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Painting Precautions You Should Follow (While Pregnant)

Sunday, June 25, 2017

 
Up until about a week ago, I wasn’t noticing a belly forming. No weight gain, all of my clothes still fit. Then all of a sudden, a little belly appeared out of nowhere.
 
Every now and again I would lean against something and realize oh my belly is in the way, or I’d lift something and have to reposition it so I didn’t put the weight of the object on my abdomen.
As I paint rooms in my house and various furniture pieces I realize I have started to take more precautions when I paint. Now some of these are old habits, but others are fairly new. Whether you are expecting or not, here are some painting precautions you should follow.
(Before I begin my list I would like to state that each individual should talk to their doctor before attempting any projects. I am not encouraging anyone to try painting if they do not feel comfortable. I, myself, spoke to my doctor about what steps I should take to remain safe during pregnancy while I paint. Many posts I have read discourage women to paint at all during pregnancy, which in my case is unrealistic. I want to share my experiences and what has worked for me, but also understand that not everyone will agree with painting while pregnant.)
1.       Paint outside or in a well ventilated area.
I paint in my garage with the doors open or outside when the weather is manageable. If I must paint or stain indoors I open all windows and put the fan on in the room.
 
2.       Wear a respirator.
This will make an immense difference I promise. Before I was pregnant I might wear a dust mask while spray painting or sanding, but a respirator is the way to go to protect your lungs.
 
3.       Flip furniture upside down.
I was so tired of bending over to paint the legs of furniture. Now, I paint the top side, let it dry, and then flip it over to paint the legs. No more crouching down or sitting underneath the table to get every spot!
 
4.       Wear gloves.
This should be a no brainer, but sometimes I am so lazy. I use a product called TSP to wash walls and furniture before painting. Wearing gloves makes me feel protected from chemicals and less worried about what may be hiding under my fingernails.
 
5.       Use a dolly to move furniture.
My husband insisted on this precaution and I’m so happy he did. Moving furniture has become increasingly difficult as my pregnancy progresses. I don’t want to feel weak so I still try to move things around. Using a dolly allows one person to wheel the furniture to another location and the other person to guide it.
 
6.       Take breaks.
You might feel dizzy or achy after working on a bedroom for an hour or so. I know you want to get it finished, but you will feel so much better after you take a break! When you rush through and try to get the job done you miss spots, use too much paint which results in drips, or make other costly mistakes. You will feel less annoyed after you take a break and ready to continue your project.
 
7.       Use no VOC paints.
No VOC means less chemicals for you to breathe in. An alternative to most name brand paint is milk paint. It’s a 100% organic, non-toxic product, similar to the type of paint that was used before chemicals were introduced to paint.
 
8.       Leave it to an expert.
Some projects are just not worth risking your health. If something doesn’t smell right, look right, feel right, then call it quits. When I discovered mold in our guest bedroom/nursery, we called in an expert. Luckily for us the mold was dormant and just needed to be sprayed with bleach. However, if you don’t feel comfortable doing something get a second and third opinion. If it’s something that needs to be addressed immediately, have an expert take care of it, if not, it can wait until after the baby.
 

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