Today’s extra special — the following post is by Guest Contributor, Constance Marie, whom you might know as Angie on “The George Lopez” show.  This busy celebrity and loving new mom shares her thoughts with us on How to Green Your Newborn’s Nursery.  Many thanks, Constance, and hugs to baby Luna!

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One of the things I discovered in over three years of trying to get pregnant was how the toxicity of certain products and the environment around us can affect our bodies. I also learned that often times the most toxic room in the house can be the nursery. This is because everything from the paint to the varnish to the flooring is new. So in order to keep my baby as healthy as possible I decided I wanted to build a non-toxic/green nursery.  Here are a few things I did…

Paint
I used paint that does not contain VOC’s (volatile organic compounds). You could also use low VOC paint. The brand I used in my baby’s nursery was “Safecoat.”  A lot of brands make paint without VOC, so if you shop around you should be able to find some.  If you can’t use non-VOC paint, then I would recommend painting the room as early as you can.  Regular paint emits gas for a few months so paint at least two months before your baby arrives. (Sometimes babies just come early, so be ready!)

Carpet
I used a “green” brand of carpeting. Traditional carpet contains stain resistant chemicals, flame retardant chemicals and chemicals to protect against insects. It also emits gases for up to seven years. One of these gases is formaldehyde, which is known to cause cancer. Traditional carpeting also usually has synthetic rubber backing and glues are used to put the carpet together. These materials also emit a lot of unhealthy fumes that your baby will breathe in. The crazy thing is that babies spend a lot of time on the floor and no baby should ever ingest the toxins that traditional carpeting contains. These chemicals build up in your baby’s body and can cause immune problems. One of my favorite “green” brands of carpeting and the one I used in Luna’s room is “Nature’s Carpet.”

Crib and Furniture
acm1_1.jpgI am using a crib that is made out of solid wood and is finished with organic oils. One of the things I learned is that traditional baby furniture is made of wood pieces that have been pressed together with adhesives. These adhesives emit gasses such as formaldehyde into your baby’s room. Traditional baby furniture is also painted with toxic paints or varnishes and are sometimes sprayed with insect repellent when they are shipped overseas. And your precious little baby spends up to 16 hours a day in that crib! They sleep in it, put their hands on the bars, chew on the edges, etc.

The crib in Luna’s nursery was actually the least expensive crib I found. Both the crib and changing table in Luna’s room were manufactured in the United States, made of sustainably grown solid ash, and finished with organic linseed oil.  They were both purchased from “The Green Cradle,” which is an excellent store full of “green” products for your baby. Tell Edward I sent you.

For those of you who may prefer a different design style or traditional baby furniture, there is a new process out there that creates pressed wood sheets called “Purebond.” The sheets are made with soy glue and it works in the way mussels adhere to underwater piers. Most importantly, the wood does not emit gas. This wood can be used for furniture and then painted with non-VOC paints to make them look better. The drawer and table in our nursery is made that way so I mixed both types of furniture together.

Diapers
acm3.jpgI am a huge fan of cloth diapers! All disposable diapers and even the earthy, crunchy kind contain a super-absorbent gel that is made from petroleum. While this gel gets rid of moisture from your baby’s bottom, it can also cause inflammation, rashes and possible fertility issues for your children. Seriously, I had no idea using cloth diapers could be so easy!

I discovered a great brand called “Happy Heineys” that is good for the environment and gentle on my baby’s skin.  These diapers are shaped like disposables, with snaps for sizing, velcro closures, and cute prints and are very easy to use and don’t stain. You just pop them into the washing machine and they are clean! In the long run, they end up being much less expensive then disposables and better for the environment, so your children can have a cleaner planet, (not to mention a cleaner bottom)!

I hope you found these tips to be useful.

CM