Scent-sitive

Yup, that's my nose. I would NOT have shared this if it was a profile angle!

Last weekend my sister helped me register for baby items while our husbands put floors in our condo. She's a nurse and just had a baby last April, so she was extremely helpful and had lots of knowledge to share. It ended up taking over an hour, maybe two - I'm not sure how long exactly, but I had to pee three times while we were there! She ended up getting frustrated with me because I had to do sniff tests or check ingredients if items weren't clearly labeled "Fragrance Free" or "Unscented" (yes, I ended up having a HUGE headache that day). She even smelled one product she recommended, I think it was face wipes, and said she didn't smell anything, but I took a whiff and it made my eyes water.

She said, sarcastically, that my baby will end up extra sensitive with various allergies because I'm going to shelter him too much and he won't get the exposure he needs - I say "him/he" not because I know but because it makes it easier to type and "it" sounds harsh typed out. :) It makes me mad that manufacturers put so many fragrances, parabens, dyes and other harmful chemicals in products for babies - or ANYONE for that matter - in the first place. But aside from that general vent, I'm wondering if my sister is right. It seems that since I've switched over to scent-free shampoo, soap, laundry detergent, etc. I seem to be even more sensitive to smells when I'm exposed to them. A friend gave me a ton of maternity clothes (new wardrobe, sweet!) but I had to rewash them all because I could smell her laundry detergent, and even after washing them I still smell it a little.

I haven't done any research on this and I'm not sure if any research findings are even out there, but have any of you gone through this? Do you think limiting exposure to fragrances and other chemicals can make you even more sensitive? And if so, what can be done? The only thing I can think of is keep avoiding them like they're the devil and hope my child doesn't inherit my sensitivity!

Oh and I don't want this post to make my sister sound bad, she's awesome and was more joking about it than anything. Needless to say, she doesn't get headaches or migraines so it's hard for her to understand. Plus I've been on plenty of long and torturous shopping trips with her, so this was payback! :)