Room for Change: Nursery Rooms

“Making the decision to have a child,” essayist Elizabeth Stone has written, “is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.” Creating a nursery is to build a warm, safe welcome into the world, but industrial chemicals and the modern plastic plague can make it hard, despite your best efforts, to make a healthy, non-toxic space. 

These tips are designed to help you avoid the worst offenders and inspire you to borrow from nature to create a serene place for your little heart.  

Breathe Easier by Avoiding VOCs

Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are chemicals emitted as gases from household products like cleaning supplies, air fresheners, paints, wood preservatives, and, especially, furniture. VOC concentrations are consistently higher indoors than they are outdoors. They degrade indoor air quality and can lead to a range of health issues from headaches to nervous system damage, depending on the level of exposure. 

When you’re decorating and tidying up your nursery, limit VOC exposure as much as possible by opting for non-toxic cleaning products, paints, and furniture. Look for third-party certifications like GREENGUARD Gold, which are awarded to products with the lowest chemical emissions. 

If your budget allows, invest in pieces that will last generations. Brooklyn-based Oeuf builds high-end children’s furniture and accessories with natural, renewable, and recyclable materials, and Milton & Goose makes heirloom play kitchens, tables, and chairs from North American maple and birch with non-toxic finishes. Nestig’s convertible crib, which converts from mini crib to full-size crib to toddler bed, cuts down on consumption while exceeding safety and sustainability standards. Babyletto’s Hudson 3-in-1 crib is also convertible and GREENGUARD Gold-certified.

A cheaper option is to shop for secondhand furniture. Thrift pieces made from natural materials, if you can. But since synthetic materials release most of their toxic gases in the first few weeks of use, secondhand synthetics are still a safer option than new.

If you already bought new mattresses and furniture that are likely to emit VOCs, allow them to off-gas outside in a dry, covered spot for a week or two before installing them. 

No matter your furniture choices, it’s always a good idea to open windows to promote cross-ventilation and use an air purifier with an activated carbon filter. Trade risky cleaning products for nontoxic or DIY alternatives. (Mix a cup of vinegar, a cup of water, and 10 drops of essential oil to make a perfectly passable all-purpose cleaner. Or try one of the dozens of other recipes online for cleaners and air fresheners.)

Opt for Natural Textiles

Synthetic textiles, whether in rugs, clothes, or bedding, are liable to shed harmful microfibers, and studies have shown that children are at higher risk for harm from ingesting microplastics. For anything that will come in contact with your baby’s skin, opt for organic textiles, like cotton, which is breathable and temperature-regulating, and bamboo, which is naturally hypoallergenic and antibacterial. 

Look for Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certification, which verifies that products are made with at least 70% organic fibers and that manufacturers adhere to strict ecological and social criteria. 

Shop brands like Naturepedic, which sells GOTS-certified organic crib bedding, mattresses, and mattress protectors, or Los Angeles-based Avocado, whose popular bedding is pH neutral and boasts a slew of green certifications. 

Also make sure to look for curtains and rugs that are free from VOCs and plastic fibers. Sage & Wild, for example, makes GOTS-certified cotton and wool rugs designed especially for nurseries.

Diaper Change

Children spend most of their first years in diapers, but the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which regulates the diaper industry, doesn’t require manufacturers to test their products for chemicals. 

Reusable cloth diapers have come a long way since the days of flour sack towels and safety pins, and they’re much friendlier to the planet (and your wallet) than disposable options, which typically rely on plastics and bleaching agents. A 1991 report from the National Association of Diaper Services found that, per diaper change, disposable products use 70% more energy than reusable diapers. 

Check out reusable — and cute! — options from Nora’s Nursery, ALVABABY, and Mama Koala. Daycares may be reluctant to use cloth diapers, but you can help get them on board with clearly labeled bags and diapers, a quick demo, or, if your child is susceptible to rashes, a doctor’s note.

Create a Plastic-Free Haven

Plastic is cheap, convenient, and inescapable, but it’s worthwhile to make an effort to limit your newborn’s exposure to BPA, phthalates, and PVC in their tender early years. Make your nursery home to well-chosen, durable toys made from non-toxic wood or natural textiles, and store them in organic cloth bins. 

For bottles, storage, and other decor, glass and stainless steel are more sustainable and less toxic than plastic. Find guidance (and commiseration) in Will McCallum’s How to Give Up Plastic, Chantal Plamondon and Jay Sinha’s Life Without Plastic: The Practical Step-by-Step Guide to Avoiding Plastic to Keep Your Family and the Planet Healthy, and Bluedot’s Guide to Plastic-Free Living. 

Bring the Outside In

Enough about chemicals. Decorating a nursery and building a whimsical or serene oasis for your new arrival is an opportunity for creativity and intentional design. 

Nature and the environment can be a source of inspiration for paint schemes, murals, wall art, and mobiles. Buy an untreated wooden shelf secondhand, then paint it with VOC-free paint to suit your taste. 

Or upcycle some of your old furniture: turn a dresser into a changing table, or a bookshelf into toy storage. Decorate with live plants, which contribute to a peaceful environment while purifying the air, and opt for energy-efficient LED bulbs for soft, cozy lighting.

Stick to Sustainable Principles

It’s totally understandable: Careful plans can come apart in the chaos of a new arrival and the urge to give them the world. But staying true to a few core values in the service of your baby’s health, and the planet’s, is an act of deep and thoughtful love — and so is giving yourself grace when you’re not always perfect.

• Make your intentions clear. Don’t let family, friends, and well-wishers run roughshod over your preferences for an eco-friendly, non-toxic nursery. Build a registry that reflects your values and graciously make it known that you’re not interested in plastic toys or polyester blankets.
• Shop secondhand or organize a swap. Secondhand baby products are often only lightly used and in excellent shape. Organize a swap or seek out hand-me-downs, but don’t let the low (or no) prices induce you into amassing more than you need or products that don’t meet your environmental and health standards.
• Be intentional. Choose toys and decor thoughtfully. A few well-made, sustainably sourced toys will entertain baby just as well as bins full of cheap plastic glitz.