No one thrives when they’re flustered and sweaty on a hot day, but imagine how uncomfortable those hot days are when you have a bun in the oven.
Especially in Australia, the summer can be almost unbearable for mums-to-be. We enlisted Kathy Fray, senior midwife and best selling maternity author, to find out what tools expectant mothers can use to keep themselves (and their babies!) comfortable during the warmer months.
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Can getting too hot be dangerous?
In short, Kathy says yes, it can be dangerous.
“A high temperature in general is not great for a pregnant mother and her unborn baby, be it from fever or hot weather. Plus expectant mothers commonly describe being pregnant as having their own electric blanket at their core, which can feel knackering. If you’re wondering if your core heat is getting too high, then take your own temperature. So long as you’re in the high 36s or low 37s then that’s all good. But if you’re in the high 37s the down a large glass of iced water, and re-check your temp in 20 minutes.”
What are some tips for getting to sleep on extra hot nights?
Getting to sleep with a little one doing backflips in your uterus is hard enough, but add in some piping hot weather and that combo leads to many a sleepless night.
Kathy’s two main tips for getting to sleep on hot nights are:
- Get yourself a fan: “Owning a really decent electric fan blowing over your body, and buy it now before the shops run out of fans in the peak of the hottest weeks.”
- Satin sheets: “Also satin sheets can feel cooler than cotton.”
What are some activities pregnant women should stay away from on hot days?
Kathy tells us that it depends how far along you are. “Anything that makes them feel hot or makes them start perspiring, especially cardiac exercise that makes the woman’s heart-rate increase to the point of her puffing or panting. Personal Fitness Instructors might believe it’s fine! But most Midwives adamantly disagree in the Third Trimester, especially in the summer heat.”
Should pregnant women be drinking more water on hot days?
Drink up! Kathy says upping your water intake is essential. “Absolutely – just like all people should. Interestingly during Labour, if the woman becomes dehydrated, often another symptom is her unborn babies heart-rate increasing.”
Kathy tells us that babies are more comfortable in the womb when the mother is properly hydrated as, “a dehydrated mother has ‘thicker more viscous’ blood, and unborn babies prefer that not to be the case.”
What are some of your hot weather skincare tips for pregnant women?
“Typically the worst area is the stretching belly which can get so itchy, while your body grows that extra square foot of pregnant skin.
Soaking in a bath with Pinetarsol, and massaging in a moisturising lotion or oil with chamomile and other soothing ingredients, can both feel good.”
bh loves: Pinetarsol solution ($10.99, chemistwarehouse.com.au),QV Bath Oil, SheaMoisture Raw Shea, Chamomile & Argan Oil Baby Lotion, LYCON Hand and Body Lotion – Lavender & Chamomile, and GAIA SKIN + BODY Belly Butter.
What are your top tips for staying comfortable when you’re pregnant on hot days?
- Take it easy – “Intentionally dial it down, especially if you are in your Third Trimester. Fully appreciate, even with you just sitting still, your heart is pumping 1.5 times the blood of the non-pregnant you, and your kidneys are filtrating 1.5 times their normal workload. If you’re feeling knackered, then so is your unborn baby! You are fundamentally one being.”
- Accept help – “Say yes to every single offer of help, especially from other mothers, because they know how you’re likely to be feeling, and know you should be taking it easy.”
What are the essential items a pregnant women should take in her bag on a hot day?
Kathy advises four essential items: “Large filled water-bottle, money to buy a fruit ice-block and a sports rehydration drink (not an ‘energy drink’); and a fan (the old-fashioned variety, or a battery-operated hand-held, or both!)”
Main image credit: @Lydiabright
Have you got any tips to stay cool when you’re pregnant?
Both my boys were born in February, I definitely remember how hot it was waddling around 7-9 months pregnant, definitely uncomfortable but a fan helped
I’ve marked julielake192 & Shanika Stewart’s posts below as SPAM!
Thanks for this info very useful.
ALSO, there’s a tonne of spam on this article ive reported some of it
Fantastic article really super helpful and detailed!
Crunching on ice is something a lady once told me ahahah
I just did the same, but they are still below.
I counted 9 posts! And I’ve reported them as well. Some of them are so old and are still here.
yeah its so bad! 9 is crazy amount. I’ve seen tonnes on other articles as well
We are the spam police!
Drinking loads of water helps. I’ve been heavily pregnant during summer and it’s awful.
& now there are even more, above! I’ve marked them all as spam.
With my first pregnancy, I sat in our swimming pool to cool down everyday.
Do you think BH gets a notification when we marked it as spam? There are some really old ones that haven’t been cleared yet but I know you have marked them as spam.
We’ve got our eyes open looking out for BH
Well, I was once one of those people that would click on anything and not realising there were viruses behind it so trying to save someone’s heartache.
i can relate to that so much. Viruses screw up all of your device so we’ve got everyone’s backs
One time, my Dad fell for it and we got charged $600!!!
ooo thats a big one!
Its so normal though, it happens to so many people and now adays they’ve gotten really smart with tricking people
Yes unfortunately. People need other hobbies.
yes they definitely need to occupy themselves with good things
Like volunteering in the community or gardening!
Exactly it!!
I think drinking lots lots and lots of water is the best thing you can do,. When my wife was pregnant she was drinking all the time, even at night. She had a nice drinking bottle under her pillow and she would finish around 750ml of water only at night
I have reported the spam by ashlyjimi, JenniferSanchez, julielake192, Shanika Stewart, Luciadawn on the “SERIAL SPAM MEMBER ON BH” thread.
Great handy tips girls well done once again.
I’ve reported the spam by CHELSEA MARVIN.