Oh jeez, I've done SOOOO much research on this it makes me dizzy. I've been putting off replacing two car seats because I was waiting to see if anything changed as of Jan. 1, 2015 (it hasn't.)

Clek is my number 1 choice for least toxic. I wish they had something like Britax that went from 35 lbs to 100 lbs, harnessed!

Another important factor to me is keeping my baby rear-facing for as long as possible. My youngest turned 4 in November and is still rear-facing.

Britax supposedly got rid of all chlorinated and brominated flame retardants but my question is: Is what they're using any safer? They won't disclose what they ARE using, and believe me, I've sent them a ridiculous number of emails.

Three states passed laws allowing products intended for children 3 and under to meet very strict chemical guidelines - I can't remember the other two, but I know Maryland was one (it's the closest one to me.)

Cybex is supposed to be decent as well as the Nuna Pipa. Britax makes a decent seat, especially in that kids can be harnessed for so long rather than just using a seat belt.

Here's the conclusion I've come to: our vehicles are DRENCHED in toxic flame retardants (and other nasty chemicals.) I've decided I'm not going to drive myself crazy over car seats and instead, I'll focus my energy on where we send the most time: our home. Number one was mattresses and then sofas. I'll buy the safest car seat I can (based on numerous factors, not just chemicals) and will wash the cover and not leave baby in it except for when the vehicle is moving.

Another angle is how to prevent the toxic halogens (flame retardants) from even being absorbed and stored in our bodies and how to detox them. If we're deficient in iodine, those iodine receptors will soak up toxic halogens (bromine, chlorine, etc.) But if we have plenty of iodine, those nasty chemicals won't be absorbed by our cells.

Dr. Brownstein has a great new book on it that's very easy to understand.

So that's what I've done with that initially overwhelming information. Let a lot of it go, and figure out preventative and detox strategies, and focus where we spend most of our time.

 

Oh jeez, I've done SOOOO much research on this it makes me dizzy. I've been putting off replacing two car seats because I was waiting to see if anything changed as of Jan. 1, 2015 (it hasn't.)

Clek is my number 1 choice for least toxic. I wish they had something like Britax that went from 35 lbs to 100 lbs, harnessed!

Another important factor to me is keeping my baby rear-facing for as long as possible. My youngest turned 4 in November and is still rear-facing.

Britax supposedly got rid of all chlorinated and brominated flame retardants but my question is: Is what they're using any safer? They won't disclose what they ARE using, and believe me, I've sent them a ridiculous number of emails.

Three states passed laws allowing products intended for children 3 and under to meet very strict chemical guidelines - I can't remember the other two, but I know Maryland was one (it's the closest one to me.)

Cybex is supposed to be decent as well as the Nuna Pipa. Britax makes a decent seat, especially in that kids can be harnessed for so long rather than just using a seat belt.

Here's the conclusion I've come to: our vehicles are DRENCHED in toxic flame retardants (and other nasty chemicals.) I've decided I'm not going to drive myself crazy over car seats and instead, I'll focus my energy on where we send the most time: our home. Number one was mattresses and then sofas. I'll buy the safest car seat I can (based on numerous factors, not just chemicals) and will wash the cover and not leave baby in it except for when the vehicle is moving.

Another angle is how to prevent the toxic halogens (flame retardants) from even being absorbed and stored in our bodies and how to detox them. If we're deficient in iodine, those iodine receptors will soak up toxic halogens (bromine, chlorine, etc.) But if we have plenty of iodine, those nasty chemicals won't be absorbed by our cells.

Dr. Brownstein has a great new book on it that's very easy to understand.

So that's what I've done with that initially overwhelming information. Let a lot of it go, and figure out preventative and detox strategies, and focus where we spend most of our time.

I love this. All of it. Thank you for posting and Thank you for starting this thread! I have been putting off these decisions for a better day and so any and all information that you and others want to share on this issue of toxic loads and keeping ourselves healthy in and out, in relationship to products, pregnancy and infant/ babies first year, I am so grateful.

 

Yep, you can drive yourself mad researching these things. My take on it is similar to Meta's. We chose what we felt was the safest carseat. We spend maybe 30 mins - 1 hr in the seat per day. You sort of choose your battles...

But chemicals are everywhere. Many people don't realize how much offgassing mattresses do, and about a million other common, every day things we can't live without. We have a latex mattress, since we figure we spend a good portion of our lives sleeping....

 

The clek seats are great. They have a rear facing limit of 50lbs which is the highest you can get. They will get most kids rear facing until 4 years old so they are a good option. They are expensive though. We have gone with the diono radians. They are supposed to use "less chemicals" whatever that means. We just bought one on sale for this baby. It also rest faces until 50lbs which is awesome (my child will outgrow it by height before weight though). My daughter has been in her diono radian rxt since birth and is still happily rear facing in it at 2.5. It's also one of the better ones for taller kids. There are lots of good options out there

 

Thanks to all you all for your responses! I am absolutley willing to spend more money on organic mattress and all that, and that was my mentality. I was just feeling so overwhelmed (crying) this afternoon because we're doing the best we can for our sweet baby. We try so hard to eat and live healthy, and want the same for our baby. It's just so hard when a non-toxic car seat is $400+ We work hard to live simply and do as much as we possibly can ourselves.

