swimming - how hot is too hot? doc not much help...

[Bicnod]

I've just found out I'm pg with DC2 - very very early days (I found out yesterday!)

I take DS to waterbabies every Friday and sometimes their pool can be as warm as 36 degrees.

Apparently the reason you shouldn't swim in water as warm as this when pg is not because it might harm the baby, but because you might faint. This is what doc just told me over the phone, but then they said not to swim if I'm worried about

Does anyone have any knowledge about this? I don't want DS to miss his swimming but equally I don't want to put my much longed for pg at risk.

TIA :)

[FindingGuysMojo]

I'm pretty sure the advice re hot pools is about raising your body temp. I went in spas/hot pools on holiday in NZ when pregnant with DD but just made sure I didn't get too hot (like I might otherwise - sit & get hot & really sweat).

I've never heard of the fainting theory? Are you prone to fainting? Surely there would be lots of other people in the pool with you?

Personally as long as I felt OK in the water I'd keep going. Being in a pool is so wonderful when you're pregnant & 36 degrees isn't that hot is it?

[FindingGuysMojo]

oh & congratulations

[hazchem]

Birth pools have to be heated to 37.5 degrees so i would think 36 should be fine. Just take some cold water with you in case you feel hot.
OPh've had lovely hot baths throughout my pregnancy and it seams fine to me.

[Bicnod]

Thank you both for responding. I'm not prone to fainting so sounds like it should be ok. Good point about birthing pools being body temp.

I might try and persuade DH to get off work early this week and take DS, and then chat to doc in a bit more detail about why they advised not to as I've got my 'I'm pregnant' appointment with them next week.

Don't mind missing one week, just didn't like to think I wouldn't be able to take DS for the next 8 months...

Thanks again :)

[japhrimel]

The issue is if your body temp rises and/or if you get faint. If you don't feel overly hot and sweaty or pink - or faint - then it should be fine. How active do you have to be for your LO's classes?

[Bicnod]

If the water is above 34 degrees I usually feel quite hot (I'm not very good at being hot generally though). I'd say the classes are medium level of activity for me - lots of lifting DS (who is 18months old and HUGE!) above my head etc while walking round the pool. I'm quite fit though so doesn't get me out of breath/sweaty. I guess what I'm worried about is if my body temp does rise is that just a problem for me (i.e. fainting) or could it be a risk to the baby (i.e. miscarriage)?

[fiftyfifty]

I work for a similar baby swim school and our pool is usually 34 degrees. We also run pregnancy relaxation classes in the same pool. The temp is safe for you and your baby. And if your class is like the ones I run you won't be actually swimming, more like supporting your baby as he/she swims.

Have a quiet word with the teacher to let her know you are pregnant - it's very useful for us to know these things and she will be discreet.

To set your mind at rest, give Waterbabies office a call and speak to them.

(PS I am 10+4 with DC3 and regularly in the pool)

Oh and congratulations!

[Bicnod]

fiftyfifty - thanks for your reply - so do you think up to 36 degrees is ok?

I spoke to waterbabies and they just told me to speak to doc

and thanks for congrats - I'm tentatively excited, been trying for nearly a year so hard to believe it is really happening!

[Bicnod]

oh, and congrats to you too!!

[fiftyfifty]

Thanks we've been trying for just over a year so feel like you, bit shell shocked!

Sounds as if waterbabies are not wanting to take reponsibility for you.

I would doubt their pool is regularly 36 degrees (seems bit hot to me) but the receptionist will be testing the pool regularly throughout the day. These results will be logged and you can ask to see them. At our pool the chlorine & ph levels are noted as well as the pool temp. Can you maybe go a little earlier and ask? You don't have to tell her you are pg.

[Bicnod]

It's not actually their own pool but at a school so I'm not sure if they log temps etc. The instructor is lovely so I don't mind telling her I'm pg - she basically tells us if it is over 34 degrees and says that if we're pg we are doing it at our own risk so not very helpful (but I understand that WB don't want to take responsibility if something goes wrong).

I think I'll see if DH can do this week, chat to the doc and the waterbabies instructor and see what everyone says.

