SayWhat?
How can I go green with raising my infant?
Glass bottles instead of plastic,
organic and petro free baby lotion, soap, etc
organic clothing and bedding,
wood floors in nursery,
cloth diapers.......WHAT ELSE? Thank you for your ideas!
Answer
Making your own baby food is a good one. That way your baby gets all the nutrition you get in mashed form. I use a KidCo food mill. You put the food in, crank the handle and baby eats what you eat for meals. It was a $13 investment that saved tons in baby food and you get to know exactly what baby gets.
Also instead of cloth diapers you could look into g-diapers. They have a website and are also sold at places like Whole Foods. They are a cross between a cloth and a disposable however instead of throwing away the diaper you flush a biodegradable insert down the toilet and wash out the outer shell. They have no pins and use velcro on the back so baby can't take off his or her own diaper.
And instead of wipes you could buy a box-o-rags that you re-use by cleaning with bleach or a natural cleaning agent (Shaklee makes a great one). You cut them into smaller pieces and dampen them when you have poopy diapers. They are usually recycled from old t-shirts so they aren't a rough fabric and very cost effective.
Getting fabrics that are made of soy, bamboo, or other natural replenishing fibers are not only safer but usually softer and last longer.
If you don't already have wood floors in your nursery, look for a demolition in your area of maybe a school, church or the like and ask about getting your wood from them. School gyms and churches usually have old wood floors full of charm and character and most often this stuff goes to the dump.
Buying wood toys (such as Melissa and Doug items) ensures your baby has child-safe yet fun, educational toys that aren't full of plastic and batteries.
One last thing I can think of. When storing baby food or breastmilk, buy cases of Mason jars. This eliminates the use of plastic ice cube trays (for freezing food), tupperware, and Saran wrap. The jars come in all sorts of sizes and are less expensive that Glad-ware in the long run.
Making your own baby food is a good one. That way your baby gets all the nutrition you get in mashed form. I use a KidCo food mill. You put the food in, crank the handle and baby eats what you eat for meals. It was a $13 investment that saved tons in baby food and you get to know exactly what baby gets.
Also instead of cloth diapers you could look into g-diapers. They have a website and are also sold at places like Whole Foods. They are a cross between a cloth and a disposable however instead of throwing away the diaper you flush a biodegradable insert down the toilet and wash out the outer shell. They have no pins and use velcro on the back so baby can't take off his or her own diaper.
And instead of wipes you could buy a box-o-rags that you re-use by cleaning with bleach or a natural cleaning agent (Shaklee makes a great one). You cut them into smaller pieces and dampen them when you have poopy diapers. They are usually recycled from old t-shirts so they aren't a rough fabric and very cost effective.
Getting fabrics that are made of soy, bamboo, or other natural replenishing fibers are not only safer but usually softer and last longer.
If you don't already have wood floors in your nursery, look for a demolition in your area of maybe a school, church or the like and ask about getting your wood from them. School gyms and churches usually have old wood floors full of charm and character and most often this stuff goes to the dump.
Buying wood toys (such as Melissa and Doug items) ensures your baby has child-safe yet fun, educational toys that aren't full of plastic and batteries.
One last thing I can think of. When storing baby food or breastmilk, buy cases of Mason jars. This eliminates the use of plastic ice cube trays (for freezing food), tupperware, and Saran wrap. The jars come in all sorts of sizes and are less expensive that Glad-ware in the long run.
My son's lead level was 5.0. The doctor advised me to get rid of all toys that were made in China?
London
My son is 18 months old, I don't want to expose him to lead. How to I determine what is safe and not safe. Having doing an inventory of his toys, the majority have been made in China. HELP!
Answer
Every responsible parent knows to keep cabinet doors locked so that young ones don't have access to dangerous chemicals, but what about lead, a toxin found in many common children's toys? How do you know if your child's toys contain lead and what can you do to minimize their risk of exposure to this harmful substance?
Lead is a toxic metal that can have devastating effects on the mental and physical development of children. The brain and nervous system of children younger than six years old are the most at risk for lead poisoning. Even low exposure levels can produce damaging effects ranging from impaired growth and hearing, to problems with posture and behavior.
High levels of lead exposure can cause deafness, blindness, convulsions, or in rare instances, even death. Even without severe effects, children exposed to lead are more likely to experience difficulties with reading and vocabulary, attention and focus, and fine-motor coordination.
