1st time pregnant. Scared I overheated.

[Managua]

Hi everyone, I am new to this forum and new to the wonders of pregnancy. I am also In a very bad place right now and looking for some reassurance.

I got pregnant a bit unexpectedly, although luckily I was talk prenatals just in case.
At 8 weeks I went for a 2 week long holiday to Cuba, where I sunbathed daily. I tried not to stay to long in the sun at once and cooled of in the sea or shower regularly. Before I went I asked my midwife and GP if there is anything I should know for the holiday, they both just told me to enjoy myself! I am very disappointed because since then I have read a lot of stories about overheating and how sunbathing in early pregnancy should be avoided.

To say I'm scared is an understatement. I am in pieces, panicking and crying that I've harmed my child. I spoke to an obgyn online who scared me further telling me how fetal brain overheats quickly! I don't think I would ever forgive myself if I've done something to this baby.

If there is any of you that sunbathed in the first trimester or overheated by accident and went on to have a healthy baby??

Oh I know about those intrusive thoughts. I think you could write down some key facts - you did not get heatstroke, it is very hard to raise your core temp as callamia said, people live in boiling hot countries all the time with no adverse effect on their developing babies, there is no link between sunbathing and fetal damage and look at them when you feel stressed.

I went on a childfree holiday to Tenerife when I was pregnant with dd2. I didn't know I was pregnant at the time (she wasn't planned and we weren't trying to conceive) and I spent the week drinking copious amounts of alcohol at night and the days were spent sunbathing on the beach sleeping off the effects of the previous night's over indulgence. Dd3 turned out absolutely fine, no problems with the pregnancy and birth and she is now a bappy, healthy 6 year old.

I went on a childfree holiday to Tenerife when I was pregnant with dd2. I didn't know I was pregnant at the time (she wasn't planned and we weren't trying to conceive) and I spent the week drinking copious amounts of alcohol at night and the days were spent sunbathing on the beach sleeping off the effects of the previous night's over indulgence. Dd3 turned out absolutely fine, no problems with the pregnancy and birth and she is now a bappy, healthy 6 year old.

H

Happy, not bappy!

Overheating involves raising the core temperature, which is actually very hard to do. You don't wanna go through this every time something happens that may harm the baby, right? Try to stay calm and realistic, that's all I can advise. And I'm a natural worrier so I'm not saying that lightly.

I read that you shouldn't fly in unpressurised aircraft in the early stages of pg. I read that after I did it though... The same pg I got hideously drunk twice before realising I was pg (and then I obviously stopped the drinking). Whilst hideously drunk I also ate a lot of not recommended during pg cheese at a buffet. The same pg I also got very hot as I went on holiday to Las Vegas.

DD is fine. She survived the pg and is now a moody teenager.

I think this is more about your anxiety issues than the actual risk to your pg.

Overheating involves raising the core temperature, which is actually very hard to do. You don't wanna go through this every time something happens that may harm the baby, right? Try to stay calm and realistic, that's all I can advise. And I'm a natural worrier so I'm not saying that lightly.

If it were a real risk your midwife would have heard about it.
Anyone can call themselves a doctor on line......the net is full of frauds!
Trust your midwife....( and the mums net ladies) .
Your body is built to nurture and protect your growing baby. Stop worrying and try to enjoy your pregnancy.

Hi, OP. Please don't worry. I went to Crete for 2 weeks when I was 12wks pregnant. It never occurred to me not to sunbathe! Baby was fine - now a strapping 12 year old boy (who won't tidy his room).

Sounds like, as other posters said, this is more about anxiety than this particular issue, and i can't really comment on that.
I would say though, that I've been doing as much as i can to get some sun since i've been pregnant because Vitamin D is great for the baby when you're pregnant, preventing rickets and multiple sclerosis (there's even some evidence that in countries with dark winters - canada, scotland, scandinavia, MS is reduced in babies born at times of year when their mothers would have had the most sunlight). It helps my own mood too.
I've also heard of women being more likely to get sunburn during pregnancy which would be a sensible reason to advise avoiding too much sunbathing if you had sensitive skin (but wouldnt touch your baby). Hope that helps a teeny bit.

I live in Dubai - now I probably wouldn't go in a sauna while pregnant but have to go out constantly in 40-50 degree heat, along with all the other pregnant ladies out here. Uncomfortable - yes - a danger to baby - no!

Relax! And enjoy your pregnancy!

Kath

You used a google online doctor service? That would be your problem then: IMO they should be banned because they do little for physical health (if there was an issue you'd only go to the real Dr) and massively trigger anxiety.

You would be ill if you got hyperthermia or hypothermia. They are not just being too hot or too cold: they are medical conditions which need treatment even in non pregnant people! The recommendations against saunas etc' are there because of risk (a bit like 'don't go rock climbing'... the rock climbing is harmless, it's the falling off that would hurt!) - a sun-crazy woman drinking nothing might clinically overheat, or someone in a sauna for an hour. If you felt OK you're no more at risk than a Cuban woman standing in her own back yard would be!

PS. My MW said what Ruth said - that I would burn to a crisp long before baby was hurt and would not be allowed some painkillers etc' if I did! But that would be me feeling itchy and peely. Baby would be fine.

I went to the Maldives at 20 weeks. It was very hot. Centime was wriggling away on the scan screen when I came back!

I only just have noticed all the replies and personal stories on this thread.
I am so thankful to all of you who took their time to calm my nerves.

