We are biological animals or natural beings before we are humans. And so, we are best when we keep closest to nature. The farther we move away from the Mother Nature, the more we suffer. The indiscriminate use of artificial or synthetic substances and chemicals has already worsened the situation so much that there is hardly anything left that can be called natural, and our babies are the ones who suffer the most due to this. They are too delicate to withstand these man-made poisons.

But we have gone so far that this can not be reversed and we cannot help it. Now there is only one thing is left which we can do to help these poor babies who cannot even breathe fresh air because of us. We can at least ensure that the products they are using are Organic Baby Products. They are the most natural substances available around. At least that is in our hands. This way we can not only give them some relief and touch of mother nature but can also help improve the environment and stop it from going any worse, if not reversing it to its original form. What are these Organic Baby Products? Why are they so important for us? Where can they be found? There are plenty of questions which must be arising in your mind. Here are the answers to them.

Organic Baby Products: I need not explain what “Baby Products” mean here; but I need to explain the term “Organic”. The tem “Organic” refers to anything that is a part of or that has been derived from an organism. Here, an organism does not necessarily mean an animal. It can be plant, fungi, bacteria or anything living. Hence, an organic substance is that substance which is derived from an organism which may be living or dead by the time it was derived. So, Organic Baby Products are those baby products which are manufactured from organic raw materials through organic processes and involve no usage of any kind of synthetic or artificial or chemical substances.

Origin of Organic Raw Materials: The raw materials used in the manufacturing of Organic Baby Products must be grown organically, that is, without use of any artificial chemical fertilizers, growth boosters, artificial hormones, chemical pesticides and weedicides etc. For cultivating plant products, only organic manure or compost made by decomposing organic plant or animal matter, earthworms, crushed bones or animal matter, cow-dung and biological pesticides or weedicides (such as plant extracts, insects which feed on weeds etc.) should be used. This applies even on the big trees from which wood is obtained. Similarly, animals from which animal products are obtained must be fed with organic feed and no synthetic growth boosters or milk enhancing injections (such as Oxitocin) or synthetic maturity hormones should be applied on them (as in case of milking animals). They should not be treated with chemical pesticides or disinfecting solutions externally too (as in case of wool-giving animals like sheep, rabbit etc.) and ideally they should be given herbal medicines (this is too doubtful to be practical). That means, everything involved in raising plants and animals, from which raw materials are obtained, must be organic.

Processing of Organic Raw Materials: Just as raw materials used in manufacturing Organic Baby Products must be cultivated or grown or raised organically; they must be processed organically too. This means that no chemicals or synthetic agents should be used on these raw materials in processes like bleaching, colouring, deodorizing, polishing, stabilizing, emulsifying, sweetening etc. and many such steps to convert them to finished products.

Categories of Organic Baby Products: Requirements of our babies are as little as they themselves are and so the Organic Baby Products may be broadly categorized into a handful of categories, given as follows;

