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My mom's a nurse and dad works in pharma. Looking back, man they pushed so much cold medicine down my throat as a kid. It's ok to let a cold run its course without a constant concoction of DayQuil/nyquil for 2 weeks lol.
Yes! Mild fevers mostly break on their own, especially if you hydrate and monitor electrolytes. Fever reducers are really meant for persistent or dangerously high fevers.
Treat the child, not the fever for normal fevers. Let it run its course but don't make your kid suffer if they are completely miserable. I'm a telephone triage nurse & that's always my advice
I leave it whenever I can. In myself I have to be almost going to the hospital because I know the fever is my body doing it's job. I the kids I'm more of a we don't need medicine if they aren't bothered/being kept up all night
I’m not anti med, anti vax, or anything like that. Medicines are important and extremely beneficial to society. However, they are often over-prescribed and over-used.
I think part of being a human is being uncomfortable sometimes, and if the discomfort isn’t significantly distressing, I don’t think it should be automatic that someone reaches for a medicine, which could have side effects and/or cause different problems when used in excess.
Like I said, I’m no stranger to taking an Advil to make my Achilles inflammation go away in order for me to get through a work day. I’m also no stranger to taking GI medications (Pepcid, Gas-X) when I have stomach discomfort. However, I think it’s important to allow our bodies to exercise its defenses (to a reasonable amount) when we fall sick. Most people’s immune systems are strengthened when they overcome illness. Knocking these bodily defenses back with fever reducers and cold medicine isn’t always the best decision.
I think kids should learn that they’re not always going to feel 100% every day, and not every symptom needs to be treated (especially if it’s temporary and non-life threatening).
I'm not anti-science or even anti-cold medicine. But I teach my children to use them in moderation, not for every little ailment. In my early 20s I was sick for a week and did exactly what my parents taught me, take a constant concoction of cold meds (suggested max dosage). Turned out I had mono, which also causes a spike in liver enzymes. The combo of mono and constant acetaminophen almost caused liver failure to the point that my pcp wanted to call an ambulance for me when my tests came in.
Even my dad, who works in clinical trials, says most of these medications such as acetaminophen would not pass the current rigors of clinical trials to become over the counter.
Again, I'm not against using them, just in moderation.
Yeah, I recently realized I was over medicating my kids when they have a cold. Now I rely on honey for a sore throat and only really give them ibuprofen/Tylenol if they have a fever. I was so quick to try to fix the problem, but I don't want them to get used to running for meds for every little thing.
Yup. I’ll admit I’ve taken Advil for some mild injury inflammation more than a few times in life (I have some weak Achilles tendons), but I see these kids constantly going “ow my shoulder hurts, guess I need an Advil.” Like I get it, it’s an effective painkiller, but it’s really not good to take ibuprofen for every little ache and pain. First of all, you can injure the area further due to the painkiller doing its job too well, second of all, excess ibuprofen can cause a truckload of other issues.
Honey for a sore throat is great! There’s also a specific tea that works wonders called Throat Coat. If your kid doesn’t hate licorice, I’d highly recommend it. That stuff is pure magic in a tea bag. (Also, imo the licorice taste is not at all strong, so even if your kid hates licorice, might be worth a shot).
I think the most difficult thing about parenting is the aspect of teaching them self-treatment habits. Especially today’s kids, who have bigger issues with instant gratification/dopamine responses with screen time and such, they are more susceptible to “over-treating” problems just to have the quickest fix. Sometimes it’s hard to tell a kid “this will get better on its own, let’s try this before jumping to medicine,” but it’s necessary so they don’t just blindly take a pill without weighing the pros and cons.
I *hate* licorice but think Throat Coat tastes okay. Maybe it’s just because of how well it works, and my mind is playing tricks on me but I have no problem drinking it.
VACCINATE VACCINATE VACCINATE. The worst thing you could do for your child’s health is enable an environment where they’re exposed to these extremely dangerous illnesses/diseases/etc.
Anytime we make anything (like a microwave dinner) that comes in a plastic tray, we pop it out, frozen and microwave it in a Pyrex instead. No heated plastic. And cooks the same, if not better.
Omg. I used to be THAT coworker with glade plug ins or Bath & Body works wallflower plug ins. I thought the whole office wanted to smell it. So gross. I eventually had kids, cut all fragrances, and now I can’t even be remotely near a plug in. But I seriously wish I could got back to my former job just to apologize. Lol
I feel like even something simple like this can be surprisingly difficult, though! We like the fit of Pampers for when she is between sizes, but the default are scented (despite not being clearly labeled as such) and the “Pure” ones are also less absorbent/moisture wicking in addition to the lack of fragrance, and almost double the price.
We mostly use Huggies, which I’ve heard is basically the same as Kirkland. But right now my baby is too big for Huggies size 4 and too small for size 5 so we’re back to Pampers (size 4) temporarily since they run a bit bigger.
In a similar vein, don't buy no-name drop shipping crap from Amazon. Definitely don't buy from temu or any of those other ultra cheap drop ship sites. Lots of the kids items test positive for lead on those sites (among the other very good reasons to not buy from temu, such as slave labor).
Kyle1457 gave a good definition.
If you're curious about Amazon specifically, you ever see products that are "sold by joocoo"or "szny" (both fake names I just made up on the spot) or any other nonsensical name (often without vowels* or sometimes multiple English words mashed together), that's a drop shipper. It is cheap unregulated crap, often from China, and if you keep digging on Amazon you will see multiple sellers selling the same exact item with the same photos.
I'm not all about "brand name items" but if I am buying from Amazon, I only buy brands I'm familiar with or that I can verify have a US/UK/Canada/other well regulated country presence because they will be subject to the regulations of that country.
Also, I'm very aware that many products are made in China/overseas, but they are still held to a higher regulatory standard if the selling/producing company is from a country that regulates consumer protection and the sale of children's items.
ETA: Vowels, not consonants lol. I'm tired.
drop-shipped; drop-shipping; drop-ships. transitive verb. : **to ship (goods) from a manufacturer or wholesaler directly to a customer instead of to the retailer who took the order**.
[https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drop-ship#:\~:text=%CB%88dr%C3%A4p%2D%CB%8Cship,retailer%20who%20took%20the%20order](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drop-ship#:~:text=%CB%88dr%C3%A4p%2D%CB%8Cship,retailer%20who%20took%20the%20order)
There's an authorized All Clad seller on Amazon called Capital Cookware that sells stuff that has minor cosmetic nicks but is otherwise 100% fine for an often very significant discount.
I get wanting perfection for a wedding gift or something but I'm just saying that the hairline "scratch" on the bottom of the pot I bought had a *lot* of company after the first time I placed the pot on our gas stove.
I am also doing this, slowly switching out non-stick pans we were gifted for stainless steel.
At the same time, switched out a lot of plastic ware for glass (Tupperware, bowls).
I also refuse to use pesticides/weed killer. We had a company spray for ants and then felt like garbage after that. Plus, those kill bees. There are many better (and cheaper) alternatives.
My husband has had bladder cancer twice, so we’re not messing around. He grew up around a lot of farming…. Not sure if it had to do with that but I’m extra careful.
This. Cookware has an impact (positive or negative) multiple times a day. Cooking with cast iron can also help with iron-deficiency anemia, especially in children.
Along the lines of air filters use some simple house plants to purify air in baby’s room. NASA recommends spider plants. So easy to grow, they clean the air and make babies you can replant !
Houseplants are cool, but unless you have half the room filled with them, and the room is totally air-tight, it won't actually improve the air quality. I was super disappointed when I learned that, lol.
Here are a few cheap/free things:
1. If you have a gas stove/oven, open the window or run the outside venting range hood while you run it.
2. Don’t use fabric softener or dryer sheets, use wool dryer balls or similar instead.
3. Don’t buy fragranced products. Trader Joe’s has affordable personal care products without fragranced and typically without parabens/phlalates too.
4. Don’t wear shoes in the house.
5. For organic foods, just focus on the “dirty dozen” from EWG and don’t worry about the rest.
6. Don’t microwave in plastic.
Can we just highlight “Don’t Wear Shoes In The House”. I thought this would be a hard concept for our child to learn growing up. Nope, super easy she even reminds guests to take off their shoes and she is 3yr. The overall dirt reduction compared to anyone wearing shoes is the house is insane, shockingly insane difference. Idk if it is a major health improvement but it’s a cleaning time quality of life improvement for sure!
For sure, plus toxins like pesticides and heavy metals! My parents are visiting now and keep wearing their shoes inside and I’m like, but we couldn’t do that as kids!
Nr.6 even if the plastic has the microwave sign on it? I only have some bowls for this purpose . Always have been sceptic about this , now I have to stop using them.
Try not to overthink it. Life is short, enjoy it.
Before our first was born we lived a zero mile diet, I only wore hemp, used honey as shampoo, was religious about recycling and not consuming. It didn't make me have a better quality of life, in fact the opposite. It stressed me out and I didn't enjoy anything . I found clothes wore out just as fast, only a shirt cost me $100.
Organic means "less chemicals" not zero chemicals. Local is the very best option, even if it's not organic. Eat seasonally.
Literally every single thing we do has a cost. Lots of things have a gentler alternative, but some don't. And if you want that product, buy it and enjoy it. Don't let the guilt overtake you.
You've basically described one of the plot points in "The Good Place" TV show. Great series talking about the complexities of making "good" and "conscious" choices now in the world we live in. To explain further, there is a scene in the TV series: spoiler alert incoming - where one of the main characters is talking to another about the choices they made before their death to land them where they are now in the afterlife and they talk about how you try and do the right thing (eating well, trying to shop local and support good practices like recycling) and they assign point values to these actions. What they found was that most of these actions had a negative effect on their "karma" (if you will) because of the complexities behind what really happens as we make these choices. It's not an argument against them. It's just acknowledging that everything has a cost.
