www.nhs.uk [Accessed 27/4/20] RCOG 2013. Just make sure you ventilate the area well if you need to do anymore. Inhaling Paint Fumes While Pregnant. Normally I wouldn't be bothered at all by using those kind of paints; it's just because I'm pregnant that I'm bothered. Breathing fresh air for 15 to 20 minutes should relieve most of the symptoms. It can also cause vision loss and hearing loss. After carbon monoxide is breathed in, it enters your bloodstream and mixes with haemoglobin (the part of red blood cells that carry oxygen around your body) to form carboxyhaemoglobin. Do not burn charcoal in an enclosed space, such as on an indoor barbecue. If OK, do a bit more. When pregnant, excessive exertion e.g. The actual VOC's (volatile organic compounds) in modern solvent paints is very low. I feel a little better. This is mainly because bringing your baby into a freshly painted room is not advisable because of the paint fumes. You may lose balance, vision and memory and, eventually, you may lose consciousness. Meghan Is Using Eucalyptus-Infused Paint In Her Nursery & Its Benefits Can Be Huge. I'm pregnant. Page last reviewed: 10 April 2019 I got up at 11am as I couldn't sleep all night and now I'm so worried I harmed my baby in any way. However, if you do choose to paint, you should do the following: Just had a look on the back of the gloss paint and it says 'high VOC 25-50%', is that still going to be ok? However, the odor of fresh paint can be irritating and unpleasant. It goes on to say that long-term exposure to solvent paints may be harmful, but that's talking about if you work every day with solvent paints, which you don't. I work off ladders daily which can be quite heavy, also use all types of paints, i don't want to let down my clients that ive already booked in, but also i don't want to put me and baby out of over doing it. www.nhs.uk [Accessed 27/4/20] NHS. I felt so guilty and so stupid that I might have hurt poor little Baby Nutella. If however I was sniffing gloss paint for 8hrs a day, for 9months, then no it's not very good for me or baby. ... Lifesaving "Baby Box" could reduce cot deaths in city; There are a wide range of … Research has shown that children sleeping in bedrooms containing fumes from conventional and low-VOC water-based paints and solvents are 2 to 4 times more likely to suffer from allergies or asthma. Keep your house windows open as far as possible for good air circulation. Just think, our Grandmothers probably smoked and drank through their pregnancies, and didn't think anything of it! Standard oxygen therapy in hospital will be needed if you have been exposed to a high level of carbon monoxide, or you have symptoms that suggest exposure. That's just the reassurance I need; I've been so worried. I hope you can help with a little information....I have a 6 week old baby, we are visiting my mum and she had her house painted a couple of weeks ago. I'm really worried but I don't understand why it took 1 week for me to develop the sore throat..maybe from all the fumes breathe in during the week? Help! Then I found posts from REAL people who said things like ''My Mum stripped, sanded and varnished my nursery when she was 7 months pregnant and I'm fine!'' There would be a concern if the babies were exposed daily for a long period. I can still smell the pain but faintly. The smaller an animal or a person is, the faster they'll be affected. The symptoms of exposure to low levels of carbon monoxide can be similar to those of food poisoning and flu. Its use is decided on a case-by-case basis. Go to your local A&E straight away if you think you have been exposed to high levels. I hate to say it, but my Mum is (probably) right (maybe). 2010. Image source: iStock. Found out I'm pregnant again 5 months after giving birth. He said for me to not do anymore, but did point out that I have only been painting for a couple of hours a day and taken big breaks in between, and the solvent warnings are more for people that are exposed all day every day for a long period of time. Gas, oil, coal and wood are sources of fuel used in many household appliances, including: Incorrectly installed, poorly maintained or poorly ventilated household appliances, such as cookers, heaters and central heating boilers, are the most common causes of accidental exposure to carbon monoxide. If fumes bother you then play safe and arrange another time. You'll be given 100% oxygen through a tight-fitting mask (normal air contains around 21% oxygen). Breathing in concentrated oxygen enables your body to quickly replace carboxyhaemoglobin. Hi all, I was planning on painting the spare room but I have now looked on the NHS website and it says the following: Reducing the risk If you want to completely eliminate the risk of paint fumes affecting your baby, then you should avoid doing any painting or decorating. I'm not worried about using the emulsion paint at all -the rooms are all open plan and we've had the doors and windows all open, all of the time. Paint companies are attempting to make paint a more easy to use product by making the fumes less harmful and making the painting process safer for all adults and infants. (Read about the risk of paint fumes on the NHS … Help . Investigate the possibility of a carbon monoxide leak if your pet suddenly becomes ill or dies unexpectedly and their death is not related to old age or an existing health condition. Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas that has no smell or taste. I realized later that it was not completely dry yet. Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked. Long-term exposure to carbon monoxide gas can also damage an unborn baby. I checked about paint fumes on baby centre earlier as I wanted to crack on with painting but it advises not too, it also says to keep the room well ventilated after painting to let out the fumes and not to let a baby be in a freshly painted room so id say a week or two would be ok :) 1 Please help!! Toxic poisoning can occur through swallowing a toxic substance, by breathing in toxic fumes, or by absorbing a toxic solution through your skin. The more contact you have, the greater the risk. Wasn't until 2 days later all of a sudden I just got really upset about it. I am so upset. I'm due end of nov and its a boy.. Got any names yet? Boilers, cookers, heating systems and appliances should be installed and regularly serviced by a reputable, registered engineer. (After all, researchers aren’t going to expose pregnant women to paint fumes just to see what happens.) Follow the safety tips below to help protect yourself at home and in the workplace: If your carbon monoxide alarm sounds or you suspect a leak: It's very important to be aware of the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning and to look out for warning signs. Hi original poster. Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. Modern paints are supposed to be 'safe', in that they don't contain anything that can cause ill health as such, like when paint used to have lead in it. Isn't safe for my baby to be here? I promise you that you will feel better about it soon. If you are experiencing these symptoms, you should immediately leave the area being painted. A level of 30% indicates severe exposure. Yes, I know solvents aren't very nice and can cause headaches etc, but at the time it didnt even occur to me NOT to, because I was pregnant. HBOT may be recommended in certain situations – for example, if there's been extensive exposure to carbon monoxide and nerve damage is suspected. I have plans to repaint my living room, and also the room my twins will eventually sleep when they move out of my bedroomAm I able to help my husband We like jayden just can't wait to hold him now.. Anyone carrying out work on installations and appliances in your home must be registered with a relevant association, such as the: Make sure all chimneys and flues are swept regularly by a qualified sweep who's a member of the: To protect you from carbon monoxide poisoning caused by exhaust fumes: Install a carbon monoxide alarm in your home to alert you if there's a carbon monoxide leak. If you have serious concerns about the effects of paint fumes on your unborn baby, you should avoid painting while pregnant. When this happens, the blood is no longer able to carry oxygen, and this lack of oxygen causes the body's cells and tissue to fail and die. Loads of hugs and love heading your way x. I just spoke to my husband about it and he was very reasuring. Phantom smells are a very bad sign - and this is why. Prolonged significant exposure to carbon monoxide can cause serious complications, including brain damage and heart problems. Consumer Reports suggests painting at least two months before your baby’s arrival to give the fumes a chance to subside before you bring your new baby home. News, NHS UK, Healthline. Anyways after I finished i did open the windows in the room (hence no door to the baby room so couldn't shut it) slept next door in my room with the door closed and had my room windows opened, but the fumes was so strong I could smell it all night long in my room. Hello I'm 25 weeks pregnant and on weds night at 12 midnight I had the urge to paint the baby window sill with dulux gloss paint ( high in voc) it took me 30mins and I didn't open any windows whilst painting as it was late and I didn't want any bugs flying in. I actually work for a paint company! I