Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt Take Twins Out of Hiding

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt usually keep twins Knox and Vivienne well hidden -- but they occasionally take their youngest children where the paparazzi can see them.

The A-list couple brought the twins out in Venice for a boat ride and LFI photographers caught the candid shot.

The family is in Italy so Jolie can film 'The Tourist' with Johnny Depp.

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Kourtney Kardashian's Baby Daddy Drama

Scott Disick has only been a full-fledged member of the Kardashian clan for two months, since the birth of son Mason to Kourtney Kardashian, but he's already stirring up trouble for the family. According to Hollywood Life, Disick is taking aim at Kourtney's mom, Kris Jenner. In a February 18 interview on Ryan Seacrest's radio show, Disick blamed Jenner for the rift between himself and the rest of the family, claiming that he would score more points with Kris if he were an athlete like the significant others of her daughters Kim and Khloe.
Disick told Seacrest that Jenner "thinks that if you're an athlete, you tend to be a better person, when that's not always the case."

Despite the subpar treatment Disick claims to be receiving, he went on to say of Jenner, "Honestly, deep down, I think we both love each other a little bit, and I think that will come to the surface in due time."

Kim Kardashian Knows She's Mason's 'Favorite Aunt'

Kim Kardashian wants to make one thing perfectly clear: She is the second most important woman in the life of her 2-month-old nephew, Mason Dash Disick.

"I spoil my nephew," Kardashian told PEOPLE at the 7th Annual Leather and Laces Super Bowl Party that she co-hosted with Holly Madison and Roselyn Sanchez. "He really loves me; I already know it. He never cries every time I hold him."

"I take pictures of him all day and we have a really special bond," she continues. "I know I'm his favorite aunt."

Not Khloe? "No, I'm his favorite aunt," she laughs.

And Kardashian, 29, says that she's not above bribing him with gifts. "I gave him these little onesies that say Mason Dash Disick," she says. "They were adorable."

Big sister Kourtney, 30, gave birth to Mason with beau Scott Disick in December. It has been a growing experience for them both. "He has changed Kourtney's life," says Kardashian, "She's so happy; she's such a good mom. And Scott is such a great dad. It's been really exciting to see the two of them grow up so much."

Mom Kris Jenner agrees that Mason had brought new joy into everyone's life: "I will babysit him anytime, anywhere," she says. "He has just brought the whole family so much happiness. We're all really blessed."

See what other readers have to say about this story –

Sold! Jon & Kate's Starter Home Sells – at a Loss

Jon and Kate Gosselin

Ethan Miller/Getty; Brian Flannery/Flynet

Jon and Kate Gosselin are finally minus the first house where they shot much of their TLC reality show, Jon & Kate Plus Eight.

The Gosselins have sold their starter home in Elizabethtown, Pa., for $258,000, according to the real-estate news site Zillow.com.

The transaction didn't come easily. The 5-bedroom house on Andrew Avenue went on the market in March 2009 for $325,000 before the asking price was slashed to $299,000 10 months later.

After a lien and the filing of the Gosselins' divorce papers during their messy split, the location for most of Jon & Kate Plus Eight finally sold – for $22,000 less than the couple paid for it in 2006. The family moved into a much bigger home in Wernersville, Pa.

With the sale of the residence, the Gosselins seem to be putting the last remnants of their old life behind them. Just this week Jon and TLC reached a settlement in their lawsuit.

Meanwhile, Kate is currently filming another show with TLC.

See what other readers have to say about this story –

Simon Cowell: My Replacement Has to Be Good-Looking

February 19, 2010

Simon Cowell may be leaving American Idol after the current season but don’t think he doesn’t care about who his replacement will be. In a conference call Thursday with reporters, Cowell talked about who is right for his job, the rumors that he and Ellen DeGeneres are squabbling and why he thinks Lady Gaga should mentor the latest crop of Idol hopefuls.

There have been rumors that you and Ellen DeGeneres aren’t getting along. Could you address them?