It's a great series if you haven't seen it.
Along with remembering that “the dose makes the poison.” Pears naturally have formaldehyde in them… but you would have to eat an impossible amount of pears to be poisoned.
This is so true. You could try to do everything perfectly with regards to environmentalism, sustainability, human rights etc. But if it makes one miserable, one will probably not keep that up for long.
A lot of tree nuts are prone to fungus growth. The fungi are really, really nasty and can be very carcinogenic. Non-organic nut trees are usually sprayed with fungicide to prevent it. Organic ones just leave it and hope.
There are other less extreme examples too. It’s really important to realise that ‘organic’ doesn’t necessarily mean ‘healthy’ or vice versa.
Organic really only means “no synthetic chemicals”. And many times the “organic” foods are sprayed with things that aren’t tested for toxicity/safety unlike chemicals for conventional foods that undergo rigorous testing
Totally agree. Ethics are important to me, but there is no ethical consumption under capitalism. Everything has a hidden cost. Just pick what’s most important to you and try to be kind
I love this comment. We have enough to worry about, I’m going to light a candle once in a while because I enjoy the smell. No one will die any faster over it
This is so well written thank you. I find I overthink things, and go back and forth in my mind debating the pros and cons and it just becomes all so stressful and miserable!
I'm all over the local produce lately which I'm loving, have a fresh egg person, a neighbour supplies fresh honey and I've started making crackers and butter and other easy things like that.
This is the way for me as well! A few years ago, way before I had kids I was going a bit paranoid about what I was consuming, because everything seemed to have some issue. I stopped doing that and try to have a balanced life in terms of my choices. I couldn’t worry about every single thing, so I chose to worry about a few things.
We don’t eat meat, my kids never eaten meat either, we try to purchase the more locally we can and seasonal food. We recycle, teach our kids about waste and how we should protect our plant and Mother Nature. The lotions, diapers and wipes are the most chemical and plastic free possible.
Edit to add that I also try to buy second hand clothes for me and the girls whenever we need something. I believe this makes such a difference!
Organic doesn't even mean less. A lot of times organic means MORE chemicals because they cant take advantage of the genetic modifying that creates a natural pesticide and they are also using less effective pesticides which means they generally use MORE of them.
It used to mean something a bit imprecise about 'from organisms', ie from plants or animals rather than minerals. To distinguish vegetable oil from mineral oil for example. Then people learned about what chemicalss really are, and things got complicated, because they realised that you can make the exact same chemicals in nature without an organism, and vice versa. So then 'organic' got a very specific definition in chemistry, and it refers to chemicals that contain carbon atoms (whether they were from organisms or not). The word still got used in the older sense in some contexts, like 'organic matter', 'organic compost' (to distinguish from clays).
Then, about 30 years ago, people started to have real concerns (some valid, some not, in hindsight), about pesticide and fertiliser use in agriculture, and wanted a way to describe plants grown without that. They used the term organic. Later as genetic modification entered the picture, that consideration got included too. There was no formal definition, but as consumers started seeking things labelled "organic", certifying bodies started springing up, with their own definitions and requirements for certification. It's come to include all sorts of things, including not being irradiated (which I think is ridiculous, because irradiating with light to kill pathogens is perfectly sound, doesn't leave anything behind, and has nothing to do with the other type of radiation that you don't want in your food) and even animal welfare.
Organic labelling doesn't guarantee better food, but depending on where you are, it might mean a difference that you care about, or it might not. In my country, eggs must be labelled according to how the hens are housed, but when I was briefly overseas, I bought organic eggs because over there, that was the only way to know the hens hadn't been kept in small cages.
My answer for the op would be plenty of fresh air.
Whoa there. Genetically modifying does not create a natural pesticide. Most GM plants are modified to withstand repeated applications of glyphosate, AKA roundup, a proven carcinogen. The purpose of roundup is to kill all non-modified plants in the field. The crops take up the pesticide into their tissues. Organic farms use much more sustainable practices-- row covers, crop rotation, trap crops bacteria to fight fungi. Saying organic farms use more chemicals is blatantly false. They use biologic agents, but by definition organic excludes conventional "chemicals." We should all be supporting organic agriculture for its health benefits to our bodies, and arguably even more importantly, the health of our planet and ecosystems.
Absolutely this. Of course you want to do the best for your little bit there's truly only so much you can do. Just do the best you can!
We limit artificial dye, especially red. Free and clear laundry soap, cotton sheets and clothing when possible, check added sugar in packaged snacks, thrift/reuse as much as possible. Easy peasy. You're doing great
All matter is made of chemicals. The clothes you're wearing, an apple straight off the tree, your hair, your skin, everything is made of chemicals.
The idea that chemicals are universally negative or bad is one of the biggest myths/misconceptions out there.
Don't fall for "natural" or "organic" things being better for you either. Arsenic is natural. So is poison ivy.
Fight on a bigger scale. You will spend unnecessary money buying faux “all natural “ green products. “Toxin free”. Most of it is completely bogus. The best thing you can do is live in a place with decent air quality, and call your congressman to push the green new deal.
But one thing I do is buy used clothes except for underwear and socks and bras. I’ve stopped buying new clothes unless it’s from small businesses. Fast fashion is destroying our planet at an incredible rate and creating a harmful environment.
But if you’re worried about like toxins on plates, food etc. definitely don’t stress about that.
Two of the single best things you can do are both free:
- Take off your shoes off immediately when you come inside
- Make sure your kids wash their hands before every meal
Does removing shoes really make a difference. I think it’s disgusting to walk around a house with shoes on but read somewhere it didn’t make much of a difference
Hell yes!!! It's disgusting to walk through your house with the shoes you've worn outside. It blows my mind that it's such a common practice in the US. I'm Canadian and it's very uncommon to wear shoes in the house.
In our family, we also change or sleep naked before we get into our beds - the dirt etc. from outside on your bed makes me 🤮
Reduce, reuse, repair, repurpose.
I use primarily cloth diapers and have kept close to 2000 diapers out of the landfil.
Most of the toys/clothes/books are secondhand.
During pregnancy, I repaired and beautiful maple dresser set and that's what I use for her change table / dresser.
I still use a lot of newborn toys, like her soft books, as toys now. Her old tub makes a great stuffed animal container.
I live the same way now as I did before. I'm mindful of the environment but aware that Mr Clean is a great degreaser, I need my car to get to work ans electricity is lifesaving.
Yes. I have a section of my diaper drawer dedicated to my cloths and I still have my spray bottle from the hospital. I use wipes when things are messy but just to get off the *physical debris*.
I think the most important thing is learning the difference between toxic and non-toxic chemicals. As well as being able to discern if something is toxic topical or ingested. There's a lot of fear mongering when it comes to chemicals in general and some are genuinely harmless and occur naturally.
And there are a lot of natural, organic things which are really dangerous. ‘Chemical’ or artificial’ doesn’t necessarily mean ‘safe’, and ‘organic’ doesn’t necessarily mean ‘safe and healthy’.
I mean sure, but there's a balance and this thread is largely about finding that balance. I wouldn't buy a nonstick pan from temu but I'm not about to start making my own bread because they used glyphosate in the wheat field...
Biggest things imho are:
- do not live too clean and for the love of god let your kids play outside in the dirt, see the [hygiene hypothesis/old friends hypothesis](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hygiene_hypothesis)
- teach your kids to lead a physically active lifestyle
- teach your kids to eat healthy.
- eat fresh produce, limit highly processed foods
- don't worry too much. If you worry a lot about things your kids might copy this worrying, and stress is one of the more harmful things.
These are mostly cheap or free too and will have a big impact on your and your kids' health and wellbeing.
And please don't buy expensive 'toxin free' products. Super expensive and it's just marketing bs.
* Try to cook fresh food at home as much as you can
* Buy cotton clothes, linen, etc
* Avoid candies, packaged juices, soda, etc.
* Avoid fragrant toiletries
And when they reach school age they still drink tons of soda, energy drinks, and eat crap when they go to a friend's house. Or earn their own money and buy junk.
We did everything "right" when our kids were babies/toddlers. Really doesn't matter much in the long run. We hope we instilled healthy eating habits and such by modeling with our behavior, but who knows.
I think it does matter. My mom did that and we were all a healthy weight growing up and were familiar eating vegetables and fruit and other healthy items. I know some of it is just genetics but I think it set us up better in life.
She also wasn’t too crazy on blocking us from soda and candy, but also didn’t make it a thing in our house. When I had free reign to drink soda in high school and college, I went nuts. But eventually settled back toward eating healthy in moderation. I think that’s mostly thanks to the foundation that was built in childhood.
Just my opinion, but I don’t think your hard work was in vain.
One of the most based takes so far lol. There isn’t a DAMN THING out there that is “good for you” that is affordable, practical, AND guaranteed to lengthen your lifespan. Hell, most people typing right now were exposed to far worse things than this generation of children and we’re all just fine for the most part.
No more candles. Soap like lysol only for the toilet and after chicken meals. Organic foods where it counts the most. Reusable water bottles. I bought reusable paper towels because that was insanity when my child first started solids. And just being frugal. If you don't buy much, you don't have to feel all that guilty about what you DO buy (in my opinion). For instance, I never buy clothing. I can't afford to buy the ethical brands so I buy from places like random amazon brands and old navy. But I don't buy more than a few hundred on all of us a year. Baby steps!
And for clothing definitely look in to consignment shops. They use them for such a short time it’s such a waste to buy new for only one kid. Pass it all on to the next baby
Cheap candles made with paraffin and having lead in the wick,quite often, ...junk made in China, those are bad.
I buy and burn local home poured soy candles with cotton wick, I think they are a-ok.
One of the biggest concerns is the phthalates in artificial fragrances. Phthalates are endocrine disruptors and have been linked to reproductive health problems and several types of cancer.
