pregnant printers, painters and hairdressers

[nats]

This is a great site! Very helpful!
Just one question...
Is there any other pregnant spraypainters out there?
I'm 17 weeks and can find no info on isocyanates and pregnancy and breast feeding. Neither has the midwife. I'm not a printer or a hair dresser but I thought any mothers out there in the trade might have also been concerned about chemicals and there pregnancy..........
Can anyone help?

[zafyrezmummy]

my brother in law is a spray painter.
I was going to do an airbrush course the other week and he said to make sure i dont use anything with isocyanates in it as we just found out were pregnant.
so as far as i know, i dont think its that safe. dont quote me on that just yet but...will call him and get back to you!
~Take Care
~dimarie

edited to add - of course he's not answering the phone yet,
what type of isocyanates is it that are used in spray painting? can find heaps of info on methyl isocyanate but not the others...

[nats]

Hi Jomarie,
Thanks in advance. Airbrushing's great fun though I wouldn't worry about the isocyanates with airbrushing as it's only found in hardener and if someone put hardener through my airbrush I'd kill 'em.
On the other hand organic solvents and benzene are not so good but exaclty how bad I'm not so sure.
Will they be filtered through the placenta?!?
First pregnancy and scared of everything I guess! Plus the midwife is not much help!!!
Know anyone who maybe works in a nail salon? Geez I work with paint everyday and even I think those place I reek!!!! Uninhabitable!!!
Good luck on your course by the way...........

[jessi]

Im a painter... the only thing that ive used latley that could cause some harm is a clear finish that I put on top of my work.... it says 'low odour' but holy moly... it smells pretty strong to me. DF keeps getting me to wear a mask thing but I hate them, I feel like I cant breathe!!

[nats]

Hi Jessi
Thanks for responding! Don't tell me you work with your partner too! I work with my husband David so I'm lucky he does all the painting now and I just prepare stuff. Still though rubbing primer and what not really stinks!!
I wear a mask too but it's irritating I have to stop to breathe. But I put some paper towel in it so the rubber doesn't bother me.
Let hope the paint is not as volatile as it smells!!! I wish I could find out more about it!
Well thanks again for responding. Good luck with your baby girl. (and your "low odour" laquer that stinks ;-)
Bye for now..........

[Briannabear]

Im not sure exactly how the chemicals used in hairdressing affect pregnancy etc, but I wasnt going to risk it when I fell pregnant with my first. I quit straight away. Ive got hairdresser friends who have suffered numerous miscarriages and complications during pregnancy, and also friends (also hairdressers) who have trouble conceiving.
There are some pretty strong chemicals hairdressers deal with on a daily basis - most of the time without the protection of gloves or masks.

[jessi]

Hi Jessi
Thanks for responding! Don't tell me you work with your partner too! I work with my husband David so I'm lucky he does all the painting now and I just prepare stuff. Still though rubbing primer and what not really stinks!!
I wear a mask too but it's irritating I have to stop to breathe. But I put some paper towel in it so the rubber doesn't bother me.
Let hope the paint is not as volatile as it smells!!! I wish I could find out more about it!
Well thanks again for responding. Good luck with your baby girl. (and your "low odour" laquer that stinks ;-)
Bye for now..........


Haha, thanks for the good luck!

No no, I dont work with my DF- He works for Foxtel... I do my art for abit of extra money, yet he is home sometimes when I am painting and he doesnt approve of me painting without a mask on. I know I should be worried too-but for some reason... Im not. OOPS.

[Sara's Boys]

I am a head colorist, an had no choice but to work thru til about 8 monthes. I found out the the worst emisions of fumes happen when the amonia or tint is mixed with developer, peroxide. So all I did was get some one else to mix the colours. I learned this through (over the last 12 years) working with about 10 pregnant hairdressers, all who concieved naturally either accidently or straight away, all worked with colour application and used gloves, and where available the help of an apprentice. And all went on to have healthy babies, only one suffers from sever allergies and asthma, which was a hereditary thing.

