Formaldehyde Treated Flooring

Hi J., Formaldehyde does not sound like anything I would like to breathe in, pregnant or not! Grandma Mary

Hi, J. --

The first person to ask is your doctor, but speaking strictly from personal experience, all pregnant women should avoid any sort of chemical fumes when possible. When I was pregnant my doctor even advised me to have my husband clean the bathroom (yeah, right) to avoid breathing in fumes from the cleaning fluids, or at the very least for me to wear a mask while cleaning. Similarly with painting the nursery; we did it a month ahead of time so that the fumes would be completely gone by the time the baby was born, but I stayed with my parents for a couple of days just to be safe. If you've already been exposed to the formaldehyde fumes you're probably just fine...you might consider opening windows or putting on a fan to air out the house quicker. During pregnancy it's always best to err on the side of caution. While you can't avoid every pollutant (especially the toxic air we breathe in this area), you can avoid fumes in your home.

Congrats on your pregnancy, best wishes for a happy and safe one.

S.

J.,
Good for you ! thinking about your future in the belly ...
1st. HOW IS THIS LEGAL ? CAN YOU RETURN THIS FLOOR AND GET A NEW ONE .. [ yes , I know alot of trouble]
Formaldehyde was banned in hair salons , nail salons etc as a 'dry' sanitizer ... we would be FINED or CLOSED down if found in a shop/salon..
so ... YEAKS !
however, Formaldehyde is used in EVERYday products
such as nail polish , [ they do make toylene/ form. free for prego ladies] SHAMPOOS, soaps, etc ...
SO , again ... is it the % of the chemical per product ????? Is it the dry/ liguid form safer????
CALL THE MANUFACTER of your floor , AIR OUT HOUSE STARTING TODAY , GO TO MOM HOUSE ... CALL YOUR DR. TOO>
henceforth, I was born in the 50's, my children 70's we were around all kind of lead, mercury, no car seats ,
swing sets that fell over , etc ... we are fine ...
research, research , reseach now that you are aware ...
I am sure that floor looks spectacular !
Be SAFE 1st.
good luck .

No, formaldehyde is not safe whether you are pregnant or not.
T.

If I were you I'd be very cautious, and not take any chances breathing any fumes. Your idea of moving in with your mother for a few days is a good solution.

If you smell any kind of chemical fumes, it is most definitely worth moving out until it clears. The stuff is poison and it isn't good for anyone to breathe ever.

you are around more formaldehyde than you may think...most tags in clothes are treated with it....thats one of the reasons people find them distracting...and why the printed on tags are becoming more popular...I would guess that you are safe as long as the floors aren't being sanded or stained or sealed...that I know would be unhealthy...but for any questions always talk with your doctor!! and congrats!!

we also have bamboo flooring and only found out about the formaldehyde thing way later. if it's not too much hassle i would suggest staying with your mom for a few days and leave the windows open in your home (maybe with fans on) to allow for off-gassing.
it's probably not too big a deal but i figure better to err on the safe side.

by all means stay with your mother for a while!!! formaldehyde is one of the most toxic substances out there. certainly the amount in the flooring is minimal, but i definitely would not take the chance. so many things that they once thought could not penetrate the placenta are now considered potential poisons. every few months they come out with the next thing that was supposedly safe and in fact, causes terrible cancers, parkinson's, autism, etc.. cancer is rampant now in our world, and clearly it's due to environmental factors - all of it could not be hereditary as it's only been this bad in the last 30 years.... good luck and congratulations! i have a 7 month old and he's the greatest little person already!
oh, and one more thing - be very careful about cribs. many of the glues they use are also full of formaldehyde. and invest in an organic mattress if you can. the baby spends so much time in bed and many of the foams used are very toxic with continual off gassing. maybe an adult would be ok, but an infant's lungs are tiny and less able to handle chemical exposure. something to consider....

Congratulations on your pregnancy. When I was pregnant with my second son, we moved and did alot of work in our house. I stayed away from the house when any chemicals (including paint) were being utilized. My advice would be to stay at your mother's house, but you should check in with your doctor to get his/her opinion.

that ingredient is also in vaccines that you may or may not give your child. anyway, check some websites about that. the ingredient is also in many carpets.

Hi there - congrats on the pregnancy. I agree with the other responses - stay away from the house until it is aired out. It would be preferable to have a hepa vacuum and clean well (someone else doing it I mean) for a week or two before moving in. It's not worth the chance. Your MD is a good start - but may not caution you as much as I think he/she should!

Someone else responded about cleaning and the fumes - a little aside here - baking soda is a great scrubber and white vinegar and water is a terrific cleanser and kills most bacteria. So - there's no need to use harsh chemicals.

Good luck with the house and the baby - stay away from the construction - it's a great time to say - sorry honey - I just can't help!