Healthy Maternity: Reducing Toxic Exposures In Hospitals

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Healthy Maternity: Reducing Toxic Exposures In Hospitals

Expert Opinion

Thursday, December 15, 2011

by Diba Tillery, RN, BSN, IBCLC, CPST, and Founder of BABIES 411

As a neonatal ICU nurse, lactation consultant, Clinical Nurse Educator and member of the Health Care Without Harm’s Nurses Work Group, I am passionate about the health and well-being of our babies and children. This was the reason I developed Babies411.com. Several years ago, when I was in the development phase of my business, I learned about the toxicants that our children (and we) are exposed to on a daily basis (read about my ah-ha moment here). From that day on, it has been my mission to educate parents and health care providers about toxics and how to reduce our everyday exposure. I knew that I had to inform my colleagues about this and look to introduce safer products into our hospitals.

Currently, I have a very supportive manager who shares in the desire to improve our unit to better protect the health of our babies, especially our NICU babies. We have begun to purchase items for our unit that are DEHP-free, PVC-free and free of harmful toxics. And thanks to a generous program from Naturepedics, we were able to obtain organic crib mattresses for ALL of our cribs for FREE! We are making changes and it feels good!

Here’s how YOU can get started!

FOR PARENTS:

Connecting with the “Right” People at Your Local Hospital/Childbirth Facility

This can be somewhat difficult. Maternal Child Health managers and directors are usually overworked, running from meeting to meeting and not readily available to take phone calls from concerned parents. The good news is that the facilities do want to hear how they can better serve you. Hospitals are well aware that women are the driving force when it comes to making the decision for where the family will receive their care. So, this is your leverage.

Try contacting nurses in the nursery and tell them of your concerns and ask them to transfer you to someone (like the manager or director of the nursery or NICU) who can help you get more information.
When you take a tour of the hospital, ask your tour guide to help direct you to someone to talk to about this matter.
Bring up this question during your childbirth education classes.
Talk to your OB/GYN and/or midwife and discuss your concerns with them and see if there is anything that he/she can do to get this information into the right hands. (Be prepared to share the resources found later in this article).
Talk to the hospital’s lactation consultant.
If you have a pediatrician, ask them for assistance in getting this information to the staff.

Whichever avenue you to choose to take, just remember that these things take time to implement and financing is a big road block. So be patient and understanding with your local facility. Until then, bring your own products to the hospital.

FOR HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS:

Below are some evidence-based articles discussing toxics:

Toxic Chemicals Found in Doctors and Nurses
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Policy Statement—Chemical-Management Policy: Prioritizing Children’s Health
AAP: Impact of Early-Life Bisphenol A Exposure on Behavior and Executive Function in Children
AAP: Baby Care Products- Possible Sources of Infant Phthalate Exposure
AAP: Pediatric Exposure and Potential Toxicity of Phthalate Plasticizers
Children’s Vulnerability To Toxic Chemicals: A Challenge And Opportunity To Strengthen Health And Environmental Policy
Exposure to Di-(2-Ethylhexyl) Phthalate Among Premature Neonates in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Environmental Chemicals in Pregnant Women in the US
FDA warns of serious, rare side effect with Benzocaine-containing drugs (including Baby Orajel and Dermoplast)
Columbia University: Prenatal Exposure to Phthalates Linked to Decreased Mental and Motor Development and Increased Behavioral Problems at Age Three

Here are some great resources for you to learn more about toxics and what professional organizations are doing to raise awareness:

American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Environmental Health
Health Care Without Harm - vast amount of information available on various topics important in the health care setting
American Nurses Association: Environmental Health- RN No Harm
John Hopkins Green Team
Healthier Hospitals Initiative
Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health: Scientific Papers

Toolkits to help you get started and FREE CEUs:

Pediatric Environmental Health Toolkit (endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics)
American Academy of Pediatrics: Pediatric Environmental Health – 3rd Edition
Free Online Continuing Education Course for Health Professionals on Pediatric Environmental Health

Are you a health care professional or organization that is looking to make positive changes in your maternity unit and are not sure how to tackle a project like this? Contact me and let’s work together to reduce chemicals to protect moms and their babies.

By becoming knowledgeable about this issue and looking to help protect our most vulnerable population, fetuses, infants and children, we can help to improve not only our lives, but the lives of many. Let’s take the steps necessary to start making our maternity units healthier and start educating families as soon as possible so that they are able to make positive changes in their lives to help improve their reproductive health, prenatal health, postnatal health and the health of their children and families.

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Editor’s Note: This blog was originally posted at Babies411.com and has been edited for length. Please visit Diba’s site for the entire piece that includes many more resources for both parents and health professionals.

What do you think? Any concerns about the use of toxics in health care? Any solutions or advice if you’ve had experience advocating for change?

Photo courtesy abarefoot / CC BY 2.0