These toxic industrial strength chemicals are added to met the minimum standards set by government agencies, yet there are no regulations as to the type of chemicals that can be used. The most common chemical fire retardants used are PBDEs (polybrominated diphenyl ethers) and mainly pentaBDE. I decided if I could not pronounce the word I was not going to eat it, so why should I sleep on it! Due to the way the chemical is added to the mattress, PBDE particles leach out into the air and are inhaled by your baby and you. This exposure can cause thyroid and liver damage, change our motor behavior and other brain activity. This chemical, pentaBDE has been banned in Europe and some states in the US, however there are no plans for a recall of the mattresses with the banned chemical. It is being replaced by other chemicals which are no better.

Are these chemicals harming our children and should you truly be concerned? I know that I am and it scares me! Life is hard enough without added hardships caused by toxic chemicals that we as parents are able to control the exposure to our children, so why don't we take charge? My reason was due to lack of knowledge and information, but now that I know, things are changing in my house. We as a family eat healthy, we raise our own meat, eggs, I buy organic products and in the summer I plant a big garden and put up the produce. After research and information that I found, my children are now sleeping on organic mattresses and we are slowly converting to organic clothing. I want to reduce our chances of having health problems that will affect the rest of our lives. Since babies are more vulnerable to chemicals than adults and your baby can accumulate up to 50% of her lifetime cancer risk by their second birthday, I am going to do everything I can to eliminate that chance.

When you are purchasing a new bed or replacing an old baby mattress, the only mattress that you should use is an organic mattress. There are many options available to the parents, do you want one with coils in or with out coils? The mattress should contain organic wool as it is naturally fire resistant and resistant to mold, mildew and urine odors. Organic cotton can also be used; however it should be combined with the organic wool to have the most protection for your baby. True they are a bit more expensive than the conventional mattress where I found a cheap one for $35.00: however, my baby's life depends upon the choices I make for her, so I will do everything that I can to make the right choices to protect her and her health. The extra expense is worth her life. Join me in protecting our children's future.