Jessica Alba Designing Eco-Friendly Diapers
Filed under: Baby Bath Time, Baby Gear, Baby Health, Baby Safety, Parenting, Premier Baby Stores
Celebrity-created or endorsed product lines are often vanity projects, even when it comes to babies. That’s not always the case, however, and Jessica Alba is a recent example of a star with a genuine vision. Not out to build her brand with handbags, clothing, or fragrances, Alba, who has been absent from films for the past few years, debuted Honest.com, a website for eco-friendly diapers, last week. Profiled by the New York Daily News, the Machete actress described her intentions and motivations for her first entrepreneurial endeavor.
Honest.com, the website for Alba’s The Honest Co., offers a line of nontoxic, environmentally friendly diapers, biodegradable wipes, and organic bath and skin care products. Unlike many eco baby products, which frequently are colored beige or green, The Honest Co.’s adds patterns.
Alba explained that, after receiving a rash from a baby-safe detergent, she researched the chemicals in it, only to find that many were, in fact, not organic. Further finding out that flame retardants are added to breast pillows, she sought out truly green baby products, which were difficult to come across. She said:
“It was exhausting. I had a baby, I was working. I didn’t have time to go everywhere. And I get it. Everything has a green leaf on it or brown or beige. I’m like, just because it’s eco why does it have to be brown, beige, or have a green leaf on it?”
The actress developed the brand of eco-diapers in response, determined to offer truly environmentally-friendly baby products that are both affordable and attractive. At the moment, the diapers and other baby products appear to only be available for purchase online.
Finding eco-friendly baby products is a difficult task, but more options can be found on the internet. DadaBabyBoutique.com has a large selection of green baby toys, supplies, and diaper bags, and Rattlecake’s eco diaper cakes are perfect as baby shower gifts.
Just How Dangerous is Cosleeping?
Filed under: Baby Health, Baby Safety, Baby Sleeping, Parenting
You likely know a parent or two that ardently sticks up for cosleeping, regardless of CPSC warnings. Much like the bonding approach through baby-wearing, cosleeping makes breastfeeding easier for the mother, the mother gets closer to her baby, the parent and child gradually assume the same sleep cycle, and the baby falls asleep quicker. Yet, even with these supposed benefits, CPSC advises against cosleeping.
Simple standards and guidelines don’t quite hit as close to home as stories and experiences. A piece in South Carolina newspaper The State goes into detail about the hazards of cosleeping, particularly the innate ease at which a parent or older child can suffocate a baby.
How unsafe is a baby when surrounded by heavier people in an adult bed? Essentially, an arm or a leg becomes a suffocation hazard, extending over the baby and staying in place. Because infants have limited motor skills, pushing off a heavier person is impossible.
At the same time, co-sleeping, or use of a family bed, may be a greater cause of sudden infant death than previously believed. A baby who dies in a family bed is labeled with condition “Sudden Unexpected Infant Death Syndrome – Unsafe Sleeping Conditions,” which can also include letting a child sleep on a couch or armchair, in a crib with comforters or pillows, or in the same space with a dog.
In the past, at least in this area of South Carolina, infant deaths resulting from sleeping were labeled SIDS, but this condition indicates that the child was placed in a safe area. In order to now determine the cause of death, a coroner goes to the caregiver’s house and asks the individual to reenact the sleeping situation with a doll.
Cosleeping, however, isn’t a radical parenting approach, like baby-wearing; rather, it has been in practice with families for many years, going under other names. That doesn’t mean that it’s safe. Just like the playgrounds of metal equipment and blacktop of many adults’ childhoods, not all past situations and practices are safe for children; what was once the norm is now a hazard. Gary Watts, the Richland coroner quoted in the State, piece explained:
“My grandmother did it, my mother did it, and I know I did it. But it’s unsafe. At some point, you have to realize it’s a danger to the infant. If you want to have a child in the room – put him in a bassinet beside your bed.”
Toxic Chemicals Found in Brand-Name Baby Products
How safe are your baby’s toys? Not as safe as you think. On December 13, the Environmental Health Strategy Center put out a report identifying 650 brand-name products with hormone-disrupting toxic chemicals, including BPA and NPEs. Not relegated exclusively to baby products, the report reveals that common toys for young children, such as PLAYMOBIL figures and Chicco baby rattles, contain BPA.