know its not comfortable but what about wearing a dust mask to reduce fumes too the big white ones I am talking about. Thanks for the advice. There's currently not enough evidence about the long-term effectiveness of HBOT for treating severe cases of carbon monoxide poisoning. To top it off, it started raining about 4 hours after I started the project, so I brought the wood trim in the house because I thought it was dry. Don't worry, it'll be fine. Carbon monoxide is produced when fuels such as gas, oil, coal and wood do not burn fully. The risk of harm to your baby may be slightly greater from solvent-based paints and old paintwork, which may contain traces of lead. But it’s still worth avoiding painting in the first 13 weeks, as this is when crucial baby development happens – so it may be best to minimise any risk, however low. 2008. If the blood supply is restricted, it can cause angina (chest pains). Never use ovens or gas ranges to heat your home. Non-occupational exposure to paint fumes during pregnancy and risk of congenital anomalies: a cohort study. Always wear a safety mask when using chemicals that contain methylene chloride. Potential Risks of Exposure to Paint Fumes. As long as you had good ventilation and took breaks between painting then you will be fine. She said that she thought that she had been over protective when I was a baby but that I was even worse and that getting stressed and upset about it would probably do the baby more harm. Your symptoms will often indicate whether you have carbon monoxide poisoning, but a blood test will confirm the amount of carboxyhaemoglobin in your blood. Close menu. Maternal exposure to some VOCs found in paint may raise the risk for low birth weight, which in turn is associated with an increased risk for delayed development or learning disabilities. If your husband's not good at straight lines, I can recommend Frog Tape. The symptoms can gradually get worse with prolonged exposure to carbon monoxide, leading to a delay in diagnosis. You can determine if you have toxic poisoning by checking the common symptoms of poisoning. Please don't beat yourself up about it! I'd tried SO hard not to eat raw eggs and be careful to eat all the right vitamins and minerals...and then I'd gone and done THIS to my baby and just felt SO stupid. Hi. Posted 19/03/2017. she asked. In rare cases, severe carbon monoxide poisoning can cause Parkinsonism, which is characterised by tremors, stiffness and slow movement. Can paint fumes affect my unborn baby? Thank you My husband has cheerfully volunteered to do the rest 'tonight' (just to be on the safe side)...that was TWO WEEKS AGO. 2015. In theory it could even be applied with a baby in the room, because it is 100% zero-VOC and there are no harmful emissions. Next review due: 10 April 2022, Heating Equipment Testing and Approval Scheme (HETAS), National Association of Chimney Sweeps (NACS), Association of Professional Independent Chimney Sweeps (APICS), frequent emotional changes – for example, becoming easily irritated, depressed, or making impulsive or irrational decisions, impaired mental state and personality changes (intoxication), the feeling that you or the environment around you is spinning, loss of physical co-ordination caused by underlying damage to the brain and nervous system, breathlessness and a heart rate of more than 100 beats per minute (tachycardia), an uncontrollable burst of electrical activity in the brain that causes muscle spasms (seizures), loss of consciousness – in cases where there are very high levels of carbon monoxide, death may occur within minutes, blocked flues and chimneys – this can stop carbon monoxide escaping, allowing it to reach dangerous levels, burning fuel in an enclosed or unventilated space – for example, running a car engine, petrol-powered generator or barbecue inside a garage, or a faulty boiler in an enclosed kitchen, faulty or blocked car exhausts – a leak or blockage in the exhaust pipe, such as after heavy snowfall, could lead to a build-up of carbon monoxide, paint fumes – some cleaning fluids and paint removers contain methylene chloride (dichloromethane); this substance is broken down by the body into carbon monoxide, smoking shisha pipes indoors – shisha pipes burn charcoal and tobacco, which can lead to a build-up of carbon monoxide in enclosed or unventilated rooms, do not leave petrol-fuelled lawnmowers or cars running in the garage, make sure your car's exhaust is checked every year for leaks, make sure your exhaust is not blocked before turning the engine on (for example, after heavy snowfall). … I decided to speak to a midwife today as it was really bugging me. 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