7 ways to go green before you get pregnant

Jan.21.2010
1:09 pm
by scribblekat

7 ways to go green before you get pregnant

If there’s ever a better time to go green than when you’re pregnant, it’s when you’re trying to get pregnant. Here are 7 ways to get started going green to make your baby’s first environment (your body!) as safe as possible.

Test your home for toxins. If your house is harboring lead paint, radon, or other toxic chemicals, you want to find out now so you can do something about it before you get pregnant. Check your city or county websites for resources. A tip from the authors of The Complete Organic Pregnancy: if you don’t already have a carbon monoxide monitor, get one.
Test your water for toxins. Don’t think there’s any danger in your tap water? Think again. To find out how to test your water, call the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791), or you can do it yourself with a Watersafe Drinking Water Testing Kit ($17, www.watersafetestkits.com). Then consider putting in a high-quality water filter that will remove lead, chlorine, mercury and other chemicals.
Toss toxic pots and dishes. Avoid nuking your food in plastics unless you’re sure it’s microwave safe. And avoid plastics for any kitchen purpose unless it’s labeled #2, #4, #5 plastic. Glass is always a better choice for heating up foods. Better options for oven and stove cooking: cast iron, stainless steel, glass and lead-free ceramic.
Give your cosmetics drawer a makeover. Replace old, possibly contaminated cosmetics and personal care products with green and clean alternatives. Research shows nail polish and remover can be especially toxic and even interfere with fertility and ca use birth defects, so consider a natural manicure, or try using less toxic nail products.
Clean out your cleaning closet. A report called the Cabinet Confidential found cleaners like Lysol cleaner (the one in the brown bottle) contained glycols. In animal studies, glycols have been shown to cause fetal damage. Prolonged exposure in humans can cause brain damage. Replace these toxic cleaning products with safer alternatives. Or if you must use them, at the very least wear rubber gloves and use in a well-ventilated area. (Read The Dirt on Cleaners.)
Opt for organic garden supplies. Toss conventional pest sprays and fertilizers, even if you’re not doing the gardening. An enourmous amout of potentially harmful chemicals gets blown in or tracked in from the yard to the house. You can find eco-friendly fertilizers and pest control even at conventiional stores like Home Depot.
Audit your home furnishings. Formaldehyde from glues, flame retardants in foam, and gas emissions from partical board can all show up in your breast milk. Get rid of the biggest offenders and replace them with natural nontoxic furniture.
Clean up your eating. Fresh, organic fruits and vegetables are closer to nature than processed foods and meats. If you can’t buy all organic, chosse from the list of least and most contaminated fruites and vegetables. Get the chemicals out of your drinking glass, too, by drinking pure water with a squeeze of lemon. Water is a much fresher way to rehydrate than soda with aspertame, splenda, and caffeine, or juices that contain artificial colors and flavors. Prepare to cut down on alcohol, too. (I know, I know!). Filtered water is best.