How to Choose an Organic Baby Bed
Being pregnant is a very exciting time for the expecting parents. It brings with it a whole new world of ideas about the future, but it also brings many new questions that must be answered. Many of them can wait, but some will require answers before baby is born. Clothes will be needed. Diapers, a car seat, and several other common baby items will need to be purchased before the baby is born as well. However, before you begin the registry or set out to the store, consider your options fully. This article focuses on why and how you would choose organic bedding for your baby.
Why Choose Organic Bedding for a Baby? Okay, so maybe it feels like your little bundle of love is always awake, but the truth is that babies sleep a much larger portion of the day than we do. In fact, newborns can sleep around 15 – 20 hours a day! That means your baby will be spending a lot of time with the bedding you choose for him or her. Aside from the fact that organic bedding it is soft and comfortable, it also offers other advantages over traditional sheets and blankets.
During the manufacturing process of bedding and clothing, the makers must use many natural ingredients. Unfortunately, just because it is natural doesn’t mean that it hasn’t been exposed to a number of unnatural materials. Pesticides and herbicides are not just used on food. They are also used on the cotton plants and other natural fibers during their growing cycle. This, of course, makes it easier and more cost effective for the farmers to keep rodents, bugs, weeds, and other pests at bay. However, much of that chemical is absorbed by the plants before they are harvested. To make matters worse, once in the factories that will turn those fibers into fabric, the fibers are exposed to even more harsh chemicals.
Bleaching agents and dyes are harsh and stay with the fabric long after it is sold. Furthermore, chemicals are needed to make a fabric softer, more wrinkle resistant, and finer. Once completed, those sheets and blankets are sold to people like you, and they still contain an unknown amount of those chemicals, pesticides, and herbicides. That means, each night and each naptime, when you lay baby to sleep, he or she could be breathing in toxic elements. It is unknown to what degree this exposure endangers infants, but it is known that there is a direct correlation between many of those chemicals and diseases like cancer and certain lung conditions. Though the case against chemical use in the growing and manufacturing process is not entirely conclusive, a person can usually sleep more peacefully when he or she does not have to worry about an infant breathing in toxins all night.
Even with the lowered risks, organic bedding can be very soft, cozy, and comfortable. It comes in a variety of colors and patterns that are produced with all natural, non-chemical dyes. With organic bedding, your nursery can look great, your baby can sleep comfortably, and you can rest easy knowing you made a wise choice.
How Can I Get Organic Baby Bedding? Before addressing the bedding, it might be wise to tackle the crib issue. Many cribs are manufactured using plywood that required formaldehyde in the manufacturing process. They are also usually provided a glossy or stained finish using chemical-filled stains and glosses. You can find cribs made of organic materials, but you will need to look around a bit. It can also cost more to buy the good stuff. Nevertheless, if it means that your baby remains safe and healthy, it is likely worth the investment. Similarly, consider an organic wool mattress, versus those that have the thin plastic finish and can give off an entirely different type of toxin.
Also, avoid mattresses that have a special stain resistant finish. Many of these are currently under investigation for their potential health and environmental effects. Organic bedding comes in wide varieties. Most often these will be made of bamboo and cotton, which are grown using natural pesticides and herbicides and are dyed with all natural dyes. There are several online manufacturers that sell 100% organic bedding that can have all of the unique patterns and colors of traditional baby bedding but also come without the worry.
There are a couple of other recommendations that come along with organic bedding. Because it does not incorporate man-made water resistant barriers, it is best to change the bedding immediately if it gets wet at all. The faster you get it out of there, the less chance that the liquid will work its way into the mattress and result in mold. Wash the bedding in hot water to kill dust mites and other living things that can find their way into the bed.
While selecting organic bedding for your baby will likely be a little more expensive, what you’ll get in return is worth it. Your baby will have incredibly soft sheets and blankets to sleep on, you’ll have a great looking nursery, and best of all, you’ll have the peace of mind knowing that your baby isn’t being exposed to harmful toxins and chemicals.