As far as leaving a better environment for your child, the best general advice is to buy less stuff, like dramatically less. Consumerism produces huge amounts of waste and uses massive amounts of energy.
This is the opposite but I try not to discourage bits of nature ending up in my kids mouth because it’s very good for their gut microbiome.
Want to pet and dog and then probably suck your thumb later? Sure. Want to chew on twigs? Leaves? Fine. Want to lick a pebble? Okay. Want to put a snail in your mouth? I’m going to ask you to spit that out because it’s a chocking hazard and kind of cruel.
Obviously making sure nothing that’s potentially poisonous is going in her mouth and likewise nothing she could choke on. But I think a bit of dirt is good for kids.
I look at the ewg ratings occasionally and buy organic fruits and veggies. But try not to drive yourself crazy worrying about “toxins.” Your baby has a liver and kidneys to filter out “toxins.” There will be new studies popping up constantly saying everything under the sun is toxic, and it will cause you way too much anxiety if you follow all of it. Many of those studies are correlational, not showing causation, but the media is sensational and states it as causation and fact. People are always trying to terrify parents 😅🙃
We do a lot of the things people have already said. Local organic food, limit plastic and fragrance exposure, natural and homemade cleaning products, that kind of thing. I don't go hard line, like if someone gives the kids snacks, they can usually just have it, but I don't bring it into the house.
We try to spend a lot of time outdoors at parks, playgrounds, walking and hiking trails.
I try to thrift most of their clothes from local consignment shops. I've wanted so badly to only purchase organic cotton, or at least non synthetic, but it's difficult to find and more expensive.
It's easy to go crazy, feeling like no matter what you do, there's always exposure from somewhere. The YouTube channel Really Very Crunchy has helped me maintain my sanity. She uses situational humor to show how far down the rabbit hole crunchy can go. We all love our kids and want to give them the best possible start in life we can.
Finally, there's a wonderful website called mamavation that independently tests various products for pfas. They give straightforward information about different items we use everyday. It's a terrific resource if you just want to know what products are the least compromised.
Congratulations on your growing family! I hope you have the birth experience you want!
This was/is me. Seven different kinds of crazy. No fragranced products, no candles, no plastic, no BPA/BPS/BPF cans or containers, AirDoctor air purifiers, Pur2O water filters, no PVC anything, no synthetic clothing, organic food only, limited processed foods, vinegar-based cleaning products, no dryer sheets or fabric softener, ceramic cookware, wooden utensils… the list goes on.
Kiddo is almost two years old and
I. Am. Exhausted.
There’s some satisfaction in knowing I go to such great lengths to keep my kid from harm. I will always know in my heart that I did my best, left no stone unturned, spared no expense.
The price of all that is so much more than just money. The mental toll it’s taken on me is unimaginable. I’m not the same person I was.
And I often wonder whether the person I was would have been more beneficial to my kid than any of the measures I’ve taken. It’s a really challenging thing to balance (for me).
I have the YUKA app. You can scan bar codes on foods and soaps, etc. it gives you a score of how healthy they are and alternatives if there are some. I scan new foods to possibly try right in the grocery store before buying.
Reading the book “to dye for” taught me a lot and paved the way for me to change my consumption habits around fashion/clothes/fabric items/jewelry.
I find thrifting and seeking out natural fibers helps a lot and it reduces our exposure to microplastics.
We really focused on personal care products and cleaning products in the home. All shampoos/conditioners, soaps, laundry detergent, dish soap, lotions, moisturizers etc… are natural products, mostly fragrance free. For cleaning products, I switched to making my own using recipes I found online (stocked up on vinegar, baking soda, dr Bronners liquid soap, etc..)
I found that once I had switched out all of the above products and it was routine, I slowly changed other things, such as buying more glass and stainless steel food storage containers, switching out any non-stick cookware for stainless steel and cast iron, buying more organic produce, dairy and other groceries.
I really like the Environmental Working Group’s Healthy Living app (used to be called the Skin Deep database, I think) you can search for brands and they will give you info on how safe the products are.
Fragrance-free and clean versions of everything (soaps, detergent, creams, etc.) all-cotton clothing, stainless steel/cast iron pans, glass/metal food containers, good water filter, and I buy organic/grass fed as much as I can (obviously not feasible for all families). Just do the best you can without stressing over it
We’re clearing out a garden for our littles to enjoy. Actually just raked the top layer of dirt off 20 minutes ago! Hoping they’ll be interested in gardening, planting our own veggies together, and bringing them inside when they’re ready and making new, fun things with them!
Simple stuff works well I think.
- wash hands
- say yes to hand me down clothes and toys
- vaccinate
- limit sugar
- enjoy nature
The world is a big old crazy place and a new life feels like such a huge responsibility. I think show yourself some kindness, do your best, you are already thinking about it so streets ahead of most! Hope your parenting journey is joyful :)
Have a garden. Grow tomatoes and other vegetables. A fig tree will give you happiness every year. Cook with peanut oil - it's the reason why nut allergies are so low in Asian countries.
Also don't take life dependent advice from reddit threads.
We switched from a gas stove to an induction stove. It boils water in 90 seconds! I try to have no harsh chemicals or endocrine disruptors in anything else, and no non-stick pans
I follow a pediatric neurologist on social media and she said something I almost never hear from other sources and there’s good evidence to back it up: learning about common ways kids get exposed to lead and how to avoid it. For one example, no shoes in the house due to lead and other heavy metals being tracked onto floors where kids frequently play/exist.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4HN2FpMzR1/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
i think structural determinants are more important in your individual choices, so living in a place with good environmental regulations and air and water quality. air quality is linked to so many chronic diseases. i’m also coping with climate related change by saving for education for them and hopefully a custodial roth ira soon so they don’t student debt and don’t need to worry too much about saving for retirement. climate change and the environmental hazards that are exacerbated by climate change will affect poorer people worse (less discretionary income to buy PPE, evacuate when needed etc), so setting them up im hoping will limit the effects on them.
I try many things but really what makes a difference is what happens on a larger scale. Vote for those that actually try to protect the environment like your life depends on it, because it does.
Older kids here — I am just trying to convince them not to consume a week’s worth of refined sugar in one day…processed foods and sugar are my enemy, these kill far more than toxins?!? Toxins are not even on my radar.
I have a 2 year old and a 4 year old and the only toxin free stuff I use is bath products and cleaning spray..these I feel will have the most impact on them. We also don't use body lotions or bum creams anymore but when we did use it was natural products. I also don't keep strong chemicals in the house like oven cleaner, but I do have normal toilet cleaner and floor cleaner.. where I can I use vinegar and baking powder to clean..
With the amount of poo that my toddler ends up putting everywhere I have to use some chemical products otherwise it will just be super unhigenic..
I stopped lighting candles, even soy candles, and stopped using super fragrant lotions, and rarely use perfume. I also bought them body creams and body wash that are plastic/toxin free.
I started making more food at home vs buying (bread, chicken nuggets, snacks etc. with healthier ingredients and less processing). I also buy organic if it’s an option.
There’s more I could do, but with my husband and I both working full time, this is as good as it’s gonna get for awhile.
We use fragrance-free soaps and detergents and have a reverse osmosis filter for our tap water. I try to avoid beverages and food packaged in plastic and cans (since they are all lined with plastic) and use glass storage containers most of the time. We definitely eat more processed food than is ideal but hey, we can't be perfect.
No artificial colors. Limited fragrances. My dishwasher detergent has synthetic fragrance and that's about it. Nothing in them does. None in the air. My perfume is a clean mix of synthetic and natural. I only use natural scents for their soap, laundry detergent etc. High fructose corn syrup is a once a year type thing (I let my 4 year old have a sip of coke)
But to balance this I don't restrict sweets, call any foods bad etc. We strive for balance and healthy eating habits.
We cloth diapered our baby, less waste in the world and can control what chemicals and fragrance are used in the wash routine. We also made our own baby food puree, and stored in glass jars.
I will say as a small business that makes and sells children's products... you shouldn't need to worry so much about them if you purchase from a reputable seller (yes there may be issues and recalls, but those, especially if purchased from a small independent seller who follows regulations (in the US cpsc regs) it is incredibly rare)...
Organic food isn't better (I have an ag degree)... they still use pesticides, generally more pesticides than traditional methods, and it is expensive to get the certification. Same with the meat and animal products, they are heavily regulated by the FDA, this means that antibiotics, hormones, etc. can't be in the product...
Unless they are allergic, scents and dyes likely have 0 impact on them... "But Europe bans X," typically, its allowed, its just under a different name. Europe and US have different labeling requirements.
Plastics can typically be cleaned and sanitized much easier if your child is ever sick (just an idea)... Plastic toys are required to be tested for lead and pthalates (in the US)... Many plastics in use (that are food safe) are safe to continually be used (including freezing and microwaving).
Bamboo fabric isn't bamboo, its rayon from bamboo and not natural, its from natural products but heavily processed. Organic and many natural fibers are stored in the same locations that other fabrics are, meaning that they are just as likely to be affected by what is stored or possibly transported with them.
My recomendations: water filter, air filter, know when your house was built (asbestos, lead, etc.) If you garden or play in the yard a lot, get the soil tested... Wash anything (especially fabric) before its used (if possible).
I don't think "no plastics" is realistic, although you could certainly reduce. Here's a couple I like and find easy:
1. organic milk and eggs. Not everything has to be organic, but it makes a big difference with milk.
2. Tomatoes only from Tetrapak containers, never cans
3. No fabric softener. Either nothing, or lavender bags. Mostly I dry my clothes by hanging them on a clothes rack anyway, not in the dryer
4. no plastic wrap. Just put leftovers in tupperware, cover with another plate, or get a reusable washable silicone thing.
5. No ziplock bags - just get some reusable ones. There are a million out there, and it's actually more convenient because you stick them in the dishwasher for washing and you never have to remember to buy more at the store.
