Pregnancy is a magical time but it’s also a demanding time on your body. It can be hard enough on the average day but during the summer when the temperature soars, it can be really quite uncomfortable.  With another heatwave expected in the UK, check out my 5 Top Tips for Surviving Summer when Pregnant to help you beat the heat.

Surviving Summer when Pregnant Tip 1 ~ Stay Hydrated

Drinking enough water every day is so important for our health.  Pregnant women are advised to drink at least 8 glasses.  However, in the heat try to make sure you drink even more.  Never let yourself get thirsty as this is a sign of dehydration. Try not to let your body reach this stage.  Plus some pregnant women find that drinking water regularly helps relieve symptoms of morning sickness!

Surviving Summer when Pregnant Tip 2 ~ Wear Loose Cotton Clothes

A lot of stretchy, maternity clothes contain high amounts of synthetic fibres.  You’ll probably find in the heat that wearing loose-fitting, natural fibres are far more comfortable. So a light-coloured linen or cotton floaty dress would be perfect. Don’t forget cotton undies too! Cotton helps you keep cool by absorbing sweat. Plus it can help to prevent any rashes on the skin.

Surviving Summer when Pregnant Tip 3 ~ Change Your Sheets

As with clothing, bedsheets made from 100% natural fibres, such as cotton or linen, can be far more comfortable to sleep on in the heat.  They can absorb and draw dampness away from your skin. It can make such a difference when sleeping is difficult enough with a baby bump.

Of course, room temperature is also a consideration so keeping curtains and blinds shut during the day helps to prevent rooms from heating up. Windows can then be open at night to bring in cooler air for you, which will also help with a more comfortable night’s sleep.

You can also bring fans into your home to help keep areas cool and at night these work especially well to push the cool air coming in the windows through your home.

Surviving Summer when Pregnant Tip 4 ~ Be Sun Safe

Try to sit in the shade as much as possible and avoid the hottest parts of the day. Your skin becomes so much more sensitive when pregnant due to shifts in hormones which can already cause havoc with skin pigmentation, this can also mean you burn more easily. A great way to cool down in the sun is to pop your feet in cool or iced water. It can be anything from a full-sized one or a children’s paddling pool…even a washing-up bowl will work wonders to help cool you down.

Don’t forget to use sunscreen, always important but never more so than when your skin becomes more sensitive. There are some great sunscreens especially for expectant mothers too.

And for an extra bit of coolness why not carry around a facial spritz. Perfect for when you need an immediate spot of coolness.

 

Surviving Summer when Pregnant Tip 5 ~ Alter Your Routine

A swim is a great way to cool down, it is also the perfect form of exercise when you are pregnant. However this is not always possible, so try to alter your trips out to early morning or later in the evening when it is cooler. Whether it is for gentle exercise, a dog walk or a spot of shopping. There will be fewer people around at these times of the day as well, making it a much more relaxing time of the day in general.

Ditch cooking for salads and light food which don’t require any cooking.

Take it Easy

You can always take a cool shower to help reduce your body heat, but always listen to your body and don’t push yourself too hard, especially in the heat.

If you start to feel clammy, dizzy, nauseous, headachy, fatigued, confused and are getting muscle cramps, try moving to a cooler place, rehydrating, or even having a cool shower or putting wet clothes on your skin. If these symptoms get worse or do not go away after an hour then do seek medical attention to make sure that everything is OK.

 

It won’t be long till your little one arrives and if you are worried about how to keep them cool then take a look through my 5 top tips to keep baby cool in the heat.

 

Surviving Summer When Pregnant by Samphire Photography