Prenatal Assessment of Environmental Risk (PAER)- In the Baby's Room

In the Baby's Room

Help reduce your contact with chemicals during pregnancy.

If you're painting or remodeling the baby's room, take steps to be safe.

• Ask a trusted adult who's not pregnant to handle the painting and remodeling if possible. Stay away from areas where they're working.
• Choose paint that's labeled "low -VOC," "zero -VOC," or "water-based."
• Improve ventilation (air flow) by opening windows or turning on fans.
• If your home was built before 1978, consider hiring a certified professional to check for lead-based paint. They can recommend safe ways to remove lead -based paint if needed.
• Another option is to assume your home has lead-based paint and take steps to safely maintain it. For example, avoid scraping or sanding lead-based paint.

If you're shopping for new furniture, choose furniture that can release fewer VOCs (volatile organic compounds). This can include:

• Solid wood furniture
• Furniture made without urea-formaldehyde (UF) glues
• Pressed wood products that meet ultra-low emitting formaldehyde (ULEF) or no added formaldehyde (NAF) requirements
• Furniture labeled "no VOC" or "low VOC"

Learn more ways to help reduce your contact with chemicals while you're pregnant.