Women who are not committed to non-toxic living, even though they know at least a little about the dangers of some of the chemicals in their lives, often find themselves more serious about the subject when they become pregnant. Having a few toxins in your own system is one thing; foisting them off on your innocent and somewhat defenseless little one is another story. So, now that you’re taking a more serious look at all of this, what do you do?
Before we get into the ten simple ways you can create a non-toxic home, I would like to impress upon you that the first step is to create a non-toxic nursery. That’s where your baby will be spending most of their time for the next year or two. Start with a non-toxic crib mattress, one that doesn’t emit harmful chemical fumes into the air your baby will breathe for 12 to 18 hours a day, and go from there. Use our blog, Creating a Non-Toxic Nursery, as a helpful, item by item guide.
Now, let’s move onto the rest of the house.
In truth, creating a toxic-free home can be a daunting and expensive task if you include buying new furniture and other big-ticket items. But there are many things you can do to greatly reduce the chemical burden of your home without having to take things that far. Not perfection, but so very close.
How do you find out about these relatively simple changes? Rather than telling you all about it here, I will refer you to one of the best sources of information available – Debra Lynn Dadd’s free e-book, Ten Toxics You Can Toss Today. A wonderful little book, easy and fast to read and understand.
Some of the things on the ‘ten toxics’ list are pretty simple – Brush Your Teeth Without Fluoride, Wash Windows Without Ammonia – those aren’t too difficult to figure out. But other items are things you might not have a clue how to address, or even know there is a need to address them. Like Stay Cozy Without Carbon Monoxide. Huh?
For all ten items, Debra provides useful information about what the problems are with those toxics and how to find healthy alternatives. If you have any questions about specific items in your home, Debra is a goldmine of information. You can check her toxics and health website, read her book Home Safe Home, or even get an in-person or phone consultation.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the air in our homes is two to five times more toxic than the air outside. Other experts say it’s much worse. Even though your baby is going to spend a lot of time in their room for the first little while, the toxic fumes from other parts of the home inevitably also end up in the nursery. There’s no way to stop it.
Make the commitment to a non-toxic home now. Don’t risk your child’s health and happiness by exposing them to the dangers of toxic chemicals.
