Brace yourself... you'll be changing as many as 4,000 diapers in the first year of your baby's life. That's a lot of wiping, powdering and bottom-wrapping. And if the prospect of that isn't daunting enough, consider that a regular disposable diaper can take hundreds of years to decompose in a landfill, and the chemicals in it — most significantly chlorine — can contaminate the water supply.

So cloth diapers must be better for the environment, right? It's not that easy. After all, cloth diapers require frequent washing, which consumes lots of energy and water. And diaper services often use harsh chemicals like chlorine bleach — not to mention the impact on the environment caused by the delivery trucks. The cloth-vs.-disposable debate might be one of the most hotly contested among mothers, right up there with the "formula-vs.-breast-milk battle" and the "working-mom-vs.-stay-at-home-mom war."

The good news is, there are plenty of choices for greener and gentler products, from diapers to changing tables, from wipes to skin care products. You'll have to decide what works best for you.

DIAPERS

Green: If you can't face mounds of laundry every few days, opt for disposable diapers that are better for the environment. Disposables from Seventh Generation are chlorine-free, and use a nontoxic absorbent polymer to keep baby dry. They're free of latex, fragrance and TBT, a toxic fungicide. Even better are the biodegradable, semi-disposable options, such as gDiapers. New moms invest in a wardrobe of stretchy pants and snap-in liners, then buy replaceable inserts made of all-natural fibers. The inserts don't end up in a landfill like most disposable diapers — instead, they can be flushed down the toilet, where pathogens are removed and they're turned into biosolids, which are often used as tree fertilizer. gDiapers can even be composted; they'll break down in 50 to 150 days.

Even Greener: Despite the energy and hot water used to wash them, it still seems like cloth diapers have an edge when it comes to green living. After all, you're not contributing to the landfill problem, and you're not exposing your baby to some of the potentially toxic chemicals that are in disposables — some studies have suggested that these chemicals could contribute to impaired fertility in men who wore disposables as infants. If you do go the cloth route, be sure to opt for organic diapers so that no toxic pesticides and herbicides were used to grow the cotton, and wash them in chlorine-free, all-natural detergent such as Seventh Generation or Shaklee.

WIPES

Green: As with disposable diapers, disposable wipes can contain harsh chemicals and alcohol — not only are they detrimental to the environment, but they're tough on baby's skin. There are plenty of earth-friendlier options available. British company Beaming Baby makes baby wipes that are flushable, hypoallergenic, 100% biodegradable, chlorine-free and contain 95 percent organic ingredients. And Seventh Generation's baby wipes don't contain chlorine, alcohol or other synthetic ingredients, and are moistened with aloe vera, vitamin E and water.

Even Greener: Especially for newborns, many doctors advise against using disposable baby wipes, which could irritate skin. You can take their advice and invest in a set of flannel wipes, and keep a thermos of warm water near the changing table. Use a gentle, all-natural soap when baby's a little older. Not only will you be better protecting baby's delicate skin, but you'll also be saving money and cutting down on the waste caused by the plastic containers that the wipes come in.

CHANGING TABLE

Green: Picking out the furniture and the decor scheme of the nursery is as fun as pretending you're on the set of Trading Spaces...until you pause to consider how that gorgeous changing table you found might be contributing to the world's deforestation problem. And besides, that new-furniture smell probably means it's been finished with a chemical-laden varnish or paint. Opt instead for the Delphi Changing Table from Argington. The company's furniture is made with wood from managed renewable forests, using low-emission glues and nontoxic finishes. What's more, the company uses virtually no engineered wood, and manufactures its products as efficiently as possible to minimize wasted raw materials and resources. If you love the way the changing table looks, you'll be lucky enough to use it for years — Argington designs its furniture with reusability and longevity in mind; this piece has a removable changing pad tray so it can convert to a sophisticated-looking dresser when baby's out of diapers.

Even Greener: Take a look around your house... maybe you don't need to buy a changing table after all. A dresser or table that's at an appropriate height for you and your partner can be repurposed for a changing table — just invest in a removable changing table pad and an organic cotton cover, such as the organic fleece version from Little Merry Fellows. If the dresser doesn't go with the ultra-feminine pink-and-green color scheme you've chosen for your little angel, refinish it with a non-toxic paint, such as those from Milk Paint or Anna Sova, and pride yourself on upholding the three Rs credo.

SKIN CARE

Green: Does your baby smell good enough to eat? Go ahead, take a nibble on that chubby little cheek if you're using California Baby products on her... nearly all of the ingredients in this line of baby skin care products are all-natural and of food-grade quality. Lotions, soaps, shampoos and diaper-treatment products are made with mostly organic and sustainably grown ingredients, and you can even buy them by the gallon to cut down on packaging waste. The diaper area treatment line is particularly good; the Diaper Area Wash contains anti-fungal organic tea tree oil and can be sprayed directly onto baby's bum, or diluted to make a homemade wipe solution. The Calming Diaper Rash Cream contains vitamin grade zinc and can double as a zit zapper for mom!

Even Greener: What's more natural than organic oatmeal, milk powder and lavender? Those are the ingredients in Erbaviva's Organic Baby Washbag, a soapless, unbleached muslin sachet that's designed to be dropped into baby's bath and gently rubbed on her skin. Erbaviva specializes in baby skin-care products that are free of chemical ingredients like fragrances and harsh detergents — instead, the company's ingredients include organic vegetable oils and detergent derived from olive oil. Products are bottled in recyclable amber glass or recyclable PET plastic, and bottled with nitrogen, a natural gas that keeps oils preserved until opening. Your baby's skin will thrive with natural products like lip and cheek balm, lotion, shampoo and sunscreen. Erbaviva's diaper cream contains Echinacea, an herb used by Native Americans for its benefits as a topical wound healer. This company doesn't stop at its ethical ingredient list...it also participates in a project that supports a hill tribe in Thailand and Burma, helping the villagers transition from slash-and-burn agricultural practices to sustainable farming techniques.