Planning a nursery was one of the most fun parts of being pregnant for me. Browsing the endless stream of nursery decor pins on Pinterest, I clearly am not the only one who enjoys creating an adorable space for our lil’ babe. While I admittedly spent way too much time debating over accent shelves, I equally dedicated as much time to ensure the nursery was filled with safe, non-toxic furniture and items.
Considering your baby will spend 12+ hours a day sleeping in their nursery, I highly recommend thinking about what they will be exposed to and be inhaling. Furniture, paint, and mattresses can all “off-gas” unwanted chemicals.
Here is what to look for and what we used:
Paint: Look for Zero-VOC and GREENGUARD Gold certified. VOC = volatile organic compound, aka toxic chemicals. They are released into the air when you paint. Many VOCs are known carcinogens. A typical bucket of paint contains chemicals such as benzene, methylene chloride, and others that have been linked to cancer. Additionally, they can cause asthma and allergies.
We used BEHR Zero-VOC and Sherwin Williams GREENGUARD Gold-certified lines. If I needed to paint anything going forward I’d try Clare Paint or Ecos Paint.
Paint as far in advance as possible, I'm talking months. And open windows daily, weather permitting. You don't want to open windows during high humidity or rain.
Crib and Furniture: Look for untreated or safely treated solid wood (solid wood is the keyword here) and Greenguard certifications.
We went with Babyletto crib, dresser, and bookcase. Babyletto has high standards and their furniture is not only non-toxic but also eco-friendly. Their furniture is GREENGUARD Gold Certified (screened for 360 VOCs and over 10,000 chemicals), lead and phthalate safe and the paint is non-toxic. Stores like West Elm, Pottery Barn, and Crate & Barrel almost exclusively only carry GREENGUARD gold lines now.
Other good brands: Ouef($), Stokke($), Green Cradle($), Room & Board($), Ikea (Sniglar Crib)($)
Gliders & Rocking Chairs: Look for solid wood, low VOC finishes, and flame-retardant-free foam(for gliders). This is the one area where due to our budget we got a recliner from Costco and I regret it. One; because it isn’t the safest option and two; because it isn’t comfortable.
If I could do it over, here is what I would get: Babyletto, Milo Glider or Joya Rocking Chair. All of Pottery Barns gliders are now GreenGuard gold-certified.
Rugs: Look for rugs made with natural fibers like cotton, wool, hemp, sisal or jute. Check to make sure no flame retardants or stain-resistant chemicals were used. Lorena Canals, Nico & Yeye, Ruggish are all great brands.
Mattress: Besides furniture, I suggest making the mattress the top priority. Avoid mattresses manufactured with industrial flame-retardant chemicals. These chemicals off-gas and they are persistent, toxic, and accumulate in our bodies. A study conducted by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention found that 97% of Americans had flame retardants in their blood. (what! yuck!). The ironic part is flame retardants have been proven to not work.
We went with: Lullaby Earth
Other great options: Any mattress made by Naturpedic, Avocado, Savvy
Mattress Pad: Mattress pads are recommended to help keep your mattress in good condition. Many are waterproof which is a great idea, unless your baby has potty trained himself. Even then, I recommend using one to prevent any liquid from getting into the mattress.
Brands I like: Naturpedic, Newton, Avocado
Sheets: Choose organic. It’s better for you, farmers, and for the environment. Organic means crops aren’t treated with pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, and GMO. Every major store now carries organic sheets and they are very affordable. We got ours from Pottery Barn. and we loved these super affordable ones from Burts Bees. Organic baby sheets are widely available now and you can get them at Target, West Elm, Pottery Barn, Crate and Barrel, and more.
Real talk: Good quality means more expensive. Most people have a budget and many of my friends have scored great quality brands on Craigslist, Facebook Mom groups in your area, and selling apps like 5 Mile or Letgo! The cool thing about nursery furniture is people only use it for a few years and then sell it. Also, don’t be afraid to add these big-ticket items to your registry. Add less "extras" if this is important to you.
Baby Monitors: The best option is Analog and audio-only monitors. Look for low EMF monitors. Hard-wired is a good option too! Some good brands: Bebcare, Tech Wellness, VTech, Philips Avent, Hello Baby, D-Link
Other ways to help keep a nursery toxin-free:
Keep it minimal: Less furniture and things = less dust and less off-gassing, chemicals, and pollutants.
Add plants: Adding plants to each room can help cleanse the air. Many plants improve air quality but certain plans are exceptionally effective at removing specific chemicals. Spider plants, Chinese evergreen, Boston ferns, weeping fig tree, Warneck Dracaena have all been shown to remove formaldehyde, benzene, trichloroethylene, xylene, and toluene. All of these are VOC’s, all potential carcinogens that can be off-gassed from materials used in constructing homes and buildings.
Air Purifier: Open the windows daily and run an air purifier. We have a few different ones. Air Doctor is my favorite and what we have. We also have a Germ Guardian. True HEPA Filter captures 99.97% of dust and allergens such as household dust, pet dander, mold spores, and plant pollens. Charcoal filter reduces common odors from pets, smoking, and cooking. It also kills airborne bacteria, viruses, germs, and mold spores.
Room Harmonizer: To help remediate EMF’s from wifi, home devices, and even local cell towers, I think getting a room harmonizer is a great idea as well.
Want personalized recommendations? I offer 1:1 virtual consultations. Learn more here.
I also have a Non-Toxic Baby Registry post with in-depth recommendations!
Happy nursery decorating!
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