Low Voc Paint Fumes Pregnancy

While a freshly painted room may seem harmless there are some chemicals in paint that can be toxic many of which are grouped into a category called volatile organic compounds vocs.

Low voc paint fumes pregnancy.

Low voc paints have reduced amounts of volatile organic compounds meaning they don t off gas as much as traditional paints. Can exposure to paint fumes affect your unborn baby. Choose a paint labeled low voc or zero voc these are usually latex paints that contain lower levels of solvents or volatile oil compounds even the zero voc products may still contain some solvents make sure you have good ventilation. According to the u s.

So if you re painting during pregnancy consider the following recommendations. Lead based paint was commonly used prior to the 1970s so pregnant women should avoid removing old paint because of the risk of lead exposure. Don t eat or drink in the room where you re painting to avoid accidentally ingesting any paint. Scraping and sanding old paint should be completely avoided.

Vocs are linked to respiratory illnesses and memory impairment says beres. Once we ve honed in on the perfect shade our main priority is getting it up on the walls as soon as possible. Generally speaking the risk associated with household paints is low although the risk of harm may be greater when working with paints that. Pregnancy safe paint brands.

It s important to remember that when it says low it s only in comparison to some other paints. Paint is one of those products many of us don t think twice about except when it comes to color. However solvent based paints and old paintwork which may contain traces of lead may pose a greater risk. For this reason you should avoid using solvent based paints and stripping old paintwork while you re pregnant.

Safer for mommy to be one of the chores on the top of the to do list for a mommy to be is painting the nursery so it s important to know that low voc paint is definitely safer for pregnant women as well as children or anyone with a compromised immune system. Those with a green seal are also recommended since they are required to have vocs less than 50 grams per liter for flat paints and 100 grams per liter for non flat ones. Open windows and doors and take frequent breaks. Paint in a well ventilated space to minimize fume inhalation.

This type of paint gives off vapors called volatile organic compounds vocs that can cause headaches eye irritation nausea dizziness and fatigue. Oil based paint isn t a good choice when painting while pregnant because it contains harsh solvents valle says. There s are no standards that define what low means so the labels are arbitrary at best. As a result pregnant women should only use natural paints or low to zero voc paints and make sure that they are completely protected when painting.

Keep the windows open to avoid inhaling paint fumes.