Taking a bath while pregnant

When a woman is pregnant she realizes how difficult and challenging some of the most basic tasks can become for her. Even though being pregnant is a magical time having a simple, much needed bath can be a test of patience to say the very least. Most pregnant women constantly ask themselves through out each day whether or not what they are doing is safe for their little baby. Many women will hear different opinions about bathing whilst pregnant and it seems to be the one task that they really want more than anything to help sooth those aching muscles. The fact is, you can indulge in that much needed bath but there are some precautions that you need to take in order to keep your baby out of harm’s way.

How to Care While Taking a Bath in Early Pregnancy

During, the first trimester of a woman’s pregnancy she is told that it is the most risky time of her pregnancy and she needs to take that extra bit of care. The temperature of the water must be as close to your own body temperature as possible and you must never let the temperature gets above one hundred degrees Fahrenheit as it will put the baby in serious danger. Having a bath that is too hot will inevitably increase the amniotic fluid and even though you as the mother sweat if you are hot the baby inside you cannot. The added heat can and will damage the cells that are forming and can stop vital oxygen from reaching the baby. The baby can get stressed because it will be getting a decrease in blood flow which can then lead to the baby having malformations and/or birth defects, it can also lead to a miscarriage. The main areas to avoid throughout the entire pregnancy are Jacuzzis, steam rooms, saunas, tanning beds and hot tubs because they all provide high temperatures.

Checking the Water Temperature

Basically if you have to dip you toes in and slowly immerge your leg in the water rather than being able to comfortably place the leg in it, then it’s usually a sign it’s too hot. Your skin turning pink or starting to sweat are also signs that the water is too hot.

How Long to Soak

A pregnant woman should soak in a bath for no longer than twenty minutes and this is really to steer clear of infections.