A friend recently forwarded me an article about babies and young children not being awakened by the beeping sound from smoke detectors. This is so alarming I wanted to share it with you.
Basically what studies and observations found is that most kids don’t wake up from the beeping smoke detectors due to variations in their sleep patterns and stages that differ from those of adults. As I read the article I thought about my own daughter coming into bed with us in the wee hours of the morning (more than I’d like to admit), falling back asleep and staying asleep as my husbands alarm goes off. Wow- it hit me that she might not wake up to a blaring smoke detector beep. Obviously, she is a toddler and it would require adult assistance to vacate a smoke filled house but what about the kids that can get out on their own but are not waking up.
Through some investigation and ingenuity they have found that many kids are able to wake pretty quickly from the sound of a familiar voice. There is an alarm made by two companies, KidSmart and SignalONE, that allows you to record your voice onto the detector. This not only helps the chances your child might be awakened by hearing your voice, but allows the child to hear custom instructions on what to do next.
These vocal smoke detectors are not cheap but you more likely than not just need them in the kids rooms, a small investment for their safety. Other rooms can still be outfitted in the regular beep style alarms which are overall very inexpensive.
Smoke Detector Article
Vocal Smoke Detector
I am a baby shoe hog. It is the one thing I will consistantly spend money on for my daughter. Clothes- I will buy a little of everything from babyGap, Target, sometimes boutique, hand-me-downs whatever- for shoes I buy the good stuff. I always felt like I didn’t want her to get blisters or have an ill fit. So we consistently shop at Nordstroms, they have the best kids shoe department with a great selection, with helpful staff that are quite good with the little ones.
When she was a baby, Robeez were on her feet. Not only were they so cute and sweet, they kept her socks on. And when she was learning to walk- they helped her feel the floor and not slip around, less catching her toe on uneven spots. Even though they were leather bottomed I still let her wear them outside. But, with more wear and tear, eventually we had to graduate to something with more a more substantial sole. I missed Robeez and always lamented that they would come to an end. Not for long- they have now brought out a new line with rubber soles and they are cuter than ever. I have yet to buy a pair but plan to. I looked at them without my daughter with me and they looked big. (I always thought the leather booties ran big) So I will need her there to try them out for size. But they are quite nice and the sole is flexible and soft and look super comfortable. Can’t wait!
Since my last post about BPA there has been another report out about phthalates, another potentially dangerous chemical compound found in plastics. The reason why this is important is it has been found that phthalates cause problems with male reproductive organs. This is scary and I feel it is just what they have found at this point- what else will they find?
Phthalates are used as a compound that makes plastic more flexible as well as found in the ingredients of personal care products that are just listed as “fragrance”. Here is a short list of some common items it can be found in: cosmetics, lotion, toys, teethers, flooring, adhesives, wallpaper, furniture, raincoats and shower curtains*. Aside from it being a possible ingredient, many products that we use are housed in phthalate plastic containers and it has been found that the chemicals again can leach into the products we use. What makes this tricky is phthalates are not specifically listed on most products out there.
So I am venturing again to find products that are phthalate free. A number of stores such as Walmart, Sears and Toys ‘R Us are vowing to phase out products that have phthalates in them. A number of toy and baby product companies are volunteering to discontinue using them in their items such as teethers and pacifiers. For baby shampoos and soaps Burt’s Bees, Aubrey Organics and California Baby come up pretty high on most lists I looked at on the “buying guide”, as well as Dr. Bronner’s (my family has been loving it for years- just laugh when you read the bottle). Some products from the “buying guide” will be a little harder to find and a little more expensive. Whole Foods, natural grocer’s and the internet will be the best places to look for these products.
Skin Deep Parent’s Buying Guide a great guide to finding products without harmful chemicals.
Skin Deep’s ingredient list to avoid.
Stolen Furniture’s article on phthalates
handmade, phthalate free baby soaps from Wildly Lucky Soap/Serendipity Soap Dish
Natural Rubber Pacifiers
**You can find PVC-free, EVA shower curtains at Ikea and Target.
We are hearing it more and more- plastic bottles are bad. It seems that a chemical, BPA (bisphenol A) found in polycarbonate plastic bottles, is not too good for you. It looks like some of the chemical can actually leach into the liquid. BPA has been shown to cause cancer in rats, as for the human effect, this is still up for debate at this point. From where I stand, the whole rat bit doesn’t look too good. The companies that use BPA-plastic claim it is harmless (of course) but scientists are throwing up warning signs all over about BPA. I am going to err on the side of caution as I have always been a little unsettled when I take a sip of water and there is a smell or taste of plastic- it not only tastes bad but I have wondered if it was bad for me. It also seems that even more of the chemical can get into the liquid if it is hot or boiling. That brings to mind baby bottles- most are made from polycarbonate plastic, and we put pretty warm milk or formula in them- scary.
So we have some options to help reduce our exposure to BPA. I found some companies that make BPA free baby bottles and sippies, Born Free, Mam and Medela. Each of these companies use safer plastic alternatives such as polyamide and polypropylene.
For the mamas and da’s, there is Sigg (they’re expensive but worth it) and Thermos- both have versions for toddlers and younglings, and use BPA free linings.
Furthermore, it is a good idea to try to phase out plastic storage (esp. with recycle code #7 on the bottom) and opt for glass storage containers.
For more information on BPA: thegreenguide.com
ZRecs review on BPA free bottles and sippies
Safe Mama Cheat Sheet
The Soft Landing - a guide to non-toxic baby products
BPA Free Bottles
