If you are expecting a baby, you might wonder whether it is safe for you to be around solvent based paint and all the paint fumes that come from it. Many pregnant women continue to do all their painting work, however, it is important that you know the precautions that should be taken and the type of paint that could be used in the process. Therefore, is acrylic paint safe during pregnancy, and what safety steps should be followed along the way?
Acrylic is known to be much safer than oil paint, and since it is a water-based paint, it is considered to be harmless for pregnant women. But, some types of acrylics can still include some solvents that impose risks. So, anything that contains ethylene glycol, ethers, or biocides should be avoided.
Pregnant women should make sure that everything that is around them is safe for their condition and their baby. Therefore, it is important to know the features of acrylics and what effects they can have on women that are expecting. In this article, you will read all about acrylics and pregnancy, i.e. which substances might be harmful, and what precautions should be taken if you intend to use them while expecting a baby. Is Acrylic Paint Safe During Pregnancy? Keep reading for more information.
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Can You Continue To Paint While Pregnant?
Generally, it is not risky for pregnant women to continue painting as long as they select the appropriate paint and take safety precautions to avoid any unpleasant occurrences. Therefore, it is important to choose a type of paint that does not contain toxins or harmful substances that might affect the life of the mother or the baby. In addition, it is essential to do the painting process in a safe manner, i.e. follow steps that are recommended for pregnant women and the whole painting process.
Generally, women who are expecting can paint using different paints, but they need to be careful about the solvents and other ingredients that the paint might include. According to an assistant professor of clinical obstetrics and gynecology, Sara Twogood, MD, there is no evidence that paint is harmful to pregnant women or the baby. However, making sure that pregnant women are not exposed to chemicals
that are not studied enough is necessary and a smart step as well.
Since there is not a lot of data about the chemicals used in paint and how they affect pregnancy, it is wise to limit exposure to those kinds of chemicals. It is known that different types of paint can include various mixtures, and those mixtures are not researched enough so experts would know whether they harm the pregnancy in any way. Basic paint would be way safer than using mixtures that include different kinds of substances.
In addition, there are no studies that suggest which trimester is safe for painting, meaning that there is no time in the pregnancy that would assure that there will not be harmful effects. However, the most delicate trimester of the pregnancy is the first one since that is the time when the baby’s organs are still forming and developing. Therefore, it would be smart to avoid or reduce the amount of exposure to different types of paint.
Is Acrylic Paint Safe During Pregnancy?
Acrylic paint is considered a safe type of paint for pregnant women, meaning that women can continue painting with it or using it for different kinds of projects. However, it is important to consider several things before deciding to go on with the painting process. If you are pregnant, you need to be sure that the substances included in the paint are not toxic or might put your pregnancy at risk in any way.
Acrylic is a water-based paint, and this feature makes this kind of paint safer than an oil-based one. Nonetheless, you need to take into consideration that some acrylics contain solvents and substances that might be harmful to both moms and their babies. For instance, paint that includes ethylene glycol, ethers, or biocides is considered dangerous for the pregnancy, meaning that it should be avoided throughout the whole nine months.
If you compare acrylic paint with oil-based paint, you will see that the former does not contain chemicals related to respiratory issues, while the latter one might since it includes turpentine. However, the real issues may arise from ingesting pigments from which the paint is made, not so much the inhaling part, although that is also not considered risk-free. The pigments found in paint are made of metals, oxides, carbonates, and similar chemical mixtures.
The poisonous ingredient is mainly the metal and not the medium, in general. Ingesting cobalt, titanium, or cadmium impose the real danger, and this does not refer only to pregnant women. Nonetheless, you cannot inhale these metals, nor can you ingest them through unbroken skin, but if you want to stay on the safe side, especially if you are pregnant, you can use paint that consists of substitutes to traditional pigments.
Good substitutes to traditional pigments are based on dye pigment, but they are not characterized by good and long-lasting quality since they fade quickly, especially if they are exposed to sunlight. Therefore, the recommended thing is to avoid the toxic substances mentioned above and take safety precautions. That way, you will know that you are keeping yourself safe while producing some quality paintings.
Types Of Paints That Are Considered Safe During Pregnancy
It is important to keep in mind that there is no paint that is considered 100% safe for pregnant women. Also, not all paints are made in the same way, therefore, it is important to know which types of paint are significantly harmful, while others might not impose such a risk. In other words, you should carefully choose the type of paint that you are going to use for your painting process.
