Parenting for Beginners

Concern about the affects of BPA, also known as bisphenol-a, in plastic baby bottles continues to increase. But what parents may not be aware of is that BPA is also commonly found in the protective linings in metal lids of baby food jars, ready-to-drink infant formula and common canned foods.

Recent research by Environmental Health Perspectives found that BPA levels in infants can be 11 times higher than in adults, and we all know that toxins have a greater impact on babies and toddlers than adults. If you’ve read my e-book, The Down to Earth Guide to Designing a Non Toxic Nursery, you also know that these chemicals have staying power creating havoc in our bodies for many many years.

It’s difficult to avoid BPA since the chemical industry is manufacturing 7 billion (that’s Billion with a B) pounds of the stuff each year.

But, here’s a list of some companies that make commercially produced baby foods in BPA Free containers:

1. Beechnut (plastic containers used for juices, Stage 2 fruits, Good Morning, Good Evening and DHA plus+ juices are BPA-free; glass baby food jars do contain BPA)

2. Gerber (all baby food products except glass baby food jars are BPA-free)

3. Happy Baby

4. Homemade Baby

5. Fifi Bear’s

6. Parent’s Choice (they don’t make baby food in glass jars)

7. Plum Organics

8. Sprout Baby

9. Tasty Baby

See if your local market carries any of these products. If not, ask them why. Then get in touch with the manufacturer to find out where you can buy their products.

Don’t forget you can also make your own natural baby foods by just blending your food until it’s the consistency of cream of wheat cereal. This not only gives you total control over what goes into your baby’s mouth, it will also save you money…and that seems like the best solution to me.

From shampoo to diaper cream, there are many inexpensive choices for safe baby care. Your first step is to make finding baby products without synthetic, petroleum-based chemical ingredients priority number one. Childhood leukemia, brain tumors, learning disabilities, brain damage, depression, hyperactivity, impulsivity, and asthma are among the health problems that have been linked to early childhood exposure to several chemicals commonly found in commercial baby care products.

Read All Labels Carefully

When looking for safer products, the most important thing to do is READ THE INGREDIENT LIST. This may sound obvious, but it is not enough to simply look at the front of a product and see that it is “New” or “All-Natural”. Such labeling is not a guarantee of safety. Look for products labeled “Organic”, this term still carries no guarantees, but it’s a great place to start, especially if you can find products with the USDA symbol of “USDA Certified Organic.” After a little practice, it will only take you a moment to be able to decide whether products’ ingredients are natural or artificial, safe or potentially harmful.

Ingredients to Avoid (or minimize)

• cocmide DEA
• cocmidoproply betaine
• disodium or tetrasodium EDTA
• dimethicon(e) also known as dimethiconol
• FD&C or D&C colors
• flouride
• fragrance, perfume known as parfum, aroma, flavor, scent
• hydantoin (MDM or DMDM) known as formaldehyde, formalin
• isopropyl, butyl, benzyl, stearyl or SD-40 alcohols
• MEA, DEA or TEA known as ethanolamine, mono-, di- or triethanolamine
• methylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben often called methylparahydroxybenzoate
• mineral oil, petrolatum, petroleum jelly
• PEG and PG known as polythylene glycol, propylene glycol and propylenglycolum
• quaternium-15 or polyquaternium a.k.a methenamine
• SLS, ALS (sodium or ammonium lauryl sulfate) a.k.a laureth, laurel (SLES)
• sodium borate, tretraborate a.k.a boric acid
• talc a.k.a talcum powder
• triclosan a.k.a “antibacterial”
• urea(s) with prefixes a.k.a midazolidinyl
• Avoid Baby Powder
• Almost all pediatricians will agree that drying baby with a soft towel will eliminate the need for powder. All powders coat the lungs when inhaled and present a breathing hazard for infants, talc based powders can be contaminated with asbestos and commercial powders have petrochemical fragrances added.

Avoid Baby Oil, Mineral Oil and Petroleum Jelly

Most commercial baby oils contain unsavory chemical fragrances or mineral oils containing traces of toxic chemicals and metals, so choose organic aloe vera gel and botanical oils instead.

Avoid Disposable Diapers

Choose cloth, and if you must – go with biodegradable disposable diapers. In the very least, choose chlorine-free disposables like 7th Generation. Aside from environmental concerns, when disposable diapers get wet the synthetic chemical absorbents, fragrances and dyes used to make them “pretty and smell nice” can pass into your baby’s bloodstream, cause diaper rash or chemical burns.

Avoid Baby Wipes with Fragrances and Chemicals

Buy unbleached wipes free from dyes & fragrances, made from Organic cotton if possible.

Safe Natural Ingredients for Baby Care

Botanical Oils such as jojoba, almond, coconut (not sodium laural sulfate), olive, safflower, apricot, avocado, sunflower, evening primrose or borage

Herbal Extracts like calendula found in natural diaper rash cream

Vitamins including vitamin A (retinyl pamitate), carotene (pro-vitamin A), B vitamins/pro-vitamins (pantothenic acid, panethol, insitol, biotin), vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and vitamin E (tocopherol or d-alpha tocopheryl acetate) Remember, great natural products usually contain vitamins A, C and E in them as natural preservatives. Grapefruit seed extract, citric acid and other antioxidants are also safer alternatives you may see in the ingredient lists of natural product lines, available on-line, at natural food stores, co-ops and some major grocery stores as well.