Are you supposed to run an air purifier for a month before the baby comes home? My mother-in-law says it’s good for the baby and more sanitary.”
Running an air purifier is a good idea, especially if anyone has ever smoked in your home, you have an older house or if you’ve recently painted, renovated or installed fresh carpeting. The tissues in a pregnant woman’s and a newborn’s nose and throat are much more sensitive to airborne particles and bad smells and and an air filter with a fan can help keep those irritants away. But if an air purifier is too expensive, a fan can also be helpful: a recent study found that having a fan in a baby’s bedroom reduced the risk of a death from SIDS by 72 percent. It’s also a good idea to change any filters on your home air conditioner or furnace before the baby comes, and to stock up on however many extra filters you’ll need for the coming year.