Nutrition And The Immune System
The human body is very much like a fine tuned machine. And when there is a problem somewhere in that human machine, the effects can be seen in ways that might seem completely unrelated Learn MoreThe 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.
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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!
What 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.
That’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
Breastfeeding 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
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…
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