Flower Safety for Newborns: What You Need to Know

Welcoming a new baby into the world is a joyous occasion often celebrated with beautiful flowers. While flowers add a touch of elegance and colour to the celebration, it is worth knowing which ones suit a home with a newborn and which need a little more thought. Here is what the guidance actually says.

Are Flowers Safe Around a Newborn?

For the baby, the short answer is that common cut flowers are a low risk. The National Poisons Information Centre Ireland publishes a list of plants it considers low in toxicity, describing them as plants children can safely play amongst unless a large quantity is eaten, and roses, carnations and peonies all appear on it.

A newborn is not mobile and will not be handling flowers, so the practical considerations are simpler than they first appear:

• Fragrance: Strongly scented flowers can be overpowering in a small or poorly ventilated room. This is a comfort question rather than a safety one.
• Pollen: Lily pollen stains skin and fabric and is worth removing from the stamens before the arrangement is placed.
• Fallen petals and leaves: These become relevant once a baby is crawling and putting things in their mouth, rather than in the newborn weeks. Keeping arrangements above floor level handles it.

The Household Pet Is the Bigger Consideration

If the household has a cat, one flower matters more than all the others.

Lilies are potentially fatal to cats. The ASPCA lists Lilium species as toxic to cats, with kidney failure as the clinical sign. Every part of the plant is implicated, including the pollen and the vase water, and a small exposure can be enough. If the family has a cat, send something else. Lilies are listed as non-toxic to dogs and horses.

Three of the other flowers commonly sent for a new baby are also listed as toxic to dogs, cats and horses, though with far milder effects:

• Peony: toxic principle paeonol. Vomiting, diarrhoea and depression.
• Hydrangea: contains a cyanogenic glycoside, though the ASPCA notes cyanide intoxication is rare and the usual effect is gastrointestinal upset.
• Carnation: an unknown irritant. Mild gastrointestinal signs and mild dermatitis.

Roses are the exception. The ASPCA lists Rosa species as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses, and the Irish poisons centre places them on its low toxicity list. If you want an arrangement that raises no questions at all in a household with pets, roses are the answer.

A Note on Handling

The Royal Horticultural Society lists both hydrangea and Dianthus, the carnation family, as skin allergens. This is about handling the stems rather than having the arrangement in the room, and it is worth knowing if a parent is rearranging the flowers or changing the water rather than simply receiving them.

Practical Steps

• Keep arrangements out of reach: Above floor level and away from where a pet can chew them.
• Ventilate the room: Particularly with strongly scented varieties.
• Remove lily stamens: Snip them out before arranging to stop pollen staining skin and fabric.
• Clear fallen petals and leaves: And change the water regularly, particularly where a cat could drink from the vase.
• Ask before sending: A quick question about whether the household has a cat settles the only serious decision on this page.

Flower Choices for a New Baby

Here are some arrangements from Flowers Direct, with what the guidance says about each. Soft pinks are the traditional choice for a new arrival, and our pink flowers collection covers the range, with our guide to how to choose pink flowers explaining why the palest shades suit a newborn best.

• Roses: Non-toxic to cats, dogs and horses, and on the Irish poisons centre low toxicity list. The safest choice for any household. Example: Baby Girl 12 Long Stem Pink Roses - Vase
• Peonies: On the low toxicity list for children. Mildly toxic to pets if eaten, so keep out of reach in a home with a cat or dog. Example: Baby Girl Peony Sweetheart - Vase
• Carnations: On the low toxicity list for children, and long-lasting in a vase. Listed as a skin allergen by the RHS and mildly toxic to pets. Example: Baby Girl Sweetheart - Basket
• Hydrangeas: Listed as a skin allergen by the RHS and as toxic to pets, with gastrointestinal upset the usual effect. Fine in the room, worth keeping away from a curious pet. Example: New Baby Pure Bliss - Hatbox
• Lilies: Only for a household with no cat. Remove the stamens to prevent pollen staining, and choose a less fragrant variety for a small room. Example: New Baby White Lily - Vase

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I keep flowers in the same room as my newborn? Yes. Common cut flowers are low risk to a baby who is not yet mobile. Keep arrangements out of reach, ventilate the room if the flowers are strongly scented, and clear fallen petals.

Which flowers should I avoid if the family has a cat? Lilies, without exception. The ASPCA lists them as toxic to cats with kidney failure as the clinical sign, and the pollen and vase water are implicated as well as the flower. Peonies, hydrangeas and carnations are also listed as toxic to pets but with much milder effects, so keeping them out of reach is enough.

How can I tell if my baby is having a reaction to flowers? Look for sneezing, watery eyes, rashes or difficulty breathing. Remove the flowers and speak to your GP. If you believe a child or pet has eaten any part of a plant, contact the National Poisons Information Centre or your vet rather than waiting for symptoms.

Are any flowers completely safe? Roses come closest. They are the only flower on this page listed as non-toxic to cats, dogs and horses by the ASPCA and as low toxicity by the Irish poisons centre.

Get Affordable Baby Flowers Delivered in Ireland

Celebrating a new arrival should be straightforward. Ask whether the household has a cat, keep the arrangement out of reach, and everything else is a matter of taste. Explore the Flowers Direct baby collection to find the right flowers for the occasion.

Sources: ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants database; Royal Horticultural Society, potentially harmful garden plants; National Poisons Information Centre Ireland, guide to low toxicity plants. This article is general guidance and not medical or veterinary advice. If you believe a child or animal has eaten part of a plant, contact the National Poisons Information Centre or a vet.