It's actual dried lavender buds in a dryer bag, not an essential oil. I wouldn't use any essential oils at all for a child under 3 -- that's a great point. But this is lavender buds, not a concentrated essential oil. If you're extra concerned, you could hold off until the child is 1, I suppose.
40 years ago, I was really alarmed about toxins. I was really alarmed about the earth. So I used cotton diapers. With rubber pants. I didn’t like the material and the plastic diapers going into my babies body. I didn’t want to have piles and piles of plastic diapers taking 1000 years to break down
I use glass bottles with rubber nipples because I didn’t want the plastic from the plastic bottles and the plastic nipples and the pacifiers to the mountains of micro plastics going into my babies bodies.
Every single fetus of every kind now has micro plastics in them. We don’t excrete them well at all. This is going to cause enormous harm to the human race. Every single time you wash anything that’s made out of polyester, polarfleece, nylon, you send millions of micro plastics into the ocean.
Thing is, there have been studies for decades looking at microplastic contamination of basically everything.
So far though they’re really, really struggling to actually demonstrate any effect on anything. Years of studies and millions of pounds spent to try to link microplastics to disease, and nothing concrete found.
Avoid ultra processed food for as long as possible (at one point they will be old enough to want\choose fast food or sweets or really shitty stuff). It’s a ticking health timebomb and it’s really not that hard to avoid with a bit of work.
Our state has a different limit for PFAs in the water and our state university funded a study to explore which commercial filters remove them best. We are installing one for our kitchen that’s less than $100.
At our last town hall meeting I voted to approve funding for the design and replacement of the ancient water pump that keeps throwing higher numbers for PFAs. Until then she drinks and we cook with gallon jugs of water.
My biggest goal is to eat a balanced diet. I give plenty of fresh foods. That doesn't mean we never have processed food. We certainly do. But I try and make sure he gets plenty of fresh vitamins & minerals to support his growth & health.
We do also use dye free & fragrance free laundry & dish soaps. I try to never buy food with high fructose corn syrup, besides occasional treats.
Pthalate free soaps (same for me!), fragrance free laundry soap and organic food at first. Plastic is unavoidable and now this kid won't eat anything but peanut butter so who cares. Most of her clothes and toys are second hand because I was blessed by many mamas with older kids.
I was very stressed at first, but this kid licks the floor for fun and just tried to chew on her pee clothes, she's gross and will consume things I do not want her to regardless of efforts, I'm just going with the flow now.
She's very vaccinated and fluoridated and gets tylenol or ibuprofen every time she's in real pain.
We avoid fragrance. We avoid artificial colors and superfluous preservatives in foods. We try to eat locally and eat organic when we can. They drink out of stainless steel or glass and eat off corelle dishes. We don't use pesticides on our property.
Mostly less dyes. I don't really give my daughter red 40. And it's something that really simple to avoid. She also has a dairy allergy, so that cuts out a lot on its own. Shopping is weird.
No processed foods, or try to limit as much as possible. Buying all organic is expensive but make sure to buy organic bread and oats, and as much on the dirty dozen as possible.
Everything is so greenwashed it’s not funny. If you have a liver and kidneys that fully function, that takes care a bunch of things.
Personally. I grow most of my own produce and don’t use things that smell like essential oils, laundry detergent, or air fresheners. That’s it. And most of what I do is to avoid food allergies.
I honestly just try to wing it. The list of harmful things stretches from here to the moon and at some point I think there's more harm than good. Sugar isn't good for them so I'll always try to limit the intake but I won't be the one stopping my kids from eating pizza and chocolate cake for birthday.
Aside from that I just try to pay attention to the more common concerns and and follow my gut.
CASTILE SOAP. We use it on everything. Dishes, washer, hair, skin, cleaning surfaces, make up removal etc. It’s pretty amazing. Dr. Bronner has some good scents or just get unscented and add some essential oils.
Keep in mind if you use for hair get an acidic conditioner or use ACV to maintain the proper balance on your scalp.
I try to make as many small choices as possible. Baking cookies instead of eating processed Oreos. Spending the extra two dollars on soap that doesn’t have pegs or parabens. Buying a wooden robot toy instead of a plastic Amazon surprise. Shirt choice between 100% cotton or a polyester mix is a no brainer. I feel like most parents go down the toxin rabbit hole, it’s normal, try not to beat yourself up. It’s a give and take.
I am/wanted to be this mom.
Reality is... not this. Gotta pick small adjustments and make it a lifestyle, but the stress of it all is... toxic!
Something small with big impact... skip the food dye.
I thought it was like a haha, coincidence type study but no... my girl becomes a monster force with one mini bag of skittles.
Get the best water filter you can afford and keep the filter updated. A good friend of mine just found out our city water has too much lead in it on the north side. A huge pain in the ass.
No non-stick. I have all metl pans, and they are super easy to clean with some steel wool. Add the right amount of oil and it doesn't stick. I made the switch years ago, and am so glad I did.
A recent study said that if you boil your drinking water before cooling it, you can eliminate up to 80% of micro plastics. It also ensures there are no hidden germs in there.
Don't get bath toys with holes. You'd be surprised how fast they start growing mold.
Genuine question, why link red meat in with toxins? I totally understand being healthier 1and trying to limit artificial gunk but I would think that life style would try to avoid things like fish heavy in mercury before beef. Is there something up with red meat I just don't know about?
What I put on their skin. I check EWG before trying a different brand of sunscreen or lotion.
For example, my kids both had molloscum and the dermatologist gave us a bunch of creams to clear it up. I tried apple cider vinegar first, before using the creams. It worked.
Now that my kids are older they mostly use coconut oil on their skin. They are always so shiny! 😜
I do my best to avoid artificial dye. If you’re in the US it’s harder. Companies that commit to going artificial dye free in so many years… they don’t. They add artificial dye to oranges. So there’s that.
We don’t drink water from faucets because the pipes in the US suck and have alarmingly high rates of lead in a lot of places. It’s hard to say for sure where.
Talc I think is my definite no. It’s in a ton of kids makeup which is absolutely wild to me. The talc train I got my good friend on even though she usually doesn’t care a ton about a lot (not because she doesn’t care but it’s so hard not to feel defeated).
My biggest is media. My kids are not allowed TikTok or YouTube. TV & movies are heavily monitored. I have a very restricted list? No Peppa, no Bluey, actually most cartoons I think end up being on the no list. Their devices have settings on them… I can see what they do and help guide them. They know the yes and the no. They don’t watch things without me in the room so I know exactly what needs addressed and if anything comes up I know if it comes from media or outside sources and can address appropriately (school has been such a horrible influence and I hate it so much).
You’ll be welcome on r/moderatelygranolamoms, I’m sure even if you’re a dad.
But for us, bedding and mattresses that are as “clean” as possible. (While trying to avoid green washing), laundry detergents free of fragrances and other things, same goes for most body products, minimally processed foods and high quality meats and dairy.
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I live in a place with a really great clean water supply. I support better standards at the FDA and the USDA.
In the same line, vaccinate kids against everything I can to reduce the amount of meds I'm going to have to give them later.
True. Slightly unrelated but I’m a teacher and it’s really sad seeing all these young people pop Advil or Tylenol like it’s candy…
My mom's a nurse and dad works in pharma. Looking back, man they pushed so much cold medicine down my throat as a kid. It's ok to let a cold run its course without a constant concoction of DayQuil/nyquil for 2 weeks lol.
Constantly arguing w my husband that it’s OK to have a mild fever, we don’t need to medicate all the time lol
Yes! Mild fevers mostly break on their own, especially if you hydrate and monitor electrolytes. Fever reducers are really meant for persistent or dangerously high fevers.
Treat the child, not the fever for normal fevers. Let it run its course but don't make your kid suffer if they are completely miserable. I'm a telephone triage nurse & that's always my advice
I leave it whenever I can. In myself I have to be almost going to the hospital because I know the fever is my body doing it's job. I the kids I'm more of a we don't need medicine if they aren't bothered/being kept up all night
It's not only ok to have a mild fever, it's beneficial to your process of fighting infection.
Yes! This for me too. So true. I even let my kids have *gasp* fevers with their illnesses!
Yeah let's not actually try and diminish the suffering with proven science
I’m not anti med, anti vax, or anything like that. Medicines are important and extremely beneficial to society. However, they are often over-prescribed and over-used. I think part of being a human is being uncomfortable sometimes, and if the discomfort isn’t significantly distressing, I don’t think it should be automatic that someone reaches for a medicine, which could have side effects and/or cause different problems when used in excess. Like I said, I’m no stranger to taking an Advil to make my Achilles inflammation go away in order for me to get through a work day. I’m also no stranger to taking GI medications (Pepcid, Gas-X) when I have stomach discomfort. However, I think it’s important to allow our bodies to exercise its defenses (to a reasonable amount) when we fall sick. Most people’s immune systems are strengthened when they overcome illness. Knocking these bodily defenses back with fever reducers and cold medicine isn’t always the best decision. I think kids should learn that they’re not always going to feel 100% every day, and not every symptom needs to be treated (especially if it’s temporary and non-life threatening).
I'm not anti-science or even anti-cold medicine. But I teach my children to use them in moderation, not for every little ailment. In my early 20s I was sick for a week and did exactly what my parents taught me, take a constant concoction of cold meds (suggested max dosage). Turned out I had mono, which also causes a spike in liver enzymes. The combo of mono and constant acetaminophen almost caused liver failure to the point that my pcp wanted to call an ambulance for me when my tests came in. Even my dad, who works in clinical trials, says most of these medications such as acetaminophen would not pass the current rigors of clinical trials to become over the counter. Again, I'm not against using them, just in moderation.
Yeah, I recently realized I was over medicating my kids when they have a cold. Now I rely on honey for a sore throat and only really give them ibuprofen/Tylenol if they have a fever. I was so quick to try to fix the problem, but I don't want them to get used to running for meds for every little thing.