It isn't regularly 36 degrees, in fact over the summer it was fine, it's only been since it got colder and the heaters have been on that it's crept up to 35 and sometimes 36 degrees. Apart from anything else the poor babies don't like it that hot - my DS came out with red arms and legs when it was 36 degrees!

[fiftyfifty]

Another option to look at is whether you can change your day or time so your DH can take DS and you can watch (or rest). Do they offer lessons at weekends? Where are you based?

[Bicnod]

Based in SW London - I think DH will be able to do the next couple of lessons at least and by then hopefully the doc will have given me the ok/the pool temp will have been sorted out.

I love doing the swimming with DS, we've been doing it since he was about 4months old, so I'd feel a bit if DH took over on a permanent basis - that's very selfish of me I know but I work part-time (supposed to be working now actually ) and really cherish my one-to-one time with DS.

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply :)

[fiftyfifty]

Pleasure. Good luck with your pregnancy too. If you are still unsure, try looking at other baby swim schools in your area. There will be a few and AFAIK they all follow a similar plan.

[MoonUnitAlpha]

I had baths a lot hotter than 36 degrees while pregnant and didn't faint.

[wouldliketoknow]

i had baths at 45 degrees while preg and nothing happened to me, also swimmed all preg in my local pool as many other ladies did, they weren't happy for us using the hot tab though, i was visibly preg going to ahotel and had a swim, very well they said, but would prefer if i didn't used the hot tub for health and safety...

i don't think there is a risk to the bay, but do have a second opinion if you are worried
and i am going to be cheezy and say: congrats!!!

[Sidge]

Well a bath tends to be about 38-40 degrees so swimming in 36 isn't likely to cause any problems at all.

Hot tubs are more of an infection risk than a heat risk.

[Bicnod]

MoonUnit - it wasn't fainting I was worried about, it was the doc who mentioned that, it was more that it might be in some way harmful to the baby.

I know I must sound like a panicky mare but it's only because the WB instructor said that pg women did it at their own risk above 34 degrees that I started worrying. And then the doc said to not do it if I was worried when I phoned them for advice

But sounds like it's fine so will clear it with doc next week and then just carry on as normal.

Thanks for the congrats wouldliketoknow :)

Sidge - I didn't realise hot tub ban was about infection risk, I'd always assumed it was the heat so that's interesting.

[japhrimel]

If your temperature rises for a time, that's similar to you having a fever, so there is a theoretical risk to the baby. But it's actually quite hard to force an adult's body temp up as we regulate quite well through sweating/flushing when it's warmer (so cooling our cores down).

[lilly13]

If your normal body temperature is 36.6C, then 36C certainly won't make it rise. This should be fine.

[Pootletrinket]

I had a birthing pool which I used regularly for 4 weeks before DD arrived and it was consistently 37-39 degrees and was fine.

Am pg again and asked my GP could I go in a spa (40 degrees) and she said yes, as long as it was clean. Asked MW and she said she'd be reluctant due to increase in temp - nothing about fainting.

[ZuluWarrior]

Hello lovely Bicnod

Normal body temp is 36.9 degrees. Absolutely, absolutely fine to be in that pool as long as you feel fine. And even fainting as far as I understand isn't associated with an increased risk of miscarriage - the blood stops going to your brain first, then you hit the deck before it stops going anywhere else!

Enjoy the swimming and STOP WORRYING. I know, of course, that this is impossible xxx

[Bicnod]

Right. I hear you all (especially you lovely Zulu) - I will go swimming with DS and if I feel too hot I will be brave and not at all English and embarrassed and not wanting to make a fuss and just get out of the pool.

Phew. I feel better now. Thank you everyone who has posted on this thread for indulging the worries of a newly pg crazy woman :)

[Chynah]

I took my son to waterbabies until 3 weeks before I had my daughter and all was fine. And I like my baths HOT!

[PipPipPip]

Have a read of this thread:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pregnancy/1070932-Baths-during-pregnancy

As far as I understand it, the temperature of the bath/pool isn't really the issue - it is YOUR internal temperature. Thankfully as humans are pretty good at regulating our temperature so we should be fine.

But if you are getting seriously hot, flushed, sweaty or faint because of heat (or exercise) just slow it down or take a break.