Wool – Not Plastic – For Our Babies

Wool is a wonderful material for baby‘s things. It’s easy to care for, wonderfully absorbent, and feels just great on baby’s skin. Here, a new mother talks about how wool is helping her raise her baby plastic-free.

by Dr. Ali Palmeri

photo credit: audi_insperation

Having a baby this past year made me realize how much plastic is involved in our lives, and in turn our children’s lives. I guess I always took it for granted that I was surrounded by plastic every day and how potentially unhealthy this was for myself, my family, and our planet.

So as I informed my friends and relatives that I was trying to keep our baby “plastic free”, I was met with much confusion, but also lots of interest. “Why?” was people’s main question. And many people wanted to know what other options there were. Most were very respectful of our request.

My option for protecting our bed from baby’s nighttime accidents and breast milk nighttime overflow has been wool and it’s worked great for us. We chose to not use plastic mattress pads or crib mattresses because of their potential danger. Most plastics do what is called “offgas”. This means that they emit small amount of the plastic throughout their life that may possibly be carcinogenic.
[ad#ad-2] As for crib mattresses, don’t even get me started! With US regulations being what they are, it is illegal to make a mattress without fire retardants. Australian studies have shown a link between fire retardant exposure and SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). I don’t know one mom out there who would want their newborn baby with immature lungs to breathe in the chemicals in fire retardants. If you are interested in getting a mattress or crib mattress without fire , need to have a doctor’s note. So please, take the extra time and find a healthy alternative for your baby’s bedding.

Instead of plastic puddle pads and mattress protectors, we used wool ones. Instead of a plastic changing pad, I made one out of wool. We also tried wool diaper covers, wool pants, overalls, and blankets. Why wool and why is plastic not a good idea? There are 2 main concerns with using plastic: toxicity and the health of our environment. Consider these:

• Most mattress pads, changing pads, diapers, teethers, and soft baby toys are made from plastic, and many from PVC. PVC contains a harmful chemical called DINP. DINP administered to lab animals at high doses causes cancer and damaged the liver, kidneys, and other organs.
• PVC is used for a range of soft toys and other items for infants, but the greatest concern is with teethers, which are chewed on and then ingested. The chewing action accelerates the release of chemicals. Silicone teethers, pacifiers, and bottle nipples are safer because they leach less.
• Disposable diapers sit in landfills and are not sustainable. Any one-use plastic is not a sustainable practice.
• Most plastic is a petroleum byproduct and is not an environmentally sustainable material.
• Much plastic winds up in lands fills or the ocean.
• It takes most plastic 1000 years to biodegrade, and when it begins to break down, it releases toxic particles into our environment, which then can affect every aspect of our lives.

Wool as an alternative for diapering and elimination communication works wonderfully! Wool is:

• water resistant, and repels dust mites and mold
• naturally absorbent, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal
• completely free of bleaches, dyes, fire retardants and other chemicals
• Highly absorbent!
• Soft, cool and comfortable for under baby
• A much healthier and alternative to plastic
• Great at preventing leaks – wool can absorb up to 30% of its weight in water!
• From a natural source & uses no petroleum products
• Wool pad and mattress protectors do not retain odors
• Prevents unsightly germs from getting near baby in restrooms
• You can air dry between uses with no bacterial growth
• Easy care:Simply soak in wool wash every few weeks and air dry
• Warm and cozy for your little one
• Wonderful for elimination communication/diaper free/potty training

Of course it is important to make sure that your baby doesn’t have a wool allergy if you are going to use wool.

Why am I going on about all this? It’s important that we find alternatives to using plastic, especially in our children’s lives. Plastics can be carcinogenic, can disrupt many other bodily functions, and harm the environment. We shouldn’t just assume because a baby item is sold that it is safe. What did we do before plastics? Why do many other countries not use plastic in baby-related products? It’s time that we all decide that we do not need plastic to live good and convenient lives.

About Ali: I’m a mom of a 1 year old and have a great husband (aka. “superdad”). Professionally I’m a naturopathic physician and try to promote a healthy lifestyle for my family. We love living in Oregon where it is easy to live green. I started our wool baby business, The Cozy Bunny, this year because we think wool is just amazing! If I could make everything out of wool, I would, but you try eating with a wool fork. If you’d like to check out our stuff, visit us at thecozybunny.com.

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