Carpet - too pfb?

[Nousername2015]

This is going to sound ridiculous but bear with me.
We are currently doing up the spare room for the baby. It's needed doing since we moved in but never got round to it! Anyway the carpet is hideous and badly needs replacing, however dh has found a lot of research on the internet advising against laying a new carpet with either a pregnant woman or newborn in the house due to the gases it can give off causing respiratory issues.
I'm aware these studies will not have come from nothing, however... Really??! This seems a bit ott to me but possibly because I just don't know about it. Is it a widely known thing to avoid laying carpet during pregnancy and the first few months of baby's life? We can clean the carpet up and live with it for a bit, however I also don't want the hassle of taking all the furniture out. Has anyone heard of this before?

[TheWordOfBagheera]

No idea about respiratory problems and carpets I'm afraid, but...

I'd keep the old one purely on the basis of new baby sick and poo being vile stuff to get out of carpets! Replace when they've grown out of the explosive mustard poo and vomiting 10 times a day stage

[MidnightVelvetthe4th]

No idea sorry, I've never heard of it anyway.

Does hardwood floor have the same concerns? Much easier to wipe vomit from....

[lightgreenglass]

I have never heard of this and was going through house renovations when pregnant with pfb - we laid the carpet the week before I gave birth and are both fine. I love the smell of new carpet.

[LBOCS2]

I definitely had carpet laid when I was pregnant.

But... That was three years ago and now with a toddler in the house, it is fucked, frankly. So either I would just give it a good clean and not bother replacing or I would out down an extremely cheap one until they're a bit older.

[Tootsiepops]

Not baby related, but new carpet used to trigger my old boss' asthma.

[ChoudeBruxelles]

We put a new carpet down when I was pregnant (and I have asthma) and I was absolutely fine

[SoupDragon]

I would stick down something cheap and wipable like laminate and add an easily washed rug just by the cot.

[toohardtothinkofaname]

We had our bedroom completely renovated; plaster, paint, new carpet & curtains when I was 6 weeks. Stunk to high heaven & now I associate the smell of our bedroom with ms but everything absolutely fine :)

Currently doing same thing to nursery

[cloudjumper]

We changed the carpet in DS's nursery to laminate flooring before he was born, I can definitely recommend that! (Sorry, not helpful for your actual question).

[Stoppressingrepeat]

I personally wouldn't do new carpet with pregnancy or new baby. It's one of those things that will probably be fine, but if it wasn't and it's not essential - how would you feel? Would you be worrying after laying it? I think the laminate suggestions are much better with washable rug anyhow.

[yeOldeTrout]

Just open the windows a lot for a week after carpet fitted.

We just had carpets fitted & I'm the only one in the house who seems to even notice how MUCH they stink. It can't last forever, though.

[poocatcherchampion]

It will be fine. Not all babies are sick and poo explosions either!

[sarah00001]

I also read that you shouldn't get a new sofa in pregnancy due to the off gassing of the fumes, such as fire retardants. Anyway I desparately needed a new sofa, so I went ahead and bought one when I was about 30 weeks pregnant. I must admit it did smell quite strongly at first, but I kept the window open and in a couple of weeks it was almost gone. My daughter is now 4 months old and is absolutely fine. I am sure there is no problem with getting a new carpet, but you might want to keep the window open a few hrs per day until the fumes diminish.

[Cheshirehello79]

I just had my carpet done with new unduly as 6 weeks ago and it was fine. Open the window in baby's room slightly and shut main door if you fear fumes. In fact I had the whole house done and I'm fine.

The only issue is if you were putting vinyl as the glue they use isn't pregnant friendly but carpet I'm sure it's ok

[Paperblank]

We're having a new carpet laid in the baby's room (I'm 23 weeks pg) because the one in there currently is hideous, marked and even after cleaning it's still manky.

I'll just shut the door and open the window, and by the time the baby is born and in the room any lingering smell should have gone.

[Junosmum]

Hmm. I'd never heard this. We are having the whole upstairs carpet when I'm 36 weeks! I'll just air the house well and hoover like a mad woman.

[Junosmum]

Having said that though I've been removing and internal wall, plastering, tiling, laying laminate, painting, wallpapering and building flat pack furniture since week 8 so I'm pretty relaxed about such stuff.

[EdgarAllenPoe]

Well I've never heard about it which is unfortunate since I'm getting new carpet in my bedroom and lounge in the next few weeks, and I'm 32 weeks pregnant. Oh well, needs must. It can't be any more of a health hazard than the disgusting mess that's in there now!

[Sleepybeanbump]

Virtually everything is a potential health hazard- carpet, paint, the chemicals in soft furnishings and clothes, toiletries, scented candle, plastics in food containers. You'd go mad if you tried to eliminate them all unless you already incline anyway towards a fairly natural/alternative lifestyle.

[ilovehotsauce]

Totally agree about making it as wiperable as possible!