BPA, we mentioned before, mimics estrogen, harming brain development and behavior in the process. The report mentions that 18 states have passed 70 laws regulating chemicals in products over the past decade, but a national measure, such as the Safe Chemicals Act, should be in place. Although only in initial stages at the moment, the Safe Chemicals Act would require chemical manufacturers to disclose health information and safety about compounds and restrict the most harmful. The act would replace the current Toxic Substance Control Act, which has had no changes in 35 years.
Although states are already enacting laws, companies found to have potentially-harmful chemicals in baby products are addressing the issue themselves. One is Johnson & Johnson. According to a November Associated Press article, Johnson & Johnson has been working to remove traces of toxic chemicals from baby products. In May 2009, Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Shampoo was found to contain two potentially carcinogenic chemicals, and the brand has experienced two-dozen recalls over two years. As far as improving the quality of baby toys, the company has since removed all phthalates from baby products.
Parents shouldn’t have to seek out green products to keep chemicals away from their children – especially those that harm development, like BPA. Enacting a national law regulating chemicals would be one step toward ensuring the greater availability of healthier baby products.
California May Include Flame Retardant on List of Carcinogens
In recent news, California may decide to include a common flame retardant chemical on its list of carcinogens. How, exactly does this apply to baby products? While the chemical, chlorinated Tris, was once added to babies’ and children’s pajamas but removed in the 1970s, it is still present in crib mattresses.
Chlorinated Tris is the most common flame retardant added to furniture foam and baby products in the United States, but the EPA and CPSC have declared it a carcinogen. Worse, the flame retardant leaches out of furniture and ends up in dust, and you and your child end up inhaling and ingesting it unwittingly. The chemical, as well, has been associated with cancer in factory workers and lab animals, although manufacturers state that not enough evidence supports such claims.
California, if you are unaware, has the strictest flammability standards in the country and recently banned BPA. The state’s Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act, also known as Proposition 65, is in place to protect residents from chemicals in drinking water that could cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm, and the governor yearly publishes a list of chemicals that meet Proposition 65’s requirements for cancer-causing or reproductive toxicity. Chlorinated Tris may end up on that list.
If the chemical does, it won’t be banned from furniture and baby products outright. Rather, products that do contain it will come with a warning label, much in the way that cigarettes and alcohol do.
Such an initiative will make identifying baby products with carcinogenic flame retardants easier. Because a baby spends about 70 percent of its first year sleeping, it could be highly exposed to chlorinated Tris and its effects. Parents looking to create a chemical-free sleeping area, as a result, have turned to products like Naturepedic organic cotton crib mattresses to stay away from toxic and artificial flame retardants.
California Close to Banning BPA in Baby Products
Certain states have banned BPA from baby products completely, and California may be next. Legislation to ban BPA in baby bottles and sippy cups is approaching passing, and will be voted on next week. In California, this particular issue has been in the public eye since 2006, when San Francisco enacted an ordinance banning BPA from such baby products; the ordinance, however, was repealed a year later.
The proposed law, The Toxin-Free Infants and Toddlers Act (AB1319) would require manufacturers of such baby products to use the least toxic BPA. At the same time, manufacturers of toys and plastic containers have been looking for alternatives to BPA.
But, what exactly is so bad about BPA? The chemical, which is found in baby products, plastics, and even cash register receipts, mimics estrogen in the body and is quickly metabolized. The chemical causes hormonal and behavioral issues, including early puberty, hyperactivity, breast and prostate cancers, infertility, and obesity. CEO and director of Healthy Child, Healthy World stated:
“Children are uniquely vulnerable to toxic exposures. They are typically exposed to more toxics per pound of body weight. Their immature systems are less capable of excreting the toxics. And, perhaps most importantly, they are still developing, so exposures that may have no impact on an adult can create a domino effect of biological disruption in a child.”
Babies are particularly vulnerable to the effects of BPA, but adults can be, too. Now that the effects of BPA on babies are receiving attention, adults also want BPA-free products.
