kathleen j gordon on wed 24 jan 07
hello potters- a young woman where i work just found out she was
pregnant... she is to load and fire all the kilns plus work in the
classroom 2 days a week... what precautions should she take to be safe
.... or should she just avoid the whole thing for the first three months?
i don;t want to scare her but something tells me she should absent herself
from the whole process for the next two months...
Vince Pitelka on thu 25 jan 07
Kathleen Gordon wrote:
> hello potters- a young woman where i work just found out she was
> pregnant... she is to load and fire all the kilns plus work in the
> classroom 2 days a week... what precautions should she take to be safe
> .... or should she just avoid the whole thing for the first three months?
> i don;t want to scare her but something tells me she should absent herself
> from the whole process for the next two months...
Kathleen -
This came up some year ago. I couldn't think of a single danger that would
affect a pregnant woman any differently from anyone else, other than heavy
lifting, so there might be some issues loading the kilns. Otherwise she
should take all the normal precautions that we all take in the clay studio,
but there is no health hazard for the baby or mother in the clay studio that
is elevated when a woman is pregnant. At the time, Edouard agreed with this
assessment.
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft, Tennessee Technological University
Smithville TN 37166, 615/597-6801 x111
vpitelka@dtccom.net, wpitelka@tntech.edu
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka/
http://www.tntech.edu/craftcenter/
Lynn Goodman Porcelain Pottery on thu 25 jan 07
On Jan 25, 2007, at 12:38 AM, kathleen j gordon wrote:
> hello potters- a young woman where i work just found out she was
> pregnant... she is to load and fire all the kilns plus work in the
> classroom 2 days a week... what precautions should she take to be safe
> .... or should she just avoid the whole thing for the first three
> months?
> i don;t want to scare her but something tells me she should absent
> herself
> from the whole process for the next two months...
Hi Kathleen,
As long as she is careful, she should be able to continue working.
Some sensible precautions include wearing gloves while handling
glaze, and wearing a mask while doing anything dusty.
Lynn
Lynn Goodman
Fine Porcelain Pottery
Cell 347-526-9805
www.lynngoodmanporcelain.com
William & Susan Schran User on thu 25 jan 07
On 1/25/07 12:38 AM, "kathleen j gordon" wrote:
> hello potters- a young woman where i work just found out she was
> pregnant... she is to load and fire all the kilns plus work in the
> classroom 2 days a week... what precautions should she take to be safe
> .... or should she just avoid the whole thing for the first three months?
> i don;t want to scare her but something tells me she should absent herself
> from the whole process for the next two months...
I always advise all of my female students in our first class meeting each
semester if they are pregnant or become pregnant during the semester to
please see me so I can provide information to them and for their doctor
about pregnancy and working with ceramics.
There's information online.
Monona Rossol has this online information:
http://www.trueart.info/pregnancy.htm
And there are other sources with good information.
The women is wise to be cautious, but can continue to work in the
environment if certain precautions are followed.
--
William "Bill" Schran
wschran@cox.net
wschran@nvcc.edu
http://www.creativecreekartisans.com
A Kettner on thu 25 jan 07
what kind of clay are you using? Also, I 'think' she should stay away
from the kiln room when firing. It may also be a good idea for her to
wear rubber gloves (the kitchen scrubbing kind that go past your
wrist) when glazing. Wearing a respirator is always a good idea
whenever dust is being produced. For example she may be using a clay
body that does not contain barium or manganese, but what about the
person next to her sanding the blemishes off that dried red-ware
speckled pot, or that great purple (manganese) glaze that looks
awesome when sprayed.
Hope this give direction
Arthur
On 1/25/07, kathleen j gordon wrote:
> hello potters- a young woman where i work just found out she was
> pregnant... she is to load and fire all the kilns plus work in the
> classroom 2 days a week... what precautions should she take to be safe
> .... or should she just avoid the whole thing for the first three months?
> i don;t want to scare her but something tells me she should absent herself
> from the whole process for the next two months...
