No matter how dearly you love your baby, I can bet that you are NOT going to love cleaning poop and changing diapers ten times a day.
Having a designated diaper changing station loaded with all the necessities can make your job a bit easier.
Here is the list of best non toxic baby changing tables made of solid wood for you to consider.
Do You Need A Changing Table?
Let me be honest with you and tell you right off the bat that not everyone needs a changing table.
There are alternate products that you can use to get the job done.
Some parents use the water proof changing pad (that comes with the diaper bag), put it over a play mat or crib while changing diapers.
I have seen parents buy play yards with an attached bassinet and use it as a changing station.
However, some parents prefer the convenience of having a changing table set up in the nursery loaded with all the diapering essentials.
Whether you need a changing table or not strictly comes down to your budget and personal preference.
Why Choose a Non Toxic Changing Table:
Just like other baby furniture, not every changing table is created with safe raw materials.
Here are some of the toxins that can be found in a changing table and its ill-effects they might have on your baby’s well being.
Formaldehyde:
Changing tables that are made out of composite wood contains adhesives that contain formaldehyde.
Composite wood is a mixture of wood, plastic and other materials that are glued together (source).
Exposure to formaldehyde can have adverse health effects to our babies developing body systems.
Formaldehyde is known to cause skin irritation and even cancer (Source)
Lead:
Any amount of lead is extremely dangerous to children.
While lead in banned in paints in US and Canada, changing tables made in China may not have the same safety standards.
Volatile Organic Compounds :
VOC’s are found in the solvents like paints and wood finishes.
Oil based wood finishes tend to release more VOC’s than water based finishes.
Volatile Organic Compounds have adverse short term as well as long term health issues like skin irritation, allergic reactions, damage to liver, kidney and nervous system (Source)
How to Choose The Best Changing Table:
Consider the following points while choosing the right changing table for your nursery:
Height and Other Dimensions:
Choose a changing table that will fit in your nursery space.
If you have a small nursery room, then look for a multi functional changing table that is also a dresser for additional storage space.
The height of the change table also matters.
Depending how tall you are (or the one who will do most of the diaper changes), look for a change table that is at an appropriate height for you to lean in.
Made of Solid Wood:
Choosing a wooden changing table is your best bet to avoid harmful chemicals like formaldehyde that is otherwise found in composite wood or furniture made of MDF.
When looking for a wooden changing table it is important to see if the manufacturer uses low Voc paint and finish as well.
Green Guard Certification:
Whenever possible look for products that are Green Guard Certified when it comes to nursery furniture.
Products with this seal go through vigorous testing to ensure that they suitable for people with sensitivities (i.e, for children and elderly) (Source).
Manufacturers that obtain the Greenguard Gold certification meet the strictest standards for indoor air quality and chemical composition.
Their furniture is tested for over 10,000 chemicals and more than 360 VOCs.
Certified products must undergo periodic re-testing and verification to remain certified.
Best Non Toxic Changing Table:
I had a hard time finding a changing table that is 100% non toxic.
Most of the ready made solid wood table sets come with a changing pad that either contains polyester or foam in their padding.
Personally, I never needed a changing table with my kids.
I had an organised diaper caddy on the nursery dresser and diaper changes happened on the crib or on the floor (over a play mat).
Stokke Care Changing Station:
Stokke Care Changing station will be a perfect addition to any nursery. It is a beautiful piece of furniture.
It is made of sturdy beech wood, Stokke care is durable and functional with ample storage spaces to contain all your diapering essentials.
Stokke Care comes with a changing pad, two baskets and containers that attaches to the sides of the table.
The table itself is hour glass shaped that gives enough room for your baby to move his arms and legs without turning over.
The table can be adjusted as per the height of the caregiver, so you can tackle endless diaper changes without hurting your back.
One of the best thing about this changing table is that it grows with your baby. You can use this as a extra storage space, a book shelf or a study table.
