Labour in a heat wave !

[comfycosy123]

my friend is due her baby any day now and we have having a heatwave . I had my baby while it was snowing outside and remember having the windows open a fan and still being boiling.

I was wondering if anyone has any hints or tips to help her stay cool while she is in labour ? It's her first baby so chances are it won't be a speedy birth so if you have any tips that will help that will be brilliant

I did it a few years ago.. My fave suggestion is wet a muslin cloth, squeeze well and freeze. Also as it was a homebirth, I spent lots of time in the bath.
Tbh I was too busy worry about pushing the baby out to worry about doing anything else though - good luck to your friend!

Thank you

Ooh yes, any other tips would be greatfully received.
I am hoping to give Birth in a midwife led unit- do you think you can take your own fan in with you?!

@Bumblealong1 probably not, things like that should be PAT tested before being plugged in but you could always ring and ask.

I had DC1 on a really hot day and DC2 in the middle of winter and don't remember temperature being an issue. Due DC3 in a couple of weeks though so we shall see!

Oh don’t make a mountain out of a molehill

I had my first in August

The hospital had fans blowing left and right and centre.

It’s the UK. Not Dubai

I would recommend those aerosol sprays of water, you can get them in boots or online. I had dh spraying me with one during my boiling hot labour!

I had DD during a very hot august. the labour was actually fine because the delivery room was quite cool with lots of fans. it was worse on the boiling hot ward afterwards with windows that barely opened. i was in for 6 days and all visitors were instructed to bring very cold drinks with them!

@lemontwist Thanks for coming back to me. Your answer makes sense!
@Caribbeanyesplease
Your response is a lot less helpful. Plus having been to Dubai various times I can assure you all hospitals there have much better air con than hospitals in the UK.
I already checked out my hospital place and there are no fans. Let alone ones blowing left, right and centre. But thanks all the same!

19 years ago today, the weather was the same, a beautiful heatwave that I didn't see as I was in labour, in a room with no windows. But it was boiling hot!
What got me through was a portable fan with a spray bottle of water that my husband kept in his hand and regularly fanned and sprayed me. It was bliss between pushes!
something like this

My first was boen on a snowy October day with the heating on full blast and not a fan in sight!
Wet flannel on forehead and back of neck helped.
This was 20 years ago - maybe the NHS has discovered Windows that open or thermostats since then!!

Hi! I’m due to give birth anyday now - and feeling a bit anxious about giving birth in this heat but I guess (hope) it’ll be the last thing on my mind when the time comes! Had first baby in January so a lot different.
I think I’m more worried about how the new born will cope in this heat, what to dress them in, let them sleep in?! Going to buy soem extra fans tonight ! :)

I gave birth to both of mine in heatwaves - DS1 - 35degrees - 4 day induced labour it was hell, windows that only opened an inch and the bloody heating was on!
Although I was supposed to be only having water (in case I needed a c-section) i ended up having ice lollies as I was exhausted, and so so hot. I did need a section but they were so busy and although I was knackered neither of us were in distress so I had plenty of notice as I was in a queue.
I went for walks in the breeze outside until I needed to be monitored and then fans, cold flannels, iced water & ice lollies. It was actually harder afterwards as I had to spend 4 days in hospital due to problems and I was desperate to go home or even just outside in the breeze.
DS2 - I had a planned section brought forward. So it was only really hot after baby was out another 30+ day though. Different hospital, windows opened further but heating was still on. I stayed the minimum possible - 24hours and then went home to my lovely cool house.

Newborns wore nappy vest and hat until we left hospital when they wore some thin trousers too with feet too.
They spent there first weeks in those little short sleeve short leg romper suits

As little clothing as possible and request a fan, I had to get out of the birthing pool because the water felt too warm, I was much happier lollipop over a giant beanbag with a fan on me and no clothes :D also stay hydrated, pop some drinks in the freezer for DH/DP to get out just as you go to the hospital, and take a cup with an lid on it and a straw that goes to the bottom for easy drinking :)

Lolloping not lollipop

I have birth in the early hours this was posted. In all honesty, I went in unprepared for the heat. My room had made winddows with the sun beaming in. It was torture. But I asked for a fan and luckily midwife bought me one. My dp also went and bought a bag of ice and i are it like a bag of sweets.
I think of you go in prepared, you won't struggle like I did.

I gave birth in a heatwave. There was one fan for the whole of Labour ward (and I didn’t have it) and the windows in my room got the full soon. I was on continuous monitoring so cool bath wasn’t an option. Lots of wet paper towels and my husband fanned me with a cardboard sick bowl for about four hours.

@blossomcat snap, although my DC didn’t appear for another 24 hours I was on the labour ward that day 19 years ago.

I remember feeling very uncomfortable for the whole week previous as I was overdue but once I had been induced and was on the labour ward the temperature was no worse than when I had DC1 in the middle of winter.

I did it Wednesday/Thursday and was in and out of labour for 22 hours. It was fine. A cool damp flannel for pushing and lots of water to drink. Other then that it was fine you don’t really think about it. It’s the wards after, if you have to stay in, which are pretty warm 😰.