Is your nursery/kids room safe from toxins?

There is nothing sweeter than a newborn sleeping peacefully in his/her crib. Babies and children alike are the most precious and perfect gifts a person can ask for. We as parents worry about their well being and safety even before they are born. We try and eat well, stay away from things and situations which we know/think may cause harm when we're pregnant yet despite our best efforts each and every child is born with more than 250 chemicals already present in their tiny bodies! The EWG (Environmental Working Group) has done studies on infant cord blood and the results are staggering to say the least. The detailed findings can be read here http://www.ewg.org/reports/bodyburden2/part8.php

Many expectant parents prepare for baby's arrival by decorating the baby's room. What if I told you that this may add more harm than good to your developing baby and would contribute to poorer indoor air quality for not only your baby's new lungs but for your whole family? What if I told you there are steps you can take to ensure that your baby and family have the best alternatives for infant care from day one? It's true, there are things you may not know and be aware of that can cause short/long term health effects to your baby and family as a whole! Things that most labels don't warn or tell you about. Are you ready to make your nursery a safer and healthier place to be? Just sit back and take a deep breath. In this blog I will be touching upon and discussing simple things that everyone can do to make their home a greener, safer and happier place to be!

I will start by mentioning that decorating, doing renovations, painting etc. While pregnant is never a good idea. There are so many toxic particles that can be breathed in by the mother that can harm the baby in eutero that it is not worth the risk! Any decorations with the exception of placing trinkets and clothes on the shelves and in the closet once renovations are done should be left to your spouse, family members, and friends.

The first thing most people think of when it comes to renovations and getting ready for the baby's room is paint. There are so many pretty colors for children's rooms that it can be hard to choose the perfect one. You can walk into any home decorating/renovating store and find isles and isles of sample colors, various brands and makes of paint - but what's really in that paint can? Do you know? Whether it's latex or acrylic, whether you can smell the off-gassing or not is it healthy or even safe to be using on our walls?

Whatever color(s) of paint you decide to use make sure that it is a No/Low VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) paint! You can take a look at the eartheasy website for great information on paints here: http://www.eartheasy.com/live_nontoxic_paints.htm
A great choice is to choose alternative paints such as milk paints, or plant-based natural paints. They come in a vast array of colors and you can rest assured that they will not contribute to your indoor air pollution/toxicity. Your baby will be spending most of his/her time sleeping. With their undeveloped immune system and new lungs your infant will need a safe and as toxic free of an environment as you can provide.

As we talk about sleeping - do you know what our infants/children as well as we, are sleeping on/in? While mattresses 40-50 years ago were made mostly from untreated natural materials such as wool and cotton, these days the majority of mattresses and beds are made using a variety of petroleum based chemicals, foams, plastics and various forms of flame retardants including PBDE (Poly Brominated Diphenyl Ether) It is a suspected carcinogenic (cancer causing) that has been scientifically shown to accumulate inside humans. These chemicals off-gas and create a myriad of health problems, most have been linked to cancer, ashtma, autoimmune disorders, nervous system problems, hormone disruption the list goes on and on. Take a look at this article for some information on fire retardants and mattresses http://www.myessentia.com/research/fire-retardants as well as http://www.myessentia.com/research/glues-toxic-components Some baby mattresses are even covered with plastics such as PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) and release/off-gas harmfull phthalates take a look at EWG (Environmental Working Groups) website about Phthalates http://www.ewg.org/chemindex/term/480 Phthalates have been linked to endocrine disruption, cancer, asthma and many more ailments in both children and adults!

So what is a parent to do? We need to purchase a mattress for our little one's to sleep on! Just as there is with everything out there - there are safer/healthier alternatives. Though a little pricey, organic mattresses are well worth the investment. Your child will be using the crib mattress for up to 4-5 years of age! My son used his mattress until he was almost 5! The natural lanolin in organic wool mattresses act as a natural fire retardant so there is no need for synthetic sprays of any kind to be added to the mattress. A child just as an adult, breathes deeper and heavier while asleep. This means that they are breathing in all the synthetic chemicals that conventional mattresses contain. Over the years some of these chemicals compound and accumulate in their bodies to create a toxic body burden which with some effort can be avoided.

