Conference moira::parenting_v3

Just to set your mind a little more at ease ... over the years more women
have decorated the house while pregnant than I would care to begin to count,
so, this is one of many "best if avoided" type things, like most drugs and
so on.  There is now such a health consciousness for mothers-to-be and
growing children that I'm sure if they thought about it, the experts would
have us all in hypo-allergenic plastic bubbles!

On a more serious note though, and this applies to anyone doing home
decorating, and not just pregnant mothers, there are a lot of volatile
and toxic solvents used in paints and thinners etc. that are best avoided
by everybody.  Obviously then, no-one would paint a house without moving out!
So, the best advice is avoid breathing the fumes where possible, and
ensure that your windows are open.  If the smell gets strong get a fan to help
blow them out (an electric heater on "Fan only" will do).

Wallpapering too isn't without danger, because the adhesives contain toxic
fungicides.  Avoid too much contact and wash it off regularly.

So, the bottom line is ... be careful.

Stuart

    Hi Alison,
    
    Your comment about bleaching your hair while pregnant...that's another
    of the "best avoided" things. With bleaching, perming, henna rinses,
    etc you are applying in directly to your scalp and it is assumed that
    a certain amount is absorbed by your skin. How much, who really knows
    and how much it takes to harm a developing baby, who knows? Some
    doctors will specifically say don't and some say try to avoid it.
    
    Also be warned, alot of women's hair does funny things while they are
    pregnant so the results could be very favorable or disastorous. My
    mother's hair went from dirty blonde to brunette with auburn highlights
    by the time she finished having 2 kids. My hair grows like crazy and loses
    all its body (this is when I want to perm but he held back) when I'm 
    pregnant. I'd be a perfect commercial for shavers!!!
    
    It's all the same for things like nutra-sweet, caffine, even
    chemically decafinated coffees, etc. They are chemicals that can affect 
    a developing baby but the dosage needed is questionable. They are "best 
    avoided"!!!
                                                            
    Andrea (how are you feeling these days??)

    
    Hi Andrea,
    
    Thanks for the tips.
    
    I'm feeling wonderful still!  I'm so lucky - I've had no trouble at
    all, apart from being a little anaemic.  I'm not really that tired and
    can't complain about anything.  Boringly healthy, some would say!
    
    Two months to go yet, though.  S'pose this is when all the fun starts!
    
    How are you?
    
    Kind Regards.
    Alison
    

About the paint--isn't there one specific base that should DEFINITELY be
avoided?  I'm thinking I was told oil base should definitely be avoided
while latex is o.k.

I'm not remembering too well here, nor am I a chemist... can someone help
me out with the specifics?


Marty

My OB told me to avoid oil-based paints, but water-based paints were okay.
No idea why, but we did alot of painting on our old house before moving out,
and on Kati's room in the new house (it had wallpaper with cars), and the
fumes really got to me, even though it was water-based!

Kristen

    
    You're not supposed to use oil-based paint--but latex-based is just
    fine.  I painted the whole nursery when I was around 8-9 mos. along and
    I have a fine healthy kid.
    
    They have even better paints out now, I hear.  Paint that is
    environmentally safe (whatever that means).  All the paint companies
    make it (Sherman Williams, California, etc.) and it's supposed to be
    even LESS toxic than good old Latex.  Look into it.
    
    

    Oil based paints have solvents in them which thins the oils ... these
    solvents are usually volatile petroleum spirits which give all oil
    base paints their characteristic odour.  These solvents enter the blood
    srteam very easily and cause lots of nasty side effects ... some short
    term and some longer term ... in that they affect the operation of
    the cns (central nervous system).  Usual side effects are headaches and
    mild diziness.
    
    Water based paints ... latex, acrylic, emulsion, pva, use water as the
    primary solvent.  BUT there are a number of other things in there which
    may or may not be hazardous.  Some people are sensitive to the latex
    fumes given off ... the latex "cures" as the water from the paint
    evaporates.  There are a number of additives that give water based
    paints their brushing and rolling qualities ... like a thixotropic
    compound which will thin the paint as it is worked and thicken when it
    isn't to help stop drips.  A gelling compound to help stop dripping
    from brushes, and stop runs when using a gloss.  Not to mention a
    SMELL which makes people vent a room after painting to help ensure that
    they don't breathe in all the other vapours!
    
    So, what it boils down to is that some paints and makers are better
    than others and they are all different ... and yopu should take
    precautions whatever you do!
    
    Stuart

FWIW, when they do latex painting here at ZKO, they send out a message that
pregnant women should avoid the area.

    re: .8
    
    Yeah, and then don't paint on the scheduled day and show up three
    days later unannounced.  
    
    I get sinus reactions from most common perfume/scenting agents --
    the smell they add to latex paint is one of the worst.  If they're
    painting anywhere in the building, I'll get a sinus attack. . .
    sigh.
    
    --bonnie

    Oil based paints cure more quickly than latex.  An oil based paint will
    harden completely in a few days (temperature and ventilation dependent)
    while latex paints "outgas" for months or years.
    
    I left town or stayed at relatives while painting was being done in our
    addition while I was pregnant.  My son and I took a vacation last week
    while we had some additional painting done.
    
    IMHO, there are so many environmental pollutants we are exposed to
    these days that minimizing optional exposures is a very healthy choice.
    
    =ss