kept 2 semi-trucks of disposables out of the landfill each year. She also mentions that diapers are the “third largest single consumer item found in landfills and account for about 4 percent of all solid waste.” These arguments along with cost savings of using cloth should convince parents using disposables to switch. But are those parents reading this book?
Perhaps that’s the main problem with any book of this type. The likely audience is someone who’s already interested in green parenting and those people probably do all these green parenting things already either because they are common sense, because their friends do it or because they have read about it on the internet. With that in mind, this book felt long-winded and repetitive. I also found the presentation of the information a little off putting. There are a lot of facts about chemicals and toxins, a lot of statistics that require footnotes but instead the author chose to list her sources at the back of the book, organized by chapter but still not as useful as a footnote.
Sometimes her advice is beyond common sense environmental tips, sometimes is pseudoscience bullshit. She recommends parents make their own formula instead of resorting to buying commercial products, talks about “detoxifying” while pregnant and breastfeeding and suggests that corn, sugar and soy are not “real” foods (sorry, they are real despite the fact that are often ingredients in not-so healthy processed foods.)
Overall, I have very mixed feelings about this book. It’s well-intentioned but overly detailed. It’s informative but dangerously misinformed.
I much preferred the Eco-nomical Baby Guide by Rebecca Kelley. It’s more concise, less judgmental and just as earth-friendly. (Perhaps more so because it isn’t printed on glossy paper!)
August 30, 2017
First, I must state that I do not have any babies yet, I just read a lot about pregnancy and parenting so when I do get pregnant next year, I am prepared. Second, this is definitely a book for natural minded mamas, although I do think everyone should read it to educate themselves. I have already done a great deal of reading about natural living, so some of the information in this book, such as all the chemicals to avoid, I have already read about. This book is also a big advocator, as am I, of things such as baby-wearing, babies sleeping in the same room as their parents, breastfeeding, delayed weaning, etc. With all that said, I thought this was an excellent book, especially for mamas or mamas-to-be who are trying to provide a more natural and organic environment for their families.
This book was filled with a lot of information as well as lots of bright and vibrant pictures. The author also talks about how she knows that not every mama has the financial resources to buy everything suggested in this book and gives alternative ways to make natural choices for your children. It was nice to read from a perspective like that, where the author understands that not everyone can afford to go out and buy an organic crib mattress. But I did read about things that I previously had not even thought about, such as buying a crib with untreated, natural wood. Overall I think this is a great book, it gives mamas a pretty inclusive overview of the ways to help your family live a more natural life, from preparing your body for pregnancy to creating a more natural home and ways to create a more natural environment for your children. There are recipes in the book for natural sunscreen and skin care, as well as a list of resources mentioned throughout the book.
Thank you to the publisher, Dundurn, for sending me a review copy of this book.
This book was filled with a lot of information as well as lots of bright and vibrant pictures. The author also talks about how she knows that not every mama has the financial resources to buy everything suggested in this book and gives alternative ways to make natural choices for your children. It was nice to read from a perspective like that, where the author understands that not everyone can afford to go out and buy an organic crib mattress. But I did read about things that I previously had not even thought about, such as buying a crib with untreated, natural wood. Overall I think this is a great book, it gives mamas a pretty inclusive overview of the ways to help your family live a more natural life, from preparing your body for pregnancy to creating a more natural home and ways to create a more natural environment for your children. There are recipes in the book for natural sunscreen and skin care, as well as a list of resources mentioned throughout the book.
Thank you to the publisher, Dundurn, for sending me a review copy of this book.
July 10, 2014
Green Mama offers a lot of good information on living a green life and giving children a healthier beginning. There is advice on childhood nutrition, improving air-quality, limiting toxic chemicals, making your own DIY green cleaning products, and a whole host of other helpful tips. There are also lengthy discussions on nursing and while the book mentions “breast is best” the author doesn’t shame you into thinking you’ll fail your child if you are unable to breastfeed. This is something that I really commend her on. Many of the other references I’ve consulted over the years made me feel that way, even though I knew I was acting in his best interest by choosing not to breastfeed. The medication I take everyday for my epilepsy causes a whole host of problems in children. Unfortunately many other resources don’t look at the whole picture before taking their stance, this book does and I find it incredibly refreshing. This book also recognizes that not everyone can afford to be green all the time. There are sidebars titled When Money Matters More filled with ways to make more green choices without breaking the bank and many helpful tips to be green in smaller ways.
Some of the best advice from the book is somthing I think that everyone, not just new parents, should take to heart. “Green doesn’t necessarily have to mean ‘more expensive,’ although it can mean spending more on one type of item (like food) and less on another (like toys).” If we make a conscious decision to cut out some of the less important items in our life we can take those savings and apply them where they really matter and where they will make the most difference in our lives and the lives of our children. Small actions can make a big difference, we just need to take the first step.