Have you heard in the news over the last couple of years about children's garments and flame retardants? Did you know most of the pajamas sold in stores contain these chemicals. Not one of them mentions the use of these chemicals on their labels! If you are looking at synthetic fabrics most are manufactured with one type of flame retardant or another. Take a look at this great article on Flame retardants in pajamas http://www.5minutesforgoinggreen.com/299/avoiding-flame-retardants-in-cozy-childrens-pajamas/ Again, what is a parent to do? You should always opt for snug, natural fiber pajamas. I personally avoid anything made from China, and opt for European made clothing. I buy organic snug sleepwear and have made sure by contacting the company that they do not contain any chemicals! Some sleepwear says "keep away from flame" on the tag - this is a great tell tale sign that the article of clothing has not been treated! Keep in mind that some countries have different standards for manufacturing clothing - and when in doubt call the company that makes the clothing and get answers. If you get the runaround, or "well look into it and get back to you" attitude then I would opt for another alternative!

Now that we've covered the paint and the mattress. Which seems to be in the forefront of most parents thoughts when expecting a child. How about the furniture and textiles? Did you know that particle board and pressed wood furniture is made with chemicals, including but not limited to formaldehyde - which off-gasses for the entire life of the product! When choosing furniture look for solid wood, with a natural oil finish. When you are looking at cribs - again make sure that there are no fiberboard, particle board pieces and that the wood finish is food grade. Your young child will be chewing on the guard rails once they get old enough to stand up and reach them!

Window blinds with strings should never be used in children's rooms! They are dangerous - each year there are needless deaths that occur due to strangulation that could have been prevented with a little foresight and some preventative measures! There are cordless blinds available on the market these days - take a look at the window covering safety council for more information http://www.windowcoverings.org/basic_cord_safety.html If you are going to be using drapes instead - make sure you use natural fibers such as wool, cotton, linen. Some curtains are coated with stain treatments as well as flame retardants. Just as upholstered furniture, baby swings, playpens etc. contains toxic chemicals so do drapes - drapery fabrics can also be a source of toxic PFCs (Perfluorinated compounds) and PBDEs (Polybrominated diphenyl ether) When you do find a natural fabric alternative, double check that they are not treated by following up with the manufacturer. If the fabric doesn't come in the color you would like - you can always use natural vegetable dyes to dye the fabric or use the dyes to add patterns and make your drapes unique! There are many safer alternatives out there, with a little digging and creativity you can make any nursery special and one of a kind!
Take a look at this article about non-toxic and eco-friendly curtains from care2.com http://www.care2.com/greenliving/cool-curtains-non-toxic-and-eco-friendly.html

Flooring! What about flooring? I personally have hardwood flooring throughout the house. Why? Carpets contain many toxic chemicals that off-gas including but not limited to toluene, benzene, formaldehyde, ethyl benzene, styrene, acetone as well as an array of other chemicals that are scientifically known and suspected carcinogens! It contributes to indoor air pollution/toxicity! It's not only the off-gassing that's the problem - it is also the tiny synthetic fibers that get mixed into the air with every step we take and ultimately get into our/our baby's lungs and bloodstream. Take a look at this article on "Toxic Carpeting" http://www.avianweb.com/toxiccarpeting.html

As you can see there are always ways to make healthier choices. The only thing we have to do is find out where these toxins are and then do a little digging/research to source alternatives to those items and avoid/eliminate them! Don't get discouraged or overwhelmed - just know that with a little effort you can avoid many of the routes of exposure and lower your family's toxic body burden by following simple steps and making easy switches as you prepare for your baby's arrival.

You should also look into EMF's (Electro Magnetic Fields) in your home. You can now purchase products to check the levels of exposure as well as lower these electrical fields in your baby's room as well as your home. Keep radios, lights, and all electrical devices as far away from your baby's crib as possible to reduce these fields from affecting your baby. (**Cordless phones, and cell phones are also EMF contributers in the home - regular plug in phones have less EMF's) I recently went to a lecture on EMF's by Dr. Magda Havas, BSc, PhD - she is the Associate Professor of Environmental & Resource Studies at Trent University. I myself have recently discovered just how important lowering the EMF's in our homes are. You can take a look at WEEP and learn about elector magnetic pollution here http://www.weepinitiative.org/ you can also watch the video "The Truth About Wired & Wireless Technologies" By Doctor Havas here veoh2://veoh.com/?cmd=DA782A7C-3538-4dd9-B28B-90F927E31BF1

