PINK’s Greening Your Baby, Every Step of the Way!
Okay — so you’re probably thinking, “Great, Pink Newborn Services’s is gonna talk about all that earthy, crunchy, non-toxic stuff now. Who has time to research all that?” Well, if you only knew all the issues our clients have/had, you’d understand that it takes a really long time to investigate why some of our clients weren’t getting pregnant and what could be contributing to their lack of fertility. For most of our hard working families a lot of information comes from having time to read about everything! Research Research Research!! But who has time when they are out trying to make a living in 2012?
One of our recent Pink clients; Rose D. wants us contribute her experience with the rest of our amazing clients in hopes of making a difference in someones life.
Once Rose became pregnant with Marie a little over 9 months ago and she realized, “If I detoxified my environment, wouldn’t I apply all this knowledge to keep my baby as non-toxic as possible as well?” Pink made her aware of the unexpected and Bisphenol A (BPA), mercury and other chemicals were affecting her body and she wondered how it would affect her baby once she was born. So she reacted out to Pink’s Green Proofing Service.
Everyone says a certain amount of toxins in acceptable levels are fine. Well, that example of acceptable usually done with a model that uses a 155 lbs. man as the test subject, not an infant with an immune system three times more vulnerable than that of an adult. Out of the approximately 83,000 chemicals we are exposed to daily, only 220 have been studied to see if they are safe for us humans!
Thus began Rose’s organic baby journey with PINK’s help. She had her precious, pure little baby on the way and had to make sure she didn’t bring her home to a dirty, germy, chemical-ridden world.
Pink’s research showed that the nursery is one of the most toxic rooms in the house. Why? Because EVERYTHING is new! Made with new glues, new paints, varnishes, flame-retardants and pesticides and your baby breathes in all these fumes as they sleep. The toxins are there for years!
Are you thinking, “Ugh, going green is hard and expensive. Now this mean I have to make my nursery drab and ugly?” Not so! The photo I’ve shared, it is taken in Marie’s 95 percent green nursery. Yes, 95 percent! No one is perfect — 95 percent was all with Pink’s help. Every bit counts!
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Here are the four things PINK started with:
1) Paint — That’s where we all start, right? We want your perfect little baby to wake up to a room that makes them feel loved and happy. Well, the problem with paint is that it can off-gas things called volatile organic compounds (VOC’s). These are toxic fumes and are in the air for up to a year. One of these gases is formaldehyde — a known carcinogen! CRAP! That is not what any mom wants their baby to wake up to! So, PINK had to find an alternative ASAP.
To Rose’s surprise, the answer was pretty simple — and inexpensive! Lots of brands now sell low VOC or zero VOC paint — even Benjamin Moore sells some. When PINK’s team painted the room — we used Safecoat— as soon as it dried, BAM! No VOCs! My baby’s air was CLEAN!
2) Crib — The average baby can spend up to 15 hours a day in their crib — if you’re blessed with a sleeper, which I hope you are! The baby’s crib is put together with particle board, which contains glues that off-gas. Then the wood is coated with paint or varnish that off-gases. If it’s shipped from overseas, they spray it with pesticides and then they off gas! Holy crap! Rose thought to herself, “Man, is there no end to this off-gasing thing?! Getting a solid wood crib is gonna be frickin’ expensive!”
Well ladies, to her surprise, the least expensive crib PINK found was the greenest! Who knew? It was made of solid wood, good old-fashioned screws and not painted! Instead, it just had a coat of organic linseed oil.
3) Mattress — A baby spends the longest, most uninterrupted time lying on the mattress … face down, curled up, drooling, looking adorable and so vulnerable. However, while they’re there looking so cute, there are up to 39 toxins being released into the air from an average inner spring mattress. Gasp! Is there no end? Flame-retardants, formaldehyde and so many others with long names that I won’t even bother trying to spell! Let’s just say that they aren’t good for your baby to breathe!
But don’t panic! They now make organic cotton and natural fiber mattresses, among many others that are way better for your baby. Whew!
As for Rose, Pink bought a natural rubber mattress for her. It doesn’t off-gas, it’s anti-microbial and dust mites can’t live in it. It’s pretty comfy too! When Rose put little Marie down, she knew she would be getting a good night’s rest.
4) Air Purifier — Last but so not least, if you can only do one thing I suggest this one! The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates indoor air to be 7-100 times more polluted than outdoor air. Because all of your stuff — TVs, plastic, carpet, wood floors, computers, etc. — emits chemicals into the air that you and your babies breathe. Investing in an air purifier is a must! Unfortunately, it does nothing for bad breath, BO and poop smell.
I know it’s a lot of info. But, as new moms you don’t have a lot of time, and there are 50 million things you’re doing simultaneously. You can’t do everything perfectly. I say, “Start slow and just do the best you can or simply call 1-877-456-PINK!”
There are many, many other things you can do to green your baby’s world. Limit the BPA, lead, phalates, and PVC in your baby’s life. I could go on and on! I know that it’s more than a little scary to know about all the toxic stuff out there. But the good news is that, as moms and as a specialized service, we have a lot of power — the power of where we spend and encourage our clients to spend the most important money ever! If you were only to buy green/organic things for our babies, I guarantee that manufacturers would put less toxins in everything.
Moms literally can change the world — even if it is one toy at a time! So call PINK and get more information on what is making the biggest impact in your childs life. PINK’s Greening Your Baby, Every Step of the Way!
