room to grow

From lights to paints to rugs, how to make your baby's nursery natural, healthy, homey, and fun

When preparing a baby's room in the not-so-olden days, we might have slapped on a fresh coat of paint, put down a new carpet, hung new wallpaper and drapes, bought new furniture -- and wondered why we felt so rotten afterwards. We'd probably have chalked it up to exhaustion.

But nowadays we know better. We've learned that most new decorating and home furnishing products contain chemicals that give off fumes, cause headaches, or worse. Many of the synthetic chemicals used in common home products, such as solvents and pesticides, are known or suspected carcinogens. Others have been classified as hormone disruptors, because they block or mimic the normal workings of reproductive, thyroid, and other hormones in our bodies.

One good way to give our children the best possible start in life is to limit their exposure to these substances. Children are especially sensitive to environmental toxins. Infants, for instance, have a respirational volume almost twice as large as adults', meaning they take in twice as much air per weight as their parents. It's important, therefore, that the air your baby breathes be as fresh and pure as possible. But some new parents worry that it's difficult and time-consuming to create a baby's nursery that is environmentally friendly, appealing, and also affordable.

We disagree. With a little planning and patience, you can create a wonderful, healthy, inviting nursery. Here's how.

painting baby's room

No matter how strongly the nesting urge tells you to sand and paint your baby's room, do not do so while you're pregnant. Sanding can disturb old lead paint, resulting in toxic dust. Not only can this cause lead poisoning in you, but it seriously endangers your unborn child, since lead crosses the placenta.

Why worry about lead? Since 1978, lead-based paint has been banned in this country. But lead poisoning remains a primary environmental health hazard for children, mostly from deteriorating old paint. If your home was built before 1978, have it checked for lead by a professional tester. The National Lead Information Center and Clearinghouse (see page 45) can give you a list of specialists in your area.

If your home has been pronounced lead-free, you can repaint your baby's nursery safely. But remember, most new paint, although lead-free, is not absolutely benign. Conventional paints and wood finishes contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which readily vaporize into the air we breathe. Some VOCs are carcinogens. Others cause headaches, nausea, dizziness, and nerve damage.

Oil-based paints tend to be the worst offenders, as they contain about 50 percent petrochemicals by weight, as opposed to the 5 to 15 percent in water-based, or latex, paints. However, latex paints also can be hazardous. Solvents in them, added to keep paint liquid, can offgas. If you want to know what's in a given can of paint, ask the manufacturer for its material safety data sheets, which the company is required by law to keep.

You can also look for "Low-VOC" or "Low-biocide" paints. Low-bloc/de varieties are 90 to 95 percent free of preservatives and fungicides (which means they should not be used in humid areas, where mildew is common). "No-VOC" paints also are available, although the cost is higher. Manufacturers of VOC-free, low-bloc/de paints include Enviro-Safe, Miller Paint Company, Benjamin Moore, Glidden, Livos, and Kelly Moore.

Finally, we cannot stress enough that even the cleanest paints will give off some fumes, so steer clear of freshly painted rooms when you're pregnant. And make sure you're done painting the nursery at least a month before the baby arrives.

wallpaper

In addition to a new paint job, you may be considering wall coverings and borders to decorate your baby's nursery. Most wallpapers and adhesives are not a sound environmental alternative to paint. These days, many wallpapers are not paper, as the name would suggest, but vinyl, which can offgas chemicals and may contain hormone-disrupting phthalates. Vinyl is particularly destructive to the environment because, during its manufacture and incineration, the carcinogen and hormone disruptor dioxin is released.

The adhesives for wall coverings may be worse than the coverings themselves. These chemical-laden products can offgas for months, especially in hot or humid weather.

If you really want to hang wallpaper in your baby's room, there are quite a number of environmentally friendly papers and glues from which to choose. Crown Corporation makes wall coverings out of recycled cotton and wood. Maya Romanoff Corporation, Pattern People, and E.C.O. of New York sell other low-pollutant papers. Ask them about natural and low-VOC wallpaper glues as well.

floor coverings

With overwhelming evidence accumulating that dust mites can trigger and worsen allergies and asthma, more and more pediatricians are recommending that no rugs be used in babies' rooms. Another reason is that synthetic carpeting and backing contain so many chemicals. The typical wall-to-wall carpet includes adhesives to bind fiber to backing; more glues or adhesive strips to attach carpet to floor; and chemical surface treatments to stainproof and mothproof. All of these rug elements actively offgas VOCs into the air, creating a toxic cloud. In 1988, the Environmental Protection Agency itself had to remove 27,000 square feet of new carpeting from its headquarters after the staff reported that it made them ill.

Although offgassing tends to drop off markedly several months after installation, carpets can issue these fumes for as long as five years. If you do not have a history of allergies in your family, you can probably keep your old rugs. But remember, whether it's old or new, carpeting continues to absorb allergenic dust and any circulating toxic pesticides and cleaning agents. And allergens such as dust, or any chemical heavier than air, will settle down into the carpet, meaning that children who play there -- often burying their faces into the fibers -- receive the full onslaught of these fumes.

How can you ensure that any rug or other floor covering will be as safe as possible? Stick mostly with natural, undyed fibers, for one thing. Organically grown wool, cotton, hemp, jute, ramie, or goat hair cost more than nylon but are environmentally much safer. Also inquire of the store or manufacturer what sort of chemical treatments, if any, the carpet has undergone. Check the backings; tufted fibers are usually affixed to the carpet with an adhesive that contains 4- phenylcyclohexene (4-PC), which irritates the eyes and respiratory tract. Tack carpets down rather than gluing them. And, finally, leave the nursery's windows open for at least 72 hours after installation.

baby's furniture

Despite its unfortunate resemblance to a small jail, the crib remains the heart of many families' nurseries; however, if inadequately built or painted, it can become a hazard.

