Crib & Mattress Safety | Northern VA Newborn Photographer

As a specialist in newborn photos, Ever After spends a lot of time talking about babies with our clients. As moms, it’s a topic near and dear to our hearts because we’ve raised our children not too far from our studios near Broad Run Farms, VA.

One thing is certain, things have changed since Joriana was a baby and since we became newborn photographers! Today everyone is more aware of what is and isn’t healthy, and this includes cribs. Babies spend half or slightly more than half of their day sleeping or napping in their cribs, so safety should be paramount!

Are Cribs & Mattresses Toxic?

In 2014, the University of Texas released findings from a first-of-its-kind study which found that “infants are exposed to high levels of chemical emissions from crib mattresses while they sleep.” Their findings were published in the February 2014 issue of Environmental Science and Technology.

The researchers found:

• New crib mattresses release about four times as many VOCs as old crib mattresses.
• Body heat increases emissions.
• Chemical emissions are strongest in the sleeping infant’s immediate breathing zone.

It’s important to note that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says that there isn’t much information about the long-term health effects from the levels of VOCs found in homes. In the case of this U.T. study, the researchers found the VOCs being emitted were far higher in the infants’ immediate breathing vicinity (in the crib) than elsewhere in the room. Mattresses were seen as the biggest emitters of VOCs.

Several scientists quoted in the U.T. article weren’t particularly alarmed by the study’s results but admitted that further research on infants’ “complex sleep microenvironment” could lead to better understanding of harmful toxins.

Based on the study’s results, the researchers offered the following suggestions for parents:

• Reusing an older crib or an extended airing-out period may help reduce infant VOC exposures.
• Older crib mattresses might contain toxic substances, such as flame retardants, that have been banned.

So what should you do?

As a parent, it’s important to do your research before you stock your home or nursery with furniture and other materials. Most scientists seem to agree that there simply isn’t sufficient consistent data on mattresses and VOCs. However, that’s not to say you can’t be selective and careful!

There are literally hundreds of websites related to VOCs and their potential risks or even harm. An educated consumer and parent will always be a better consumer and parent. Here are a few links to get you started:

• Check the Environmental Protection Agency’s website for more information on your home and VOCs.
• Nursery safety tips.
• Interior paints and VOCs
• Mattresses and VOCs

Ever After is a leading studio for newborn photos in the Broad Run Farms, VA and surrounding area. If you’d like to discuss newborn or children’s photography, please contact our office. We’d love to discuss our services and work with you.

Baby Photography, Baby Photographer, Newborn Photos

Ever After Baby Portraits is Mindy and Joriana, a mother-daughter newborn and baby photography team located in Northern Virginia, near Broad Run Farms, VA. We specialize in timeless and emotive fine art family portraits, including newborn and baby portraits. Family means everything and capturing those precious moments to preserve forever will mean family heirlooms for you to share for years to come.

Best,
Mindy & Joriana – Contact Us!

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