Feeling guilty...

[jenstam]

We had a big painting project yesterday. Painted for about 10 hours. Three bedrooms and a living room. After the first room was close to being done, I started feeling lightheaded, so we opened a window and I put on a mask. I felt better after that, so I continued painting the rest with my DH and my two oldest daughters. We made sure we had a window open in each room and that I was wearing a mask. I also wore gloves. My daughter did paint my arm to be funny and I didn't think anything of it. I washed it off late last night when we were done. It wasn't until after I was done painting that I started to feel really crampy and low back pains. I am 14 weeks as of yesterday. I read that painting is okay, but now I'm thinking that I overdid it and I am feeling really bad. I am still feeling crampy today and I'm so worried I did harm. Has anyone done this much painting or had any experience like this? I'm worried. To make matters worse, one of my girlfriends just told me I should NOT have been painting at all. Obviously, that just added to it.

[JJety]

Painting for 10 hours will make anyone's back hurt.  I don't think you hurt yourself in regards to the pg, I just think you are sore from doing that for so long.  

[low22]

I also think you just overdid it.  Your cramping probably has nothing to do with the painting/fumes, etc.  But I would be paranoid too.  It's my nature.  I even left the dressing room at banana republic yesterday because they were painting in there and the fumes were bad.  But you had a window open, were wearing a mask, etc.  You're fine!

[momof11]

I painted with all my preg. just couldnt help it it was just nesting whatever, I just needed fresh new, my dh did not like me to do it bec worried about ladder and such but I was very careful, you prob just over did it, it is alot of bending and such so just relax today feet up, nap when you can, Im sure everyone will say including you doc that you should not paint at all, but with windows open good air flow I think its ok, but thats just me, maybe you should not do it anymore.

[anxiousmomtobe?]

OH my, I couldn't paint for 10 hours at the best of times!!!  I am also 14 weeks.  

I am sure you are fine and I hope you love the new colours.

[jenstam]

Thanks for the comments. I feel better now. I actually had an appt with my doc today and told her I felt bad and told her how much painting I did. She said I should be fine and that I'm probably just sore from how much I did. She's right because DH is sore, too! I heard my baby's heartbeat for the first time today, too! SO all is good (: I'm so excited to meet him!!

[AnnieBrooke]

My high-risk pregnancy doc told me the only way painting can hurt you when you are pregs is if you stick your head in the bucket of paint.