Are you protecting Your Baby from Harmful Chemicals?

Have you ever taken the time to stop and think about what chemicals might be lurking in the fabric of that crisp new vest or sleepsuit for your baby? Your baby products might just contain Phthalates, Organotin compounds, Brominated flame retardants and other chemicals potentially dangerous to new borns.

Ok so let's not get too over the top here, your baby clothes and toys wouldn't be on the market if they were regarded as truly dangerous and there's no reason to move into a padded chemical-free bubble made of organic soap to protect them!

On the other hand we can't overlook the fact that such chemicals are being presented to our babies when the long-term health effects are not entirely known. There is good evidence that exposure to, and subsequent build up of chemicals can cause major damage. For example a build of Phthalates can have a damaging effect on development of the reproductive organs.

So what can we do to limit the amount of potentially harmful chemicals our babies come into contact with? Sew our own baby clothing from home grown cotton? Try out baby clothes on ourselves first? Let them wander naked and free? It might be simpler to make sure we buy organic items.

What are organic fabrics and dyes?

Organic fabrics are materials which are manufactured with the minimum use of chemicals and damage to the environment. This includes all stages of the manufacturing process including growing the cotton, harvesting the cotton, dying the fabric and finishing the fabric.

Organic dyes are made from plants, vegetables and roots. A surprisingly wide variety of colourfast pigments can be achieved this way.

Why buy organic?

The first and often most important concern for most parents who buy organic is that they want to protect the health of their child. Using organic fabrics and manufacturing practices can minimise the amount of toxins your baby comes into contact with giving you piece of mind.

You might even sleep a little better at night after buying Organic baby gifts. They are environmentally friendly as they are not produced from nylon or polyester. Both of these are made from petrochemicals which are both very polluting and contribute to global warming. The manufacture of nylon released nitrus oxide, a very harmful greenhouse gas! Furthermore these materials, unlike cotton are non biodegradable, adding to our landfill.

Moreover the growing of cotton is extremely harmful to the environment, with it requiring more pesticides per plant than almost any other crop in the world. Apart from affecting local eco-systems and animals these pesticides can cause the farmer illness or even death! Organic cotton is grown without the use of such pesticides, making them cheaper for the farmer and much more environmentally friendly. Replenishing and maintaining soil fertility also helps to reduce impacts on the environment.

It's not difficult to see the benefits to your baby, third-world farmers and even the entire planets environment when buying organic baby products. They're not as expensive as you'd think and it's certainly worth the piece of mind so next time you need something for your or another's baby, think organic!

Visit here for more information about organic baby gifts and their benefits

About the Author

Alan Heppenstall has a keen interest in both Babies/Pregnancy and in organic products. He wrote this article to encourage people to be environmentally friendly and buy organic.