Poisonous ingredients in baby wipes

I have a wonderful little book that gives the effects of the ingredients in foods, and also cosmetic ingredients (and baby products).

Imagine my shock when I read some of the ingredients in baby wipes, such as Propylene Glycol (in so many baby products) can potentially cause immuno and neurotoxicity (poisoning of the brain and nervous system), and the list just goes on!!! And this is only one ingredient!

When Cooper was a newborn, I used to use just cloth wipes and warm water every time he did a poo, but I must admit I have gotten lazy over time. I am wondering if anyone has got any ideas what I could use instead of these horrible wipes (whilst at home anyway), and something other than cloth wipes and warm water? He still does about 4 poos a day! Or does anyone know any wipes that have friendlier ingredients? (I have seen some at the health food shop, for 3 times the price and half the amount...)

Wow
I am in shock I just read your post and could not believe it...There are that many things added to so many products today I guess we are just not aware of it all.

I actually use to buy chuck super clothes and cut them up into wipe size pieces and just add water to soften them for babies bum and I found that as natural as you can get.
I also know of a wide range of organic products that are great for baby, and yourself but they can get rather costly.

So the cheaper alternative was the chuck super clothes and water, you could add a little olive oil in if you want to keep babies bum moist or a drop of lavender oil, but remember that to much of these oils could be harmful...Its all In moderation.
Thanks MUM2boy for that post its always good to be wise to these things and I hope my tips may have helped too.
Kind Regards Natalie
Caleb 9/9/92
Isaac 13/11/97
Tully 2/4/2003
:angel: August 2007 :angel2: november 2007

wow thankyou for sharing that info! last week DS went through the nappy bag and got the packet of wipes out and stared pulling them all out, i just let him go til he started coughing heaps and having bad reflux. Stupid me thought that surely they wouldn't put anything poisonous in baby wipes, now i know better. DS had bad nappy rash last week so i swapped from wipes to tissues with johnsons baby lotion, used these til he was 8 months old much softer and gentler on his bottom, its what they use in hospital (Adelaide Womens and childrens). I think the best thing for his bum is face washers with warm water but it annoys me to have to get the face washer and wet it then wash it (pure laziness), so the next best thing for us was the tissues and lotion.

Thanks everyone for the ideas. I am definitely going to get the Chuck cloths or something like it and give it a go.

Shannon - I know I would be mortified if I look into what things they put in the disposable nappies...scary how niaive we can be to things like these!

I think moderation is the key point here. The amounts that are present in these products pose an issue for people who are already sensitive, but if you are not then it's not a poisoning issue. In large doses, prop glycol sure would be dangerous, but in a product they are not. I don't like to see them on ingredients lists on products I have at home so prefer to source far less commercial products (I don't buy ANY lotion or hair cleaners from supermarkets, for example). Most commercial shampoos and conditioners use these chemicals. It's easy to panic and see that a dangerous product is in a cleanser, but if it WERE in there at dangerous levels we would know about it.
So, personally, I avoid them where possible, only because the other ingredients in those products concern me more than that one, and mainly for environmental reasons, but also because I'm not fixated with removing all my human oils from my body!

I think if we knew what was in most things we use (or even eat!), on a daily basis, then we would all be walking around naked and starving!

I try not to worry too much about it - my 9 year old had two years of disposable nappies (cloth just caused too much pain through nappy rash) and baby wipes when she was little and she's in perfect health now.

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Safe or Not?
Propylene glycol (PG) is a colorless, nearly odorless, syrupy liquid that is derived from natural gas. It is used in dozens of products that you commonly use around your house. Some websites and natural product promoters argue that PG is a nasty, carcinogenic chemical that has been wrongly greenlighted by the FDA. The FDA, and others, say that their claims are completely unfounded - that PG is completely safe when used properly.

Propylene Glycol is used in food – Cake mixes, salad dressings, soft drinks, popcorn, food colorings, fat-free ice cream and sour cream. It also protects food from freezing and helps as a preservative
In toiletries and cosmetics – Lotions, creams, some baby wipes (though not in the brand I have in my cabinet), shampoos, antiperspirants, cosmetics, lipstick, lubricants
In other household items – Room deodorizers, cleaners, sanitizers and yes, new "non-toxic" and "safe" automotive antifreezes
And specific to the soap making and toiletry making industry, it is also used as a carrier in fragrance oils and in many melt and pour soap bases.

Over the past few years, there has been a lot of controversy about propylene glycol. Many people immediately associate it with ethylene glycol, a common (and admittedly dangerous) ingredient in automotive antifreeze, and assign guilt by association. Others refer to MSDS tests where PG was tested in 100% concentrations. Even sand and salt have ominous sounding MSDS cautions at 100%. But in most products, especially in “leave on” applications like lotions and cosmetics, PG is only used in tiny percentages.

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Just some info I found on it


Ellie