May 16, 2025 • 9 mins
Another member is joining the Hall household and true to her nature, Kate Hall has been looking at how to keep having a baby a little more sustainable.
She joined Jack Tame to talk about the reality of baby marketing versus what’s actually needed, what they plan to do for nappies, and give a few tips for navigating offers of hand-me-downs.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack Team podcast
from News Talks at be time.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
To catch up with our sustainability commentator Kate all More dinner. Hey,
it's so good to be chatting with you. You and I
have a little bit in common at the moment in
that we are both expanding our families. I am a
couple of months a hear of you. I somehow don't
feel like I have quite as difficult a job as
you do in this department. But this morning you are
(00:36):
tackling a bit of a thorny issue for lots of
parents to be, which is how to be more sustainable
when it comes to baby stuff, And my goodness, this
is a Pandora's.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Box, it is. It is honestly like, I've always been
so excited for this season, knowing that I always want
to be a mum and you know, as ethically capes
that will be, you know, I'll carry my values over
into parents. But yeah, I am learning so much every day, mate,
ban brain full. But I'm actually really excited to try
(01:08):
all these things, you know, because I've always had an
imperfect sustainability and a value set, a belief that you
can't get it all right, But I'm just I'm intrigued
to try these things and to know reflect back and
knowing me as a without a child right now, I
have all these ideas, but to see if they actually
work well.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
So, as someone who has to be pretty online for
the job, who's always on social media and stuff, have
you found that your social media has just been completely
overtaken with advertising for baby stuff?
Speaker 3 (01:39):
Yes, yeah it is.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
It's unbelievable. It just changes overnight, all of it. But
like all of my aunts, everything was like get this
for your baby, and this and this and this. Really
do I need this stuff?
Speaker 3 (01:51):
I know, and it's so good at marketing. They're so
good at because you want the best for your child, right,
so you're you're like, well, of course I want the
best thing for my dady, so this. Yeah, they're so
clever and so sneaky that I'm also grateful. One of
the great things about being online presences you have this
whole community of people who understand your values and then
they're able to actually kind of give you the truth
(02:13):
around what you need what you don't. But even then,
some parents are like, oh, I really swore by this
particular baby nail, you know, cutting cats like it really
saved our lives. And then everyone therese says, oh that
that when the NINMVU is that, you know, my baby's
nails off. So everyone also has a different experience.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
So maybe maybe kind of just trying to work out
exactly what you do need and don't need is a
good place to start if you're trying to have a
sustainable approach totally.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
And also I found getting things sick in hand, So
even on that baby nail cats thing, sometimes people use it,
sometimes people don't. You know, it's really just so variable
depending on the baby and the situation. So you know,
I found one that was five dollars sick in hand,
and so if I don't end up using it, it's
kind of you know, I haven't invested in the big
piece of equipment. Most I'd say probably ninety five percent
(03:04):
of the items we have for this baby second hand
have been passed down from friends and family. Mainly a
few we've you know, brought from sick and hand shops
or trade me FA, Facebook, marketplace. But there's just an
abundance of baby stuff, as you will know that it exists,
and if we just keep circulating circulating it around, you know,
(03:26):
newborns aren'ts. I think when they get to kind of
walking age, they're thrashing their stuff a little bit more.
But especially for newborns, all that stuff can look like
it's perfectly brand new.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
It's being used to sodare I ask, what are you
doing for nappies?
Speaker 3 (03:41):
Yes? This is honestly, this is strangely the thing I'm
most excited about, because have you heard of elimination communication?
Speaker 2 (03:49):
No, when you cut someone out of your life, whatever.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
That sounds like it. No, it's when you like, you're
communicating around elimination, elimination being kus andes. So in other countries,
I know this is going to sound real whack, but
bear with me. In other countries it is completely normal.
And you know you can't actually buy neppies in large
bundles because elimination communication is what they need, what they
(04:16):
what they use. So it's basically it's a theory I've
been researching for years, so I'm excited to finally have
a little child to see if it works on. But
you're communicating with a child from day one, you know,
usually they the child has cues around if it needs
to be fed, if it needs to sleep. Babies always.
(04:38):
You'll know this from your know a few months old.
