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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Gloss paint 6 weeks pregnant??

12 replies

firstpregnancy24 · 12/02/2024 15:32

Hi all,

I'd love some advice. We had our hall painted at the weekend - I had chosen a low-VOC emulsion for the walls deliberately as I thought it would be safer for pregnancy, but the decorator used normal gloss/satin paint for the skirting board and door trims (of which there are many in the hall... we live in a flat and all the doors are off the hall so all of them have been surrounded in the gloss paint!).

The smell of gloss paint is so strong and even though we had all the windows open last night (bloody freezing) I could still smell it while in bed. I could barely sleep worrying about the effect for this tiny little baby that is only developing at the min! Of course googling it has just made things worse - I now know that gloss and satin paints are solvent-based and even the nhs website seems to suggest avoiding them, particularly during the first trimester.

Anyway, I've gone into full blown panic mode now. Have done some mad stuff I've seen online like put chopped onions (I know) and baking soda in the hall but who knows if that's making any difference.

Any thoughts?? Should I be dramatic and move into a Travelodge for a week?!

Would love any advice from anyone who's maybe done something similar in early pregnancy! Thanks Daffodil

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Rosesanddaisies1 · 12/02/2024 15:42

It's fine, and stop Googling. It's not like you ate the paint.

AimeeLou84 · 12/02/2024 16:58

Hey @firstpregnancy24. Have you been allocated a midwife yet that you can call or text just to ask her opinion? If not maybe contact your doctors and ask for some advice. I’m nearly 18 weeks with my first pregnancy and the panic and fear and worry about anything is still very much alive in me so I know how you feel on that front.

firstpregnancy24 · 12/02/2024 17:40

@AimeeLou84 thank you, I haven't been allocated a midwife yet but I'll try to get in touch with my GP and get some advice. Just wondering if I should try to get out of the flat for a few nights while this paint continues to dry! Paranoid reading the NHS advice about how the riskiest timeframe would be in first 12 weeks of pregnancy as that's when the baby's organs are forming. I've just no idea how much I'm "protected" by the fact I didn't actually do the painting myself... but I can certainly smell it and if I can smell it, presumably I'm inhaling the solvents it contains. Thanks again, it's nice to hear from a fellow worrier!!

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firstpregnancy24 · 12/02/2024 17:41

Thanks @Rosesanddaisies1 - hopefully the relatively limited exposure (definitely didn't eat any :) and also didn't do the painting myself) is going to help me here...

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Warringstars · 12/02/2024 17:56

oh I would worry too but I’m sure it will be fine. You didn’t paint it, you had the place well ventilated etc. also are you sure the paint used was definitely solvent based? Delux quick dry gloss and satin are both water based.

firstpregnancy24 · 12/02/2024 18:10

Hi @Warringstars - definitely solvent based unfortunately, it was an oil-based satin paint that was used.

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firstpregnancy24 · 12/02/2024 20:09

Just bumping in this in case anyone else has experience with this in early pregnancy and everything turning out fine... would love to hear from you.

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rosecbrm · 03/12/2024 22:03

@firstpregnancy24 hi lovely sorry to jump on the old thread - just wanted to check that everything was ok?

Current 17wks and my husband has just painted the skirting boards in our bedroom a solvent based eggshell paint! I haven't slept in that room (he did it yesterday), but I have been in there to get clothes etc. but the windows have been open in there.

Now I'm really panicking 🫣

catsnore · 03/12/2024 22:10

I painted various things with gloss paint whilst pregnant - all fine. Even painted the fence outside our house whilst visibly pregnant and you would not believe how many passing people lectured me that I shouldn't be doing it. I was OUTSIDE in the fresh air 😂

rosecbrm · 03/12/2024 22:23

@catsnore glad everything was ok!

Honestly I just worry so much as I've had 2MC and obviously don't want to cause any harm to baby!

Thank you for your reply xx

catsnore · 04/12/2024 13:39

It's hard not to worry isn't it! I took a travel sickness pill whilst pregnant and it only occurred to me afterwards that I probably shouldn't have - packaging said not to. I had a right panic to the midwife about it - who was very reassuring. Lots of things are fine to do in pregnancy but it's just not ethically possible to experiment on pregnant women, so they don't know the exact effect. Best of luck with the rest of your pregnancy 🌈❤️

Beachwaves321 · 07/12/2025 12:52

OP, was everything okay? I’ve had similar exposure x

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