100% Safe, Pure and Natural Nursery Paint

Last month when I visited The Baby Show for Trade I visited a stand launching their new company – The Nursery Paint Company. I spoke to one of the founders, Helen Thompson who gave me some information on the products they provide along with a delicious cupcake (the cupcake alone didn’t sell me but it certainly was a lovely touch).

I wanted to share with everyone what a fantastic idea this company has launched. Helen came up with the idea when she was pregnant herself. Like many expecting parents, Helen and her husband decided to move house when they discovered Helen was pregnant. Six weeks before the birth Helen found herself standing on a ladder, paint brush in hand, decorating her son’s nursery. Inhaling strong paint fumes for several hours a day she wanted to research the health implications of painting when pregnant.

This was how she discovered volatile organic compounds (VOCs), the petrol based chemicals found in paints. VOC is the name given to a substance that contains carbon and will evaporate to become a ‘gas’ at room temperature. These Vapours can have a harmful affect on your health and your baby’s health not to mention the environment. Practically all paints will contain VOC’s and, more worryingly, even long after the paint has dried, can still emit these toxins.So she decided that she would only use VOC free paints. They were available, but then she thought of the environment and wanted a paint that was safe for that too. But then decided she wanted the paint to prevent germs from breeding in the walls as well. Helen wanted only the purest products that were not only chemical free but also antibacterial and safe for the environment.

This is where she decided to create her own brand of first ever chemical and VOCs free, antibacterial nursery paint made from Soya bean oil and antibacterial agent Colloidal Silver. Nursery Paint has been designed specifically to prevent germs such as E.coli and MRSA from breeding on walls and protects against 99.9% of hidden germs. Alarmingly standard paints used to decorate nurseries contain VOCs. You can read more about them at http://www.epa.gov

I know during my first pregnancy and when the ‘nesting period’ set in I was busy painting. In actual fact I didn’t paint my son’s room as my husband really wanted to that so I went a bit crazy painting elsewhere. I painted the kitchen and the hallway as it needed freshening up and besides it being quite a challenge when heavily pregnant, I didn’t really think too much about the actual paint I was using. I took all the usual precautions you would normally take when painting, like keeping the rooms ventilated and making sure I didn’t fall off anything! My husband still tells anyone that will listen what a half hearted job I did of those rooms as I couldn’t paint the top parts of the walls due to the fear I might fall off the chair. I was also pretty knackered by this point too. Painting always seems such a good idea until you actually start. I am also the type of person that gets bored with one wall and moves onto the next…

My son’s room was painted well in advance of his arrival and obviously posed less risk in the fact that the paint had been dry for months (although I wasn’t aware it can still be deemed toxic). Not everybody is in the position to paint the room months before though, they may have only just moved when the baby arrives or they may be holding off until they know whether they are having a girl or boy. This is where this paint is really useful. If you wish to paint the room it is safe for the baby to sleep in that very same day.

The Nursery Paint Company was founded by Helen Thomson and Lucy Sheard in 2011. It is based in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The paint is manufactured by a small dedicated team at its factory based in Doncaster. The paint is always made in small batches to assure freshness and it uses the highest grade ingredients to produce incredibly high quality paint.

Many of the beautiful colours in The Nursery Paint collection were inspired by many things in Helen and Lucy’s lives.

The paint is available in 20 nursery perfect shades from bright pinks through to soft blues, greens, yellows and beige and sophisticated greys and has been inspired by Helen’s time as a mother. With names such as Grandad’s Shed, Precious Time, Once Upon a Time and Dear Little Thing, Helen hope’s to capture the essence of the early years just as a mother will see them. You can see the shades on their website here.

If you are pregnant and like to turn your hand to painting then this paint enables you to do so, giving you piece of mind that you are not inhaling harmful fumes for you and your baby. It is such wonderful time preparing for your new arrival and preparing their room can be a great bonding experience. Those last few weeks before the baby arrives can certainly drag and being able to paint your baby’s room only makes it more exciting and real as well as passing the time.

We live in two bedroom flat and for the foreseeable we will remain here with a toddler and baby. As we already have a boy and are expecting another boy, we don’t need to worry about the room being neutral to suit a boy and girl. We do however need to change the room to make it a bit different. We currently have blue and yellow walls and I would really love a different colour scheme and some lovely artwork on the walls. So with the fantastic products that The Nursery Paint has to offer we shall be giving the boys room a new lease of life and a breath of fresh air!

If you are an expectant Mum, new Mum or know of anybody who is thinking of painting their child’s nursery, then please do have a look at their range…