Baby and Child First Furniture

For a Safe, Non-Toxic Nursery

Buying safe baby and child first furniture is easy if you know what you want, how to buy the safest products and where to get the best furniture for your nursery.

Things to Consider When Buying Baby Furniture

There are five fundamental elements to consider when choosing baby and child first furniture. These crucial factors play an essential role, especially if you want a pure, non-toxic area where they can safely sleep and play.

These rudimentary aspects of a completely green, non-toxic nursery environment are:

1. Safe, Clean Air Flow: Includes safe window treatments, window locks, fire safety procedures, safe placement of heating, cooling or air treatment systems and limited off-gassing.

2. Safe, Clear Movement: Includes secure furniture placement, nonslip rugs and carpets, safe placement of lotions, potions and cleaning solutions, locked pharmaceuticals & harmful supplies.

Your baby should be afforded the luxury of safe, non-toxic products, furniture and toys throughout their precious lives.

3. Safe & Secure Furniture & Furnishings: Includes off-gassing controls, end panel and corner care, cot safety, safe mattresses, bedding, cushions and pillows, plush toys and games.

4. Safe, Secure Fixtures & Fittings: Includes safe and secure small parts and pieces, door and furniture handles and knobs, fixed shelving and storage.

5. Safe Interior Surfaces: Includes safe, non-toxic wall coverings, ceiling materials, flooring and general surface veneers and paints.

Each of these aspects is as important to consider as the next. Every element has a close link to the safety features of your baby and child's first furniture set.

Let's look at each element, in turn, regarding your baby and child first furniture...

1) Safe, Clean Air Flow

Ventilation Makes A Difference - Keep your nursery's airflow clean and moving! Researchers believe that exhaled carbon dioxide may get trapped near an infant’s mouth and nose during sleep when there isn’t adequate ventilation.

Research still hasn't concluded what causes SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). One potential factor is that the baby is rebreathing carbon dioxide already exhaled when there isn't adequate ventilation. 

There are also such factors as off-gassing and hazardous chemicals on and in furniture paint and varnishes.

Unfortunately, if you live in the UK, you are the victim of an archaic fire safety protocol that the British government has not reviewed in many years. Essentially this means that every piece of furniture in the UK has a coating of a chemical fire retardant that off-gasses into your indoor home environment with harmful effects.

Six Toxic Chemicals To Watch Out for in Baby and Child's Furniture

1. Formaldehyde
2. Acetaldehyde
3. Benzene
4. Vinyl Acetate
5. Hexabromocyclododecane - See below
6. Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers - See below

Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) - Concerning your baby and child first furniture, let's take a closer look at HBCD. Simply put, this is a concoction of toxic flame retardants used to minimise the chance of fire spreading should your furniture catch fire. Sadly, it has adverse reproductive, developmental, and neurological effects. The EPA states that it accumulates in the environment, breast milk, and "biomagnifies" in the food chain. It can also be transported long distances and remains persistent in its environment. Not nice at all!

Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) - Here's another nasty chemical that may be in your baby and child first furniture. PBDEs are additional flame retardants classified in a cluster since they contain more than a few chemical combinations. They leach out of foams, plastics, and fabrics and pollute the air while also accumulating in the environment. The primary safety concern with these involves adverse neurobehavioral effects. This aspect is vital to know if you've been experiencing behavioural problems with a child.

Here are a few solutions to consider:

Window treatments, window locks, heating, cooling & air treatment systems aside, how can you solve the problem of hazardous off-gassing?

You can do several things to minimise dangerous chemicals leaching into your nursery environment.

• Read Toxic Chemicals in the Home
  
  
• Get a handheld Rotor Current Meter to monitor air quality
  
  
• Read The Top 10 Most Dangerous Chemicals

Handheld Rotor Current Meter to monitor air quality.

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2) Safe, Clear Movement

When choosing the nursery layout, consider factors such as easy access to the nappy-changing station, the placement of the cot away from windows to protect the baby from cold drafts as well as hanging cords and the positioning of the nursery chair so you can sit comfortably while watching or nursing baby.

