Recent Updates, Shower Curtains and School Supplies

I've fallen a bit behind in my postings lately but thought I'd take a moment to update you on my stroller mission, recent questions I've received and other info that has recently been brought to public attention.

Okay so first off, the infamous stroller switch.  This didn't quite work out as I had hoped. It seems that my 17 month old has opinions of his own.  I can't explain to him the dangers of brominated fire retardants.  He wants what he wants.  After a 20 minute trek complete with screaming in his new wheels, we had to return it and go back to his old stroller.  He went from screams to smiles in a matter of minutes.  If you've been reading then you know the subject of fire retardants comes up quite frequently.  There are federal laws regarding home furnishings and baby products.  Maclaren states that they do not use any.  And some other stroller companies who are complying with CA TB 116 and 117 are now using retardants that are non-brominated.  In the end, it is best to contact the company and find out what exactly they are using and what exactly you may or may not be exposing your child to.  To get involved in Safer Chemicals, Healthy families, click here.

The Bumbleride Flite PVC-free rain cover fits pretty well on our old stroller, it covers the canopy, which is a bonus and best of all, there is NO smell!

Recently a friend of mine asked me about shower curtain liners and here was my response.  For a shower curtain liner, you want to look for something made of PEVA or EVA.  According to their websites, Crate and Barrel, CB2 and Target all carry them.  The dangers of PVC are finally being recognized.  Which brings me to my next topic.

I believe you all heard about Johnson & Johnson announcing the removal of harmful chemicals from their products.  And in the same vein, it was recently brought to the public's attention that tested school supplies ranked high in toxic chemicals.  I've been fielding a lot of questions from friends lately and though I don't consider myself a true expert, I am extremely happy to help where I can and guide people to helping create a non-toxic world for their little ones.  Check out the Center for Health, Environment and Justice's guide (follow above link) on purchasing safe school supplies (and more). This guide is really extensive and it is exciting to see that H&M does not use PVC at all (who knew?) and also that there are footwear companies with equally strict guidelines.  I'm also happy to know that both my iphone and kindle are PVC-free and I can equally recommend many items on this list, such as the Crocodile Creek playground balls, which are safe and adorable! 

Toxic Stroller Part III... Non-Toxic Stroller

I'm happy to say that of all the companies that I have contacted, I have confirmation that Maclaren does not use flame retardants on its strollers.  So we have purchased one and are expecting it tomorrow.  I've been kicking myself wishing I had bought one in the first place.  There are many factors to consider when buying a stroller.  Weight, height, usefulness of storage basket, canopy size, maneuverability, fold-ability, affordability, recline, comfort etc. The reasons why I didn't purchase a Maclaren at first are as follows:

1. Massive recalls in the past few years (problem now resolved)
2. Everybody has one, I mean everyone!  They are all over this city.  And sue me, I wanted to be different.
3. No stand upright position when folded - seriously - I am so over that.
4. I had NO idea about toxins in baby products when I purchased our first stroller.
5. I wanted something NOT made in China and went for a European brand that I had very high expectations for and had many outstanding reviews.  The one we chose fit our needs at the time and still does to an extent - it is just not holding up well and well, I'm tired of these damn flame retardants. 
6. I had heard that they didn't have great customer service, but I disagree, considering that they got back to me via email in less than 24 hours... that is really good customer service IMHO.

Many stroller reviews I have read, and believe me, I have read a lot of them state "Just go with the Maclaren."  And I have to say, that I am finally on board with that.  Now let's hope it lives up to its expectations.  

The Maclaren comes with a rain cover, which could be another plus, but they do use PVC.  So in addition to our new wheels, I also purchased a PVC free rain cover from Bumbleride.  It's a little on the expensive side but so was the first one we bought for our old stroller that was not only PVC, it also ripped. Hopefully this one will fit! 

For more info on Maclaren and their CSR, please click here!

Disclaimer:  I don't work for Maclaren, nor have any affiliation with them whatsoever.  I'm just pleased with the information I have received about the company and about their products so far.  Especially considering what I have learned about other baby products that are available in the United States. 

Extreme Enough?

We've all heard about Extreme Parenting these days, right?  Well here is a non-toxic mama going to extreme lengths to keep the toxins out of her home.  I came across the article when researching those little metal cars my 16 month old seems to flock to and covet on the playground, music class, etc.  No matter which one of the cars I bring for him to play with, they don't seem to have the demand that those little metal ones do and it is not easy getting him to give them back.  He will say "a car" over and over again while hugging six or seven of these little stolen gems.  But I am still afraid to buy them for him.  I'm scared of lead or other heavy metal concerns.  And then I began to second guess myself.  Would one little metal car or bus hurt him? He's playing with them anyway right?

