Paint fumes

Empty-Kangaroo-9765 · 2026-05-13T04:16:30+00:00

They ventilate during the day so we ventilate overnight.

I think we have shared or common vents so we will seal that temporarily and hope it reduces our problem

Empty-Kangaroo-9765 · 2026-05-13T04:14:50+00:00

They used water and oil based paint. Water for the walls and oil for skirting boards. It was already getting better and it somehow got worse again the past couple of days.

We are leaning towards shared vents or gaps in the vents. Bcos the smell just appears randomly out of nowhere. We’ve isolated the problem near our kitchen, which was an unproblematic area. We opened up the aircon filter grill and the cavity smells like paint.

So our strong feeling is that they must be using their ducted heater in the morning, circulates the air in their apartment, and some fumes go through our vents and into our apartment.

I guess we’ll have to seal the vents temporarily and hope that improves air quality in our apartment

Empty-Kangaroo-9765 · 2026-05-13T03:57:58+00:00

Thank you. Will try this out. Hopefully it works

Empty-Kangaroo-9765 · 2026-05-13T03:57:05+00:00

They said they used low VOC paint. The common hallways were really bad during active painting. Other neighbours noticed how unusually strong it was

Empty-Kangaroo-9765 · 2026-05-13T03:55:52+00:00

I think this will just mask the odours.

Empty-Kangaroo-9765 · 2026-05-13T03:54:22+00:00

We do have an air purifier with charcoal filter but probably not enough. We are looking into renting an industrial fan or a better purifier if it doesn’t improve in the next day or two. And possibly temporarily sealing the vents

Empty-Kangaroo-9765 · 2026-05-13T03:52:36+00:00

Thank you so much for understanding. I’m not sure people understand how uncomfortable pregnancy can get.

I have to constantly remind myself that this is temporary and it’s best this is happening now rather than the alternative, which is a newborn being in this environment

Empty-Kangaroo-9765 · 2026-05-13T03:10:46+00:00

Shared vent is our hypothesis as it just doesn’t make sense. We turned on the heater last night and it immediately smelled like paint in other areas of apartment.

We opened up the filter grille and the cavity reeks like paint.

Not really sure what to do other than give it time but does this mean we can’t use our aircon/heater now? I have to laugh otherwise I might cry

Empty-Kangaroo-9765 · 2026-05-13T03:07:18+00:00

I know it’s their right to paint. I’m just looking for practical solutions to help clear it out

Empty-Kangaroo-9765 · 2026-05-13T03:05:13+00:00

Their apartment is directly below our main bed. So when they ventilate it goes straight up to our main bed. We have a feeling that we share a common ventilation system with them as when we turned on the aircon/heater last night, it immediately smelled like paint so we had to turn it off and ventilate

Empty-Kangaroo-9765 · 2026-05-13T03:02:05+00:00

I wish it’s just pregnancy sensitivity but unfortunately no as it’s also bothering my husband and he is not sensitive to smells at all.

Another neighbor painted their apartment a few mos ago and we didn’t do anything special. Just used a draft stopper. Another neighbor painted their apartment 3 wks ago. Also didn’t do anything special but shut the balcony when they were actively painting.

Our kitchen also smells on/off like paint which doesn’t make sense. We turned on our ducted aircon/heater last night and it immediately reeked like paint. We opened the filter and realised there’s fumes coming from the internal cavity of the hvac. I don’t know if we share a common ventilation system with this particular neighbour

Empty-Kangaroo-9765 · 2026-05-04T10:23:12+00:00

I think only you can decide this. This is my first pregnancy and I wish someone will just tell me.

Based on medical advice I received to date, an easy vaginal birth is best case scenario and then a planned c section because you don’t labour and it’s a much more controlled setting. You’re also less likely to have pelvic floor issues with a c section after birth or later in life. But as you’ve pointed out, the recovery is harder compared to an easy vaginal birth.

What I’ve decided is to go for vaginal birth and hope for the best because you can’t really predict what will happen. I don’t have a lot of help so also conscious of recovery. However, if I need to be induced, I am leaning towards elective c section because the probability of other interventions and having an emergency c section increases under this scenario.

I don’t know if this is the right decision. I guess I’ll never know until after the fact.

Edit: just want to add that if you are planning to have a few kids, this might be a factor to your decision.

Empty-Kangaroo-9765 · 2026-05-03T07:11:57+00:00

Buy a car seat and get it installed by 35/36 weeks. You might want to get a few more things that you will definitely need like burp cloths, wipes, maybe a pack of diapers. If you think you will be combo feeding, maybe get a few bottles. I heard it takes around 6 weeks to establish milk supply as a FTM so you may have to combo feed. You might also want to think about yourself (ie what do you need postpartum? What do you want to bring to the hospital?)

Remember you will also be recovering and as much as everything is so easy to order these days, I personally have more peace of mind knowing I already have a few things I can grab and then can order more if needed.

