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Should you quit using talc on your baby?

Categories: Newborns, Babies, Health & Safety

sleeping babiBaby powder smells good and feels good too, that's why it's been used on babies' bottoms for decades. But for the last several years, pediatricians have been telling parents to resist the urge. Not only is there little evidence that talcum powder prevents diaper rash, it's easily inhaled and can irritate the lungs.

A new study, however, gives one more solid reason to avoid using talcum powder. Researchers found that when women used talcum powder every day in their genital area, their risk of developing ovarian cancer rose as much as 40%. Experts believe that the talc travels up to the ovaries, causing inflammation that can develop into cancer. It's important to note that most women who use talc will not develop cancer, but even so, they're recommending that women either stop using powder altogether or switch to a cornstarch based formula.

I think that based on previous recommendations regarding lung health, combined with these new studies, it's probably time to put baby powder to bed for good. What do you think? Do these studies cause you concern, or are you reluctant to give up this diapering tradition?

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