In tears here....really upset re: paint fumes

I work at a fitness studio and the owner knows I am six weeks preg; she is doing some renovations and i asked her to let me know when it was being painted so I could get a sub. Well, earlier this week, part of it was painted and I didn't know. I had to teach my hour class with the doors open....praying for enough cross ventilation. Now it looks like yesterday the rest of the damn place was painted, and I just taught an early class--again with the doors open. But it still smelled. As soon as the class was over, I burst into tears so scared at what I breathed in. I was there a total of 2 hours this week....the air was blowing in but i still smelled it. I am so so upset.

Message edited 11/13/2009 7:34:34 AM.

Re: In tears here....really upset re: paint fumes

I am sure you are fine as long as the room was well ventilated. We moved into our house when I was 7 mos preggo with DS, we painted the whole house, but kept the windows open. I even helped paint, but I just did it outside.

Re: In tears here....really upset re: paint fumes

I'm sure you're fine - especially since the doors were open! I painted my entire house each time I was pregnant and only had windows open!

Re: In tears here....really upset re: paint fumes

Re: In tears here....really upset re: paint fumes

I agree with all the PPs. And as long as it is not lead based (it's not, that is not legal) and considering the time you are in there for, you are fine. If you were in a closed room for 8 hours with no ventilation, this might be an issue.

Re: In tears here....really upset re: paint fumes

agree with PPs

Re: In tears here....really upset re: paint fumes

Re: In tears here....really upset re: paint fumes

If it was Latex based paint, then you really shouldn't worry at all. They don't emit much harmful gasses. Oil based paints will tend to emit more harmful gasses (VOC's), but the amount of time you were exposed to the paint shouldn't have been enough to do any harm

Re: In tears here....really upset re: paint fumes

They were painting my office like crazy before I knew I was pregnant.
It did smell pretty bad, but it was all latex and I hear that they dont' emit much VOC's.
I wouldn't freak out too much....Think of this way- we are probably breathing in a ton of toxic things every single day without even knowing about it.
The air isn't exactly clean these days.
Unless you put yourself in a bubble for 9 months there is no avoiding it

Message edited 11/13/2009 10:12:42 AM.

Re: In tears here....really upset re: paint fumes

you are fine! We just moved into a new house and repainted the whole house while I have been pregnant. Oil based fumes are the only ones you really have to worry about and Im 99% sure they would have only used latex based.

Re: In tears here....really upset re: paint fumes

I'm sure you're fine, like everyone else said.

When I was pregnant the first time I brilliantly decided I needed to run the self-clean on my stove... while I was still in the house. After about an hour and a half of trying to hide from TOXIC checmicals, I finally realized that it was a bad idea to be home while I did that. DD is fine!

Try not to worry so much.

Re: In tears here....really upset re: paint fumes

Thanks, guys.....aww....I want to call the doc but I feel like a bother. Like a freak I looked at the paint can, I didn't see low VOCs, but I did see that it was Benjamin Moore 100% acrylic. So I guess that's better than nothing. Even DH was freaked out.

Re: In tears here....really upset re: paint fumes

I'm sure you'll be fine.. I work in a wood shop and ever once in a while the stain fumes get a little strong- I just make sure the ventillation is on.