BABY REGISTRY ITEMS

One day I would like to compile a whole list of baby registry items but until I have time to do that-- hopefully these resources will be helpful!

Two amazing websites for this are : GentleNursery & 3 Little Plums Blog.

👶Baby week🍼- fire retardant chemicals

This post was made, for you to SAVE…and later use when making a baby registry or buying a baby gift.

This post isn’t to shame, hurt feelings or in any way make you feel less adequate as a parent. It is to educate and not to cause fear. All 6 of my children used car seats, strollers and mattresses with flame retardants because that is what was available at the time. (And who knows if I could afford these if I was a new mom today).

The great thing is that we live in a time when people and companies are taking more consideration into what products are made of👏🏼 

There are more and more better options coming out all the time, especially for babies! In 2017 there was just 1 model of car seats available without flame retardants, now so many more! And they still meet federal flammability standards👍🏼

Why look for big ticket items on a baby registry that are free from flame retardants?

“Car seats with added flame retardants put babies and young children in close contact with chemical additives, some of which are known to be carcinogens, hormone disrupters, and developmental toxicants. Babies are especially vulnerable to chemical-laden dust from products like car seats since their systems are still developing.” 1

What materials are companies using that still pass government fire safety testing?

Wool
Polyester
Natural latex
Inherent rayon

Even if you don’t have a better option car seat, safety is the first concern and having your child properly buckled in a safe seat is most important!

https://www.ecocenter.org/new-report-finds-upward-trend-toxic-free-childrens-car-seats

Babies sleep a lot- so it makes sense you want baby’s sleep environment to be as low tox as possible. So, lets talk about:cribs.⁣
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2 tiers: ⁣
🤩𝗧𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝟭: 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 ‘𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯’ -𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗳𝗲𝘄 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁 & 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘆.⁣
⭐️100% solid hardwood. (no composite wood (no MDF, plywood, etc.), laminates) or 100% soft woods like Pine, poplar, beech ⁣
⭐️Food-grade finish ( no paints or stains, that contain formaldehyde & other VOCs)⁣
⭐️no glue or soy-based or water-based glue⁣
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𝗧𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝟮: 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗜 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝗼. ⁣
⭐️Combo of solid hardwood and/or composite wood BUT composite wood uses NAF (no added formaldehyde) adhesives⁣
⭐️Paints/seals that are water based and Greenguard Gold certified⁣
⭐️All glues formaldehyde free⁣
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What do I not recommend? ⁣
❌cribs made of traditional composite wood. By law they meet TSCA Title VI standards for formaldehyde emissions (previously CARB2) which is the lowest emission standard in the world, however for a crib I prefer 0 added formaldehyde⁣
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🧐What about non- wood cribs?⁣
➡️Metal: My concern is not toxicity (as most of them are steel & tested for heavy metals) but I do worry about metal ⬆️ EMFs . However, there is not a lot of studies on this- this a purely precautionary approach. And, if you are ⬇️ EMFs in the bedroom (which we all should ) this would not be an issue. If you feel more comfortable with these - then these could be an alternative for you. Make sure to ask about paint/ finish on the metal: not PVC based. I would also ask to view heavy metal testing results to confirm no heavy metal in the metal used.⁣
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➡️Acrylic: Again- I just don’t love the idea of a baby sleeping in a plastic bed. Older babies often suck on rails of cribs. Acrylic is realtively stable there are studies that have shown that all plastics contain some levels of estrogenic activity. Again, purely precautionary I avoid at this stage in life.⁣
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➡️Upholstery: Cradles & bassinets are sometimes upholstered. Make sure that you avoid: ⁣
❌PU foam⁣
❌flame retardants⁣
❌PFAS chemicals in stain/ water proofing fabrics⁣
❌polyester based fabrics

Given the amount of time small children spend on or around carpets and their vulnerability to chemical exposure - small children are more susceptible to harmful chemicals due to their small size, the fact that their detox mechanisms are not as developed as an adult’s and the fact they place their hands in their mouth often-making sure your rugs at home are as non-toxic as possible is important too.⁣
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But, finding a truly non-toxic rug is not always easy. ⁣
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A couple of years ago a EU study found over 59 hazardous chemicals (including phthalates, flame retardants, antimicrobials, & heavy metals) in EU sold carpets and rugs ⁣
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To avoid these, you want to make sure your rugs:⁣
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🌿contains no formaldehyde containing adhesives (look at the backing of the rug - is it something that has been glued on or is it the knots of the actual rug you see? Wall to wall carpets require adhesives) ⁣
🌿is not treated with PFAS chemicals for stain/ water proofing⁣
🌿uses truly non-toxic dyes (or is undyed) ⁣
🌿uses untreated natural fibers (cotton, jute, wool etc) ⁣
🌈🦄🌈THE CREAM OF THE CROP: has an independent certification like Oeko Tex or - even better- GOTS certified organic!⁣

