Lifestyle
Home Safe: Design Tips for a Safe Nursery
Pinterest features millions of pictures of adorable nurseries that look clipped out of fairy tale books. But as pretty as they are, the design won’t matter much to your baby. Chances are, they won’t see most of it, let alone remember it. But one factor that will absolutely impact your baby is how safe your nursery is. Our design tips for a safe nursery can help.
Don’t Paint Too Late
A fresh coat of paint is the quickest way to transform any nursery. But you should start sooner rather than later. Along with it being easier for pregnant mamas to help, it’s also safer for your baby. That’s because paints often contain volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. VOCs are what make paints smell so strongly. They can also cause numerous health issues, including:
- Breathing problems
- Allergy symptoms
- Headaches
- Watery eyes
- A scratchy throat
VOCs linger in the air long after the paint has dried—as long as a few weeks. The sooner you paint the nursery, the better, so you can clear the air for your baby.
Check Recall Information
Manufacturers release new baby products all the time, and not all of them are winners. This can be devastating for your baby, so check whether manufacturers have recalled your newest nursery gadget. You can check this fairly easily by looking up the item or the company online. Otherwise, you can check the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission’s website.
Practice Crib Safety
Your baby will spend likely spend a lot of time in their crib (or wherever they sleep). If there’s any place you want to apply safe nursery design tips, this is it. Be very cautious when choosing your baby’s bedding. Avoid adding extra things like blankets, pillows, baby bumpers, or stuffed animals until your baby is at least a year old to avoid suffocation risks. Stick to a firm mattress and a well-fitted sheet.
Watch the Walls
From pastel paintings of animals to wooden signs with our baby’s name carved on them, a lot can end up on your nursery walls. And though they’re cute additions, they can be dangerous, especially since San Diego sits near many different fault lines, including the San Andreas Fault. If you’re going to do wall hangings, make sure they don’t hang over your baby’s crib.
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