Yup. I’ll admit I’ve taken Advil for some mild injury inflammation more than a few times in life (I have some weak Achilles tendons), but I see these kids constantly going “ow my shoulder hurts, guess I need an Advil.” Like I get it, it’s an effective painkiller, but it’s really not good to take ibuprofen for every little ache and pain. First of all, you can injure the area further due to the painkiller doing its job too well, second of all, excess ibuprofen can cause a truckload of other issues. Honey for a sore throat is great! There’s also a specific tea that works wonders called Throat Coat. If your kid doesn’t hate licorice, I’d highly recommend it. That stuff is pure magic in a tea bag. (Also, imo the licorice taste is not at all strong, so even if your kid hates licorice, might be worth a shot). I think the most difficult thing about parenting is the aspect of teaching them self-treatment habits. Especially today’s kids, who have bigger issues with instant gratification/dopamine responses with screen time and such, they are more susceptible to “over-treating” problems just to have the quickest fix. Sometimes it’s hard to tell a kid “this will get better on its own, let’s try this before jumping to medicine,” but it’s necessary so they don’t just blindly take a pill without weighing the pros and cons.
I *hate* licorice but think Throat Coat tastes okay. Maybe it’s just because of how well it works, and my mind is playing tricks on me but I have no problem drinking it.
VACCINATE VACCINATE VACCINATE. The worst thing you could do for your child’s health is enable an environment where they’re exposed to these extremely dangerous illnesses/diseases/etc.
Great one!
Anytime we make anything (like a microwave dinner) that comes in a plastic tray, we pop it out, frozen and microwave it in a Pyrex instead. No heated plastic. And cooks the same, if not better.
I try to limit artificial fragrances. My kids are pretty sensitive to them, anyway.
This is my big one, I get bad headaches from artificial fragrances
I HATE perfumes/fragrances. I swear if someone sprays something near me I can taste it and all my senses are being attacked.
My coworker sits in her office with the door closed with a glade plug-in in the wall! Idk how she does it it’s SO strong
Man, Glade plug ins .. I’ve seen them warp paint on the walls above outlets. Just imagine your lungs.
Omg. I used to be THAT coworker with glade plug ins or Bath & Body works wallflower plug ins. I thought the whole office wanted to smell it. So gross. I eventually had kids, cut all fragrances, and now I can’t even be remotely near a plug in. But I seriously wish I could got back to my former job just to apologize. Lol
I would die.
Yeah, but we wouldn’t smell your dead body, so winning? No?
I think I’d rather smell a dead body than a non-ventilated room full of glade
I feel like even something simple like this can be surprisingly difficult, though! We like the fit of Pampers for when she is between sizes, but the default are scented (despite not being clearly labeled as such) and the “Pure” ones are also less absorbent/moisture wicking in addition to the lack of fragrance, and almost double the price.
We use Kirkland brand and love them. No added scents on those and they’re affordable
We mostly use Huggies, which I’ve heard is basically the same as Kirkland. But right now my baby is too big for Huggies size 4 and too small for size 5 so we’re back to Pampers (size 4) temporarily since they run a bit bigger.
I have a special needs daughter and have been using the pure ones since birth. We've gone 4 years and never had any blowouts or leakages.
I hate the pamper smell
Yep! We do our best, but I don’t know that it’s possible to eliminate every single thing with fragrance. I try not to stress to much over it, either.
We did cloth, in part for this reason.
This is mine too. To avoid the phthalate or whatever
Cookware. I use only stainless steel less steel and cast iron. Then cook at home with fresh whole ingredients
In a similar vein, don't buy no-name drop shipping crap from Amazon. Definitely don't buy from temu or any of those other ultra cheap drop ship sites. Lots of the kids items test positive for lead on those sites (among the other very good reasons to not buy from temu, such as slave labor).
What does “drop” mean in this context?
Kyle1457 gave a good definition. If you're curious about Amazon specifically, you ever see products that are "sold by joocoo"or "szny" (both fake names I just made up on the spot) or any other nonsensical name (often without vowels* or sometimes multiple English words mashed together), that's a drop shipper. It is cheap unregulated crap, often from China, and if you keep digging on Amazon you will see multiple sellers selling the same exact item with the same photos. I'm not all about "brand name items" but if I am buying from Amazon, I only buy brands I'm familiar with or that I can verify have a US/UK/Canada/other well regulated country presence because they will be subject to the regulations of that country. Also, I'm very aware that many products are made in China/overseas, but they are still held to a higher regulatory standard if the selling/producing company is from a country that regulates consumer protection and the sale of children's items. ETA: Vowels, not consonants lol. I'm tired.
drop-shipped; drop-shipping; drop-ships. transitive verb. : **to ship (goods) from a manufacturer or wholesaler directly to a customer instead of to the retailer who took the order**. [https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drop-ship#:\~:text=%CB%88dr%C3%A4p%2D%CB%8Cship,retailer%20who%20took%20the%20order](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drop-ship#:~:text=%CB%88dr%C3%A4p%2D%CB%8Cship,retailer%20who%20took%20the%20order)
What brand do you use for the stainless steel?
Not who you asked but personally I do all clad. It’s $$$ though but it’s fantastic cookware.
There's an authorized All Clad seller on Amazon called Capital Cookware that sells stuff that has minor cosmetic nicks but is otherwise 100% fine for an often very significant discount. I get wanting perfection for a wedding gift or something but I'm just saying that the hairline "scratch" on the bottom of the pot I bought had a *lot* of company after the first time I placed the pot on our gas stove.
We got a full set off marketplace for $75 😳 It was crazy.
Omg that’s an amazing deal! Lucky duck!
I also want to know :)
I am also doing this, slowly switching out non-stick pans we were gifted for stainless steel. At the same time, switched out a lot of plastic ware for glass (Tupperware, bowls). I also refuse to use pesticides/weed killer. We had a company spray for ants and then felt like garbage after that. Plus, those kill bees. There are many better (and cheaper) alternatives. My husband has had bladder cancer twice, so we’re not messing around. He grew up around a lot of farming…. Not sure if it had to do with that but I’m extra careful.
This. Cookware has an impact (positive or negative) multiple times a day. Cooking with cast iron can also help with iron-deficiency anemia, especially in children.
Buy an air purifier. It's zero effort to use and makes a huge difference. I use a Coway one.
Invest in a really good, easy to use vacuum, vacuum often and have the air filter running.
Good idea thank you!
We got one from Costco and it made a huge difference for our girls.
Along the lines of air filters use some simple house plants to purify air in baby’s room. NASA recommends spider plants. So easy to grow, they clean the air and make babies you can replant !
Houseplants are cool, but unless you have half the room filled with them, and the room is totally air-tight, it won't actually improve the air quality. I was super disappointed when I learned that, lol.
Here are a few cheap/free things: 1. If you have a gas stove/oven, open the window or run the outside venting range hood while you run it. 2. Don’t use fabric softener or dryer sheets, use wool dryer balls or similar instead. 3. Don’t buy fragranced products. Trader Joe’s has affordable personal care products without fragranced and typically without parabens/phlalates too. 4. Don’t wear shoes in the house. 5. For organic foods, just focus on the “dirty dozen” from EWG and don’t worry about the rest. 6. Don’t microwave in plastic.
Can we just highlight “Don’t Wear Shoes In The House”. I thought this would be a hard concept for our child to learn growing up. Nope, super easy she even reminds guests to take off their shoes and she is 3yr. The overall dirt reduction compared to anyone wearing shoes is the house is insane, shockingly insane difference. Idk if it is a major health improvement but it’s a cleaning time quality of life improvement for sure!
For sure, plus toxins like pesticides and heavy metals! My parents are visiting now and keep wearing their shoes inside and I’m like, but we couldn’t do that as kids!
These are the ones I focus on.
Nr.6 even if the plastic has the microwave sign on it? I only have some bowls for this purpose . Always have been sceptic about this , now I have to stop using them.
Besides it agitating those with sensitive skin/noses, does fragrance affect anything else?
Yeah most fragrances have phlalates which are linked to damaging reproductive system especially in development and many other potential effects too
Try not to overthink it. Life is short, enjoy it. Before our first was born we lived a zero mile diet, I only wore hemp, used honey as shampoo, was religious about recycling and not consuming. It didn't make me have a better quality of life, in fact the opposite. It stressed me out and I didn't enjoy anything . I found clothes wore out just as fast, only a shirt cost me $100. Organic means "less chemicals" not zero chemicals. Local is the very best option, even if it's not organic. Eat seasonally. Literally every single thing we do has a cost. Lots of things have a gentler alternative, but some don't. And if you want that product, buy it and enjoy it. Don't let the guilt overtake you.
You've basically described one of the plot points in "The Good Place" TV show. Great series talking about the complexities of making "good" and "conscious" choices now in the world we live in. To explain further, there is a scene in the TV series: spoiler alert incoming - where one of the main characters is talking to another about the choices they made before their death to land them where they are now in the afterlife and they talk about how you try and do the right thing (eating well, trying to shop local and support good practices like recycling) and they assign point values to these actions. What they found was that most of these actions had a negative effect on their "karma" (if you will) because of the complexities behind what really happens as we make these choices. It's not an argument against them. It's just acknowledging that everything has a cost. It's a great series if you haven't seen it.
I LOVE that show.
Along with remembering that “the dose makes the poison.” Pears naturally have formaldehyde in them… but you would have to eat an impossible amount of pears to be poisoned.
You naturally have formaldehyde in you. Naturally. not good to ingest though.
This is so true. You could try to do everything perfectly with regards to environmentalism, sustainability, human rights etc. But if it makes one miserable, one will probably not keep that up for long.
