Pregnancy and DIY

[Flutterby8]

This will probably sound like the most random post ever so please bear with me!

Before Covid DH and I had plans to completely strip down and renew our open plan living room and dining room. It didnt happen sadly because everywhere was closed and with work being busy throughout the last year for us both, the idea took a back seat.
Its a big job to do including rewiring, knocking out fireplaces, new flooring, plastering, decorating etc.
Obviously we would get in trades for alot of the work we cant do but the decorating etc would be down to us, or mainly me as DH isnt exactly brilliant with a paint brush.

Im just within my first trimester still and Ive had HG. Starting to feel better slowly.
I want the rooms sorted before baby arrives BUT I feel its such a big job, would it be better to wait now?
I dont know if taking this on now would just be a purely stupid thing to do given I am still working full time as well?

Has anyone decided to start or even finish off a big renovation while pregnant and how did it go?
Is it better to wait until baby has arrived and then start once life has settled.
I appreciate everyone is different and pregnancy affects everyone in different ways but just wondering if I am totally bonkers for considering it.

What's the timescale? If it'll be done within say three months definitely go for it! It'll be so much nicer on mat leave with a nice new room.
I think painting wouldn't be too strenuous, just listen to your body and take rests. Or do the taping and edges yourself and give DH the roller - any monkey can sweep a roller up and down 🤣
There's an ingredient in paint you have to watch out for while preg - Google it and get paint without it.

Im 35 weeks and have here decorating constantly for the past 4 months including installing new light sockets and switches myself. Itll be fine.

@FeistySheep
I dont have a set time scale but I would want it complete within 3 months, maybe 4 at most. Tradesman permitting etc.
I love decorating but as this is my first pregnancy I really dont know how im going to feel in the 2nd trimester. The first trimester has been awful so far but with meds I feel a bit more human.
As for letting DH loose with paint and a roller..... whatever he does to 'help' when it comes to any home improvments, I end up doing again. I really cant grasp why he struggles with it but I guess I was brought up with a very efficient mother who cracked on with any aspect of DIY and Ive learnt from her!
Thank you for your advice about the paint too, I didnt realise I had to be careful with one of the ingredients. Ill have a look at that now.
Your post has made me feel determined to do it!

I did diy all the way through my pg. Much easier than with a newborn!

@Mummyof2Terrors you sound like a superwoman!!
Thank you for replying!
Judging by your username, I assume you have 2 DC already? Have you found it hard doing the work around them at all?

I’m in a similar situation - developed HG so the plans for a new bathroom have been put on hold indefinitely because I can’t be without my toilet and who knows when I’ll stop being sick. Carried on doing the usual repainting etc, but personally I couldn’t have lived with the upheaval of major work whilst being so ill. The HG definitely hasn’t been as bad for me from about 14 weeks, so I hope yours starts to improve soon, @Flutterby8.

The second terror is inside me, eldest is 17 months. I do it all during the lunchtime nap and evenings, honestly works out fine

I’d not be wanting to do this with a small child in tow. Although you say it’s a big job, it’s max a couple of weeks and painting a room is generally one maybe two days work.

@Ednadidit this is exactly how Ive been feeling for weeks. Luckily we dont need to be without a bathroom! HG is absolutely terrible! After my midwife said losing a stone was fine my GP was more sympathetic and gave me meds which have helped. Im not 100% but much better than I was. I hope it eases for you soon and you get the bathroom you want!!

@Mummyof2Terrors im glad its working out well esp during nap times. I guess with a newborn it wouldnt be as easy as they just want to cling to you for the first few months!

@Bluntness100 this was my worry to be honest. Having a newborn, all the work to do and tradesmen around alot. It will be very unsettling and Id have no living space!!

Do it now before you have a DC.

I started loads of jobs when pregnant and didn’t finish before DC1 arrived and it’s absolute chaos finishing them now whilst he’s toddling around. So we’re making a proper effort to get everything finished before DC2 arrives in sept.

Yesterday’s job was plasterboarding the wall I ripped the black mortar off last pregnancy 🙊. Thank god for nursery.

