Echo Woman
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Women's aim to clean up the baby products
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| Alternative - Eileen Peck with the products she thinks new mums should be given |
FOR a lot of mums the thought of leaving the house without being armed with a trusted pack of baby wipes would bring them out in a cold sweat.
If Eileen Peck had her way however, this wouldn't be a problem.
Eileen, the chairman of the South East Essex branch of the Women's Environmental Network (WEN), is starting a campaign to try and convince parents to get back to basics when it comes to caring for their baby's skin. She says that instead of using wipes, fancy soaps and bubble baths, parents should consider a return to using plain old water.
"I think with young babies as long as they are washed in water fairly regularly then that's fine, they don't need to smell of baby products. I think they smell nice anyway," she says.
As well as saving parents a fortune in products, Eileen says cutting the number of potentially harmful chemicals they expose their children to has got to be a positive thing.
"Babies and small children are not just smaller version of adults," she explains. "Much of what we apply to our skin can be absorbed and the skin of a baby can be up to five times thinner than an adults.
"Babies, small children and pregnant women are particularly sensitive to artificial chemicals and fragrances used in cosmetic and toiletry products, which can induce ezcema and headaches as well as skin sensitisation leading to the development of allergies."
"The law is now that you need to have proof that something is causing a problem and it's very difficult to prove," says Eileen. "But I think the fact there's been an increase in the use of chemicals at the same time there's been an increase in the incidence of ezcema and asthma, is something that has got to be taken seriously.
"If it's something you don't have to use, why expose your child to that risk, when you don't have to? Don't wait for it to be absolutely proven."
Eileen wants to encourage parents to think about increasing their use of organic products.
"Organic food has taken off quite well, but it doesn't seem to have gone much further than that," she says. "I like to think it will."
"I'm not pretending to be an expert," she continues. "It is really complicated. If you look on the back of a bottle, you have to have a PhD in chemistry to understand what's in there, but I just want to raise awareness that there's an alternative."
She's even gone so far as to put together her own pack of products she thinks new parents should be given at the hospital instead of the conventional goody back they're given. Hers includes organic cotton wool, a natural sponge and massage oil.
Eileen has already spoken to mums at a couple of National Childbirth Trust (NCT) groups and is hoping to get out and speak to others. She's also looking for any health visitors or midwives who would be happy to lend their support to the campaign.
"Even if it's something people don't agree with and they decide to carry on as they were. it's something that people should be talking and thinking about," she says.
For more information on the campaign or the group contact Eileen on 01268 752264.
12:25pm Monday 14th April 2008
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