I wouldn’t say that we didn’t get on well. I don’t know Ellen that well. It was a difficult position for her because she started work on the Hollywood week, which is quite a difficult show to do. There was one story I read that [said] I turned up an hour late for something and that she wanted to film. The truth was I think I turned up 15 or 20 minutes late because I did a press conference earlier in the day. And they did start filming, but that wasn’t a particular problem. There was no fall out. I was trying to guide her through the week and that was it really.

What do you miss most about Paula Abdul?

Well Paula is my friend, amazingly, even though we used to argue a lot. She was somebody I got really close to over the years. We’d hang out together after the show. She always made me laugh. I always thought she was funny. It was just like not having your friend on the show anymore, so I do miss her.

What does it feel like to have people say that you’re irreplaceable?

It’s very, very flattering. I really do appreciate it. Like I said before, the show goes on. I’m going to feel sad when it all ends.

What kind of person could replace you?

You have to be good looking. Secondly, you have to know what you’re talking about. I’m starting to realize with these shows that you have to put people on that actually know what they’re talking about. Rather than guessing, they really have to have experience, so that you cannot just criticize — you can offer constructive advice as well.

How much music experience is required for the judging job?

I think it’s really important. When we first started we had a record producer, an artist and an A&R man. So you’ve covered pretty much everything. I would say someone who has had managerial experience is always helpful. But in simplistic terms if you’re going to give a score you generally need to know what you’re talking about. I think over the years judges have been replaced by personalities. That in the long term will create problems because you’ve got to be able to spot a star. So whoever replaces me, my advice has always been find somebody who actually knows what they’re talking about.

How does that apply to Howard Stern?

He doesn’t seem to fit any of the criteria. He’s played records. Maybe that’s a good qualification — that he’s played records and is a DJ. But he obviously wants the job. Good luck to him.

Celine Dion's Struggle for a Second Baby

Céline Dion

After four unsuccessful rounds of in vitro fertilization, Céline Dion is not giving up hope for a second child, she tells PEOPLE in an exclusive cover story.

"I'm going to try until it works," says Dion, 41, who has been giving herself daily hormone shots – and enduring the roller-coaster ride of emotions they bring – after the heartbreaking loss of a pregnancy in August and three other failed IVF attempts last fall.

"Five's my lucky number," she adds, "so this is the time it's got to [work]."

While her husband/manager Rene Angélil, 68, says they "go crazy" waiting for the results after each try, Dion – whose new concert film and family documentary Céline: Through the Eyes of the World, will be released Feb. 17 – stays positive, focusing her energies on son Rene-Charles, 9, who is thriving as a second-grader at his new school in Florida.

For more on Dion's hopes for another baby, life as a soccer mom, and her upcoming return to the stage, pick up the new issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday

Jaycee Dugard reveals all in a secret diary~

Breaking News: Jaycee Dugard reveals secret diary

  Jaycee Dugard, the Northern California woman who was kidnapped as a child and held prisoner for 18 years, kept a diary in which she wrote of longing for freedom and feeling both emotionally trapped and protective of the man charged with raping her, court documents filed Thursday show.
"It feels like I'm sinking. ... this is supposed to be my life to do with what I like ... but once again he has taken it away," Dugard wrote in an entry dated July 5, 2004, almost five years before she surfaced last summer with the two daughters fathered by her alleged captor Phillip Garrido.
"How many times is he allowed to take it away from me?" she wrote. "I am afraid he doesn't see how the things he says makes me a prisoner."