>
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Elizabeth Priddy on tue 30 jan 07
I think it depends a lot on how fragile your pregnancy is.=0A=0AIf you have=
had miscarriages and are nursing a fragile pregnancy, =0Ayou might choose =
to avoid the leaning over a wheel or lifting 25 =0Alb bags or heavy buckets=
, etc. Forget the chemicals, the physical strain=0Acould be too much for c=
ertain situations. I was told not to lift more than=0Athe weight of a full=
milk gallon. That is less than most pottery stuff=0Athat I haul around on=
a regular basis. Your back is extra fragile also=0Awhile your constant lo=
ad in the front gets bigger and bigger. And you will=0Anot be given pain r=
elief stronger than tylenol. You if you have back =0Aissue prior to the pr=
egnancy, you might to choose to avoid anything that=0Ahad made you need str=
ong pain relief in the past.=0A=0AAlthough I agree that a normal pregnancy =
in a woman who has carried=0Ato term prior, a ceramics class is going to be=
fairly safe if it was safe =0Afor everyone else in the first place. But a=
pregnant woman is not the same =0Aas the same woman not pregnant and there=
is a lot to think about.=0A=0AFor instance, smells and sensitivities devel=
op during pregnancy that are=0Aabsent regularly. And throwing bent over is=
definitely not a good idea (excess=0Astrain on the pelvic floor, your guts=
are squished to begin with and then you bend over). =0ASo the simple disc=
omfort may be a good reason to let it go while you are expecting.=0A=0AI ha=
d a high risk pregnancy and had to simply let it go til after. I still =0A=
wound up with a five week (!) complete bedrest at a high risk clinic=0Aand =
ended it with an emergency c-section with pre-eclampsia to make it=0Aextra =
special.=0A=0AThe thing is this: 6 months is not a long time to put aside =
an activity that=0Ais sometimes strenuous and sometimes uses substances tha=
t are in=0Aquestion.=0A=0AI could hardly breathe right in the first place, =
much less with a mask =0Aon the entire time making me hot and uncomfortable=
, increasing my =0Aphysical stress just enough to raise my blood pressure..=
.=0A=0AI just said no. I have a healthy son and I am back to it and teachi=
ng in a=0Anew pottery facility. The time off was inconsequential in the lo=
ng run.=0A=0AOne woman's perspective. Yes, yes, I know people carry and wo=
rk bent over til=0Athey drop right there in the field and then keep on work=
ing...do yoga and run=0Amarathons while 8 months in...carry two on the hip =
and one in the belly...=0Abut then there is real life for average people.=
=0AE=0A=0A=0A =0A__________________________________________________________=
__________________________=0AExpecting? Get great news right away with emai=
l Auto-Check. =0ATry the Yahoo! Mail Beta.=0Ahttp://advision.webevents.yaho=
o.com/mailbeta/newmail_tools.html
lyla kaplan on tue 30 jan 07
hi, keep trying to post this and it doesn't seem to be going through, at
least i don't see it. sorry if its a repeat.
i didn't know i was pregnant when i mixed a copper glaze w/out respirator or
gloves (stupid). heavy metal tests revealed i had very high end of copper in
my system, but was ok. if she's handling glazed bisqueware or in the studio
every day she should take every precaution...
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Ron Roy on tue 30 jan 07
Hi Kathleen,
I would be concerned if she was breathing any kiln fumes - sounds like they
better have a very good vent system if she continues.
Good for you to be concerned.
RR
>hello potters- a young woman where i work just found out she was
>pregnant... she is to load and fire all the kilns plus work in the
>classroom 2 days a week... what precautions should she take to be safe
>.... or should she just avoid the whole thing for the first three months?
>i don;t want to scare her but something tells me she should absent herself
>from the whole process for the next two months...
Ron Roy
RR#4
15084 Little Lake Road
Brighton, Ontario
Canada
K0K 1H0
Pamela Regentin on thu 1 feb 07
I started making pottery 27 years ago. During those 27 years of studio work I also got married and had children. I was pregnant seven times and had seven healthy children. I took the precautions that anyone in the studio should take with masks and rubber gloves, ventilation, etc. I took more time off after the birth than during the pregnancy. I don't recall any back difficulties with lifting and carrying while pregnant either. I was young and strong then! Couldn't do it any more though! In my experience pregnancy is not a reason to quit studio work as long as a person is healthy and takes the normal precautions to protect health.
Pam
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