to think this new advice to pregnant women is ridiculous

[ArtemisatBrauron]

ok, so apparently due to a "small and unmeasurable" and completely unspecified "risk", pregnant women are not allowed to eat any food wrapped in plastic (that would be almost everything then, most supermarkets even wrap fresh fruit and veg in plastic), use cosmetics or moisturiser, or travel in new cars, purchase new furniture etc.

Considering that most baby bottles are plastic and you can get baby food in plastic pouches etc this strikes me as waaaay over-protective.

Opinions?

Huh? Do you have a link?

Where does it say that? I've not heard it.

Where did you see this recommendation, OP? Did it come from your doctor/midwife?

wtf? They'll have us foraging for roots and grubs next.

I'd love to avoid plastic but I am really not sure what I'd be left with to eat. I'm not pg but advice like that would guilt me out. I was bad enough about goats cheese

on today programme on R4 right now!

we're not allowed shower gel either...

On BBC Breakfast as well assume it will be on bbc news website

link

Ah, I'm on holiday so don't have the today programme

I saw that too. Ridiculous. Whatever next? Perhaps they will build a special confinement area for pregnant women with only organic materials and food allowed?

Sad thing is - I bet some pregnant women are now panicking.

It seems ridiculous. I'm probably over cautious compared to most but even I think this is too restrictive.
I'm coming up to 5 weeks pregnant and just getting used to leaving the cat litter tray alone, avoiding certain cheese and fish (but only to an exact amount). But now I have to be worried about toiletries, paint, new furniture, new cars, food that may have encountered plastic as well as more obvious chemicals.
This is going to cause anxiety and guilt which really isn't great during pregnancy.

I'm going to choose to pay attention to this para only from that article...:)

"It is unlikely that any of the exposures are truly harmful for most babies, say the report's authors, and, based on current evidence, it is impossible to give an accurate assessment of risk"

Of course it's daft! I'm only 49 and a mum of 3, and I'm now starting to wonder how I managed!

Just another example of the nanny state making sure we lives our lives in a constant state of paranoia.

It's RCOG, just been on the Today Programme, story here.

I wonder if breathing also carries a small but unquantifiable risk.

I get what they're trying to say - it's unclear what the true level of risk is - but I am sceptical about the strategy they've employed to publicise it. Reeks of headline hunting.

you know that some people are going to worry about this though, and end up living on the loose fruit and veg from the supermarket... I am seriosuly struggling to think of any food that doesn't come into some contact with plastic - even fresh meat and fish is plastic bagged to take it home!

Gaaaah! It's being rather flamed by radio 4 interviewing toxicology experts.

Hypothetically if there is a risk surely the onus should be on manufacturers etc to change the chemicals they use, such as food packaging, shower gel and so on.

This is such a barmy, halfbaked warning.

Well, it's from RCOG, who generally know what they're on about.

And given the rise in products free of phthalates and bisphenol A to avoid exposing babies, it does follow that those parents who buy them would consider pre-natal exposure. And this is a sensible list of products where it's likely to have leached out.

What I find dismaying is how ingrained is our acceptance of these leaky plastics.

Yeah, that's just bad advice. We need clearer advice than that! Although some things the report mentioned I've avoided, like clingfilm on hot food, pesticides and herbicides, etc. my sister thinks I'm crazy for not wearing nail varnish but having struggled to get pregnant and then stay pregnant, I'm over cautious.

It would be helpful if clearer advice was avaliable.

Nail varnish? What's the problem with that? Genuine, not stroppy, question

Bloody hell, it's very restrictive isn't it, I see it also recommends avoiding buying new furniture and cars .

For first time Mothers then, do you avoid furnishing a nursery for the new arrival?

Utterly bizarre!

The thing I most object to is that the worry/stress is put onto mothers and not onto the manufacturers - if these things are so dangerous then they should be phased out!

Omg, outrageous advice. Seems the media angle is to ignore the advice though.

God, I saw this. So hard. On the one hand, I think it's really unhelpful advice, as it will feed anxiety without ripple necessarily being able to do more about it (I mean, who can afford to eg replace all their pans?).

On the other hand, I agree with Meditrina that our day to day chemical exposure is worrying. I am trying to reduce this.

Ripple? People!

And do much, not do more...