The underlying issue – the reason we need ‘organic’ – is to avoid chemicals. Not all chemicals, but, specifically, the toxic variety that “off-gas” harmful emissions that can endanger our child’s health. Our children are inundated with toxic chemicals even before they’re born. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) now recognizes the severity of the problem and is taking action to stop it. Here’s what Lisa Jackson, EPA administrator, had to say about the situation:

“A child born in America today will grow up exposed to more chemicals than a child from any other generation in our history…Our kids are getting steady infusions of industrial chemicals before we even give them solid food…Today, advances in toxicology and analytical chemistry are revealing new pathways of exposure…There are subtle and troubling effects of chemicals on hormone systems, human reproduction, intellectual development and cognition.”

We need to give our kids every chance to avoid the many physical and mental conditions that are so prevalent in today’s society and have been linked to exposure to toxic chemicals.

In Barry’s interview, he also offers his top five tips on what to consider when buying a new organic mattress. Take these tips with you when you’re shopping.

There are several mattresses on the market that use the term organic. Are they all equal? Absolutely not; and it’s important for you to understand the differences.

Read Barry’s Organic Trade Association interview at Barry Cik: Organic Mattress Expert to find out more.

Barry hadn’t intended to start a company that makes crib mattresses. But six years ago, when he went shopping to find a crib mattress for his first grandchild, he was appalled at the toxic chemicals in the mattresses he found. And as an environmental engineer, he really understood the risks.

“My grandfather slept on straw. I’ll have my grandchildren sleep on straw before I let them sleep on these mattresses,” he told a salesperson.

And, so, Naturepedic began.

“I know from experience that once people realize that their kids’ beds, mattresses, toys and bottles may contain toxic chemicals, they start reading labels and put their trust in brands that can demonstrate safety,” said Barry. “But not everyone can afford to act on this knowledge. Consider families living paycheck to paycheck that can’t always afford to buy the least toxic choice. Our next challenge is to turn frustrated consumers into vocal citizens who will support Congress in making non-toxic the norm, not a market niche.”

If you would like to become a vocal citizen and protect kids from toxic chemicals, consider joining the 100,000+ people who have signed the Environmental Working Group’s petition to demand that Congress take action to make chemicals in consumer products kid-safe.

And to find out more about Naturepedic crib mattresses, the mattresses Barry made for his grandchildren that are now available for your family, check out our website.

The Environmental Working Group has compiled info on sun safety for you your kids, including research on 1400 different sunscreens (don’t worry, you don’t have to plough through all that research) to help you figure out which are safe and effective.

The new EWG sunscreen guide (read or download the guide by clicking the link), offers the following:

o A list of the top sunscreens – by which we mean the least toxic while still being effective.
o A searchable database in which you can find out about the sunscreen you’re using or others you have questions about.
o Sun Safety Tips for every age – from infant to adult.
o The Hall of Shame – your worst options, and why. Some of this product info might come as quite a surprise.
o Sunscreens exposed: The truth about sunscreens, what’s proven and what’s not, and how sunscreens could be causing more health problems, including skin cancer, than sunburns ever did.

This is vital information for your little guys, and for you. Especially the specifics on sunscreens. After all, if you won’t let your baby sleep on toxic chemicals (that’s why we make organic crib mattresses); you’re certainly not going to rub them into their skin!

Summer’s already fun. Now make it safe!

Safer Chemicals Healthy Families is a coalition representing more than 11 million people in the U.S. including parents, health professionals, advocates for people with learning and developmental disabilities, reproductive health advocates, environmentalists and businesses.

They provide a wealth of information and are working to reform the Toxic Substances Control Act. The Act was written in 1976 and has not changed since that time despite growing evidence of the link between toxic chemicals and health. Chemicals have been linked to everything from diabetes to learning disabilities.

Naturepedic is also a member of the coalition. Our organic crib mattresses are designed to help prevent exposure to toxic chemicals, but we would like to see everyone, not just babies, living safer lives.

Check out the video and, while you’re on the site, also check the list of participating organizations. You may find quite a few in there that would help you find the resources you need to further your personal quest and answer your questions!

Many recent studies have shown that kids whose Moms’ bodies contain chemicals are born with those chemicals in their body. One study found 287 chemicals in newborns’ umbilical cords.

Many experts believe this is a real health hazard because children’s under-developed bodies are especially susceptible to toxins. Even the President’s Cancer Panel suggests that both parents should avoid exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals and known or suspected carcinogens prior to conception, during pregnancy and throughout a child’s early life.

How can you safeguard your baby?

The first order of business would be, of course, to eliminate chemicals from your environment as much as possible. You can do a lot with just a few changes in:

Personal care products and cosmetics,
Household cleaning products and laundry items, and
Food that contains chemical additives or was grown (like chicken and beef) with added hormones, antibiotics, and so forth.

But it is also a good idea to see a health practitioner and get tested for the chemicals in your body and, if needed, do a detox. There are many different types of detox programs – your health care specialist can recommend one that’s best for you.

A chemical-free environment for your baby to come home to is important – everything from clothing to crib mattresses. But a good detox for Mom and Dad gives your baby an excellent start right from conception.

A recent discussion on Debra Lynn Dadd’s (aka the Queen of Green) Green Living Q & A blog highlights the problems involved in finding a truly non-toxic crib. One reader even said they bought a crib that was allegedly non-toxic only to find out later that the glue used to hold it together contained three times the amount of formaldehyde recommended as safe. Boy, you just can’t leave any stone unturned!

What are the parameters to keep in mind?

