Expecting parents have many decisions to make before their child’s due date. One of the many exciting choices parents make is how the nursery will look. When I was expecting, creating a functional, healthy space, and choosing healthy materials was more important than how things looked—not that you must choose one instead of the other. Experts Laura Forbes Carlin and Alison Forbes say “…what good is a beautiful room if it’s not practical and healthy?” I couldn’t agree more.

Set up your nursery with furniture that not only matches your family’s style but also your height. It will make daily routines such as changing diapers and picking clothes much easier on your body. Also, organization is essential in creating a safe and easy space for you and your baby. 

A wicker bassinet is a healthy way to welcome your baby home. Photo By Tamara Muth-King/NH Archives.

Unfortunately not all products used to decorate a nursery are safe for your family. Some products contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that offgas harmful chemicals into the air—these affect babies’ small bodies even more than adults’. Opt for a nontoxic crib, zero-VOC paint, wood floors and a healthy mattress to protect your babies’ immature organs.

A good rule of thumb is to pick healthy, quality, long term pieces over what looks good in your nursery.

How have you greened your baby's nursery? Tell me about it in the comments section.

Hello all,

So, I just realized that, though I wrote a blog post about the salvaged door headboard my boyfriend and I made, I neglected to mention that it is attached to an absolutely fantastic organic mattress, which I am very happy to blather on about here in my blog. Last fall, I got a Land and Sky Rainforest mattress from The Natural Bed Store in Lincoln, Nebraska. Made with a natural latex core, organic wool fill and an organic cotton cover, this bed is totally nontoxic and absolutely divine to sleep in. As we often mention in Natural Home, getting an organic bed is among the best investments you can make toward the health and sustainability of your domicile—there are few other home objects with which we spend nearly 1/3 of our lives (in extremely close contact, too!). Beds made of natural materials keep toxic flame retardants (and the chemicals that make up many of the foam beds on the market) out of our nighttime breathing space.

My first experience with The Natural Bed Store was speaking with one of their customer service representatives. Once you decide to place an order, you will get a call from one of these friendly folks because these beds are totally customized to you—your weight, height, most common sleeping position...they take everything into account before designing a bed individually tailored to you. Then came the delivery people, who came on schedule, on time and with a totally helpful attitude. But the really convincing part comes when you lay down on the bed. Unlike spring mattresses, which have more bounce, a wool and natural latex bed kind of cradles you. It feels like you would imagine it might feel to lay on a pile of densely packed organic sheep's wool. Also, whereas springy mattresses lose their bounce over time, this material shouldn't lose its bounciness with use. I believe it will hold up wondefully for years to come. I am so happy with my investment.

Does anyone out there have an organic mattress you love? One that's not so great? Let me know....we can compare notes!

The following are some of the key words we look for when buying gifts: 

Photo by Sarah Parrot/Courtesy flickr 

1. Natural or nontoxic: grown or collected from natural sources 

2. Low embodied energy: doesn’t require large amounts of energy to manufacture, gather or transport 

3. Sustainably harvested: didn’t compromise health of source 

4. Recyclable/biodegradable: can be made into new products or fed back into the earth 

5. Recycled content: contains a high percentage of materials that used to be something else 

6. Local: traveled less than 500 miles to reach you 

7. Durable: built to last and doesn’t require ongoing maintenance 

8. Vegan: not derived from an animal or animal byproduct 

9. Organic: grown without synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, hormones 

10. Cruelty-Free: doesn’t contain any part of an animal; wasn’t made with child labor or in a sweat shop 

11. Fair Trade: company policies and standards include a fair living wage for all factory employees and a safe work environment