The secure placement of baby and child first furniture is another critical aspect of safe nursery design.

Here are three important things to consider:

1. Windows - Never place a cot, playpen or other items of children's furniture near a window; otherwise, your baby or young child could climb up to the window and fall through the screen. (You should also install window guards and buy cordless window coverings.)
   
   
2. Loose Items - Where possible, attach items to the wall so crawling and toddling babies can't pull things onto themselves. Mirrors or heavy picture frames could seriously injure your baby if they fall. (Avoid decorations with long strings, ribbons, or anything else that could pose a strangulation hazard, and don't hang anything directly over the cot.)
   
   
3. Preparation - Nursing and changing a baby is tricky. Still, practice can help avoid those moments when you think you are not in control. Make nursing a stress-free moment with your baby. Keeping everything you need close at hand is more convenient, and choosing a changing table with an area for all your babies needs and your own is a great start.

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3) Safe, Secure Furniture & Furnishings

Your nursery is where your growing family starts in life. Hence, a clean, green and healthy indoor environment is vital for their growing body.

Let's take a closer look at your baby and child first furniture set and how you can ensure the safest way to achieve non-toxic nursery furniture in an eco-friendly way.

Baby and Child First Furniture as Heirlooms

Baby and child first furniture sets create timeless memories for families. As they look back in the years ahead, the furniture is part of the family.

It is excellent to incorporate family heirlooms and sentimental items into your nursery. Adding nostalgia to your space will give you a daily reminder of what you loved about your childhood.

Choosing baby and child first furniture sets that transcend the generations is easy if you incorporate a few basic features:

Design - Use timeless designs with superior craftsmanship, as this is imperative to the longevity of the furniture. Stylish baby cots make the perfect statement piece in any nursery, and choosing to design your first nursery with contemporary baby room furniture is exciting for soon-to-be parents. Choose traditional or classic designs that won't go out of fashion over time. Incorporate classic outlines with a modern twist.

The Mid-Century Modern style does this excellently and can slip easily from one generation to the next. A good tip with room design is identifying a focal point such as the cot, a large window or signature piece of furniture like the nursing chair, dresser, oversized toy or a unique light fitting; all can draw focus and create a unique space.

Sustainability - Eco-friendly pieces that use sustainable wood are generally of better quality as they don't rely on plywoods and glue. There are many non-toxic alternatives to look for that will ensure a safe environment for your newborn. Always make sure to look at the ingredient list on any packaging, including furniture packaging, to check for VOCs, SVOCs, PFA and PBDE.

Buying sustainable furniture will help the environment, and natural woods will last longer.

Here are some of the most sustainable and durable woods for making baby and child first furniture: 

Seven Sustainable, Durable Kinds of Wood:

1. Ash - Ash wood is fast-growing and self-seeding (meaning it is a more sustainable option than lots of other types of wood), it's also in plentiful supply as a direct consequence of ash dieback in Europe.
2. Bamboo - Is known for its eco-friendly nature and beautiful blond colouring—the perfect choice for minimalist decor.
3. Cherry - The best wood for furniture designed as an heirloom piece. Based on its longevity, an excellent sustainable choice as you can hand down the generations.
4. Mahogany - Visually stunning but play it safe by opting for Jatoba, and Adiroba, which are FSC-approved varieties of mahogany.
   
5. Maple - Ideal for young families. A perfect choice for a cot/bed. Abundantly found in North America, also from managed forests.
6. Oak - Renowned for design-led pieces - ideal for modern and traditional pieces. Make sure to choose from FSC managed forests.
7. Walnut - Walnuts are the only trees that can be grown in Britain which produce naturally dark hardwood timber, making them a sustainable alternative to many tropical timbers. 

Walnut timber consistently demands the highest prices due to its fine figure quality and rarity.

Versatility - Like the classic design aspect, the versatility of purpose is an important consideration. In other words, can an item of baby and child first furniture be adapted for the next age group?

Exceptionally well-made nursery furniture like a wardrobe or chest of drawers can be re-purposed in another home area, such as the spare room, hallway or utility room.