First rule: Look for a crib with a certification seal showing that it meets national safety standards.

Second rule: New or used, know your crib's age; while good environmentalism generally requires recycling and reuse, there are exceptions -- and, when it comes to cribs, newer is better. Cribs made before 1990 may not meet safety standards or may have become structurally weakened by age and use.

If you decide to buy a new crib, avoid models made of laminated wood, pressed wood, chipboard, plywood, particleboard, or synthetic veneers, all of which use formaldehyde-based glues. Also steer clear of plastic, especially polyvinyl chloride (PVC) furniture and coatings. And allow time and space for offgassing. Your best bet: solid hardwood cribs with nontoxic finish, available from such companies as Ecobaby, Childcraft, and Pacific Rim, a wholesaler based in Eugene, Oregon.

As far as mattresses and bedding, environmental safety is important, since your baby will be in direct contact with the fabric. Early and prolonged exposure to formaldehyde, toluene, benzene, and other VOCs can cause your infant to experience headaches, skin rashes, allergies, and asthma.

The best fabric choices for baby bedding are natural and untreated fabrics, such as cotton and wool. Certified-organic cotton sheets are made of cotton grown without the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. Green cotton is cotton that has been conventionally grown, but is unbleached and has not been processed with chemicals. If you want color, look for labels that say "natural" or "vegetable" dye. (But bear in mind that these dyes still contain chemicals of various kinds.)

If you purchase sheets that are not organic, they probably will have been treated with finishes, such as flame retardants and stain guards. Before using them, fill a washing machine with water, add one cup of baking soda, and soak the fabric overnight, agitating the machine a few times. Then wash and dry at least three times, adding 1/4 cup of baking soda to the detergent in the first two washes, and 1/2 cup white vinegar to the final wash. After three cycles, if water soaks into the dry fabric, most of the finish has been removed; if it beads up, wash and dry again.

From then on, sheets, blankets, pillows, comforters, and bumper pads should be washed in hot water frequently, at least every two weeks. Use a mild laundry soap, such as Ivory Snow Soap Granules, that is free from perfumes. Avoid using fabric softeners, which can irritate your baby's skin.

curtains and drapes

Fabric curtains and drapes, like bedding and carpets, harbor dust mites. If you're concerned about allergies and asthma, you should avoid curtains and drapes, unless you can wash them as frequently as bedding. Avoid synthetic materials in particular, since the heat and light coming through the window will cause synthetics to offgas into the room.

Or skip drapes altogether and use blinds, which are durable and easy to clean. Be careful about the kind of blinds you purchase, however. Vinyl miniblinds can be especially dangerous to children. The materials they're made from often include toxic heavy metals such as lead and cadmium. Be particularly wary of blinds imported from overseas.

Instead, consider hanging metal blinds made of aluminum or steel, which are sometimes painted or covered with a baked-on enamel paint. This paint can give off an odor, but hanging the blinds outside for three or four days should help. Do the same with finished wood or bamboo blinds.

lighting

Avoid high-wattage halogen bulbs in your nursery. They burn at a very high heat and, as a result, can cause serious burns to small, curious children or to babies, who have a disproportionately long reach for their size. Halogen lamps are also a fire hazard.

Rather than floor lamps, which can be toppled and broken, select tabletop lamps and place the furniture upon which they rest in front of electrical outlets so that the cord, as well as the dangerous outlet, can be concealed from sight and reach. Another option is to install ceiling fixtures with the help of an electrician. All the wiring can be hidden in the walls, so everything will be out of your baby's reach.

You might also want to see about a dimmer attachment for your ceiling light fixture. And you may want to install a night-light in the nursery, but in general it is better to avoid unnecessary electrical devices, which produce electromagnetic fields in sleeping areas. An alternative is to place night-lights in hallways, where no one will be sleeping. That way, when you're summoned by a crying baby for a 2 a.m. feeding, you'll be guided to the nursery through a soft, low corridor of light.

Both of Mothers and Others for a Livable Planet, Mindy Pennybacker is the director of consumer research, and Aisha Ikramuddin is the senior research associate. Mothers and Others can be contacted at their toll-free number: 888-ECO-INFO. To purchase the Mothers and Others Natural Guide to Baby Care, contact John Wiley & Sons at 800-CALL-WILEY.

RESOURCES

For help in creating your own green nursery, contact any of the following:

Children's Environmental Health Network

5900 Hollis Street, Suite R3, Emeryville, CA 94608 Tel 510-597-1393. Has an extensive, useful Web site: www.cehn.org

Environmental Building News

122 Birge Street, Suite 30, Brattleboro, VT 05301 Tel 802-257-7300. Publishes a newsletter and pamphlets such as Carpeting, Indoor Air Quality, and the Environment.

National Lead information Center and Clearinghouse

800-LEAD-FYI. Provides information and referrals about lead and lead removal.

US Consumer Product Safety Commission

800-638-2772. Publishes a free "Baby Safety Checklist."

Excerpted from Mothers and Others Natural Guide to Baby Care. Copyright [C] 1999 by Mothers and Others for a Livable Planet. Reprinted by permission of the publisher John Wiley & Sons.

COPYRIGHT 1999 Mothering Magazine
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