If you are expecting a new addition to the family take care in creating your baby's nursery. Learn what you need to do to ensure your baby's nursery is free of toxins and a healthy place for your child.
All parents want to create a safe, loving space for their new baby. Unfortunately, many baby basics in a standard nursery contain chemicals that have been shown to cause health problems. Your baby's tiny system is particularly delicate and susceptible to harmful toxins. To make your baby's nursery as green as possible it's important to make use of non-toxic finishes and furnishings and avoid products that can contribute to indoor air pollution.
Choose Non-Toxic Paint and Flooring
According to the EPA, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are gasses emitted from certain solids or liquids - some of which can cause short- or long-term health issues. VOC levels are most commonly higher inside our homes than outside due to off-gassing of products such as paint, pressed wood furniture, cleaning products, and air fresheners.
The first step in creating a baby's room is often painting the walls a baby-friendly soothing shade. Be sure to choose a naturally-made or low-VOC paint. Natural paints are made from ingredients such as milk casein, clay, bee's wax, and natural mineral dyes. Natural paints such as those from the Real Milk Paint Company and BioShield are made from all-natural materials and do not contain off-gassing solvents.
Paints labeled No- or Low-VOC must pass EPA tests for VOC emissions. Many standard paint brands, such as Sherwin Williams, Benjamin Moore, and Olympic Paint and Stain offer these eco-friendly lines of paints.
If you are looking to update the flooring in the nursery do not install new wall-to-wall carpet. That "new carpet smell" is actually a concoction of toxic chemicals off-gassing into the room. Carpet can harbor mold, bacteria, and chemical residue, making it a potentially harmful place for your little one to spend their time crawling around. The most healthful flooring choice is to install natural linoleum (made from linseed oil), cork flooring, or hardwood or bamboo flooring with a non-toxic finish. Natural wool area rugs can add softness and warmth.
Healthy Furnishings
Choosing non-toxic baby furniture is an important step in creating a healthy environment for your child. Conventionally-made baby cribs and mattresses are sources of VOCs and harmful chemicals called polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs), which are used in flame retardants.
Solid-wood furniture is the best choice for your baby's nursery. Cribs and changing tables made from pressed wood contain adhesives that can emit formaldehyde and other VOCs. Look for a crib that has a metal (rather than plywood) support for the crib mattress.
Standard wood finishes (stains, paint, sealers) are yet another source of VOCs. Look for labels that certify that the finishes used on your baby's furniture are non-toxic. Some children's furniture manufacturers, such as Q Collection Junior, are now offering green parents safe non-toxic choices.
To complete your baby's healthy bed choose the right crib mattress. In the name of safety, crib mattresses have long been doused with flame retardant chemicals. Recently, some of these chemicals, PBDEs, have been shown to be health hazards. According to the EPA, two PBDE chemicals, PentaBDE and OctaBDE, are now being phased out of flame retardants due to "evidence that these chemicals may cause liver toxicity, thyroid toxicity, and neurodevelopmental toxicity." PDBEs are thought to bioaccumulate in the body and have been found in human blood and breast milk. Non-toxic baby crib mattresses can be found online from Naturepedic and White Lotus.