Having a Baby? Congratulations! You are on one of life’s most incredible journeys. Being a parent is the best thing I’ve ever done. This time of preparation is a very sweet and special time as you transition to Parenthood.
Now, you’re getting ready for Baby and you want to create a baby-safe space. What fun! What responsibility.
If you’re in the midst of nursery planning, you want some more help keeping your baby’s space non-toxic. And fast! So here’s my short list of rules to live by as you plan your nursery, play space and gear up for all those baby purchases.
Avoid flame retardants. If you have foam in something, count on having flame retardants there too. Consider something else. This goes for everything from backpacks to bedding.
Reduce your use of plastics. In every product. Cups, bottles, pacifiers, toys, bags, you name it. Reduce it where possible. Use responsible, safe plastics # 1,2 and 5 polypropylene wherever possible. Avoid PVC. Got a shower curtain in your bathroom? Change it to cloth. Switch to canvas, stainless steel and glass instead.
Reduce your use of chemicals & read labels. You might be surprised where chemicals are found. They’re in baby food, formula and products. Read ingredients and remember simpler is better. Avoid preservatives whenever possible.
Look For Trustworthy Certifications or Seals of Approval. Everything featured on Veritey carries a specific seal of approval but you can also look Organic when shopping.
Clean up Your Household Cleaners: Without a very good understanding of ingredients and chemistry this can be tricky but use Veritey or the EWG’s guide to safer cleaning chemicals. Or D-I-Y with vinegar, lemon and baking soda solutions. Remember that even some organic compounds that come from nature are toxic, like arsenic and most metals. As an absolute, never use anything that has the skull and crossbones in your home – these products aren’t worth the risk.
Think about the items you will expose your baby to most, and be sure to do your homework on those items. The Nursery basics where I would spend up to get something that’s safe are below:
1. Crib Mattress & Bedding
2. Car Seat & Stroller
3. Rocking Chair, Glider, & Nursing Pillow, if applicable
4. Bottles, Pacifiers, Bibs & Plates
5. Food, Formula & Baby products (all the stuff you’re going to use repeatedly each day)
Having three kids of my own, I know the pressure of wanting to give your baby the very best start in life well. It’s an intense desire to make sure you’re nourishing your newest addition with the best foods, providing your baby with the most stimulating toys on the market, and ensuring that everything you bring into your home is safe and non-toxic. All of this is just part of what it takes to bring out your best inner parent. But it’s no small task!
Unfortunately, with no regulation around the terms “organic” or “natural” and the fact that companies are not required to list every single ingredient as some (even toxic ones) can be considered “trade secrets” – it can be vexing to know – to really know – if what you are buying is safe.
I find it particularly infuriating that products marketed for babies and children are NOT also mandated to be harm-free. Far from it! Eighty percent of baby products contain harmful so-called “flame retardants.” These “flame retardants” don’t actually work and worse, during everyday use, these invisible chemicals off-gas into your home despite links to cancer, hormone disruption, reduced IQ, hyperactivity and obesity!
Infants and children are more susceptible to the harm from chemicals because they breathe in twice as much air as adults. That means twice the toxins. Plus, they play on the floor where most of these chemicals ultimately land. Infants crawl on hands and knees, exploring with their fingers and mouths. Thus they ingest a larger amount of these chemicals at a developmental age when the risks are greater.
The average American household uses 25 gallons of toxic chemicals each year. A lot of those chemicals are in our household cleaning products. And not so coincidentally, there’s an accidental poisoning every 30 seconds in this country. 75% of poisonings occur in children under the age of 6.
I find all of this unacceptable. As an Internet entrepreneur and trained journalist, I set out to change this, not just for myself but for every other Mom out there – Moms (and Dads) like you who want to know what’s safe but just don’t have the time, bandwidth or ability to do all the research on their own. My website Veritey vets products using a science-based method that looks at ingredients, production processes and corporate practices. But we also USE-test every single item we feature. We won’t feature for sale anything that doesn’t meet our strict standards (we find we’re tougher than Whole Foods and a lot of the other natural stores out there.) Bottom line is it shouldn’t be so hard to find truly safe, effective good goods.
By now, your head may be spinning. There is a lot to learn and a lot to remember. That’s the way of parenting. But you don’t have to go it alone. Learn from Moms who have walked this path before you. Lean on Veritey (www.veritey.com), that’s why we’re here. For specific product recommendations please visit Veritey’s Baby & Kids section.
Amy Ziff is the Founder & Chief Capidealist at Veritey. When she’s not vetting products she’s usually found playing with her 3 kids, jumping on their trampoline, or finding ways to get fruit stains out of clothes naturally!
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The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the blog contributor’s. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Writers may have conflicts of interest, and their opinions are their own.