Incorporating a well-designed '3-in-1 bed' is increasingly the way to go when starting your baby and child first furniture set. A significant advantage of a cot bed is that it will last considerably longer than a simple cot.

HARRISON NURSERY SET consists of the Harrison Cot and Conversion Kit; Little Green Sheep Twist Mattress and Mattress Protector ( 140 x 70cm ) and Harrison Changing Station, made using sustainable Ash and Walnut woods.

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4) Safe, Secure Fixtures & Fittings

The best way to access your fixtures and fittings is to get down on your hands and knees and look at your nursery through a child's eyes. This way, you can quickly identify any potential hazards.

Many new mums and dads overlook the importance of cabinet hardware and furniture accessories. Drawer and cabinet handles will be the first element you will notice. But noticing that they may be sharp or loose is not the only thing that should spring to mind.

Before you start preparing your nursery, think about these potential hazards:

• Dangerous objects, such as medication or sharp items, can be easily accessible with unsecured drawers or cupboard doors.
• Hard closing drawers and doors could trap little fingers.
• Easily accessible drawers make a perfect climbing frame!
• Loose, unsecured furniture can be pulled down and fall on top of a tiny body.

Safe furniture hardware such as non-toxic knobs and handles are vital to your child's well-being. Many cheap knobs and handles are plasticisers and contain phthalates. 

Here's a list of the most common phthalates. Keep this list as it may come in very handy when shopping for nursery furniture and checking labels:

• DBP (dibutyl phthalate)
• DNOP (di-n-octyl phthalate)
• DiNP (diisononyl phthalate)
• DEP (diethyl phthalate)
• BBzP (benzyl butyl phthalate)
• DEHP (di 2-ethylhexl phthalate)
• DiDP (diisodecyl phthalate)
• DnHP (di-n-hexyl phthalate)
• DMP (dimethyl phthalate)
• DnOP (di-n-octylphthalate)
• Bisphenol A (BPA) (common plasticizer)

It's good to keep a list of ingredients that should be AVOIDED when shopping for baby furniture and goods to go in the nursery.

The simple way to avoid these entirely is to buy your baby and child first furniture from manufacturers that do not use these materials and components at all.

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5) Safe Interior Surfaces

You should only ever use indoor paint for indoors. Exterior paint usually contains many more harmful chemicals that leach out over many years and are unsuitable for indoor surfaces.

The interior surfaces of any nursery are often routinely decorated and furnished without a thought for the materials involved in their manufacture. Potentially dangerous interior surfaces include wall coverings, flooring and ceilings, using veneers, paints and varnishes that could contain toxic chemicals. 

There are a few types of paint suitable for indoor use. They all contain colour pigments, and some may have an ingredient to prevent mould.

• Latex & Acrylic Based Paints - Latex or acrylic latex paints use water as the primary liquid, though solvents may be present too. These paints are the most popular because they dry quickly are cleaned with soap and water. Liquid latex paint is mildly irritating to the skin and mouth. It can cause an upset stomach or vomiting if swallowed. 
  
  
• Oil-Based Paints - Oil-based paints contain mineral oil as the primary liquid and irritate the skin. They can cause stomach upset if swallowed. Mineral oil in the lungs can cause breathing problems and pneumonia. 
  
  
• Solvent-Based Paints - These paints can be deadly if inhaled and contain common VOCs, including toluene, xylene, ethanol, and acetone. Breathing solvent paint fumes for too long causes headaches, dizziness, and nausea, terrible in poorly ventilated spaces. Solvent-based paints are more irritating to the skin than latex or oil-based paints and are harmful if swallowed. 

Safe Surface Covering Alternatives

Describing a paint, finish or lacquer as eco-friendly means that it doesn’t contain airborne chemicals or gases that will wreak havoc on your health.

• Non-Toxic Paint - Always look for paints with zero VOCs (volatile organic compounds). Water-based options are good here. Most paints for indoor use are water-based paints. They are very safe to use.
  