As I already talked about acrylics, now I will discuss a couple of other types of paint so you will know which are safe and which are harmful during pregnancy.
Oil Paint
Some oil-based paint might be used during pregnancy, however, it is not recommended to do so. Firstly, most oil-based paints contain harsh and strong solvents that give out vapors or so-called volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that cause headaches, nausea, dizziness, eye irritation, and fatigue. Secondly, most oil-based paints include toluene that is known to cause growth restrictions in babies, meaning that they might disrupt the development of the fetus.
In other words, oil paint is not considered safe, at least most types of oil paints. Therefore, it would be safer to avoid oil-based paints at all costs. You would not like to risk your pregnancy for painting, so it is better that you put a pause on this type of paint for nine months.
Zaro VOC
Types of paint that include “zero VOC” on their labels are considered to be the safest choice for pregnant women. Therefore, it is recommended that if you can pick out the paint with which you are going to work when pregnant, choose the one that has these markings on the label. However, do not forget to check the structure of the pigments as well.
This is due to the fact that some paints might be labeled zero VOC, but their pigments might contain some substances that include VOCs. Therefore, zero VOC paint might be the safest option, but that does not guarantee that you will not be exposed to some harmful substances after all.
Safety Precautions For Painting During Pregnancy
If you cannot avoid the painting work, then at least you need to make sure that you are keeping yourself safe and protected. Since we already established that no paint is 100% safe for pregnant women, the least you can do is follow safety steps to make sure that you are doing everything you can to stay in a healthier environment while painting. So, to protect your baby, as well as yourself, you need to follow the steps below.
Cover Your Skin
Many doctors and experts recommend that pregnant women wear long-sleeved clothes when doing the painting. So, wearing long pants, long sleeves, and gloves is of crucial importance, so you could avoid getting paint on your skin. If your skin comes in touch with paint, you should immediately wash it and remove it with soap and water.
Paint In Well-Ventilated Areas
Good ventilation is of crucial importance, and this does not refer only to pregnant women. Good ventilation is necessary in order to avoid any harmful fumes that paint produces, i.e. avoid inhaling the substances that are released in the air when a certain type of paint is used for work. It is recommended that you paint in outdoor conditions since that is the best ventilation you can get.
However, if your painting requires indoor conditions, then make sure that you have opened windows or an air conditioner. Whatever you choose for your painting environment, make sure you have a good flow of air, so you will not absorb harmful substances.
Wear A Mask
Any type of mask will provide you the needed protection against harmful and toxic fumes. This will allow you to work safely without feeling sick of the paint. However, if you sense dizziness or even mild nausea, you should stop your work immediately, and get away from the area where paint has been used. This might lead to some respiratory issues, so make sure that you pause your painting process at least that day.
Do Not Keep Food And Drinks In The Room Where You Are Painting
Make sure that you do not keep any food or drinks in the room where you are painting since the fumes can get on the food quite easily. This also refers to eating and drinking while painting as well. Paints can be really strong, and food can absorb the fumes and substances quickly, and that will lead to the ingestion of paint.
Wash Up After The Painting Process
Even if you did not get any paint on your clothes, make sure that you take a good shower after the painting process. You would like to get rid of the smell and the fumes that probably got all over you when you were painting. So, do not do anything else before you wash up thoroughly after the painting process.
Should You Paint The Nursery While Pregnant?
If you are expecting a baby, it is obvious that you would like to get everything ready for the little one to arrive. Therefore, you have probably thought about painting and decorating the nursery, but you are not really sure whether you should do that while being pregnant.
As I discussed above, there are some paints, like acrylics, that are considered safe while pregnant. However, painting the nursery means painting a big space, i.e. being exposed to a large room with paint all over it. So, most experts recommend that you have someone else do that for you in order to avoid any possible risks.
However, if that is not an option, then you should think about the safest options you have for painting and decorating the nursery. So, firstly, you should avoid oil and latex paints, as well as, all the paints that include ethylene glycol, ethers, or biocides. This is the first step toward safe painting while being pregnant.
Once you establish the safe type of paint, you should think about the safety measures and ways in which you can do the painting. That means you should wear long-sleeved clothes, gloves, and a face mask. Along with this, you should make sure that the room is well-ventilated by opening the windows or turning on the fans.
Final Words
As you could see, painting can be safe for pregnant women as long as they carefully choose the type of paint and follow safety precautions. When you are pregnant, you can do mostly everything regularly, as long as you are aware of the possible risks.