Scared motorbike in house could hurt baby cus of fumes. I’m 17 weeks. Please help!

[Emmaemmaemmaemma]

Hi ladies,

My partners motorbike has lived in our conservatory attached to the living room and kitchen for about 6 months as he won’t keep it outside and no garage. At first it stunk but now I’m used to the smell so I don’t notice it . MIL been round today and kindly reminded me via phone how much it stinks and that because iv been so poorly in pregnancy it could be that. I suppose iv been breathing in the fumes most days when sat in my living room? Even tho it’s not in the same room you can smell the fumes through the house. I’m so scared something bad will happen to my baby please tell me I’m being dramatic x

An attached garage has to have a step down or a raised threshold to contain fuel spills and a fire door. So no, it's not the same!

And there are rules about VOC levels in paint that is to be used for toys and kids furniture. God knows what a motorbike is off gassing into the house.

Bikes always smell. I think your insurance may have something to say if god forbid they had to come out to investigate a claim and saw it. It’s a fire hazard. It contains petrol. Although it’s easy to empty the tank.

What’s he planning on doing when you have a toddler sucking on engine parts and hurting tiny fingies on bits tiny fingies shouldn’t be in? Not to mention getting black with oil and totally bogging.

Whatever his plans are for then just get him to implement them now. Be it to buy a shed. Keep it out the back chained and covered. Or you can buy sealed bag things that are like a bubble that go over and around your vintage car with a humidifier or heater or something built in. So presumably they do them in bike sizes? That may help if he’s worried about rust. I don’t know if you need it to be in a shed too though, presumably. Or pay to keep it somewhere.

If you can smell some kind of horrible smell, then you're breathing it in. These chemicals are probably petrol which is not good, although there's a difference from exhaust fumes and unburnt petrol fumes so ignore the daily mail article.

Breathing in petrochemicals long term is not good for anyone. I would definitely get him to store it somewhere else. And yes it's a fire risk, also a conservatory is not that secure as it's glass why does he think shops have rollers over the windows. If he can't store it somewhere safe he'll have to get rid as people pointed out he can't keep it in the house when you've got a toddle getting into everything anyway. If he complains tell him it was his mother who brought it up.

Also if it's strong he might have a leak

Don't know what exactly is in the fumes you are smelling, but it's unlikely to be good for you or your baby. I have tried to avoid busy polluted roads more since being pregnant, as there is increasing evidence that particulates and other traffic pollutants are really bad for unborn babies. On the other hand, you are past the riskiest bit if you are 17 weeks, if you are most concerned about miscarriage - and since it doesn't have engine running not sure how bad. But if it was me I would get it out of there, for peace of mind if nothing else.