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I didn’t think I could hate George Bush more. I was wrong!
So, the whole reason I went to WalMart in the first place was to get cheap ass diapers. Well, total waste of 5 bucks, because I absolutely cannot put these things on my baby’s butt. They reek like chemicals and cheap plastic toys, and the thought of putting god-knows-what up against her delicate baby skin…I just can’t do it. So, they’re opened, and I can’t return them, and so I actually WASTED 5 bucks. Because now we’re just going ahead and buying our Seventh Generation diapers anyway.
Of course, this got me thinking about what horrible chemicals are in the diapers we are putting on our kids…I was disturbed to discover that my Seventh Generation diapers are neither as eco-friendly, nor as good for my daughter, as I originally thought. So, I will be on the hunt for a better diaper, since I really have no interest in cloth. I think we may start buying Tushies. So here’s some info on traditional disposable diapers versus more natural disposables:
At www.EcoBaby.com: Since your baby will spend so much time in diapers, let’s take a closer look at disposable diapers. On the market since the early 60’s, the disposable diaper changed from a plastic diaper with a lot of paper fluff to a diaper constructed of a waterproof plastic outer layer, an absorbent pad with super absorbent chemicals, and an inner liner. The super absorbent chemical, sodium polyacrylate, absorbs and holds fluids in the diaper. This chemical has been linked to toxic shock syndrome, can cause allergic reactions, and is lethal to cats if inhaled. Death has occurred from ingestion of just 5 grams of this chemical. Pediatric journals contain reports of this chemical sticking to babies’ genitals. When the baby’s skin gets wet, this super absorber can poll fluids form baby’s skin. Dioxin, the most toxic of all cancer-linked chemicals, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is a byproduct of bleaching paper. Even in the smallest detectable quantities, dioxin has been known to cause liver disease, immune system suppression, and genetic damage in lab animals. Dyes found in some disposables are known to damage the central nervous system, kidneys, and liver.
At www.seventhgeneration.com :
Chlorine-Free Baby Diapers
Our diapers are made of Chlorine-free wood pulp fluff, Sodium Polyacrylate (also referred to as SAP or absorbent gel), Polyolefin nonwoven fabric, Adhesives, Polyolefin film, Synthetic rubber elastic strands
The color of disposable diapers is typically achieved through the addition of color pigments to their inner and outer cover materials. This is also true for Seventh Generation diapers. While most designs on the market use pigments that result in a white color, we use a combination of pigments that result in a light brown color. Without the addition of color pigments, these materials would be colorless, much like a plastic milk jug. We use brown pigments to help distinguish Seventh Generation Chlorine Free Diapers from others in the marketplace that are bleached with chlorine-containing substances.
All disposable diapers, including Seventh Generation’s, rely on man-made materials to deliver the high-level performance that parents expect of modern diapers. These materials are mostly petroleum-derived and are not renewable, which adversely impacts the environmental footprint associated with these products. At Seventh Generation, we are pleased to offer an alternative that is not bleached with chlorine, and are working hard to further improve the sustainability of our diaper products.
At www.tushies.com : Cotton. Soft. Fluffy. Tushies unique cotton blend padding provides cotton-soft, extra thick, GEL-FREE protection
for you baby. A Tushies diaper is a lot thicker than an artificial chemical absorbent diaper because we filled our
core with high absorbency natural blend cotton padding.
