Susan Ross on wed 3 mar 99
One of my students asked if she should stop coming to the studio since she's
looking to get pregnant. She was primarily concerned about clay dust affecting
an unborn child. I don't think clay dust is any more an issue to a fetus than
any of the rest of us, but I did advise her to avoid handling raw glazes. Am I
right here? Is there anything else I should tell her?
TIA
Su
Piedmont Clay Studio
Piedmont, CA
Gavin Stairs on thu 4 mar 99
At 08:53 PM 03/03/99 EST, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>One of my students asked if she should stop coming to the studio since she's
>looking to get pregnant. She was primarily concerned about clay dust
affecting
>an unborn child. I don't think clay dust is any more an issue to a fetus than
>any of the rest of us, but I did advise her to avoid handling raw glazes.
Am I
>right here? Is there anything else I should tell her?
Hi Su,
The problem with clay dust is largely a mechanical irritation of the lungs,
which leads to various diseases of the lung. These are not communicated to
the foetus, as the foetus does not breathe and is not exposed to the clay,
or to the silica it contains. So I see no reason for a pregnant woman, let
alone a pre-pregnant woman to avoid clay for her child's sake.
The matter of glaze ingredients is more tricky. Those metals which are
poisonous to the mother will also be poisonous to the child in utero. That
means lead, cadmium, beryllium, vanadium, chrome, nickel, manganese,
barium, probably strontium, lithium. What have I left out? I would not be
afraid of the standard elements like silicon, aluminum, sodium, potassium,
calcium, zircon, titanium, tin, zinc, iron, cobalt, probably copper. The
ones most likely to be a problem in a modern studio are manganese, which is
usually found in black bodies and glazes, and which can be absorbed in
various ways, and various of the transition metals (chrome, nickel,
vanadium) which are found in some prepared glazes. If the studio is using
lead or cadmium (or any others of that family) then she should not be
working there. But she may be exposed to more lead in other ways, so this
is not a particular danger in a pottery nowadays.
She should probably avoid firings, especially with poor ventilation.
Probably not necessary to stay strictly away, but just not to breathe the
effluent gases. She should not be exposed to carbon monoxide from
reduction firing. Raku firing is probably a bad idea. She should also not
breathe solvents and hot wax fumes, and leaking fuels, smokes and fumes.
Bottom line: if she uses a bit of common sense, there's no reason she
should not continue playing in the mud. If she's a beginner, you may have
to provide the common sense.
Gavin
===============================================
Gavin Stairs
Stairs Small Systems (S3)
921 College Street, # 1-A
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M6H 1A1
(416)530-0419
Marty Anderson on thu 4 mar 99
We have a pregnant student in one of our classes. Her DR told her she could
continue the class, but she does not handle glaze chemicals.
marty
-----Original Message-----
From: Susan Ross
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Date: Wednesday, March 03, 1999 5:53 PM
Subject: Pregnant in the Studio ?
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>One of my students asked if she should stop coming to the studio since
she's
>looking to get pregnant. She was primarily concerned about clay dust
affecting
>an unborn child. I don't think clay dust is any more an issue to a fetus
than
>any of the rest of us, but I did advise her to avoid handling raw glazes.
Am I
>right here? Is there anything else I should tell her?
>
>TIA
>
>Su
>Piedmont Clay Studio
>Piedmont, CA
>
Beth Ward on thu 4 mar 99
In a message dated 3/3/99 8:30:59 PM Pacific Standard Time, RubySuMoon@AOL.COM
writes:
<< I don't think clay dust is any more an issue to a fetus than
any of the rest of us, but I did advise her to avoid handling raw glazes. Am
I
right here? Is there anything else I should tell her?
TIA
>>
I discovered that leaning over a wheel while pregnant was a great way to lose
weight, I puked my guts out. I still have one of my raging, square dancing,
pregnant hormone pots, OMG, it is ugly.
