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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Did anyone have hot baths in pregnancy? I'm worried can anyone reassure me?

31 replies

RitaPanda · 12/12/2017 08:09

I know you are not meant to have really hot baths in pregnancy, so I have cooled my (normally red hot) baths down a bit during pregnancy. So I thought I was doing ok.

However, I then read somewhere you should bath at 37 degrees (body temp) so I bought a water thermometer and ran a bath to 37 degrees but it didn't feel warm at all to me! Yet my mum said it felt hot to her.....

So now I am worried that the baths I have been having (which I thought were not too hot) have actually been really hot all along...

I'm really worried. Can anyone reassure me?

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CheapSausagesAndSpam · 12/12/2017 08:12

I did. I am like you and enjoy a good boil in the bath...the results of both my pregnancies are now 13 and 9 and very hearty and happy. Don't stress about it OP...keep to the reccomended to make yourself feel safe but don't worry about what's done.x

ICantThinkOfAGoodOne · 12/12/2017 08:17

The advice I've read is if it doesn't turn your skin pink, it's probably fine.

Timeforanamochango · 12/12/2017 08:18

Ooh I’m about to pop with number 2 and I’ve never heard this before. There’s too many rules to keep track off! If it’s any consolation I love a nice hot bath and had one pretty much every day in my first pregnancy as my back hurt so much and she was born fine, very active in the womb and is now an amazing 3 year old!

Also this one a similar situation and all is well so far and we’re in the final countdown.

What’s the thing with baths? I wouldn’t worry though there’s enough things to worry about in pregnancy without stressing over a few hot baths you’ve had

Clankboing · 12/12/2017 08:21

My baths were definitely on the high side and I have 4 beautiful children all in one piece.

TwinkleStars15 · 12/12/2017 08:27

I had a hot bath every day throughout my pregnancy and my happy healthy 5 month old little girl is currently snuggled up next to me! The worry is about you overheating and getting dizzy etc, I just used to dangle one leg out to keep cool

Jenala · 12/12/2017 08:28

I toned them down a bit but still had pretty hot baths. Way past 37 which feels lukewarm to me. What's more dangerous is a hot tub or something where the high temperature stays constant. In a bath the water is cooling straight away. And the risk is only at the very start of pregnancy and is a very low risk. I'm even wondering if I read somewhere that there is no evidence of a risk at all.

Anyway once you are into the 2nd trimester onwards the risk of hot baths is to you - fainting as you get out. So take it easy getting out is all.

I had hot baths all the time when pregnant, both times, and all was fine.

metalkprettyoneday · 12/12/2017 08:28

I was regularly using the hot tub at the gym when pregnant and then came across this information . I was beside myself and thought I'd damaged the baby. Talk to your midwife/ doctor they'll reassure you. I think they don't want you to faint because if the heat.

Crumbs1 · 12/12/2017 08:30

The reason not to have overly hot baths is about feeling faint due to vasodilation. If you don’t feel faint, you’re fine. 37 degrees would feel cold for a bath - even hospital thermostatically controlled water is set at 38. 40 might begin to feel a bit too warm.
Who measures their bath temperature anyway? For a newborn if you must but an adult should be able to judge whether the water is a comfortable temperature.

Mummaofboys · 12/12/2017 08:43

I had red hot baths, went In jacuzzis and steam rooms and my kids are fine, it’s more so you don’t get dehydrated and dizzy.

RedBlackberries · 12/12/2017 08:46

I really worried about this too. I thought it was because the baby could overheat but a hot bath in the evening is a nightly treat at the moment. The 20wk scan was all good so I'm not so worried now.

Original poster

RitaPanda · 12/12/2017 09:30

Thanks everyone.
No I have never felt faint - I am an expert hot-bather so I think it would need to be insanely hot before I felt hot.
Glad I'm not the only one who thinks 37 is lukewarm

OP posts:

squishysquirmy · 12/12/2017 12:30

I had hot baths and all was fine. Even spent time in steam rooms and hot jacuzzis at a spa before I realised I was pregnant!

I think if it is so hot that it is making you feel unwell/dizzy then there is a risk because the bath is too hot for your body to handle, but I imagine that this temperature will not be the same for everyone anyway, iyswim.

tinymeteor · 12/12/2017 12:32

Is that right, that it's just about avoiding faintness? I'm going to run myself a proper non-tepid bath tonight then!