You're right in that a car seat is not where I want my baby to spending much time anyway. Thanks for making me feel better, and putting a few suggestions in there too

 

We went five digits into the natural mattress for our family bed but chemical free car interior is just not happening. However I never put my kid into a carseat except the 1-2 hrs per week that the car is moving. We use a stroller and babywear and take the bus and walk a lot.
I want an organic sofa but no budget...

 

Here are some other thoughts I've had surrounding this issue:

A lot of car seat manufacturers claim to have phased out flame retardants chemicals (and other chemicals like lead, PVC, pthalates, etc) but parents began taking samples of their children's car seats and sending them to the lab for testing and the supposed non-existent chemicals were still there...and not in low amounts. The companies that seem the most dishonest will be the ones least likely to get my money.

The Mattress Underground has more information on latex/organic mattresses than I've found anywhere else. There's a forum where you can read other people's journeys and ask questions - in particular, I searched for "children's mattresses" and found a lot of great advice.
Many latex mattress store owners are members of the site and offer discounts to fellow members.

As for sofas, I put my nasty Ikea sofa on Craigslist and sold it within a few days and the very next day, I found a mission style quarter-sawn oak sofa and chair for *excatly* the same amount of money I sold our sofa & loveseat for. I snatched it up with the intention of replacing the petroleum foam cushion with natural latex (something I still need to do...) I'll share a photo at the end of this post.

As for other baby gear, including strollers and wagons, many (most) are also drenched in flame retardants (and lead.) I have no idea why a stroller or wagon would "need" flame retardants, but there ya go. Nursing pillows like Boppy, baby carriers, high chairs, changing pads, bouncy seats, ALL of this stuff, is treated with chemical flame retardants. I'll share some links to sites where I found useful information like which companies do not use chemical flame retardants. I know that BOB and Mountain Buggy strollers aren't treated, and other Britax strollers. Baby Trend is one of the worst strollers for flame retardants.

In the house, sofas, any type of petroleum-based foam (or soy foam), drapes, mattresses, pillows, wall-to-wall carpeting, and electronics are treated with chemical flame retardants. Some electronics are "safer" than others; I think maybe Sony is one company who has decided to use less/safer chemicals.
Dust is the biggest factor for absorbing flame retardant chemicals, topically and through inhalation/orally. Babies and young children are at the highest risk because they're usually on the floor and putting objects and hands in their mouths. So vacuuming with a HEPA filter and damp-wiping dust frequently is helpful (in the car too.) Of course, the less furnishings you have that contain chemicals, the less there will be in your household dust.

And FINALLY, I clearly remember my anxiety levels reaching their peak sometimes shortly after my firstborn's first birthday because I was completely overwhelmed by all of the "hidden dangers" of our world that I was suddenly very aware of. How was I going to protect this precious child of mine when everything around us was toxic and dangerous?! I'm not sure what advice I'd offer to first-time parents about this potential for freaking out other than, it gets easier. You do the best that you can, make the best choices with what you know, and be pro-active about keeping their little growing bodies as healthy as possible and remember we're all just specks in the Universe.

Flame retardants in car seats and other baby gear (keep in mind that what companies claim isn't the same as what product testing showed):

REALLY like this mama because she's a car seat maniac AND aware of toxic flame retardants:
http://www.tierneycyanne.com/blog/2014/3/11/non-toxic-convertible-car-seat?rq=non-toxic car seat

And (Best convertible car seat - Oct. 2014):
http://www.tierneycyanne.com/blog/2...om/blog/2014/10/2/non-toxic-tuesday-how-to-choose-the-best-convertible-car-seat

https://naturalbabymama.wordpress.com/2013/02/24/a-safe-but-non-toxic-car-seat/

http://www.nontoxicmunchkin.com/2014/02/chemical-conscious-parents-update-on.html

Clek (Clek was the only car seat to test free of toxic flame retardants):
http://media.clekinc.com/2014/03/07...ly-free-of-bromine-and-chlorine-based-flame-retardants-as-per-healthystuff-org/

Toxic flame retardants in strollers and other baby gear (part 1 or 3 parts):
http://organicbabyuniversity.com/blog/2011/07/toxic-flame-retardants-in-your-home-strollers-part-1/

Surprising results of testing things around the house for lead:
https://naturalbabymama.wordpress.com/2014/10/27/testing-my-stuff-for-lead/

Chemical levels in different cars (from 2012, might be a more recent one - Honda is the cleanest..)

http://www.healthystuff.org/findings.021512.cars.php

New (as of Jan. 1, 2015) options for non-toxic furniture:

http://www.lcv.org/media/blog/saying-goodbye-to-flame.html

http://www.nrdc.org/health/flame-retardants/files/safer-sofas-FS.pdf

 

Sofa/chair (not Stickley, but I love them! You can try searching on Craigslist under "Mission"):

 

Oh, and small electronics like remote controls, cell/smart phones, handheld (cordless and corded) phones, iPods, etc., all contain flame retardants so good idea to keep them out of baby's reach. I often see babies chewing on their parents keys too and those contain lead. Yuck.

