Read What to Expect the First Year Online
Authors: Heidi Murkoff
What to Expect the First Year (74 page)
The best way to detox your tap? Buy a home water filter (such as a reverse osmosis filter) that removes contaminantsâespecially lead or nitrates, if they've shown up in your water supply. Change the filter as recommended. You can also hire a professional company for water treatment, which may include adjusting the pH of your water supply in order to reduce the lead content. Running water for 30 seconds before using it for drinking or cooking also helps reduce lead levelsâand since hot water contains more lead, use only cold water for drinking, cooking, and preparing baby formula.
If your water supply isn't fluoridated, the pediatrician will prescribe fluoride drops starting at age 6 months to protect your baby's teeth (
click here
).
Bottled water.
Has your family gone bottled because of concerns about the safety of your local water supply (or for convenience, or for the taste)? The problem is, water that comes from a bottle isn't necessarily safer than water that comes from the tap (and in fact, some bottled water actually comes from a tapâjust not your tap). Still, it should be at least as safe, since bottled water is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which requires the same water quality standards established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for tap water. To check the purity of a particular brand, contact the National Sanitation Foundation (
nsf.org
), or check the label of the bottle for NSF certification. Also look for bottles that don't contain BPA. Most brands use polyethylene soda bottles (with the recycling code “1” on the bottom), which are not made with BPA.
If you do choose bottled water for your baby, you'll also want to factor in fluoride. Unlike most tap water, many bottled waters contain no fluoride, which babies over the age of 6 months need to protect their teeth (
click here
for more on fluoride).
Be extra careful if your baby wants to get up close and personal with the goats and sheep at the petting zoo or farm. Though they're cute and cuddly, these animals can also carry the dangerous E. coli bacteria, which they can pass on to little petters. E. coli infection causes severe diarrhea and abdominal cramps, and in some cases it can be fatal. So be sure you wash your baby's hands with soap and water or with an antibacterial wipe or gel after any petting session. If you didn't take these precautions in previous visits but your baby didn't have any subsequent symptoms, there's no need to worry. Just take the precautions next time.
Wondering whether organic produce is worth the premium price you pay for it? When it comes to your baby, it may be, at least in some cases. Organic foods are guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to be free of toxic pesticides, fertilizers, hormones, antibiotics, and genetic modifiers. While they don't promise greater freshness or improved nutritional benefits (unless they're locally grown, in which case both perks may apply), eating them will reduce your baby's exposure to potentially harmful chemicalsâdefinitely a big plus.
Of course, an all-organic policy comes with a big bottom line, as well as, in some cases, less availability. If you have to pick and choose, here's something to consider. Certain fruits and veggies (aptly called the dirty dozen) have been identified as the ones
most
likely to contain pesticides if they're conventionally grownâso whenever possible, opt for organic on these (whether fresh, frozen, or in ready-to-serve baby food): apples, bell peppers, celery, cherries, imported grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, potatoes, raspberries, spinach, and strawberries. Maxed out your budget avoiding the dirty dozen? Turn to the clean team. These five fruits are the
least
likely to have pesticide residues when they're conventionally grown: avocados, bananas, kiwi, mangoes, and pineapple. The vegetables
least
likely to have pesticides: asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, corn, eggplant, onions, and sweet peas.