I did worry about it a little, but when it came to the crunch, I had a business I had to run, and if I didn't, we wouldn't have our house!

Although I had worked with loads of hairdressers who hadn't had complications and went on to have healthy babies. So there was comfort in knowing that. Some times its hard to know what is coincidence, and bad luck, at the end of the day you gotta do what you gotta do.

[nats]

Thanks Guys..
You know it's probably all just hype, I mean there doesn't seem to be one thing now I'm not worried about! I coun't eat a thing a few weeks ago because of fear of listeriosis!
:fingerscrossed: Hopefully the anxiety doesn't cross the placenta!
In the mean time I really pray for us all---"Whether the labour is long or short, easy or treachurous, I hope they're all healthy babies!!!"
Still if anyone does have any info on isocyanates and pregnancy (you'd be the first) I'd love to hear it.....
And now I'll tell a funny story about my first day at TAFE, doing vehicle painting, 6years ago..... Part of our theory class that day was to have someone come in and talk about sexual harassment. Being the only girl in the class I was impressed. I though " How good it is that they take into account that boys suffer harassment too...." The discussion actually ended up being about what to do if you get in trouble for harrassing someone!!! Lord was I wrong (LOL)
Anyhow, 'The Bill' is on, Bye for now............

[nats]

OMG this is my very first ever post!!!! :eek:

Well I went on to work as a spraypainter till a few weeks before i was due and he 5 m.o now.
We're still BFing :smiliedance:


Just thought i'd share :D

Thanks for everyone who answered my thread! Where are you now?!?

[TinyStar]

Good work nats!

My dh is a spraypainter and even he was worried, he wont pick up the kids until he has at least changed his clothes and washed his hands, or better yet had a shower, but thats not always practical.

Unfortunately I never saw your first post as I would have encouraged you to contact WorkCover (if u are in NSW) as they have a set of guidelines covering pregnancy and work. I printed it off and went through it with a fine toothed comb. As I work with contamination there were certain aspects of my job I could no longer do myself. I highlighted all the relevent sections and gave it to my boss, so it was all good.

[nats]

Good work nats!

My dh is a spraypainter and even he was worried, he wont pick up the kids until he has at least changed his clothes and washed his hands, or better yet had a shower, but thats not always practical.

Unfortunately I never saw your first post as I would have encouraged you to contact WorkCover (if u are in NSW) as they have a set of guidelines covering pregnancy and work. I printed it off and went through it with a fine toothed comb. As I work with contamination there were certain aspects of my job I could no longer do myself. I highlighted all the relevent sections and gave it to my boss, so it was all good.

Do you work in a panel shop too?
Lucky I worked with my DH so that got me out of doing anything I didn't want to do.
I just wish he wouldn't fanny about when he got home form work and got strait in the shower!!! Always having a snack is more important :rolleyes:
I hate the smell of thinners!!!

[TinyStar]

No I dont work in a panel shop (thank goodness! sorry just not my cup of tea) I work in contaminated land investigations.

I cant stand the smell of thinners either.

hehehe DH has asked for a bar fridge for his birthday so he can take it to work to store his snacks without the panel beaters eating them on him.

I have to go find one to buy today:rolleyes:

[nats]

He should put some wet bog in their snadwiches! They'll probably think it's avocado :laughing:

Contaminated Land Investigation :confused: Sounds kinda dangerous :( Do you mean like the land at Homebush (assuming you live in Sydney)

[TinyStar]

hahahaha thats a good one, I'm sure he has done that before.

and Yes the work I do is just like at Homebush, the remediation started just as I fell preg the 2nd time, and I used to hold my breath on the train from Medowbank to Rhodes station cos I couldn't handle the odour.

[jessi]

Heya Nats,

Im still around. Elsh is 6.5months old now... havent been painting much since this post!! Havent been inspired. Until the last week or so, Ive been keen to get the paints out again!

Hope all is well!!

x - Jessi

[nats]

Hi Jessi :wave: I've only just seen this post :o
How are you mumma whale :D