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Pretty harsh title isn't it! Most of us parents make it a daily priority to keep our children safe from all sorts of hazards. We worry about the food they are eating, the beverages they drink, and if they are warm enough or cool enough. We teach them about not talking to strangers and how to cross a street safely. We teach them the hazards of drugs, smoking and drinking. But, even if you do all this, you could still be killing your child!

A couple very common preservatives found in baby shampoo are imidozliidinyl urea and diazolidinyl urea. These can cause dermatitis. Cosmetic talc is carcinogenic and is found in baby powders. Talc based powder has been linked to ovarian cancer! Propylene Glycol is reported to have SEVERE adverse effects on the health; dermatitis, allergies, kidney and liver damage to name a few. These are found in baby products such as wipes and lotions. Sodium Laurel, Lauryl or Laureth Sulfate, sodium dodecyl sulfate are skin irritants and reported as being toxic. They have a tendency to react with other ingredients to form carcinogenic nitrosamines. Studies have shown that these chemicals penetrate the eyes, heart, liver and brain. This is the main ingredient in shampoos, baby shampoos, and toothpaste!

Flame-retardants are another very harmful item! These have a chemical structure similar to dioxins and PCBs. They accumulate in the body and build up in the food chain. They may affect hormone function and be toxic to the developing brain! Because PBDEs dissolve readily in fat, they can accumulate in breast milk and be transferred to babies and young children! They have even been shown to cross the placenta and reach developing fetuses in utero! Flame-retardants can also be absorbed into the skin. Where do we find flame-retardants? On our mattresses, furniture, carpets, and some clothing for babies! So, when you put your baby to bed on that beautiful baby mattress you are exposing your baby to chemicals that could cause terrible health problems and possibly even death!

I was shocked to find that formaldehyde is used in products that I use every day! I had previously thought it was only used to embalm dead bodies. Then I found that some of the most commonly used preservatives could also break down into formaldehyde! Where are these chemicals found along with formaldehyde itself? Shampoos, cosmetics, nail polishes, and permanent press sheets and mattresses to name a few. Formaldehyde, is allergy producing, and can cause insomnia, coughing, headaches, nausea, nosebleeds and skin rashes.

So, here we have Baby on a mattress that has been treated with chemicals to make it flame retardant, and also formaldehyde! We put formaldehyde on their little bodies in the form of lotions and shampoos! At the very least we are causing them to be unhealthy and at the worst we are bringing them death! How sad is it that most of us aren't even aware of all the harmful things we expose our babies to?

The answer to these problems is to be aware! Did you know that wool is a natural flame retardant? No chemicals in natural wool! There are also shampoos and lotions being made with no harmful chemicals in them and there are mattresses being made from all natural wool and organic cottons. No chemicals of any kind! Lets keep our children really safe be choosing to surround them with organic and natural substances that are completely chemical free!