Good Stuff? - Baby Products

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Keeping Our Children Healthy and Safe

For many of us, having a child offers the first motivation to think more critically about the safety of the things we buy. Traditional concerns have been relatively simple: Don't buy toys that children can fit easily in their mouths and swallow. Keep paints, cleaners, and other toxic household supplies locked out of harm's way. Today, however, the list of concerns is lengthening. Parents worried about their babies' sensitive bodies might buy organic foods for the first time, or seek out non-toxic paint for the nursery. And naturally, any parents concerned about the welfare of their children would want to leave them a planet that is more inhabitable.

Although we can't protect our children from every possible harm, there are simple things we can do to help them develop healthier bodies and better prepare them for the road ahead. One important move is to reduce children's exposure to environmental toxins such as lead in old paint. Parents can also look for safer and more environmentally sound options for common child-rearing necessities like diapers, baby wipes, bottles, and baby clothes.

The average baby will go through 5,000 diaper changes before he or she is toilet trained.

Americans throw away 18 billion diapers each year, making them the third largest source of solid waste in the nation's landfills.

Most people spend 90 percent of their time indoors. This figure can be as high as 95 percent for newborns—a group that is particularly sensitive to indoor air pollution because of their small, developing bodies.

Although breast milk is the ideal food source for newborns and infants, it can contain high levels of contaminants from the mother's body, including traces of DDT and other pesticides that were banned decades ago in the U.S. and many other countries.

Some baby bottles and nipples are made of plastics that contain chemicals that are known to disrupt the hormone system—include phthalates in polyvinylchloride (PVC) plastic, and bisphenol-A in polycarbonate plastics.

The European Union has banned the use of soft PVC plastic in pacifiers, bite rings, and other teething toys. Mattel Inc., a leading toy manufacturer, also recently pledged to remove PVC from its products and to switch to plant-based plastics.

In 1991, UNICEF and the World Health Organization launched the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) to ensure that all maternities—whether free standing or in hospitals—become centers of breastfeeding support. A designated “baby-friendly” maternity facility doesn't accept free or lowcost breast milk substitutes, feeding bottles, or teats and implements specific steps to support successful breastfeeding.

Since the BFHI began, more than 15,000 facilities in 134 countries have been awarded baby-friendly status. In Cuba, where 49 of the country's 56 hospitals and maternity facilities are baby-friendly, the rate of exclusive breastfeeding at four months almost tripled in six years—from 25 percent in 1990 to 72 percent in 1996.

Organic baby food is one of the fastest growing segments of the organic food market, and the range of selections is expanding rapidly. U.S. supermarket sales of organic baby food increased nearly 2,200 percent between 1989 and 1995—from $1 million to $25 million—while overall baby food sales grew just 20 percent, to $1 billion.

The British Soil Association reported in 2003 that 75 percent of British babies now eat organic baby food on a regular basis.

In the late 1990s, the German baby food manufacturer Hipp converted all of its production lines to organic—making it one of the world’s leading organic food processors.

If you're expecting a baby or planning on breastfeeding, minimize your exposure to pesticides, paints, heavy metals, and other toxins that may accumulate in body tissue.

When changing a diaper, use soaps without strong fragrances, colorings, or detergents, which can be harsh on skin. Avoid commercial baby wipes that contain alcohol, fragrances, and other irritants.

Try using biodegradable diapers or reusable cloth diapers to minimize the burden on landfills.

When buying baby toys, look for items made without PVC and other plastics.

If you're buying gifts for new or expecting parents, expose them to the wide array of alternatives to standard baby toys, clothing, and accessories—including sleepers made from organic cotton, toys made from non-dyed wood, or baby soaps made without synthetic ingredients.

Commit to making at least two environmental improvements in the baby products you purchase, such as switching to biodegradable diapers or organic baby food.

Children's Health Environmental Coalition (www.checnet.org) is a U.S. non-profit organization dedicated to educating parents and caregivers about environmental toxins that affect children's health.

The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (www.unicef.org/programme/breastfeeding/ baby.htm) is a global effort to encourage hospitals around the world to support breast-feeding and other baby-friendly practices.

The Green Guide (www.thegreenguide.com) offers tips on how to “green” your home and lifestyle to protect your family's health and the environment.