* The crib should be made of solid wood – not particle board, a laminate or veneer. And not PVC or some other form of plastic.
* The glue used to hold the crib together should be non-toxic.
* Ideally, the crib should either be unfinished – which includes clear, colorless finishes, unless you know they are non-toxic – or, if painted, ensure the paint used doesn’t contain toxic solvents, dyes and so on.

For more info on specific brands others have found (and/or eliminated), check out Non Toxic Baby Cribs – the aforementioned discussion on Debra Lynn Dadd’s website.

Truthfully, it can take some research to find what you’re looking for. They’re also not the least expensive cribs on the market, so don’t expect to find one for $59.99 – although you can find one that converts to a toddler bed so you’ll have years of use.

But, it’s worth the time, effort and expense because you know your baby will be safe.

Organic cotton crib mattress from Naturepedic, non-toxic crib and toddler bed (check out our mattresses that convert to toddler as well), organic cotton sheets and other bedding – all you need is some nice non-toxic paint for the walls and some cotton throw rugs and you’ve got yourself a very nice, very safe, welcome home nursery for your baby.

No matter what your religion or culture, there’s a good chance you’re going to be doing some gift-giving this holiday season, even if it’s only to children. A lot of the big toy stores have an eco-friendly toys collection, but there are plenty of online possibilities as well.

Either way you go, if you’ve gone to the trouble of getting or even considering an organic crib mattress, you probably want to make sure your child is also playing with safe toys. So, what can you give a child that will be safe and fun? Here’s a brief list of possibilities:

• Remember when trains were made of wood? You might think your kids want the big electric version but, really, kids still like making things move with their hands. A lot of wooden train sets are also built to be easily constructed by kids. What kid doesn’t want to build their own railroad? (Okay, I confess, I want to build one, too.) Have a look at these wooden trains to get an idea of what’s available.

• Dolls and dollhouses are another great option. And if you want to teach your child how to live with environmentally sound materials and practices, you can even buy eco-friendly dollhouses. Here’s a luxury natural dollhouse that includes a wind turbine and solar cell panel, recycle bins and a rain barrel for collecting rain.

• Online stores sell everything from non-toxic dump trucks to tea sets, and just about everything in between. For a list of websites that sell natural and environmentally safe toys, check out the sites on Debra’s List. Eco-Mall and Our Green House also has a great toy selection.

We aren’t familiar with everything on these sites so we can’t make any guarantees, but they’re a good place to start.

Organic and environmentally-safe toys also tend to last longer than the usual fare, so you can also pass them down to other children. And there’s nothing quite like knowing you’re doing the best for your kids.

Happy hunting, and happy holidays!

p.s. the photo is Nicki Baby Waldorf Toy from Three Sisters Toys. We found the store on Debra’s List.

Some experts feel that these techniques – called ‘sleep trainers’ – actually undermine your relationship with your child and prevent you from understanding what’s really going on with them. If a baby is crying, for example, it could be because he’s hungry, needs changing or something’s too tight. Or, he’s frightened. Maybe he has nothing to be frightened about, but that doesn’t mean he’s not frightened. Or he might be lonely.

He might even be reacting to something in his environment (an allergy to the latex in his crib mattress, new paint or carpeting that’s off-gassing), or a sense of turbulence in the home.

He could also have a medical condition that hasn’t yet been diagnosed.

Whatever the case, the question remains – do you want your baby to get used to turning to a ‘sleep trainer’ machine when he’s hungry, lonely or in pain? Or do you want to learn about and understand the problems your child is having and show him he can trust you to do so and help him through it?

No question there, really. All parents want that with their child.

That said, how do you get some sleep??!!! Read 31 Ways To Get Your Baby To Go To Sleep and Stay Asleep Easier for some great ideas.

I seem to be referencing materials from Debra Lynn Dadd quite frequently of late. No, she’s not paying me. But she does excellent research and has volumes of helpful info on living without harmful chemicals.

Also, it’s very important to make sure your cleaning products aren’t toxic. See our blog on non-toxic cleaning products for more info.

Gloria
The Naturepedic Blog Maven

A step by step process for doing this is in a book called Home Safe Home, written by Debra Lynn Dadd, green maven extraordinaire. I recently had the good fortune to get Ms. Dadd’s permission to re-print the process in its entirety. The section is called Curing a Sick House. See below. And, by the way, I’d love to hear anyone’s feedback after they’ve tried this out.

Curing a Sick House

There are many building materials that have some toxicity when being applied, but cure to a nontoxic finish. This is because the toxic part is the solvent used to keep the material pliable (as in the case of caulks, paints, and other finishes) or that residual chemicals used in manufacturing have not completely dissipated (such as adhesives used to hold together wood floor tiles). Once these chemicals outgas, however, the resulting product is nontoxic.

If you don’t have to install or apply these products yourself, once cured they can be safe for you and your family to live with (though in the larger scheme of things, we should also be considering toxic exposures to the people we hire and the pollutants released into the environment.)

To speed up the curing process, you can do what is commonly called a “bake-out.” In my experience, it has been a cure-all for many toxic homes, as it bakes off the volatile gasses that are present in materials and finishes and cures the materials into an inert form.

The procedure I recommend is this:

1. Close all doors and windows.
2. Remove people, pets, and plants.
3. Turn up the central heat as far as it will go (or use space heaters).
4. At the end of each twenty-four-hour period, open the doors and windows and air your home out completely. Use a fan if necessary.
5. Sniff around to check for odors. Determine if they are gone, or if you need another day of baking.

Baking can take from one to five days. I’ve never needed to do it longer than five days.”

Gloria
The Naturepedic Blog Maven