Choosing Safer Products

Non-Toxic Nursery Guidelines

Here at My Natural Nursery, we recognize that it is not always possible to completely avoid all the chemicals we would like to, but there is still so much that can be done to create a more natural and non-toxic nursery, without spending a huge amount of money.   The most important step is to choose, where possible:

  • Cribs and other furniture made from natural wood rather than particleboard or MDF.
  • Cribs and other furniture treated only with safe paints or lacquers
  • Strollers, car seats, and upholstered items that are not treated with toxic flame retardants
  • Crib mattresses, changing pads, and waterproof covers that are phthalate and vinyl-free.
  • Products made from natural materials, such as cotton, wool, and latex, rather than polyester and other man-made materials.
  • Baby skin care, bath, cleaning, and laundry products that are at least free of parabens, phthalates, and synthetic fragrance.

In an ideal world, your little one would also wear organic cotton clothes, cloth diapers, and use all-natural skin care products.  But sometimes real life (and budget) limit what you can do.  Perfection isn’t necessary.  The goal is to do what you can, when you can.

non-toxic baby nursery

Chemicals to Avoid:

  • Phthalates.  Found in soft, flexible plastic such as Vinyl
  • Flame retardants.  Found in foams in matresses, crib pads, car seats, strollers
  • VOCs. Volatile organic chemicals found in paints and varnishes on cribs and other furniture

GreenGuard Gold Certification

Many baby products claim to be “green” “non-toxic” or “organic”, without the data to back up their claims. The best way to know whether a baby product is truly non-toxic is to rely on third-party testing. The most reputable testing body is GreenGuard. Their certification process is rigorous and thorough. Many of the products you’ll find on this site are therefore Greenguard certified baby products.

A product that is GreenGuard certified means that it has been tested for over 10,000 different chemicals by UL, a global independent safety science company with more than a century of expertise.  A gold certifcaton means that it is guaranteed to produce low chemical emissions, which help to preserve indoor air quality.

How to Set Up a Non-Toxic Nursery on a Tight Budget

  • The best place to spend your money is a non-toxic crib mattress.  A good mattress will cost around $200.
  • Crib: Buy a used crib or the Ikea Sniglar Crib ($79).  The Sniglar crib is made from solid beech, with no varnish or paints. Ikea also has fairly stringent chemical standards and in-house testing.  Used cribs are another good option because they will have already off-gassed most chemicals.  Although it is still important to buy a good brand such as Ouef or Da Vinci, because you do not want your little one chewing on toxic paint or lacquer, even if it has off-gassed.
  • Spend money on naturepedic crib mattress protectors.  There aren’t really any cheap non-toxic alternatives.
  • Get a Da Vinci changing pad (less than $20).
  • Don’t worry about organic cotton sheets or baby clothes.  As long as the fabric is 100% cotton, and you wash it several times in hot water with vinegar, there will be very little chemical residue.  Better yet, buy used baby clothes.

Putting Together Your Non-Toxic Nursery

  • The best non toxic cribs
  • The best non toxic crib mattresses
  • The best car seats
  • The best strollers
  • Sheets and mattress covers
  • Changing pads and covers