Your due date is on its way and your getting ready to welcome your new baby. Preparing a nursery or other space for your baby is likely a large part of these last few months/weeks of your pregnancy. If you are like the majority of parents, you of course want to do everything in your power to protect your cherished bundle. Some of the things you need to protect him from though, are completely invisible. Through research we are beginning to realize just how toxic our homes and environment have become, and how susceptible new babies in particular are to these toxins. But, unless you are a scientist, it can seem overwhelming trying to understand all of things that you must watch out for. Here are some easy things that you can do to make sure that your baby's nursery is environmentally friendly and chemical free.

Many parents, even those that choose to co-sleep, have a special room for the baby. Even if he shares your bed at night, he'll still need a place for his clothes, a changing table, and of course, his toys. You can make many decisions when designing your nursery that can make this a non-toxic space for your baby. For the floor, you can choose from products like cork or bamboo flooring which are a more renewable resource than wood. You can then have one of these installed with eco-safe adhesives. A nice comfy rug is a must since a lot of play happens on the floor. Choose a rug made of untreated wool or other natural fibers like organic cotton. If you choose to paint the walls of your new baby's room, make sure you at least choose Non- VOC (volatile organic compounds) paint. Or, check out www.bioshield.com for beautiful, easy to use, clay based paints. These paints are easy to use, look fantastic, and add a very nice and peaceful feel to the room. For window treatments you can find bamboo blinds, or hand-woven window treatments made of hemp and, believe it or not, grass! Check out www.earthshade.com for more ideas.

If you do choose to buy are crib for your baby, make sure that you buy one made from natural hard woods and not composite woods, plywood or particle board. These materials contain formaldehyde and other chemicals you’d want to keep away from your baby. Also, make sure that you know how the crib was finished. Choosing an unfinished crib and finishing it yourself with paints or oils from a company like bioshield is a great, and often more affordable option. Or, you can find wood cribs already finished with natural oils like linseed or tung. You'll also want to look at finding a good crib mattress. Most conventional mattresses are made from polyurethane foam, nylon, polyester and vinyl, which are all derived from petroleum. These mattresses are then treated with anti-microbial and fire-, wetness- and stain-retarding chemicals, including polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PDBEs). These are dangerous chemicals that have been shown to inhibit brain development in animals, and are already banned in Europe. There are other options though. You can now find mattresses made with organic cotton, wool, and natural rubber and which have no chemical treatments that can contribute to a toxic environment both for your baby and for the globe.

Baby clothes are also an important piece of making a more eco-friendly and less toxic environment for your baby. Cotton is a great material for clothes. It is soft, durable, and breathable. But, it is also doused with mass amounts of pesticides, more than any other crop! When purchasing clothing it is also important to watch out for how companies make their clothing. Many apparel companies, such as The Gap and Levi Strauss create factories in which their workers aren't treated well and the working conditions are horrible. You can avoid both of these issues by shopping for clothes labeled "certified organic", "sweatshop free" and "fair trade". You can start by checking out Maggie's Functional Organics www.organicclothes.com or EcoBaby www.ecobaby.com.


Learning more about the potential hazards of these chemicals and products made from them create for your baby is important. Because babies are small and their immune, hormonal and nervous systems are still developing, environmental pollutants pose an even greater danger to them than to adults. For this reason, as well as to ensure that the earth your baby will inherit has not been degraded by his time spent here, it is important to provide him with an earth friendly and non-toxic environment in which to grow.