Anyone else renovated while pregnant?

[sjh722]

I am exhausted. I don't think I've ever been this tired or sore in my life, and I'm not even doing that much, comparatively. Note to others: a 2000 sq foot house including a kitchen reno is TOO MUCH to do while pregnant. I am thankful for my H, my parents, and my FIL and how much work they've gotten done.

Also, I've been painting (mostly trim right now), which the midwife said was fine as long as it was well-ventilated and the smell doesn't get to you. For some reason, paint smells so much more than it normally does. Blech.

Does growing a tiny human take that much out of you, or am I just a wimp? LOL!

[bunnymendelbaum]

Me! I'm 32 weeks, but we were renovating when I was pregnant w DD too.
My energy comes and goes. Some days/weekends I'll bust it out and get a ton done but I pay for it in extreme tiredness.
I've also been staying up late working on the computer (side jobs) which is NOT helping.

[Deleted]

YUP!!! Ive been there. Installing flooring, ripping off wallpaper, painting, it is exhausting at the best of times. But it is a nightmare when pregnant. We took posession of our house when I was 5 months along and I couldnt really do much of the move but I was determined to make a dent in our LOOOONG to do list. 4 years later and the list is much shorter but still going, so I realize I didnt need to rush so much looking back.

Good luck with keeping up the reno!!!

[emoflamingo]

Oh no, growing a small human is kind of like chinese water torture. And, at the risk of sounding cliche, so worth it.

[jhawks482]

I have no experience renovating while pregnant, but even the thought of making a grilled cheese for dinner when I was pregnant seemed like too much work, lol. And to add, in my experience, finding the energy to do house work doesn't get easier when you have small kids. We are just a few days from completely finishing a basement (about 1400sft) and it took us over a year.

[emisi]

Me. Granted, it's just a 400 sq ft apartment, but we're doing some serious renovation on it. Painted the whole thing myself this weekend, using low-VOC paint. It's hard work!

[Deleted]

We finished an entire basement the first time I was pregnant. Nothing like a whole house, but that was still exhausting and we hired out half of it.

The second time was a massive barn remodel. I thought the stress would kill me alone.
I feel you.

Hang in there. It'll be great when you're done.

[mrsemilys]

Not remodeling per se but my MIL and I painted our whole house when I was 5 months pregnant. I had the 2nd tri energy and I was exhausted......
Being pregnant is hard!

[wawa]

You have my sympathy. We've started our renovation well before I got KU'd, but I'm 25 weeks now and we're coming down to the final stretch.

We took it relatively easy when I was 1st tri because i just couldn't make myself do much, but once I hit 2nd we've been working like crazy. Some days I want to just cry I'm so tired. In fact...some days I have just burst into tears at my desk at work because I can barely keep my eyes open, my back is killing me, and I know I've got more work to do when I get home.

You are not a wimp - growing tiny humans while rebuilding parts of houses is HARD. I'm getting a break this week while our floors get refinished (hired that out) and it's absolutely wonderful being able to come home (well...come back to my IL's house) and NOT have to put on my workin' clothes and pull out the grout bucket or paint brush or hammer.

We bought the no-voc paint precisely to save my delicate preggo nose. Except that the trim paint we already had is just the normal stuff. Ventilation is good. And I take breaks outside fairly often.

[wawa]

Nov 14, 2012 11:42:11 GMT -5 neeps said:

Renovating while pregnant is le suck. The walls in the master bathroom remodel sat for two weeks because putting on my shoes seemed like it was too hard so mudding and taping sheetrock was not happening. Since we only get to work on the house when we're back in the States that was a massive time drain. Fortunately, I got some energy before we left.

I did buy this VOC face mask for the paint work. It's amazing. www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004Z4EB/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00 The new paint we've bought after we found about the pregnancy is all low VOC, but the trim and sealing new sheetrock paint is not.

We have a similar mask, but I haven't been able to stand wearing it since I got KU'd. It makes me feel like I'm suffocating. My nurse friend tells me that's because of higher oxygen needs and such - but regardless, I hate it and can't wear it. Nothing is wrong with the mask, MH has worn it just to make sure - it's just me.

[sjh722]

I am so glad I'm not just a wimp!

I just ordered flooring about 2 minutes ago, so hopefully the end is in sight and we'll be moving in 2-3 weeks. (Fingers crossed!)

