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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

Original poster

Please tell me I'm not, I am feeling very guilty at the moment.

15 replies

Mum2BeNo2 · 05/06/2013 08:25

We are redecorating 2 rooms in our house at the moment.

I am 31 weeks pregnant and the am extremely worried about the paint fumes affecting my baby, I am not painting myself but I can smell them when laying in bed as the fumes are quite strong (The windows have been open all day and I leave a window open at night).

We have used water based paint and also gloss. The first room is done but we are starting the next room this week.

Please tell me I haven't done anything wrong, I am worried right now :(.

Any advice would be great, thank you.

OP posts:

flipchart · 05/06/2013 08:28

I'm sure nearly every parent in the Western world has painted their rooms in anticipation of their new baby. Don't feel guilty.

You haven't been reading the Daily Mail by any chance have you?

CloudsAndTrees · 05/06/2013 08:29

I painted rooms in my house myself both times I have been pregnant, and I have two healthy happy children who are now 11 and 13.

I'm sure you will be fine, loads of people do decorating or have work done on their homes during pregnancy to prepare for the baby.

zoobaby · 05/06/2013 08:35

It's the gloss/satin ones that smell the worst. Also the brush cleaner used after the gloss/satin so make sure that is used outside only. Don't know if it's true but I've been told that leaving a bucket of water in the room after painting helps with fumes.

valiumredhead · 05/06/2013 08:37

I painted my flat myself when I was pregnant. Keep the windows open.

Flobbadobs · 05/06/2013 08:39

Ventilate the room you're painting as much as possible and try not to worry (I won't say don't worry because that won't happen! )
I have 3, and during 2 of the pregnancies we totally redecorated the house including painting. The only reason I stopped was because the bump started to get in the way!
Rest often and get plenty of fresh air into the house.
YANBU. You've done nothing wrong!

xylem8 · 05/06/2013 08:52

I would say don't do it any more an keep the windows open and out of those rooms you have already painted.
I felt ill aftetr a day painting woodwork with satin finish paint and the next day miscarried.i looked up the ingedients on the paoint and one was linked to miscarriage.Of course it might have just been coincidence but I had had 5 healthy pregnancies and no problems before

waterlego6064 · 05/06/2013 08:58

I painted a ceiling when I was 6 months pregnant. I'm sure you'll be fine as long as you ventilate your house (hoping the weather is as nice where you are as it is where I am).

Having said that, I did recently feel quite unwell after doing some glossing but I hadn't opened the window as it was winter.

I think you and your baby are at low risk of coming to harm but if it's going to worry you a lot, could you stay with a friend or family member for a couple of nights?

MikeLitoris · 05/06/2013 09:08

Can you remember what that ingredient was xylem?

I am sure you will be fine op. Paint may fumes may give you a head ache but I very much doubt they will be you any harm.

xylem8 · 05/06/2013 09:12

Benz-something I think (not very helpful). Sorry OP, I hope I haven't worried about you.I am sure you will be absolutely fine I was only 10 wks pregnant and started feeling odd nearly straightaway.You have had much less contact with the paint than I had

squeakytoy · 05/06/2013 09:15

peel an onion, slice it in half and put it on a saucer in the room. It will draw in the fumes and this really does work.

Original poster

Mum2BeNo2 · 05/06/2013 12:12

Thank you for the replies.

I have been trying to research whether or not painting is okay and all the advice I find contradicts itself.

I have seen the article this morning but I have been worrying about painting for a while and I have heard a lot of different advice about it and I thought that this would be the best place to ask.

OP posts:

dreamingofthefuture · 05/06/2013 12:16

If you put a peeled onion either end of the room it draws fumes in

dreamingofthefuture · 05/06/2013 12:16

sorry, see you have already been advised this, it really does work though

Jenny70 · 05/06/2013 12:24

At 31 weeks remember that your baby is basically "made" and now it is just fattening up etc. Your body and placenta are excellent filters, and babies are the strongest parasite - they take what they need from you. Whilst sensible precautions are important, slight exposure to things won't harm your baby - but your baby really is very well protected in there.

Noone will say painting is safe, because it would be unethical to force pregnant women to breathe paint fumes every day of their pregnancy and see how baby turns out... so they err on the side of caution and say limit your exposure to these things.

Many, many people paint the nursery/house before baby comes - it is fine, don't get yourself stressed (that is probably worse!).

valiumredhead · 05/06/2013 13:35

I had my baby at 32 weeks, I was stunned how just like a skinny baby he was when they pulled him out of me jenny is right

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