Painting while pregnant... Dangerous?

I've been busy painting DD's bedroom so she has a special big sister bedroom when my next baby arrives next month.

Just wondering if its dangerous to bubs for me to be breathing the paint fumes while being pregnant? I've been at it for 3 weeks as I'm very slow & keep needing breaks etc so I've been breathing it for a while.

I'd just hate for something to happen to my unborn baby because of me trying to get this done before his arrival. DH's been quite useless with the painting, he did alot the first day & hardly anything since :wall: so I've taken it into my hands as we cant start bubs room until DD's room is finished as she's currently sleeping in bubs bedroom, along with all her bedroom furniture, bubs furniture & our home office is still in there too!!

Does anyone know if it is actually medically dangerous as thats what I keep hearing from friends & family (besides DH)??

With my last child I painted bedrooms, pulled up old carpet and lino, sanded floors and varnished them! My midwife suggested that I didnt, but I knew I wouldnt be able to get it done after baby arrived!
In retrospect I think its preferable not to do it, but if your going to there are some tips for yours and baby health.

There is specialised paint you can buy with less chemicals that they recommend for using in babies rooms etc, you can ask about it at a specialist/good paint shop. Its less toxic, but costs a bit more than average paint.

Use water based paint, not oil. You can even by waterbased gloss paint these days! The waterbased has less fumes and does not require the same clean up (water for water - turps for oils, turps being not good). (I read an interview with a famous oil painter who even switched to using acrylic paint when preg to lessen fuminess)

Make sure you paint in a well ventilated room. Do it during the day with as many doors and windows open. This will help paint dry faster too.

Use a face/dust mask.

Use gloves for cleaning eqipment.


All the work I did on my house before DS was born does not seem to have affected him. He is a healthy bright boy.

Danielle, I don't know anything about the medical evidence that relates to painting during pregnancy either, but I just wanted to give you a hug :hug: and wish you all the best with your renovations. We are living through a major kitchen reno at the moment and it's tough sometimes. You'll get there, and in the end it will be so lovely to have both your child's rooms looking gorgeous.

What salsa said was great:
- Make sure the room is as well ventilated as possible.
- Wear a dust mask + gloves (if you can stand them).
- Take regular breaks (as you do).

I have to say though, I HATE acrylic enamels, they're just crap, nowhere near as hard wearing as proper enamels. I'm just about to redo our trims with real enamel after I did them with an acrylic enamel not long ago. Yes, they're much easier to use but just not worth it in my opinion, well for trims anyway.

I dont know either Dani but i would say to stop if you start to feel light headed or sickly in any way. Keep the windows open where possible. Dont worry my DH can help with any heavy lifting if you need - you definately shouldnt be doing any of that!! xo

Refuse to cook dinner or do anything for your DH until he gets his lazy bum off the ground/couch and helps you:D lol

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Refuse to cook dinner or do anything for your DH until he gets his lazy bum off the ground/couch and helps you :D lol

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LOL funny you should say that! I wasnt feeling the best so went to lay down at about 6pm last night. I rolled over & looked at the time at 7:30 & as I was only resting not sleeping I could hear everything that was happening in the lounge etc & hadn't heard DH chack on DD since she started watching her DVD in her bedroom (office LOL). I went out & asked if he'd fed her. Nope. He wasn't even thinking about it even though it was almost her bedtime!
I just quickly cooked up some chicken macaroni for myself & DD. We ate that (DH didnt eat anything as he had to get it himself LOL) then I sat down to the laptop in the dining room not doing anything besides browsing BB hehe. He ended up putting her to bed! It was so nice to have a night off when it comes to putting her to bed as it involves so much haha (change into jammis, brush teeth, read story book, say her prayers, make a bottle of milk, pat her bottom for 5 mins) I dont think he read her a story though or patted her bottom as he did it pretty quickly. Oh well :rolleyes:

Kristy thats so sweet of you to offer, I'm hoping DD's room will be done by the time you get here though & I wont be lifting anything too heavy, if DH continues to be so lazy towards the reno's then I'll just let something slip when talking to his parents haha then they'll make him help me & his dad will help me too :)
I cant wait for your visit!! Wasn't it November when we last caught up?? I cant wait to see your baby bump hehe

Epacris Thanks for the hug. Reno's can really suck at times hey. Its so much worse though when your DH (who is a qualified & licensed builder BTW) loses interest & you're the only one trying to get it all done!
We're using something called aqua-enamel?? Hopefully only one more coat on all the woodwork in the room, doors, window sills, skirting etc. Thanks for your advice :)

Salsa Thanks for your advice. I cant stand the masks on my face, it really itches me :( I'm really clumsy in gloves too LOL I will keep the windows open while I finish the painting, hopefully get most finished today... well this afternoon as we have a family luncheon today :rolleyes: don't really feel like it, but you have to do these things sometimes haha.
Wow, you did ALOT while you were PG. Glad to hear your DS is nice & healthy :) I remember while 8 months PG with DD we moved house & as DH was working full time I had to pack the house pretty much on my own, & unpack at the other house. I look back now & think I couldn't do that this time round! (we also moved when I was about 3 months PG, when we got home from over seas, then we bought our house when DD was 4 months old so I did ALOT of packing & unpacking in that year!! LOL)

I know it will all be worth it when its done. I just didnt want to put bubs to any risk. I think I should be fine, not much left as I said. Soon enough it will all be a distant memory haha

Thanks again ladies for your replies :hug:

Danielle, I did a bit of painting of our home when I was pregnant with our DD. My DP hated it so I did it. I don't mind painting either. We always use that Dulux Wash and Wear, there is some environmental green sticker on it, hardly smells or anything. We get it from Bunnings. No problems here though when I was PG! Have fun with it..;)

I did lots of painting when I was pregnant with my first, pretty much my whole house I painted. I only painted with water based paints and made sure we had the windows open and took breaks often, kept the doors shut to the rooms that I had painted while we slept. I am pretty sure I would have looked it up at the time to be sure it was a safe thing to do.

I think it's all part of nesting...I just wanted everything to be perfect and have a beautiful room for the new baby too.