When Toby Belch advises Aguecheek to place as many lies on a sheet of paper as would fit on a sheet on the great Bed of Ware….the mattress on said bed, was organic.  400 years ago when that cheeky challenge was first penned by Shakespeare, who clearly knew of this immense bed -  randy bard that he was – (incidentally, also referenced in Don Juan), mattresses were filled with straw, wool and feathers. (Personal Note: My best friend and I were nearly chucked out of the Victoria & Albert Museum for touching this bed for good luck. I’m almost 8 months pregnant, so there you are….)

Though I itch just thinking of how many mites lived with one in a straw bed, today’s organic mattresses are again using naturally fire retardant, breathable, waterproof (via the lanolin), antibacterial property sporting wool, often topped with unbleached, soft as angel wings down.

What you will not find in these beds, nor in the great Bed of Ware, are carcinogenic chemicals such as Pentabde, a member of the polybrominated diphenyl ether family of flame retardants, that was used in mattresses prior to 2004, when it was phased out. Nor will you find equally toxic pesticides, benzene, naphthalene or formaldehyde.  (Again, when you don’t know what it is – run.)

Well, a clever girl like you may ask, if that penta-stuff was phased out in 2004, what chemicals are used in its stead?  Well, Virginia: great question. But the answer is: I can’t tell you which. Why? And I quote:

“Major manufacturers such as Simmons, Sealy, and Tempur-Pedic won’t divulge their flame-retardant formulas, which are considered trade secrets. A Simmons press release touts a “proprietary blend of char-forming, intumescing, flame-resistant components.” Tempur-Pedic vaguely states that its products “consistently meet all safety standards.” Source.

Right.

So now that you are pregnant, or a new mum, and have bought junior his organic crib, bassinet and toddler bed mattresses, it doesn’t make much sense to then allow him on your stuffed pile of toxins and dust mites, does it?

Exactly.

You need an organic mattress. A third of your life (more, if you are Cuban), is spent in bed. Your mouth and nose (conduit to your lungs), are smooshed against the thing.  And your entire body – and absorbent skin – are up against it for hours and hours. You really, truly and verily need an organic mattress.

I know.  Things haven’t been this bad since your grandmother used eye kohl to feign stockings (my grandmother drew fishnets).  You really are considering planting a Victory garden. And you wonder how bad bathtub gin could possibly be….

But I promise you that organic mattresses are NOT as expensive as you think – and they are an investment in your HEALTH!  More importantly, the health of your child.

If you are one of the lucky few who went from MIT to being a baby faced billionaire, then consider the Hasten bed. It costs as much as the Bed of Ware, but is meant to be fabulous. (Test sleep at The Peninsula hotel in Chicago.)

If you do not have a Bugatti, then you may want to compare organic mattress prices and features at the Pristine Planet. Prices range from $700 to $2000+.  At the very least, consider an organic topper. A Queen sized organic topper will average $350, whereas an organic pad can be less than $300.  Not cheap – but for the price of an evening (pre-baby), at SoHo House, you could be healthier.

Basically, getting an organic mattress is one of the top 5 healthiest things that you can do for your nest.

To sleep, perchance to dream….

 …which could not possibly have been as cute as this one. This sweet creature is actually a chair which I am considering for the playroom. I think he would make a perfect shower gift – unless, of course, you have a cat. A cat would shear this thing in one weekend.

The lamb is $299.95 + shipping.

Though my husband and I love “Top Gear” (Jeremy Clarkson and my hubby share a birthday, though a different year), I hate cars.  Well, not hate exactly, I love the look of some of the classic ones, but I do loathe that most little boy things are covered in cars. Or sports (which I detest even more than cars. Superfluous movement confuses me.)

But.

Not everyone does – and if you like cars, and less-toxic carpeting – this car/roadway rug may be for your nursery. The Green Depot also has more neutral carpeting for nurseries that is devoid of the uber toxic chemicals, dyes and adhesives that traditional carpets and rugs are laden with.

Seriously, rugs and carpets are the most massive no-no in a nursery. They are poison, and may be the most toxic thing in your house. If you can, get rid of all the carpeting in your casa – even if you live in Boca Raton.

I won’t warn you about how dangerous carpet cleaning chemicals are, as I know that you already know. And, as you love your family, you would never, ever use Scotch Guard or any other kind of non-organic stain remover, which is why I won’t mention it.

Well, maybe I’ll just mention this tiny snippit, so that you can quote it to eye rolling friends:

“Carpet cleaners: Toxic fumes, principally naphthalene (a carcinogen), are especially dangerous to children who play on carpets after they’re cleaned. The majority of poison exposures from carpet and upholstery cleaners were for children under six. Fumes can also cause kidney and liver damage.”  Source

Though, as you won’t allow people to wear filthy shoes in your house (especially the nursery!), and you have that fabulous HALO vacuum cleaner, you won’t really have much dirt to worry about on your new wool car/roadway rug!

Clever thing.