 

I think we talked about this way back in the beginning of our DDC?

There are mattress wraps to seal flame retardant chemicals in so the dust doesn't escape into your home (or your lungs.)

It's a very cost-effective solution when buying a new mattress isn't in the budget.

New Zealand has had a campaign to wrap mattresses to reduce SIDS deaths and the results have been remarkable:

Success of Mattress-Wrapping for Crib Death (SIDS) Prevention

Mattress-wrapping for crib death prevention, which has been publicized in New Zealand since 1995, has had a 100% success rate. About 800 crib deaths occurred in New Zealand during the years 1995 to 2005 inclusive, but there has been no reported crib death among the very large number of babies who have slept on mattresses wrapped in accordance with the BabeSafe mattress-wrapping protocol.

 

Oh, that's awesome! I was already feeling overwhelmed to the point of giving up caring about it...we don't have money to replace all our furniture, and those chemicals seem to be so pervasive that they are virtually unavoidable. But a mattress wrap seems perfectly reasonable! Do you also make or buy a cover for your car seats that keeps the child out of contact with the chemicals (is this possible?)?

 

@BarefootBrooke,

There are places (etsy?) that sell car seat covers made from organic cotton/wool to replace the ones that come on the seats, but any car seat technician will steer you away from them because it voids the warranty (and could potentially make the seat less safe.) I'm not sure what I think about it. I guess I don't see how a different fabric cover would affect the safety of the seat, but I certainly don't understand all of the intricacies of car seat safety/manufacture.

If you took a thin cotton receiving blanket and cut slits for the straps, you'd have a thin, removable/washable barrier between your baby and the seat which might prevent some skin exposure, but the dust factor would still exist. I just don't know if it's worth it.

But yes, mattress wrapping is such an inexpensive solution! And that's the biggest issue, in my opinion; we spend how many hours of our lives sleeping on our mattresses?

As of Jan. 1, 2015, a lot of regulations regarding flame retardants were lifted (because of California relaxing their ridiculous laws) so it's much easier to find furniture that's flame retardant free now - like Pottery Barn, Crate & Barrel, and Ikea, etc. You still need to ask the right questions to make sure what you're buying is free of ALL flame retardants, but there are so many more (affordable) options now. Here are a couple of links listing which manufacturers sell furniture free of flame retardants:

http://www.nrdc.org/health/flame-retardants/files/safer-sofas-FS.pdf

http://www.lcv.org/media/blog/saying-goodbye-to-flame.html

And here's info on how laws changed as of Jan. 1, 2015 in regards to children's products having to meet more strict guidelines in MD, NY, and CA - I don't know if that means that if you buy a car seat in one of those states if they're manufactured differently? I'd think not; I'd imagine that manufacturers would change their guidelines to meet those states' requirements across the board.
This same article talks about the new law requiring furniture to be labeled as containing flame retardants in those same three states:

http://blog.verdantlaw.com/2014/10/...d-ny-enact-laws-against-flame-retardant-chemicals-federal-legislation-proposed/

 

Thank you for all that, Metasequoia! I'm so glad someone is doing something about it on a wider level, and as you say, hopefully car seat manufacturers all get on board (and if not, it's only a few hours for me to drive to New York to get a car seat). A national law would be wonderful and I hope that happens!

 

If someone created an all-organic car seat (and an all-organic CAR!) - imagine how quickly they'd sell! Surely you can make car seats and vehicles flame retardant by using less flammable materials to begin with...

I said this to DH a while ago and he said "They do, they're called horse and buggies." :lol

 

I've been a lurker here for quite a while, but had to chime in about the car seats -- the Diono Radians, which are a convertible car seat (5-something huge pounds) have two fabric options where the weave of the fabric itself makes it flame retardant, so they do not add any additional flame retardants. It's what we are slowly replacing our car seats with as they expire. I believe the colors are Storm and Rugby (though you'd want to double check that) and last time I looked, it was only the Diono Radian that had them available. They are narrow seats, so good for fitting three across -- some people say their kids find them uncomfortable, and we have never had an itty bitty baby in one, but we have had rear-facing older baby, toddler and bigger kid (my 7-year-old is still in one).

 

I wish there were more seats that had untreated foam, as well. Below is what's in Tierney's post about non-toxic car seats about the Diono:

"Diono: Diono is a brand that comes up often in the search for a non-toxic car seat, but there is much controversy surrounding their honesty in disclosing the use of flame retardants on their products (specifically on the foam in their products). An acquaintance that had the foam in her Diono car seat tested found that it contained TDCPP. However, Diono sells a car seat that allows for extended rear-facing so, again, do not discount them if you are not concerned about chemical safety!"

I've read similar posts about their transparency in regards to which flame retardants they're using.

Orbit seems to be a top pick among many who are concerned about flame retardants (and Clek, of course.)

It's all a step in the right direction though!