Perhaps a "worrier" thread is in order...

LO95 · August 2014

...but for real. Before we got our BFP my dog chewed up our couch. We bought a new couch never thinking we were actually pregnant and then were happy when we realized the new couch would give us more room for baby things anyway. Cue today when the couch is delivered and smells just awful. This got me worrying and I found a lot of information on the Internet about the chemicals used in new furniture, particularly flame-retardant materials. (Example: https://www.californiaprogressreport.com/site/your-toxic-couch-new-california-legislation-will-address-chemicals-flame-retardants-found-furniture)

I am seriously considering putting the new stuff out in the garage until further notice. DH thinks I'm nuts (agree), but there seem to be many people researching this. Do you have any thoughts on this issue?

And in general, I've been using Baby Center to check out things that are "safe or not", but their lists aren't very extensive. Is there a more extensive list somewhere that's reliable?

pblge · August 2014

This isn't crazy at all.
https://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/newscience/2012/11/2013-0205-prenatal-child-pbde-iq-attention-deficits/
The flame retardants (which incidentally are really ineffective) are seriously gnarly chemicals. There's all kinds of research about this. At the very least, in your shoes I would avoid sitting on that couch and be careful of the dust in your house for a while. You might be able to find information on how it take the majority of those chemicals to gas off, then you could ask OH if he'd be willing to put the couch in the garage for that amount of time. Depending on your climate, keeping the house as well-ventilated as possible may be a good idea.

Read up about BPA, too. I was just reading this and wanted to stab my eyeballs out.

LO95 · August 2014

pblge would tell me to calm down. When you agree with me I start to worry more. haha

Oh my. Well, DH and I just went out and bought a $200 room air purifier. (He's wanted one for a long time anyway, so I think he was excited about this.) I also have a sheet over the couch. (Does that do anything?!) The windows are open. But I don't know if I can enjoy the new furniture now knowing that there is some research to make scientists question whether there's a risk or not...

This Good Morning America piece also got me thinking https://www.ashleysgreenlife.com/2013/07/green-nursery-how-to-off-gas-furniture.html

pblge · August 2014

LOL! Sorry to disappoint. Remember that lots of people buy lots of new furniture during pregnancy and in baby's first months, so this is still likely to be a low-risk problem. It's also true that the worst of the flame-retardants have been taken off market, but new ones are being used that haven't been well tested. The problem is that in the US chemicals are assumed safe until proven otherwise, so you can't trust that manufacturers wouldn't use harmful chemicals. You can definitely make yourself crazy by thinking too much about all this. You just have to find a way through it that feels right to you.

I just put that mattress and crib from that woman's blog into my Amazon cart. Likely won't buy anything for a long time (unless we want to off gas!), but it's good to piggyback on others' research.

Have you driven yourself crazy about your toiletries and household cleansers yet?

LO95 · August 2014

lol! No! But I suspect that will be coming if everything keeps progressing.

I think I thought about the couch because the smell was just so strong. I don't have any morning sickness or nausea (

) But it was strong enough to make me think about it when I haven't thought about it before.

pblge · August 2014

Sensitivity to smells is really common. You'll be lucky if this is the only one you have!

In other news, I've been reading more from that blog you linked, and this one gets a hell no.
Placenta encapsulation

LO95 · August 2014

I can't believe I'm worried about something that's valid!

Sophistikitty · August 2014

Your concerns are completely valid. I have been the same, trying to remove anything that could be detrimental from my diet, the products I use and my surroundings.

I came across this video on Youtube a few weeks ago. It is really quite shocking how much our babies are exposed to in utero, much of which is out of our control. I think minimizing what we do have control over is the most proactive thing we can do to ensure our little ones’ health.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-kc3AIM_LU

Edit: Didn't mean to post the actual video. For some reason it won't just post the link.

Margritli · September 2014

@Sophistikitty‌, thank you for posting this. It seriously made me cry at how f-ed up things are. I want to make everyone I know watch this.

hopeby2015 · September 2014

I actually work in the construction field and at times I need to go out to the site. Talk about being surrounded by chemicals! I talked to my doc about this and she said as long as you don't get dizzy or headaches, it should be fine. I would definitely recommend airing it out though. Just to be on the safe side ..