Advice on Shampoos?

We are all bringing our children into a disturbingly toxic world. It's crazy how much work it is to create safe, healthy environments for our babies.

I stopped dying my hair when I became pregnant. My two-tone hair was truly unsightly as I let it grow out... but I could live with some bad pictures. I could not live with the probability that the chemicals in hair dye would harm the precious being in my belly, and later at my breast.

Baby steps. Move your life into a healthier direction a little at a time, or you will become overwhelmed. The internet makes research easy. Here are a few great resources you should know about:

http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/
http://www.foodnews.org/
http://www.safbaby.com/

Obviously, you already know about Mamasource.com & some of the Mama's on here are true gurus of knowledge in this realm... so never hesitate to post a question.

I am working on a website that selects and rates green websites, but it is a costly, slow, labor of love to build and edit... and is taking me much, much longer than anticipated. It isn't ready for prime-time by any stretch of the imagination, but there is a fantastic section for make-up & hair, so in your case, worth a look. Here is a link to hair:

http://www.greensiteguide.com/topfive/beauty/hair

Hope this helps.

Welcome to motherhood. You are in for a wild, wild ride. Welcome.

Hi C., during both of my pregnancies I kept to my regular beauty routine of make-up, cleansing, shampoo and dying my hair. I now have a very big and healthy 13 year old boy and a just as healthy 10 year old girl. Both are very smart with no behavorial problems other than the normal pre-teen and teenager attitudes.

Hi C.,

For the past couple years I have been proactive on finding more natural beauty products. I use the Giovanni brand of shampoo and conditioner.
A great website to check is cosmeticdatabase.com. You can type in the products that you use and see what's in them and how harmful they are.

Good luck.

Hi C.,
Congratulations on being newly pregnant. What a wonderful time. I am sure you have had many responses. I'll add a quick one. The article was scary and makes you stop and think about everything that you put on your body. Your skin is the largest organ and absorbs everything quickly. If you put a clove of garlic between your toes you will taste it in about 30 seconds...funny, huh. Anyway, I suggest Arbonne products!! They are fantastic and they are all mineral oil free, plant based, no fragrances, dermatologist tested, in short pure, safe, and beneficial. We also have a GREAT baby product line.
If you want more info, feel free to contact me and you can check out Arbonne at
www.arbonne.com
J.

C.,

I definitely understand your concern, and now that I'm going into my second pregnancy I am really cautious about the harmful chemicals found in hair products and cosmetics. Even before pregnancy, there was nothing much I could do except browse the beauty aisles for the very rare (and usually pricey) natural shampoo. I ended up ditching many of my non-natural products to make space for natural ones, but never was entirely satisfied with the results.

Recently a good friend of mine introduced me to a product called Nine Naturals. It's catered to the pregnant woman, free of any harmful chemicals. It's a really simple formula but does wonders on my hair--most of all it leaves my hair feeling clean and refreshed, something I wouldn't necessarily expect out of a natural product. It made me realize that I don't have to sacrifice having beautiful hair while pregnant. I've even got my husband hooked on the shampoo! And I feel good about using it because it is all natural. I just wish I had heard of it during my first pregnancy!

Here's the website if you're interested: www.ninenaturals.com

Good luck :)

-M.

Hi ladies, please take a look at this new report that just came out from the Washington Toxics Coalition: http://www.watoxics.org/publications/earliest-exposures

It reveals the presence of phthalates (a chemical used in many shampoos and conditioners) in pregnant women! This chemical can cross the placenta to the developing fetus and studies have connected exposure before birth with increased risk of reproductive problems, learning disabilities, cancer and smaller birth weight.

Please pass along to your friends. Women should all be made aware that what they put in and on our bodies can cause harm to them and their babies!