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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Do you bath or shower more now you're pregnant?

17 replies

Whysoserious · 29/04/2012 10:05

Random question I know but I have woken up on this fine (!) Sunday morning suddenly very interested in other peoples bathing habits.

I have always been a lover if very hot baths, the sort that take you a while to get in and you feel very dizzy from when you get. obviously this is far from a good idea in pregnancy so I have been showering and, in fact, have not hassle a bath since before I found out I was pregnant nearly 9 weeks ago (am 13 weeks now).

My shower as broken (disaster!) so I am facing the prospect of a luke warm bath today which I'm actually a bit nervous about. Silly or what! I think I'm worried the water will get into my uterus or make my cervix open or something. This irrational fear is something I'm seriously going to have to get over especially as I'd like to start going swimming etc!

Anyone else like me that has avoided baths? Or were you more of a shower person and now spend many an hour in the bath?

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Florin · 29/04/2012 10:11

I have always been a bath person but now pregnant even more so. It is the only place I feel truly comfortable so normally spend best part of an hour in there a night. You can have a hot bath just not one that makes you look like a cooked lobster when you come out! Baby Seems to love the bath too as always dances about when I am in there!

Buckette · 29/04/2012 10:19

I had a similar irrational fear but the benefit of going swimming overrided it, although i cannot contemplate doing breaststroke legs for this reason...
Have always much preferred showers myself but at 31 weeks am finding it increasingly awkward to wash my feet and legs without sitting on the bath side; likewise getting dry is becoming increasingly problematic....

BabyLabyrinth · 29/04/2012 10:45

I've had more baths than showers this pregnancy, especially recently because I'm so huge! My biggest fear is slipping in the shower. DH installed some handles so I can manoeuvre myself in and out of the bath more safely, but I now only have a bath when he's at home too, just in case. I don't have luke-warm baths because I don't see the point in them - but I also don't have them scalding hot like I used to. And I just make sure the bump is not submerged - just my hips and legs really to ease the soreness/stiffness. It's definitely the most relaxing part of my day!

twizzlestix · 29/04/2012 11:00

I'm obsessed with baths now I'm pregnant and want to have every night as well as a shower in the morning! It's driving my DH bonkers but I feel soo comfortable in the bath and it helps me relax.

Original poster

Whysoserious · 29/04/2012 11:05

You're definitely selling the baths to me ladies. And Buckette - hilarious that you can't bring yourself to do breaststroke

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Original poster

Whysoserious · 29/04/2012 11:06

Any recommendations for bath soaks etc that are pregnancy friendly - or are they all pretty much ok?

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DizzyKipper · 29/04/2012 11:06

I've always been a shower girl, get a bit too antsy feeling like I'm wasting time if I'm sat in a bath. For reasons unrelated (ie. a shockingly ice cold house) I dropped my showering down a bit over winter, but now I'm back to the same as before. In fact I do sometimes feel the urge to shower even more now as I'm settling into the third trimester, though not sure why that is.

FreshwaterPlimpies · 29/04/2012 11:32

Not so much the baths, because to get it deep enough for my mahoosive frame, it's like filling the Orca tank at Seaworld.

Showers though, are lovely (despite having an irrational superstitious fear in the 1st tri that running water on my belly would wash the baby away:o)

One plus is that my hair's become so thick it only needs washing every 2 days now, whereas before it was on the oily side.

handsarefull · 29/04/2012 11:50

Bath for me I used 2 love showers but strange thing is I crave bubbles I love the bath as its easing the pains only 26wks. I like them hot but not as hot as I used 2 have them :)

GingerDoodle · 29/04/2012 12:10

I've not changed at that much lol. Showers in doors but we have a hot tub outside which I love.

We checked with a midwife early on re the tub and she said it was was fine as long as temp is kept to 36/37 so you don't raise your body temp and you don't sit in it for too long (think your only meant to use them for 20 min at a time anyway). So my days of having it at 38 and sitting out in it for hours at a time where numbered but its still brilliant!

Sastra · 29/04/2012 13:39

Ooh. I love a good hot bath! You've taken my wine and my Brie - you will have to prize me cold, dead and naked from my bath!!

Mothpop · 29/04/2012 21:21

I love having baths - pretty hot baths - and have been doing throughout my whole pregnancy (27wks). I was reassured about the temperature when I read that the amniotic fluid acts as a temperature buffer ensuring that the baby doesn't get too hot. I truly believe that I will end up with a baby who loves water as my bath is part of my nighttime ritual and she is always calmed by it :-).

surfmama · 29/04/2012 23:29

ha whyso - i think this too! I do have baths but especially after the two rumages (internals) i have had have been terrified to have a bath and have waited over a week before getting in one afterwards! just felt like the right thing to do. i mainly shower now, not sure if that is to do with paranoia or that we have moved and have a fab wet room, but i do enjoy a bath every now and then.

MrsHoarder · 30/04/2012 07:54

I've been having nice long warm baths. My skin is a bit more sensitive now, so I have started using kids' bubble bath in it though. Rather than having is very hot when you get in, try getting it comfortable and as soon as you feel a bit cool, run the hot water tap for 30 secs (obviously only if your hot water is set at a safe temperature).

Once you start getting a bump, being able to float in the water is bliss. I've stopped having them when at home on my own though, but only because I've reached the stage where getting out is difficult and am paranoid about getting stuck without DH being able to come and pull me up.

TitsalinaBumSquash · 30/04/2012 07:56

I only have a shower but I am craving a long soak in a bubble bath.

McPhee · 30/04/2012 08:02

I can't stand in the shower any more because baby is sitting on nerves, and it's ruddy painful. And a bath is a two person job now. Gone is my dignity at 30 weeks

mangomadness · 01/05/2012 13:58

I loveeee my baths. I'm 39 weeks and thankfully can still manage by myself.... my baths are my 'me' time. Sadly cannot use bubble bath as skin which was previously sensitive is now overly sensitive (I had a bad reaction to the material of my favourite top.... cue hives :( ). I had to stop using bubble bath as it affected my pH balance and I ended up with a severe kidney infection

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