You can tell when they need different things, and it's
about recognizing those cues around when they need to go
toilets and acknowledging those cues and giving them a chance
to go on a potty, hold them over the toilets,
go on a sink.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Rather than you're going to do this when they're brain new.
When your baby's like step free shadows my plan.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
It's my plan, and obviously we go in with a
plan and very prepared to to change it. But you know,
a lot of people say, oh, you know, you must
have so much time to be able to do that,
But most people and I've seen this, I've literally seen
it up close with friends in New Zealand to practice it.
They have a kid who you know ends up being
fourteen months old and they're potty trained, so it's a
(05:22):
two way communication. You also make que queuing sounds when
you're you know, I will be using reasonal nappies, but
I will be giving them an opportunity to go on
the potty and to go somewhere else, because no human,
if they're a day old or forty years old, wants
to folly themselves. You know, that's instinct. So yeah, it's differends.
(05:43):
So I means, hopefully I'm watching less three arsual nappies,
but I'm using that combination of the two. But talk
to me in a few months.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Yeah, no good. I mean, look, you got to do
what works for you. I mean, I yeah, I mean,
we'll talk in a few months and see how honestly,
I really hope that you can do this. I I
if anyone's going to be able to pull it off,
it's you. I reckon, you know, to try my best.
But when I think about it, it's actually not the
(06:10):
number twos. I mean I reckon that there might be cue.
I mean there are cues, of course, but there are
cues like some of the time, you know, for for
number twos and stuff, But the number ones there are
very few cues in my experience, and so I just
wonder if that might actually prove to be a trickier thing.
Speaker 3 (06:28):
Totally. I think that's not one hundred percent thing either. Yeah,
you were to catch you know, fifty percent then more?
Speaker 2 (06:34):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, you.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
Know, like I have a friend with an eight week
old and she was only changing one week, Like how cool? Wow?
Speaker 2 (06:42):
Yeah, that's amazing, that's incredible. Yeah, okay, it's a different,
different story in our house at the moment. What about
all the hand me downs and stuff, because you know,
obviously that's a big part of having a kid, and
you know, if you've got friends who had children as well,
they often say, oh, here's heaps of stuff. You know,
how do you handle that?
Speaker 3 (07:01):
Yeah, I have. I think I'm stilling the values upfront.
And this is obviously the privilege I have of time
and kind of pre pregnancy, letting kind of everyone know
what our values are. So it has meant that when
it comes to gifts and things for the baby, people
already kind of cleared up and clear on what type
(07:22):
of things we may want. So if people do have
that privilege of time and instilling those those beforehand, that
is really really helpful because then it doesn't mean when
you're pregnant you have a baby, people then just you know,
throw all sorts of stuff at you. You're kind of
you've already established who you are and you're clear values
to your friends and family. So yeah, that's key if
(07:44):
you do have that privilege of kind of time and forethought.
But I think being really clear, I've found saying no
to people, you know, just that right, saying no, we
don't need a gift as actually can be quite rude
because you're you're blocking their kind of channel of showing
that they love you and they want to support you
and this child. And that's yeah, I think that the
(08:06):
road to completely lock that. And also they're probably just
going to get something anyway, So directing them to the
right places. So directing them to cubs is really great online,
so you can have a marketplace for kids stuff, you know,
directing them to maybe a particular item that you need
and telling them, you know, why you need it and
what kind of specifications. Just not saying a blanket no
(08:29):
because yeah, that doesn't that doesn't really work out of course, yeah, yeah.
And also just knowing like, honestly, we've not been given
any stuff that we don't need or that I'm you know,
don't suit our values, which I'm so grateful for that
people have really respected that. But I have had to
say no to you know, different things we may already have,
(08:52):
you know, multiple of that we don't need. And just
even on secondhand, you don't want to be just overwhelmed
in the whole of stuff in the house. Yeah, you're, yeah,
trying to look after a new little person.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
So yeah, good luck, Kate. Really, I just I really
hope you enjoy things as much as as possible, and
it's just such an amazing little period. I'm going to
be thinking of you and obviously wishing you all the
best for this side of things, but you know, just
more generally, good luck.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
Thank you, thanks. I'll probably need it.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
You're going to be great, You're going to be a yeah. Yeah,
all right, Well we look forward to catching up really
soon Kate, or you can find her on the seat
on the social media platforms, of course, by searching ethically Kate.
