How to Create a Healthy Nursery for Your Baby

Our tips will help you make nursery selections that avoid chronic exposures to chemicals of concern like:
• Formaldehyde, associated with cancer.
• PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes and cancers.
• Flame retardants, associated with altered sexual development and neurodevelopment, and other adverse pregnancy outcomes.
• VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, which are associated with varied health effects that can include cancer, neurotoxicity, and organ damage.

Our tips also help you avoid plastics and plastic fibers, which are associated with numerous issues, including environmental pollution, the creation of microplastics that contaminate food and water, and harm aquatic life. And since plastic is a petroleum product, it is inextricably linked to climate change. Plastics are everywhere and are not always avoidable, but below are some tips to bypass them where possible by choosing safer options. 

The considerations when planning your nursery can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re already doing so much to prepare for baby’s arrival. Remember that even small changes can have a big impact, so every step toward a healthier nursery matters.

Choose furniture and mattresses made without added flame retardants. Don’t rely on tags, as flame retardants are typically not disclosed. Instead, ask the manufacturer if they’re used at any point in manufacturing.

Consider mattresses that use alternatives to polyurethane foam, which is a source of VOC emissions in the home. Good options include wool, cotton, hemp, and latex. (See CR’s advice on choosing a mattress less likely to contain harmful chemicals.)  

Favor hardwood furniture. Limit use of particle board, plywood, pallets, and MDF, as these materials can off-gas formaldehyde. Unpainted vintage furniture is a great source of less expensive hardwood furniture. And remember to always anchor your furniture to the wall, to prevent furniture tip-overs. 

Think long-term when considering nursery items. A dedicated changing table will quickly become obsolete. Instead, how about a dresser with a safely secured changing pad on top? Does an armchair or rocking chair you already have work in the nursery? If not, select a piece you can easily incorporate into another room of your home to increase its lifespan.

Shop for upholstered furniture with textiles certified by GOTS or Oeko-Tex. GOTS certification prioritizes organic and natural fibers and also limits the chemicals that can be used in textile manufacturing to verify that products are made with safer substances. Oeko-Tex requires that final products are tested for residues of specific harmful substances. These certifications help ensure that you’re choosing textiles that are safer for you and baby.

Look for natural fibers when selecting area rugs. Ask if there are any chemical treatments for stain resistance or durability (like PFAS). And don’t forget to find out what the backing is made from—it could be plastic, which could release chemicals like endocrine-disrupting phthalates and is also linked to environmental pollution.

Steer clear of rug pads made from polyurethane foam, which can contain flame retardants, and instead use heavy furniture, natural rubber pads, or double-sided tape to secure area rugs as needed.

Do not renovate if you are pregnant because of the possible exposures to harmful substances like VOCs and construction dust, which can contain things like silica, wood dust, and fiberglass. If construction is unavoidable, we recommend staying elsewhere during the process, if possible.

Favor hardwood, tile, bamboo, and cork flooring over vinyl, which can be called vinyl, luxury vinyl, LVP or LVT. 

Select carpeting and pads made from natural fibers like wool, sisal, or hemp without chemical treatments, adhesives, and flame retardants.

Prioritize natural materials like cotton, hemp, wool, and silk for baby. Fibers made from tree cellulose called lyocell and modal can also be good choices, especially when made by Tencel. That company says its manufacturing process captures and reuses 99.8 percent of solvents. This tip goes for clothing, linens, and other baby accessories like nursing pillows, baby carriers and wraps, tummy time and play mats, stuffed animals and lovies, towels, swaddles, and more.

Consider hand-me-downs, especially for items that don’t typically use natural materials (like rain jackets and shoes). Do you have a friend or family member with an older child? Secondhand clothing items are a great way to be gentler on the planet and our wallets.

Go for changing pads made from organic cotton or latex rather than polyurethane foam and a waterproof cover made from PVC. If these options are not within budget, cover your foam changing pad with natural materials.

Open windows for 10 to 15 minutes on good air quality days to refresh your nursery.

Take your shoes off at the door. Our shoes track in all kinds of outdoor contaminants: pesticides from parks and lawns, contaminants from industrial areas, PFAS from turf playing fields, and more. Leaving our shoes at the door is a small tip that can make a big impact by reducing the harmful substances we find in our home. This is especially important when your little one is crawling, lying, and playing on the floor.

Dust frequently. Indoor dust is a source of numerous unhealthy contaminants like PFAS. Use a reusable cloth dampened with water or nontoxic cleaner to capture dust, especially in the nursery and other areas baby plays, sleeps, or eats. Fancy dusting wipes aren’t necessary (nor recommended).

Limit use of plastic. This tip is true for every room in our house! Plastic can off-gas and shed harmful substances into our household air and environment, can leach chemicals into our food and drinks, and is a source of pollution. This is especially true for food and drink prep, serving, and storage. We know that plastic isn’t totally avoidable at this moment in time, but curbing use is key.  

Keep the nursery fragrance-free. Skip air fresheners, diffusers, scented personal care, and other fragranced products. This will reduce baby’s exposure to VOCs, as well as other harmful substances that can be found in fragranced products.

Check out Made Safe for certified baby personal care, linens, clothing, and other nursery essentials. Made Safe certified products are screened for known and suspected toxic substances, meaning they’re safer choices for use on our bodies, with our families, and in our homes. For more healthy nursery tips, read Made Safe’s Healthy Pregnancy Guide.