Cold salt water pool

[Bellyrub1980]

Odd question but is it okay to swim in cold salt water pools?

I've always remembered a weird fact that if you sat in a bath of whiskey you'd get drunk because your skin absorbs some of the alcohol.

Is the same true for salt water? (As in will you absorb too much salt... Not get drunk!)

Also is cold water a problem? Or, more specifically, going from being very warm (by the pool) to suddenly very cold (in the pool)?

(My gut feeling is that pregnant women have swam in the sea since the beginning of time and probably been on warm beaches and swam in cold water etc... Still, nothing like a good dose of pregnancy paranoia to make you completely neurotic!!)

In short, dunno. I had a discussion with my MW about the Dead Sea and she advised against it (the Internet having given conflicting advice) because of the very high mineral content.

You'll be fine. I'm planning on spending every day next week in the sea! As you say, pregnant women have been swimming in the sea since forever.

I understand why you might want to give the Dead Sea a swerve though.

Oh, if it's very cold I'd probably limit the amount of time I was in though.

I've been in both. I'm more worried about the temperature than the salt particularly if there is a big difference between water and air temperature so if it feels too cold I don't bother going in. Usually it's very uncomfortable if the temperature difference is more than 10 degrees.

The only thing I would worry about would be the cold feeling more uncomfortable than usual. Swimming, both in the sea and pools, is recommended by many HCPs as great pregnancy exercise.

Okay thanks for that. The pool won't be freezing cold. Infact we're going to Greece so the temp outside the pool will be early 30's, the pool just isn't heated, so it feels freezing in comparison but in reality I think it's in the early 20's. And I know it's a salt not chlorine pool.

I have the same issue - going to Italy next week and our pool is salt water. I've read you should only swim in chlorinated pools but I presume the salt is there to kill bugs etc. I think it would be worse to get overheated in the sun - a cool dip will be a great way to regulate your body temperature.

Enjoy!

Pools can say they are saltwater but they make their own chlorine from salt they are both safe. I think it's best to swim in the morning. When the air temperature is 30 ish and the pool is likely to be about 25. I wouldn't go in here now for example,because the air temperature is 38 so the pool will feel freezing. Just trust your instincts.

Yes, and maybe I'll cool off under the shower before getting in the pool so it's less of a shock. Thanks ladies x