It’s an exaggerated take at really looking into everything you’re surrounding yourself with (during your pregnancy and beyond), prompted by an oil spill in Burton’s basement. It has great information about plastic water bottles, zero VOC paint, vinyl, mattresses, cleaning supplies, even indoor air testing. In short, much of what we cover in the book, and all stuff pregnant moms should be considering. We appreciate her tone throughout the article. She admits how anxiety provoking thinking about some of these chemicals can be, and approaches the process with a sense of humor and a nod to the fact that there are many unknowns when it comes to trying to create a pure home environment.

She concludes ultimately that while purity is important, we still live in this world. There’s no choice there.

"Perhaps finding peace in an impure world means learning to deal with a little contamination," Burton writes. "The medium-density fiberboard shelves in your custom closet will off-gas formaldehyde; your child will visit a friend’s home and be offered nonorganic milk. The neighbors will polyurethane their floors; you will use the laundry machines in the basement immediately after a lover of bleach. Everyone will be better served if you don’t flip out."

Deirdre and I say over and over again in the book -- and to our friends and families -- that ten percent organic is better than zero percent organic. Fifty percent is better than twenty-five percent. You get the point. An organic pregnancy -- and ultimately an organic lifestyle -- is about minimizing exposure to life’s hazards (toxins, chemicals etc.) within reason. And without driving yourself too crazy.

-Lexy