Edit: am taking Bugaboo & Joolz out of this list. Some old testing & new info was brought to my attn & i no longer recommend
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Which is the best stroller? Well, that depends on what you are looking for: ⁣
👶🏼single or double⁣
👶🏼do you want one for running⁣
👶🏼do you travel, is weight imp or do you never use a car? ⁣
The perfect stroller might be different for everyone… BUT from a toxin exposure perspective the things you want to look out for are:⁣
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❌flame retardant chemicals: most strollers today are free from flame retardant chemicals…but not all (they are required by law in the UK, so UK purchased strollers will likely contain them)⁣
❌PFAS chemicals: Used for water & stain resistance, many don’t contain PFAS chemicals anymore- however some very well known brands do. Thanks to CA’s recent law these will not be allowed anymore after 07/23; until then you still have to be on the lookout⁣
❌no added formaldehyde: Formaldehyde is sometimes added to fabric to make it wrinkle resistant. This is being used less today than before but good to ask & confirm it is not in your stroller⁣
❌PVC: my particular concern are PVC rain shields as they encapsulate your baby in a literal pvc bubble which will expose them to plasticizers, even if it says phthalates free & other toxins even lead.⁣
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🤩Here are some top picks… not an exhaustive list, as there are so many strollers! I hope to be able to add to this list with time.⁣
⬇️Feel free to leave any strollers you are curious about in the comments⁣
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note: ⁣
➡️Just because one model from a brand is listed doesn’t mean all the strollers the brand makes are “low tox”⁣
➡️independent certifications are becoming more common which I think is great bc we dont have independent testing confirming these toxins are not in the strollers ( just the company’s word) Look for Oeko Tex certified & GOTS certified accessories/ fabric⁣
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🤓Consider reading FULL BLOG POST!⁣
➡️More details on all models that I recommend ( some go beyond!) & links⁣
➡️WHICH STROLLERS DEFINITELY DO NOT MAKE THE CUT?⁣
Some Britax, Uppa Baby & Mountain Buggy are currently on the list. DETAILS of WHY are on the full blog post via link in Instagram bio!

Looking for a low tox car seat? Finally you truly have a CHOICE. The @Ecology_Center this week published a new report on chemicals in children’s car seats. The takeaway? Lots of progress. ⁣
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➡️In 2016, not a single toxic-free car seat was available! ⁣
➡️Today there are more than 40 U.S. models, without added flame retardants, & a fair number also without PFAS chemicals. ⁣
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But: there is still work to be done since the majority of car seats avail in the US 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 contain flame retardant & PFAS.⁣
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Why is it imp to source a car seat without these 2 chemicals? ⁣
❌PFAS exposure is linked to thyroid cancer, inc risk of asthma, liver damage & decreased fertility⁣
❌flame retardants can disrupt the endocrine system & are linked to certain cancers⁣
❌Both easily migrate out & build up in air & dust where kids breathes them in or touch them & place hands in mouth⁣
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⭐️What's NEW⭐️ ⁣
40 car seat models, now do not contain flame retardants - unfortunately not all of these are also PFAS free.⁣
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I only recommend car seats that are both flame retardant free & PFAS free which include:⁣
( ps I have all the links in the blog. Via link in bio!) ⁣
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1️⃣BRITAX⁣
🌿only Britax Safewash fabric is flame retardant & PFAS free⁣
🌿includes infant, convertible & booster⁣
🌿Pricing starts at $200⁣
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2️⃣CHICCO⁣
🌿Only Cleartex line is free of flame retardants & PFAS⁣
🌿includes infant, convertible & booster⁣
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3️⃣CLEK ⁣
🌿Only wool blends ( Mammoth, twighlight, full moon & railroad) are flame retardant &PFAS free ⁣
➡️Note: their c-zero line is PFAS free but does contain flame retardants⁣
🌿includes infant, convertible & booster⁣
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4️⃣MAXI COSI⁣
🌿Only the Pure Cosi line is flame retardant & PFAS free⁣
🌿includes infant, convertible& booster⁣
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5️⃣NUNA⁣
🌿All Nuna car seats are free of flame retardant chemicals & PFAS.⁣
🌿includes infant, convertible & booster⁣
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6️⃣UPPA BABY⁣
🌿Only Models in Jordan and Henry merino wool fabrics are flame retardant& PFAS free⁣
🌿includes infant & convertible⁣
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❌Car Seats to Avoid⁣
These car seats contain both flame retardant chemicals and PFAS⁣
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❌Graco ❌Evenflo ❌Baby Trend⁣
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Are you in the market for a bew car seat? Let me know below!

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