Eco Pregnancy and Baby

You know you should stay away from toxic pesticides when you’re pregnant, but this is the time of year when house and garden pests are pestier than ever. Here’s how to manage them without harming yourself, your baby, or the environment. 
NATURAL PESTICIDES IN THE HOUSE

Properly caulk and seal doors, windows, sinks, and showers.
Keep your [...]

We love our Teflon coated pans for their nonstick convenience. The problem is their coated with PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) which in older pans can disintegrate into your food or gas off into the air around you. The manufacturers have created newer coated cookware made with more durable PTFE, but does that mean it’s safe — even [...]

Whether you’re giving your existing home office an environmental upgrade or setting up an office for the first time, you’re already saving energy by not driving to work. You may also avoid common workplace toxins, but even a home office can be hazardous. Here’s how to make steps in the right direction.
{GREEN} Create [...]

On of the greenest choices in furniture is recycling furniture from somewhere else — your grandmother or that cute little antique store downtown. That way you’ll help reduce the environmental load in landfills and your bank account.
Be careful, though, because family heirlooms, such as antique rocking chairs or cribs, won’t meet current safety standards if [...]

When you’re pregnant or caring for a newborn, you need all the sleep you can get. Thinking about toxic chemicals in your bed linens won’t keep you up nights-if you go organic. To minimize toxins: “Sheets shouldn’t be permanent-press or made with nylon or synthetic materials,” say Deirdre Dolan and Alexandra Zissu, co-authors of
The Complete [...]

Cameras, cellphones, computers and video equipment help you capture precious moments in your newborn’s life. But upgrading to new electronics may mean adding more e-waste to the environment.
Some simple steps to take before buying new products:

Check to see if the manufacturer of your old electronics offers a recycling program and look for electronics that [...]

Does it matter which paint you use when you’re pregnant? The truth is you shouldn’t be painting at all. But even if you have someone else do the painting, the less toxic the product is, the better.
“Oil-based paints pose a theoretical risk of exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) while the paint is drying,” says [...]

You may have heard of the controversy over the chemicals in some kitchen storage containers, plastic baby bottles and baby toys. Government regulators assure us these products are safe, even for pregnant women and infants. But concerned scientists and environmental groups disagree, citing years of disturbing results from research conducted on lab animals.
We can’t tell [...]

Should you use green cleaners when you’re pregnant? We know it’s the chemicals in cleaners that really get the job done. But when you’re pregnant, it’s even more important to know what to avoid.
The problem is cleaning products don’t have to be tested, there are no federal requirements, so consumers have no official warning about [...]

“Replace household and nursery items with more natural alternatives”

When Paige Goldberg Tolmach’s 8-week-old son Jackson came down with a oozy, painful rash, she took him to 14 different doctors. “I had a team of specialists standing over my beautiful baby saying, ‘It’s eczema. There’s nothing you can do; just put him on steroids,’” Goldberg Tolmach [...]