Doing home renovations with a baby in the house is possible on three conditions: keep your child away from dust, choose low-emission materials and let the renovated room air out before moving your little one in. In a home built before 1949, the possible presence of lead in old paint changes everything. You then need an inspection before any sanding or scraping.
This article brings together the key guidelines, from a simple lick of paint to renovating an entire room. It draws on recommendations from health agencies and environmental health prevention programmes.
Can you do renovation work with a baby at home?
Yes, but not just any way or at any time. The risks come down to three things: dust, chemical emissions from products and noise. A newborn is more sensitive to them than an adult. Babies breathe faster, live close to the floor and put their hands in their mouths.
That last reflex is normal and helpful for their development, as we explain in our article on why babies put everything in their mouths. It becomes a risk when building dust settles where they play.
The general rule is simple: the more dust or smell the work produces, the further away your child should be. For a big project, a temporary stay with family or friends is often the most stress-free solution.
Before you start: know your home
A home built before 1949: lead
Old lead paints, made with white lead, are mainly found in homes built before 1949. As long as they are painted over and intact, they pose little problem. The danger arises when they are sanded, scraped or stripped: they then release a very fine, toxic dust.
The Agence régionale de santé d'Île-de-France (the regional health agency for the Paris region) recommends, in this case, having a lead exposure risk assessment carried out before the work. It also advises keeping children away for the entire duration of the work. The figures and effects of lead on young children are covered in detail in our article on lead poisoning in children.
Planning permission granted before July 1997: asbestos
Asbestos was used in many materials until it was banned. In France, the asbestos survey concerns homes whose building permit was issued before 1 July 1997. If your home falls into this category, check this survey before drilling, knocking down a partition wall or removing floor covering.
If in doubt about a material, don't touch it. Removing asbestos-containing materials is a job for specialist companies.
Repainting the nursery: when and how?
Painting is the most common job before a baby arrives. It is also the one that releases the most volatile organic compounds, the substances that evaporate during and after application.
The fact sheet “Puis-je peindre la chambre de mon futur bébé?” from the FEES prevention programme, updated in December 2024, gives clear guidelines:
- Pregnant women should not paint themselves. The job is best handed to someone close to you.
- Wait at least three months before moving your baby into a newly decorated room.
- Choose products labelled A+, as they give off fewer pollutants.
- Air the room much more often during this period, on top of the two ten-minute airings a day normally recommended.
The three-month wait means planning ahead. For a nursery that should be ready for the birth, it is better to paint in the second trimester than at the last minute. If the wait can't be respected, your baby sleeps a few more weeks in their parents' room, which is recommended for the first months anyway.
New furniture made from particleboard also gives off volatile compounds, including formaldehyde. Unpacking it several weeks in advance, in a well-ventilated room, reduces exposure. Our article on indoor air pollution and babies' health covers these pollutants and the recommendations of health authorities in detail.
During the work: protecting your baby day to day
Seal off the work area
A plastic sheet fixed to the door frame, a damp mat at the threshold and a closed door limit the spread of dust. Work clothes stay in the work area and are washed separately.
Clean damp, not dry
A broom or an ordinary vacuum cleaner stirs fine dust back up into the air. The ARS Île-de-France recommends cleaning with damp cloths after the work. The floor of the room where your child plays deserves a daily mop for as long as the work goes on.
Keep a clean, clearly defined play area
During this period, your child needs a play corner set apart, on a surface that is easy to wash. A foam play mat wipes clean with a damp sponge and clearly marks out the area. Our guide to baby foam play mat materials explains which foams to choose. Our foldable XPE foam baby play mat folds up and moves from room to room as the work progresses.
Secure tools and products
Building work multiplies hazards at child height: screws, offcuts, solvents, cables, stepladder. Chemicals are stored up high and out of sight, in their original packaging. Tools are unplugged at every break, however short.
Renovation noise and your baby's sleep
Drills, sanders and hammer drills produce high noise levels, especially at close range. A baby should not stay in the room where these tools are running. It is better to schedule the noisy stages for when your baby is out or being looked after elsewhere.
Noise also disrupts naps. Grouping noisy tasks at set times, outside nap times, helps your child keep their bearings. Our tips for organising your baby's naps are especially useful during this hectic period.
Should you move out during the work?
For a light refresh limited to one room, staying put is usually possible with the precautions described above. A temporary move is justified in several situations:
- work on old paint in a home built before 1949;
- work on materials that may contain asbestos;
- work affecting the kitchen, bathroom or heating in the middle of winter;
- sanding floorboards or renovating several rooms at once.
Staying with family or friends takes the same organisation as a small house move: sleep, meals, familiar objects. Our guidelines for moving house with a baby adapt well to this situation.
After the work: before moving your baby back in
- Damp-clean every surface, including skirting boards and windowsills.
- Wash any textiles left in the room: curtains, bedding, soft toys.
- Air the room thoroughly for several days in a row, with the windows wide open.
- Respect the recommended waiting time before moving your child into a repainted room.
- Check for any remaining hazards: forgotten screws, uncovered sockets, furniture not fixed to the wall.
A smell of paint or glue that is still noticeable means emissions are continuing. If so, wait a little longer.
Sources
- FEES project (Femmes enceintes, environnement et santé), fact sheet “Puis-je peindre la chambre de mon futur bébé?”, updated December 2024.
- Agence régionale de santé Île-de-France, “Saturnisme: conseils pour se protéger des expositions au plomb”, page dated 11 December 2025.
- Justice.fr (French Ministry of Justice), fact sheet “Diagnostic immobilier: état d'amiante”, updated 6 December 2024.
- Santé publique France, dossier “Saturnisme de l'enfant”, updated 4 November 2022.