I vaguely thought it was about not overheating the foetus, so I clearly had that wrapped round my head. There's not time in the day to research the logic of every pregnancy dictat, is there?

Lifeofpies · 12/12/2017 12:37

It’s about not raising your body temp too much/too quickly as far as I know. That said, I doubt there’s much conclusive research on it.

squishysquirmy · 12/12/2017 13:02

tinymeteor

I am not a medical expert, so I could be talking nonsense but my understanding is that our bodies are quite good at regulating our internal temperature. eg, if you are in a hot place your internal temperature shouldn't be too much higher than if you were in a very cold place. So the foetus should be protected by the temperature regulation of the mother's body, up to a point.

Obviously, pregnant or not, there comes a point where your body is unable to maintain the correct internal temperature - which is when you begin to develop symptons of heat stroke or hypothermia.

So I think that the risks are about overheating the foetus, but that this will only happen if you get to the point where your body is unable to cope with the rising temperature. That point may well be different for you than for me.

Maybe check with your midwife, just to make sure and don't have the bath too hot.

QueenAravisOfArchenland · 12/12/2017 15:42

Basically if you feel fine you are fine. A bath could only pose any threat to the foetus (and that only in the first trimester) if it raised your core body temperature, which would generally make you feel ill. The inside of your body is generally very good at maintaining a constant temperature.

I'm a hot-bath addict and I feel absolutely fine about it.

rachelracket · 12/12/2017 15:54

isn't 37 deg basically body temperature?! yes i had plenty of hot baths and i even went in a hot tub and he's a roaring success so far.

LaBelleSausage · 12/12/2017 15:58

I reduced my baths to 43 degrees (DH wanted me to stick to 40 and we compromised) and I had no issues.
Also, was useful to get a bath thermometer as I'm using it now for my DS

TheLastSoala · 12/12/2017 16:13

Not a doctor also, but my understanding is that the concern is about overheating, but as the body is very good about regulating its temp you'd have to be in a hot bath for a long time before your internal temp raised to the point of potential harm for your baby.

I think hot tubs a more of concern because they keep heating the water, so you could spend two hours in 40+deg water. Whereas a bath will natural cool down so even if very hot when you get in, it shouldn't stay that hot for long enough to overheat your baby.

Hot baths were definitely a mainstay during pregnancy for my DC. I also had a high viral fever. No ill effects yet found.

tinymeteor · 12/12/2017 17:11

Hmmm - according to this link it's a bit of both www.babycentre.co.uk/x546741/is-it-safe-to-have-hot-baths-during-pregnancy

It's not exactly a peer reviewed journal but I guess it makes sense. Basically don't overheat yourself for long periods especially in the first trimester, but otherwise it's fine. I think you'd have to be stewing in a jacuzzi for quite a while to give yourself a high core temperature equivalent to a fever, let alone in your bathroom tub.

CinnamonAndSpice · 12/12/2017 17:20

My tap has a safety switch at 36 and even to my 5yr old dsd that's freezing. I have it about 45 and so does my 11yr old.

CinnamonAndSpice · 12/12/2017 17:21

But to add I generally lay down and bump is out the water.

ZigZagandDustin · 12/12/2017 17:28

Yeah loads of lovely hot baths. My skin might even go a bit pink. But if I start to overheat or feel woozy I'd get out.

I personally think I'm the best judge of what is ok in pregnancy and have quite a clear line when I just feel something is not right or comfortable or ok.

NerNerNerNerBATMAN · 12/12/2017 18:24

I'm still having hot baths and using the jacuzzi at the gym. I can't have them for as long anymore, maybe about ten minutes. My skin doesn't go pink and I feel fine.

There's no good evidence out there. Many women in Scandinavian countries use saunas all the way through pg and there is no increase in birth defects/adverse outcomes in those countries.

jellypi3 · 12/12/2017 18:48

I have hot baths (41 degrees or so). 37/38 is wayyyyyyy too cold.

I just make sure DH knows I'm in the bath and so can check on me if need be in case I feel dizzy. Never happened yet though.

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