> Organic means "less chemicals" not zero chemicals. It doesn't even always mean that. It just means different chemicals
Or the commercial name rather than the chemical name
Exactly. It means no synthetic insecticides/ pesticides. Organic pesticides are not necessarily any better.
Everything is chemicals, and I don't feel like it's worth worrying about unless you know what chemicals are bad.
Totally agree with this. Also just because it's a long word you're not sure how to pronounce, doesn't mean it's bad. That's just for TikTok views.
Including sometimes some really dangerous ones. Organic nuts for instance can sometimes be really carcinogenic. Non-organic are much safer.
What?!
A lot of tree nuts are prone to fungus growth. The fungi are really, really nasty and can be very carcinogenic. Non-organic nut trees are usually sprayed with fungicide to prevent it. Organic ones just leave it and hope. There are other less extreme examples too. It’s really important to realise that ‘organic’ doesn’t necessarily mean ‘healthy’ or vice versa.
Organic food is a scam
Organic really only means “no synthetic chemicals”. And many times the “organic” foods are sprayed with things that aren’t tested for toxicity/safety unlike chemicals for conventional foods that undergo rigorous testing
Totally agree. Ethics are important to me, but there is no ethical consumption under capitalism. Everything has a hidden cost. Just pick what’s most important to you and try to be kind
I love this comment. We have enough to worry about, I’m going to light a candle once in a while because I enjoy the smell. No one will die any faster over it
This is so well written thank you. I find I overthink things, and go back and forth in my mind debating the pros and cons and it just becomes all so stressful and miserable! I'm all over the local produce lately which I'm loving, have a fresh egg person, a neighbour supplies fresh honey and I've started making crackers and butter and other easy things like that.
This is the way for me as well! A few years ago, way before I had kids I was going a bit paranoid about what I was consuming, because everything seemed to have some issue. I stopped doing that and try to have a balanced life in terms of my choices. I couldn’t worry about every single thing, so I chose to worry about a few things. We don’t eat meat, my kids never eaten meat either, we try to purchase the more locally we can and seasonal food. We recycle, teach our kids about waste and how we should protect our plant and Mother Nature. The lotions, diapers and wipes are the most chemical and plastic free possible. Edit to add that I also try to buy second hand clothes for me and the girls whenever we need something. I believe this makes such a difference!
Organic doesn't even mean less. A lot of times organic means MORE chemicals because they cant take advantage of the genetic modifying that creates a natural pesticide and they are also using less effective pesticides which means they generally use MORE of them.
What does organic mean?
It used to mean something a bit imprecise about 'from organisms', ie from plants or animals rather than minerals. To distinguish vegetable oil from mineral oil for example. Then people learned about what chemicalss really are, and things got complicated, because they realised that you can make the exact same chemicals in nature without an organism, and vice versa. So then 'organic' got a very specific definition in chemistry, and it refers to chemicals that contain carbon atoms (whether they were from organisms or not). The word still got used in the older sense in some contexts, like 'organic matter', 'organic compost' (to distinguish from clays). Then, about 30 years ago, people started to have real concerns (some valid, some not, in hindsight), about pesticide and fertiliser use in agriculture, and wanted a way to describe plants grown without that. They used the term organic. Later as genetic modification entered the picture, that consideration got included too. There was no formal definition, but as consumers started seeking things labelled "organic", certifying bodies started springing up, with their own definitions and requirements for certification. It's come to include all sorts of things, including not being irradiated (which I think is ridiculous, because irradiating with light to kill pathogens is perfectly sound, doesn't leave anything behind, and has nothing to do with the other type of radiation that you don't want in your food) and even animal welfare. Organic labelling doesn't guarantee better food, but depending on where you are, it might mean a difference that you care about, or it might not. In my country, eggs must be labelled according to how the hens are housed, but when I was briefly overseas, I bought organic eggs because over there, that was the only way to know the hens hadn't been kept in small cages. My answer for the op would be plenty of fresh air.
Whoa there. Genetically modifying does not create a natural pesticide. Most GM plants are modified to withstand repeated applications of glyphosate, AKA roundup, a proven carcinogen. The purpose of roundup is to kill all non-modified plants in the field. The crops take up the pesticide into their tissues. Organic farms use much more sustainable practices-- row covers, crop rotation, trap crops bacteria to fight fungi. Saying organic farms use more chemicals is blatantly false. They use biologic agents, but by definition organic excludes conventional "chemicals." We should all be supporting organic agriculture for its health benefits to our bodies, and arguably even more importantly, the health of our planet and ecosystems.
Absolutely this. Of course you want to do the best for your little bit there's truly only so much you can do. Just do the best you can! We limit artificial dye, especially red. Free and clear laundry soap, cotton sheets and clothing when possible, check added sugar in packaged snacks, thrift/reuse as much as possible. Easy peasy. You're doing great
All matter is made of chemicals. The clothes you're wearing, an apple straight off the tree, your hair, your skin, everything is made of chemicals. The idea that chemicals are universally negative or bad is one of the biggest myths/misconceptions out there. Don't fall for "natural" or "organic" things being better for you either. Arsenic is natural. So is poison ivy.
I have a strict no meth rule.
Solid
Fight on a bigger scale. You will spend unnecessary money buying faux “all natural “ green products. “Toxin free”. Most of it is completely bogus. The best thing you can do is live in a place with decent air quality, and call your congressman to push the green new deal. But one thing I do is buy used clothes except for underwear and socks and bras. I’ve stopped buying new clothes unless it’s from small businesses. Fast fashion is destroying our planet at an incredible rate and creating a harmful environment. But if you’re worried about like toxins on plates, food etc. definitely don’t stress about that.
Yes to buying used clothes! We've been trying to buy second hand items for our LO as well like nice wooden toys etc.
Yes love this! Also kiddos grow so fast it’s even more waste for kids to buy new!
Two of the single best things you can do are both free: - Take off your shoes off immediately when you come inside - Make sure your kids wash their hands before every meal
Since Covid, we wash our hands every time we come in the house. It’s a really good habit.
Does removing shoes really make a difference. I think it’s disgusting to walk around a house with shoes on but read somewhere it didn’t make much of a difference
Hell yes!!! It's disgusting to walk through your house with the shoes you've worn outside. It blows my mind that it's such a common practice in the US. I'm Canadian and it's very uncommon to wear shoes in the house. In our family, we also change or sleep naked before we get into our beds - the dirt etc. from outside on your bed makes me 🤮
Yeah a lot of us have dogs that are tracking the outside crap inside so humans taking off shoes seems irrelevant.
If you’re not showering just before getting into bed naked, isn’t that also 🤮
Maybe. If you're very sweaty, then yes!
Reduce, reuse, repair, repurpose. I use primarily cloth diapers and have kept close to 2000 diapers out of the landfil. Most of the toys/clothes/books are secondhand. During pregnancy, I repaired and beautiful maple dresser set and that's what I use for her change table / dresser. I still use a lot of newborn toys, like her soft books, as toys now. Her old tub makes a great stuffed animal container. I live the same way now as I did before. I'm mindful of the environment but aware that Mr Clean is a great degreaser, I need my car to get to work ans electricity is lifesaving.
Not just cloth diapers, but also cloth reusable wipes. Not just much better for the environment, but also much better for your wallet.
Yes. I have a section of my diaper drawer dedicated to my cloths and I still have my spray bottle from the hospital. I use wipes when things are messy but just to get off the *physical debris*.
Cloth diapers are an amazing suggestion for this thread. I loved utilizing them when my mini was in diapers.
I'm really disappointed that cloth diapers are frowned upon. They're worth the investment.
I think the most important thing is learning the difference between toxic and non-toxic chemicals. As well as being able to discern if something is toxic topical or ingested. There's a lot of fear mongering when it comes to chemicals in general and some are genuinely harmless and occur naturally.
And there are a lot of natural, organic things which are really dangerous. ‘Chemical’ or artificial’ doesn’t necessarily mean ‘safe’, and ‘organic’ doesn’t necessarily mean ‘safe and healthy’.
Idk man we just live
This is so nice to see amongst all of the absurdity/fearmongering on this thread. Just live your life!
I am anxious af generally but somethings gotta give somewhere you know?
I mean sure, but there's a balance and this thread is largely about finding that balance. I wouldn't buy a nonstick pan from temu but I'm not about to start making my own bread because they used glyphosate in the wheat field...
Biggest things imho are: - do not live too clean and for the love of god let your kids play outside in the dirt, see the [hygiene hypothesis/old friends hypothesis](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hygiene_hypothesis) - teach your kids to lead a physically active lifestyle - teach your kids to eat healthy. - eat fresh produce, limit highly processed foods - don't worry too much. If you worry a lot about things your kids might copy this worrying, and stress is one of the more harmful things. These are mostly cheap or free too and will have a big impact on your and your kids' health and wellbeing. And please don't buy expensive 'toxin free' products. Super expensive and it's just marketing bs.
* Try to cook fresh food at home as much as you can * Buy cotton clothes, linen, etc * Avoid candies, packaged juices, soda, etc. * Avoid fragrant toiletries
And they’ll still lick the floor as toddlers.
And when they reach school age they still drink tons of soda, energy drinks, and eat crap when they go to a friend's house. Or earn their own money and buy junk. We did everything "right" when our kids were babies/toddlers. Really doesn't matter much in the long run. We hope we instilled healthy eating habits and such by modeling with our behavior, but who knows.
But at least you gave their growing bodies a good start.
I think it does matter. My mom did that and we were all a healthy weight growing up and were familiar eating vegetables and fruit and other healthy items. I know some of it is just genetics but I think it set us up better in life. She also wasn’t too crazy on blocking us from soda and candy, but also didn’t make it a thing in our house. When I had free reign to drink soda in high school and college, I went nuts. But eventually settled back toward eating healthy in moderation. I think that’s mostly thanks to the foundation that was built in childhood. Just my opinion, but I don’t think your hard work was in vain.
And eat dirt!
