Ingredients To Avoid When Buying Baby Products
Wondering which ingredients to stay away from when shopping for your little one? While some ingredients are simply a matter of parental preference, others can potentially be harmful or dangerous to your infant and should be avoided at all costs. If you’re a health-conscious parent who usually purchases organic gripe water and makes sure to have an organic iron supplement for toddlers in your medicine cabinet at all times, you might be interested to learn more about which ingredients to avoid when shopping for baby products.
Synthetic, Artificial, or Non-Organic Fragrances
One surprising ingredient that many parents might not know can be irritating to some babies’ skin is artificial fragrance. Unfortunately, fragrances are commonly added to many baby products to add a pleasant smell but can come with adverse reactions. One way to get around this issue is to opt for organic products, such as organic gripe water for newborns, that clearly state that they do not contain synthetic fragrance. Some fragrances may cause:
- Skin redness
- Allergic reactions
- Rashes or contact dermatitis
Talc, a Common Ingredient in Certain Baby Powders
Be sure to double-check the label when you purchase baby powder since many baby powders contain talc. Although talc is safe for most babies, some infants may have adverse skin reactions to it. Additionally, talc manufacturing may leave the product vulnerable to contamination. Here are a few of the possible risks of using talc-containing products.
- Potential contamination of asbestos due to the manufacturing process
- Potential irritation if accidentally inhaled or swallowed
- Potential redness if it enters the eyes
BPA, or Bisphenol A, and Other Microplastics
You may have heard of BPA, short for Bisphenol A, before, but perhaps not fully understood why it’s best avoided in baby products. BPA is essentially a type of microplastic that can be dangerous, especially when heated up. In order to avoid any problems, it’s best to look for BPA-free baby bottles and baby cutlery. Studies have shown that exposure to BPA could be linked to:
- Behavioral problems
- Early-onset of puberty
- Serious allergic reactions in some cases
- Potentially some types of cancer
Bleach, Found in Some Household Cleaning Products
Another must-avoid ingredient, especially for parents of infants with especially sensitive skin, is bleach. Bleach is a frequent ingredient in many household cleaning products. Unfortunately, for some babies, it can cause adverse reactions ranging from skin irritation to burns and more. Here are some of the potential side effects of excess bleach exposure that you can help avoid by staying away from bleach-containing baby products.
- Blurred vision
- Chemical burns
- Eye redness and irritation
- A burning sensation in the throat
- Other injuries resulting from exposure of the skin to bleach-containing products
For many new parents, it can be difficult to parse the often long and complex ingredients lists on common baby products. However, if you’re concerned about your child’s health and want to keep them away from potentially dangerous or harmful ingredients, it’s important to know which ingredients are best avoided. You can take this list with you the next time you go to the store for baby products to help you make fully informed consumer choices.