Some of the best advice from the book is somthing I think that everyone, not just new parents, should take to heart. “Green doesn’t necessarily have to mean ‘more expensive,’ although it can mean spending more on one type of item (like food) and less on another (like toys).” If we make a conscious decision to cut out some of the less important items in our life we can take those savings and apply them where they really matter and where they will make the most difference in our lives and the lives of our children. Small actions can make a big difference, we just need to take the first step.
July 24, 2014
I absolutely loved Green Mama. As a hopeful mother-to-be I was excited to get started reading this. I strongly believe that going back to basics is the way forward with raising children and with health. I had already started making plans to raise my children in a green way, but this book was so full of great information it solidified many of my choices. I liked how the book was broken into informative and concise chunks about products for the home, diapering, breastfeeding, food, and play. I enjoyed reading all the other women’s stories that are sprinkled throughout. Everyone has different experiences that are good and bad and it is great to see them all represented here. While some of the information I already knew, I did learn new things are breastfeeding and elimination communication. I also want to mention that the photos compliment the text nicely and are lovely. I will definitely be picking up copies of this book for my friends.
I received a free copy of this title through Netgalley for an unbiased review.
I received a free copy of this title through Netgalley for an unbiased review.
May 31, 2014
This was a really nice book, lots of great ideas and helpful tips for being a greener mama. There are some common sense tips, some DIY green cleaning recipes (replacement Windex, all purpose cleaner, remove-the-crayon-from-my-wall-please-cleaner, etc) info on cloth-diapering, "greening" the nursery, improving air quality in your home, info about sunscreen (never even thought of that), info about baby SKINCARE including DIY recipes (as a mama, I was glad to see this; look up the toxicity level of your baby lotion sometime, it's not comforting), "green" play (yep, screen time will be addressed), and a host of other things.
Definitely worth a read. My review copy wasn't an ebook or a hard copy (had to be read on Adobe editions) which was super annoying, but I think this would be a good book to own in hard copy for reference purposes anyway.
Best of all, this book is more inspiring and less preachy than I expected. :)
Definitely worth a read. My review copy wasn't an ebook or a hard copy (had to be read on Adobe editions) which was super annoying, but I think this would be a good book to own in hard copy for reference purposes anyway.
Best of all, this book is more inspiring and less preachy than I expected. :)
September 15, 2014
Highly recommended for all parents (papas included). I read it cover to cover in one day.
This book strikes a great balance so it can speak to anyone:
- entertaining to read, but also including a lot of research and resources
- great stories, but also formatted nicely so it easy to reference later
- quick and easy advice for green newbies, but also more advanced strategies for the eco-warriors among us
It is also guilt-free, acknowledging that every person has to choose a path that is right for their family. This seems to be sorely lacking in most other environmental and parenting how-to books.
This book strikes a great balance so it can speak to anyone:
- entertaining to read, but also including a lot of research and resources
- great stories, but also formatted nicely so it easy to reference later
- quick and easy advice for green newbies, but also more advanced strategies for the eco-warriors among us
It is also guilt-free, acknowledging that every person has to choose a path that is right for their family. This seems to be sorely lacking in most other environmental and parenting how-to books.
December 27, 2019
I was gifted this book and it would have gotten a single star except the chapter on “play” was pretty good. The author is afraid of “chemicals” - some warnings of hers are reasonable and others less so, but she doesn’t typically distinguish clearly between levels of potential concern or harm.
This book desperately needs citations from sources that aren’t journalists or bloggers- where she does reference scientific studies, they aren’t properly referenced.
A further problem I had with the book is that she both contradicts herself (says milk isn’t necessary for kids and also that you should feed your kids milk...) and that she provides some actually inaccurate advice like recommending whole cow’s milk before age one - which can cause gut bleeds from the large protein molecules!
Plus sides that rescued it from a single star:
She provides a lot of practical ideas and resources and always shows different levels at which you can green your parenting. Unfortunately in my opinion a lot of the options go way beyond what is necessary or helpful.
She has a decent intro to cloth diapers, and her chapter on natural “green” play is quite good and based on some pretty solid research.
She’s actually pretty good at debunking some of the commonly believed myths about things that people think are green but aren’t. I especially appreciated her comments in one chapter on
This book reads like a blog that got organized into book format. Read it with a tablespoon of salt, and clean the tips that feel useful to you, but don’t fret about all the terribly harmful chemicals in the world around you. Your kid will be ok. Focus on the big ones - diaper waste, free play and low tech time, eating real whole unprocessed foods (whether you buy into organic or don’t).
This book desperately needs citations from sources that aren’t journalists or bloggers- where she does reference scientific studies, they aren’t properly referenced.
A further problem I had with the book is that she both contradicts herself (says milk isn’t necessary for kids and also that you should feed your kids milk...) and that she provides some actually inaccurate advice like recommending whole cow’s milk before age one - which can cause gut bleeds from the large protein molecules!
Plus sides that rescued it from a single star:
She provides a lot of practical ideas and resources and always shows different levels at which you can green your parenting. Unfortunately in my opinion a lot of the options go way beyond what is necessary or helpful.
