From the moment of the positive result on the pregnancy test we become more conscientious about what we put into our bodies. Our doctor gives us an ever growing list of things like alcohol, caffeine, fish, cat box, toxic cleaning products and most medications, to avoid. But do we think about what we put on our bodies such as creams, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, sunscreen, cosmetics, perfumes. There are a few things to consider when using any personal care products especially during pregnancy or nursing. Most self care products purchased at the Drug Store contain any number of toxic chemicals that can pass through the placenta. Most of these have had little to no human testing. The attitude seems to be that the public must prove, with our own ill health and the health of our babies, that the chemicals are doing harm. Instead of making sure any chemical that is sold to the public in the form of self care products is safe for the smallest most vulnerable members of our families. Women of childbearing years are the largest consumers of cosmetics and self care products. According to a study commissioned by Environmental Defense called 'Polluted Children, Toxic Nation, A Report on Pollution in Canadian Families' June 2009. †It has been reported, for example, that "by the time the average woman grabs her morning coffee, she has spritzed, sprayed and lathered with 126 different chemicals in nine different products". Depending on age, the barriers that keep chemicals from entering the body, and the physiological mechanisms that usually protect the body from chemicals that do invade, may be undeveloped: In utero, the embryo and fetus are generally defenseless against chemicals that invade the mother's body and cross the placenta. The blood-brain barrier, which partly protects the adult brain from toxic substances, is not fully developed until about six months after birth. In the fetus and newborn, many metabolic systems that transform absorbed contaminants are not functioning at full capacity, and renal excretion takes the first six months of life to develop. Up until about one year, the digestive tract, skin and lungs are extremely permeable and readily absorb substances. Also, children absorb substances differently than adults; for example, it has been estimated that adults absorb 10 to 15 per cent of lead ingested with meals, but children and pregnant women can absorb up to 50 per cent. Pregnancy is not the time to roll the dice with anything that may impact your babies health when there are alternative products that are Organic - Phthalates and Parabens free. Phthalates and Parabens are cheap alternatives to organic compounds. Organic compounds that have the added bonus of doing a much better job. There are some wonderful brands out there such as 'John Masters Organics' and .Curls' (great for biracial †black or just plain curly hair) and for the little ones 'Little Twig'. You can find all these products at www.takethetime.ca resources: **Polluted Children, Toxic Nation, A Report on Pollution in Canadian Families' June 2009
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