LEAD! freaking out!!!

[kfillmore]

The apartment we have lived (rent) in for 3 months with our now almost 10 month old tested positive for lead. The paint has chipped off to wood in some places. We used a home test and it seems that that wood has lead. I think the place was remodeled in 2003. I think they probably removed the lead paint. Then someone did a bad job . There is only one or two layers of paint.

And now it is Sat pm. Nothing we can do until Monday. We will get DD tested for lead and will get a professional to come.

I am just SO worried. We haven't kept the place spotless. She does pick up tiny things off the floor and eats them. It is not terribly dusty but there is dust. I also don't wash her hands much.

I hate that we didn't test earlier or even that we didn't test before moving in.
My goal to embrace germs may now have backfired.

Also, I have read to make sure baby gets iron and calcium. DD does not eat much and is almost entirely breastfed (10 months old). I have allergies so was going very slow and stopped giving her things high in iron, like teff and eggs. I have no idea about how to increase calcium or how much is in my milk.

I don't know what anyone can tell me that would help. But I could use some moral support. I feel like life has been very difficult for us for that past 3 years. This just seems extremely terrifying and overwellming.

thanks!

[chinaKat]

Honestly, you are probably okay because now you are aware of it, and your baby isn't that old yet.

MOST older houses do have lead paint. If it has been painted over, a lot of the hazard is alleviated. What you want to avoid is chipping the paint and exposing the layers underneath. Definitely don't do any sanding. And, obviously, don't let you baby gum the windowsills or anything like that.

Don't get too freaked out. If you can, maybe paint another coat of paint in the baby's room or anywhere you think she'll make a lot of contact with painted surfaces.

I'm POSITIVE my 1925 house has lead paint in it (we haven't tested) but we don't have any flaking surfaces and my kids have never tested for lead at all.

Hang in there!

[jeliphish]

I think it's okay mama. Our house was built in 1930 and every bit of paint under our paint is lead. Our house is kept clean but it still collects dust faster than I thought humanly possible and there are areas that sometimes crack and chip. DD1 crawled through every inch of this house and I was certain that her levels would be high but they weren't at all. They weren't even close to minutely abnormal. Just make sure to get your chipping paint safely sanded where its chipping and sealed with a good primer like kills and then paint on top. I think things will be fine.

[kdtmom2be]

As long as your babe isn't chewing on the walls she'll be fine. The dust accumulating in your apartment is more than likely due to the fact that apartments don't generally have forced air systems. It is the dead skin flaking off of your bodies that is dust, not your walls off-gassing lead or something weird like that.

[Italiamom]

Originally Posted by chinaKat

What you want to avoid is chipping the paint and exposing the layers underneath. Definitely don't do any sanding. And, obviously, don't let you baby gum the windowsills or anything like that.

This. The only time it becomes a problem is if you need to remove it or disturb it (sanding, removing sections of wall, etc.)

As for the nutritional stuff, it sounds like you are breastfeeding on demand? With breastfeeding I'm fairly certain that calcium isn't so much an issue for your LO as for you. Your body will do what it needs to in order to make sure that baby receives enough calcium. This means that if there's not enough calcium in your diet, your body would take it from your bones and give it to your DD. If you are worried about it though, I'd make sure you were taking a 1000mg food based calcium supplement each day. But again, your DD should be fine on this front.

As for iron, I've heard mixed messages about what a baby's iron needs are after a certain stage in their lives. If you are really worried about it, and your DD is showing interest in solids, you could try offering iron rich foods again. And make sure that YOUR diet is choc full of iron rich foods like dark leafy greens, good grass fed red meats, egg yolks, etc.

One tip, make sure that you're not introducing calcium and iron together. Calcium blocks the absorption of iron. So no glass of milk with your steak!

Life can be so difficult, and when something potentially large and devastating (like lead) comes up, it can really, really be hard. Tell yourself (as hard as it is) not to worry. It sounds like you're doing a great job. Hugs mama!