Stuff to avoid in pregnancy; baths and flaxseed - urban legend or truth?

[misssmilla1]

I am driving myself mad with contradictory information about what's ok and what's not atm.

I have a terrible cold so thought sitting in the bath might help me decongest. The OH was all about the prospect, but I thought there was no impact as long as the water is not boiling hot?

I also have constipation and no amount of prunes and hot lemon water is shifting it I bought flaxseed to add a tablespoon to my porridge in the morning to get things moving (plus it has omega 3's etc which hopefully might replace the horrible fishy burps from the fish oil capsules..) but have just looked on line and can't find anything definitive on whether this is ok or not. Some articles are all doom and gloom and some say it's ok as long as it's not flax seed oil.

Can anyone shed any light on either?

Me too, I live in baths at the moment, dont have the energy to stand in a shower! Just ensure that there not boiling hot.

No idea about flaxseed. Xx

There is a whole section on hot tubs and baths in Expecting Better by Emily Oster. I'd highly recommend the book if your feeling a little overwhelmed by conflicting advice. Fwiw last week I had a glass of wine whilst sitting in a hot tub. It was brilliant.

Senokot is not recommened in pregnancy, unless there has been a big turnaround on that. (I used to be a midwife until a couple of yrs ago) so double check that if you need something more than lactulose.

Yes sorry, I meant Fybogel not Senakot. Don't know why I said that as I've never taken Senakot but take Fybogel regularly.

Had a bath last night and it was amazing, felt human again with a non blocked nose for at least, oooh, an hour!

The infection thing I have heard of, but only related to swimming pools / water parks (I'm assuming anywhere there's a lot of kids might increase the chance of dirty water?)

I don't think we can get lactulose here; I'm seeing the Dr on Monday and am planning to ask her what she recommends. Last time I mentioned it I got a "oh well, constipation is to be expected, all part and parcel of normal pregnancy!" which whilst she's right, doesn't really help things!

You can have a bath as hot as you like (and tell your DH that if hot baths and gin actually worked, there would have been a lot less babies, and no-one would have needed backstreet abortionists! Its an old wives tale).

You can eat flaxseed no problem. Juries out on flaxseed OIL though, which is a more concentrated form, so you might want to avoid.

Spoke to the Dr on the flaxseed and she's said it's totally fine. Fingers crossed this eases the digestion issues...

My constipation seems to be solved by a bowl of weetabix am with three apricots and three dates and handful of raisins cut into it followed by an orange mid morning. After that I feel nauseous and can only eat toast.