droolicious : phthalates

Baby Got BPA-Free Back With Illumina Baby Bottom Balm

Aaron Burgess — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 15:04:00 GMT

Certified both organic and kosher, this Baby Bottom Balm from Illumina Organics combines natural herbs and oils, as well as zinc oxide and vitamin E, to help combat rashes and other baby-bottom blights, but it's also notable for its packaging. Illumina's toxin-free new line of baby-care products (which, we should add, is part of a whole family of natural skincare products from the company) comes in bottles free of phthalates and bisphenol-A (BPA).

$11.99 from Illumina Organics.

New Teething Rings without BPA Look Like the Old Kind

elizabeth leach — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 12:00:00 GMT

My daughter's favorite teethers are the plastic, water filled ones that you put in the refrigerator. Even now that she's not teething, she still likes to play with them and chew on them. I've even started as using them as a distraction toy when I'm feeding her because they are so easy to clean and they are such great distractions. But up until now I haven't found BPA free ones that look like this.

The new Natursutten Apple and Fish Teethers from Giggle are made without phthalates or chemical softeners. These even have the tiny bumps to sooth sore gums. They're just like the old kind but without the all the bad stuff. Hopefully, one day, we won't have to worry about our baby products but for now at least we have choices! ($12.00 each.)

Rubber Ducky is Yucky

elizabeth leach — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 14:41:00 GMT

Rubber ducky you’re the one. You make bath time lots of fun. Too bad most rubber duckies contain phthalates. I like to call this “the bad plastic”. The Natural Rubber Duck (creative name!) is manufactured in Spain and made of all natural latex rubber and painted with certified lead-free paint.

Duck comes in two sizes and can be found at grassrootsstore. The Natural Rubber Duck even squeaks when you squeeze him so your baby won’t know the difference. Rubber ducky I’m awfully fond of you again. Woo woo be doo.

5 Ways Not to Kill Your Children With Baby Products

Aaron Burgess — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 17:15:00 GMT

Born Free glass bottle: one of many safe alternatives.

As I type this, I'm eating lunch from a curiously soapy-smelling plastic container that I've just pulled out of the microwave -- physician heal thyself, indeed. When it comes to what my kids ingest, however, I'm far more cautious -- and, no doubt like you, I'm becoming overwhelmed by news stories about hormone disruption, lead poisoning, choking hazards and other potentially deadly undersides to what've long been considered staples of parental consumerism (read: affordable plastic baby crap). Here, then, a round-up of five sources to help you understand why some old-fashioned methods of feeding, washing and playing with your child are becoming increasingly dangerous.

Baby Shampoo Awash in Chemicals? (WebMD): While you're trading your plastic sippy cups for glass bottles, you might want to check the baby powder, lotion and shampoo in your cupboard, as well: More and more pee-analysis studies are showing a correlation between the use of such plastic-bottled products (to say nothing of plastic toys) and elevated levels of phthalates in little ones.

Recent Magnet Ingestion and Lead/Lead Paint Press Releases and Recalls (US CPSC): Complete with a function that allows you to search back to October of 2001, this list is a convenient, if terrifying, way to stay up to date on the latest in lead and choking-hazard recalls, as well as a sound argument for boycotting Chinese-made products, Olympics and corporate cost-cutting be damned.

9 Child Safety Products That May Cause Harm (MSNBC): So you've thrown away your #7 plastic cups, bought stock in glass baby bottles, and resolved only to buy wooden toys made by Haba. Great -- now turn an eye to your plastic outlet covers, crib bumpers and other child-safety/childproofing implements, as they may be just as likely to turn fatal.

Baby's Toxic Bottle (Center for Health, Environment & Justice): Download a PDF of the study that's helped to make bisphenol-A a household term, and when you're suitably mortified, head to Consumer Reports' site for a primer on safer baby-bottle purchasing.

Keeping Baby's Food Safe (Consumer Reports): When your little one's finished with her YoBaby, do you put the uneaten yogurt back in the fridge for later? And what about that homemade baby food you're making -- have you properly cleaned the food processor beforehand? While not quite as scary as the other sites here, this overview of how and what not to feed your baby is still worth committing to memory.

If you're curious about safe alternatives to some of the above, check out our recent 7 Days of BPA-Free Plastics for a great jumping-off point.

7 Days of BPA-Free Plastics: Think Baby Bottles

Aaron Burgess — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 15:02:00 GMT

Just a few unenlightened years ago, it would've been comforting enough to know that Think Baby's products use a patented colic-reducing venting system; now that we've got reason to worry about potential carcinogens and hormone disruptors leaching from our plastic bottles, it's more comforting to know that the company's bottles and trainer cups are also guaranteed free of bisphenol A (BPA), PVC, lead, phthalates and nitrosamines.

In addition to the 9 oz. bottle ($16.99 per twin pack) pictured above, Think Baby also offers a 5 oz. version ($16.49 per twin pack) and a 9 oz. trainer cup ($8.99). Stage 1, 2 and 3 silicone nipples ($4.99 per twin pack) can also be purchased separately as baby grows to need them.

Of course, babies aren't the only ones whose endocrine systems are at risk from BPA and other leaching chemicals, which is why Think (via its Think Sport brand) also has a line of nice-looking, similarly safe plastic sports bottles aimed at parents.