Speaker 1 (09:36):
For more from Saturday Morning with Jack Tame, listen live
to News Talks ed B from nine am Saturday, or
follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack Team podcast
from News Talks at be time.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
To catch up with our sustainability commentator Kate all More dinner. Hey,
it's so good to be chatting with you. You and I
have a little bit in common at the moment in
that we are both expanding our families. I am a
couple of months a hear of you. I somehow don't
feel like I have quite as difficult a job as
you do in this department. But this morning you are
(00:36):
tackling a bit of a thorny issue for lots of
parents to be, which is how to be more sustainable
when it comes to baby stuff, And my goodness, this
is a Pandora's.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Box, it is. It is honestly like, I've always been
so excited for this season, knowing that I always want
to be a mum and you know, as ethically capes
that will be, you know, I'll carry my values over
into parents. But yeah, I am learning so much every day, mate,
ban brain full. But I'm actually really excited to try
(01:08):
all these things, you know, because I've always had an
imperfect sustainability and a value set, a belief that you
can't get it all right, But I'm just I'm intrigued
to try these things and to know reflect back and
knowing me as a without a child right now, I
have all these ideas, but to see if they actually
work well.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
So, as someone who has to be pretty online for
the job, who's always on social media and stuff, have
you found that your social media has just been completely
overtaken with advertising for baby stuff?
Speaker 3 (01:39):
Yes, yeah it is.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
It's unbelievable. It just changes overnight, all of it. But
like all of my aunts, everything was like get this
for your baby, and this and this and this. Really
do I need this stuff?
Speaker 3 (01:51):
I know, and it's so good at marketing. They're so
good at because you want the best for your child, right,
so you're you're like, well, of course I want the
best thing for my dady, so this. Yeah, they're so
clever and so sneaky that I'm also grateful. One of
the great things about being online presences you have this
whole community of people who understand your values and then
they're able to actually kind of give you the truth
(02:13):
around what you need what you don't. But even then,
some parents are like, oh, I really swore by this
particular baby nail, you know, cutting cats like it really
saved our lives. And then everyone therese says, oh that
that when the NINMVU is that, you know, my baby's
nails off. So everyone also has a different experience.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
So maybe maybe kind of just trying to work out
exactly what you do need and don't need is a
good place to start if you're trying to have a
sustainable approach totally.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
And also I found getting things sick in hand, So
even on that baby nail cats thing, sometimes people use it,
sometimes people don't. You know, it's really just so variable
depending on the baby and the situation. So you know,
I found one that was five dollars sick in hand,
and so if I don't end up using it, it's
kind of you know, I haven't invested in the big
piece of equipment. Most I'd say probably ninety five percent
(03:04):
of the items we have for this baby second hand
have been passed down from friends and family. Mainly a
few we've you know, brought from sick and hand shops
or trade me FA, Facebook, marketplace. But there's just an
abundance of baby stuff, as you will know that it exists,
and if we just keep circulating circulating it around, you know,
(03:26):
newborns aren'ts. I think when they get to kind of
walking age, they're thrashing their stuff a little bit more.
But especially for newborns, all that stuff can look like
it's perfectly brand new.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
It's being used to sodare I ask, what are you
doing for nappies?
Speaker 3 (03:41):
Yes? This is honestly, this is strangely the thing I'm
most excited about, because have you heard of elimination communication?
Speaker 2 (03:49):
No, when you cut someone out of your life, whatever.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
That sounds like it. No, it's when you like, you're
communicating around elimination, elimination being kus andes. So in other countries,
I know this is going to sound real whack, but
bear with me. In other countries it is completely normal.
And you know you can't actually buy neppies in large
bundles because elimination communication is what they need, what they
(04:16):
what they use. So it's basically it's a theory I've
been researching for years, so I'm excited to finally have
a little child to see if it works on. But
you're communicating with a child from day one, you know,
usually they the child has cues around if it needs
to be fed, if it needs to sleep. Babies always.
(04:38):
You'll know this from your know a few months old.
You can tell when they need different things, and it's
about recognizing those cues around when they need to go
toilets and acknowledging those cues and giving them a chance
to go on a potty, hold them over the toilets,
go on a sink.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Rather than you're going to do this when they're brain new.