So how does lead make its way into the products that consumers buy for children? Lead is used in manufacturing in paint and plastic used to make children's toys. Paint used in houses, on products sold for children, and on dishes has been banned from containing lead in the United States since 1978, but this regulation has not reached some countries that still export products to the US.
In those countries it is still legal to utilize lead in the production of plastic, even when the plastic is used to make children's toys. The lead acts as a softener to make plastic more flexible, which allows it to return to its original shape. The breakdown of the chemical bond between lead and these plastics forms lead dust, a known health hazard.
You can visit your State Department of Health's Lead Hazard Product Recall Website for information concerning toy recalls. You will also find a comprehensive list at the US Consumer Product Safety Commission website.
There are home testing kits offered that are designed to test household items, toys, soil, and dust for lead content, but these do-it-yourself kits are not recommended as reliable by The State Department of Health and the Federal Environmental Protection Agency.
Lead screening can help identify children with blood lead levels that may be dangerous. Infants that play with older toys (antique toys, toys passed down through generations, or toys made before the ban on paint with lead) and toys made in other countries may be at greater risk.
Before you buy new or used baby toys, make sure the toys that you intend to purchase do not appear on the recall list. You can even do some research about the country in which the toy is manufactured. Some stores now have information on file compiled to trace the country of origin for the toys that they sell.
You can also inspect toys that your child already plays with for chipping and peeling paint, the number one source for lead poisoning in children. Be careful when choosing colorful jewelry and toys, especially those imported from other countries.
Keeping your baby safe is a parent's primary concern. Baby Toys Galore offers a huge selection of developmental and just-for-fun toys for baby, including many made with organic products. Baby Toys Galore encourages parents and grandparents to keep baby safe by staying informed.
Every responsible parent knows to keep cabinet doors locked so that young ones don't have access to dangerous chemicals, but what about lead, a toxin found in many common children's toys? How do you know if your child's toys contain lead and what can you do to minimize their risk of exposure to this harmful substance?
Lead is a toxic metal that can have devastating effects on the mental and physical development of children. The brain and nervous system of children younger than six years old are the most at risk for lead poisoning. Even low exposure levels can produce damaging effects ranging from impaired growth and hearing, to problems with posture and behavior.
High levels of lead exposure can cause deafness, blindness, convulsions, or in rare instances, even death. Even without severe effects, children exposed to lead are more likely to experience difficulties with reading and vocabulary, attention and focus, and fine-motor coordination.
So how does lead make its way into the products that consumers buy for children? Lead is used in manufacturing in paint and plastic used to make children's toys. Paint used in houses, on products sold for children, and on dishes has been banned from containing lead in the United States since 1978, but this regulation has not reached some countries that still export products to the US.
In those countries it is still legal to utilize lead in the production of plastic, even when the plastic is used to make children's toys. The lead acts as a softener to make plastic more flexible, which allows it to return to its original shape. The breakdown of the chemical bond between lead and these plastics forms lead dust, a known health hazard.
You can visit your State Department of Health's Lead Hazard Product Recall Website for information concerning toy recalls. You will also find a comprehensive list at the US Consumer Product Safety Commission website.
There are home testing kits offered that are designed to test household items, toys, soil, and dust for lead content, but these do-it-yourself kits are not recommended as reliable by The State Department of Health and the Federal Environmental Protection Agency.
Lead screening can help identify children with blood lead levels that may be dangerous. Infants that play with older toys (antique toys, toys passed down through generations, or toys made before the ban on paint with lead) and toys made in other countries may be at greater risk.
Before you buy new or used baby toys, make sure the toys that you intend to purchase do not appear on the recall list. You can even do some research about the country in which the toy is manufactured. Some stores now have information on file compiled to trace the country of origin for the toys that they sell.
You can also inspect toys that your child already plays with for chipping and peeling paint, the number one source for lead poisoning in children. Be careful when choosing colorful jewelry and toys, especially those imported from other countries.
Keeping your baby safe is a parent's primary concern. Baby Toys Galore offers a huge selection of developmental and just-for-fun toys for baby, including many made with organic products. Baby Toys Galore encourages parents and grandparents to keep baby safe by staying informed.
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