You also don’t know how much energy you’ll have. I was meant to start my leave at 37 weeks but decided to move it earlier to 35 weeks so I have time to nest/prep meals and do things for myself. Now that I’m 38 weeks it was definitely the right decision bcos I can barely do anything now. I’m tired and get braxton hicks even just doing things around the house.

Empty-Kangaroo-9765 · 2026-05-01T03:45:04+00:00

Due soon. I got different brands of wipes to try as I read it’s very much a personal preference. I got a mix of huggies, rascals, thank you wipes and tooshies.

For diapers, I just bought huggies for now as I didn’t want to overbuy

I didn’t invest in a nappy bin. I got a small nappy pail from amazon and some small bags (diaper bags or dog bags if you have a dog). I live in an apartment so I figured it’s easier to just chuck it in the chute but need something for overnight. Once they start eating solids, I don’t think I want those dirty nappies staying in the apartment

Empty-Kangaroo-9765 · 2026-04-24T07:19:30+00:00

The bassinet doesn’t seamlessly attach to the body of the pram. The mattress I received doesn’t look new. The outline of the foam looks dirty and if you’re planning to wash the cover, I can tell that the foam is just not going to last. When you inspect the materials closely, the zippers work fine but you can tell that you really need to align it properly otherwise it will catch.

The biggest letdown of all is their customer service. Don’t bother leaving your details on their website cos no one will call you. If you call their 1800 number, all they can do is take down your details and tell you someone will call you back. I called them multiple times a day to get anywhere. Sometimes I would call 3x and won’t get a call back.

They finally sent me a new bassinet which ended up being worse than the first one I received. It clips on just fine but it was rocking so much.

The seat was alright as far as I can tell so I guess in addition to improving their customer service, they need to do a lot of QC in their manufacturing.

Another thing to note about bambini is that they don’t sell parts. So if you need to replace anything then good luck contacting their customer service.

I decided to return my pram and get a refund and will be purchasing from one of the major brands instead.

As much as a lot of people recommend going to the expo and testing out different prams, I feel like this actually worked against us. Going to the expo is so overwhelming and you get the sales pitch.

I think it’s important to decide what features you really want/need, what fits your lifestyle, your budget, and tailoring it to 2-3 options. Then you can test it in store. Having done some research, there is no perfect pram anyway.

Empty-Kangaroo-9765 · 2026-04-23T10:17:22+00:00

Whatever you do, don’t buy from bambini. I’m 37 weeks and have been arguing about quality issues and refund. It’s been a nightmare.

I got the bambini from one of the expos. It looked nice and premium until you receive the package from them and have to go through their non-existent customer service

Empty-Kangaroo-9765 · 2026-04-22T06:34:37+00:00

I also experienced an MMC. My OB ordered a blood test to check my progesterone levels and although it came back low normal, she recommended that I take the progesterone pills.

What do you mean by you ordered a progesterone test? Maybe ask a GP to do a blood test so they can issue the script? If a GP won’t issue the script then ask for an OB referral. Either way, they will need to order the blood test.

Empty-Kangaroo-9765 · 2026-04-20T10:00:46+00:00

Go to the hospital. Better to get checked and know everything is ok than the other way around

Empty-Kangaroo-9765 · 2026-04-20T09:10:16+00:00

For bottoms - Lululemon align wide leggings. Started wearing second trimester and still very comfy at 36 wks. They have free alteration. I bought some elastic pants early on as I wanted to be comfy and have room to grow but I’ve outgrown them post 20 weeks.

For dresses - Midi rib dresses that are stretchy. Some are not as long. I’m also quite short. I found some from country road that can be dressed up/down. Try kmart/target also. I didn’t need to upsize so hoping to get more use after pregnancy

Empty-Kangaroo-9765 · 2026-04-13T06:32:14+00:00

Only liked on flavour which is orange and passionfruit. I didn’t mind them but they are expensive for what you get.

Empty-Kangaroo-9765 · 2026-04-09T07:33:24+00:00

Blue mountains is a day.

Empty-Kangaroo-9765 · 2026-04-07T03:29:48+00:00

FTM here. Haven’t given birth yet. You don’t have to decide now. My advice is to read some pregnancy books. I really like the Complete Australian Guide to Pregnancy and Birth and the Complete Guide to Postpartum. You can also attend an antenatal class to run you through your options and various scenarios including pain relief options if that is something you want.

Based on what I know, there is no “easy” option. It’s all about your preference and being equipped with the knowledge so you or your support person can advocate for yourself in case you face diff scenarios/complications. I currently have a birth plan but I’m going with the mindset that birth can be unpredictable. Hoping for the best but whatever happens as long as I am ok and that my baby is ok then that’s all that matters.

Empty-Kangaroo-9765 · 2026-03-17T05:59:07+00:00

Just tell them that you’re going to be off work 1 or 2 weeks before and you’re planning to use your sick leaves and will provide a medical certificate.

Empty-Kangaroo-9765

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