A pregnant person is not harmed by pottery. I would avoid raw glazes but then
again I always wear gloves anyway. Usual precautions should suffice.
If she does show up PG just be very careful what you say, avoid terms like
"bloated" or "slumping" and never ever ask her to let you cover her tummy with
plaster to make a "huge fountian mold."
: )
Beth
Muddfolks Pottery
Ravit Birenboim on fri 5 mar 99
Hi,
I would tell her to use latex or rubber gloves when she is glazing or using
any chemicals. if you are firing while your students are in the studio I would
make sure she would not be there at the time. I do not know about the dust,
but since the baby is not using his lungs until he comes out of the womb, I am
not sure that the dust is the problem. I was working in the studio until the
day I gave birth, and I just followed my common sence.
Hope it helps..
Ravit, NY
Elias Portor on sat 6 mar 99
Being a potter and also a registered nurse, I would say why take the chance? Yo
only have a few months and then go back later. If anything happens during your
pregnancy due to normal situations or the studio, you will always have that doub
and guilt. I won't allow students around the studio if they are pregnant. My o
personal feelings. Eportor
Ravit Birenboim wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Hi,
> I would tell her to use latex or rubber gloves when she is glazing or using
> any chemicals. if you are firing while your students are in the studio I would
> make sure she would not be there at the time. I do not know about the dust,
> but since the baby is not using his lungs until he comes out of the womb, I am
> not sure that the dust is the problem. I was working in the studio until the
> day I gave birth, and I just followed my common sence.
> Hope it helps..
> Ravit, NY
Michelle Lowe on sun 7 mar 99
Being a potter and also having birthed four very healthy babies I would
like to offer my opinion.
For the last three of my pregnancies I worked in the studio (part time) he
entire pregnancy and just used the precautions suggested by Ravit
Birenboim below. Throwing made the VERY uncomfortable times of my
pregnancies bearable,(early on morning sickness and at the end just plain
miserably big and awkward)
by letting me "leave my body" as I concentrated on the potting. I had
those same three babies at home safely and they had no complications.
Common sense and follow your inner voice, it's likely it will warn you if
something is wrong.
I would, however caution against riding a bike, as I once flipped my bike
when 7 months along, riding to clay class. After that I walked!
Good luck!
Mishy
PS, I took classes in a city facility and at a major university and neither
professor seemed to feel I couldn't work while pregnant.
At 09:47 PM 3/6/99 EST, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Being a potter and also a registered nurse, I would say why take the
chance? Yo
>only have a few months and then go back later. If anything happens during
your
>pregnancy due to normal situations or the studio, you will always have
that doub
>and guilt. I won't allow students around the studio if they are pregnant.
My o
>personal feelings. Eportor
>
>Ravit Birenboim wrote:
>
>> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>> Hi,
>> I would tell her to use latex or rubber gloves when she is glazing or using
>> any chemicals. if you are firing while your students are in the studio I
would
>> make sure she would not be there at the time. I do not know about the dust,
>> but since the baby is not using his lungs until he comes out of the
womb, I am
>> not sure that the dust is the problem. I was working in the studio until
the
>> day I gave birth, and I just followed my common sence.
>> Hope it helps..
>> Ravit, NY
>
Michelle Lowe, potter in the Phoenix desert \|/ |
mishlowe@indirect.com -O- | |
mishlowe@aztec.asu.edu /|\ | | |
|_|_|
____ |
http://www.amug.org/~mishlowe -\ /-----|-----
( )
<__>
Elias Portor on mon 8 mar 99
I personally don't think babies belong in the studio at all in any environment
they may be in at this time. It is such a short time, let the child have every
chance, its going to be exposed to enough when it comes out. Just like potters
are anti lead......I think pottery studios around glazes, dust,
chemicals......are off limits to little precious ones. ep
Marty Anderson wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> We have a pregnant student in one of our classes. Her DR told her she could
> continue the class, but she does not handle glaze chemicals.