 

El Dorado County prosecutors quoted three portions of Dugard's diary in the court papers seeking a protective order barring Garrido and his wife Nancy from trying to contact Dugard or her children, now 12 and 15.
The motion came in response to papers filed last week by the Garridos' defense lawyers trying to force prosecutors to tell them where Dugard is living and if she has a lawyer. A hearing is set for Feb. 26.
District Attorney Vern Pierson said Dugard's writings show that Phillip Garrido controlled her in the past and was trying to exert continued psychological pressure on her from jail.
Dugard, now 29, has "emphatically stated to our office that she does not want any contact with the defendants or their attorneys," Pierson said in the documents. "The people ask this court to protect Ms. Doe and to, once and for all, put an end to the defendant's manipulation."
The papers referred to Dugard as "Jane Doe" because she was 11 when she was kidnapped and sexually assaulted.

The documents also reveal new details about Dugard's captivity, saying she was kept in a building in a hidden compound inside the backyard of the Garridos' Antioch home for the first 18 months after her abduction then prohibited from leaving the yard for the first four years.
In another diary entry, dated more than two years after Dugard was snatched from the street outside her South Lake Tahoe home, Dugard wrote, "I got (a cat) for my birthday from Phil and Nancy ... they did something for me that no one else would do for me, they paid 200 dollars just so I could have my own kitten."
A decade later, however, Dugard wrote of the complex emotions surrounding her situation and Phillip Garrido.
"I don't want to hurt him ... sometimes I think my very presence hurts him," she wrote. "So how can I ever tell him how I want to be free. Free to come and go as I please ... Free to say I have a family. I will never cause him pain if it's in my power to prevent it. FREE."
In the court filing, Pierson said Dugard and the two daughters she had by Garrido when she was 14 and 17 had been instructed by the Garridos to run to the hidden backyard if anyone ever came to the door.
He also described a plan that Phillip Garrido allegedly hatched to stay in contact with Dugard if he was ever arrested. Dugard told prosecutors Garrido instructed her to request an attorney who could communicate directly with his "without law enforcement knowledge," the papers state.
Since Garrido's arrest, he has tried repeatedly to put the plan into action, Pierson said.
On the day he was arrested and Dugard's identity was revealed, Garrido advised her to get a lawyer. The next month, Garrido sent a letter to a Sacramento television station stating he wanted to reach Dugard "by attorney mail only."
In January, Garrido's lawyer wrote Dugard saying, "Mr. Garrido has asked me to convey that he does not harbor any ill will toward (Ms. Doe) or the children and loves them very much."
Dugard interpreted the "ill will" remark to mean she was not following the plan and that the letter was another way of manipulating her, the papers state.
Phillip Garrido's lawyer, Deputy Public Defender Susan Gellman, wrote in an e-mail that contacting a witness to determine what happened is part of her job as a defense attorney, and the information she has been seeking is a matter of routine in criminal cases.
"For the district attorney to hint that it is somehow improper or nefarious is disingenuous to say the least," Gellman wrote. "I am not the 'tool' of any man, as he has been intimated in today's filing."
Nancy Garrido's court-appointed defense lawyer Stephen Tapson did not immediately return a telephone call seeking comment.
The Garridos have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The couple also are requesting permission to visit each other in jail, where they are being held on $30 million and $20 million bail, respectively.

Looks like Spelling has taken mommy hood very serious

Tori Spelling spotted in Hollywood

Looks like she has been working out.....

 

She is always happy and willing to talk to a fan or someone trying to snap a picture, I just think if i was her, I would be wearing something else in public.....

John Mayers, Hood Pass Revoked?? Read on

Has John Mayer's 'Hood Pass' Been Revoked? Lets ask Kanye...Haha

John Mayer shocked fans this week in a controversial interview with Playboy magazine in which he used the N-word and likened his sexual desires to that of a white supremacist. But despite a quick apology and explanation via Twitter, followed by an onstage breakdown during a Nashville concert, it appears his self-proclaimed “hood pass” may have expired.
“Whenever you use the N-word, there are going to be serious consequences,” an A-list Hollywood record executive told Pop Tarts. “People come back all the time from inappropriate comments, but this is a serious problem that could possibly hurt record sales and his public perception if it keeps blowing up. Mayer should do some sensitivity training, which might be a good start in bouncing back from this.”
Prior to the incident, which coincides with Black History Month, Mayer was often penned as a crossover artist. Over the course of his career, he had worked with a range of black music moguls including Jay-Z, B.B King, Herbie Hancock, Nelly, NaS and was even one of the few artists featured in last year’s Michael Jackson Memorial Concert. But experts speculate that he may have quite a bit of crawling to do to get back in the industry’s good graces after using such degrading language.

