Flea fumigation when pregnant/with newborn

[spaceal]

We've just realised that the rented house we've just moved into has fleas. We don't think it's a massive infestation, but I've had bites and seen a few fleas too.

I'm 38+4 and being induced on Thursday.

The council pest control people are supposed to be coming round on Wednesday and apparently use a water-based insecticide which is safe, but I wanted to ask if anyone had any experience/expertise on this and on what precautions, if any, we need to take to make sure the house is OK to bring our newborn into and/or check that her clothes/bedding/etc are OK after fumigation.

I'll give my MW a ring tomorrow to ask her if she has any experience of this but in the meantime, any ideas/advice would be much appreciated.

[happycamel]

No experience but I'm marking my place. We're moving house and I'm going to have the carpets sprayed before we move in because my mum's dog has fleas that seem to be resistant to Frontline etc.

He infested our house and we had to have it sprayed; 18 months later and most bugs on the carpet die very quickly so I know the stuff lasts. I've decided to have the new place sprayed because he'll visit when they do and then the fleas will only have us and the baby to bite when they go.

I've decided that, on balance, a very low dose of pesticide (which I'll minimise exposure to by putting baby on playmat etc) will be better for it than getting bitten, especially as I'm allergic to the bites so baby might be too.

I'd not put baby directly on the carpet and wash all your bedding but certainly when we had the house sprayed last time they only did the carpets. That's where the fleas lay their eggs so it kills off all existing eggs and any more that are laid. Fleas only live about a week so any that aren't sprayed directly die of old age but can't reproduce.

[Coppernoddle]

I do our house regularly as I'm a childminder with my own children and also expecting as we have a cat. I get stuff from the vets which is really good and lasts ages! You just make sure the windows are open and you can even spray mattresses too as they live in their and bite you and lay more eggs in their so they get done too! Including my kids beds. You have to wait an hour before you lye on them I think to make sure the stuff is dry and only have to do it once and gets rid of anything! Including poor little icy wincy's walking over the carpet which I do feel sorry for!! I'm sure it'll be fine, I would ask for them to do the sofas and mattresses too as they can still live in their!! Good luck, it's not nice thinking there's flees everywhere!! X x

[nailak]

i got a 6mnth old a 3 yr old and 2 yr old and i sprayed everything with that a spray that my hubby bought from sainsburys, will it work?

[BreastmilkDoesAFabLatte]

I had our house done when pregnant with DD. I'd rung the vet for advice, and he had told me 'well, studies have show it not to be teratogenic in cats' . But yes, DD and I were fine (as was the cat)...

[spaceal]

Thanks, ladies, for the reassuring responses.

My MW didn't seem to have much experience of this

Anyone else?

[JBrd]

Could you maybe find out which insecticide they will be using and call the manufacturer...?

[spaceal]

Just as an update in case anyone comes across this in future searches, what the council would have used is K-Orthrine SC10 and can be a skin irritant, active for some time after application, so we're not going ahead with that.

But an over-the-counter flea spray - Indorex - is apparently safe for pregnancy and with very small babies, according to their FAQs here. Had a chat with a helpful vet surgery too and they confirmed that.

So that's what we're going with. Fingers crossed.

[Coppernoddle]

Brilliant!! I find the vets always very useful!

[happycamel]

Good luck with that. We did try OTC flea sprays before calling in pest control. Unfortunately it didn't get rid of the infestation for us but as I said before my mum's dog's fleas seem to be particularly resistant to pesticide.