OK, OK, I know this is my fault… In my last post, I insisted in commenting on how beautiful the weather had been. I take full responsibility for the curse I must have put on Mother Nature, judging from the onslaught of rain we are now experiencing. Sadly, this is the April I am more accustomed to. The 30 degree day we had last weekend was totally abnormal, but oh, what a nice surprise!
Jasper, it turns out, doesn’t mind the rain nearly as much as his mum. Not much will keep this kid out of the park these days, not even a monsoon. He is now completely obsessed with his Hatley Creepy Bugs raincoat and boots, and though they are both way too big for him, he is constantly finding his way in to the closet to pull them out, and roaming through the house with a proud grin on his face. Even though he’s only 17 months, he sure knows how great it feels to look like a big kid!
Luckily, the raincoat is lined with cozy terrycloth, so even in the blustery cold days of April, not much will deter Jas from his park visits. Not so lucky for me, as my raincoat is certainly not lined, nor does it come close to fitting over my bulging, 30-week pregnant belly - I have stubbornly vowed not to spend another dime on overly expensive maternity clothes that will only get a few more weeks of use, so this weather better turn around FAST or I might be in trouble!
Though the cozy lining is a great feature about the Creepy Bugs raincoat, what I like best is that it is made with Polyurethane, and is PVC-free. PVC, or polyvinyl chloride, is a toxic chemical most commonly used in waterproof things like raincoats, shower curtains, bibs and even some baby’s chew toys. PVC, which is used to make the product soft and flexible, releases nasty toxins like mercury and dioxins throughout its life cycle and is known as one of the most toxic plastics made. When it’s made or burned, PVC releases dioxins that are some of the most dangerous synthetic chemicals out there, and can cause cancer and/or do serious damage to the immune and reproductive system. Not the least of which, PVC is also a huge enemy of the environment as it cannot be recycled. The Center for Health, Environment and Justice has labeled PVC as “one of the most hazardous consumer products ever created”. Not exactly what you want your kid to roam around in on a rainy day.
Surprisingly, finding PVC-free raincoats for kids is incredibly difficult. Hatley, as well as Land’s End and L.L. Bean, are actually some of the few companies making them. They use Polyurethane instead of PVC to coat the fabric to make it waterproof, which does not contain the same toxic fire retardants, nor does it release the harmful gases that PVC does. It’s also not considered a cancer threat – certainly a much safer and healthier alternative for our kids (and us!).
Before becoming a parent, I naively did not worry too much about what was in the food I was eating or the clothes I put on. But now that I have Jasper (and the new baby soon to makes it’s arrival) to consider and worry about, it is impossible to ignore the blatant health risks posed by certain chemicals in clothing and antibiotics and pesticides in food. My eyes have certainly been opened to actually check the labels, read the ingredients list on packaging, and to search for greener and healthier alternatives. And luckily, those alternatives are out there, and are slowly becoming more mainstream.
Hopefully the weather this month is soon to turn around, but if not, at least Jas has his Creepy Bugs… Now if only they came in maternity sizes 
!
Happy April everyone!