“His comments were as offensive as you can get,” a label insider said. “Some African-American artists will definitely stand their ground and just write him off. Mayer’s comments are not only unacceptable, they're illogical and totally irrational for somebody who is as smart as he is supposed to be.”

The National Organization for African-American women was also “outraged” by the interview.
“The NOAW is outraged by the recent degrading and irresponsible statements made by recording artist John Mayer. His statements in regards to African-American women were disgraceful,” a rep said in a statement. “The use of the ‘N’ word was particularly offensive and vile. His outlandish statements are a slap in the face to the multitude of African-American people who are his fans and who have purchased his music.”
Mayer’s comments have understandably drawn criticism from the hip-hop community, with several artists taking to their Twitter accounts to express their thoughts.
"My man John Mayer must love the taste of his own foot,” rapper Talib Kweli Tweeted, while Noreaga apparently wrote “Dear John Mayer, black women don't like u cause ur a a--hole."
However The Roots’ Questlove was a little more forgiving.
“hmmm. ill give mayer a benefit of the doubt (remember how people misinterpreted my photo?) and assume that was a punchline gone awry,” he Tweeted on Wednesday. “lol then again on 2nd read....can't wait to see spin on this. i swear his #1 demographic is the white dude black women would do in a second.”
Meanwhile other high-profile regular Tweeters like Diddy, Kanye West and 50 Cent have so far stayed silent on the issue. Mayer (who averages around 6-10 Tweets per day) laid low on Thursday, presumably to allow the storm to blow over.
Columbia records, the label that represents Mayer, declined to comment on the issue.
But despite the intense backlash, there is still hope for Mayer’s image to recover.
“I believe a lot of black artists will forgive him, they will move on,” Tarts’ label source said. “If [Michael Richards, who played] Kramer from Seinfeld was in a movie tomorrow that got critical acclaim, was the hit at Sundance, or if he had been in Avatar, people would have moved on. They wouldn’t have said, ‘We aren’t going to see ‘Avatar’ because of him.’ That is not only my belief, but it’s my experience.”

Saavy Rest, Organic All natural latex beds for the entire family!

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We use only nontoxic, natural materials to make a Savvy Rest--natural latex, organic cotton, and organic wool. No off-gassing chemicals, no pesticide residues, and no flame retardants. 

 

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Organic wool

Organic wool means that the wool is free of all synthetic chemicals throughout the processing. The sheep are fed in organic pasture, the wool cleaning process involves no bleach or solvents of any kind, and the garneting and carding processes are done without chemical additives. Of all materials used to make mattress quilting, or casings, organic wool is by far the best. It is also the most expensive to produce. At Savvy Rest, we use only organic wool.
Why wool? Wool is comforting and comfortable to lie on. It is also a wonderful insulator, so your body can more naturally regulate your temperature during the night. You’ll sleep warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer, and you won’t feel hot or cold spots, so you’ll shift and turn less while you sleep. Wool is plush without “poofiness”, so even a light layer keeps you comfortable.

Each strand of wool has a coating of lanolin, which naturally repels dust mites. And microscopic scales on each strand create an arid environment that dust mites can’t live in. In our video Organic Wool Part 1, we sit down with our wool provider and discuss the many benefits of sleeping on wool.

Pregnancy Tools, Awesome website!

All Tools 

Pregnancy and Parenting Tools

Our tools, calculators, calendars, checklists, and worksheets can help take the stress out of pregnancy and parenting. Let us help you find the answers you need, whether you're searching for baby names, calculating your baby's due date, trying to get pregnant, tracking your child's development, or wondering how tall your child will be. Or perhaps you're looking for fun crafts and family activities, horoscopes, or delicious mom-rated recipes. And there's much more!

