To take care of baby, we often think about his food, the quality of his sleep, but little about his environment. Here are a few tips to arrange baby’s room while protecting him from various types of pollution. These recommendations are grouped together in a guide entitled Welcome baby published by the Agency for the Environment and Energy Management (Ademe)

Limiting indoor pollution in the baby’s room

First of all, to limit indoor pollution, it is important not to use candles, incense or scented household products in baby’s room and especially to air the room every day, even when it is cold. Airing the baby’s room for 10 minutes is enough to renew the air.
It is advisable to prepare the layout of the room and its decoration before the birth of baby so that the paints and solvents contained in the furniture have time to evaporate. Ideally, the room should be finished by the sixth month of pregnancy and aired every day before the baby arrives, so that the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have time to evaporate. Select paints and furniture with an A+ label for pollutants

Organic products for baby’s toilet, clothing and sleep

Concerning baby’s toilet, it is recommended to use the strict minimum in terms of hygiene products, mainly water, or products labeled organic. Limit lotions and milks that are often irritating for sensitive skin.
For baby’s clothing, it is advisable to favor natural materials, Organic Cotton, linen or wool, which are healthier and much less allergenic than synthetic materials. It is important to check that the textiles are not chemically treated because "the skin of babies is more fragile but also more permeable to chemical substances".
This is also valid for the mattress and bed linen, with which baby will be in contact more than 12 hours a day during the first months: mattresses, fitted sheets, sleeping bags anddiapers must be made of natural materials and guaranteed without any chemical treatments.
For toys and comforters, it is advisable to choose a range of Organic Cotton, washable and when the child grows up to prefer wooden toys. Plastic toys, especially scented toys, should be avoided because they emit harmful volatile organic compounds

Clean baby’s room with organic cleaning products

For laundry and house cleaning, using natural and organic products ensures a healthier environment. It seems that children living in homes where bleach is used a lot are more likely to develop respiratory infections

Make your own natural cleaning solution by mixing 1 liter of water, 1 tablespoon of white vinegar, 2 tablespoons of baking soda, add 4 drops of Tea Tree essential oil, 3 drops of lemon essential oil and 3 drops of rosemary essential oil.