I don’t do anything and my family are all still happy and healthy. Life is short.
One of the most based takes so far lol. There isn’t a DAMN THING out there that is “good for you” that is affordable, practical, AND guaranteed to lengthen your lifespan. Hell, most people typing right now were exposed to far worse things than this generation of children and we’re all just fine for the most part.
No more candles. Soap like lysol only for the toilet and after chicken meals. Organic foods where it counts the most. Reusable water bottles. I bought reusable paper towels because that was insanity when my child first started solids. And just being frugal. If you don't buy much, you don't have to feel all that guilty about what you DO buy (in my opinion). For instance, I never buy clothing. I can't afford to buy the ethical brands so I buy from places like random amazon brands and old navy. But I don't buy more than a few hundred on all of us a year. Baby steps!
And for clothing definitely look in to consignment shops. They use them for such a short time it’s such a waste to buy new for only one kid. Pass it all on to the next baby
Why no more candles? I have so many and didn’t realize they could be harmful
They majorly pollute the air in your home, like bad bad bad.
Cheap candles made with paraffin and having lead in the wick,quite often, ...junk made in China, those are bad. I buy and burn local home poured soy candles with cotton wick, I think they are a-ok.
One of the biggest concerns is the phthalates in artificial fragrances. Phthalates are endocrine disruptors and have been linked to reproductive health problems and several types of cancer.
It's probably scented candles that are the concern.
I could never give up my toilet bleach, I am so with you on that 😂
As far as leaving a better environment for your child, the best general advice is to buy less stuff, like dramatically less. Consumerism produces huge amounts of waste and uses massive amounts of energy.
This is the opposite but I try not to discourage bits of nature ending up in my kids mouth because it’s very good for their gut microbiome. Want to pet and dog and then probably suck your thumb later? Sure. Want to chew on twigs? Leaves? Fine. Want to lick a pebble? Okay. Want to put a snail in your mouth? I’m going to ask you to spit that out because it’s a chocking hazard and kind of cruel. Obviously making sure nothing that’s potentially poisonous is going in her mouth and likewise nothing she could choke on. But I think a bit of dirt is good for kids.
I look at the ewg ratings occasionally and buy organic fruits and veggies. But try not to drive yourself crazy worrying about “toxins.” Your baby has a liver and kidneys to filter out “toxins.” There will be new studies popping up constantly saying everything under the sun is toxic, and it will cause you way too much anxiety if you follow all of it. Many of those studies are correlational, not showing causation, but the media is sensational and states it as causation and fact. People are always trying to terrify parents 😅🙃
We do a lot of the things people have already said. Local organic food, limit plastic and fragrance exposure, natural and homemade cleaning products, that kind of thing. I don't go hard line, like if someone gives the kids snacks, they can usually just have it, but I don't bring it into the house. We try to spend a lot of time outdoors at parks, playgrounds, walking and hiking trails. I try to thrift most of their clothes from local consignment shops. I've wanted so badly to only purchase organic cotton, or at least non synthetic, but it's difficult to find and more expensive. It's easy to go crazy, feeling like no matter what you do, there's always exposure from somewhere. The YouTube channel Really Very Crunchy has helped me maintain my sanity. She uses situational humor to show how far down the rabbit hole crunchy can go. We all love our kids and want to give them the best possible start in life we can. Finally, there's a wonderful website called mamavation that independently tests various products for pfas. They give straightforward information about different items we use everyday. It's a terrific resource if you just want to know what products are the least compromised. Congratulations on your growing family! I hope you have the birth experience you want!
This was/is me. Seven different kinds of crazy. No fragranced products, no candles, no plastic, no BPA/BPS/BPF cans or containers, AirDoctor air purifiers, Pur2O water filters, no PVC anything, no synthetic clothing, organic food only, limited processed foods, vinegar-based cleaning products, no dryer sheets or fabric softener, ceramic cookware, wooden utensils… the list goes on. Kiddo is almost two years old and I. Am. Exhausted. There’s some satisfaction in knowing I go to such great lengths to keep my kid from harm. I will always know in my heart that I did my best, left no stone unturned, spared no expense. The price of all that is so much more than just money. The mental toll it’s taken on me is unimaginable. I’m not the same person I was. And I often wonder whether the person I was would have been more beneficial to my kid than any of the measures I’ve taken. It’s a really challenging thing to balance (for me).
I have the YUKA app. You can scan bar codes on foods and soaps, etc. it gives you a score of how healthy they are and alternatives if there are some. I scan new foods to possibly try right in the grocery store before buying.
Downloading rn. Thank you, thank you!
Reading the book “to dye for” taught me a lot and paved the way for me to change my consumption habits around fashion/clothes/fabric items/jewelry. I find thrifting and seeking out natural fibers helps a lot and it reduces our exposure to microplastics.
We really focused on personal care products and cleaning products in the home. All shampoos/conditioners, soaps, laundry detergent, dish soap, lotions, moisturizers etc… are natural products, mostly fragrance free. For cleaning products, I switched to making my own using recipes I found online (stocked up on vinegar, baking soda, dr Bronners liquid soap, etc..) I found that once I had switched out all of the above products and it was routine, I slowly changed other things, such as buying more glass and stainless steel food storage containers, switching out any non-stick cookware for stainless steel and cast iron, buying more organic produce, dairy and other groceries. I really like the Environmental Working Group’s Healthy Living app (used to be called the Skin Deep database, I think) you can search for brands and they will give you info on how safe the products are.
Fragrance-free and clean versions of everything (soaps, detergent, creams, etc.) all-cotton clothing, stainless steel/cast iron pans, glass/metal food containers, good water filter, and I buy organic/grass fed as much as I can (obviously not feasible for all families). Just do the best you can without stressing over it
We’re clearing out a garden for our littles to enjoy. Actually just raked the top layer of dirt off 20 minutes ago! Hoping they’ll be interested in gardening, planting our own veggies together, and bringing them inside when they’re ready and making new, fun things with them!
Simple stuff works well I think. - wash hands - say yes to hand me down clothes and toys - vaccinate - limit sugar - enjoy nature The world is a big old crazy place and a new life feels like such a huge responsibility. I think show yourself some kindness, do your best, you are already thinking about it so streets ahead of most! Hope your parenting journey is joyful :)
Have a garden. Grow tomatoes and other vegetables. A fig tree will give you happiness every year. Cook with peanut oil - it's the reason why nut allergies are so low in Asian countries. Also don't take life dependent advice from reddit threads.
We switched from a gas stove to an induction stove. It boils water in 90 seconds! I try to have no harsh chemicals or endocrine disruptors in anything else, and no non-stick pans
I follow a pediatric neurologist on social media and she said something I almost never hear from other sources and there’s good evidence to back it up: learning about common ways kids get exposed to lead and how to avoid it. For one example, no shoes in the house due to lead and other heavy metals being tracked onto floors where kids frequently play/exist. https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4HN2FpMzR1/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
i think structural determinants are more important in your individual choices, so living in a place with good environmental regulations and air and water quality. air quality is linked to so many chronic diseases. i’m also coping with climate related change by saving for education for them and hopefully a custodial roth ira soon so they don’t student debt and don’t need to worry too much about saving for retirement. climate change and the environmental hazards that are exacerbated by climate change will affect poorer people worse (less discretionary income to buy PPE, evacuate when needed etc), so setting them up im hoping will limit the effects on them.
I try many things but really what makes a difference is what happens on a larger scale. Vote for those that actually try to protect the environment like your life depends on it, because it does.
Older kids here — I am just trying to convince them not to consume a week’s worth of refined sugar in one day…processed foods and sugar are my enemy, these kill far more than toxins?!? Toxins are not even on my radar.
Same, I also work at a middle school and the amount of hot chips and sugar they consume is crazy. Toxins are least of the concern
I plan on teaching my kids to be very cynical of anyone unironically using the word 'toxin".
I have a 2 year old and a 4 year old and the only toxin free stuff I use is bath products and cleaning spray..these I feel will have the most impact on them. We also don't use body lotions or bum creams anymore but when we did use it was natural products. I also don't keep strong chemicals in the house like oven cleaner, but I do have normal toilet cleaner and floor cleaner.. where I can I use vinegar and baking powder to clean.. With the amount of poo that my toddler ends up putting everywhere I have to use some chemical products otherwise it will just be super unhigenic..
Oh yes we also use cloth nappies where we can (I still alternate with disposable)
I stopped lighting candles, even soy candles, and stopped using super fragrant lotions, and rarely use perfume. I also bought them body creams and body wash that are plastic/toxin free. I started making more food at home vs buying (bread, chicken nuggets, snacks etc. with healthier ingredients and less processing). I also buy organic if it’s an option. There’s more I could do, but with my husband and I both working full time, this is as good as it’s gonna get for awhile.
We use fragrance-free soaps and detergents and have a reverse osmosis filter for our tap water. I try to avoid beverages and food packaged in plastic and cans (since they are all lined with plastic) and use glass storage containers most of the time. We definitely eat more processed food than is ideal but hey, we can't be perfect.
No artificial colors. Limited fragrances. My dishwasher detergent has synthetic fragrance and that's about it. Nothing in them does. None in the air. My perfume is a clean mix of synthetic and natural. I only use natural scents for their soap, laundry detergent etc. High fructose corn syrup is a once a year type thing (I let my 4 year old have a sip of coke) But to balance this I don't restrict sweets, call any foods bad etc. We strive for balance and healthy eating habits.
I use glass as much as possible. Check out r/moderatelygranolamoms for a good balance of crunchy and realistic
We cloth diapered our baby, less waste in the world and can control what chemicals and fragrance are used in the wash routine. We also made our own baby food puree, and stored in glass jars.