Look Who's Walking, Little Ms. Violet!

Look who's walking!

Jennifer Garner was spotted with her two gorgeous girls - Violet, 4, and Seraphina, 13 months - shopping in Los Angeles today (February 15). This is the first time we've seen sweet Seraphina walking. What a cutie! Big sis Violet got a lift from a friend while mama helped Seraphina navigate.

Jen's latest star-studded chick flick, Valentine's Day, topped the weekend box office after raking in 52.4 million dollars.

Photos: INFdaily.com / GSI Media

Zuma's Wearing the newest uggs!!! Check them out

Celeb Valentine weekened fun! Our favorite girl Kim

CELEB VALENTINE RECAP

Kim Kardashian and Reggie Bush made the most of Valentine's weekend with a trip to Vegas. The on-again couple had a VIP table in front of the DJ booth at Lavo nightclub where Kim was hosting the Queen of Hearts Ball. She told the packed crowd, "Whether you are single or with a loved one we are going to party tonight in Vegas!"

Kendra Wilkinson spent Saturday night hosting a Valentine's bash with her football star hubby Hank Baskett will be at Eve nightclub in City Center in Sin City.

Also in Vegas: Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt. The Hills stars hit up Pure nightclub Saturday night where they hosted a V-day party. CSI: Miami star Eva La Rue was also on hand for the festivities.

Meanwhile, Madonna took her romance south of the border. She was spotted at the Carnival parades in Rio de Janeiro with Jesus Luz on Valentine's Day.

Paris Hilton was in Rio as well, where she showed off her dance moves as she promoted a new Brazilian beer called Devassa, which is a slang word for sexy in Portuguese.

Courtney Kardashian has 2 Valentines this year!!

Kourtney Kardashian is gearing up for a love-filled Valentine's Day.

Wednesday night, the 30-year-old new mom tweeted some love for her boys while watching the holiday classic, A Charlie Brown Valentine.

I have two Valentines this year," referring to beau Scott Disick and their 8-week-old son Mason. "The loves of my life."

According to Auntie Khloe, Mason - who will turn 2-months-old on Valentine's Day - is making mommy open up a little too much.

Kourt just admitted that she tasted her own breast milk. Ummmm TMI," Kourtney's little sister Khloe Kardashian tweeted on Thursday.

Meanwhile, step dad Bruce Jenner recently commented on Kourtney's mothering skills.
"She's breastfeeding so she has to be pretty much with Mason all the time anyway,” he adds. “But she really is taking it seriously and she’s doing an amazing job.”
Did you also taste your own breast milk?

Photos: Pacific Coast News

Autism Reading room Resources for moms in need of help and direction!

Autism and Special Needs Resource Guide
ADHD Adaptive Sports Art Auditory Processing Autism Behavioral Skills Bicycles Biomedical Therapies Books and Bookstores Camps Communication Bracelets Communication Tools Colored Overlays Clothing Curriculum Driver’s Education	DVDs Early Detection Family Issues Fitness Games and Toys Gluten Free Diets Handwriting Health and Wellness Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapies Homeschooling Inclusion Learning Strategies Light and Sound Therapy Laboratory Testing Life Skills Math Medical Intervention	Memory Music Therapy Naturopathic Doctors Nutritionals Online Courses Reading and Phonics Schools Sensory Social Skills Software And DVD’s Speakers Special Diets Special Needs Speech and Language Timers Traveling Vision Therapy
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Ladies have to heard of Arbonne? 4 words, Vegan, Botanical, Natural and It works!

