This article posted on CNN absolutely infuriates me.

The story is a warning about a nipple cream, Mommy’s Bliss Nipple Cream (a “natural” cream that is lanolin free and made with shea butter and calendula), which is SUPPOSED to sooth cracked and sore nipples. Instead, it causes respiratory distress, vomiting and diarrhea in infants.

That’s bad enough – but this quote made me crazy.

“FDA is particularly concerned that nursing infants are being unwittingly exposed by their mothers to this product with dangerous side effects,” said Janet Woodcock, director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

I get the point – but as a mother, that reads like these nursing moms are strapping guns to their breasts.

“Infants are being unwittingly exposed …” how about these mothers are being unwittingly exposed to a dangerous product? Where are the safety measures? Why was even one child (and mom) exposed to these dangerous chemicals?

At the point of ultimate exhaustion and stress these moms have to worry that they have been harming their babies because product testing is a thing of the past?
I am sick and tired of worrying about whether or not my son’s sippy cup contains a dangerous chemical, or if his bath toy was painted with lead paint or if the corn he is eating for dinner was genetically modified and could cause problems later in his life.

It’s ridiculous! Something has to radically change with our consumer safety practices because, as far as I am concerned, they are non-existent. Is it too much to ask to want to walk into the neighborhood grocer, buy a bag of stuff and be assured they are healthy products?

For those of you looking for a safe nipple cream – Lansinoh helped me survive an “adjustment period” with my own nursing. It is endorsed by La Leche International and makes a great cuticle cream post-nursing.
Photo Credit: Creative Commons license by thehoovers on Flickr.