We sleep on our beds every night; do you ever wonder what your mattress is made of? do you ever get the creeping thoughts of what kind of bugs may be breeding underneath the beautiful surface of your bed especially if you are still using beds passed down from generations or even a mattress your friend wants to throw away but it happened that you need it so you got it. Do you ever wonder why you itch and scratch at night while sleeping even though you take baths before bedtime? How do you do everything right before bedtime and still wake up feeling tired-aging faster. Have you ever wondered why a healthy fed baby wakes up many times at night or why your baby has breathing difficulties? If you have never wondered about any of these things well it's time for some thoughts-read on.
The bed is our primary place for a restorative rest especially for your baby. Reading your baby bed time story for a good night sleep is just as important as providing yourself and your baby with quality organic baby furniture. Yes bed time story may not be the sort of thing for your baby but a toxin free bed is an important thing for all babies. There are different kinds of beds each its use but only a few are free of toxic chemicals.
Mattresses made from chemicals: such as memory foam mattresses and synthetic latex mattresses, can cause allergic reactions in many people. It can overheat and can cause moisture build up making it a breeding place for bacteria, bugs that feed on dead skin, mildew. Most synthetic mattress are made of petroleum based materials with other flame retardant chemicals used during mattress production such like formaldehyde, polyurethane, polyester, PBDEs (polyborminateddiphenyl ethers), antimony trioxide, boric acid, melamine and decabromodiphenyl oxide. Formaldehyde are used in furniture and bed production as a flame retardant to keep your mattress from catching on fire in case of a fire out break, same thing you will find in toxic nail polish. It gives off (expels) toxic gases on its own and it is worst when used in concentrated amounts. That smell of a nail polish is similar to the smell of synthetic mattress just in a diluted amount- not to scare you but it's true. Formaldehyde can cause headaches, insomnia, fatigue, excessive thirst, respiratory problems, immune system problems etc. Boric acid was found in some mattress and it is toxic. These chemicals are used to in order meet FDA fire retardant and pest control requirement for mattresses. It makes sense to have a fire retardant bed in case of a fire outbreak while your baby is sleeping- it won't burn as fast therefore giving you time to react accordingly. A baby will take 44 breaths per minute when sleeping and a baby's immune and nervous system is still developing now imagine what their health risk will be from sleeping on a bed treated with formaldehyde for so many night.
You may say that's alright, I will just buy some organic sheet to cover the mattress which is partially OK depending on what type of bed sheet/covers you buy and how many layers of sheets you use to cover your bed, on the other hand the formaldehyde is part of the mattress and bed frame like glue on paper meaning it is still in your environment- it takes many years before the smell is off unless you buy a used synthetic bed that has expelled most of the fumes.
Also, most cotton sheets unless flannel or organic are treated with formaldehyde so as to reduce wrinkling. These formaldehyde treatments are designed to stay long in the sheet and resist coming out even with rigorous washings meaning you breathe in the formaldehyde every time you lay on it. Also it can suffocate your skin from breathing, it can cause Respiratory problems, Cough, Shortness of breath, Asthma/wheezing, Bronchitis, Chest Tightness, Infant pulmonary hemorrhagae/, hemosiderosis, Ear, Nose & Throat, Sneezing, Sinus congestion/sinusitis, Sore throat, Eye, Irritation, Itchy watery eyes, Skin, Rash, Flushing.
Note: Mattress manufacturers are not required to reveal the oil based chemical construction of the materials they use.
Organic Natural Latex Mattress: Every natural latex mattress is made with the sap of organically grown rubber trees, it has a high resistance to allergens-hypoallergenic, and it is elastic, soft, biodegradable. Natural latex mattress will last longer and be more resistant to various pests, mildew, and mold although it is more expensive, it will save you money in the long run and plus you can recycle it after use. Latex mattresses have holes drilled into it for bouncy and springy effect. The size of the holes determines the softness and firmness of the mattress. It comes in the strengths of soft, medium, firm, or extra firm. The holes drilled into these mattresses helps reduce the amount of friction within the latex foam which increases its longevity, often up to 30-40 years. Organic natural latex mattress and the natural latex mattress topper are recommended for those suffering allergies or asthma.
