Toxic wombs, toxic babies

 Today's CNN Health article, Toxic chemicals finding their way into the womb, unnerved me in that way I think all parents feel when they are concerned they might have inadvertently done something potentially harmful to their kids.  Most of the time, the focus is on negative parenting practices, but there has been a steadily rising contingent of parents and health care professionals who have been sounding the warning bells about how toxic chemicals in vaccines, infant formula and foods may be linked to behavioral or developmental delays such as ADHD or autism spectrum disorders.

  I think the majority of expectant mothers do try to maintain a healthy pregnancy by getting sufficient amounts of folic acid, omega-3 fatty acids, eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly. This is what the doctors and all the pregnancy books tell us to do.  What they don't add is that the chemicals in everyday products may be leaching toxins into our system that will pass directly into the womb, threatening the babies we are so carefully nurturing. Consider this:

The EWG [Environmental Working Group] study "found an average of 232 chemicals in the cord blood of 10 babies born late last year. They are chemicals found in a wide array of common household products -- a list that is as long as it is familiar -- shampoos and conditioners, cosmetics, plastics, shower curtains, mattresses, electronics like computers and cell phones, among others.

More frightening, the CNN Health article also mentions that a study recently published in the journal Pediatrics, "demonstrated an association between the chemicals they found in babies' cord blood, and later problems on IQ tests and development."

It's not as if we can simply abandon our homes, offices and basic comforts to go live in a hut in the woods with our families and return to our hunter-gatherer origins (although my recent foray into the Paleo diet is a start.) We do have more options now to incorporate or replace less environmentally-friendly products or housing with "green" ones. However, for the vast majority of families on a budget, these options are not always very affordable.  One or two changes is a good start.

I'm not the greenest, crunchiest person I know, but I wanted to foster in my daughter and stepson a desire to be responsible for the Earth. My family has been actively recycling for years. I try to limit driving and telecommute for work when I can.  I live in City of Decatur, a progressive community that promotes sustainability with plenty of community gardens and green spaces.  (I have a square foot garden in my front yard, which would not be tolerated in other parts of town.)

I've been making a conscious effort to purchase more green-friendly cleaning products, such as Seventh Generation, and to purchase more organic or humanely farmed foods. Somewhat more controversially, I also followed an alternative vaccination schedule for my daughter, because there were some vaccines I knew she absolutely did not need from the moment of her birth, and because as a newborn, she demonstrated a strong reaction to the initial vaccines I did allow. 

That said, even though I've been aware of the warnings about toxic chemicals such as BPA, sodium laurel sulfate, lead and mercury in products, I think like many people I have mostly tended to think, "Well, what can you do about it?"  Aside from some fairly easy changes - purchasing BPA-free bottles, incorporating naturally-based personal care products, changing out PVC shower curtains to cloth (you can find them at Target!) and limiting fish and seafoods high in mercury - the overall tendency is to live in a kind of knowing denial about the very fabric and substance of our modern, consumer life.

Little changes are good. We can't do them all, but do what you can. They build on each other and really does make a difference in the long run.  The article suggests several ways you can make some environmentally-friendly changes in the home, "ranging from incorporating organic food into their diet, to keeping the home relatively dust-free (many toxic chemicals are conveyed in dust), to avoiding using toxic chemicals found in common household products."

It's a frustrating and helpless feeling to think that when I was pregnant with my daughter, I was inadvertently trickling chemicals into her body - the same ones floating around in my system, waiting to wreak havoc.  Aside from some very mild sensory integration issues, she has been amazingly healthy and mostly on or ahead of schedule developmentally.  I'm grateful - and also keeping my fingers crossed. Time will tell the rest of the story.

I know this seems like just more "stuff" to frazzle the nerves new or pregnant mamas, who want to have healthy babies. The simple truth is, we can't continue to live in knowing denial that our homes, offices, cars and the very things we use to wash and clothe our bodies are slowly poisoning us and our children. 

What changes will you make to limit exposure to toxins in your environment?  What can you simply not give up - yet?

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