Arbonne is the exclusive provider of this fresh science, groundbreaking technology that allows us to extract cells, while keeping them fresh and intact. Each cell retains its original wealth of essential nutrients. The fresh cells remain encapsulated, untouched until they are applied to the skin…where they release precious nutrients. Together with the formulas, they help revitalize, hydrate and protect the skin. Encapsulated fresh cell phytonutrients are more potent, more efficacious and pure. They work in harmony with our exclusive proprietary blends to promote radiant, youthful-looking skin. Kiwi—Extraordinary source of antioxidants. Strawberry—Known for its purifying and toning properties. Mango—Nurturing, hydrating fruit. Carrot—Soothes and calms; ripe with ß-carotene. Pumpkin—Moisturizing properties and bursting with ß-carotene. A unique blend of botanicals including St. John’s wort and extracts of cucumber, birch leaf, watercress and clover blossom. Together with our other ingredients, this complex helps to soften, cool, soothe and condition dry skin. A concentrated combination of botanicals including mallow, melissa, watercress and ivy. Together with our other ingredients, this soothing blend helps to calm and harmonize oily skin.

Breastfeeding Vs. Bottle feeding The Disadvantages this time~

 
As well as considering the benefits of breastfeeding and bottle feeding, when deciding how to feed your baby it is also worthwhile bearing in mind the disadvantages of each feeding method.

Disadvantages of breastfeeding

The disadvantages of breastfeeding are described below.

• If you have a blood-borne virus, such as Hepatitis B, or HIV, or if you are taking certain types of medication, such as an anticonvulsant, it can be passed on to your baby through your breast milk.
• If you are employed, you may need to arrange to breastfeed your baby during working hours, or you may need to extend your maternity leave, which could have financial implications for you.
• You may feel uncomfortable about breastfeeding in public places.
• In rare cases (about two per cent) you may not be able to produce enough breast milk to feed your baby.

Disadvantages of bottle feeding

The disadvantages of bottle feeding are described below.

• Babies who are bottle fed using formula milk are more likely to develop illnesses, such as diarrhea, or a chest, ear, or urine, infection. There is also an increased risk of premature babies who are bottle fed developing a rare, but serious condition called necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), where the intestines are damaged due to infection and a poor blood supply.
• When making formula milk, it is possible to get the mixture wrong and make it too strong, too weak, or too hot.
• There is also a lot of work involved in thoroughly washing and sterilizing all of the equipment that is needed for bottle feeding.
• In studies that compared breastfed babies with those who were bottle fed, bottle fed babies were found to have an increased risk of obesity, at least until six years of age.
• Bottle feeding using formula milk can be expensive.
• Once you have decided not to breastfeed your baby, it is difficult to reverse the decision and begin breastfeeding.

Combined feeding

If you decide to combine bottle feeding with breastfeeding, you should not introduce bottle feeding during the first six weeks of life. This is because the difference between nipples can confuse the baby, causing feeding problems, and interfering with the establishment of breastfeeding.

Eco Friendly Products!!! Top 12 Moms Love~

The Controversy of Sleepwear and Fire Retardants, The real facts!

 Children’s sleepwear has been the subject of controversy since the 1970s. The original rules for baby pajamas were adopted by the Department of Commerce in 1971 and the enforcement was subsequently transferred to the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC). The guidelines specified that garments, including trim and seams, must self extinguish when exposed to an open flame for 3 seconds. The product must pass the test new and again after going through fifty wash cycles.

Polyester was a common fabric for baby pajamas at this time and met the requirements for flame resistance due to its inherent qualities. Other fabrics needed to be treated, and one of the first chemicalscancer developed for this function was tris (2, 3-dibromopropyl) phosphate, commonly referred to as TDBPP, tris-BP or just TRIS. This process was short lived as research uncovered the fact that it caused and sterility in animals. TRIS was officially banned in 1977 and consumers were left with a bad impression of chemical treatment and limited options for sleepwear.

