Eco-Tip of the Week: How to Avoid Toxic Exposures during Pregnancy
A lot of our friends are pregnant right now and wondering what they can do to protect themselves and their new baby from toxic chemicals. More and more women realize that exposures to toxics are especially harmful when they are pregnant or nursing.
Many of the toxics that pregnant women are exposed to in their daily lives can be passed through the blood to their baby. Fetuses and young children are especially susceptible to the harms of some toxic chemicals since their bodies and brains are still developing.
That’s why we’ve compiled a list of important things to avoid while pregnant and nursing to reduce potentially harmful exposures. Here are some great resources about how you can protect your new baby.
1. Housecleaning: Avoid commercial cleaning products with unidentified ingredients as much as possible. Use liquid soap, vinegar and water mixtures for daily cleaning. For recipes of safe, make-it-yourself cleaners, click here.
2. Bug-sprays: Avoid pesticides by making sure your house is not bug-friendly. Fix holes in walls and window screens; get rid of crumbs and leaky faucets that attract bugs. For safe ways to manage pests, click here.
3. Cat Litter: Do not clean litter boxes to avoid contracting toxoplasmosis This disease is carried by cats and transmissible to humans through contact with their feces. For more information on toxoplasmosis, click here.
4. Lead and Cadmium: Lead and cadmium are still found in consumer products that we use everyday, from purses to jewelry. Lead found in paint in older homes is of special concern. For more information click here.