Safer Swaps for BRAND NEW MAMA'S — A Smart [Life] Style

This tiny bottle of Johnson and Johnson baby wash is my “why”. It is why I chose to lend my voice to the better beauty movement. This is what was used in the hospital for my oldest daughter, Ella’s first bath. You see, six years ago I didn’t know... I didn’t know that it was okay for companies to put harmful ingredients in our personal care products let alone a product made for newborn skin. I didn’t know the loophole behind the word fragrance on our labels. Did you know companies aren’t required to list ingredients in the word fragrance? It could literally be a known carcinogen or other ingredients with links to human health issues.

“Many consumers are unaware of the “Fragrance Loophole.” Look at all the cleaning products under your sink and at the personal care products in your bathroom. You may find the vague word FRAGRANCE on product labels – FRAGRANCE appears to be a singular ingredient but it’s not. FRAGRANCE is used in lieu of disclosing the actual chemical ingredients, which could be hundreds. These secret chemicals may be linked to cancer, reproductive issues and hormone disruption. And this is legal in America. While Europe has banned nearly 1,400 chemicals in its products, only 10 are restricted in America – and that’s by design.” (www.stinkmovie.com)

“Because of the Fragrance Loophole, Americans don’t get to choose the chemicals their families are exposed to; the fragrance, cleaning, chemical and personal care industries gets to choose for us and they don’t have our best interest in mind.” (www.stinkmovie.com)

Now let’s take a look at some of the other alarming ingredients in this gentle, hypoallergenic, pediatrician and dermatologist recommend formula:

-PEG’s- (polyethylene glycol) used in personal care products as thickeners and softeners. They also speed up absorption allowing both safe and harmful ingredients to be absorbed faster and deeper into skin. If used on broken or damaged skin, it can cause irritation and system toxicity. In addition, PEGs can also reduce the skin’s moisture levels.

-Cocomidopropyl Betaine- Cocamidopropyl betaine is a surfactant; it has been linked to irritation and allergic contact dermatitis, reactions that could be due to the ingredient itself or to impurities present in it, such as 3-dimethylaminopropylamine. (ewg.org)

-Quaternium-15 (Formaldehyde Releaser) -Allergies/immunotoxicity, Use restrictions, Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Cancer, Developmental/reproductive toxicity, Contamination concerns (ewg.org) Yes, you ready that correctly, many products contain chemicals and ingredients that act as a preservative, they actually slowly release formaldehyde to extend shelf life. Formaldehyde is not on the ingredient list but the chemical reactions in the bottle create what is known as a formaldehyde releaser. YIKES!!!

Ella struggled with eczema and skin sensitivities her first few years. It could have been the laundry detergent I was using, the lotion I was slathering on her skin to “help” the eczema (containing a known skin irritant), or just a combination of not knowing about the harmful ingredients in so many of our products.

Fast forward six years to our third daughter and a mother who has empowered herself to know better and do better. Your newborn baby doesn’t need soap for their first bath, they have been soaking in water for the past 9 months. Once you are ready to add a wash, be sure to opt for something with minimal ingredients and no fragrance or scent. Newborn skin can be extremely sensitive so take the less is more approach. My personal favorite is the Beautycounter Baby All Over Wash. Specially formulated for babies‚ this two-in-one hair and body wash is ideal for delicate skin and free of irritants and hidden, harmful ingredients. The gentle, tear-free formula effectively cleanses and nourishes from head to toe without stripping away moisture.

Here is an image of what they were going to use in the hospital to bathe Leah if I didn’t speak up.

Here are a couple of my other safer hospital swaps:

Skip the petroleum jelly based products. My favorite swap is Beautycounter’s Baby Daily Protective Balm. This balm is a free of any irritants and hidden, harmful ingredients. I still use this on both my six and four year olds for dry skin, chapped lips, and under noses during cold season. Petroleum jelly on the other hand is a byproduct of the oil refining process. This means it is not sustainable or eco-friendly, and it also has potential for harmful contaminants. Avoid the words Petrolatum, Mineral Oil, Liquid paraffin, or Paraffin Oil on your labels.
I love Badger Nursing Balm for nipples if you are breastfeeding. This balm is a simple and organic blend of Sunflower Seed Oil, Beeswax, Coconut Oil, Olive Oil, and Carnauba Wax. I opted for this over lanolin based nipple creams which are for the most part considered safe. However, there is the potential of GMO’s and pesticides in many nonorganic lanolin products due to the sheep being directly sprayed with pesticides. This can be especially harmful to breastfeeding newborns. Check out this Mamavation blog for more information.
Ecopiggy Pacifier- Thanks to the recommendation from a friend, we discovered a safer more sustainable pacifier option. We didn’t bring this to the hospital but many mama’s do and offering a ecofriendly rubber pacifier makes complete sense considering this is going directly into your baby’s mouth. Ecopacifier offers plastic-free pacifiers and natural rubber teethers, made of 100% natural rubber. These natural pacifiers are sustainably made without chemical softeners or colorants.

Now some safer swaps for mama!

I think we all know after childbirth we are going to bleed… a lot. This means wearing some sort of pad or liner for weeks, potentially months postpartum. Using a safer organic pad is important. I wore the hospital pads and very stylish mesh underwear (ha!) while at the hospital because the bleeding was pretty heavy. However, once I was home I switched to Seventh Generation Free and Clear Overnight Maxi Pads for the first week and eventually to the thinner pads which both worked great. These pads contain a naturally absorbent material derived from wheat. They are free of fragrances and dyes and are whitened without chemicals containing chlorine.

Last but not least, I recently discovered these two postpartum must haves from earth mama organics. The Herbal Perineal Spray and Perineal Balm are amazing. The spray is a blend of Witch Hazel , Cucumber Fruit Extract, Organic Lavender Flower Oil, and Organic Peppermint Leaf Oil. The spray is super convenient and easy to use, perfect to pack in your hospital bag and use as frequently as you like. It even has a modified spray nozzle designed to spray upside-down-genius!

The Perineal Balm is 100% organic blend of Organic Olive Fruit Oil, Organic Shea Butter, Organic Beeswax, Organic Jojoba Seed Oil, Organic Lavender Oil, Organic Peppermint Leaf Oil, Organic Witch Hazel Leaf Extract, Organic St. John’s Wort Extract, Organic Calendula Flower Extract, and Organic Yarrow Extract. I use this post shower and before bed.

Both products can be stored in the refrigerator for extra cooling and if you still have some left after you are all healed you can use on bug bites to relieve the itch- perfect for kiddos as well!