3 Things to Look For When Buying A Nontoxic Baby Bassinet

by editorial team

During the first three months of life, babies' bodies and brains are developing and growing like crazy. They look so frail with their little hands and feet uncontrollably waving around. Their motor skills, hearing, vision, and communication are developing during this time.

As parents, we want to do whatever we can to promote the healthy and full development of our children, which is why it’s so important to avoid chemicals that disrupt that development.

Does a toxic bassinet affect your child’s health?

All too often furniture—like baby bassinets and mattresses—are made of synthetic materials, glues, and finishes that are toxic to children’s health. And children are more affected by chemicals and poor indoor air quality than are adults.

One of the measurements of indoor air quality is the amount of chemicals that are off-gassing into the air. To avoid off-gassing chemicals from products like baby bassinets, it’s best to choose a bassinet made of nontoxic materials.

Benefits of using a nontoxic bassinet

Using a nontoxic bassinet helps reduce the toxic chemicals that children can be exposed to at such a young and vulnerable age. These chemicals may contribute to adverse health effects, including asthma,  and damage to the child’s development system.

Nontoxic options when choosing a bassinet

The three most important things to look for when choosing a nontoxic baby bassinet are the materials used to make the frame, finish, and mattress.

1. Solid hardwood frame or surrounding: look for solid hardwood frame to avoid larger amounts of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) found in composite woods or solid softwoods.
2. Nontoxic glues and finishes: choose bassinets made with low chemical glues and finishes. Opt for zero-VOC finishes such as paint, stain and wood sealers.
3. Organic natural materials: any material found in bassinet mattresses or on the sheets should be made from organic, natural materials such as organic cotton, and free of vinyl or plastic.

Conclusion

The first few months of life are so important, with our frail newborns developing key functions and systems that will serve them for a lifetime. Chemicals found in our sleeping furniture, such as baby bassinets, may be causing illness,, such as cancer and causing damage to our children’s development systems. That’s why it’s important that we provide them with a nontoxic baby bassinet. When choosing a model, consider finding a solid hardwood surrounding that is adhered with nontoxic glues, and has only nontoxic and zero-VOC finishes. Opt for bassinet mattresses made of organic materials such as cotton and are free of vinyl or plastics.