She has a decent intro to cloth diapers, and her chapter on natural “green” play is quite good and based on some pretty solid research.
She’s actually pretty good at debunking some of the commonly believed myths about things that people think are green but aren’t. I especially appreciated her comments in one chapter on
This book reads like a blog that got organized into book format. Read it with a tablespoon of salt, and clean the tips that feel useful to you, but don’t fret about all the terribly harmful chemicals in the world around you. Your kid will be ok. Focus on the big ones - diaper waste, free play and low tech time, eating real whole unprocessed foods (whether you buy into organic or don’t).
December 17, 2022
I first was interested in this book because I always want to explore new ideas at doing things healthier and better for my family. This book did not disappoint. Too often, when we hear the words "go green" we envision difficult steps or drastic life changes. And while there are changes they are not as drastic as one thinks. this book is an excellent resource for any mom wanting to just do things better.
Read
January 8, 2021The nutrition information contradicts modern science. I do not recommend this book.
For example:
Green Mama suggests 20’000 IU of Vitamin A per day.
Most medical research suggests to take 4000IU and anything above 10’000 IU is toxic.
With so much misinformation on the market I feel obligated to share.
Sorry Green Mama
For example:
Green Mama suggests 20’000 IU of Vitamin A per day.
Most medical research suggests to take 4000IU and anything above 10’000 IU is toxic.
With so much misinformation on the market I feel obligated to share.
Sorry Green Mama
June 13, 2017
bagus untuk menjadi referensi mencari istri yang peduli kesehatan dan lingkungan...
ide ide sederhana di rumah untuk sayang keluarga... dgn lebih memperhatikan hal detil tentang kesehatan, seperti memilih cat yang tidak berbahaya, dan lain sebagainya
ide ide sederhana di rumah untuk sayang keluarga... dgn lebih memperhatikan hal detil tentang kesehatan, seperti memilih cat yang tidak berbahaya, dan lain sebagainya
February 17, 2021
Very informative. Kind of startles you when you read about all of the things that you never realized were in your everyday life, that have a negative effect on your health & children. But sometimes a good shock is what we need to open our eyes.
July 27, 2017
Paul Hawken, author of Blessed Unrest and founder of Natural Capitalism had this to say:
"A newborn child is the result and expression of an act of love and within this beautiful book that love never ceases. Green Mama connects Motherhood and Mother Earth with a brilliant array of wisdom, learnings and facts that protect the life of the newborn. Transforming the environment children are raised in transforms Manda’s world of child rearing to a creation, not a chore, a childhood (and parenthood) of happiness, freedom, joy, and intelligence. "
Friend and inspiration, Carrie Saxifrage, author of The Big Swim, said: "Like gallons of maple sap condensed into one spoonful of sweet syrup, the Green Mama researched deep and wide and then distilled her information down into exactly what new parents need to know to keep their children safe and healthy. And its not what you might think! It is certainly not what advertisers tell us. But its what we all need to know to give the children we love what they deserve, served up with sass"
Many, many reviewers are saying "It's not just for parents... it's for teachers, therapists, and grandparents." And others have said simply: "It's the go-to gift for all expectant parents!" Indeed, some of my first sales were to teachers and for baby showers.
"A newborn child is the result and expression of an act of love and within this beautiful book that love never ceases. Green Mama connects Motherhood and Mother Earth with a brilliant array of wisdom, learnings and facts that protect the life of the newborn. Transforming the environment children are raised in transforms Manda’s world of child rearing to a creation, not a chore, a childhood (and parenthood) of happiness, freedom, joy, and intelligence. "
Friend and inspiration, Carrie Saxifrage, author of The Big Swim, said: "Like gallons of maple sap condensed into one spoonful of sweet syrup, the Green Mama researched deep and wide and then distilled her information down into exactly what new parents need to know to keep their children safe and healthy. And its not what you might think! It is certainly not what advertisers tell us. But its what we all need to know to give the children we love what they deserve, served up with sass"
Many, many reviewers are saying "It's not just for parents... it's for teachers, therapists, and grandparents." And others have said simply: "It's the go-to gift for all expectant parents!" Indeed, some of my first sales were to teachers and for baby showers.
October 8, 2015
There were parts of this book that I really loved; it lots of great ideas on how to green your home and do things as "natural" as possible. But at the same time, I found there was an overtone of fear mongering and "you're doing it wrong" that kind of rubbed me the wrong way. I won't be able to do all these green things as I raise my daughter (nor will others due to cost barriers/access etc.) I find it depressing sometimes reading about all the harsh chemicals etc. in our surroundings, and it feels like it's totally unavoidable and so much work to seek out/make alternatives, I often feel like just throwing my hands up in the air and giving up. I would have given this book more stars if I didn't finish reading it with that type of feeling. Also...homemade suncreen, not sure I'd want to risk making/wearing that! I am looking forward to trying some of the other DIY solutions in the book.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews