CHARLOTTE — Caring for a new baby comes with plenty of decisions, and choosing safe everyday products shouldn’t have to add more stress. With growing concern about chemicals like PFAS, many parents may be wondering what’s actually in the products they use every day. Consumer Reports put several popular baby essentials to the test.
Consumer Reports tested 19 baby wipe products for 30 individual PFAS compounds, sometimes called “forever chemicals,” to see whether any reached levels of concern for babies.
The results were reassuring. None of the wipes Consumer Reports tested had detectable PFAS.
Consumer Reports’ Siobhan Adcock says that’s important because PFAS have been linked to health concerns including developmental problems and some cancers.
In a separate test of 10 baby lotions, Consumer Reports found no detectable indication of PFAS or lead.
For both baby wipes and lotions, CR recommends choosing fragrance-free options whenever possible and sticking with simpler formulas. Babies have more delicate skin than adults, and their skin is estimated to be 20 to 30% thinner, meaning it can absorb chemicals more easily.
Consumer Reports also tested nine popular baby bottles and found no detectable BPA, lead, or phthalates that are regulated for use in children’s products. CR notes that bottles made of glass or silicone may help reduce a baby’s exposure to microplastics.
Pacifiers also performed well. Consumer Reports tested 20 popular pacifiers for total lead, nitrosamines, bisphenol S, and phthalates, and all 20 passed the chemical testing.
Because PFAS are so widespread, Consumer Reports still recommends reducing children’s exposure whenever possible. One way to do that is by avoiding products labeled “waterproof” or “stain-resistant,” as well as products that use chemical flame retardants, since those may contain PFAS.
The bottom line: while many parents have good reason to be cautious about chemical exposure, Consumer Reports’ latest testing found reassuring results across several common baby products.
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