Did you know that 60% of what you put on your baby's skin is absorbed into his bloodstream within minutes?
Me neither. And yet I put lotions, oils, baby wipes, diapers & clothes on Hudson daily. I started to wonder each time I wanted to lather him up in his lavender scented baby lotion, what was I really putting into his chubby little body?
I needed to know. I decided to start by understanding the one thing he always has on. Diapers.Well, most of the time since he is an avid nudist. What exactly were in his puffy little white diapers other than the cute little Mickey Mouse on the front?
According to Live Strong, the chemicals that are found in diapers range from polyethylene and polypropylene plastic with bleached paper pulp, AGM (a gelling substance), petrolatum, stearyl alcohol, cellulose tissue, elastic, and perfume.OK, so what does all that all mean?
Most disposable diapers are bleached white with chlorine, resulting in a byproduct called dioxins. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), dioxins are among the most toxic chemicals known to science and are listed by the EPA as highly carcinogenic chemicals. According to the World Health Organization, exposure to dioxins may cause skin reactions and altered liver function, as well as impairments to the immune system, nervous system, endocrine system and reproductive functions. (From Live Strong.com)
I really am still not understanding all of this.....diapers are for little tiny babies that we keep indoors for months after they are born so they don't get sick & rush to rinse of their pacifers each time it falls on the carpet. Why would their be a chemical as insane as Dioxin in this fragile little person's diaper? 60% of which is going to be absorbed into their blood stream. Surely diaper companies are not doing this. There is an entire government out there that protects & controls them, right? And what about ethics & mom's? I can't be the only one with these questions.
I went over to the Huggies website to prove this ridiculous notion was all just some eco-conspiracy. I looked for the ingredieants of the diapers, an explanation, something to understand all this. When I clicked on the regular diaper that I would normally not think twice off buying, this is what the description read;
- Unlike other brands, HUGGIES® Snug & Dry Diapers have a SnugFit* waistband and unique tabs for a secure fit
- A unique layer to lock wetness away and help keep your baby dry
- Adorable graphics featuring Mickey & Friends Disney designs
This is the answer to all those crazy mom questions about chemicals, cancers & dioxin.
A Caribbean Island vacation.
This is what I need. Are you kidding me? They don't list the ingredients of their products but promote some ridiculous island vacation? What is the big secret? What are they trying to hide?
According to this article written by T. Washko at Diaper Jungle, even if you need to know what is in the diapers due to a health concern for you baby you still have to fight to know. He writes,
"Even when contacting them to determine if your child might have sensitivities to the "ingredients" in their diapering products, you will not get any closer to the truth. Instead, they tell you that this information is proprietary due to the prevalence of diapering spies out there and that if you want further information about the contents you must submit a letter from your doctor explaining what allergies or product sensitivities your child might have and they will either confirm or deny. The extent of the security that exists around the contents of a diapering product is not only baffling but alarming".
I need my doctor to send a note to figure out what is in the diapers that I am buying? Seriously? What are they hiding? This is the letter thatT. Washko wrote as if the diaper company had to really respond to the consumers.Dear Customer,
Our diapers are made from a variety of non-child friendly products including bleached paper pulp, petrolatum, stearyl alcohol, cellulose tissue, sodium polyacralate, and perfumes. Some or all of these ingredients may cause adverse reactions to the wearer, including reduced respiratory function, so please exercise appropriate caution when using our product.
Our products are not biodegradable or environmentally friendly and they may contribute greatly to environmental pollution. Although recycling disposable diapers is a possibility, we do not, at this time, use any of these available methods as the monetary costs are too great. Thank you kindly for using our products anyway.
Sincerely,
A Large Disposable Diaper Company
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