Try These Nontoxic Nursery Essentials
Nurseries are unique design projects that create the perfect opportunity for crafting home health. It lets us imprint our own aesthetic onto a space and designing a nontoxic nursery then becomes the blueprint and roadmap for the rest of our home.
There are so many items to consider when it comes to a nursery and it can include looking into what impacts indoor air quality, sleep quality, and the overall health of our babies. The choices we make in a nursery matter, whether it’s using safe nontoxic paint, eliminating flame retardants in baby items, or choosing safer clothing to put against our baby’s skin.
By choosing items with fewer chemicals we can ensure our children’s development and health are better protected. Here are 3 easy ways to get started designing a nontoxic nursery:
Choose Baby-Safe Nontoxic Paint
It’s no surprise that many parents paint their nursery when preparing for the arrival of a newborn. It’s a part of nesting that we seek out in order to create a perfect sanctuary.
A fresh coat of paint can also aid in a child’s development because in the first few months a newborn sees mainly in black, gray, and white. So these monochromatic colors help to stimulate visual and developmental growth without overwhelming their nervous system. However this is also a vulnerable time for a baby’s health, and the paint we choose greatly impacts indoor air quality.
Did you know that conventional paint often emits harmful carcinogens into the air? And if your home was built before 1978, there is a strong likelihood that your current paint may have lead, which requires special mitigation to remove so that no occupants are exposed.
Chemicals in paint are not just harmful to babies but to everyone living in the home as they can poorly impact developmental and even reproductive health. If you opt for a safer nontoxic paint, it’s important to look for GREENGUARD Gold Certified, Green Seal Certified, or Master Paint Green Performance Certification. These products will have lower chemical emissions since they follow stricter rules and regulations. This means there is less formaldehyde and VOCs impacting your health, the health of your newborn, and the health of your home.
Reduce Your Baby’s Exposure to Flame Retardants
There are so many fun baby items to explore for a nursery! So, when trying to reduce flame retardants in these items, an easy way to spot them is to look for foam or cushions. Flame retardants can also be found in clothing, but we’ll talk about that in the next section.
Key nursery items to consider that can be flame retardant-free include a crib mattress, bassinet, play mat, nursing pillow, or changing pad. When flame retardants are found in these items they can impact the immune system and many other systems found in the body. It’s an important chemical to remove since infants and newborns are particularly vulnerable to these exposures. Natural textiles or fabrics tend to have less of these chemicals so be on the lookout for materials like wool, cotton, or anything GOTS-certified.
To help you create a nontoxic nursery, here are a few brands you can try—a crib mattress by Naturepedic, a nursing pillow, and a changing pad cover. And remember, start by making one small change at a time because it will have a cumulative impact over time!
Safer Baby Clothes & Nontoxic Fabrics
Babies are the most vulnerable to chemicals and heavy metals in clothing because they are developing rapidly, and they absorb 90% of what touches their skin!
Our skin is our largest organ so it’s no wonder that the toxicants used in making baby clothes get absorbed. Nontoxic textiles and clothing are a very complex topic, but here are the basics:
Try to avoid synthetic fabrics like polyester, nylon, and acrylic.
Safer textiles you can look for include things like wool, organic cotton, hemp, or linen.
You can also choose second-hand items that have been gently loved since washing fabric also reduces the amount of chemicals such as PFAS or EDCs.
When buying new baby items, you can elect to start with the basics like a set of bodysuits, or harem pants. Just start to build your baby’s wardrobe one piece at a time and you can use this knowledge and apply it to more textiles and clothing around your home.
We hope this helps you feel better equipped as a new or expecting parent in how you can protect your children and the health of your home. Remember that children are incredibly resilient, and the efforts you’re making to create a nontoxic space should be celebrated!
Still want to explore more options for designing a nontoxic nursery? Artisan Home Health is here to guide you and cheer you on in the name of a healthy home (the fourth pillar of health!). We even do home walk-through assessments for clients living in Boulder, Denver, and surrounding areas in Colorado.
