no hot baths during pg - why not?

[olivo]

can anyone tell me why you shouldn't have hot baths while pg? And what constitutes hot? I am panicking, as usual........

[LadyOfWaffle]

I think it raises blood pressure and you could pass out.

[LadyOfWaffle]

• I think it's something to do with the fact you can sweat but baby cannot.

[littleboyblue]

I think it has something to do with the way the heat affects your blood flow.
I still have hot baths.

[Phoenix]

I thought it was because the baby is already in warm amniotic fluid or something like that

[olivo]

thanks for a prompt answer LOW. If you're used to hot baths would it be less of a problem, do you think?

[WobblyPig]

I have hot baths. the baby is protected by lots of flesh and fluid I can't think thatthere is any effect on the baby.

[olivo]

ahhh, quite a few possibilities then. does a bath not just warm up your outside though?

[Lulumama]

i think it really means no jacuzzi baths , saunas , steam rooms etc that are much hotter than your bath etc at home

just be careful it is not too hot so you don;t faint

[theowlwhowasafraidofthedark]

I think it's because amniotic fluid gets warm and could lead to baby becoming too hot and maybe not developing properly. My understanding is that it's more of a theoretical risk than one with evidence. I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong.
FWIW I continued having hot baths, but was pregnant over the summer rather than when it was cold.

[olivo]

ok, i will try and stop worrying. In my first pg, i anally tested the water with a baby thermomater and rarely enjoyed my baths. this time round, it's so flipping cold in our bathroom, that my baths have been hot, but at least enjoyable and relaxing.
will try and keep the heat down a bit.

[littleboyblue]

have a look here

[littleboyblue]

That link was a bit rubbish wasn't it?

[olivo]

thanks for that link, LBB. hopefully i'm ok as they don't turn me red but will be a bit more careful from now on.
thanks all!

[olivo]

ah but it didnt scream 'NO' which would have really panicked me

[littleboyblue]

I have hot baths to the point where I go red and continued to through both pregnancies and all has been fine.

[tousletop]

I looked into this as I love a really hot (skin red) sort of bath, and the only risk is of fainting. No evidence it harms the baby, and there's so much protection around the baby, that I don't think it could really. I just got out if I started to feel really overheated....

[Lauriefairycake]

You know when you feel guilty about something even though you know rationally its not your fault

I felt ill, crampy and had a hot bath - and that's where I miscarried. I knew I was as soon as I was in there. It was not nice.

[littleboyblue]

Oh Laurie how awful. It wasn't your fault, as you say, you were cramping so it was happening regardless of whether you got in a bath or not. How awful.
With my last mc, I started to feel something was wrong, I didn't have any symptoms of a m/c but just knew something wasn't right. I told dp I wanted to take another pregnancy test to see if that told me anything (stupid) so he bought one and I went to bathroom to pee, couldn't go so tried to help it by pushing and when I started bleeding heavily a little while later, I started toi think maybe if I hadn't tried to force myself to pee.........
Natural thought though isn't it?

[chloejessmeg]

I always thought that you shouldn't have hot baths in the first timester as it increased the risk of miscarriage? Thought it was because of the sudden temperature change? Same reason you shouldn't get too cold, like swimming in the sea?