Hello Mom's out there, I have another question. We are refinishing 2 bedrooms to either a) Have a nursery for our little girl once she gets here and/or b) to sell our house. Whichever happens first. Anyway, it's quite a lot of work and I'm trying to help as much as I can/dare, but I have all of these little fears about what I can or can't do. The biggest concern I have however is when it comes to painting. Is it safe to paint bedrooms while pregnant if you keep the room ventilated enough, or do you have to use certain types of paint, or is it something that should just be avoided all together? My husband is being very understanding and is always making sure that I'm not around any fumes and that I have a mask if there's a lot of dust flying around, but I still feel bad having him to all of the work on his own and I would like to help as much as I can, especially since he's getting ready to take his PCAT in the next few weeks. Any input?
Hey everyone, thanks for your inpute! Once we stared, we realized that we really couldn't ventilate that room very well (due to having to tape up the whole window so we could spray the texture on the walls as well), so we found my husbands painting mask that he uses for painting cars, and I've been wearing that while in there. I look really goofy, but none of the fumes get me! Thanks so much for all of your input!
Sherwin Williams sells a no-VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) paint which I was very happy with. It is more expensive than regular, but does not contain some of the most toxic stuff you might be concerned about. But as always, keep everything ventilated and take it easy!
I painted while I was pregnant - Dr. advised to be sure there was good ventillation. The paint we use now is not harmful - as it once was. You should be just fine.
M., my doc told me to stay away from oil-based paints while prego.....but that latex was fine. (I painted our little boy's room when I was 7 1/2 m pregnant.) Just open a window for a little fresh air and enjoy the experience!
I'd say you'll probably be okay, but there's always that chance... How well can you ventilate the area? If you're feeling that worried about it, call your doc/nurse & ask them. If they think you've done okay so far in your preg that if you can ventilate well & wear a mask & be okay, then go for it. If you've got some extra cash though, call a local middle school or high school-some schools are back in session already (or will be soon if you can wait) & kids will be looking for service projects to do. They have to volunteer the time, so you can't pay them, but you could certainly feed them well for their time. Just make sure you protect them-ventilation & masks, frequent water/air breaks...
Remember though, women have been having babies since the beginning of time & you can do more than you think you can. It's more a matter of keeping on the safe side than you not being able to do it.
You should not paint. Fumes are bad and the stretching you do is bad also. I sat outside my son's bedroom to keep my husband company while he painted, but did not paint.
I too painted while I was pregnant. Just be sure to have plenty of ventilation and you'll be fine.
I painted when I was 8 months pregnant and had the same concerns. We used the environmentally safe paint. The fumes are not strong. It worked out well and we came out fine. Another thing to do is have someone help you so that it goes quicker too:)
Take Care,
A.
you can paint. Just make sure the room in well ventilated. My sis painted bedrooms and parts of her house during both times she was pregnant. You and the baby will be fine.
I don't even know if this store is around here, but when I painted pregnant in Dallas, I used Sherwin Williams brand "Harmony" paint. It's their safer paint, used in hospitals and such. The primer seemed to have a very, very faint smell to it, but the paint basically didn't smell at all. I did it all myself at 3 months. We just recently painted here (Louisville) and our landlord bought a similar product at Lowe's that also had basically no smell. We felt okay painting with our toddler in the room. I can't remember the chemical - it's VO-something - but these paints have very little or none of it.
Yikes. try not to paint while pregnant. I was in a similar situation and wore this HUGE mask to do so. I was in the middle of a remodel. When finished, close off the area and ventilate it well. If you have to do it, take as many precautions as you can. You might tire easily since you are pregnant. I was close to useless. I was told to stay away from the fumes as much as possible by my doc and every woman who's had kids. If you get a mask, splurge on the expensive one. The small 10-pack is for dust only.
It takes a lot of time taking the room apart and putting all back together. I'd stick with that and stay away from painting. Even if you wear a mask, your skin and eyes still absorb "pollutants".
Ya know, it really is not worth the risk. Just let your husband do it, remember you are doing all the work being pregnant, call it even. = )
You will certainly have appreciation for this when you get in your last trimester and when your in labor. Honey, let him do all the work.
Good luck and congrats!
