If you’ve read labels on baby bottles and sippy cups lately, you’ve no doubt noticed a “BPA-free” or “No BPA” graphic on the labels. BPA (Bisphenol A) is a chemical found in many plastics, and it’s a concern because it mimics estrogen in the body, which could interfere with development or worse. It’s even been proven to pass through the umbilical cord to an unborn baby.

90% of baby bottles are now BPA-free, so we must be doing all we can to keep safe from this chemical. Right? Wrong.

Just last week, Swiss scientists confirmed that BPA is present in thermal paper used in receipts, and what’s worse, it’s been proven be absorbed by the skin before it can be washed off. Wet hands and alcohol-based hand sanitizers actually increase the amount of BPA that gets into the body.

Lab testing showed that some of the worst offenders for BPA levels on receipts are grocery stores, including Safeway and Whole Foods. However, safer alternatives are available.

How to Stay Safe from BPA Receipts

To protect yourself and your family, try not to handle receipts. If you work in retail, consider wearing gloves to minimize contact with the chemical. Let your accountant know, and when you do your taxes, consider wearing gloves. It should also go without saying that children should not hold or play with receipts.

BPA is also found in plastic food containers, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services even acknowledges “Trace amounts of BPA can be found in some foods packaged in these containers…including canned liquid infant formula.”

It’s Time to Ban BPA

It’s time to do something about this. Tell your Senators and Congress Representatives that you support The Safe Chemicals Act of 2010. If you use Twitter, you can write to them at @2gov and the message will be forwarded to them, even if they are not on Twitter. You can also sign a petition at The Environmental Working Group, which paid for the study of the receipts. Note: MommySite.com has no affiliation with EWG and disclaims any responsibility for their actions.

The current laws protecting consumers from toxic chemicals are outdated and backwards. According to Senator Frank Lautenberg, who introduced the legislation,

The “Safe Chemicals Act of 2010” requires safety testing of all industrial chemicals, and puts the burden on industry to prove that chemicals are safe in order stay on the market. Under current policy, the EPA can only call for safety testing after evidence surfaces demonstrating a chemical is dangerous. As a result, EPA has been able to require testing for just 200 of the more than 80,000 chemicals currently registered in the United States and has been able to ban only five dangerous substances. The new legislation will give EPA more power to regulate the use of dangerous chemicals and require manufacturers to submit information proving the safety of every chemical in production and any new chemical seeking to enter the market.

You can also let retailers know that you want them to switch to safer receipts via Twitter and Facebook.

Creative Commons Attribution License: You are welcome to republish this article BPA on Receipts (but not the photo) on your website, as long as you leave all of the links and this notice intact.

Looking for recipes for your toddler?

WholesomeToddlerFood.com has some good ones, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. The concept is, “It starts with a rainbow,” because eating foods of different colors is an easy way to remember to serve enough fruits and vegetables.

There are also sections on toddler nutritional needs, how the food pyramid works for toddlers, and my favorite, a section on how to prepare healthy versions of fast food that cuts out the fat, sugar, chemicals and cost of your local drive-through.

Some of these recipes are basic, and some are more creative, like the breakfast recipe for cutting out eyes and a mouth in toast and melting cheese on it to give the toast a face. Very cute!

Peanut allergy warning: many of the recipes include peanut butter. The USFDA recommends waiting until age 3 to introduce nuts.

Does your child love space the space program? Does he or she dream of walking on the moon or exploring the final frontier?

If so, you’ll love the NASA Image of the Day. Imagine, every day, your child can receive an email from NASA. What a great way to learn about science! It is completely free to register your email address and receive daily photos of a star cluster, real and experimental space ships, planets, moons and more. There’s also an image archive, so you can print out pictures for school reports or to decorate your child’s room.

Here’s the link: http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/iotd.html

Enjoy!

I just finished reading Sera’s thoughts on postpartum depression at Laughing Through The Chaos. New moms, if you have negative thoughts about your baby, nightmares, or feel like you haven’t bonded, you don’t have to feel like you are alone. Sera was very brave to post what she felt. Go take some comfort from her, and then please, get the help you need.

There are signs that America is moving back to more traditional times and closer family relationships. As if to reflect this trend, when moms were asked what would make this Mother’s Day special, 46 percent said they would like to receive a card or gift made by their child, according to an online survey by Market Day. Twenty-four percent of moms would like breakfast in bed.

For the record, I do not want breakfast in bed. I want to go to the beach! Where’s the picnic basket? Let’s go!

One sentiment that most moms agree on is that the happiness surrounding Mother’s Day is not tied to economic considerations. When asked about their favorite Mother’s Day memories, 65 percent of moms indicated it was just having the family together, 31 percent enjoyed a homemade gift, and 14 percent recalled a favorite meal.

Yes, I agree with that. I like being together with the family. My favorite gift is a bracelet my oldest made when she was 4.

For the third year since Market Day fielded the survey, moms still do most of the cooking on their designated day. This year, 36 percent of moms will handle most of the cooking, and another 36 percent will get help in the kitchen from family members. Another 21 percent will receive assistance from a spouse or partner.

I don’t mind cooking, but someone else do the dishes, ok?

Do any other companies want to send me press releases and/or stuff to review? Catch me on Twitter @mommysite. Thanks!