Although bottles, cups, and toys are labeled “BPA-free,” finding baby products completely devoid of plastic eliminates exposure risks. For babies, as we have mentioned before, this can be glass or stainless steel bottles. Adults, additionally, can follow the same approach and look for cups, dishware, and food containers made without plastic of any kind.
Right and Wrong Ways to Carry a Baby?
Filed under: Baby Gear, Baby Health, Parenting, Premier Baby Stores
Who knew that the way a child faces you affects their development? According to a recent piece in The Daily Mail, just facing your child forward and away from the mother makes the baby “suffer” and become an anxious adult. The same rule applies to parents using strollers.
According to Professor Catherine Fowler, parents who have a child face forward are “cruel and selfish”:
“Imagine if you were strapped to someone’s chest with your legs and arms flailing, heading with no control into a busy shopping center – it would be terrifying. Outward-facing baby carriers and prams give babies a bombardment of stimulus, creating a very stressful situation. In not considering our baby’s perspective, we are inadvertently quite cruel to children.”
At the same time, others decree that a baby facing its mother too much gets bored and needs to see the world. Seems like whatever a parent does, it’s wrong.
On one extreme is the Swedish woman in Massachusetts who left a baby in a stroller outside of a restaurant for 10 minutes and is currently being investigated. Yet, the woman claims that this practice is common in her home country.
The other is the trend of babywearing. A child, in a sling, is carried close to and facing his mother. According to a piece about babywearing from The Lufkin News, the child bonds better with its mothers and, as a result, cries less and is more restful. The mother, as well, has her hands free and is able to do daily tasks while carrying her child.
No matter if you agree with these experts or think their results are just more for parents to worry about, several options for carrying a child are available. Dada Baby Boutique, for instance, offers baby carriers that range from slings to wraps, and products allow a parent to face a child backwards or forward.
The Dangers of Fire Retardant Chemicals in Baby Products
Filed under: Baby Clothes, Baby Gear, Baby Health, Baby Safety, Baby Sleeping
The hazards of exposing babies to fire retardant chemicals are not new news. Manufacturers of green baby products have been touting this for years, and even in the ‘70s, a toxic fire retardant chemical found to cause cancer in animals was removed from baby pajamas. Nevertheless, even though the dangers of having such chemicals near your baby, in toys, in mattresses, and even in household dust, many baby products still contain fire retardant chemicals.
According to a recent article published in USA Today, toddlers and preschoolers have levels of fire retardant chemicals three times higher than those in adults. While adults are not immune to the effects of such chemicals, babies and young children are particularly affected by exposure: Brain development or behavior may be altered, or a child many have a lower IQ or learning problems, among other issues.
At the same time, most items are made with fire retardant chemicals, primarily as the result of California’s strict standards. An article published in the Los Angeles Times in 2009 questions the effectiveness and necessity of these chemicals. Added to save lives and reduce exposure to fire, constant exposure to these chemicals is dangerous, and during a fire, the chemicals are released into the air.
Although California is loosening its standards for baby products, most items for children still include fire retardant chemicals: 56 percent of infant carriers, 44 percent of car seats, and 40 percent of portable cribs. Parents, as a result, also have a difficult time finding baby products free of fire retardant chemicals, but knowing which brands to look for makes a search easier.
As infants sleep 70 percent of their first year, finding a mattress free of fire retardant chemicals and phthalates is a significant concern for parents. Naturepedic is one of the prominent brands of such chemical-free products. Using no vinyl, PVC, or polyurethane foam, Naturepedic baby mattresses are tested for chemical emissions and are Greenguard certified. Each mattress has a waterproof surface made out of 100-percent food grade polypropylene, organic cotton filing, and a non-toxic and naturally-derived fire barrier system.
Are Babies Getting Bigger?
Increased obesity should be a concern for everyone, but rather than address it in the teen or adult years, should you think about it in childhood? An article from FoxNews.com indicates that baby fat past the toddler years is cause for concern, particularly as the amount of children being born bigger and staying that size is increasing.