  
• Furniture Oil - Opting for natural plant oils to treat and colour your wooden baby furniture is high on the agenda for going eco-friendly in the nursery. Not only does this enhance the finished look, but it is entirely safe and is kind to the environment too. 

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More Top Tips For Your Baby and Child First Furniture

• Create a Sanitation Station - Having a sanitation station with all your required supplies ready to go will make life easier with a newborn. Set aside an area on your changing table with eco-friendly antibacterial gel with paper towels to avoid contamination of surfaces. It's a good idea, once a day, and give hotspots a once-over with antibacterial wipes - look for the kind that does not contain plastics. It would also help to have a laundry hamper, more manageable, at the end of the week, to have all those soiled onesies in one place. Keeping a germ-free nursery with your nursing station will help toward stress-free moments in the babies room. 
• Get Creative With Storage - When babies arrive, they always receive an incredible amount of stuff! So, if you're going to stay on top of it all, you're going to need a plan. Start by doubling your storage space. If you think you need one wardrobe and have the area, increase that to two. Remember, it's not what you necessarily have for the baby. It's everyone around you that will increase your need for storage space.

Babies mean stuff and lots of it! Be prepared and get your eco-friendly storage units stocked and ready before the baby's arrival.

• Leave Room to Grow - When choosing your nursery furniture, think long term. Baby's are tiny, and the bassinet-style crib may look darling now, but have you left enough room to change it up for a toddler-sized bed later? There is no room for both and a stand-alone changing table and dresser? In the long run, you could get more use out of a dresser if you thought of upcycling it to fit into another room with different decor. Thinking ahead and re-purposing any furniture will ensure you get the most out of your money and space for years to come.
  
• Dress Your Windows - Appropriately dressing your windows is not a design choice; it's also a safety concern. Blackout curtains or heavy blinds are an excellent idea for any nursery as these will help your baby rest longer and more comfortably. More importantly, this will prevent the room from getting too hot during the day or too cold at night.
• Subtle Lighting - Install a dimmer on any intense overhead lighting fixtures, primarily if they are mainly located directly over the cot. It's a good idea to purchase a small accent lamp for a cosy, story-time glow. OLED lighting is a sensible choice for a nursery, and it's not only kinder to the environment but lifts your heart too. Nightlights are a good option for comfort and safety, especially during late-night feeding times. They also come in many adorable designs that enhance or complement your decor. 

TopEco Home has an excellent range of innovative organic LED lighting from Blackbody. It makes you feel good!

• Baby-Proofing - Your baby may not be mobile yet, but it won't be long before you have your very own crawling catastrophe zone. Take extra care to cover electrical points and tuck away any wires or leads. Anchor down any furniture that could topple over and secure rugs to the floor to prevent accidental slips. Also, be cautious of loose potential choking hazards and ensure that all medicines, lotions, etc., are securely stowed out of the reach of tiny hands. 
  
• Don't Wait Until the Last Minute - Be sure to get your nursery project underway early. Give yourself plenty of time to air freshly painted spaces and air any newly bought furniture. Getting a head start will also allow you to get it just as you want.

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Ten Trending Ideas for Eco-Friendly Nursery Design

1. Two-Tone - More new parents are turning towards sustainable baby and child first furniture with a two-tone design. Brown and white baby furniture sets are very popular!

2. Old & New - Layering antiques with modern furniture creates a stylish look and encompasses the use of heirlooms from previous generations giving any nursery a unique space filled with family sentiment.

3. Traditional & Contemporary - As with antiques, mixing traditional styles with a touch of sophistication and refinement from a more modern style is very popular and makes decorating choices very versatile.

4. Romantic Destinations - Infuse the decor with the flavour and feel of past travels and distant places you had enjoyed as a couple before the baby came along. It adds a real sense of romance and personalisation to any room.

5. Natural Earth - Earthy colours are always popular as they encompass both male and female colour decor options. This trend is prevalent for couples who decorate before knowing the sex of the baby, a concept fast coming back into fashion.

