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      7 Steps to a Safe, Nurturing Nursery

      by

      Dr. Frank Lipman

      and

      Robyn Griggs Lawrence

      Copyright 2012 Dr. Frank Lipman,

      All rights reserved.

      Published in eBook format by eBookIt.com

       http://www.eBookIt.com

      ISBN-13: 978-1-4566-0936-8

      No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.

      7 Steps to a

      Safe, Nurturing Nursery

      You’re pregnant. You’ve stopped eating sushi and started a vitamin regimen, and you’re thinking about the nursery. Your baby will spend most of her first year sleeping, and you want to give her the safest, most nurturing space possible--a place where she can thrive. This is where things could get stressful.

      Retail stores and the Internet are cluttered with baby products, from cribs to car seats. All claim to be safe, but it’s hard to determine what “safe” really means. Most baby products are treated with flame-retardant chemicals. That’s great if you’re concerned about fire but alarming when you read in the news that other countries are banning these chemicals because they’re toxic to humans. Reading that BPA and phthalates can mess with developing hormone and reproductive systems makes you want to keep plastic out of your baby’s space--and that sounds easy.

      Planning a nursery doesn’t have to be overwhelming, and no mom-to-be should have to stress herself out Googling “babies and chemicals.”

      Avoiding the chemicals of most concern is easier than ever. In the past decade, the marketplace for organic, chemical-free cribs, mattresses, bedding and furnishings has blossomed. Made of natural materials such as organic cotton and wool, solid woods and milk paint, these products feel better, smell better and provide more comfort for your baby. Let your maternal common sense guide you. Soft, absorbent wool just instinctively feels better than plastic. Your nose knows the difference between chemical and non-chemical paint. You naturally gravitate toward solid wood over less durable particleboard and vinyl.

      To create the safest, most nurturing bedroom for your little one, you need to remember only these seven simple steps. Your baby will sleep better, and so will you.

      Natura’s Classic Crib Set provides a naturally healthy, soothing sleep environment, free of harmful chemicals and offgassing.

      1. Keep it clean.

      The Environmental Protection Agency has found that indoor air is two to five times more polluted than outdoor air, and many of the pollutants and chemicals that could harm your baby aren’t visible to the naked eye. A good-quality air purifier is the best way to ensure that the air in your baby’s room is clean.

      Chemical particles that break off from textiles, finishes and electronics make their way into household dust. Vacuuming with a HEPA filter or wet mopping twice a week is another great way to minimize your baby’s chemical exposure. (Dry dusting and sweeping only circulates dust back into the air.)

      2. Forget about fire safety codes.

      This seems counter-intuitive, but it could make a difference for your baby. When shopping for mattresses, bedding and car seats, don’t buy it if the label says it meets California’s flammability standards (Technical Bulletin 117 or TB117). Flame-retardant chemicals known as PBDEs, which can interfere with developing hormone and nervous systems, are the only thing powerful enough to meet the California code. Banned in other countries, PBDEs are pervasive in textiles and polyurethane foam. Chlorinated Tris, a potential carcinogen that hasn’t been allowed in kids’ pajamas since the 1970s, has resurfaced in childcare products. Naturally flame-retardant wool is a safer alternative.

      3. Keep the lead out.

      Scientists have found no safe exposure for lead, a dangerous neurotoxin that can hinder brain development and cause learning and behavioral problems. Lead has been banned from paint since 1980, but it can sneak into the nursery on vinyl toys, blinds and changing table parts. Used as a stabilizer for PVC, lead was found in 35 percent of toys and children’s products in a 2009 test. That’s bad news, and there’s only one solution: No vinyl, that’s final.

      Natural Alternatives to Vinyl

      Mattresses, Pads: wool, cotton, hemp

      Toys: wood, wool, cotton

      Wallpaper: jute, hemp, cotton

      Blinds: bamboo, hemp, cotton

      This vinyl-free mattress pad from Ecobaby Organics is made from wool and cotton.

      “Chewing on a vinyl toy is like sucking on a toxic lollipop.” -- Michael Schade, Center for Health, Environment and Justice

      4. Be drastic about plastic.

      It seems impossible to avoid. Plastic is in crib mattresses, changing table pads, baby bottles and toys. If it weren’t safe, would manufacturers be allowed to use it in so many baby products? The headlines raise questions. Plastics leach BPA and phthalates, chemicals banned from children’s products in the European Union and other countries because they can harm developing hormone and nervous systems. Some plastics are riskier than others, and figuring out which kind is in the baby product you’re buying is a ridiculous chore. It’s easier, and more satisfying, to seek out nurturing, natural products made from plastic alternatives: natural latex, hemp, organic cotton and wool, stainless steel.

      ImagiPlay’s pushalong duck is made from rubberwood..

      5. Embrace hand-me-downs.

      When you’re facing a baby’s added expenses, a generous sister’s or friend’s hand-me-downs are welcome. Don’t turn them down because you’re worried about harmful chemicals. Most chemicals outgas or leach within months, so well-maintained used furnishings are safer than new. Just be sure to check for rips, tears or chips, and repair or seal them right away. You can buy an organic mattress cover or a hemp silk blanket with the money you saved on the mattress.

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