| |
|
Healthy Home for Baby
By Evie Maddox
| |
We are told how to childproof our homes. Volumes on
baby care are available at the local library and book stores. Child rearing
advice can be spouted by the best of grandparents. But where do we learn how to
provide a healthy environment for our babies? In my research along this journey
of parenthood, I have come across some interesting information and common sense
advice that most people don't naturally think about. Here are 10 steps that I
have come up with to help you provide a chemical and toxin-free environment to
help protect your baby: |
| |
|
Do not use bleach or bleach products to clean.
Use
non-toxic cleaners, or baking soda and vinegar.
|
| |
The first
thing you want to do when your baby is on the way is clean, clean, clean. Not
only can bleach products harm you, the residue is also harsh on your newborn
baby. I personally have a strong sensitivity to chlorine fumes, and have gotten
bronchitis a number of times from breathing it in. Imagine what it can do to
your newborn. Instead of using these products, find something that involves
fewer harsh chemicals and a little more elbow grease. Baking soda and vinegar
are great cleaning products. |
| |
|
Paint the nursery with low VOC paints, and air
out as much as possible. Research and purchase the best
air filter you can afford.
|
| |
We purchased a Pureatech air filter about six months ago. One
of the goals of the system is to make the inside of the house as
"fresh" as the outside. Many people don't realize that our
houses typically contain worse air than the air outside that we
view as polluted. The system keeps the air in the entire house
circulating at all times. Without getting too scientific, let me
just say- the thing WORKS. My toddler tested the system a week
after we put it in. He dusted his entire room with baby powder,
and then spilled half a bottle of tea tree oil on some things in
my office. I thought the smell would never go away, but within
an hour in both incidents, you couldn't tell they ever happened.
Now back to the paint, if you've ever painted in a room with
poor ventilation, maybe you've experienced a headache or a
"high." Wonder what makes one feel that way...I wonder what it
does to a newborn.... If you use an air filter, you will be able
to rid your house and baby's room of gases that could make your
baby sick. This is especially important if you don't use low VOC
paints. Learn more
here. The air
purifier we now recommend is the
Airwise Air Purifier, which just came out in 2005. |
| |
|
Do not use fabric softener on baby clothes or
bedding.
|
| |
Dr. Jim Sprott, in his book
The Cot Death Cover-up?,
examined the incidence of crib death in Southland, New Zealand and wanted to
find out why the crib death rate was so high there compared to other areas.
According to Dr. Sprott,
Baby care in New Zealand by the mid-1980s had become almost an art form. New
products saturated the market, baby care magazines were appearing, and new
mothers were bombarded with promotions and free product samples even before they
left the maternity ward to bring their baby home. All the 'old-fashioned'
methods of baby care went out the window. Instead of soap, the new mother was
told to use 'modern' detergents; instead of boiling nappies, bottles and teats,
she was told to sterilise them in chemicals. She was told that good mothering
required the baby's surroundings to be made sterile, and that only chemical
sterilants could achieve this end. Just washing clothes and bedding wasn't good
enough for baby- she must ensure 'extra bounce and softness' with fabric
softeners.
After interviewing parents in Southland, it was
discovered that parents using all these new products had a higher incidence of
crib death, and those not using them had a lower incidence. Fabric softener is
simply another chemical added to your baby's environment that is not necessary.
For more information I suggest purchasing
Dr.
Sprott's book- it is an eye opener! Along these same lines, make sure you
don't use too much detergent in your laundry and rinse it well. You only need
about half the 'required' amount; detergent companies love it when you use more
because you have to buy it more often. Your clothes shouldn't smell like
detergent after laundering. They should smell clean. |
| |
|
Do not use plug in air fresheners in baby's
room.
|
| |
I've been told that the pine scent specifically is a carcinogen, but
any other scent can cause breathing problems for infants. I know a man over 300
lbs. that has a severe reaction when one is placed anywhere in the house. I know
we want our baby's room to smell "good," but in this case the absence of smell
should be the desired effect. I wouldn't even use them in the house, especially
after the fire hazards they also have proven to be. |
| |
|
Use
natural baby products in place of conventional products that contain
chemicals that can be harmful to baby.