• Organic Baby Foods: After mother’s milk, baby food is the prime requirement of babies. Since they are eaten by the babies, hence utmost care should be taken to ensure that these foods are absolutely organic and free from all adversities. All the ingredients, namely; cereals, milk and sugar and others must be grown and processed strictly organically and no chemicals (neither in form of fortifiers or preservatives) should be used in them. This category of Organic Baby Products is the most available and most used. They cost a little more than the regular baby foods and reputed manufacturers of baby foods are into their production. Just check for the certificate for authenticity and organic product.
• Organic Baby Clothing Items: This is the second most used category of Organic Baby Products after the organic baby foods. They include organic baby clothes, organic baby beddings, organic baby mattresses, organic baby blankets and all other clothing items. These are the things which your baby stays in touch with most of the time. So, they need to be most soothing and comforting and free from any synthetic substance or chemicals, such as chemical bleaches, colours, fabric hardeners, disinfectants etc. Further, the fiber used in manufacturing of these fabrics must be natural and organic; such as organic cotton, organic wool, organic silk, organic flannel etc. They should not produce any kind of irritation to the baby-skin. In any case, synthetic fibers should never be used because they suffocate skin and may cause severe irritations or skin rashes and various types of skin diseases.
• Organic Baby Cosmetics: These things also need to be strictly organic and free from all chemicals and synthetic ingredients because they are either directly applied externally on the skin of your baby (e.g. lotions, creams, moisturizers, soaps, shampoos, oils, talcum powders etc. meant for babies) or are meant for internal application (e.g. tooth-paste, mouth-ulcer creams etc.). Then there are some which are meant for external applications but are accidentally ingested when your baby tries to lick or chew on his body parts. Unless organic, all cosmetic products are invariably lumps of mild to very harsh chemicals with petroleum bi-products being the major ingredient in them. They do not only harm the external body parts like skin, scalp and hair; but can harm the internal organs too as they are absorbed by the body through skin. Their toxicity and harshness place them next to poisons even for adults, leave aside the babies. So, parents need to be very careful here. Either “organic baby cosmetics” or “no cosmetics at all” should be their motto. The Organic Baby Cosmetics form the third largest group of Organic Baby Products.
• Organic Baby Toys: You cannot imagine babies without toys, and neither can you imagine that these innocent and harmless looking toys can sometimes be very dangerous to your baby. They can cause various skin disorders if kept in contact with skin for a long and may also cause internal organ disorders, blindness, poisoning or toxicity, neurotic disorders, brain damages and even cancer; if they are not organic. This is mostly because of the metals, colours and flavours used in them. You never know but the metals used in them might have been treated with cyanide salts (very common in metallurgy) or the colours might contain lead and its oxides or the polish and flavours used thereon might have been derived from bi products of petroleum refining; but you know how dangerous these things are. Babies often put these toys in their mouth and lick or chew them and thus accidentally end up ingesting these toxic substances. So, always get them the Organic Baby Toys. Make sure that these toys having no metal or plastic in them (metals and plastics are never organic) and they have been manufactured from organic natural substances like organic wood or bamboo, organic cotton and other natural fibers, organic rubber and such things. Also make sure that only organic colours have been used in them and not paint. Just one thing more! The toys should not have sharp edges or pointed corners either, because, organic or not, they may harm your baby. The organic wooden toys with rounded corners and soft toys made from cotton are best for babies. Organic Baby Toys may righteously be placed at the fourth position among the Organic Baby Products.
• Organic Baby Medicines: May God keep your babies healthy and smiling, but medicines are truth. They are frequently in need for babies and they are far from being organic. Just pick up any medicine and read the constituents, and you will find the names of some strange chemical compounds which are beyond the knowledge of common man. All these compounds are products of chemistry laboratories and mass produced in factories. So, what to do? Try some Organic Baby Medicines. But let me be very frank here. You do not have many choices here. You may switch over to organic herbal medicines, but you won’t get these medicines for every ailment. Neither they are as effective and as fast as the conventional allopathic medicines. So, I am not telling you to strictly follow these medicines in all cases and you should not take the risk too, because it is your babies who are in question. But you can try them on some common ailments such as cough & cold, improper growth, indigestion, worms etc. and external conditions such as bruises and rashes.
• Others: There are many other applications where Organic Baby Products may find a place, but they are not as much in use as the five categories named above.

Points to Check: Organic Baby Products are far costlier than the conventional baby products and above all, they concern your baby. So, you need to be little choosy and cautious before you buy them. Here are some points you should check.

Composition/Constituents/Raw Material Used: When you are going for Organic Baby Products, you must ensure that the raw materials or constituents used in it are hundred percent organic.

Certification: Since you cannot distinguish organic substances from the non organic ones, and neither there is any guarantee that the term “Organic” attached before every ingredient is authentic, hence you need someone to certify that the Organic Baby Product you are buying is really organic. There are various certification agencies operating in many corners of the world. Let’s have a quick glance them.

• Global Organic Textile Standards (GOTS)
• USDA National Organic Program (NOP)
• European Organic Regulations (EU 2092/91)
• Export Certificates for Japan (JAS Equivalent)
• Indian National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP)
• Quebec Organic Reference Standard (CAAQ)
• Bio Suisse Standards
• IOFAM Basic Standards

Colour: Do not go for the colours. It will be best if you choose the colourless or white ones. If at all you have no choice but to pick the coloured ones, then go for the light or dull coloured ones. Do not be dazzled by the bright and dark colours. They are far from being organic.

Availability: The availability of Organic Baby Products may vary with type of product, demand, public awareness, per capita income, geographic situation, availability of raw materials, manufacturing units etc. These products can also be ordered on internet or phone. But one thing is common that they are more easily available in developed nation and bigger cities than otherwise.

Socio-Economic Impact: Gradually, the Organic Baby Products are engulfing bigger shares of the total market of baby products. They also come as a soothing relief for the environment which is suffocated with the pollution. So, encourage these products as much as you can and do the best you can for your baby and for the environment.

Keep the Pace!

The article is contributed by Aparup Mukherjee