There is a multi-million dollar baby product industry out there promising to keep your baby healthy and safe. But the irony is that some of the popular baby products may contain toxic chemicals linked with potential health problems such as cancer, asthma, etc.
Here are the seven commonly used baby care products that you must avoid:
Table of Contents
1. Baby Oil
Baby oil is a hydrocarbon made from mineral oil which is a cheap byproduct of distilling petroleum processing mixed with cosmetic fragrance. These fragrances can trigger various allergies, irritate the lungs, and weaken the immune system.
Moisturizing your infant skin with a fragrance-loaded product could set up various allergies in the future.
The best alternative of baby oil is to use the natural ingredients to moisturize your baby’s skin including organic cold-pressed olive oil and organic fragrance-free coconut oil.
2. Baby Talcum Powder
Baby powder is commonly used in every home for the routine care of newborns’ skin. Most of the baby powder contains talc, which is a naturally occurring mineral in the rock mass formation that is combined with various other minerals, including magnesium silicate and the highly dangerous asbestos.
According to a report from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the tiny particles of talcum powder can irritate a baby’s lungs, mesothelioma, asbestosis, and it may result in chronic lung disease or cancer.
Due to this, various baby powder manufacturers such as Johnson & Johnson have been facing talcum powder lawsuits. Switch to safe talc-free alternatives baby powder such as oat flour, rice starch, baking soda, to save yourself from baby powder cancer.
3. Antibacterial Hand Sanitizer/ Wipes
Most of the antibacterial sanitizers and wipes have a toxic triclosan chemical that is linked to endocrine disruption and cancer. These disinfectants are easy to carry around. But recently, these products have been tested for the potential harm they can have on the infants.
The convenience of cleaning your dirty hands with just a drop of sanitizer is tempting, but regular soap (not antibacterial) and normal water works even better.
If it is not possible, try to use alcohol-based sanitizer and avoid scented antibacterial gel and wipes.
4. Baby Bottles
Nowadays, markets are filled with various kinds of baby bottles including silicone, glass, stainless steel, and plastic.
Plastic Baby Bottles
A plastic bottle is the most common and cheapest option, but it is not the safest choice. It contains bisphenol a or BPA, a harmful substance causing lung infection, cancer, and various allergies. Try to use food-grade plastics bottles such as polyamide (nylon) and polypropylene.
Glass Baby Bottles
They are excellent options to avoid chemicals because glass won’t leach anything into the contents of the bottle. But it is heavy and easily breakable.
Stainless Steel Baby Bottles
They have the potential to leach nickel which is a problematic metal. Acidic foods and drinks have a tendency to absorb heavy metals from stainless steel
Silicone Baby Bottles
Silicone contains no toxic substances and it is the safest option among all. But the long term use of silicone has the effects of normal wear and tear due to regular exposure to extreme heat.
5. Vinyl Bath Toys
The waterproof and flexible vinyl toys are easily available at every local baby store. They promise to make bath time a fun playtime for your baby.
But vinyl toys are produced from vinyl chloride, a harmful cancer-causing substance that has very severe side effects on the workers and various communities close to the factories.
It contains a dangerous level of endocrine-disrupting chemicals and phthalates blend with plastic to make them soft and flexible. Keep the bath time neat and clean by dodging bath toys with “vinyl” in their description.
Conclusion
Every parent wants to raise their babies in sterile environments and start using hundreds of baby products without knowing the core ingredients. It hinders their natural ability to create resistance and immunity, thus increases the chances of allergies.
Stay away from all chemical baby products and switch to natural and organic products.