|
| |
Many
parents figure this out the hard way. Eczema is the most apparent sign of a
problem, because it is visible. But we can't know what is going on inside
our baby's body. We are supposed to be impressed by the amount of bubbles a
product produces, but do we really care? How many chemicals do they have to add
to make it bubble so well? Preservatives are also added to increase the shelf
life of soaps, shampoos, and lotions. And why would I want to put petroleum
products on my baby, anyway?! Conventional products are made as cheaply as
possible to increase profit and to sell to the masses. Buy natural baby products
from a work at home mom that can tell you every ingredient in every product that
leaves her home. |
| |
|
| |
Conventional disposable
diapers contain chemicals that are still a mystery to most of us. Have you ever
taken one of those apart?! Studies are beginning to show a correlation between
disposable diapers and asthma. Many people that wouldn't otherwise have switched
to cloth because the chemicals inside the disposable diapers caused nasty,
bloody rashes on their babies. It's not only better for your baby's environment
and future, it is also another way to remove unnecessary chemicals from your
baby's world. |
Make your own baby food out of organic fruits
and vegetables.
|
| |
This is better for baby on so many levels. First of all,
jarred baby food tastes nasty; organic jarred baby food doesn't taste any
better, but at least it's pesticide free! The problem with the jarred
organic baby food is that it is so overcooked that there is no flavor left.
Making your own food is easy and cheaper, and tastes sooooo much better I can't
stress it enough. You can make more of a variety than what you will find in jars
at the store. It is very important that you choose organic fruits and veggies.
Read the article on our site by Jane Sheppard,
Growing Up On Chemicals - Our Children's Toxic Environment
for more
information. When your baby starts eating meat, yogurt, and other dairy
products, make sure you get organic or natural foods for these as well. Dairy
and meet contain even greater quantities of pesticides than fruits and
vegetables! |
| |
|
| |
You may
have heard this advice before, you may have heard "at least 6 months." This
minimum was changed recently as the conventional medical establishments have
realized what natural parents have known for years. I don't want to get into the
debate of formula vs. breast. I think most logical people realize that breast
milk is the best thing possible for baby. But getting past that and realizing
how long one should breastfeed is another issue. At LEAST 12 months does not
mean you have to wean your baby on his or her 1st birthday. Breast feed longer
if you and baby are both willing, and baby will receive even more benefits.
|
| |
|
Keep baby's room at 60-65 degrees during the
winter at night. Cover her with a cotton blanket.
|
| |
When I first read this, I
gasped. That's cold! But as I've experimented during the last 3 years of
parenting, I've realized it makes a lot of sense. My son inherited my
overly sensitive respiratory system and has suffered from not only constant bouts of
croup, but pneumonia as well. You should follow this advice especially if your
child has trouble with croup. A cooler room keeps nasal passages from drying out
and makes it easier to breathe for babies with colds. The best way to do this is
to close the air vent in your child's room. If it is especially cold outside,
open your child's door so that warmer air from the hallway can keep the room
from getting too cold. If you are concerned about your baby getting too cold,
don't be afraid to dress him in layers. Under a blanket sleeper you can use an
undershirt and even socks. On particularly cold nights, try long underwear under
pajamas. Do not use fleece, acrylic, or other synthetic fabric bedding to cover
your baby (see below). Use a thick cotton blanket if you feel your baby needs
more over the layers she is wearing. If you don't live in a cold climate and are
wondering how in the world do you get it so cool, don't worry. It's the running
of the heat that causes so many problems, so if the heat's not running, you'll
be okay. Dress baby appropriately for your weather situation and keep the room
cool whenever possible. |
| |
|
Put a BabeSafe crib or bassinet mattress
cover on his mattress, and don't use waterproof mattress pads.
|
| |
Also, don't
use polyester or acrylic blankets, including fleece and polyester filled baby
comforters. Use only pure cotton blankets. Though 100% cotton is preferred, a
50/50 blend crib sheet is okay because it is laundered frequently. Why does it
matter? The toxic gas theory for crib death has well proven that baby mattresses
are giving off toxic fumes that are killing our babies. The BabeSafe covers
prevent these gases from escaping into baby's air, but other bedding listed
above are also contributing factors. For more information, please visit
Prevent SIDS. If you need even more
evidence, Dr. Sprott's book mentioned above is a great resource to understand
how his discovery came about and why the medical establishment denies his
research. The success of mattress wrapping- over 100,000 babies sleeping on
BabeSafe mattresses with NO crib death fatalities- speaks for itself. Given
current statistics, about 100 of those babies "should have" died. Maybe he has
something there...
This is not an exhaustive list, but only a
beginning. My hope was to encourage without overwhelming. As you do more
research, you will discover other things not mentioned here. The best advice I
can give any parent to a baby is to keep the environment as chemical free as
possible. We need to use our common sense when it comes to the chemicals that
scientists "think" are safe. So carry on, breathe deep, and HAPPY PARENTING! |
|
|
