We are pleased to offer you this nifty little e-ditty.

raising a healthy baby...where to start?

Children are far more vulnerable to the effects of toxins than adults because they are smaller, consume more air, food, and water for each pound of body weight than adults, they put more things into their mouths and they spend more time on the ground.

Research has shown exposure to chemicals, such as pesticides and plastics, has been implicated in increased rates of asthma, acute bronchitis and upper-respiratory infections, cancer, cognitive impairment and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. (1)

HOW CAN YOU MINIMIZE THE IMPACT ON YOUR BABY?

1.Shop locally for organic food and baby skincare products.
2.Use non-toxic cleaners in and around your home.
3.Be sure pesticides are not being used in gardens or yards where your children play.
4.Wash your child's toys with warm, soapy water.
5.Avoid plastic toys for babies – choose alternatives such as textile or wood.
6.Do not heat food or drink in the microwave in plastic containers.
7.Swaddle your baby in organic cotton, free of pesticides and chemicals.
   Ever wonder what that lovely new clothes smell is? - it ain't natural, that's for sure!

(1): University of Rochester study

top

why use natural skincare?

As with our organic cotton, all of our organic skincare ingredients have been grown without the use of chemicals or synthetics. Your skin is the largest living organ of your body and most chemicals can be absorbed through your skin directly into your bloodstream.

In fact, research at the University of Pittsburgh shows that twice as much toxic chemical can enter the body through your skin, as through your intestine. We worry so much about what we are eating – it is time to start considering what we are putting on our baby's skin.

If you are in to reading labels, you will appreciate The Environmental Working Group's website, which offers a 'safety' assessment of your personal care products. You can check out your own cosmetic products, as well as the EWG's Top 10 best and worst baby body wash products.

FYI: you will be glad to know that Ethicbaby's pure and natural skincare products have:

top

mom's web picks

At some point in our lives we come to the realization that mother knows best. With this in mind, we offer you a sampling of my favorite online resources for pregnancy, birthing and raising your healthy child (naturally, of course!)

Mothering Magazine Online:This is an excellent resource for parents and parents to-be about "natural family living" - we are big fans of this site, and editor Peggy O'Mara is a wealth of information. If you are interested, we carry two of her books about natural birthing and parenting on our site.

Campaign for safe cosmetics: Is a group calling on all cosmetic companies to phase out the chemicals banned from the European Union, to be banned in the US (and Canada) as well. Well worth a viewing!

Natural Family Online:Looking for a source for natural parenting information? Here's the ticket - full of great articles on raising healthy and happy babies and more...

If you would like to share something with our readers, we would love to hear for you. Drop us an email at info@ethicbaby.com.

top

August 2006

In this issue

raising a healthy baby...
where to start?

why use natural skincare?

mom's web picks

click here...

Coming up...

toys, toys, toys:
the goodies and the baddies!

practical tips for baby's development