[emisi]

Nov 14, 2012 12:14:32 GMT -5 wawa said:

We have a similar mask, but I haven't been able to stand wearing it since I got KU'd. It makes me feel like I'm suffocating. My nurse friend tells me that's because of higher oxygen needs and such - but regardless, I hate it and can't wear it. Nothing is wrong with the mask, MH has worn it just to make sure - it's just me.

I know the feeling. I have that mask too, and I wore it to paint the stairwell with the regular, not low-VOC paint. I had to take a LOT of breaks, because the mask was making it really hard to breathe. I expect your friend is right.

[ssmjlm]

Word.

We started our hall bath remodel in July before we left on our Alaskan cruise. We came back from Alaska KU and first tri was miserable for me. It was all I could to not throw up and make it to work. It wasn't until this weekend that I was able to get in there and paint and now we can see the finish line.

Thankfully my mom is going to be here all next week and she is going to prime all the trim in the nursery since it's oil based and I can't do it and DH is the world's worst painter.

My goal is to at least get the big stuff done nursery wise, trim, closet organizers, painting in the next couple months b/c I'm afraid 3rd tri will be like first. I'm already having tailbone issues and hip problems on my right side.

[wawa]

Nov 15, 2012 7:33:50 GMT -5 ssmjlm said:

Word.

We started our hall bath remodel in July before we left on our Alaskan cruise. We came back from Alaska KU and first tri was miserable for me. It was all I could to not throw up and make it to work. It wasn't until this weekend that I was able to get in there and paint and now we can see the finish line.

Thankfully my mom is going to be here all next week and she is going to prime all the trim in the nursery since it's oil based and I can't do it and DH is the world's worst painter.

My goal is to at least get the big stuff done nursery wise, trim, closet organizers, painting in the next couple months b/c I'm afraid 3rd tri will be like first. I'm already having tailbone issues and hip problems on my right side.

Why is it always the right side? Is there an actual reason for that? Both of my IRL pregnant friends and I all have right-side hip pain.

And can I totally derail this and ask what you're doing with the nursery closet in terms of organization? MH wants to just put up two shelves w/ hangbars (a high and a low) and call it good. I'm thinking I might want more options than that - particularly since we wont have tons of dresser space. Thoughts?

[jacquie]

We renovated our last house while I was pregnant and it was pretty terrible We actually had to postpone moving in by a couple weeks because the smell from the stain on the hardwoods made me feel nauseated every, single time we walked into the house.

I was in my first trimester during most of the renovation and I helped to paint, lay the hardwoods, caulk trim and such. It wasn't too bad since I felt pretty good. It was just the freaking stain that got to me. Sick!

Sorry you're so pooped.

[ssmjlm]

Nov 15, 2012 7:58:52 GMT -5 wawa said:

Why is it always the right side? Is there an actual reason for that? Both of my IRL pregnant friends and I all have right-side hip pain.

And can I totally derail this and ask what you're doing with the nursery closet in terms of organization? MH wants to just put up two shelves w/ hangbars (a high and a low) and call it good. I'm thinking I might want more options than that - particularly since we wont have tons of dresser space. Thoughts?

Well I think part of it might be b/c the baby seems to like that side and playing soccer with my bladder. I also tend to sleep on that side more I'm noticing.

DH wants to put in the same rubbermaid freestyle system from Lowes that was in the other thread. It's a walk-in so on the left he wants to do 2 shelves with a high bar and then some sort of shoe/hamper storage. On the left will be one high shelf and then 2 bars for clothing storage. On the back wall we'll probably do a lingerie style chest.

It's actually not much different than what's there now, it's just the previous owners hung all the double rods about 2" off so even my shirts either grazed the shelf below or the carpet.

I'll try and take a pic either tonight or tomorrow and show you.

[wawa]

Nov 15, 2012 9:56:02 GMT -5 neeps said:

Nov 15, 2012 7:58:52 GMT -5 wawa said:

Why is it always the right side? Is there an actual reason for that? Both of my IRL pregnant friends and I all have right-side hip pain.

My MW says the baby likes to lay on the vena cava (that big vein you're not supposed to lay on) for the vibration so that's probably why. Way more activity going on on that side.

Fascinating. MH was just commenting last night while we were snuggling on the couch that she is always kicking on the right side and not the left.

[bunnymendelbaum]

My baby is ALL on the right side too! And it is my right leg and hip that bugs when I'm lounging or sleeping.

[sjh722]

I have another one who hangs out on the right side. I can usually tell in the morning that the right side of my belly is bigger than the left because the baby is shoved over there.

Weird!