The public continued to show interest in the softer and more comfortable option of 100 % cotton pajamas, so merchants marketed cotton jumpers and other clothing as “daywear” or “playwear”. The CPSC wanted to avoid confusion, so they amended the sleepwear regulations in 1996. Cotton garments were approved for use as sleepwear if they fit the specification for snug fitting, the rationale being that eliminating airspace, and thus oxygen, between the garment and the child’s skin significantly reduces flammability. It was also noted that cotton pajamas were acceptable for babies

under nine months due to their limited mobility.

In recent years, polyester and untreated cotton have been the predominant types of children’s pajamas available to the public. It has been estimated that less than 1% of this sleepwear is actually treated with any type of chemical, yet there is still controversy surrounding this subject. There are two main reasons for the current focus on this topic. First, a number of major lines of children’s clothing have recently started selling 100% cotton pajamas treated with flame retardant, which will be addressed below in the discussion of available options. The other reason, which has attracted much more public interest, is the concern about brominated flame retardants.

There is a growing body of evidence showing brominated flame retardants are contaminating the environment and accumulating in the human body. The most widely studied and publicized of these chemicals are the polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), which have proven to impair thyroid functioning and damage the nervous and reproductive systems. They have already been banned in Europe and the United States is considering similar legislation. While this issue is cause for concern, these chemicals are not used in baby’s pajamas, as some sources have mistakenly claimed. They are most commonly found in computers, televisions, mobile phones, automotive and construction materials, mattresses, carpets and upholstered furniture. Other types of brominated flame retardants have been used in children’s pajamas, but it is extremely uncommon.

The most important thing that parents can do is become informed about what they are purchasing. If you do choose to buy treated pajamas, contact the company to find out what they are using. In general, garments are referred to as flame resistant if the fabric meets the CPSC guidelines without needing treatment, while the term flame retardant is normally used if a chemical has been added. Following is an overview of the three most commonly available types of sleepwear.

Polyester:

Polyester is considered to be “inherently” flame resistant. Flame retardants are actually chemically inserted during the manufacturing process and become part of the molecular composition of the fabric. The resulting polymer is very stable, so there is little likelihood that any chemicals could be released from the garment. The main complaint about polyester pajamas is that the fabric does not breathe and can thus contribute to overheating and rashes. You may also want to consider the fact that polyester has a negative impact on the environment, releasing nitrogen and sulphur dioxides, hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and heavy metals.

Cotton treated with flame retardants:

Many major lines of children’s clothing have recently started marketing 100% cotton flame retardant pajamas. Most of the companies are using a treatment called PROBAN, which is made from the chemical tetrakis hydromethyl phosphonium chlorida (THPC) and added to the fabric or garment in the finishing stages. During the process, the flame retardant molecules penetrate the cotton fibers. The fabric is then dried and cured, which causes a water

insoluble polymer to form, essentially trapped inside the core of each fiber. The end result maintains all the desirable qualities of cotton, such as softness and moisture absorbency. If a flame comes into contact with PROBAN treated cotton, an insulating char forms and protects the fabric from further damage. Studies indicate that the treated fabric has low migration of any chemicals and does not cause any skin irritation

, yet some consumers still have concerns. The THPC used in the process has been linked to genetic abnormalities as well as damage to the liver, skin and nervous system. It also promotes the growth of cancerous tumors. Due to the potentially dangerous nature of these chemicals, questions arise about the safety of the manufacturing process and there has been no monitoring of environmental exposure.

Untreated Cotton:

As mentioned above, cotton pajamas meet CPSC guidelines if they are snug fitting. These are the clear choice for many parents, eliminating any concerns regarding chemical treatment either during or after the manufacturing process. Some even recommend taking the next step and buying only organic cotton sleepwear, which is made using no pesticides.

In the end, parents must decide if concerns about chemical use and the environment outweigh their concerns about fire safety. Many children’s activist groups are in opposition to the CPSC’s decision to include untreated cotton garments as acceptable sleepwear, while environmental groups oppose the use of chemical additives. Consumers should continue to educate themselves about the issues and keep abreast of current research so they can make informed choices.