Before you set your mind on this table, I recommend measuring your nursery room because this changing table is pretty big (29.9 x 24.7 x 41.8 inches).
The other two (some what) non toxic changing tables I could find where the DaVinci Jenny Lind and Babyletto Changing tables.
Both are made with sustainable New Zealand pine wood finished with non toxic finish, lead and pthalate free.
However both these brands contain Carb II MDF which I am not a big fan of.
If you are on a tight budget, and if you don’t mind a table with MDF, then these two are a good option for you.
If you are unhappy with any of the options listed above, my recommendation would be consider buying a solid wood changing tray, mount in on top of the dresser and convert it to changing station.
Oeuf Changing Tray with Pad:
Oeuf Nyc makes modern and non toxic children wear, nursery d?cor and furniture.
They make changing tray made of solid wood that can be mounted on their dresser.
If you haven?t bought any of your nursery furniture yet, I highly recommend taking a look at their crib and dresser selections.
Even if you have already purchased a dresser, you can always check with them to see if their changing tray will work on yours.
They make two types of changing tray – a regular changing tray that measures 17.5 by 34 ? inches that fits on their 3 drawer dresser and an XL station that goes with their 6 drawer dresser which also has a shelving unit to arrange diaper essentials.
The tray itself is made out of Baltic birch wood and finished with non toxic and water based paints that are free of VOC health hazards.
Changing tray is made in Europe in an FSC certified facility and made under European environmental standards.
They are also Greenguard Gold certified.
The tray comes with a changing pad and has a safety strap to keep your child secure.
Both the trays has a 50 lbs weight capacity.
Oeuf also sells a changing mattress that fits their trays perfectly. The mattress itself is made by Colgate Baby and is one of non toxic mattress brands I recommend.
Natart Classic Changing tray:
Another swoon worthy changing try option to consider is the Natart Classic Changing Tray. They also have a Farm house style and rustic changing tray to match your n=home decor.
They are on par with the Oeuf furniture, they are greenguard gold certified and made of solid birch wood.
However,They do not come with a changing pad but any standard sized cushion can fit them. They are 36 x 18 x 4 in in dimension.
They come in a variety of finishes and you can pick one that will blend with your nursery d?cor.
If you are in Canada, I highly recommend buying these furniture to support this beautiful Quebec company.
Green Cradle Moss Green Changing table
Made out of sustainably grown trees, the moss green changing table is a gorgeous addition to any nursery.
It comes in various natural finishes like Brown Maple, Read Oak, Cherry and Walnut woods.
The Moss Green table is a dresser cum change table, which can work well for small nursery spaces.
The dresser is made out of solid wood and there is no composite, MDF or plywood anywhere.
100% VOC Free finish made of cold pressed linseed oil, also known as flaxseed oil. Their finishes contain no varnishes, Polyurethanes, heavy metals or carcinogens.
You do have the option to add an organic change pad mattress, mattress cover and fitted sheet to your order.
While expensive, keep in kind you get a durable, heirloom quality solid wood construction that will last for years to come. You will be able to use this elegant piece of furniture even after your baby outgrows it. You can check out the entire range of changing stations by Green Cradle here
Conclusion:
Whether you need a changing table or not will depend on your budget, nursery size and organizational style.
Some parents do A-ok with a portable diaper caddy where diaper changes happen over a play mat or crib.
While some parents prefer an organized changing table loaded with diaper essentials.
When choosing a natural, non-toxic changing table keep in mind the following
- Choose a solid wood furniture
- Try to avoid composite wood, plywood or MDF
- Choose a natural finish without any VOC?s or formaldehyde.
- Look for certifications like Green Guard Gold
- Prefer furniture made in North America or Europe.
Considering all the points listed above are my top recommendation for non toxic changing table
- Stokke Care Changing Station:
- Oeuf Changing Tray with Pad
- Natart Classic Changing tray
- Green Cradle Moss Green Changing table
