Incorporating hot water baths into your daily pregnancy routine is a great idea to relieve some of the less glamorous aspects of your pregnancy – pregnancy pains, bloating, stress and tension.
But, soaking in a hot bath during pregnancy may not be so safe. i know why Remember to take these precautions while bathing in hot water.
Note the temperature of Water
Thanks to surging pregnancy hormones, a pregnant body’s temperature should be around 99°F (37.2°C) — or about 0.4 to 0.8 degrees Fahrenheit.
- According to a 2019 study while bathing in warm water during your pregnancy. ideally up to 104°F (40°C) should be considered safe. But before bathing, you should measure the temperature of the water with a bath thermometer or monitor the temperature with a baby bathtub thermometer and take a lukewarm bath for 10 or 20 minutes.
- Check the temperature of the water heater before taking a bath. If the temperature is higher than the expected level, readjust the temperature and try to keep it lower.
- Additionally, feeling dizzy or nauseous can be a common symptom during pregnancy. So, while bathing in hot water, if you somehow feel overheated, take a cool shower immediately. Signs of overheating are related to red skin, feeling hot or sweating.
- Other than that, immersing yourself in a hot tub or sauna is a big no-no, especially during the early stages of your pregnancy.
- Studies have shown that hot water can lead to premature contractions, ultimately causing premature labor as well as premature delivery of the baby.
- Experts from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have also proven that experience in hot tubs or saunas can lead to birth defects in babies.
Add Epsom salt to the tub
I get two cups of Epsom salt, put them in a bathtub of warm water and let it soak for no more than 10 to 15 minutes, before taking the hot water bath during pregnancy. Since muscle aches, headaches, and joint pains are common while carrying your baby, taking an Epsom salt bath can treat them.
How about soaking your feet in warm water
As your pregnancy progresses, you will develop a mummy belly, thus shifting your center of gravity and causing pain in your leg and feet. So maybe instead of taking a full bath, soaking your feet and legs in warm water can ease the pain.
All in all, taking a warm bath during pregnancy is a natural and effective way to ease pregnancy discomforts and is a “me” moment where you get time to relax and unwind. However, you should stay away from hot baths if your water has broken and you are in labor. When the water breaks, the amniotic sac protects the unborn baby from the outside world and makes the area more susceptible to bacterial and viral infections.
However, did you know that just as you enjoyed the benefits of a sitz bath during the bittersweet days of your pregnancy? you can also take a sitz bath after delivery and enjoy its benefits.
So, what are the benefits of a postpartum bath and how to take a hot bath postpartum?
Benefits of a warm bath after childbirth
‘Sitz’ comes from the German word ‘sitzen’, meaning ‘to sit’. The sitz bath is also known as a hot water bath. Besides, after the delivery of your baby, you experience perineal tears as well as pain in the perineum. Hemorrhoids, anal stretch marks, and surgical pain are also common after your baby is born. Water, during a sit-up, covers your entire hip and helps you deal with the aforementioned several postpartum complications.
A warm Sitz can keep the area clean
Since you will be bleeding continuously for 4 to 6 weeks and need stitches, you should give the area some time to heal and you should keep the area clean and hygienic. A gentle warm bath can help.
Heals the perineum
Once you deliver your baby, the tears and stitches will make the perineum and vulva tender, sore, swollen and sore. Hot and cold sitz baths will be effective in soothing the area and skin as well as reducing the pain gradually.
Heals anal fissures
During pregnancy, constipation is a common symptom as the digestive system slows down. The slow functioning of the digestive system is due to diet and the growing baby that has housed the entire womb. However, sometimes you will feel constipated after the baby is born. Due to the strain on the rectum and anus, the skin tears. Such tears cause painful anal fissures. And, taking a warm water bath after delivery would help ease the pain.
So, take a postpartum sitz bath by purchasing a sitz tub. Use hot water and fill it up. Sit on it for at least 10 minutes but get up slowly as there are chances of fainting. Just like in your pregnancy days, add Epsom salt in your post-pregnancy days as well. Try not to rub the vaginal area as it can damage the skin in your area. Once you’re done bathing, make sure you can dry yourself completely, as well as take measures around the wound and make sure there’s no moisture in the area to cause infection.
