The Conscious Consumer

In 1998  I registered for my 1^st Baby Shower.  I took up the things that my sister had used for her son 2 years earlier (a plastic coated mattress and a wonderfully large nylon cube of a playpen) and I had so much fun picking through cute little things for my 1^st teeny-weeny wee one.  I remember a Paddington Bear blanket and sheet set with a matching bumper pad.  I don’t think I choose the car seat and stroller but I remember my grandparents purchased it for me and it was the top of line – and her carrier car seat was the latest in baby gear innovation.

 

Boy have I learned a lot since Baby 1 christened me a mommy.  As it turns out choosing gear based on Cute isn’t practical or safe.  I was only days pregnant when I started hunting down goodies for baby 3 and this time I combed relentlessly through American, Canadian, European, and Australian research studies.

 

The fact is in America we don’t know what causes the multitude of scary things that an increasing number of parents face.  SIDS, or a cross section of Behavior, Emotional, Hormonal issues and even childhood cancers.  Research in other countries, however, are starting to suggest they have an inkling and incidentally have began to regulate against a cross section of chemicals that saturate our children’s things. Our focus here is: Flame Retardants, an array of chemical treatments for shipping, and dyes.  The good news is – These things are %100 avoidable. 

 

SIDS:  Some SIDS is really Unknown and Heartbreaking.  But much of SIDS is accidental suffocation. A baby’s lungs are weak and can’t access the oxygen that is just beyond their own carbon dioxide and avoidable outgas/offgassing.  Outgas and off gassing are chemicals that flow into the air from plastics, fabrics, and paints.  Don’t feel overwhelmed.  One study states there are up to 310 diffrent off gasses in the average nursery But with careful choices they Are avoidable.

 

1. Nothing should ever be in a crib with a baby.  Not a Toy, nor a blanket or Bumper pad. 

2. Do not buy a crib based on looks – unless the look you are going for is spindled sides.

3. Purchase an organic Cotton mattress.  After tireless research I determined Naturepedic. Organic Mattresses the safest.   Around $260+ theyand are more expensive than a plastic mattress BUT there are strategies for cost cutting addressed below. Buy an organic matress pad cover for daycare (where Babies die from SIDS too) and keep this check list in mind when visiting daycare centers and examin thier cribs.  Is there enough room between cribs for Good Air Flow?

4. Buy Organic or Foreign sold sleepers!  A wonderful and inexpensive brand of children’s (and adult clothing) is Boden and Sckoon  My favorite brand of adorable organics is STEM.  Surf the net – organics and clothing without flame retardants are readily available at a number of price points.

5. A fan and well regulated room temperature that is comfortable and cool are also helpful.

  6. Babies die of SIDS in Cribs, Car Seats & Play Pens - buy Goods low in toxins to avoid offgassing.

The least toxic playpen we found is an adorable Oeko-Tex certified blue canvas with a nontoxic

pad by BabyBjorn.  When Baby number 3 arrived home it was the only place she wanted to sleep. 

And we felt good about allowing her to do so.  It’s also compact and assembles/disassembles in

two easy steps - Great For Grandmas House!  In less than 2 minutes this guy is down and in the

Washing Machine - perfect for a baby who will likely follow her dad and sisters with dust allergies.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The deal with Flame Retardants:   Wool is a natural flame retardant and time

and time again studies have proven it staves off fire longer than it’s chemical 

counter part: Bromine, phosphorus, nitrogen and chlorine. Our bodies absorb 

flame retardants and studies have found large quantities of it in breast milk

and people of all ages.  Flame retardants are linked to cancer, behavior and

learning problems, alter hormones and cause anxiety, insomnia/nightmares  

                                        and obesity.

 

1. Don’t allow your baby to sleep on your sofa (Restoration Hardware offers beautiful flame retardant sofas).

2. Organic sheets are everywhere and often only pennies to a dollar more.

3. Organic clothing and often labels sold abroad do not have flame retardants – Boden, Hanna Anderson but trust me this stuff is only a google away.

4. At the mall Tag’s marked “keep away from fire” are a great indicator that an article is free of retardents.  

5. Yet,anything saying it is complaint to California Laws IS Flame Retardant. 

6. Wash all new clothing before your child wears it.  If you are unable to purchase baby gear that is retardant free

       take cloth covers off of baby gear and wash, wash, wash, AND wash - regularly. (particules become loose air)

 6. Don’t Rack your brain: Once you find what you like Stick to the  brands you know and trust.

  7. Chemicals on fabrics move freely from the surface of fabric to other surfaces and into your

body. Buy an organic Diaper Bag. Petunia Pickle Bottom offers one that is both the perfect size &

adorable.

 

Dyes:

 

Color does matter! But not like you think.  When reading tests results on things like Car Seats the

toxin levels vary according to color and pattern.   (Britax is one of the safest car seats currently

on the market – their Cowmafluage and Zebra print also boast some of the lowest levels of

airborne toxins.) Keep baby’s things light.  The darker and/or Brighter the color the more likely

it contains high levels of toxins and metal particularly - led.  Just like dyes bleed in your washer

                                                                                        they also rub off & into your body.  Before a baby is 7 months their skin is an absorbent sponge.  Avoid Blacks & Red..

 

Cost Cutting:

I have never claimed that going green and clean was cheap.  It isn’t.  But what I do tell friends and family time and

time again is that by making conscious choices on how you do spend whatever amount of money you do have you

                                          will allow you to clean up your environment and provide your family with safer alternatives.

 

Ask yourself these questions:

1. What will the baby be in contact with most?  Spend your money where it matters i.e. on the cribmattress –

NOT the CRIB. Our daughter sleeps on the best mattress in the house (though as our own budget allows we are

converting all our beds youngest to oldest.).  Her bed mattress was about $400 but we spent less than 50$ at Ikea on her Crib.  Mattress and Car Seat are likely your top tied for 1st priorities.

 

  2. Don’t buy or register for things you don’t need.  Instead of registering small things tell friends and family that you are

saving for and why.  $20 here and there add up fast.  Who knows you may have incredibly generous inlaws who surprise

you with a non-toxic Stokke high chair.  

 

Your baby won’t need much clothing - buy staples, a handful of comfy sleepers, a 4 pack of organic Aiden +

Anais swaddles and tons of white organic socks and organic onsies – they wash wonderfully.   Don’t waste money on

gear for newborns – the basket beds, basinets OR diaper genies, wipe warmers … etc… if you are spending money on

decorating your baby's room and telling me you can’t afford a good mattress - then you need to reprioritize. 

 

3.  Look around your house and think about things that are repurpose-able for Baby – instead of buying baby

towels/hand towels use what you already own.  Keep it simple.  4 glass bottles is plenty and no you don’t need any

infant sized bottles. Your baby will be just fine without towels with hoods.  Trust a Veteran. Most of what you see in

these baby stores are Junk.  With just the essentials your home is about to face a baby-stuff invasion.  You'll Thank me

& the enviorment will Thank You!

 

4. When possible procure used baby clothing and share! Take care of your things and as you come to the end of your

babyhood Pass Them On. 

 

Take Away:  The 1st lesson you learn as a parent is that  you cannot control everything.  Bad things will happen to your child.  Have peace in mind that you have done everything in your power to give them the best start possible and are there to kiss all the booboos that come their way.   In the end, this really is the only peace of mind we parents are granted.