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Baby Elizabeth will be here before we know it and we could NOT be more excited. Obviously y’all know I am a huge advocate of living a healthy, nontoxic lifestyle, when possible. So when it comes to my baby, I am going to try and integrate a nontoxic atmosphere into her lifestyle as well.
However, living a nontoxic lifestyle is easier said than done. It takes time to research and it also ends up being MORE expensive then conventional options. So I wanted to share some nontoxic options with you when designing a nursery or kids room (or any room in your house really!).
Nontoxic Baby Furniture: You may be thinking – oh great. Where the heck do I find this or do I need to get the furniture custom made? Not at all. Some simple tips for looking for nontoxic baby furniture include:
Greenguard Certified is probably the most important threshold you want to set when looking for furniture. “Manufacturers that obtain the Greenguard Gold certification meet the strictest standards for indoor air quality and chemical composition — their furniture is tested for over 10,000 chemicals and more than 360 VOCs in a state-of-the-art steel chamber setting. (via GentleNursery).
Buy solid wood furniture that doesn’t have any chemicals (not engineered wood!)
Avoid VOC paints (or look for low VOC paints). VOC stands for volatile organic compound and it is basically a common used paint that gives off toxic fumes.
Another tip from Gentle Nursery includes purchasing furniture outside of Asia, because a lot of the furniture has been made with lead – which as we know is detrimental to ones health.
Where do you find furniture that fit these qualifications? I found options like this one on Amazon, Buy Buy Baby and Pottery Barn kids. 
Nontoxic Paint: Going back to the VOC’s again, studies thave shown many negative effects from exposure to VOCs including: Eye, nose and throat irritation; headaches, loss of coordination and nausea; damage to liver, kidney and central nervous system; some VOCs can cause cancer in animals, some are suspected or known to cause cancer in humans. (via The Good Human). When looking for a paint, look for a water-based product with zero VOCs. Aiming for a color that doesn’t need a primer is a good tip as well. You can find some nontoxic options here.
Mattress + Sheets: Since your newborn is going to spend alot of time sleeping (you hope!), you really want to aim for getting organic cotton. Read this article to find out WHY I think organic cotton is important. This is the one that I have been eyeing for little Elizabeth.
NONTOXIC RUG: Majority of the rugs you find are made with synthetic fibers and toxic chemicals. Therefore, if you are looking for something that is hypoallergenic and nontoxic, I would recommend searching for a rug made with wool or natural fibers. For a more in depth analysis about all the different types of rugs, check out the Rug Critic. If you are wondering which one Baby Elizabeth is having in her nursery, we chose this one!
Simple tips for the cleanliness of the nursery
- Make sure the carpets are cleaned
- Make sure you are using nontoxic cleaning supplies
- Aim for BPA free toys (which is another post in itself – stay tuned!)
- Keep some air purifying plants in the room
I want to hear from the mama’s out there. What are some other ways to keep the nursery nontoxic?
Soon to be mama,
xo Erica
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