Kim82 thank you for sharing your story, means a lot to hear from another mum who laid out in the sun in early pregnancy and her baby turned out fine! I found your story particularly comforting as I have done exactly the same many times when non pregnant so it's very reassuring to know that all turned out fine for you:)
VJONES i want to believe that its hard to raise core body temp but everywhere i read that its easier done in pregnancy. My pregnant temp is 37-37.5 so already quite high, wouldnt take much i think to push it over the 38 degree dangerous threshold.
Sabrina and eurochick, thanks for your sharing your personal holiday stories. I wish i was further along in my pregnancy when I went. Still great to hear all turned out well for you and your LOs.
Ruthsmumkath, thank you for reminding me that women have healthy babies in much hotter climates.
Squizita, yes i felt ok. At no point was i faint or dizzy, but i personally have a high resistance heat, overheating would not even cross my mind if it wasn't for concerns about the baby.

To give you some more detail there is a few occasions that worry me mostly, a couple of times upon returning to my room in the evening, the skin all over my body felt extremely hot! I checked my temperature though and it wasnt over 37.5, I hope it wasnt higher though the day and regret not carrying my thermometer to the beach.
One day my urine was very hot, boiling like hot tea. I didnt think that was normal so tried drinking a bit more and it got better, since then I read that urine is always of core body temperature and if that was my temperature then I did increase it dangerously.

I have since posting here had an appointment with a private obgyn in london. It is rather costly to be this anxious but trying all I can to calm down. She was very reassuring and certainly not like that online consultation i had. She never heard of any woman overheating in the sun to a dangerous level, doesnt think that core temperature would increase more than 1 degree in the sun and advised that my hot urine incident might have been due to me not drinking enough and the urine beeing too concentated therefore feeling hotter. Sorry if too much detail.

I guess I am feeling slightly better and reassured. Just wish there wasn't so many scary stories online. I try to stay away from the internet now to not feed my fears further.

One more reassuring story for you if you want to hear it. I went to Egypt when I was 4+4 and stayed a week so until I was 5+4. It was over 30 degrees every day. I sunbathed all day because I was under the impression that vitamin d is healthy. I also didn't use suntan lotion because I don't like it and I have quite dark skin so never really burn. I rode a camel and a quad bike too. My daughter is now 2 years old and seems absolutely fine lol! Please please stop worrying and try and enjoy your pregnancy. It is a very special time. I know that's easier said than done lol! Xxx

Ummmmgogo, thank you so much!
What a wonderful story! It really perked me up, made my evening in fact :)

I think your baby will be absolutely fine! Stick to NHS advice and don't google - there are far too many scare stories and stupid theories/dodgy studies out there!

Try to enjoy the rest of your pregnancy.

Aww bless you I'm glad you liked it. On the same theme, I know a lady who regularly went to a sauna during her 1st and 2nd trimesters of pregnancy. They wouldn't let her in once she had an obvious bump lol! Her daughter is also 2 years old and is the picture of health! Do you have a scan booked soon? X

Hopefully you are feeling better now Managua, but just in case anyone else is worried about overheating...

Overheating is NOT feeling a bit hot. I have had proper overheating a few years ago (18 years old, bet myself I could stay in a sauna for 30 mins, I couldn't) and it was very clear all was not well.

I felt faint, could barely stand or walk straight and just about managed to stagger out of the sauna on to a nearby bench. After I sat down I felt sick and my mouth felt like it had been coated in tar. My vision started to go blurry and I couldn't hear clearly any more. After a while I couldn't tell if my eyes were open or not as all I could see was black. Basically every non-essential body function was shut down until my temperature came down. I've no idea if I passed out or not but about 5 mins later my sight and hearing came back and I was well enough to get myself a glass of water. It was probably about 20 mins later that I felt well enough to get a shower, get changed and go home. The fact that I recovered quickly with no medical assistance shows that this was a fairly mild case of overheating - a serious case would need a trip to hospital I suspect.

I can imagine experiencing this while pregnant could damage a baby, as the mother's cooling would be prioritised over the foetus's needs. Getting a bit hot and sweaty while sunbathing won't have any impact at all.

Ummmgo thanks again, I guess it makes sense that these are all precautions, as something might happen but doesn't have to happen. It's just very scary, when it's our own baby concerned. And I have big guilt problems and just know I would blame myself horribly if it was unlucky for me:(
I had my 12 week scan, and all looked fine:) problem is I worry about brain damage from the increased core temperature and don't think that's something they can see on a scan even later. I'm much more positive now though:)

Eastwithtem, thanks for sharing. This founds really scary, but it does agree with what I heard from a private obgyn, that overheating is a rather serious condition and I would know if I had overheated.

So glad I found this forum:)

Managua I sit here looking at my now 6month old DS after a pregnancy pretty much consumed with worry (for no real reason but I had anterior placenta so wouldn't feel much movement) so feel your pain on this.

Don't judge me but at around 20weeks we went to Majorca, I'm a sun worshiper and feel so happy/relaxed in the sun but 1 day went on beach from 10-3 blazing sun and mid way through realised was dizzy/sick/faint (my pregnancy was no nausea normally) realised I'd totally over done it and had heat stroke. Got outta sun pronto and was of course so scared I'd done damage to baba but no, all fine. I'm not advocating it at all and learnt my silly lesson but please try to relax, realise a huge majority of all pregnancies result in happy, healthy babies and enjoy this amazing time in your life!

Wow burbgirl2013, that must have been so scary!
Very happy your DS did not suffer at all from it :)
I would be much calmer if my holiday happened at the 20 week mark, as then they say that even fevers are less likely to cause any harm.

It's good to know though that i would have felt I'll if I was really overheating. I know I didn't feel ill, yet pretty sure my temp increased due to the symptoms subscribed above, I just can't be sure how much it increased (dangerous levels or just below) and for how long.