Question for those who have been heavily pregnant in very hot weather ...

[Ghosty]

Hello ...

I am suffering .... 36 weeks pregnant now and I am all over the place. It is midsummer in NZ ... and the last 3 weeks have been hell. Today it was definitely creeping up to 30 degrees and here in Auckland it is sooooo humid.

Normally a sun worshipper and a summer lover I am praying for freak snow storms (I don't believe it has ever snowed in Auckland so I know it is a long shot!).

My ankles and feet have swollen up to grotesque proportions, even my flip flops don't fit ... I haven't worn my wedding ring for a month on account of fingers that resemble sausages ... Not sleeping and tossing a turning all night due to heat, despite having windows open and not wearing very much.

None of this is helped by the fact that I have to wear a tubigrip around my tummy because I suffer from SPD and if I don't wear it for a few days I am in agony ....

All I want is to be someone else, somewhere else ...

How am I going to get through the next few weeks?

I know there was a hot summer in the UK this year so if anyone was in my position in August - what did you do to make yourself feel better bar wallow in a cold bath ...????

Any advice/suggestions/sympathy would be gratefully received!!!!

Lots of love

Ghosty xxx

Message withdrawn

I often wear soaking wet T-shirts in hot weather, and go put my head under the cold tap ... you can strap an ice pack on your back under your bra, too.

So this is where everyone is!! Looks like a reunion from the summer.

Haven't read the whole thread, but DS was born 7th September so went through the hottest part of the summer. On the train to London 38 weeks pregnant and 37 degrees. Lovely. I agree about icepops (popsicles) and keeping your hands and feet cool. Also your wrists and ears. Oh, and your head. This is where you can lose a lot of heat so try wetting your hair! sounds silly but it works.

Also kept a water spray in the fridge and spent a lot of time in my paddling pool and standing under the hose pipe.

Nearly there Ghosty.. hang in there

BR

Oh yeah, what about putting ice blocks (the blue things you take on picnics) inside your tubigrip??

What a great idea bunnyrabbit re. ice blocks in tubigrip!!!

Eidsvold ... never heard of magicool - what is it?

Pie ... I went to a shopping centre yesterday ... it was cool but I could do about 15 minutes before my bits started screaming at me .... so really, as you say, that is out of the question ...

Kiwicath ... I am lucky aren't I? ... I can't fault the care that I have had during this pregnancy - NZ is definitely a good place to be pregnant!

It is another hot one today ... so I am on my 3rd Ice lollie!!

Thanks everyone ....

Message withdrawn

Ghosty, you poor thing! Like Musica, I had dd on a labour ward where the temp was 40 during the day, hideous. You really should check out the aircon, because our newish hospital didn't have it for environmental reasons. Fine, but windows you could open properly might have been nice in the circumstances.
What helped me (sorry to repeat any other suggestions, I'm skim-reading today...) was lavender water on my pulse points and a Clarins "heavy legs" lotion which contained oil of peppermint and was really refreshing.
I also actually put my pillowcases in the freezer for an hour before bedtime. It didn't last long but was bliss while it did. Just a shame I couldn't cram the whole bed in...
Your baby will enjoy HOT baths if he/she is like dd. These heatwave babes have to be kept warm.
Not long now, take care Ghosty.
It is like a summer reunion here, isn't it?

I slept with a fan wafting to and fro across me - couldn't sleep at all otherwise. I also find that a light cotton sheet is cooler than sleeping uncovered, I imagine it must help perspiration evaporate. Rinsing hair with tepid water and blow-drying on the cold setting is marvelous. Another vote for cool water on wrists and feet.

Not long now!

Hi Ghosty
I spent most of this august with my feet in a bucket of cold water laced with lavender bath soak. Even had the children trained to pull the heads off the real lavender and chucking them in the bucket. If nothing else at least I smelt good.

Also slept naked - make sure you have nothing synthetic on the bed. My lovely pillow from grobag was ditched because the filling made me sweat. Also the waterproof sheet in case my waters broke in bed was replaced with several towels instead.

Apart from that I just kept telling myself "Any day any day" Although that became less effective after a few weeks!

I feel for you. Hugs and ice-cubes.