spa weekend while pg - what can / can't I do?

[elportodelgato]

I will be 8 weeks pg when I go on a girlie spa weekend, can someone tell me what I can and can't do?
I am thinking probably no saunas or steam rooms, but what about jacuzzi? can I have a massage? all advice gratefully received!

[imkeepingmum]

I went to a spa recently at 31 weeks pregnant and wasn't allowed to use the sauna, jacuzzi or steam room. I had a massage and facial which was specifically for pregnant women, I am not sure if there was much else I could have had treatments wise apart from manicures/pedicures etc. May be best to call the spa and ask what they will allow you to do - even the massage and facial I had they would only do after the first trimester.

[TaurielTest]

No jacuzzi either I don't think, sorry - and many massage therapists will say no to massaging someone in 1st trimester (especially massaging your body - head/neck or feet might be okay). There are some essential oils that you'd want to make sure they didn't use.
If you're keeping things a secret from the girlies you're going with, I'm sure the spa would be able to help if you phoned in advance to make discreet enquiries about massage policy etc.

[estya]

I went to centreparcs aqua sana at 12 weeks and I could have a mother to be massage, any facial and head massage. They wouldn't let me have any thing else.
However a friend of mine had a back neck & shoulder massage at another spa when she was about 18 weeks preggers.
On both occasions we rang ahead to check what they would & wouldn't let us do so we knew the situation.
wrt saunas & jacuzzis etc, they say no as it'll get the baby too hot in there.

[pigleychez]

I was 35 weeks at my friends Spa hen weekend.

Wasnt allowed in the sauna or steam room was allowed to sit with my legs/feet in the jacuzzi. Not quite the same effect but still nice to be able to chat away with my friends whilst they were immersed.

I had a back and shoulder massage, which was pure bliss. I was sat leant over the couch as opposed to laying on my front. But I guess at 8 weeks that wont be much of a problem.

Agree with checking ahead as lots of the treatments available said not before 12 weeks.

[Mimi1977]

I tried to go for a clarins massage at 6 weeks and they wouldn't do a body massage as I'd have to lay on my tummy. Didn't quite get that as there is hardly a bump and I sleep on my stomach but think they are uber careful.

Echo what the others say about no jacuzzi or steam room.

[mosschops30]

No sauna or steam rooms, just sit on the side of the jacuzzi with your legs in.
You can do lots of swimming or just floating around in the pool.
Make sure they know youre pg, lots of oils cannot be used in the 1st trimester.
You can have pedicure/manicure, facial, massage leaning over the couch or even lying on your stomach if youre still comfortable at 8 weeks (which you probably will be)

[ktwiltshire]

i was on a spa week break with my hubby when i was 11 weeks pregnant, and pretty much couldnt do hardly anything, saunas, jaquzzi's were out, all body massages were out (apart from specialist mother to be massages, which are really of benefit to much more heavy pregnant women), but i was able to have reflexology, reiki, indian head massage, which were brilliant. neck and shoulder massage was ok, but i was lying on my back and they did it that way. facial was allowed, and mani and pedi's were fine

[elportodelgato]

thanks ladies, looks like won't be much of a spa weekend for me then
I have booked a pedicure so that'll be fine.

Does anyone know WHY they say no massage in first trimester? I only ask because I actually had one last week and the masseur seemed very unbothered when I said I was pg. She didn't use any essential oils and didn't massage any of the stomach area but I lay on my stomach for about 45 mins while she did it. I sometimes sleep on my front so I figured it wasn't much different. Should I be worried?!?

[Orangesarenottheonlyfruit]

Just to be totally difficult, why can't you use the spa when pregnant? Surely as long as you don't get too hot, you'll be ok? We're not lizards, the body can regulate itself in warm temps so surely as long as you don't get super hot and pass out you'll be fine.
I went to a spa at 13 weeks and went in the sauna, jacuzzi and steam room. I did keep a vague eye on not getting too hot but I can't see any other danger than that?

[ReshapeWhileDamp]

I don't really understand the strictures against jacuzzis. Obviously steam rooms and saunas get incredibly hot (I find them too uncomfortable at the best of times) and you have to be careful not to raise your core temperature too highly. But jacuzzis tend to be no hotter than your average bath, which you're certainly allowed to have, as long as it's not too hot, and often are a lot cooler!

You can understand why they're so conservative though - nobody wants to be sued if a pregnancy goes wrong, whether or not it had anything to do with your treatments at the spa.

No idea why no massage. I have a friend who specialises in massage at all stages of pregnancy, but she's trained specifically for this, and maybe most spas don't have trained pregnancy therapists?

My one-and-only beauty salon treatment was a back and shoulders, and leg massage, specially aimed at pregnant women - was bliss! (it was at about 32 weeks)

[Chesterado]

I checked with a GP friend about jacuzzis/spas recently - apparently the issue is not the heat (or else baths would be out) but the risk of bacterias and other nasties which can thrive in the water with so many different people getting in and out. Apparently these are not ordinarily a concern but are just not worth the risk in pregnancy.

[estya]

I've been told (by the people at the spa) that massaging certain areas of the body can bring on a miscarriage. Not sure why people don't tell us where this mystery place is - in case we have some shoes that rub etc there.
It all fuels my conspiracy paranoia.

[elportodelgato]

this is all very helpful ladies NO MORE MASSAGES from now on, and I'd better be cautious with the jacuzzi as well... sigh I'll just have to REALLY enjoy that pedicure...

[MumNWLondon]

re: jacuzzi - the one at my gym is chlorinated and kept at 36C. I used it during my pregnancy on the basis it was not too hot and probably cleaner than the baby pool which is almost as warm and has babies weeing in it (whereas the jacuzzi is strictly over 18s..)

There is another issue with jacuzzis which is the risk of air bubbles up fanjo. Personally I can't see that this is a huge risk unless you actually sit on a jet or are having a hih risk pregnancy.

I discussed this with a friend who is a GP who said well don't sit on a jet then!

re: massages varied place to place, I went to a spa who said no massages before 20 weeks, others are less conservative.

[DomesticG0ddess]

Very few places will massage you before 12 weeks - I think they just want to cover themselves as the general risk of mc is higher, because like you say, what is the issue of getting a back and shoulder massage? Estya, most of them probably don't really know, but perhaps they mean certain parts of the feet, like during reflexology.

They might do an Indian Head massage though, that's nice.