Green Mama: The Book
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 fragile world.
Manda Aufochs Gillespie, The Green Mama, shares what today’s science and Grandma’s traditional wisdom tells us about prenatal care for mothers-to-be, breastfeeding, detoxifying the nursery, diapering, caring for baby’s skin, feeding family, and healthy play—redefining the “basics” of parenting for today’s world. With an upbeat tone, stories of parents that have “been there,” real-world advice for when money matters more, and practical steps geared toward immediate success, 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.
Peek inside the Green Mama book
The Chapters
introduction: The Meaning of Green
chapter one: Greening the Home and Nursery
chapter two: Greening the Bum
chapter three: Greening the Boobs
chapter four: Greening Food
chapter five: Greening Skincare
chapter six: Greening Play
Conclusion, Resource List, Further Reading, Sources, Photo Credits, Index
appendix one: The ABCs of Some Common Toxins
appendix two: Common Chemicals Found in Children’s Personal Care Products
Kind words about The Book
“[Green Mama] is a how-to book, but it’s also a manifesto of sorts: a manifesto declaring that no corporation or manufacturer is the boss of you, and that you have more control over the development of your family than an advertise-and-buy economy would have you believe.” —Jordan Yerman, Vancouver Observer.
“Green Mama is guaranteed to inspire even the most reluctant, overwhelmed moms and dads. Manda’s hands-on, research-backed advice makes greening your home, food, play and baby bums not only doable, but also affordable and genuinely empowering. I’ll definitely be buying copies of this book for all the new parents and parents-to-be in my life!” -Adria Vasil, best-selling author, Ecoholic, Ecoholic Home, & Ecoholic Body
A “Great Book!”and “Thank you for writing this book—a fine family resource! Makes a great gift.” —Raffi Cavoukian, famed children’s troubadour & founder of Centre for Child Honouring
“Being a parent is one of the greatest gifts and biggest challenges in life. All we want is the best for our children, but sometimes the myriad of decisions from what to eat to the bedding for their cribs can be overwhelming – especially when you’re doing it for the first time. Manda Aufochs Gillespie has done much of the hard work and research for you, and her book Green Mama is a must-read for any conscious parent who wants to do right by their kids and the world around them. I can’t recommend it highly enough.” —Margaret Floyd, NTP, author of Eat Naked & the Naked Foods Cookbook
“Manda Gillespie is present at the creation! Motherhood is the most enduring form of love and in the act competent mothering, a new world can be brought into being. Written from the heart, this eloquent and beautiful book deserves a very large readership.” —David W. Orr, Oberlin College, author of Hope is an Imperative.
“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.” —Paul Hawken, author, Blessed Unrest
“Growing and nurturing a mind, body and soul sends many new parents on a quest for the “greenest” and healthiest choices for their family — as it should. Thank goodness for this book! Manda Aufochs Gillespie takes you beyond child-proofing and demystifies cloth diapering, lists non-toxic nursery must-haves and shares tips to encourage freeplay. A greener future for your little one is inevitable.” David Suzuki Foundation, 2014 Finding Solutions newsletter.
“Manda Aufochs Gillespie has been a “green mama” since before it was “de rigeur” to be so. What sets her new book apart is that her wisdom is based not only on sound research, but on practical real-life experience – the kind where money and time are of the essence! You’ll find Canadian (as well as US) resources and information and plenty of advice for families who want to go green, but don’t have a ton of money to spend.” —EcoParent Magazine
In a time where the world puts more and more focus on interconnectedness, we cannot help but reflect on our own respective fields and see how one affects the other. In my field of education, you start to realize that your student’s success is not solely dependent on the ability or amount of effort invested, but also, nutrition, exposure to media, amount of play, etc. It is easy for many to say upon giving advice, even when asked by parents, to hear, “oh, but you aren’t a mom.” Or perhaps, “You don’t have kids. You can’t understand.” The Green Mama provides a mother’s consciousness, backed with studies and solutions for the future. Perhaps many readers are intrigued by the mere interest of their own children, but my interest is in the well being of a classroom full of children. I rely on this information and the sharing of these perspectives in order to create a healthier me, a healthier classroom and healthier solutions and advice for parents. Thank you Green Mama, you truly are amazing! —Julia Fillingame, artist and teacher
“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.” —Carrie Saxifrage, author, The Big Swim
“This practical guide-book is a very important (and beautiful) read for today’s parents. ” —Nancy Mellon, author, Body Eloquence
“I love the #GreenMamaBook – growing greener families and businesses through research-based support.” —Dr. Heidi Lescanec, ND
“It’s such a great book, I only wish it had been around when I was pregnant with my son.” —Jenn Ballmann, publisher of “Not Starving Yet” blog
“The Green Mama is an enjoyable read, backed up by serious research, and laid out in a way that makes its contents very actionable. Whether you’re prepared for big steps or small steps, Manda offers healthy changes you can make today for yourself, your offspring, and the environment.” Rick Havlak, owner Homesteaders Emporium
How to Buy the Book
In Canada, the book is available at your favourite local bookseller, some green baby stores, Shoppers, Ober Waite’s, and in-store and online at Chapters/Indigo, Amazon, Banyen Books & Sound.
Green Mama: What Parents Need to Know to Give Their Children a Healthy Start and a Greener Future
In the U.K., the book is available on Amazon and my Aunt-in-law saw it in Ireland. The book has also been released in India, Indonesia, and Turkey.
And now the Green Mama-to-Be is available to help you have a healthy, happy, and toxin-free pregnancy.
How to Write a Review
Reviews really help, and you can write one! They are most needed on Chapters, Amazon, and GoodReads. You can also talk about it on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, or social media of your choice.
Read a Chapter of the Actual Book