The attached article chronicles a mom from Alexandria, VA on her quest to detox her home and make it a safe place for her children (or the safest it can be).  I feel just like her and yes, I did the same thing with the vinyl wall decals above my little one's crib - who knew?  The article list several websites, books and even a documentary on the subject.

Here it states "In lieu of a hazmat Onesie, the household chemical purge may be developing into a ritual of new parenthood, a counterpoint to the traditional baby shower. Talk to pediatricians, medical historians and environmental scientists, and they will tell you the social phenomenon hasn’t been studied much. Depending on whom you ask, it’s a media-induced mass hysteria, an eco-marketing trend, a public health campaign or a stealth environmental movement — possibly all of the above."

Either way, in my mind, rather safe than sorry.  We can't escape all the chemicals out there completely.  But if I can keep them out of my home as much as I can, then I am going to continue doing so.  

Toxic Stroller

Yes, you read that right.  For awhile now, I have been looking to replace our stroller.  There are a multitude of reasons why, most of which I won't get into right now except for one and that is the fact that it contains toxic flame retardants in the fabric.  Now, if you've read my previous posts on the subject, you know I am really infuriated by the fact that flame retardants are found in so many baby items.

I didn't know about this stuff when I purchased the stroller and hadn't even thought about it after.  That is until I flipped up the tag to find the washing instructions and came across the fabric meeting not just one, but all three California Technical Bulletins regarding fire safety.  Clearly, this company does not want this thing going up in flames.

In my current search, I had narrowed down my options to two strollers.  But the fact that one had a stain resistant fabric peaked my curiosity.  What was in this exactly?  Are there any strollers out there that are chemical free?  And so I came across a slew of blogs from other non-toxic mamas out there and to them I am truly grateful. 

Non-Toxic Kids give a few options in the world of chemical free baby rides.
Non-Toxic Mama gives a big thumbs up to both Graco (phew) and Maclaren.  Though this was in 2009, I'm hoping that it still reigns true since the Maclaren Triumph is on my list.  After reading their CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility), I am definitely on board with giving them a try!

In regards to rain covers, I believe it was Orbit Baby who came up with the 1st PVC-free option. And now Baby Planet and Baby Jogger both offer the PVC-free option as well.  I'm happy to see the initiative from these companies in offering safer options for our little ones.  Let's hope the stroller companies follow suit... a baby buggy is not a good place for toxic chemicals.  The end!

*Correction:  The stroller we have actual meets the requirements of TWO Technical Bulletins, not three.   When I was researching the two, I mistakenly convinced myself it met TB 133 for furniture, but it actually does not. 

For more information on California Technical Bulletins, please visit http://www.bhfti.ca.gov/industry/bulletin.shtml.

The curse of knowledge, new trials and pesky zinc oxide

Now that I know what I know, it is almost impossible to get through a single day without noticing every little thing.  I can spot polycarbonate containers vs. the BPA free ones.  I am wary of anything that looks like PVC.  I am happy to take my own shampoos and lotions with us anywhere we go.  Although on our latest trip, the flies seem to be digging my lemongrass scents.  I am more aware of what fruits and veggies contain more or less pesticides.  I am even more wary about anything touching my baby's skin that I have not researched first.  I call this the blessing (or curse) of knowledge. 

So after a week away, we are now home and road testing some new products.  The first of which are Nature Babycare Diapers.  Diapers are a sore spot with me.  I thought I had wanted to cloth diaper but with apartment living this doesn't bode well.  We don't own a washing machine, a service is almost double what we pay for diapers through Amazon Mom and we don't get to the laundromat as often as we (mainly I) would like.  Plus with the laundromat, there is always the worry over residue from 1, 4 dioxane and phthalate-containing soaps contaminating our dipes.  So for 15 months we've been using, with success, Seventh Generation dipes, knowing that these like all other disposables can take up to 500 years to degrade in a landfill (ugh, what a hard pill to swallow).  But these days, in the heat, my little one can't take the feel of them on his lower back and scratches like crazy.  And his lower back is sore and irritated.  I'm not sure what happened, but will be contacting the company to see if something has changed.  So, in the meantime, we are road testing Nature Babycare, which seem to be softer up the back, and will have a review by the end of the week.

We are also road testing another natural sunscreen - this week is Elemental Herbs for kids.  After some research (not too greasy, not too powdery) this one seemed to fit the bill.  It was awaiting me in our mailbox when we got home and we've had one application so far - seemed to go on pretty well.  Again, more later.

