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Healthy By Design
Everything in your baby’s room is new to the newly born—a source of magic, mystery, and wonder. Keep the design of this room simple, keep it safe, keep it emotionally and physically nurturing.- Be informed. Learn about toxic chemicals, such as formaldehyde and other VOCs (volatile organic compounds), that enter the home environment through paints, carpeting, furniture and furnishings, even baby toys.
- Act on this information and keep these toxins away from your baby or limit your baby’s exposure to them. Choose products, such as edible paints or paints with low-level VOCs, natural fiber furnishings, bedding and clothing, and wooden toys that don’t leech chemicals into your baby’s skin and inquisitive mouth.
- Lower the volume. Let gentle, calming colors dictate the ambience in the nursery. Turn down the bright lights. Keep the music soft. Don’t over-stimulate your baby.
- Communicate and interact. Speak to your baby, sing to your baby, and cuddle your baby. Hold your baby close so that it can hear your reassuring heart beat.
- Honor the rhythms of the womb. Convert these rhythms into rituals that are reinforced by the layout of the nursery. Create a sleeping area that promotes sleeping; create a feeding area that is comfortable for you and your baby; create a play area where you can introduce the world to your baby at a baby’s natural pace.