Monday, March 2, 2009

Remove Harmful Chemicals From My Children's Products

Moms are instinctively protective of their children. When a new mom brings home a beautiful baby from the hospital, this protective instinct can go into overdrive. They don't want anyone around the baby, they are afraid to take them out in the cold, they have baby monitors to hear every breath, they buy thermometers to make sure the bath water is not to hot...the list could go on and on. We do all these things because we now hold this beautiful miraculous human being that we love more than anything in the world. We have seen many changes in safety recommendations over the years. My first baby slept on her stomach because it was safer if she got sick. By the time I had my second child, I was placing him on his side with pillows to keep him in place. By the time I had my third child, I put her on her back to sleep, removed any blankets or pillows and swaddled her in a blanket. We are moms and we listen and learn and adapt to create the safest environment for our children. Thanks to the efforts of numerous non-profit groups such as the Environmental Working Group and Healthy Child Healthy World, moms are learning that there are also hidden dangers that they need to be aware of. They are learning that there are chemicals in products that can be harmful to their children. Just look at the awareness of the dangers of Lead, Bisphenol A and Phthalates to name a few. Many parents are starting to ask questions and read ingredient lists. They want to know what is in a product. There has been huge growth in the demand for organic products as more and more parents seek purer more natural choices for their children. One of the best resources to find out if a skin care product is safe for your baby is to check the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Safety Database. They even have a great printable buying guide to take with you shopping with a list of ingredients to avoid. It is easy to pretend that something that we can't see could possibly do harm. However with the rise in asthma, autism, cancer and birth defects in children, I think we owe it to our children to take the time to research and listen to organizations that are dedicated to protecting our children. If you have 15 or 20 minutes, please take that time to listen to this video from the Environmental Working Group.

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