Grave Matters
Grave Matters follows families who found in “green” burial a more natural, more economic, and ultimately more meaningful alternative to the tired and toxic send-off offered at the local funeral parlor.
Eschewing chemical embalming and fancy caskets, elaborate and costly funerals, they have embraced a range of natural options, new and old, that are redefining a [...]
The Green Nursery
The nursery is the focus of expecting parents. While they wait for their blessed event, parents put their energy into making the nursery a unique and comfortable place for their baby. It’s a nice way to pass the time until baby arrives; however, we may unwittingly expose our babies to multiple toxic chemicals in their most vulnerable stage of life if we’re not careful. Here are some ways to ready your home for a new baby without endangering health.
Choose No VOC paints
Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are solvents that helps give paint the right consistency. Some VOCs are known carcinogens and have cause liver or kidney damage, headaches, breathing difficulties, dizziness, and other symptoms. Thankfully you can find nontoxic and no VOC paints nowadays. Try a Google search for manufacturers. Green Nest is one such company.
Minimize New Furnishings
New furniture typically offgasses formaldehyde, a neurotoxin. Look for furniture at local consignment stores. You can also save a lot of money this way. Be sure to research whatever furniture items you do decide to purchase to make sure items haven’t been recalled for safety reasons. Car seats should always be purchased new. Be sure to wash the car seat cover following the manufacturer’s instructions, to remove chemical residues from the fabric.
A Safer Sleeping Space
If your baby is sleeping with you, be sure to follow recommendations for safe co-sleeping practices. If you choose to use a bassinet or a crib, be aware that most mattresses use polyurethane foams and polyester, and are possibly even made with toulene and formaldehyde, and offgas fumes that can be toxic to your young infant. Flame retardants are also placed into foam used in conventional mattresses, and these have been linked to brain and nervous system damage.
You can find non-toxic mattresses and bedding for your baby’s bassinet and crib. Search online retailers for “natural bedding”. You might find that some of these are made of natural rubber, organic cotton and other untreated natural materials. New babies spend a lot of time sleeping and in contact with the mattress so this is especially important.
Baby Toys
New research has found that so-called “educational toys” for babies, including videos, do no good and are certainly not a substitute for the ordinary contact that baby has with his loved ones. Talk to your baby a lot, sing to him, hold him for much of the day and breastfeed him, and he’ll live up to his genetic capacity for intelligence.
When your baby is old enough for toys, choose wooden toys that are solid wood, not particleboard that is held together with toxic glues. Cloth toys, especially those made from organic cotton and silk, are also recommended. Plastic toys not only lack aesthetic appeal, but they may contain PVC (polyvinyl chloride) which has been linked in some research to cancer and other health issues.
Many online retailers are now offering safer alternatives for your baby’s nursery, so you can have fun putting baby’s room together and breathe easier too.
Your Turn: Do you have any advice you would like to share? What tips would you like to add? Please comment below.
- 22 Comments
- Tags: baby, crib, green, green architect, green bath, green bedroom, green builder, green building, green consultant, green designer, green flooring, green furniture, green home, green kitchen, green nursery, green paint, green remodel, green remodeling, healthy building, healthy home, infant, layette, nursery, safe building
ingilizce çeviri (6)
Olesya Novik (3)
Gluten Free Recip... (2)
Lica@Carpet Shamp... (2)
Twitter: sleepmasterbeds
said-
Mattress selection is a very important issue, especially for babies.
The quality of sleep you get affects you when you are awake. It can be the difference between you being grumpy or happy within a day.
Choose your mattress wisely!
ReplyWhat do I think? I think this post is great. I’ve heard of Green Nest and it’s really good. I just hope though that more paint manufacturers would make their products safer for kids. And for everyone for that matter.
ReplyThat’s good advice about searching for non-toxic mattresses for your baby. Organic crib mattresses are becoming increasingly popular and, although more expensive, I’d definitely say they’re worth considering over standard crib mattresses.
