It’s par for the course during pregnancy to want to create a special space for your soon-to-be. But, whether you’re preparing a cozy nook in your bedroom or a sublime nursery down the hall, should you paint when you’re pregnant? Here are the facts and how to make the safest choice for your child.
First of all, as you’d likely assume, all paints are not the same and, typically, paint and pregnancy are not a good mix. Most conventional paints contain harmful VOCs that not only cause immediate impacts to your health, but also potentially long-term impacts on your child’s.
VOCs are volatile organic compounds, or, in simpler terms, gasses released from products and substances. You’ll find them in everything from cleaners and cosmetics to crafting supplies and carpeting. They aren’t all bad, but many VOCs commonly found in paints are linked to health effects like asthma, neuro-developmental impacts, birth defects, and even cancer. Specifically, you’ll find terpenes, formaldehyde, acrolein, phthalates, glycol, toluene, methylene chloride, styrene, trichloroethylene, xylenes, and benzene among others.
And, even if you have someone else do the painting for you, you’re not in the clear because VOCs in conventional paints aren’t only released when the paint is fresh (that “new paint smell”), they can off-gas for the next three to five years!
A much safer paint option is low or no-voc paint. But, even then, you’re putting your baby’s health at risk. You see, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) allows companies to call their product zero-VOC even if it contains off-gassing chemicals. “Low-VOC” and “zero-VOC” mean a product has less VOCs than traditional paints. But, low or zero-VOC doesn’t always mean non-toxic or healthy or safe. Even zero-VOC paints can contain other risky chemicals not considered VOCs (like highly toxic ammonia and acetone which are not classified as VOCs and are not required by law to appear on the label). Or, the low or zero-VOC claim may only refer to the base paint – not the color tint. So, the moment you add color to your base, you’ve added VOCs right back in.
Third party, eco-friendly, and health certifications can be just as misleading. All third party certifications including the highest levels of certification allow for at least 2 teaspoons (about 50,000 parts per million/ppm) of these chemicals as part of their standards. Yet, toxic chemical exposures as low as 5ppm can cause damage ranging from skin and eye irritation to long-term damage to kidney, respiratory, and cognitive functions.
All of these “eco-friendly,” “low-VOC,” and “no-VOC” options are clearly better than conventional, but the safest choice in the end is a truly zero-VOC, non-toxic paint. That’s what we’ve created with Lullaby Paints. As parents, we wanted the very safest, most eco-friendly, highest quality paint possible. We’ve done all the research and worrying so you can rest easy. It’s pregnant mom-safe, baby-safe, the safest paint around.
Order your free samples today and let us know if you have any questions at all. We’re happy to do the best we can to help create the safest, most beautiful space for your little miracle.
About the Author:
Lullaby Paints is the world’s leading paint for babies’ nurseries & healthy homes. For over twenty five years, their paints have been praised by people seeking the finest quality and safety. The people behind Lullaby are parents and future parents who are concerned about the health and safety of babies. They are committed to educating others about the risks posed by traditional paints, and motivated by the desire to provide our children with a safe environment in which to grow up.
{photo credits} Pregnant Painter: Jonathan Knowles via About.com, Should You Paint When You’re Pregnant?: Lullaby Paints
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