Phthalates are known as “the everywhere chemical” and here’s why this is a huge issue.
Phthalates are found in many baby products like moisturizers, shampoos, and other personal care products. This chemical preservative is also found in baby toys. Yikes.
Remember when your baby was teething and you grabbed a teething ring to help them? Most teethers and teething rings contain phthalates, which will leach out over time and will be ingested by your little one.
Phthalates are used to make plastics flexible and used in many fragrance oils to help prolong the fragrance’s scent.
They also work as softeners in personal care products such as lotions and shampoo, as well as flexible plastics like children’s toys.
So, what do phthalates do to baby? Phthalates disturb the hormones and hormone systems that are linked to reproductive malformations in baby boys.
Exposure to phthalates is also linked to reduced fertility, developmental disorders, asthma, and increased allergic reactions, defects in male fetuses, liver & kidney failure in young children.
Infants and young children experience high phthalate levels because they often put plastic products in their mouths as they explore the world. Like the teething ring.
Large scale population studies are showing that young children, infants and toddlers exposed to baby care products – specifically baby shampoos, baby lotions, and baby powder- have higher levels of urinary phthalate metabolites than teens and adults in the USA.
What can you do about this issue and how can you protect your baby?
Avoid all plastic teething options. Stay away from plastic containers and switch to glass containers. Choose baby bottles with hospital grade silicone nipples.
Very important: read labels of the skincare products you are buying. Opt for babysafe, water-free moisturizers, wipes, and creams. Because all the products that contain water are full of chemicals like phthalates.