Down side: Some "Natural" latex can contain vulcanization chemicals, including sulfur and ammonia, which can be harmful. Most natural rubber is only 97% pure, and the other 3% are solvents used in the manufacturing process. An example is the Dunlop manufacturing process where by sodium silico fluoride is added. Some mattresses made with 99% rubber, 98% rubber, 97% rubber and 93% rubber are called 100% natural rubber latex although 100% natural rubber latex is not 100% pure”. Some companies call their mattress natural even when 90% of the materials used in the manufacturing process are synthetic.
The top of the line mattresses are made using either Dunlop or Talalay methods.
The Talalay process produces the finest latex material in the market although it is expensive. It produces a mattress that has a more consistent cell composition which allows extra air into the foam. The amount of air in the foam will increase its comfort and longevity.
The Dunlop method is very similar to the Talalay method, but skips some of the procedures to reduce the cost of production. It is the most common method used in making natural latex mattresses. It produces a high quality mattress for a cheaper price. They are durable and long lasting.
Amish Furniture
Amish furniture is handcraft, they are beautiful, made with quality wood without toxic chemicals and they last a very long time. They do not use toxic paints and lacquers. You won't find plywood or particle board or veneers in their furniture. The Amish only use quality solid wood and the Amish typically use wood from trees that were grown in protected forests. An example is the Moxy ash and walnut modern baby crib. It is made from solid oak that is toxin free. When your baby grows and becomes a toddler the crib can easily be converted into a toddler bed and is designed to give you the option of converting it into one or two twin beds. They also make cribs that are nicely upholstered with organic wool as well as hemp; it comes with storage a box that fits underneath the crib for storage purposes. It creates a healthy environment for your baby.
Wool mattresses:
- Wool is a natural flame retardant, in case of a fire outbreak.
- The body temperature and moisture is regulated by organic wool mattresses to keep your bedding dry and have proven to reduce tossing and turning by 75%. It keeps you warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
- According to the Australian medical journal sleeping on natural wool helps reduce stress and increases metabolic rate.
- It supports your back properly, without creating pressure points-Chiropractors recommend organic mattresses as the natural latex rubber supports proper spine alignment and fits to your body shape.
- Wool provides a springy and resilient cushioning surface while cotton is hard.
- It natures your body and helps you sleep better.
- It last longer because it is not made of polyesters or foams that flatten out or break down.
- Longevity of organic latex is worth the price.
- It is hypoallergenic because of its resistance to bed bug, dust mites and mild dew. Wool mattress can help with asthma and allergies. Wool can be a positive influence in your sleeping environment and as such can help you improve emotionally.
- Helps people with high blood pressure by reducing their heart rate.
- Sleeping on a wool mattress helps relieve muscle spasms, bed sores, arthritic symptoms, muscle and joint aches and pains and insomnia.
- It is totally non-toxic, free of metal coils that cause electro-magnetic field effects. An example is Shepherd's dream mattress brand.
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| Don't let your baby do this! |
3 comments :
Thank you, i appreciate it. I am dedicated to Nontoxic Lifestyle- Stay with us, there's more to it.
I have been researching non toxic mattresses for weeks. I was about to have Naturepedic make me a king size bed which is in my pricerange but when I went to a green mattress store over the weekend they told me that Naturepedic is non-toxic on the outside (such as their non toxic flame retardant, etc) but they cut the mattress open and there are all kinds of undesirable things on the inside of the mattress. I just want a nice non toxic affordable king size mattress my husband, baby and I can sleep in. Do you have any recommendations? Thanks!
Try the Amish wool mattress, the Amish are very consistent with creating Eco
-friendly nontoxic furniture. click the Amazon link for Amish products.
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