>
> marty
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Susan Ross
> To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
> Date: Wednesday, March 03, 1999 5:53 PM
> Subject: Pregnant in the Studio ?
>
> >----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> >One of my students asked if she should stop coming to the studio since
> she's
> >looking to get pregnant. She was primarily concerned about clay dust
> affecting
> >an unborn child. I don't think clay dust is any more an issue to a fetus
> than
> >any of the rest of us, but I did advise her to avoid handling raw glazes.
> Am I
> >right here? Is there anything else I should tell her?
> >
> >TIA
> >
> >Su
> >Piedmont Clay Studio
> >Piedmont, CA
> >
Jennifer Boyer on tue 9 mar 99
Hey,
This could be a major quilt trip for people who HAVE to keep making pots during
pregnancy. When I was building my clay business I was also building a family. B
timing but that's the way it is for many families. We needed the money from my
business and couldn't afford to let it die during the 9 months I was
pregnant(twice in 7 years). I HAD to keep working. And I worked really hard,
stockpiling bisk so I could just fire glaze kilns during the first 4 months afte
the baby was born. After that I started each baby at part time daycare, since I
believe that babies and studio's definitely don't mix. These kids are now 15 an
22 and are healthy. I feel that every potter should practice safe work habits
which protect herself as well as her unborn child. Believe it or not, potteries
aren't the only environments that expose people to chemicals, dust, etc..
Take Care
Jennifer
Elias Portor wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> I personally don't think babies belong in the studio at all in any environment
> they may be in at this time. It is such a short time, let the child have ever
> chance, its going to be exposed to enough when it comes out. Just like potter
> are anti lead......I think pottery studios around glazes, dust,
> chemicals......are off limits to little precious ones. ep
>
> Marty Anderson wrote:
>
> > ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> > We have a pregnant student in one of our classes. Her DR told her she could
> > continue the class, but she does not handle glaze chemicals.
> >
> > marty
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Susan Ross
> > To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
> > Date: Wednesday, March 03, 1999 5:53 PM
> > Subject: Pregnant in the Studio ?
> >
> > >----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> > >One of my students asked if she should stop coming to the studio since
> > she's
> > >looking to get pregnant. She was primarily concerned about clay dust
> > affecting
> > >an unborn child. I don't think clay dust is any more an issue to a fetus
> > than
> > >any of the rest of us, but I did advise her to avoid handling raw glazes.
> > Am I
> > >right here? Is there anything else I should tell her?
> > >
> > >TIA
> > >
> > >Su
> > >Piedmont Clay Studio
> > >Piedmont, CA
> > >
--
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Jennifer Boyer jboyer@plainfield.bypass.com
Thistle Hill Pottery
Vermont USA
http://www.vermontcrafts.com/members/JenniBoy892.html
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Susan T Dimm on tue 16 mar 99
I have taught several pregnant potters and had my first child last year
after 17 years in the studio. Needless to say he is perfect. A students
exposure to anything is very limited and should not affect the fetus. I
would recommend staying out of the studio if a kiln is firing or someone is
sweeping or making glazes (or they could stay if they wore a dust mask). I
had myself tested (hair analysis and then some blood tests) before getting
pregnant since I was sure after all these years I had picked up something.
My tests came back high in cobalt and celenium, not enough to worry the Dr.
-----Original Message-----
From: Susan Ross
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Date: Wednesday, March 03, 1999 8:51 PM
Subject: Pregnant in the Studio ?
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>One of my students asked if she should stop coming to the studio since
she's
>looking to get pregnant. She was primarily concerned about clay dust
affecting
>an unborn child. I don't think clay dust is any more an issue to a fetus
than
>any of the rest of us, but I did advise her to avoid handling raw glazes.
Am I
>right here? Is there anything else I should tell her?
>
>TIA
>
>Su
>Piedmont Clay Studio
>Piedmont, CA
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