6. Global Inspiration - Nursery decorations and furniture that draw motivation from international travel is popular with couples that have world travel on their bucket list. As with incorporating decor and furniture pieces from your worldly travels, this trend reminds you that your baby will join you on your journey in the future. Your adventures are just beginning! 

7. Passion with Plants - Add houseplants in hanging baskets and sturdy pots to add life and nature to the nursery design. Potted plants increase the amount of oxygen in the air, reducing stress levels and boosting mood. Plants also improve concentration levels and productivity goes up by up to 15 per cent.

Plants can instantly beautify a space, but they can also contribute to improvements we can’t see, like indoor air quality.

8. Adaptable Furniture & Décor - Consider how long your baby will be using the room. Wallpaper with baby characters might have to be changed when your child gets older in a few years. Wall stickers are a better alternative as they are removable.

9. Statement Furniture - Select pivotal pieces first and make a statement with them. Select high-end, sustainable furniture pieces before you start decorating. Parents often choose their colours first, but it's easier and more affordable to match statement furniture to your paints, fabrics, and wallpaper. 

Accessorising and layered styling become easy when starting with a stunning yet simple base. Splash out on one focal piece, and it's easy to bring everything together.

10. Statement Lighting - Most parents will opt for overhead LED lighting. However, there are much better alternatives with the relatively new invention of OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diodes). These are usually light-emitting panels made from organic (carbon-based) materials that emit light when electricity is applied. 

OLEDs emit beautiful soft diffused light and are the closest light source to natural light with a soothing, calming effect on the body.

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A Few Last Thoughts...

There are many exciting elements to bringing a new baby home. Deciding on the baby's environment is essential for your new beginnings.

...to Consider Before Baby Comes Home

Before you begin, it's necessary to think about what you'll be putting in the nursery. Not just the type of decor, bedding or toys etc., but what these products are made from and if they are safe for your baby and its future environment.

Bottles & Dummies - Choose baby-safe bottles and avoid any plastics in the nursery that contain BPA and PVC. If your baby uses a dummy, don't forget that too. Look for baby dummies that have an orthodontic shaped teat made from 100% pure natural rubber, which is non-toxic and plastic-free. Watch out for those wet wipes and mass-produced nappies. 

Babies are naturally curious, so they constantly put things in their mouths. Their toys should be free of toxins, biological harmful chemicals and dyes. Look for toys that are also free of BPA, phthalates, lead and PVCs.

There are alternatives available that are chlorine-free, helping to keep your baby safe and the environment even more so. Look for fragrance, plastics, and chemical-free wipes that will keep harmful toxins away from your babies skin. If you use any barrier cream, purchase certified organic creams with ingredients free of artificial fragrance, parabens, and phthalates. 

Furniture & Furnishings - Preparing for a new arrival is a beautiful time for any new parent, and one of the most exciting parts is, of course, furnishing your nursery. And remember, a stylish, modern nursery is also kind to the environment. If you opt for high-end baby furniture, there's little to go wrong. Going eco-friendly is a common tendency nowadays.

Eco-friendly children's furniture is the foundation of any nursery. TopEco Home's range of safe baby furniture helps to establish a safe, non-toxic, indoor-air-friendly environment from the start.

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Protection All Round

How about a free ebook containing all these top tips and more? What a wonderful gift for an expectant mother. Just let us know by sending us a message and we will get one straight over to you!

We hope that the information here will have you going green and eco-friendly with your baby and child first furniture in no time.

For soon to be parents, there are two main reasons to go green:

1. Protect Baby - Going green protects your child and keeps them in a healthy environment. Being aware of the toxic dangers in toys, products and surfaces is a parent's responsibility; with all the facts, you are the best parent you can be! Buying safe baby and child first furniture is easy if you know what you want, how to buy the safest products and where to get the best furniture for your nursery.
   
   
2. Protect the Environment - Your baby deserves a healthy world to grow up in and enjoy. It's a frightening fact that if we carry on destroying the earth the way we are, many of our resources and ecosystems will cease to be. By using eco-friendly toys, furniture and furnishing etc., you are starting your baby off the right way.

Yes - You've got this. Good luck with your new baby!

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