When your baby's like step free shadows my plan.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
It's my plan, and obviously we go in with a
plan and very prepared to to change it. But you know,
a lot of people say, oh, you know, you must
have so much time to be able to do that,
But most people and I've seen this, I've literally seen
it up close with friends in New Zealand to practice it.
They have a kid who you know ends up being
fourteen months old and they're potty trained, so it's a
(05:22):
two way communication. You also make que queuing sounds when
you're you know, I will be using reasonal nappies, but
I will be giving them an opportunity to go on
the potty and to go somewhere else, because no human,
if they're a day old or forty years old, wants
to folly themselves. You know, that's instinct. So yeah, it's differends.
(05:43):
So I means, hopefully I'm watching less three arsual nappies,
but I'm using that combination of the two. But talk
to me in a few months.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Yeah, no good. I mean, look, you got to do
what works for you. I mean, I yeah, I mean,
we'll talk in a few months and see how honestly,
I really hope that you can do this. I I
if anyone's going to be able to pull it off,
it's you. I reckon, you know, to try my best.
But when I think about it, it's actually not the
(06:10):
number twos. I mean I reckon that there might be cue.
I mean there are cues, of course, but there are
cues like some of the time, you know, for for
number twos and stuff, But the number ones there are
very few cues in my experience, and so I just
wonder if that might actually prove to be a trickier thing.
Speaker 3 (06:28):
Totally. I think that's not one hundred percent thing either. Yeah,
you were to catch you know, fifty percent then more?
Speaker 2 (06:34):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, you.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
Know, like I have a friend with an eight week
old and she was only changing one week, Like how cool? Wow?
Speaker 2 (06:42):
Yeah, that's amazing, that's incredible. Yeah, okay, it's a different,
different story in our house at the moment. What about
all the hand me downs and stuff, because you know,
obviously that's a big part of having a kid, and
you know, if you've got friends who had children as well,
they often say, oh, here's heaps of stuff. You know,
how do you handle that?
Speaker 3 (07:01):
Yeah, I have. I think I'm stilling the values upfront.
And this is obviously the privilege I have of time
and kind of pre pregnancy, letting kind of everyone know
what our values are. So it has meant that when
it comes to gifts and things for the baby, people
already kind of cleared up and clear on what type
(07:22):
of things we may want. So if people do have
that privilege of time and instilling those those beforehand, that
is really really helpful because then it doesn't mean when
you're pregnant you have a baby, people then just you know,
throw all sorts of stuff at you. You're kind of
you've already established who you are and you're clear values
to your friends and family. So yeah, that's key if
(07:44):
you do have that privilege of kind of time and forethought.
But I think being really clear, I've found saying no
to people, you know, just that right, saying no, we
don't need a gift as actually can be quite rude
because you're you're blocking their kind of channel of showing
that they love you and they want to support you
and this child. And that's yeah, I think that the
(08:06):
road to completely lock that. And also they're probably just
going to get something anyway, So directing them to the
right places. So directing them to cubs is really great online,
so you can have a marketplace for kids stuff, you know,
directing them to maybe a particular item that you need
and telling them, you know, why you need it and
what kind of specifications. Just not saying a blanket no
(08:29):
because yeah, that doesn't that doesn't really work out of course, yeah, yeah.
And also just knowing like, honestly, we've not been given
any stuff that we don't need or that I'm you know,
don't suit our values, which I'm so grateful for that
people have really respected that. But I have had to
say no to you know, different things we may already have,
(08:52):
you know, multiple of that we don't need. And just
even on secondhand, you don't want to be just overwhelmed
in the whole of stuff in the house. Yeah, you're, yeah,
trying to look after a new little person.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
So yeah, good luck, Kate. Really, I just I really
hope you enjoy things as much as as possible, and
it's just such an amazing little period. I'm going to
be thinking of you and obviously wishing you all the
best for this side of things, but you know, just
more generally, good luck.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
Thank you, thanks. I'll probably need it.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
You're going to be great, You're going to be a yeah. Yeah,
all right, Well we look forward to catching up really
soon Kate, or you can find her on the seat
on the social media platforms, of course, by searching ethically Kate.
Speaker 1 (09:36):
For more from Saturday Morning with Jack Tame, listen live
to News Talks ed B from nine am Saturday, or
follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
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