And finally, here is an awesome trick for those who use ZINC OXIDE based sunscreens or diaper creams.  Zinc stains.  And even if you slather up your little one in just a diaper, there is still the chance of getting it on some nice clothes, you'd rather not have white spots on.  Especially if your little one is as squirmy as ours is!  Here is a DIY stain remover that we found online that really works.

Wet stains with hot water and apply liquid dish soap (they say that ones for fighting grease are best.  We don't buy Dawn but my mother in law had some so we used that.  Next time I will try Dishmate).  Use an old toothbrush, scrub brush or rub the fabric together over the stain briskly.  Without access to the first two, we did the rubbing technique.  Once thoroughly rubbed in, soak the stained garmet in distilled white vinegar for 30 mins then launder as usual.  We went an extra step and used a natural stain remover with built in scrub brush.  It worked on a new pair of pants and also a sun hat that has already been washed over a dozen times.  You may also go another extra step and wipe the stain with a dry paper towel first, careful not to rub the stain too hard or it will press it further into the fabric.

Enjoy!

I Wonder What Number Plasticman Was...

TLC Home posted a great and handy guide here to knowing your plastic by number.  Today we threw out an old plastic Iced Tea maker with the dreaded #7 on it.  Instead we used a giant applesauce jar (thanks Mom) to make our Lime tea in. 

I've been learning a lot about plastics these days and I will continue to post my findings as I go along.

I'll discuss #7s, polycarbonate and BPA later, but today I want to talk about our #3 recycling no. plastic, PVC (polyvinyl chloride).  PVC has been really getting me mad these days.  It is a bad plastic, that is as bad for you as it is for the environment.  As quoted from TLC's home "Soft PVC often contains and can leach toxic phthalates, and can also off-gas chemicals into the air. It's used in some cling wraps (yikes!), many children's toys, fashion accessories, shower curtains, and detergent and spray bottles. To top it off, PVC isn't recyclable, either."

Now there is a lot of emphasis on "phthalate-free pvc" in children's toys.  But from what I've discovered and learned from my trustworthy sources is that although it may be better, it's still not the best choice.  And therefore, I don't want it in my home, no matter what.  What I also would like to point out here is that I am still making mistakes.  Today we are expecting a dining room set.  The chairs are "leatherette."  What was I thinking?  As I'm trying to de-tox my home, I'm purchasing more toxins.  I'm not quite sure what to do when the chairs get here.  But I can honestly say that yes, I made a mistake when I ordered them, I'm too tired and busy these days to remember to cancel things when I have the chance and now I may just need to refuse delivery - as much as I really want the gorgeous solid wood table!

The toxins that can be leached from vinyl include mercury, lead and cancer-causing dioxin.  Chlorine derived wastes and generated throughout its life and released into the environment.  PVC is truly a bad, bad plastic!

So why is PVC used?  Well, for one it is cheap and for another, it is easily manipulated. The phthalates added are the plasticizers that soften it.  Amazing how soft those toys are without the phthalates though, aren't they?

These days we found some nice PVC-free options for our little one in the bathtub.  Green Sprouts makes a great tug boat toy.  Our son now fills it with water and dumps it on me to rinse me off.  Boon makes some super cute rubber duckies; Skip Hop's Moby the Whale fits nicely and looks super cute on our tub's faucet; and Sassy has removed PVC from some of their tub and squirter toys - although squirters do grow mildew inside, so that's another thing you might want to consider.

We currently have glass doors on our tub and use a rubber mat, but I have heard about new shower curtains made of PEVA, which is supposed to be a non-toxic alternative.   I don't know too much about it and although the glass door are a pain to clean, I'm kind of glad we have them right now.

A Word About Scents

In the previous entry on laundry detergent, I had mentioned my dislike of the heavy, cloyingly sweet and oh so toxic-smelling odors of most commercial brands.  What I did not mention is that these scents are actually chemicals and some "unscented" varieties of common products actually use scent-masking ingredients to make them scent-free.  It is mind boggling!

A recent slideshow from Rodale points out 11 common diabetes triggers right in your own home.  One of the culprits... stinky, scenty synthetic fragrances, which may contain phthalates!  They are used in order to "fix" scent, in other words, they make the fragrance last longer.

Like BPA, phthalates are known endocrine disruptors, often used to soften PVC (more about this toxic plastic later).  Endocrine disruptors cause hormonal changes and are thought to be one of the culprits in the earlier onset of puberty and obesity with insulin resistance.