Painting

I am 6 wks PG and my we are about to put our coop on the market but before we do we need to do some touch-up painting. Can I do this? I am concerned about the chemicals in the paint? Am I being paranoid?

Thanks for you help!

Re: Painting

I've heard that oil based paints are a definite no-no, but that latex paint may be OK.

I was forbidden to go near paint by DH, even though I wanted to help.

You can always call your doctor and see what they say.

Re: Painting

I would call your doc and double check.

Re: Painting

i would call your OB and ask, but in general i would be most concerned about chemical exposures in the first trimester. i would probably stay away from paint at this point.

Re: Painting

My doctor said that its ok as long as the room is well ventilated.

From the American Pregnancy Association:

What about pregnancy and household paint use?
The most common question related to pregnancy and paint exposure has to do with painting the new baby's nursery or decorating the house before the baby arrives. Unfortunately, there are no studies that document the effects of household painting on pregnancy and the developing baby.

Currently, the assumption is that household painting involves very low levels of exposure. The recommendation is to avoid exposure to oil-based paints, leads and mercury. You should minimize exposure to latex paints that contain ethylene glycol ethers and biocides. Ideally, you should get someone else to do the job for you.

Lead based paint was commonly used prior to the 1970s, so pregnant women should avoid removing old paint because of the risk of lead exposure. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, exposure to lead paint increases the likelihood of lead poisoning and mental retardation. Scraping and sanding old paint should be completely avoided. This puts higher concentrations of solvents and chemicals into the air to be inhaled. The recommendation is to have someone else do this part of the remodeling and ideally, remove yourself from the location until the project is complete.

If you are just too excited and you must paint the nursery, make sure you follow these guidelines to decrease the likelihood of paint exposure:

Protect your skin by wearing protective clothing that includes long pants, long-sleeved shirts and gloves
Be certain that the room and house are well ventilated; open the windows and turn on fans
Limit the time you spend on the project; take breaks and move into the fresh air frequently
Keep your food and drinks away from the area so solvents and chemicals will not accidentally be consumed

Message edited 8/30/2007 2:26:11 PM.

Re: Painting

This early in your pregnancy I personally would avoid anything that gives you cause for concern or makes you stop and ask the question.

Re: Painting

No no no! I have definitely read DO NOT paint while prego. Leave this job to DH and you go out for the day! I would not want to inhale all those toxic fumes.

Re: Painting

I don't trust the fumes myself, even with latex paint. And the sanding is an issue, especially since most homes and apartments have lead paint somewhere down.

DH wouldn't let me work with the paint. We weren't sure if it was safe or not, but I had to agree with him that this probably was not okay for me to do.