There is absolutely no reason to live with paint fumes anymore in this day and age.

And yes, I wouldn't want fumes near my infant.

May I make some suggestions based on my own experience?:

Farrow & Ball's Estate Emulsion and Modern Emulsion had virtually no fumes at all. I never smelled a thing.

C2 is also not bad at all, and I used that in a very, very enclosed powder room.

Pratt& Lambert (with DKC colorants, which may or may not have made a difference) was very smelly by comparison, and I wouldn't recommend it if you are concerned about fumes.

I understand that the new BM Aura paint is very very low in VOCs and may be something to consider. In addition to all these, there are some brands that specialize in low "fumage". They may be the best option.

Good luck!
Ivette

Ivette fortunately said the very thing I was going to say. Give Farrow and Ball or some low-VOC paint a shot. F&B is what I just recently used and I had the opportunity to compare this to stock fare in close proximity (in time scales): I primed the room with teh standard latex Ben Moore primer and even with windows open, gave myself quite a headache the first day so much so that I had to take a break the next day before I could go back into the room to put in the second primer coat (yes it needed a second coat). I have two little cats and I didn't let them anywhere near the room while I was priming and it was stenched up with fumes. Painted with F&B to nary a whiff. Honest. It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience since there was NO chemical smell. I did prop the windows open since F&B suggests doing so like most other companies, but got less meticulous about it over time. I even stopped shutting the door to this room while I painted since there was just nothing for the cats to smell if they walked in.

The paint really really brought home to me how unnecessary it is to expose yourself, the house, children, elderly, pets AND the environment to stuff that can be deleterious. I would seriously give this paint a look see. It is pricier than Ben Moore and less so than DKC (which is, as Ivette said, stinky paint but gorgeous colour) and worth every penny if you ask me - for both the amazing quality of the paint as well as its low VOC signature.

Hi Guys!
Yep...the better latexes seem to have the least odors.
C2 does have very little odor. Even the primers are barely noticeable!

As long as baby isn't in the same room, there's extremely little risk. The fumes are so fleeting anyway...! Crack a window though now & then just to help freshen/change the air.

Stay away from Oils! There's no longer any valid reason to use-'em ANYWHERE inside! Oil primers are appropriate in some instances though.

Dry-times:
Varies with brand & color, but even "2-to-3-coat" Burgundies are normally dry in a day, if room is about 70deg.

>>> NOTE- If you're having multiple rooms done simultaneously, have a "Mom & Baby day" at the mall!

Faron

The 'low VOC' claims are not exactly what you think.
Certain chemicals are classified as VOC, while others that have many of the same characteristics are not.

Smell is NOT a reliable indicator of the danger (or presence) of various compounds that evaporate when paint dries.

The largest 'solvent' in latex paints is ammonia.
It keeps the latex from solidifying.
It is more irritating than an actual hazard.
Some newer paints use larger amounts of various alcohols that avoid the 'VOC' label.

Interesting....but incorrect.

VOC regulations are quite clear...and believe me...there are no chemicals that slip through the cracks.

Ammonia is not a solvent in latex paints. It has nothing to do with the paint "solidifying" (lol).
Ammonia is added as a pH balancer because some raw ingredients can alter the pH while the paint is being made.

The biggest change in paint to comply with VOC regs is with the glycols. Propylene and ethylene glycol are being replaced with things like Dipropylene glycol n-Butyl Ether.
Also the "in can" preservatives are being changed as the existing ones are harmful and caustic. A good whiff of some of them can be worse than pepper spray.

Thanks for all of the replies. Baby went to his grandparents' house for the weekend while we paint.

"VOC regulations are quite clear...and believe me...there are no chemicals that slip through the cracks."

Yes there are.
Only certain compounds fall into the VOC class by Federal statute, while others similar compounds do not.

"Ammonia is not a solvent in latex paints. It has nothing to do with the paint "solidifying" (lol).
Ammonia is added as a pH balancer because some raw ingredients can alter the pH while the paint is being made."

Incorrect.
The high pH ammonia produces keeps the latex in solution and prevents the molecules from linking up into a film.
That is the very definition of a solvent.
Go purchase a can of latex rug backing and take a good sniff.
Since this material has NO pigment or binder (just latex in solution) it has a VERY high level of ammonia to prevent solidification.

"VOC regulations are quite clear...and believe me...there are no chemicals that slip through the cracks."

As said, not true. There are about 35 listed compounds on the exempt VOC list. Has to do with the fact that they do not contribute to ozone production. Includes compounds like acetone, methylene chloride and methane. Glad to know my fingernail polish remover, my paint stripper and my dogÂs farts are all non Âvocs.

"Ammonia is not a solvent in latex paints. It has nothing to do with the paint "solidifying" (lol).

First part is correct, the second is not. Ammonia is not a solvent in latex paint. Solvents by definition dissolve. Ammonia does not dissolve latex particles. Ammonia is a stabilizer. It prevents latex particles from coming together and coagulating and falling out . Your glycols- now they are solvents and act to soften the latex particles for optimum film formation.