Whole grains? Check. Fruits and veggies? Check. Healthy fats, like olive oil, avocados, and almond butter? Check. Bacteria, pesticides, and other assorted chemicals? You might want to ⦠check. As you introduce your little one to a variety of nutritious foods, it's smart to consider the less wholesome substances that might be hitching a ride to your baby's mouth with those first (and future) bites. Taking sensible steps to protect babies and small children from potentially harmful chemicals in the food chain is an especially smart precaution, since tiny bodies absorb more of these chemicals relative to their size, and because little ones have more years ahead during which those absorbed chemicals can affect them. Here are some tips for keeping meals safe as baby begins climbing the food chain:
⢠Go green in the produce aisle. Organic produce isn't necessarily more nutritious, but it won't contain the high levels of chemical residues that often cling to the surfaces of conventional varieties. Your budget won't allow for all organic produce, all the timeâor availability is limited where you live and shop? Spend the extra bucks on organic when you're shopping for produce that's more likely to contain higher levels of pesticides (the so-called “dirty dozen” named in the previous
box
), and save cash buying conventional when you're shopping for the “clean team” (produce that's least likely to be contaminated). In
general, fruit that has a thicker peel (like bananas, melons, mangoes, and citrus) and veggies that you plan to peel are safer bets. When buying fruits and veggies fresh, look for locally grown produce in season, which tends to be safest since large quantities of chemicals aren't needed to preserve it during shipping or storage. Also safer are foods with heavy protective husks, leaves, or skin (such as avocados) that keep out pesticides. Produce that doesn't look perfect (has blemishes) may also be safer, since it's usually chemical protection that keeps foods looking beautiful. In most instances, conventional produce from the U.S. is less contaminated than imported varieties.
⢠Whether you buy organic or conventional produce, you still have to scrub it thoroughly when you get home to remove bacteriaâeither with a produce wash or regular soap and water (or even plain running water).
⢠Opt for organic dairy, eggs, meat, and poultry. Cows, pigs, and chickens raised on conventional factory farms are given lots of antibiotics and hormones to keep them healthy or to help them produce more milk (and you probably don't want your family members getting secondhand doses of either). So if your budget allows, opt for organic meat and poultry (and baby food made from them), as well as organic eggs, and organic yogurt and other dairy products. And while baby isn't eating a hunk of beef quite yet, it's not too early to think ahead. Consider reaching for grass-fed beef instead of the regular (less healthy) corn-fed version, and limit your family's intake of animal fat, because the fat is where chemicals (antibiotics, pesticides, and so on) are stored. Trim fats from meat, and trim fat and skin from poultry.
⢠Never serve your baby unpasteurized (raw) dairy products, juice, or cider. These can contain dangerous bacteria that can cause life-threatening illness in babies and young children.
⢠Fish selectively. Fishing for a healthy source of baby brain-building nutrients? Research shows that regularly feeding fish can boost IQ. Just stick to varieties that are considered safest, including haddock, hake, pollack, ocean perch, whitefish, wild salmon, tilapia, flounder, trout, sole, shrimp, and scallops. Skip any fish with high levels of mercury, including shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish. Skip fresh tuna, too. If tuna's on the menu, reach for canned chunk light tuna,
which contains less mercury than albacore (white) tuna, and limit weekly intake to no more than 1 ounce per 12 pounds of baby's weight. Also steer clear of fish from contaminated waters (whether ocean or lake). That may mean going wild with your salmon (farmed salmon tends to contain more of the chemical contaminant PCB) but farmed with your trout (some wild trout comes from contaminated lakes). If you go fishing (or you've been gifted with recreationally caught fish), check with area health or fish and game departments about whether it's safe for young children to eat fish pulled from those waters. Whenever you serve your baby fish, trim away the skin before you cook it (since contaminants collect on the skin) and prefer baking, broiling, grilling, or poaching over frying, so that any chemicals seep out of the fish and can be discarded.
⢠Most smoked or cured meats, such as hot dogs, bologna, and bacon, have nitrates and other chemicals in themâwhich means they should be served to babies rarely, if at all. (The fact that they are high in sodium and animal fat, and likely contain any number of unnamed animal parts as well, is yet another reason to keep them off baby's menu.) Ditto for most smoked fish. If you do buy processed meats, look for those that are made from organic or grass-fed animals, are processed without nitrates, and contain less sodium.
