Beating the Heat While Pregnant
Australian summers are primarily known for backyard BBQs and cricket, constant beach trips, maxi dresses, and pool day relaxation with a cocktail… or, a mocktail for those during pregnancy.
Pregnancy comes with an endless number of symptoms to carry alongside your growing baby, and summer doesn’t make it any easier. Pregnant women are more susceptible to heat-related conditions and often struggle with dehydration and heat exhaustion.
Toowoomba Obstetrics and Gynaecology compiled a list of six ways of beating the heat while pregnant.
Hydration Is Key
Dehydration is one of the biggest things to be cautious of during summer, especially when pregnant. It’s recommended that pregnant women drink 8–10 glasses of water each day during this season. You can add lemon slices to some of your glasses to provide a nice dose of Vitamin C and a refreshing boost of flavour.
Water-filled fruits, such as watermelon, strawberries, grapefruit, and rockmelon are also great to help stay hydrated and healthy during the summer months.
Get Wet and Float
Pregnant women are prone to experiencing hot flushes and sweating, making a summer pregnancy sticky and uncomfortable. A dip in the pool or beach is a great way to stay cool during the hot season. You’ll also find that being buoyant is the most comfortable and weightless solution for your aches and pains, and is great for easing stress on your squished organs, as well as just being plain relaxing.
If you’re out somewhere and unable to swim, grab yourself a spray bottle and fill it with iced water to keep yourself as cool as possible until you’re back in your buoyant paradise.
Fruits and Vegetables are Your Best Friend
Staying well-nourished during pregnancy is important, but can be difficult when those cravings hit. Luckily, summertime marks the return of a large variety of seasonally grown fresh fruit and vegetables, perfect for a well-needed health kick.
Fruit and vegetable platters are perfect for beating the heat while pregnant, they are healthy, cool, and light alternatives at meal and snack times. Or if that heat exhaustion is really kicking in, make up a delicious smoothie filled with rich vitamins and antioxidants.
Loosen Up
Many women have that one maxi dress that spends 75% of the year hiding in the back of the closet, waiting until summer hits the shore where it will then spend the rest of the year on your back. Well, being pregnant in summer is that dress’s time to shine.
Constrictive clothing can be uncomfortable. Maxi dresses are often the go-to for summer fashion, especially for pregnant women, and are perfect for keeping cool and comfortable in the sweltering heat.
Protect Your Skin
Slip, slop, slap! We all know the famous slogan, and now is a better time than any to listen. Slip on your loose, flowy shirt. Slop on your not-so-thick sunscreen that allows your skin to breathe and perspire naturally. Slap on a comfortable hat that protects your face from the sun.
While you’re at it, why not grab some sunglasses and umbrella for extra protection? Sun protection while you’re pregnant is more important than ever, as being exposed to the sun can lead to severe dehydration and sunstroke. Try and stay in the shade when you can, but if you can’t for any reason, be sure to follow these tips. Speak with your doctor about the best sunscreens to use while pregnant.
Kick Your Feet Up
Swelling, especially in the feet, is a common pregnancy symptom, which is typically heightened during the warmer months due to the heat and can lead to unnecessary stress.
That’s why it’s important to relax both your mind and body as much as possible during this season. Lie down with your legs elevated above heart level for at least an hour each day when you can to improve blood flow. Keeping your feet in a tub filled with cold water can also help keep your body cool and reduce swelling.
Meditation and pre-natal yoga classes are another great way to stay cool, calm, and collected during summer. If you’re not feeling up to yoga, a simple walk around the block is another alternative. Just be sure to follow the sun safety tips we’ve provided above, and try to reduce the amount of time spent in the sun.
Spend Time Inside
While summer is all about outdoor activities, being pregnant in summer can be exhausting. Relaxing by the pool or taking part in casual outdoor gatherings are great for spending some quality time soaking in the sun, but sometimes you may need to spend a bit of time indoors. Get that aircon or those fans on while you read, play a board game, or just watch some movies.
Moisturise
During pregnancy, you can expect to see changes to your skin. Areas of the skin may darken, and you may start to see the forming of stretch marks and the presence of the linea alba, the thin band of connective tissue that runs from the naval to the pubic bone. Skin changes can also appear as skin conditions, such as acne, eczema, and psoriasis.
Moisturising regularly can help reduce the severity of these skin changes. There’s a possibility of chemicals from skin products being absorbed into the bloodstream, so make sure to speak to your doctor or dermatologist about which products are best to use.
If you are seeking more information about beating the heat while beating pregnancy this summer, then contact the supportive team at Toowoomba Obstetrics and Gynaecology. If you start to notice the early signs of heatstroke and heat-related conditions – headaches, high body temperatures, nausea, and dizziness – it is essential you seek medical attention as soon as possible.