How do you gauge baby fat? Do not, as the Fox article mentions, ever put your baby on a diet. Fat is natural and helps with a child’s mental development. At the same time, however, do not ignore it. Instead, keep track of it. Some children are born larger and then slim down to an average size. Others end up staying large past two or three years of age, and at this point, a child has a greater chance of being overweight or obese.
The Fox article points out that, years earlier, only 15 percent of all babies born were above the 85 percentile in weight; now 30 percent are. 16 percent of six-month-olds, additionally, now fall above the 96 percentile; ideally, only five percent of babies should be there.
Obesity, however, is not a lifelong sentence and, even if your child becomes a heavy toddler, eating habits can change weight patterns. While, for adults, corn syrup has been blamed as a cause of rising obesity, sugary foods have a similar effect in children. Moderation, as dieters are often told, is important. Consuming too much leads to excess weight, but abstaining completely leads to cravings. What should you do as a parent about your child’s eating habits?
Again, moderation is important, and sugary foods – even ones seemingly healthy, like juice – need to be kept to a minimum. The Fox story suggests leaving out the sugary and fatty foods and, instead, going for vegetables – except for French fries – and other fiber-rich foods.
Can You Trust Green Baby Products?
Filed under: Baby Gear, Baby Health, Baby Safety, Feeding Tips
Finding BPA-free products has been a concern for many parents. Children under three years of age shouldn’t be exposed to the chemical, and some states have outright banned it. But when you see a label with “BPA-free” on it, are you sure you’re getting a product with no traces of the chemical?
According to Environmental Leader, products with “green” labels aren’t always what they seem. This, in particular, applies to baby products which, in recent years, are labeled as “green,” “BPA-free,” and “phthalates-free.” Exposure to BPA and phthalates has been known to cause developmental disorders and other physical problems in children, and manufacturers of plastic products, such as cups and bottles, will mention that the product does not contain the chemical; phthalates, similarly, may be found in rubber products, such as mattresses.
The piece in the Environmental Leader titles this “greenwashing” and such products are easily spotted by labels that offer no proof, are vague, or are clearly inaccurate. Claims against such products gave gone up 577 percent for those labeled BPA-free and 2,550 percent for those labeled phthalates-free.
Although the FTC is apparently considering revising its standards for a “green” product, what is a parent to do when confronted with this issue? Do you take every green baby product at face value or do you investigate each?
Back in March, we listed some tips for finding BPA-free products. These included checking the recycling number on the bottom – 3 and 7 contain BPA – and finding alternative methods, such as steel.
Toys, on the other hand, can be more difficult. Although the child won’t drink directly from it, the toy has the potential to contain phthalates or BPA if made from rubber or plastic. Removing these chemicals from your child’s environment involves finding products and toys that do not contain hard or soft plastic.
Does Competition Start In Infancy?
You bought the black, red, and white baby toys. You put the plastic-framed mirror in the crib. You read to your child every day and even play Beethoven. So, when is your child going to start walking, talking, and performing quadratic equations?
Perhaps expecting too much from your baby too soon will cause an early burnout. But with helicopter parents annoying colleges at orientation and new parents discussing each milestone their child gets to, it appears that competition and an endless strive for success starts even before the child is born. One writer published a piece in The Express Tribune about this phenomena regarding competition between parents that, really, becomes a burden on the child.
The author discusses parents talking about milestones, measuring one child’s achievements against another’s. This extends not only to walking and talking but purchasing the latest baby toys to meet these milestones. Parents, however, aren’t exempt from the competition, as the ability of a child to meet these expectations also encompasses a parent’s ability and motivation. From attending mother and baby classes to a mother getting her body back to shape after pregnancy, nothing is off limits.
This author questions the approach and, instead, proposes parents to back off and stop competing with each other. As an alternative, parents should let their children reach milestones at their own pace.
That’s not to say that parenting needs to become neglectful of a child’s development. Although parental competition may go too far, realizing a child needs to learn certain skills over time is also necessary. In this case, having a few black, red, and white toys and reading to your child won’t hurt. Going overboard in both of these aspects, however, may cause a child to feel overly stimulated and, as a result, won’t absorb as much information as he or she can.