⢠Subtract additives and pass over processed. Opt for foods that are as close to their natural state as possible, and read ingredients to screen for chemical additives you shouldn't be adding to your little one's diet (including artificial colors, flavors, and sweeteners, and pretty much anything you
can't pronounce). Reach for “real” foods instead as they become age-appropriate (real fruit instead of fruit snacks, real juice instead of juice drinks, real cheese instead of processed cheese).
Though it makes sense to avoid chemicals in your family's diet when you can, fear of additives and chemicals can so limit the variety of foods your family eats that it interferes with good nutrition. It's important to remember that a well-balanced, nutritious diet, high in whole grains and fruits and vegetables will not only provide the nutrients needed for growth and good health, but will also help to counteract the effects of toxins in the environment. So limit chemical intake when practical and affordable, but there's no need to drive yourself and your family crazy while you're at it.
An apple that doesn't turn brown after it's sliced may sound like the best thing since ⦠well ⦠sliced whole-grain bread. But the way growers are getting produce to stay pristine may not be all that appetizing once you bite a little deeper. Genetically engineered foods and plants (known in the food business as GMOs, for Genetically Modified Organisms) contain DNA from other animals or plants in order to give foods more desirable traitsâlike staying fresher longer or being able to thrive on a steady diet of weed killer and pesticides. Problem is, because the FDA doesn't require GMO foods to be labeled as such, it's hard to know whether the food you're feeding your little one is made with genetically modified ingredients or not.
One thing that's growingâbesides those genetically modified cropsâis the controversy over their safety, with organizations and industries on both sides of the argument firmly planted in their position. Not willing to wait out the debateâor to take a chance with your little one's health by serving up GMOs? Look for foods that are labeled “USDA organic”âthey'll be free of GMOs, as well as questionable additives or chemicals. Or check for certification by the Non-GMO Project. And stay tuned, because many states are passing legislation that requires labeling of GMO foods, which means it may soon be easier to shop for non-GMO foods.
Ants. Roaches. Mice. Termites. While chemical pesticides protect your home from those creepy crawlies, they also spell danger to your sweet little crawler. An insect trap can irritate delicate skin (or do worse, if it ends up in baby's mouth). Spray or gel pesticides can nestle deep in carpets and other fabrics, releasing harmful toxins into the air. So how do you get bugs to bug off without resorting to baby-unfriendly chemicals? Try:
Blocking tactics.
Install window and door screens (don't leave unscreened windows and doors open) and screen or otherwise close off entry points for insects and vermin.
Sticky insect or rodent traps.
Not reliant on killer chemicals, these snare crawling insects in enclosed boxes (roach traps) or containers (ant traps), flies on old-fashioned flypaper, and mice on sticky rectangles. Because human skin can stick to their surfaces, these traps must still be kept out of the reach of children or put out after they are in bed at night and taken up before they are up and around in the morning. From a purely humane standpoint, these traps have the disadvantage of prolonging the death of their victims.
Baited traps.
These traps do contain a poison, but it gives off no chemical fumes and is enclosed in the trap, making it more difficult for a baby to reach. Still, place the traps out of your child's reach.
Box traps.
The tenderhearted can catch rodents in box traps and then release them in fields or woods far from residential areas, though this isn't always easy. Because the trapped rodents can bite, the traps should be kept out of the reach of children or put out and carefully monitored when children are not around.
Safe use of chemical pesticides.
Virtually all chemical pesticidesâincluding boric acidâare highly toxic. If you opt to use them, do not spread them (or store them) where your baby can get to them or on food-preparation surfaces. Always use the least toxic or more “green” substance available for the job. If you use a spray, keep your child out of the house while spraying and for the rest of the day, if possible. Better still, have the spraying done while you're away from home. When you return, open all the windows for a few hours to air out your home, and be sure to clean your countertops and other flat surfaces thoroughly.
To find information on safer pest control, contact Beyond Pesticides,
beyondpesticides.org
; the National Pesticide Information Center,
npic.orst.edu
; or the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),
epa.gov/pesticides
.