Charless last blog post..Snuggle Damask Quilt Mattress
ReplyBreastfeeding has truly been the greatest way to reduce the weight that we women put on during pregnancy, I was told about this first time by my grandmother, she’s still very much fit, I just act upon her advice and got the results that I was looking for, breastfeeding is really very good for both mother and the kid as well!
Nicole
ReplyHey cheers for the info.. you want your baby to be living and sleeping in a healthy area 24/7
ReplyYour post really points out the safety aspects which most new and seasoned parents forgetabout, we dont want our children playing in dangrous enviroments, so why should they sleep on toxic mattresses. Really great info
Replysteve@turntable with usb´s last blog ..TurnTables?
Twitter: helpandinfo
said-
Great advice! Especially Talk to your babies. That’s surely the fastest way to develop their brains. Too many new parents don’t do this enough.
ReplyRuss @ Baby Video Monitors´s last blog ..Kiddopotamus Securesleep Handheld Color Video Monitor (USA)
Some people neglect their homes and point out to their polluted surroundings. If you start at your own home, then it would be easier for the whole community.
ReplyLuna@Baby Monitor Wireless Camera´s last blog ..Baby Heart Rate Monitors – Pros and Cons
I like your point of safe sleeping… thanks for sharing it.
I have been sleeping with my children during their early days!
thanks
ReplyTwitter: gcall166
said-
I really like to see such a discussion taking place. We too often get wrapped up in other things to consider things like what products could be poisoning us or our young families. More vigilance is needed and this helps.
Replysimon @ kitchen furniture´s last blog ..Astral Projection Tips
Twitter: gcall166
said-
Keep our children safe from toxins! There are just too many of them around now, in the foods we eat to the air we breath. Let’s protect our children!
Replygcall @ baby toys´s last blog ..Astral Projection Tips
Interesting article – thank you for sharing. What’s everyone’s opinion on the news releases regarding the relative unsafe car seats?
ReplyMy sister just gave birth to her first baby last week. The baby had rashes on her face after she put her baby to sleep in a crib. Later, she found out the baby was allergic to the mattress. It is very important to check on the materials of the things you use around your baby’s room to ensure safety.
Replybaby quilts are a wonderful gift for new baby and will be a treasured keepsake. Because these are handmade, they will be even more special since they’re made with love! Baby Quilt Patterns come in all different colors and patterns that you are sure to find one to match the baby’s room.
ReplyAJ @ Baby Quilt Patterns´s last blog ..Do Follow Blog, Comment Luv, Keyword Luv
Much care should be taken about that the baby is taking adequate sleep or not. It is better to buy an organic bedding, mattress, as well as the blanket specially for the baby.
ReplyThis is very useful not only for mothers to be but also for mothers of young children. Great content!
ReplyEmma @ Baby Educational Toys´s last blog ..Do Follow Blog with Keyword Luv, Comment Luv & Top Commenters
Great information. Don’t overlook the role of baby monitors as an accessory for any nursery. Two way monitors don’t just allow parents to listen to their babies, but they can also talk back to them to calm and sooth their child – all from another room!
ReplyDavid @ Infant Monitors´s last blog ..Best Baby Monitor
So many people are now looking to green their homes all over. Steel kit homes have been a popular choice over timber frames. Certainly getting anything not natural out of the children’s rooms is going to be much better. Baby’s rooms can be very impressive and safe to spend time in.
ReplyThis article is a must read for the expecting parents. It has got all that need to be known to the parents in order to prepare the place for the blessed one who is coming. It is very important for the new baby that the place is made very comfortable and healthy to live. Babies need a healthy environment to grow.
ReplyThese days we are surrounded by countless products that negatively impact our health. Unfortunately, our babies are the most vulnerable victims. The baby product industry is not being regulated adequately and that just makes my blood boil. We need to support those few (hopefully growing) companies that place our babies safety first and do not use toxic chemicals during the production of these products.
ReplyMartin@crib mattress guide´s last blog ..Feb 3, Glass Baby Feeding Bottles
The Green Nursery…
Many expecting parents focus their attention on the nursery while waiting for their blessed event. With that focus, comes questions about the safety of the materials in the nursery. Savvy parents-to-be know that their are toxins in the finishes of furn…
The Green Nursery…
…