Make sure you have all Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors up to date and working. Install new batteries in each and everyone and test them all before you bring your baby home. These days most people seem to know about the importance of Smoke and Carbon Monoxide testers but what about the the second leading cause of cancer? After smoking the second leading cause is Radon exposure? Most people haven't even heard of Radon. Radon (According to Wikipedia Radon "is a radioactive, colorless, odorless, tasteless noble gas, occurring naturally as the decay product of radium.") Take a look at Health Canada's site on Radon http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/iyh-vsv/environ/radon-eng.php and more information at http://www.toronto.ca/health/radon.htm#4 You should have your house tested for Radon. You can purchase a kit from most hardware stores for about $50. If you do have high levels of Radon there are many things you can do to block these gases - ask your local store or contact Health Canada for further details.

How about toys? One of the things that make shopping fun for parents - the cute stuffed animals, the squeaky rubber ducks, and the endless number of musical toys on the store shelves. Marketing and Advertising at it's best, everything and anything imaginable to make new parents buy, buy buy! A little while ago I wrote an article on safer children's toys labeled "It's not just "Lead" that's hiding in your children's toys!" You can find the article here http://eco-enviro-girl.blogspot.com/2009/12/its-not-just-lead-thats-hiding-in-your.html There are so many chemicals and routes of exposure for kids. From formaldehyde in clothing and bath products to lead and cadmium in toys. You can take a look at a past article I wrote about "our children and their future" which talks about chemical cleaners in our homes and the health repercussions for our children http://eco-enviro-girl.blogspot.com/2009/07/our-children-their-future.html

I am a pregnant Mom myself and have been doing a lot of research sourcing items for our nursery. I have personally equipped my baby's room with wooden furniture, including a wooden rocking chair - which I have personally sewn an organic cotton and wool seating for. I have purchased Organic clothing, an organic mattress, some "Under the nile" http://www.underthenile.com/underthenile/index.php baby toys and have an untreated wood blind as a window covering in the room as well as on all the windows in our home. We have hard wood throughout the house and a few 100% cotton rugs here and there for accent. I clean with Vinegar and baking Soda, I do my laundry with soap nuts, freshen our air with organic lavender, and open the windows as much as possible - even in winter to let fresh air circulate in our home. I have tested all the home detectors and have made sure that EMF's are in check. It may seem like a lot of work but it really isn't. In fact, all I did was carefully watch the purchases we made and did a little research before investing in nursery and home pieces.


I happen to live Ontario Canada and as such have sourced the following nursery alternatives for my home - take a look at some of the wonderful websites that I have found for safer/healthier baby and home products:


Oh Simple Baby http://ohsimplebaby.com/

Baby on the Hip http://babyonthehip.ca/index.php

Trees and Tots http://www.treesandtots.com/default.asp

Grassroots http://www.grassrootsstore.com/

My Lil Package http://www.mylilpackage.com/store/Scripts/prodList_brand.asp?manufacturer=148

Tiny Toes http://www.tinytoes.ca/index.aspx

Green Cricket http://www.greencricket.ca/

Picolo bambino http://www.piccolobambino.com/prod_organics.asp?lineID=4 (This is their US site but you can find their items at Babies R Us)

Organic Lifestyle http://www.organiclifestyle.com/

My Little Treehouse http://www.littletreehouse.ca/index.php

Birdies Room http://www.birdiesroom.com/default.aspx

Essere Organics http://www.essereorganics.com/shop/

Think Green Store http://www.thinkgreenstore.com/

Organically Hatched http://www.organicallyhatched.com/default.asp

Baby Naturopathics http://www.babynaturopathics.com/shop/pc/home.asp

Go Green-baby http://www.go-greenbaby.ca/

Snug As A Bug http://www.snugasabug-organic.com/

Natura Family - Baby & Kids http://www.naturafamily.com/


I also came across a local Artisan named Nicolle, she makes these beautiful handmade bird mobiles in Pickering, Ontario. This mobile is made with plump little (organic material filled) birds sitting upon wooden twig perches - just adorable!! They are affordable, non toxic, unique and handmade so they are one of a kind.....


You can contact Nicolle via email at ngeorgiev@rogers.com