Love Your Life

Decorating a nursery is very exciting, especially for a new Mom-to-Be like me.  The process was fun at first until I began to hear conflicting and confusing information.  It’s not easy to sift through what’s healthy and what’s toxic.  Let’s dig in and get to the bottom of the issue.

They say that a little knowledge is dangerous.  I say that ignorance is bliss.  When I didn’t know what I’m about to share with you, I admit that I was a happier consumer.  And when it came to shopping for our nursery, all that really mattered was how cute it was and comparison shopping.  A lot has changed since those blissful days.  With a little education, I am starting to wake up to what the long-term effects of toxins and chemicals can have on our – and our baby’s – health.

Pricey?  Yes, but while cutting corners elsewhere (like getting that expensive gorgeous outfit I’ve been eyeing for a while now) is okay, cutting corners with my baby’s health is not.

Here’s a list I’ve compiled of my personal must-knows and must-haves:

1.  Paint it “green”
I consulted with respected New York City interior designer and Founder of Color Our World, Gillian Rose, about VOCs in paint.  What she shared with me was eye-opening.

That freshly-painted smell?  That’s VOCs (volatile organic compounds) “off-gassing” into the air.  This is an irritant to the eyes, nose, and throat, and the long-term effects can damage the liver, kidneys, and central nervous system.  Some of the compounds are even carcinogenic.

What you want to find is VOC-free paints such as Mythic Paint or SafeCoat.  Mythic Paint has just come out the David Bromstad (from the HGTV show Color Splash) Kid’s Room Edition color palette.  You can also find other VOC-free paints at Green Depot.  The best part about these paints is that it is good-quality, durable, and you can wash the walls with soap and water.

2.  To carpet or not to carpet?
Conventional carpets can give off fumes that can contribute to headaches and respiratory problems.  If you like the au naturale look, hardwood or bamboo flooring is the best option.

If you’d like to have a more plush and comfortable option, I found a very cool company called Flor, which I like for three reasons:

• The carpet comes in 20″ squares allowing you freedom in creating the size and style you want.  And if your children or pets make a permanent mess, you don’t have to live with a stained  carpet… you can replace that one square.
• Call them up to replace that square, and they will pay for the shipping to have you return it so they can recycle the product and make new product from it through their Return & Recycle program.  How cool is that?
• Their carpets are low-VOC and are made from renewable, recyclable materials.

3.  Furnishings
Avoid furniture made from “manufactured” woods, which contain formaldehyde, a toxic carcinogen.   Avoid plastics and look for other eco-friendly materials such as bamboo.  According to this ABC (San Francisco) article, when it comes to carcinogens, what would have a minor impact on adults is 10 times more potent in young children.  Apparently these toxic exposures can raise the risk of allergies and asthma in babies by 39%.

You can find earth-friendly options at Celery or All Modern, and you will have to pay a heftier price for the cribs and changing tables.  If you already have your cribs and furnishings in place, some experts say the best thing you can do is ventilate the room as best as possible.

One of my more affordable finds is an out-of-this-world adorable Cozy Baby Moses Basket found at Saige Nicole’s Baby Boutique. It is super plush with its 100% organic cotton ivory velour material. My friend and I squealed with delight when we saw this basket.  It’s practical and safe for your baby, and Saige Nicole is owned by a mom who carries products designed by women-owned businesses.  What more could you want?

4.  Mattresses
Mattresses have a flame retardant chemical that “off-gasses” harmful toxins.  There is some controversy over baby mattresses with some scientists and studies claiming that there is a link between these mattresses and SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).  The studies say that a fungus commonly found in bedding interacts with these chemicals to create poisonous gases.  According to the study, the danger exists in adults’ beds as well so babies sleeping with parents will be exposed to the off-gassing.

There are other studies that dispute this theory.  My take on it?  I feel the same way about it as I feel about the paraben controversy.  Why take a risk when there are natural and healthier options out there?

There are some organic mattresses on the market that are naturally flame-retardant. Pricey?  Yes, but while cutting corners elsewhere (like getting that expensive gorgeous outfit I’ve been eyeing for a while now) is okay, cutting corners with my baby’s health is not.  BuyBuy Baby carries an Organic Cotton mattress, and Absolutely Organic Baby carries 100% organic mattresses with non-allergenic organic wool as a natural flame retardant.

5.  Bedding
Conventional cotton is grown with pesticides and insecticides that have toxic chemicals and remain in the cotton.  This means that it comes in contact with your baby’s skin.

I got this from Gwen Gardner, Founder of Simply Chickie, the other day: “Our children are born with a deposit of pesticides and other foreign chemicals in their bodies, caused by a shift of maternal pesticide ‘body burden’ through the placenta; after birth, children ‘inherit’ further load through breastfeeding. Pesticides have a cumulative multigenerational destructive impact on human health, especially behavior. Pesticides are a serious threat to the physical, emotional and mental development of children and future generations.”

Source: Pesticides: Their Multigenerational Cumulative Destructive Impact on Health, Especially on the Physical, Emotional and Mental Development of Children and of Future Generations—Canadian Government Responsibilities and Opportunities, February 2000, Environmental Illness Society of Canada

You can get organic bedding nearly everywhere from Pottery Barn, Target, BuyBuy Baby, and Absolutely Organic Baby.

This blog is not meant to scare anyone but to simply provide you with healthier options for you and your baby.  Like everything, if you can make one small change, you are already making healthier choices and that’s really what matters.