If you’re a new parent, we want to congratulate you. Nine months of pregnancy is a trying for any woman and stressful for all fathers involved. Now that your child has arrived, we know how much you look forward to watching your child grow.
However, babies are also vulnerable to many conditions and illnesses. If you want to protect your newborn from unnecessary harm, pay attention to the clothing materials you put on them.
People don’t often consider that baby clothes can be a source of harm for your child. Baby skin is incredibly soft and sensitive. As such, harsh materials can cause them to develop skin conditions or expose them to hazardous chemicals.
To help you rest easy about your baby clothes, we’ve compiled a guide for what bad materials to avoid. We’ll also recommend safe materials to help your child wear healthy clothes. So, without further ado, let’s get started!
Clothing Materials to Avoid: Polyester
Several baby items utilize polyester, ranging from waterproof mattress pads to clothing. However, although the material is popular for baby clothes and products, it’s not safe for infants.
Why is polyester unhealthy for babies? There are several reasons, one of which is its stifling nature. Polyester is not a fabric that breathes well. As a result, it can cause babies to sweat or overheat.
In the worst-case scenario, this could result in SIDS. This result may seem extreme or unlikely, but it happens. When polyester causes the baby’s body to heat up, the chemicals used to treat polyester absorb into the baby’s pores.
Another problem that can develop is that polyester can aggravate skin conditions. For example, a baby with eczema may experience flare-ups because of the sweating polyester causes. As such, babies can develop rashes and leave a baby’s skin irritated and itchy.
The reason why so many baby clothes include polyester is that it feels soft. However, as a chemical-filled synthetic, it can cause issues for infant health.
So, what can you use instead of polyester? Natural fibers like bamboo and eucalyptus fibers can prove viable substitutions. Cotton is also an excellent substitute.
Teflon Clothing
When you think of Teflon, you probably envision your kitchen pots and pans that help keep your food from sticking to the cooking materials. However, Teflon also makes its way into baby clothes.
Have you ever seen clothing for babies that calls itself “wrinkle-free?” Many new parents see that label and cheer, snatching it from the shelf and buying it immediately. After all, it’s a more convenient way to keep your baby looking neat and tidy.
The problem with those clothes is that they utilize Teflon coating to achieve that wrinkle-free look. There are multiple disadvantages to this.
First, Teflon could catch fire if exposed to high temperatures. While this is more unlikely, it remains a threat for parents to avoid.
Second, and much more dangerous, is the presence of toxic chemicals in Teflon. In the last decade, research discovered that Teflon products made before 2015 included the chemical C8. This substance had links to several diseases, including kidney and testicular cancer.
While new clothes may not include C8, hand-me-down baby clothes very well might. Moreover, other chemicals in Teflon can seep into your baby’s skin.
As a side note, avoid using Teflon-coated cookware around your baby. These chemicals can permeate the air, finding other ways to enter your child’s body.
Acrylic Clothing
As new parents, you’re probably eager to spend less on baby clothes. After all, newborns grow quickly, causing them to outgrow their clothes rapidly. When you consider how much money you spend on these clothes, it’ll make you depressed.
Because of this, parents often purchase acrylic clothing for their babies. It feels like wool without costing as much. Unfortunately for your wallet, however, acrylic clothes seem to be unhealthy for babies.
The critical ingredient in acrylic is acrylonitrile. This substance is a mutagen and a carcinogen that targets the central nervous system. The CDC explains that acrylonitrile enters the body through skin absorption.
How does this substance contact your skin? You guessed it: through acrylic clothing. It can also enter your body through inhalation or ingestion.
What’s so bad about this substance entering the skin? It appears to have links with cancer, making it a health risk for your child.
Acrylic also has negative effects on the environment. It’s a bad material for recycling purposes and is not biodegradable. Acrylic materials may also prove more flammable than other materials.
Nylon Clothing
Nylon is a material similar to polyester. When clothing manufacturers use nylon in baby clothes, it gives the garments a soft-to-touch feel. However, there are downsides to using nylon.
One issue is that nylon uses petroleum in its manufacturing process. At the end of this system, the clothes receive a chemical finish that can harm children.
Moreover, like polyester, nylon is a synthetic fiber. As such, it also prevents the clothes from breathing well. They also don’t absorb sweat like natural fabrics.
Because of these traits, chemicals in sweat such as ammonia, urea, salt,
and more touch the baby’s skin for longer periods. This extended contact could cause skin irritations or flare-ups of other skin conditions.
If you want to avoid using unsafe materials and want healthy clothes, check out Hanna Andersson baby clothes and similar sellers. These clothes can help keep your child safe and healthy.
Finding Healthy Clothes
If you want to avoid unsafe clothing materials, the easiest way is to find sellers who provide safe clothes. Instead of going to the superstore, find an online retailer or specialty store that emphasizes baby products.
We hope this article was helpful! If so, check out our other content today.
Comments are closed.