What To Know When Modifying Your Home While Pregnant

ECOS Paints 10/11/2021
What To Know When Modifying Your Home While Pregnant

There is much to do when it comes to bringing a new baby into your home. You need to set up your new baby’s nursery possibly move older kids into another room, and, of course, scrub the house from top to bottom.

But doing any kind of strenuous activity can be difficult—dangerous, even—when you’re carrying a little one. To keep yourself safe while still completing your household tasks, here is what to know when modifying your home while pregnant.

Start Early

Nesting instincts often kick in at approximately the third trimester, but that doesn’t mean you should wait until the 27-week mark to start modifying your home when you’re pregnant. The third trimester also marks the start of physical symptoms like shortness of breath and swollen ankles—symptoms that would make it much more difficult to do challenging tasks.

Enlist Help

Some light exercise is good for you when you’re pregnant. However, too much bending, heavy lifting, and standing can be dangerous for you and your baby. Doing too much when pregnant can increase your risk of:

  • Falls
  • Torn ligaments
  • Hernia
  • Premature birth
  • Low birth weight

The best way to avoid this is to enlist help for larger tasks like moving furniture. Tasks that don’t involve heavy lifting, such as laying hardwood flooring or assembling small furniture, should be safe, but be sure to take the time to rest frequently.

Be Wary of Noise

It’s easy to forget that babies can hear things from the womb, but unborn babies can even recognize the sound of their mother’s voice. However, the downside of a baby being able to hear good, gentle noises is that they can also hear loud noises.

Noise in the room may be muffled, but noise at higher decibels can still reach your baby. Prolonged exposure can potentially damage your baby’s hearing, so avoid using power tools while pregnant, and try to see if you can go somewhere else during construction.

Avoid Fumes

Nowadays, we are well aware of the dangers of smoking, especially for pregnant moms. However, cigarette smoke isn’t the only type of fume that can harm an unborn baby. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are also harmful and exist in many products you would use during home improvement, such as:

  • Cleaners
  • New carpets
  • Fertilizer
  • New furniture
  • Wood stain
  • Paints

To minimize exposure to VOCs, make sure you maintain good ventilation while doing home improvement projects. Opting for eco-friendly products, such as natural cleaners or wool carpets, is also helpful. Our nursery paint is water-based and free of VOCs*, making it a better choice for mothers and babies.

*Zero VOC - Conforms to CDPH 01350 (VOC emissions test taken at 11, 12, & 14 days for classroom & office use).


CATEGORIES Lullaby

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