Allergies are common, but for a baby, they can be severe if it occurs frequently.
Until they have a better immune system, they will need precautions with the products centered around them. Here are some ways to look for safe baby products.
What does hypoallergenic mean?
To know what hypoallergenic means, you need to know what causes allergies.
Allergy-producing substances known as allergens are what trigger allergies.
Allergens are present everywhere in the environment. They range from dust, pollens, fragrances, and others alike. Another thing to note is that they can vary from person to person.
Allergic reactions can range from sneezing, wheezing, hives, swelling, and dizziness. Just like how different people are allergic to different things, the same goes for these reactions.
The two most common types of allergies are skin allergies and wheezing allergies.
Skin allergies can come from baby products that babies wear, which often include diapers and baby clothes. Another common source of skin allergy are skincare products for babies.
Wheezing or any other respiratory-related allergy may come from the products that babies can interact with (i.e., toys). Food allergies can also cause the same level of distress.
How to check for hypoallergenic products?
The best place to check is the ingredients list at the back of the package.
What if it says it is hypoallergenic? Shouldn’t that be enough?
Well, not necessarily. Even if the packaging says it is hypoallergenic, it is never a bad thing to be extra cautious and sure.
Certain ingredients might have allergens, or your child might have an allergy to an ingredient regardless of how little allergen it carries.
Thoroughly checking things is still the best option.
What to avoid?
So if we can’t take the label “hypoallergenic” at face value, how can we fully verify to see if it will not carry any allergens?
The best way, as mentioned earlier, is to check the ingredients at the back. You can also do some research online before going to the grocery.
Here are some ingredients you should avoid regardless of what your child could be allergic to.
Fragrances
Fragrances are already a no-no due to their strong scents. Strong scents can be overwhelming to a baby and may cause dizziness and migraines.
Not only that, they may cause allergic reactions too. These include rashes and breathing issues.
Reputable baby products will have a “fragrance-free” label. Again, this might not be 100% true. A research and review check is always a good idea to do.
Others
Products that have a list of chemicals that might be unnecessary are to be avoided. These extra ingredients include dyes, latex, and chlorine.
Food allergies
Food allergies can be a little tricky to identify. A big part of identifying is observing if your child will have an allergic reaction.
You will have to check by having the baby try out different baby foods. However, always take proactive measures to care for the child should the baby have an allergic reaction.
Another way of verifying is checking your family history. To be extra cautious, see if your side of the family has certain allergic reactions to certain foods. The same goes for your partner’s side of the family.
This is a nice checking-off point to see what foods your baby can be allergic to.
Hypoallergenic products can even go as far as baby formula. With this in mind, should you feed your baby hypoallergenic baby formula?
This is typically reserved for babies with specific medical conditions. Have your child checked first and see what the doctor will recommend.
However, breast milk is still the best choice when feeding your child.
Baby Products
While baby food can be tricky, you will be a bit more at ease with this since you want to feed them healthy food in small quantities.
However, you have to be more attentive with other products around babies. These are the baby’s clothes, diapers, toys, skincare, and cleaning products.
Clothes
Clothes, especially diapers, are to be checked if they are hypoallergenic.
Skin rashes can be common for clothes. This has to do with ingredients that cause skin irritation.
Plant-based diapers are typically the way to go to avoid skin irritation and rashes. Wood pulp/fluff and bamboo are common examples of plant-based ingredients. Avoid chemically-made dyes in the material as well.
Bath and skincare
These two are integral to keeping your baby clean and germ-free. However, things like shampoos, bath soaps, and sunscreens have a chance of containing chemicals.
Fragrance-free and hypoallergenic cleaning products should be seen in the product packaging.
The product should also contain natural ingredients or ingredients that are light and delicate to not irritate the skin.
Toys
Toys might be overlooked, but an early childhood without them can be pretty sad.
Buying toys for your baby to play with is as important as buying their food and clothes. As such, it is crucial to pay attention to the kinds of toys you buy them with.
Some toys are filled with allergens, so check for toys and companies that make hypoallergenic toys.
For stuffed toys, you can’t go wrong with organic cotton. The fewer chemicals in the cotton, the less likely it will contain allergens.
Another good indicator for hypoallergenic toys is that they are easily cleaned without being damaged or faded. There is no need to worry about dust mites attaching themselves every so often.
Detergents
Cleaning your baby’s clothes and toys will be a recurring task. Cleaning is typically one anyway.
Handwashing is the best and most natural way of cleaning them, but you might not have time to do so. So, you end up using detergents.
Again, avoiding any chemicals such as fragrances and parabens is crucial. Check the label and the company to see if they have plant-based or more organic ingredients in their mix.
Conclusion
The early years of babies are crucial for developing their immune systems. Until then, they should be given proper care and attention to ensure they are not harmed.
For safety and protection, start buying hypoallergenic baby products.