| If you can wait a year or so that would probably be better. That way you could let your baby's personality kind of help guide design decisions. Also, it's not clear which people (or babies) might be susceptible to bad or allergic reactions to different chemicals or fumes until they actually have a reaction. For that reason, and because infants and newborns are physically small so their reaction effects can be relatively more severe healthwise, it's really a good idea to have it done beforehand or wait. Fumes and chemicals may increase the SIDS risk but I doubt there is conclusive evidence at this point (too many possible chemicals to test). Second hand smoke increases SIDS risk in a much more conclusive way. There are low fume paints and products available now. There are also different kinds of carpet or flooring and rug options. Hard flooring is better than carpet if there is a possibility or probability that your baby could have allergies/hayfever/asthma/eczema. You can minimize those risks. Another problem though is dust if there will be renovation work done. That can be minimized with air filters where the baby is. Wood dusts, even without known old lead paints can be health hazards (the natural resins in wood are not good for the tender tissues of the human lung, even if there are no allergies). as long as the plan is that it can wait, let it wait a little longer? | 
