Question about Paint from the Paranoid

[same_sky]

I came home on break in part so I could ask the internets about my paranoia. (Because, I do not write posts at work. Personal rule.) They are remodeling at work. The large room I'm in has a door on each end of the room, and the area they're working on is across a hallway from us (near, but not directly across from, one of the two doors.) Yesterday, it seemed like they were beginning to paint, and we decided not to sit in there (it's the break room) during the afternoon because of a paint smell. This morning, I can smell it from my desk. It's not exactly a strong paint fumes sort of smell.. just the fairly faint smell of new paint. Three people that I asked couldn't smell it at all. I can smell it, and so could D. I thought maybe I was imagining it because I went in there this morning to put my water in the fridge, and it IS very strong in there, so I thought maybe it was just stuck in my nose.. but I went outside later for a few minutes for fresh air and came back in through a door on the opposite end of the room from the work, and could smell it again. It may also be that when I arrived this morning (45 minutes before work starts officially--I was the first one there in our area) that it was just stronger than it is now that a bunch of people have had the outside doors open (both of which are close to the two doors to our section) while arriving.

What do you think, internets? Is it okay that I am sitting in a room that smells somewhat of new paint? I convinced myself that it is but I am still worried. Of course I'm worried, it's me. What else would I do? I feel like a dope for even asking this. It's really not a strong smell (like I said, 3/5 people in my survey couldn't smell it.) My throat has felt very dry, though, which could be random, or it could be psychosomatic, or it could be the fumes irritating me. What do you think? Am I causing irreparable damage to Ducky? Will she be born with eleven feet because I went to work today? (Okay, that last one is unlikely even for me to suggest because I am in the second trimester now and she has already grown her feet but still.)

I know that no one can really tell me what to do but I SURE WISH YOU WOULD.

Comments

[dbrus.livejournal.com]

We moved into our new freshly painted apartment in the second trimester...It smelled of paint for quite a while. Max has all of his fingers and toes (and no extras) and seems normal :)

I know all about the paranoia though. Just think...for the rest of your life you will worry about Ducky every single day!

[same-sky.livejournal.com]

Thank you! That helps me feel a little better. Max is a cutie so it sure seems that the paint smell didn't hurt him! :) I wish I could stop being paranoid. Now my head is beginning to hurt and I'm thinking "gee, is this due to paint?" and completely forgetting that I went to bed last night with a headache. I was just thinking about that... that there will always be something to worry about from now on. Like I needed help with things to worry about.

[ladysunrunner.livejournal.com]

personally i would try to avoid it as much as you can. paint has nasty stuff in it. i can't really say how harmful it would be but better safe than sorry, right?

if you can't get out of the room altogether see what you can do with windows and fans to get the smell out as fast as possible. also, surround yourself with live plants! they help absorb the ickiness and make the air nicer :-) hope that helped a little bit.

[same-sky.livejournal.com]

There are no windows that can be opened here. I just moved my one plant over to sit next to me, though--good idea! When I came back to work from my break, I couldn't smell it much at all in here, so I'm thinking that it really is okay to stay in here and it's what I thought this morning.. that things are airing out as the day goes on. Today is the monthly division lunch, which is IN that room, and I'm definitely going to skip it.

Thanks! I would love to avoid it completely instead.

[ladysunrunner.livejournal.com]

ok, i'm apparently much more gloomy about this than everyone else! having a gloomy day i guess. anyway, i wouldn't worry about it too much either...but at the same time i would still try to do what i could to avoid it.

[courtesy.livejournal.com]

I had a quick look on the internet and it confirmed my initial thought that you are absolutely fine. If you were working as an industrial painter every day throughout the pregnancy I might worry and not just because of the fumes :) but you will be perfectly fine in this case, I know that with 100% confidence. You are just a sensitive bunny and things irritate you, eyes being proof etc, but Ducky is as safe as houses. Fresh air is always good though but even without that you'd be fine. *hugs*

[same-sky.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I looked on the internet a little bit too but I'm not entirely trustworthy with research when I'm doing my worry bit. *big hugs* You're so sweet. What would I do without you? And I am going to adopt that as my motto: I am a sensitive bunny. *nod*

[courtesy.livejournal.com]

You are indeed :) Me too.

Like dbrus I think paint smell lingers long afterwards anyway in a way that has nothing to do with toxic fumes. You are fine :)

[marketeer]

You may just be more sensitive to certain odors because you're pregnant. I had one friend who couldn't cook certain foods because the cooking smells really got to her when she was expecting.

[same-sky.livejournal.com]

That's a good point. I am more sensitive to smells than I used to be, and I've always had a pretty good nose.

[queensheba.livejournal.com]

I don't really know the specific risks or lack of risk, but I do know my friend xaviermusketeer worked from home while her office was being painted during her pregnancy.

[helloheather.livejournal.com]

I can understand why you're worried, but I think you and the baby will both be okay. :) We painted three rooms in our house while I was pregnant, so I did a bunch of research about paint fumes. (Not that I'm claiming to be an expert or anything.) What I found said that if you were exposed to paint fumes every day, like if you worked in a paint factory or something, then that would be something to worry about. But the occasional exposure to paint fumes while pregnant has not been found to do any harm to mother or child. ESPECIALLY if it's latex paint, which I am going to guess it probably is.

Also, and I think you know this, pregnancy can make your sense of smell more accute, so you probably ARE smelling it more than the other people in your office. Ergo, it's probably not as smelly as you think.

So, if I were you, I'd worry about it as little as possible. :)

[carrieb.livejournal.com]

This is way way way late because my little angel wouldn't let me near the computer when he woke up, but I agree that it is ok. I did some research on this as well and it seems to be fine. Like someone else mentioned, a pregnant woman's sense of smell is extraordinary. From what I understand that is a defense mechanism so you can avoid dangerous foods.

For what it's worth, my mom worked painting ducks the whole time she was pregnant with me. I guess I turned out fairly normal.

[stewlis.livejournal.com]

I'm sure someone's said it already, but pregnancy makes your nose highly sensitive to smells, and you'll smell things you wish you couldn't, and you'll smell things other people think are only in your head. I have that problem on a daily basis, my nose picks scents that even pregnant people don't smell. LOL