by Lyn Lomasi

Created on: September 25, 2010

Whether it is for natural care reasons or health care benefits, a mother may request soy-based baby gifts for her newborn. If you know a mother who is into natural care, being eco-friendly, or who has an infant with lactose intolerance, this gift guide to soy-based baby products may help you decide what gift to give the newborn. As a mom who's into natural living and researching new things all the time, I've come across a variety of potentially useful products.

Soybean Fiber Baby Clothes
For the eco-friendly mom, there are companies who make baby clothing out of soybean protein fibers. These baby clothes are eco-friendly, all-natural, and can by quite stylish too. Baby clothing made from soybean fibers is very soft to the touch and make great soy-based gifts for newborns.

Baby Soap Enriched With Soy Proteins
Many natural organic soaps are made with protein oils, such as soybean oil. Soy proteins are great for the skin. As long as baby isn't allergic to soy, baby soap enriched with soy proteins would be an appreciated gift for newborns. If you feel like being creative, you may even want to look up a recipe and make homemade soap using soybean oil and other ingredients.

Soy Baby Formula
If the newborn you are buying a gift for is lactose intolerant or requires soy baby formula for another reason, this could be a good gift idea. The best newborn baby gifts are those that will actually get used. Baby formula does not exactly sound like a pretty or fancy gift, but it's definitely useful. Formula prices can be costly to some, so soy baby formula could be a well-appreciated gift for newborns who can use it.

Soybean Crib Mattress
Did you know that soybean fibers can be used to make a crib mattress? Mattress foam made from soy fibers is said to reduce sagging and increase durability in infant mattresses. This could add to the firm support required for newborns. Since soybeans are a renewable resource, this likely is a more earth-friendly purchase than other mattresses. As long as the baby's parent/s don't already have a mattress, a soybean crib mattress could make a great soy-based gift for newborns.

Homemade Soybean Puree
If you like to cook, you could try making homemade soybean puree baby food and freezing it to make mom's job easier a few months down the line. Keep in mind that frozen baby food should not be kept frozen too long. Three months is a general time limit, but it could keep longer (or for less time) depending on the freezing and storage method. Another option is to gather some great baby food recipes involving soybeans and assemble them in a homemade recipe book made from recycled papers. Note that not all experts agree on the health benefits of soy, so it's best to know the family's stance on this before giving this soy-based newborn baby gift.

- Note that the author is not a licensed medical professional. Always consult a licensed physician for health matters.

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