Non-Toxic Products for Your Baby Registry
By Kimberly Spair, Speech/Language Pathologist from Reclaimers of Health and guest Melissa McDonald, Speech/Language Pathologist and Certified Lactation Counselor
Non-Toxic Baby Products: What to Look For
One of the best parts of my job is helping mamas feel good about what they do with and for their babies! I get questions all the time about feeding, nursery planning, and the best products to add to their registry. I know I definitely felt I needed more, back when I was expecting baby #1, so I tried to keep that in mind while creating this list by including the basics and more (since as repeated mamas know, you somehow just feel like you need less the second, third, etc. time around).
Check out some of our favorite products below for a non-toxic baby registry. Just know that this does not include ALL available products out there as we’re lucky to live in a world where new companies and products are always popping up.
Generally speaking, moms-to-be should be looking for products that are organic/eco-friendly/non-toxic when possible. Some harmful chemicals to avoid (across all categories of baby products) include:
- BPA (often in bottles, toys, dishes, etc.)
- Phthalates (watch out for “vinyl;” found in personal care products and plastics)
- Parabens (in many topical products)
- Fragrance (added to lotions, laundry detergent, and other countless products)
- Flame retardants (look for this in carseats, furniture, bedding, clothing, etc.)
- Formaldehyde (often in topical products like shampoo and soap)
- Polyurethane foam (often used in mattresses, pillows, etc.; always look for CertiPUR-US or GREENGUARD certification if your product has this)
- Talc (added to powders) and mineral oil (think “baby oil”)
- 1,4-dioxane and ethylated surfactants (especially in soaps; lookout for any ingredients that contain the letters “eth” because it is an indicator of the presence of 1,4-dioxane. Stay away from polyethylene, polyethylene glycol, sodium Laureth sulfate, ceteareth, oleth, oxynol, -xynol, and PEG.)
Non-Toxic Products for Your Baby Registry
The following are some ROH recommendations.