And yes to your comment about tradesmen and a newborn! We had a 2 week old when we had the rendering ripped off and redone it was awful having them flapping around asking questions whilst I was trying to figure out what to do with this new little human.

I would have managed this from about three months to 7.5 months. First trimester felt too sick to manage and towards the end to big/huge swollen feet and ankles. Although I didn't have HG. Would you manage if you have to keep stopping to be sick all the time ?🤢 Maybe see if it improves later? Also I had plans to do stuff after the baby arrives but wished I'd done it before as I didn't realise just how little free time I would have once he arrived

Go for it as post baby things are even more hectic without adding building work into the mix. If you can manage the painting etc, it's not too expensive to get a decorator in.

I'm 24 weeks pregnant and have 5&4 year olds. We've just renovated our cottage and going to start a double storey extension next month!!

It's not ideal but better now than when we have a newborn.

I think you should just go ahead and give yourself a decent amount of time to complete it.
We have managed to completely redecorate a house in 3 weeks ready to move in next week leaving us a week and a half before baby arrives.
I wish we did it earlier in the year- I've really struggled but we've got there!

Thank you everyone for all your replies so far!
It really has helped me put things into perspective a bit more!
I think its fear of the unknown but also fear of making the wrong decision, not doing it and regretting it later!
I think we're going to go for it! I needs doing and if Covid hadnt have happened it would be done by now!
All the while I feel human its a good thing so no reason not to give it a go!!!
Thank you all so much!!

I had 2 very young dc and was heavily pregnant when we did a full knock through and extension to our kitchen/diner.

My husband and I did all the prep work for it including stripping out the existing kitchen units etc. We then did all the painting and finishing.

It took around 3 months and was hard work, but the hardest hit by far was once I had the baby and still had bits to do whilst looking after a newborn too.

In hindsight I wish we’d started the job earlier into pregnancy. Having no kitchen for a while with a newborn was hard work!

This time around I’m 23 weeks pregnant with baby number 4 and we are having an extension put over the garage which starts this week. Should be done within 3 months but again we will be doing all the finishing work etc.

I think it’s far better to attempt before having a baby. Just listen to your body, if you need a break, take a rest.

Good luck x

My advice (and I've done 2 renovations) Waiting until baby is over a year old before doing the work.

If you try now I can guarantee that there will be delays and as you get more pregnant you'll get more stressed that it isn't done. You'll also be less inclined to pick up that paint brush yourself.

When baby is little it will be too overwhelming. Plus life changes with a baby and you might find that how you want to use the room changes as baby grows.

After a year baby will be in nursery / childcare / easier to leave with others so you can make more time to do it.

Definitely go for it now! I moved into a new house that was having a brand new kitchen installed right before my due date. Worst and most stressful thing I have ever done, I ended up doing way too much as well and my recovery post-birth was hurrendous. Do it now! You certainly wont regret it. X

Yes, I did loads, especially when expecting my first. Nesting instinct will keep you motivated!

I didnt expect so may replies and honestly thought I'd posted a really silly question!!
Thank you everyone for your comments on your own experiences.
It does seem most of you would just get it done and out of the way, which is what I hoped people would suggest!
DH and I have had a chat and were just going to go for it and set a time frame!
Were making a list of what we want and who we need to get in to do things and go from there.
Its really exciting to be honest as we havent touched these areas of the house since we first decorated when we moved in 11 years ago!

Thank you everyone, you have all honestly helped me make a decision!

I would be inclined to get any work done before the baby arrives as I wouldn't have liked dealing with different tradesmen whilst trying to establish breastfeeding etc. What I would say is be prepared to get someone in to do the decorating you might be fine to do it yourself but you might not. In the last trimester I have several complications and swollen hands and feet is really common in pregnancy for me so I would find doing major DIY difficult. You might well be different, its just you don't know how it will pan out so I would budget for a decorator just in case.

I decorated 3 bedrooms whilst 7 months pregnant with twins....including coving, skirting boards and nursery furniture

Get it done now before the baby arrives, it'll just get put on the back burner otherwise! Much easier to do before you have another life to look after, and you won't want the place in a mess when you've got a baby