Healthy Material for Baby Room Rocking Chairs

Fabric

• Organic material is a healthy choice when designing your baby's bedroom. While many parents think cotton is generally a good choice for a healthy baby room, according to Expectant Mother's Guide cotton crops account for $2.6 billion in pesticides used annually. Organic cotton, however, is farmed without pesticides or herbicides. It is harvested using methods such as hand hoeing. Rather than use chemical treatments, beneficial insects kill off pests. The cotton ends up being free of toxins. Organic cotton is sturdy enough to be used on rocking chair cushions. It lasts ten washes longer than traditional fabrics because the fibers have not been put through conventional production methods, which tend to abuse them.

Wood

• MDF or Medium Density Fiberboard makes furniture including rocking chairs easier to afford but it also contains carcinogenic chemicals such as UF or urea-formaldehyde which it releases into the air. UF can cause children to feel nauseous or develop irritated eyes, throats or skin. Natural wood is a healthier choice in your nursery. You can go one step further and find eco-friendly wood furniture that is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). The FSC monitors forests and promotes the use of fewer toxic pesticides.

Padding

• Baby room rocking chairs often come with thick cushions, which are ideal for parents who are trying to console their little ones. The foam padding is usually treated with flame retardants to cut back on the risk of the padding catching on fire. However, the chemicals can impact the air quality in your baby's room. Choose a chair that is not treated with polyurethane foams including Dacron. "Permanent treatment-free" materials are available.

Paint

• If painting a rocking chair, use natural paint with no or low-VOC pigments. Darker colored paint uses more VOCs than lighter-colored paint because there is more pigment. Paints are available that are free of biocides (formaldehyde) and fungicides. Latex paints start out free of biocides, but manufacturers add some as preservatives to make the paint last longer on the shelf. While the label may not say the chemicals the paint contains, the healthier options are labeled fungicide- or biocide-free. The healthiest option may be milk-based paint, which is made from a milk protein. It's the least toxic and contains no oils, VOCs, formaldehyde, lead or biocides.