Michelle Bexelius: July 2007 Archives
Michelle Bexelius, co-founder of GreenThisLife.com
Having a baby can be exciting and overwhelming at the same time. There is so much to learn about bringing a newborn into the world, not to mention such questions as what crib to buy, what mattress, what bottles, clothes, toys, etc. We all want to make their environment safe, welcoming and healthy.
Today I went to a home where a woman was preparing for her son’s arrival and had some questions about setting up his nursery. She had lots of questions and was concerned with creating a healthy yet stylish environment for her little guy. Babies spend 60% of their lives sleeping their first year, so it’s important to make sure their space is set up so they have a chance to grow up without toxins. Here are a few practical yet important things I told her about that can ensure the safety of baby’s space. It’s a place to start.
- To start, there are several mattresses on the market that are non-toxic, don’t contain harmful fire retardants, are breathable, and resist dust mites, mold and mildew, so her baby can have a truly healthy night’s rest.
- Once you have the right mattress, you need a crib that is made from solid wood with a non-toxic finish. Furniture finishes are often laden with toxic glues and stains, not to mention lead in some of the older models. Babies often teeth on the railings of the cribs when they are older, and the glues off-gas while they are sleeping.
- The next important thing: Make sure that almost everything that touches his skin is free from dyes and chemicals. This includes sleepwear and clothing, sheets and blankets. There are many types of sleepwear that contain fire retardants. Fire retardants are known carcinogens that are harmful to your baby’s health.
- To truly make your baby’s space as healthy as it can be, I suggest getting an air filter. Believe it or not, the air we breathe in our homes is often far more polluted than it is outside in a congested city. Bacteria, mold, dust mites and pollen are prevalent in most homes and a good quality air filter can remove them, so your immune system can function properly.
Michelle Bexelius, co-founder of GreenThisLife.com
Most older homes that are remodeled still have old, faulty wiring and need a professional electrician to re-wire them. Often times when we think of faulty wiring, we think the real danger is fires, but that's not so in every case.
I spoke to a mom at my son’s preschool and she told me this story:
In 1995 my son, Tyler, had an outlet next to his bed that had a power reading of 10.0. 'Normal,' or safe, readings should be 0.1-0.3. My husband and I did not even know what electrical magnetics were.
The same year our five year-old son became very ill. Doctors did not know what it was. Later, through many medical tests, it was discovered he had a tumor behind his neck, which was making him paralyzed from the neck down. Tyler also had a high temperature which would not go away (105 degrees). He was hospitalized for two weeks and he almost died. He was sick at home for three months with a visiting nurse giving him antibiotics through a catheter in his chest. Finally he pulled through and was well.
Later, through a friend, we found out about electrical magnetics in old wiring in homes and what it can do to the nervous system, especially in children. We had our house tested. Our outlets all measured very high. We had the whole house re-wired and now the house is safe. We talked to many doctors and came to the conclusion that too much electrical magnetics had gotten into our son’s body, which was the cause of his illness. Thanks, Patti.
Not only can electromagnetic fields be a health hazard, but eliminating them can help your home be more energy efficient. For more information such as how to test for EMFs (electro-magnetic fields), visit www.greenthislife.com.
