Has anyone been told not to have a hot bath?

[katieearnshaw]

Hi

This is my first time on the forum, so hello to all!

I am 8 weeks pregnant and still have not recieved anything from my midwife...I have chased it with the doctor's surgery but still no letter or appointment date! So....I have quite a few questions to ask and was hoping you might be able to help.

The one on my mind at the moment is that a friend told me her midwife has said not to have any hot baths during pregnancy...has anyone else been told that? I don't want to carry on doing it if it's something I shouldn't be doing!

Katie x

 

[Sam's Mum]

It's best not to have them too hot while you're pregnant. I'm not sure it was something my doctor or midwife ever told me though. Welcome to Pregnancy Forum and congratulations! I hope you get your appointment date soon

 

[katieearnshaw]

Hi

Thank you - good to know that is one thing i shouldn't be doing...so will stop that now Am so worried that there's lots more I shouldn't be doing that I currently have no idea is wrong! Think I will chase the doctor on Tuesday if I don't get anything in the post!

Thanks for your help!

Katie x

 

[Mervs Mum]

I think it can raise your blood pressure. Just like Sams Mum said - not too hot

 

[Sam's Mum]

As long as you're taking folic acid every day and avoiding foods you shouldn't have you should be fine... (unpasteurised or mould ripened cheese like brie and camembert, blue cheeses, don't eat tuna or swordfish lol more than once a week because of the high levels of mercury... actually I'll find you a link in case I forget something important

http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/917.aspx?CategoryID=54&SubCategoryID=131

 

[joanna0110]

The advice is that you should be able to get in the bath at once without having to get in bit by bit - ie if its too hot. Although i don't think there is proof that it does any harm, but its best not to raise your internal temperature.
Welcome and good luck too

 

[katieearnshaw]

Aaah thank you both - it's great to get some advice at last! I am finding the cheese thing hard as I LOVE it...but am still managing to feed my cheese addiction with the pasturised and non mouldy sorts!

Thanks for the link - really appreciate your help

x

 

[Sam's Mum]

I found the cheese thing hard too - I live on cheese! I must have eaten hundreds of packs of cathedral city to keep me going while I was pregnant x x

 

[katieearnshaw]

Ha - that's my favourite at the moment too!! Glad I am not the only one who lives on it! xx

 

[Tonks]

Ideally a bath temperature shouldn't be above 31 degrees, and in labour wards they have to keep baths at this temperature or below.

The problem is that as you warm up, blood is diverted to your skin in order to cool you down (this is why you go red when hot). This diverts blood away from your core, and also away from baby. Making the blood pressure to baby drop, so the baby receives less oxygen.

Hope that helps

 

[evie_smith]

like tonks said my midwife when i had my other two said exacally the same blood diverts to you and my mw said that the placenta is used to working at a certain body temp so raising it ie hot baths water bottles or heated blamnkets itsn't a good idea beacuse you dont give the baby the amount of blood neutrience you would when heated she also said to stay away from foot spas i thought she was being stupid but my SIL was told the same lol!! x x xx