Babies and phthalates

Allow me a soap box moment.
Here's the headline today:
"Evidence of phthalates found in urine after using shampoo, lotion and powder, study shows." And here's a link to the article. Haven't given much thought as to what's going onto your baby's skin? You might want to start.
http://health.msn.com/kids-health/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100190606>1=10914
This is something I am passionate about for myself and especially for Andrew. Since his birth, the only thing that has touched his skin has been Burt's Bees and Arbonne. They are phthalate free, plus don't have sodium laurel sulphate or added fragrance. I don't need or want my baby to smell like sweet peas because, y'know what? Sweet pea smell makes me think of one thing: chemicals. I also don't bathe him every day. *GASP!* I know. And I don't put anything on his skin unless he has a diaper rash or his skin is dry or chaffed. As a side note, I also use fragrance-free detergent and no dryer sheets. And he has NEVER had a skin-related issue, nor breathing problems. He really hasn't had any issues, period. Is there a connection? I believe so.
I know this is one of those things many of you don't really have time to think or worry about and it is a sort of Pandora's box. So let me bottom line this for ya.
We (meaning researchers) don't know what the effects of exposure are. There's controvery surrounding small amounts of exposure versus large amounts (most of us get large amounts) and whether the effects are worse on babies because they're smaller and their bodies don't proocess things the same way, etc. etc. There's a lot of talk about the link to cancer, too.
Did you know that phthalates are banned from use in personal care products and in some toys in Europe? Yup. The U.S. is notoriously behind the curve in these areas. The thing is, we're not talking limited exposure here, nor is exposure limited to personal care products. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, these chemicals are found in children's toys, infant care products, cosmetics, food packaging, vinyl flooring, blood storage containers and more.
I'm only addressing personal care items here but the concern is the cummulative effect along with the ones mentioned above.
Women are the worst. Think about everything you bathe in and slather yourself in EVERY DAY. And think about how good babies smell and WHY. Most likely, they're bathed in the stuff daily, maybe more than once, and then slathered in more. And in the above cited article, the researcher does recommend decreasing exposure, especially for newborns, "just in case."
Another interesting article:
L'oreal and Revlon just voluntarily took phthalates out of their nail polish!! Woo-hoo!! So, see? Companies are catching on and will be ahead of the curve when (yes, when) the U.S. starts seeing past the dollar signs--and consumers start wising up--and bans it, too.
http://www.breastcancerfund.org/site/apps/nl/content3.asp?c=kwKXLdPaE&b=85314&ct=366920
Again, there's the link to increased breast cancer rates. We're becoming more and more aware of the environmental factors that contribute to cancer, too. That's why got my mom and I on this bandwagon meany years ago--looking into ways you CAN try to decrease your risk of breast cancer. So we're very careful about what goes in--and on--our bodies. I'm especially concerned, being of "child bearing age," which is of top concern in this area because it is believed that pregnant women's exposure can also affect their unborn babies and boys in particular. Interesting, huh? They think a mother's exposure can adversely effect her unborn boy's reproductive system, too, which might be why more men are having fertility issues than ever before.
So...what to do, what to do??
Google Burt's Bees and Arbonne. They're two that I trust. There's other companies that make products labeled as "phthalate free" as well. Fragrance-free is likely phthalate-free, too.
I'm addicted to Burt's Bees baby hair and body wash for Andrew. And, YES, it smells wonderful! It touts being:
pH Balanced
Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfate Free
Paraben Free
Phthalate Free
Not Tested on animals

Even Target and Walgreens carry Burt's Bees now, as does Sprouts. Their baby lotion and powder is lovely, too.
Think about your little one's skin...and the future of their health. Is the risk worth the smell? Is spending a few extra bucks worth decreasing the risk?
I'm stepping down from my soap box now...