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??

37.5 is not a hot temperature anyway, it is perfectly normal. I sunbathed through both my pregnancies, and it made sure I had plenty of vitamin D . Relax. You have not done anything wrong, and your baby will be fine.

Hi OP. that online doctor advice is awful - was it American, in a covering-their-back way?!

I always sunbathe in pregnancy as vitamin D deficiency is dangerous for the unborn. I used to lift up my tshirt at the site of sun to expose and warm my tummy.

The overheating advice comes from the studies that showed increased defects in women using hot tubs. Interestingly, I'm not sure it was replicated in women using saunas. Also, I can't see any evidence that women in hot countries are more likely to have babies with birth defects.

I honestly would not worry. I think the NHS advice is generally good and non-hysterical!

I'm in Australia and have had two big healthy babies in Aussie springtime, so I was pregnant through two queensland summers. I went to the beach, sunbathed in the garden, walked around hot markets, rode on crowded hot trains. When I was pregnant with DC1 we didn't even have air conditioning at home so I was permanently boiling!
You sound really worried. Please calm down. And congrats on your pregnancy!

Oohdaddypig Yep it was extended use of hot tubs. And this morphed into (via Dr Google) no sun, no baths, in some cases scary rubbish about hot drinks.
Vitamin D is vital to all women particularly pregnant ones.
Be sensible but the sun won't hurt you unless you feel ill from it - our inbuilt warning system!

You girls can't imagine how much I needed this reassurance today. Must have had bad dreams and woke up 3h before the alarm clock so anxious! Could not focus on anything at work. Just obsessing that I must have overheated, if my wee felt so hot and could not convince myself otherwise. Thank you so much:)

I'm glad that the scan went well. I don't think that wee temperature is much of a sign of overheating. Sometimes my wee is hotter than other times. I think it depends on how much water I have drunk, a small wee is normally hotter than a big wee! I hope you have a better nights sleep tonight xx

I had flu and a high fever when I was 5 weeks pregnant (5 weeks is the most risky time to overheat as it is when tge neural tube is closing and overheating increases the risk of neural tube disorders) I tried to lower my temperature buf it didn't work very well, I had a fever for about a week.

I had my 20 week scan last week and everything lookednormal, I asked them to look especially carefully at the spine and brain and it all looked fine despite my roasting my embryo.

Don't worry and congratulations on your pregnancy!

Slept much better thanks ummmmgo:)

Ikeaismylocal that must have been very worrying! So glad everything turned out well for you and your LO! Hope all
Continues well for all of us.

I am slowly starting to believe that it's just panic and everything will lost probably be alright.

Managua all this reassurance seeking online is only fuelling your anxiety. I promise you. Please ask the opinion of your (real life) health care professionals only. Write down what they say and refer back to it when you are having anxious thoughts.

I'm glad you are starting to to feel less worried.

tak1ngchances I think you are wrong, I had lots of anxiety in my first pregnancy, and I still feel anxious about my ds's health, I find it really helps asking for reassurance online. It is all very well hearing your midwife say oh don't worry but I find it much more helpful to hear other women who have been through the same experience as me.

tak1ngchances I appreciate your concern but I actually find much more comfort from hearing from other mums.
My midwife and gp didn't warn me against overheating and had very little to say to comfort me when I questioned it when coming back. They didn't mention if the baby is protected, that I would be ill if I overheated, couldn't explain my urine temperature. I ended up paying for a private obgyn consultation which was more helpful than all my midwife visits combined.
But I take the most comfort from hearing from other mums who've been in similar situations and in moments of weakness I read them over and over again and they make me feel much better. I try to stay away from Google but reading this thread has been extremely therapeutic:)

tak1ngchances As part of my CBT for pregnancy anxiety I have been encouraged to evaluate and use trusted websites for information: the idea being not to add another 'big bad wolf' to my world but to manage the internet as I would any other resource. I have a safe list of sites and forums (about 3 big/'official' UK based sites and 2 forums) and triggers/spaces I keep away from.
This is actually a big part of managing my anxiety and works really well.

Hi Mommies! im also new to this whole pregnancy experience. Actually im not that sure if im pg or not as i my testkit result was negative. However, there is quite a lot of pg signs i get during this few weeks.

my concern is the same as yours Managua, but maybe a lil bit extreme as i did my detox treatment with a hot blanket for 40 mins not knowing that im pg or not. if im pg, im so worried if i hurt my baby. what should i do now.. for now, im planning to confirm if im pg or not tomorrow at a clinic.

I live in Saudi where not only does it get to over 130f in summer, but you also have to wear a black abaya if you go outside. Babies are born just fine here. Don't panic.

I'm curious to know as this was three years ago.... what was the outcome?! I am currently on holiday, sunbathing, like yourself, being careful to not overheat, but my friend scared me in saying I shouldn't sunbathe at all and sit with a wet towel on the bump. How did things work out for you Managura?

The only thing i can think of thats helpful is my auntie and cousins live in Australia. The one cousin was born in Australia with no problems, and he's just had a baby over there. His wife is always on the beach, always out walking in the sun. The only overheating i've heard of is saunas so dont worry x

Hi Maguana
Can u please update us about the outcome of your baby please ? I am in a similar boat about overheating and worried to death ..
please I am really looking for advice ..
Good or bad ..update please ..really appreciate it ..hope all is good

This is crazy, stop googling!! Honestly you will find ANYTHING on google if you search heard enough.
I sunbathed in pregnancy, the only thing I’ve read against it is that your skin is more sensitive and you’re more likely to sunburn.

Your baby is fine, try to see a psychotherapist to help you deal with your anxiety. I had lots of anxious thoughts when pregnant and therapy does help.

Hi Managua, Can I ask, is your baby / child Okay? I have done the same thing as you, I was in Vietnam and got overheated not knowing I was pregnant, now I am very worried, I am 7 weeks pregnant and spent 4 weeks in 40degree heat feeling quite overheated. If you could let
me know the outcome, that would reassure me greatly, thank you!