Safe Baby Products Guide Aims to Help Parents Make Informed Purchasing Decisions

Did you know that harmful substances such as triclosan, bisphenol A (BPA), flame retardants, heavy metals such as lead and cadmium, per- and polyfluoroalkyls (PFASs), phthalates, and solvents are oftentimes found in products specifically intended for use by infants? These chemicals of concern lurk in completely legal products, and are linked to increased risk of cancer, diabetes, obesity and other chronic health conditions, as well as adverse effects on development, reproduction, learning and behavior.

The Getting Ready for Baby coalition is a joint effort of over 85 organizations working to ensure all products made and sold for babies and young children in the US are made free from harmful chemicals that can disrupt healthy development and contribute to diseases and disorders. A goal of Getting Ready for Baby partners and allies is to urge baby product retailers to create policies that prevent products made with toxic chemicals from appearing on their store shelves.

Shopping for toxic-free baby products can be a challenge. Currently, parents are left in the dark regarding the chemical makeup of many children’s products. This lack of disclosure by manufacturers can make it virtually impossible for you to identify safe versus hazardous products. Two seemingly very similar items on a store shelf could be from two polar opposite ends of the safety spectrum, and you likely have no way to identify the difference based on appearance alone. This is what inspired the recent launch of Getting Ready for Baby’s Safe Baby Products Guide. 

Check out the new Safe Baby Products Guide, especially if you or someone you know is pregnant! The Guide will provide you with the data and knowledge needed to make informed purchasing decisions. It gives an overview of different types of products, information on hidden hazards, resources, and recommendations. The interactive tool even includes a feature that will allows you to build an online registry, which can be valuable to expecting parents seeking certified safe products as baby shower gifts.

We encourage you to use the guide in 3 main ways:

1. To find information about a particular product, when you just need one thing.
2. To get a general understanding of what to think about when you buy products, set up your own registry, or are helping a loved one with theirs. You can download our recommendations on each page to keep them for later.
3. To build an online registry using the tools created by BabyList.

Use the Safe Baby Products Guide as an effective tool to identify safer choices while shopping, and spread the word to friends and family!