Bath salts when pregnant?

[bringthethunda]

Just treated myself to some this works deep sleep bath salts and am currently 13 weeks with #2. Having a minor panic that I can't actually use them as I had a quick Google and loads of US sites advise not to. Anyone got any definitive advice as I would love to get a big sleepy bath tonight?!

Why wouldn't you? Unless you plan on drinking the bath, there is nothing it can do to you.

Me personally I wouldn't use them - just because I have always heard that they contain certain herbs (and other concoctions) that could harm baby. I'm very cautious with all things though. I think that if you feel comfortable using them - use them x good luck x

What herbs might that be? And how could these herbs harm a foetus? And WHY would these foetus-harming herbs be sold in bath salts with no warning on them, and nobody has ever said a word about it?
Come on, people, pregnancy doesn't preclude rational thinking.

I'm with double on this, plenty of herbs are advised against during pregnancy ask any midwife so it is logical, just like plenty of food and drink that's not harmful to us can harm a baby, anything you put on your skin is absorbed even in small amounts. On another note I was told to avoid salts and fragrances in Bath due o higher chance of getting thrush when preggers.

No, but only because I get thrush really easily at the moment. 'til junior drops, nothing goes near my foof except water....

It isn't logical at all. Testing and labelling laws for commercial products are extremely stringent. Read the bloody bottle. It states on it : suitable for use during pregnancy. Look here: www.thisworks.com/deep-sleep-bath-soak.html
This I avoid everything to be on the safe side trope is nothing but mummy martyrdom starting early, coupled with a total inability to assess any actual risks.

Thanks everyone! Urethra, it doesn't say it on the product or the leaflet anywhere, just where you have pointed it out on the website. Right, going to give the bath a scrub and get my soak on. You would think they would put it on the box as well if it's on the website?!!

so, there is a small risk that bath salts, bubble bath etc. can alter the pH of the vagina which in turn alters the normal bacterial flora i.e. lets call it your friendly bacteria.

If that happens there is an increased risk of more bothersome organisms growing - like thrush, bacterial vaginosis or strep. So a lot of official advice suggests avoiding bath products.

For me it's going to be a bloody long 40 weeks if all of my pleasures are banned. I am happy to go without booze, can just about cope without rare steak and goats cheese - but I am damned if I am having a lukewarm bath without smelly stuff.

you can have rare steak and goats cheese too.

it's just an illustration that you gotta decide which guilt you can live with - I am only having hard goats cheese or pasteurised. The steak thing I reckon is probably fine, but a steak is wasted on me right now anyway with the pukiness and food aversion

Urethra I'm in full agreement re the bath salts. And of course you can have rare steak. But there is a genuine risk of toxoplasmosis from it, which can do real damage to the baby. It might not happen, of course, but it's a recognised risk with potentially very serious consequences. Not quite the same as bath salts....

Everyone should be able to make their own choices. Of course. But I personally don't think the rare steak one is as trivial an issue as you imply.

Because of previous experiences - don't need to go into them here but you can have a look on my profile if need be I said that I personally wouldn't use them... I dont dye my hair drink, certain teas, eat certain foods etc because of my over cautiousness. What another person does with THEIR body during THEIR pregnancy is entirely up to them however.

www.pregnancy.org/article/herbs-avoid-during-pregnancy

You can choose what you want. However you are here advising people to do the same as you. And thats the irresponsible bit.

Nope XP I said " I think that if you feel comfortable using them - use them x good luck x" that's it. End of lol x

The best way for any woman to make a decision is to gt factual information and decide for themselves. In reality there are some things where the risk is tiny but the consequences catastrophic. Other things are higher risk but consequences less so.

If someone comes on here asking for opinions then everyone is entitled to give one regardless of whether you agree. It's up to the OP what she chooses :)

Hi op glad u got the info you were looking for. Urethra - I think being concerned not to harm our baby is just normal, not all of us are lucky enough to be both so confident not only in our own opinion but also in the information available to us. Enjoy that confidence but be aware it comes off the page as mean, self-righteous and patronising. Surely we all want to have healthy happy babies and we all are here negotiating our own path to that goal. I hope we all get to get there x