Preparing for a new baby? I’ve been there… four times now. And each time, I’ve nested a little more than the last because I know how important it is for babies to be brought into a world, or at least into a home, free of harsh chemicals, pollutants, and toxins.

The reality is that the exact moment your newborn baby arrives in this world, they’re exposed to countless smells, sensations, and sights.

While a majority of them are fresh and exciting, others can be unhealthy. And I don’t know about you, but I don’t want my home to be an unknowing hazmat zone!

Show of hands: what mom or soon-to-be mom has time for hours of research and investigating to ensure their little ones are safe from potential toxins around the house? The answer is, not many of us.  And to be honest, I get kinda riled up about the fact that the onus is on me, the mom, to ensure the products I bring into my home are safe for my kids. Shouldn’t that be on the product manufacturers….? (Sorry, I digress.)

So when it comes to protecting your newborn from potential toxins, I’ve done the research for you, my friend. I’ve already touched on this topic with my tips for decluttering and greening your child’s playroom. Click HERE to check that post out, it’s a quick read.

Here are five easy ways to detox your home before your little bundle of joy makes his appearance. Not sure you can make it all happen before d-day? Just dowhat you can, when you can. And don’t sweat the rest. You can always work towards any additional detoxing you’d like to do as you’re able.

HOW TO DETOX YOUR HOME BEFORE BABY ARRIVES

Nothing, and I mean nothing, smells better than a new baby. New car? Nope. Fresh flowers? Not even close. You know what I mean?

So let’s cherish that new baby smell for as long as we can and ditch the artificial fragrances. Companies often add coal and petroleum based synthetic chemicals to create all those artificial fragrances. GROSS.

When shopping, bypass the products that contain phthalates and other chemicals.

Try to go with organic baby body wash and shampoo, as most of those brands aren’t using artificial fragrances and other chemical additives.

Try these:

• Puracy Natural Baby Shampoo
• Babo Botanicals Moisturizing Baby 2-in-1 Shampoo & Body Wash
• Burt’s Bees Baby Bee Shampoo & Wash
• Babyganics Baby Shampoo & Wash

Making the switch to organic shampoo and body wash for your child is awesome.  And now that you’ve done that, let’s take it just one step further and go for natural cleaning products.

Every time you wipe down the changing table, bathroom, or kitchen counter with a product that contains harmful chemicals, you leave a little bit of toxic residue behind. *Insert puking emoji here*

Mama, a much safer option for you and your family is to simply switch to natural cleaning methods and non-toxic cleansers. They'll get the job doneand keep your baby safe.

Natural cleaning products you can get your hands on for cheap are:

• Common Good
• Method Home
• Seventh Generation
• JR Watkins
• Mrs. Meyers Clean Day

PEST CONTROL

This is an obvious one; but it can be easy to forget it you’ve been living in your home for awhile without the presence of little ones. Get rid of any pesticide, fungicide, or other toxic forms of pest control in your home.Especiallyones that are tucked into corners on the floor or anywhere else within a little crawler or climber’s reach. Think about ant traps and mouse poison for starters.

You can spray a simple mixture of water, dish soap and alcohol in the bug-prone spots in your home to deter insects. And rather than rodent poison, use mechanical mouse traps with a dab of peanut butter, just be sure they are absolutely positively nowhere within reach of a child.

Easy peasy and pesticide free.

Get some houseplants!  Plants are fabulous natural air purifiers, and having just a few of them in your home will help to clean the indoor air naturally.

Look into ones that are great for purifyingandeasy to care for, like the snake plant, spider plant (ok but why does it seem like all the good plants named after creepy crawlies?!!), chrysanthemum, broad lady plum, and aloe vera.

You know me by now...I will always shout from the rooftops all the reasons to choose glass, wood, and other reusable products over plastic.

Plastic is riddled withbisphenol A (BPA) that leeches harmful chemicals. Avoid the risk and switch to glass baby bottles and glass, silicone, or stainless steel tupperware and snack containers.

And plastic toys? So hard to avoid, I know. But wooden toys are amuch safer option for your child and they make great heirloom pieces to be passed down to others.

As tree-hugging wooden toymakers, we might be a little biased :) but this is why wooden toys are SO much better than plastic ones.

And if you’re already a believer that wood toys make better choices than plastic ones, then chances are the grandparents and other gift givers in your baby’s life might need a little more convincing, right? We’ve got you covered. Read all about how to politely request plastic-free toys here.

CONSULT RELIABLE, STRAIGHTFORWARD RESOURCES

Lastly, this isn't an overwhelming task you have to do all on your own - I promise! There's already a million things on your mind and plate and sometimes you just need someone else to have done the heavy lifting (aka the research); enter Modern Nursery. 

They are an online source for all things baby and nursery products. They "hand-pick the best in the industry so parents can rest assured that baby products purchased from us are both high-quality and kid-centered. We have a variety of eco-friendly, non-toxic and organic items for parents who want to start their little one on the right foot without harmful chemicals or toxins." 

And they have an incredible catalog of products sorted by 20+ various certifications that will help you filter through and pick the best for your new baby and nursery.

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And that’s it, mama! Five simple changes you can make TODAY to detox your home before your baby arrives.

Do you do any of these things already? DM me on Instagram @smilingtreetoys and let me know.

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