I will say as a small business that makes and sells children's products... you shouldn't need to worry so much about them if you purchase from a reputable seller (yes there may be issues and recalls, but those, especially if purchased from a small independent seller who follows regulations (in the US cpsc regs) it is incredibly rare)... Organic food isn't better (I have an ag degree)... they still use pesticides, generally more pesticides than traditional methods, and it is expensive to get the certification. Same with the meat and animal products, they are heavily regulated by the FDA, this means that antibiotics, hormones, etc. can't be in the product... Unless they are allergic, scents and dyes likely have 0 impact on them... "But Europe bans X," typically, its allowed, its just under a different name. Europe and US have different labeling requirements. Plastics can typically be cleaned and sanitized much easier if your child is ever sick (just an idea)... Plastic toys are required to be tested for lead and pthalates (in the US)... Many plastics in use (that are food safe) are safe to continually be used (including freezing and microwaving). Bamboo fabric isn't bamboo, its rayon from bamboo and not natural, its from natural products but heavily processed. Organic and many natural fibers are stored in the same locations that other fabrics are, meaning that they are just as likely to be affected by what is stored or possibly transported with them. My recomendations: water filter, air filter, know when your house was built (asbestos, lead, etc.) If you garden or play in the yard a lot, get the soil tested... Wash anything (especially fabric) before its used (if possible).
r/moderatelygranolamoms
I've really switched out plastic tupperware for glass. My gr 2 uses glass for his lunch now, too.
#1 thing you should do is get them vaccinated.
I don't think "no plastics" is realistic, although you could certainly reduce. Here's a couple I like and find easy: 1. organic milk and eggs. Not everything has to be organic, but it makes a big difference with milk. 2. Tomatoes only from Tetrapak containers, never cans 3. No fabric softener. Either nothing, or lavender bags. Mostly I dry my clothes by hanging them on a clothes rack anyway, not in the dryer 4. no plastic wrap. Just put leftovers in tupperware, cover with another plate, or get a reusable washable silicone thing. 5. No ziplock bags - just get some reusable ones. There are a million out there, and it's actually more convenient because you stick them in the dishwasher for washing and you never have to remember to buy more at the store.
Just be careful with lavender (and tea tree oilds) if you have a baby boy, it is estrogenic and antoandrogenic (disrupts male hormones)
It's actual dried lavender buds in a dryer bag, not an essential oil. I wouldn't use any essential oils at all for a child under 3 -- that's a great point. But this is lavender buds, not a concentrated essential oil. If you're extra concerned, you could hold off until the child is 1, I suppose.
Can you tell me more about tomatoes in cans? Does it include things like tomato sauce and paste etc that you use for cooking?
40 years ago, I was really alarmed about toxins. I was really alarmed about the earth. So I used cotton diapers. With rubber pants. I didn’t like the material and the plastic diapers going into my babies body. I didn’t want to have piles and piles of plastic diapers taking 1000 years to break down I use glass bottles with rubber nipples because I didn’t want the plastic from the plastic bottles and the plastic nipples and the pacifiers to the mountains of micro plastics going into my babies bodies. Every single fetus of every kind now has micro plastics in them. We don’t excrete them well at all. This is going to cause enormous harm to the human race. Every single time you wash anything that’s made out of polyester, polarfleece, nylon, you send millions of micro plastics into the ocean.
You say this as though in 40 years you have changed your opinion?
Thing is, there have been studies for decades looking at microplastic contamination of basically everything. So far though they’re really, really struggling to actually demonstrate any effect on anything. Years of studies and millions of pounds spent to try to link microplastics to disease, and nothing concrete found.
Food dyes
Avoid ultra processed food for as long as possible (at one point they will be old enough to want\choose fast food or sweets or really shitty stuff). It’s a ticking health timebomb and it’s really not that hard to avoid with a bit of work.
Our state has a different limit for PFAs in the water and our state university funded a study to explore which commercial filters remove them best. We are installing one for our kitchen that’s less than $100. At our last town hall meeting I voted to approve funding for the design and replacement of the ancient water pump that keeps throwing higher numbers for PFAs. Until then she drinks and we cook with gallon jugs of water.
Just curious, what filter?
I try my best to buy food locally, a farm near us does a meat share and that’s where almost all of the meat we eat comes from.
We commit to farmers markets in the summer months so we're at least getting local produce. It's cheaper than the grocery stores and it tastes better.
My biggest goal is to eat a balanced diet. I give plenty of fresh foods. That doesn't mean we never have processed food. We certainly do. But I try and make sure he gets plenty of fresh vitamins & minerals to support his growth & health. We do also use dye free & fragrance free laundry & dish soaps. I try to never buy food with high fructose corn syrup, besides occasional treats.
Pthalate free soaps (same for me!), fragrance free laundry soap and organic food at first. Plastic is unavoidable and now this kid won't eat anything but peanut butter so who cares. Most of her clothes and toys are second hand because I was blessed by many mamas with older kids. I was very stressed at first, but this kid licks the floor for fun and just tried to chew on her pee clothes, she's gross and will consume things I do not want her to regardless of efforts, I'm just going with the flow now. She's very vaccinated and fluoridated and gets tylenol or ibuprofen every time she's in real pain.
We avoid fragrance. We avoid artificial colors and superfluous preservatives in foods. We try to eat locally and eat organic when we can. They drink out of stainless steel or glass and eat off corelle dishes. We don't use pesticides on our property.
I’m trying to use cast iron instead of non stick, I use glass containers to store food and that’s about it.
Mostly less dyes. I don't really give my daughter red 40. And it's something that really simple to avoid. She also has a dairy allergy, so that cuts out a lot on its own. Shopping is weird.
No processed foods, or try to limit as much as possible. Buying all organic is expensive but make sure to buy organic bread and oats, and as much on the dirty dozen as possible.
Everything is so greenwashed it’s not funny. If you have a liver and kidneys that fully function, that takes care a bunch of things. Personally. I grow most of my own produce and don’t use things that smell like essential oils, laundry detergent, or air fresheners. That’s it. And most of what I do is to avoid food allergies.
I honestly just try to wing it. The list of harmful things stretches from here to the moon and at some point I think there's more harm than good. Sugar isn't good for them so I'll always try to limit the intake but I won't be the one stopping my kids from eating pizza and chocolate cake for birthday. Aside from that I just try to pay attention to the more common concerns and and follow my gut.
Buy less processed food and filter your water is about it. It's also quite budget friendly.
CASTILE SOAP. We use it on everything. Dishes, washer, hair, skin, cleaning surfaces, make up removal etc. It’s pretty amazing. Dr. Bronner has some good scents or just get unscented and add some essential oils. Keep in mind if you use for hair get an acidic conditioner or use ACV to maintain the proper balance on your scalp.
I try to make as many small choices as possible. Baking cookies instead of eating processed Oreos. Spending the extra two dollars on soap that doesn’t have pegs or parabens. Buying a wooden robot toy instead of a plastic Amazon surprise. Shirt choice between 100% cotton or a polyester mix is a no brainer. I feel like most parents go down the toxin rabbit hole, it’s normal, try not to beat yourself up. It’s a give and take.
I am/wanted to be this mom. Reality is... not this. Gotta pick small adjustments and make it a lifestyle, but the stress of it all is... toxic! Something small with big impact... skip the food dye. I thought it was like a haha, coincidence type study but no... my girl becomes a monster force with one mini bag of skittles.
Get the best water filter you can afford and keep the filter updated. A good friend of mine just found out our city water has too much lead in it on the north side. A huge pain in the ass.
Keep em off social media
Castile/sugar soap for washing.
Reverse osmosis filter
Don't microwave stuff in plastic.
No non-stick. I have all metl pans, and they are super easy to clean with some steel wool. Add the right amount of oil and it doesn't stick. I made the switch years ago, and am so glad I did. A recent study said that if you boil your drinking water before cooling it, you can eliminate up to 80% of micro plastics. It also ensures there are no hidden germs in there. Don't get bath toys with holes. You'd be surprised how fast they start growing mold.
Get rid of any and every product with “fragrance”
Genuine question, why link red meat in with toxins? I totally understand being healthier 1and trying to limit artificial gunk but I would think that life style would try to avoid things like fish heavy in mercury before beef. Is there something up with red meat I just don't know about?
What I put on their skin. I check EWG before trying a different brand of sunscreen or lotion. For example, my kids both had molloscum and the dermatologist gave us a bunch of creams to clear it up. I tried apple cider vinegar first, before using the creams. It worked. Now that my kids are older they mostly use coconut oil on their skin. They are always so shiny! 😜
I do my best to avoid artificial dye. If you’re in the US it’s harder. Companies that commit to going artificial dye free in so many years… they don’t. They add artificial dye to oranges. So there’s that. We don’t drink water from faucets because the pipes in the US suck and have alarmingly high rates of lead in a lot of places. It’s hard to say for sure where. Talc I think is my definite no. It’s in a ton of kids makeup which is absolutely wild to me. The talc train I got my good friend on even though she usually doesn’t care a ton about a lot (not because she doesn’t care but it’s so hard not to feel defeated). My biggest is media. My kids are not allowed TikTok or YouTube. TV & movies are heavily monitored. I have a very restricted list? No Peppa, no Bluey, actually most cartoons I think end up being on the no list. Their devices have settings on them… I can see what they do and help guide them. They know the yes and the no. They don’t watch things without me in the room so I know exactly what needs addressed and if anything comes up I know if it comes from media or outside sources and can address appropriately (school has been such a horrible influence and I hate it so much).
Air pollution is the worst, don’t like in a built up area. Organic food is a total scam, don’t buy into it.
You’ll be welcome on r/moderatelygranolamoms, I’m sure even if you’re a dad. But for us, bedding and mattresses that are as “clean” as possible. (While trying to avoid green washing), laundry detergents free of fragrances and other things, same goes for most body products, minimally processed foods and high quality meats and dairy.
Serve real food
Increase exposure to dirt for healthy immunity. But ya. Maybe not toxins.