Nail polish in pregnancy?

[tracymom1]

So, I have never been one to paint my nails. The smell of nail polish irritates me and all those chemicals are just not very appealing - especially considering I spend a great deal of time trying to avoid any chemical irritants in my home. The last time I painted my nails with any regularity was back in high school (1988) - only a few times since then.

A few weeks ago my SIL got married. She requested that we all have a "bachelorette party" and get our nails done at a nice salon and then go out for pizza. I totally cringed when she mentioned the nails part, but being the loving and accepting sister that I am, went along anyways. And I got a manicure and pedicure. And I LOVED it!!!!! I had absolutely no idea I would feel that way.

The polish has long since been removed from my fingers and toes, but I spend a lot of time daydreaming of getting another manicure. What is happening to me? Is this a byproduct of crazy pregnancy hormones??!! Should I feed the frenzy or let it pass?

How many of you mamas wear nail polish? Who would never wear it and why (any reasons OTHER than all the chemicals?)?

[kythryne]

I wore nailpolish a LOT before I got pregnant. Haven't kept up with as much since, just because I've been too tired to bother! The one change I have made is that I'll only wear "3-free" polishes now - they're made without the three nastiest chemicals that tend to be in nailpolish, so they're a little bit less toxic. But I was leaning that way even before I got pregnant, too. (If you google "3-free polish" you can find more information about which brands have switched to that formulation.) I also make sure I have really good ventilation when I do my nails, and I didn't do them at all (or dye my hair, for that matter) in the first trimester.

If you want to avoid the chemicals completely, you can always just file and buff your nails and rub in a bit of olive oil or beeswax to give them a little shine...

[WifeofAnt]

I don't think I'd have any issues painting my nails but I'm not sure how many chemicals a regular manicure uses.

[ibusymomto5]

I never paint my fingernails, because I like the natural look. I do usually keep my toenails painted, but I avoid it during pregnancy because of the fumes of the polish and remover.

[babyjelly]

I also use the "three free" type nail polishes, all the way through pregnancy...and on my two year old, who can find nail polish no matter where I hide it
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[Lauren82]

The fumes from the chemicals in standard nail polish are bad. The good news is that there are water based polishes that last nearly as long as the chemical laden nail polishes. Two brands I know of are Suncoat and Piggy Paints.

[HappyLoveMama]

Another brand is Dr. Remedy. I'm not going to lie though, it's a little pricey, at least the Dr. Remedy brand is but for the peace of mind, I felt it was worth it.

I haven't polished anything in a while, once summer is over, the toes go natural.

[Tumble Bumbles]

I don't do my fingernails because I do so much with my hands, it's a waste of time/money because the manicure wears off so easily (chips and such).

However, you can pry my pedicure from my cold dead toes I don't get them all that often but it's going to be a treat through my pregnancy as I get larger and don't feel comfortable bending over to do them myself.

I personally think the risk is so nil, and as far as fumes, all the ladies wear those little masks at my pedicure place so no one thinks it's weird if I wear one

[tzs]

the fumes in some places are a thousand times worse than whatever is in the polish.
but there are also plenty of places that are well-ventilated.
there are also formaldehyde-free (and i guess there are 2 other chemicals as well?) polishes. the brand i remember from my nail salon days was "zoya."
but honestly, i've had a couple manicures with regular polish. there's way worse stuff that my body sees than an occasional manicure.

[sewingsparklz]

Originally Posted by Tumble Bumbles

but it's going to be a treat through my pregnancy as I get larger and don't feel comfortable bending over to do them myself.

[I Need Coffee]

I love me a french pedicure! I have to admit, when I got one recently (first time getting once while pregnant) I was a little scared and trying to hold my breath as to not inhale the fumes, but my tootsies look fabulous.

[MyFullHouse]

I used to be constantly manicured, whether done at home or in a salon. But I haven't kept polish remover in my house since the kids got into it years ago. Because of that, I've pretty much given up the polish.

I did paint my nails for my cousin's wedding, but I didn't do a base or top coat, so it wore off pretty quickly on its own.

[kawa kamuri]

I'm the kind of woman who, at even 41w, will find a way to paint my own nails. I don't try to fool myself into thinking it's natural or without some small risk.

[finnegansmom]

I let myself have pedicures when pregnant. It's one of the small joys I find and I never do anything for myself. I'm sure there are more chemicals in some other things in the house anyways.

[Ola_]

I don't paint my fingernails except for special occassions (like once a year if that) because I find between cleaning, cooking, and washing dishes it doesn't even last a week. I do paint my toenails regularly though. I go through "stages" of liking dark colours, light colours, or no polish at all so it's not like they're done all the time. Plus on my toenails the polish lasts much longer so I may paint once a month or so which is not that often IMO. I can't stand the look of chipped or worn off nail polish so as soon as that starts I've gotta take it off or redo it.