Natural Nursery
By Ina Woolcott
You will probably want to start getting your babies nursery ready for their
arrival - unless you choose to co-sleep of course, or have your babies cot
in your room. This may seem like an exciting idea, but a lot of different
building materials e.g. glues, paints and chemical solvents will most
probably be necessary. "Suddenly your house turns into a construction site
with contamination levels that can be problematic," Ted Schettler, M.D.,
M.P.H., science director of the Science and Environmental Health Network
says. There are some precautions you should take:
Paint
Oil-based paints carry with them a 'theoretical risk of exposure to volatile
organic compounds (VOCs) while the paint is drying,' says Robert Geller,
M.D., medical toxicologist and associate professor of paediatrics at Emory
University School of Medicine in Atlanta.
Latex paint has very low toxicity but nonetheless still poses a small risk
if used extensively in a poorly ventilated room/area. If you are the one
doing the painting, open the windows the whole time or put on a fan and take
frequent break. If using oil-based paint, wear a protective mask that is
recommended by the manufacturer to protect against paint fumes. If you're
doing extensive painting, use a non-toxic, non-VOC- or low-VOC-containing
paint. Or better yet, ask someone else to paint the nursery for you and stay
out of the house while the paint dries. This will also give the fumes time
to dissipate. At night, leave the window on the latch if you can and keep
the bedroom door shut tight.
Most major paint distributors have low- or non-VOC water-based paints. Some
companies produce milk paints, which are made from the milk protein casein,
lime and naturally occurring mineral pigments. The American Pregnancy
Association recommends that artists choose watercolours, acrylic and
tempera paints over oil paints to work with, and also to avoid latex paints
that contain solvents such as ethylene glycol, ethers and biocides.
In the USA at least, (I am not sure about dates elsewhere) if your home was
built before 1978, the walls may still contain lead-based paint. The U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency suggests that a certified lead abatement
contractor should be consulted before removing old paint. Or someone in your
household can test for lead dust using a test kit. If you are expecting,
please leave the house whilst someone else does the peeling, stripping and
painting, and don't come back until the room has been aired VERY well :-)
Natural Flooring
New carpets may give off harmful chemicals from the carpet fibres, backing
material and glues, dyes and fire retardants. If you're buying new
carpeting, ask the carpet layer to air the rolls out for 24 hours before
laying. Also, open the windows once the carpets have been laid and, if at
all possible, stay out of the room until the air clears - 2 to 3 days after
installation. Try and use carpets that carry the new Green Label Plus logo,
which determines products with low VOC emissions. Consider all-natural wool,
sisal or jute carpeting, natural linoleum, tile, hardwood or cork floor.
Furniture
Family hand me downs, such as antique rocking chairs, high chairs, or cots,
will not meet current safety standards if they were finished with lead-based
paint. However, furniture made specifically for babies after the 1970s
shouldn't be a toxic hazard even if a child chews on it, Geller says. Newly
installed unfinished plywood or particleboard can produce formaldehyde
vapours, so cover the wood with a low- or non-VOC finish or sealer.
Make a deca-PBDE (polybrominated diphenylethers) Free Area
There are several new animal studies that suggest a widely used flame
retardant (deca-PBDE) used in carpets and upholstery can damage a baby's
developing central nervous system and brain. PBDEs can cross the placenta,
transfer through breast milk and be absorbed through breathing in the gases
that vaporise from household products. The effects are dependent on the
amount of exposure over time.
You should DEFINITELY consider buying an organic baby mattress and bedding,
to lessen the toxic load. There are many companies that sell beautiful
organic products that are free of formaldehyde, pesticides, dioxins, fire
retardants and synthetic petrochemicals. Each potential toxin eliminated, is
a sure step toward better health.
I personally bought for my daughter an untreated bed, and the mattress to be
found on this link, the deluxe natural mattress Green Baby Cots, Moses Baskets and Mattresses
You may think it is a bit pricey at £120, but really it is great value for
money as its natural and will be used for several years yet - well, once my
daughter decides she is ready to sleep in her own bed. You see, we have
actually ended up co-sleeping, and my daughter has spent in all probably 15
hours in her cot!
Related links:
What's in Tap Water, Risk to Babies
Phthalates, Hazardous Waste in Children’s Toys, Sex Toys, Cosmetics and other Consumer Products
Harmful Ingredients, Contaminants, Toxic Substances
