| Did you know that babies are exposed to 100 | | | | better choice instead of canned for reducing BPA. |
| chemicals even before being born? According to a | | | | What about other baby products? The two most |
| recent study done by the Environmental Working | | | | common baby products that can be laden with |
| Group, not even the womb is safe for a baby. The | | | | chemicals are mattresses and toys. Both of these |
| study, which tested cord blood from 10 minority | | | | often contain materials like plastic and cloth, which |
| newborns, found that nine out of these 10 babies were | | | | indicates that a combination of PVC, phthalates, and |
| exposed to Bisphenol A (BPA) and perchlorate during | | | | fire-retardant chemicals may be lurking in |
| pregnancy. Additionally, such babies are exposed to | | | | seemingly-innocuous baby items. Aside from reading |
| additional chemicals during their first year, including | | | | tags, the most effective route is the natural or organic |
| PBDE's and phthalates from even basic baby products | | | | one. Organic baby mattresses, for example, are made |
| like bottles, mattresses, and toys. As all parents want | | | | without PVC, a plastic commonly softened with |
| to have healthy children, what are some options for | | | | phthalates, and domestic cotton, which, by itself, |
| eliminating such harmful chemicals from a baby's | | | | contains several chemicals. Baby toys, additionally, are |
| environment? | | | | carried by natural and organic baby product |
| During pregnancy, the best way to reduce BPA in a | | | | manufacturers, and these are often made fro, organic |
| baby's environment is to reduce canned foods and | | | | cotton, unfinished wood, and natural dyes. |
| those heated in a microwave with plastic. While this | | | | Manufacturers of organic baby mattresses often |
| won't completely eliminate BPA, it reduces it, especially | | | | carry products that are free from chemicals, so that |
| as both canned foods and microwaveable plastic can | | | | putting together a chemical-free nursery is often a |
| have significant levels of BPA inside. Once the baby is | | | | possibility. As far as other products are concerned, the |
| born, BPA-free baby products, such as baby bottles, | | | | 2008 Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act has |
| reduce exposure to this chemical. If you have to use a | | | | set limits on lead and phthalates in many products, |
| bottle instead of breastfeeding, powdered formula is a | | | | including toys. |