we move into our new house next week (whooo!), and we've already bought all the paint. we bought the paint before i knew i was pregnant, so it's just regular cheap-o paint. unfortunately, pretty much everyone is busy on painting day except me and my mom.
is it safe for me to paint if we open all of the doors and windows? anyone else paint while pregnant?
hostess / papaya / 10540 posts
I totally used my pregnancy as an excuse to get out of painting, so I never did it. Sherry on YHL did it if I remember correctly, but they also used no/low VOC paints.
pomegranate / 3350 posts
We are currently painting too and bought Olympic no VOC from Lowe's. I was able to do the first coat no problem but by the time we started the second coat the following day the fumes really got to me and I had to stop and leave the area. This happened on two separate occasions. Based on my experience, I would not even attempt to use regular paint and would prefer not to be in the house at all.
clementine / 994 posts
We are currently moving/painting, but I made sure everything we bought was either low or no VOC. Even the low VOC stuff sometimes gets to me, and I have to leave the area. I also read through the MSDS of everything we would be using so that I knew exactly what chemicals were going to be around (I work in a lab and am familiar with MSDS, but DH said that he couldn't make heads or tails of what he was reading). Personally, I wouldn't feel comfortable with regular paint. I couldn't find any studies linking birth defects to paint in particular, but I believe there are studies linking birth defects and miscarriage to some of the solvents that might be used in regular paints.
pomegranate / 3414 posts
We need to paint our office and nursery/toddler room before we switch them. I'm taking advantage of being pregnant and not painting (I actually despise painting). I think DH is planning to do it himself. We had our entire house (except those two rooms) professional painted earlier in my pregnancy and I was worried but didn't have any problems. Our painter said he mixes some vanilla into the paint which helps cut down the fumes (don't know what kind of paint he used though so it may have already been low fume).
pineapple / 12793 posts
I painted our bathroom the day before our BFP with no VOC paint without a problem. I definitely wouldn't use conventional paint, the fumes are just too strong.
cherry / 168 posts
I painted when I was about 5 weeks with a NO VOC paint. Even still, we made sure the room was very well ventilated and I took lots of breaks. Standard paints with VOC really aren't recommended while pregnant.
blogger / watermelon / 14218 posts
I painted like a madwoman when pregnant.... the first and only time I've ever painted a room. We painted the nursery a creamy light green. I regretted it afterwards because it's hard work...!! I never knew!! It was physically exhausting but I really wanted to get it done in one day. We left all the windows and doors open.
cantaloupe / 6164 posts
my hubs is working, and i hate to make my mom paint my house! we can't afford professionals, so maybe i'll try to find a mask..?
pomelo / 5331 posts
I hope so. We're starting our painting the weekend of the 19th, I have my first doctor's appointment before then so I'm going to ask for sure, but I'm a total control freak and can't imagine letting anybody else paint -- and we can't afford to get it professionally done. But we're using Ben Moore Aura that has low VOC, and will make sure all the windows are open and probably try the vanilla trick, too. Unless doc says no.
GOLD / wonderful grape / 20289 posts
I've heard it's ok.... but DH was way too paranoid to let me paint. Even when I suggested the paint that is supposed to be safe.
grape / 93 posts
It's fine, just keep some windows open. It's oil-based paint you need to be careful about, not latex. I painted my entire house the last 2 weeks of my pregnancy.
pomelo / 5331 posts
I should add that we have one odd room where there's stairs that lead down to the garage, and so I'm thinking of hiring somebody to do that room because DH would never in a million years let me attempt a ladder on stairs, even though our ladder specifically will work on stairs.
persimmon / 1134 posts
I painted several rooms while I was pregnant, and my OB said it was fine as long as it was latex paint, the room was well ventilated, I took plenty of breaks, and I didn't try and do all of the rooms in one day.
GOLD / squash / 13464 posts
@photojane: Can you exchange the paint you bought? Or just put it off until your husband can do it? I personally plan on leaving the house when hubs paints the nursery. I have been really sensitive to all fumes since being preggers.
hostess / wonderful persimmon / 25556 posts
We used regular paint and opened all the windows and doors. I was not allowed to paint, though, hubs wouldn't let me. I was just around when the job was being done. I did paint some letters outside so I really didn't even smell it since I was in an open-air area. I would suggest opening all windows, doors, turning on fans and wearing a mask. If you don't want to do that, wait till your hubby can do it.
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