Baths

[melissa1215]

Hi,

I'm 20 weeks into my first pregnancy, probably a little bit overly cautious too but I'm after some advice?

Since I started my second round of ivf I've been having showers and avoiding baths (on advice from our consultant) following getting pregnant I've still avoided baths out of fear it'll make me too hot, effect the baby or somehow burn the baby (I know how silly that sounds)

To be honest, I love a hot bath. I'm tired and miss lying relaxing in the bath, I've got backache and I just feel a bit down and could do with a nice bath and pamper day but I've over thought it so much that I'm paranoid if I can even have a bath 😂

I know not to have a roasting hot bath (which I would love lol) but can I have a hot but not hot enough to make my skin red type of bath? I'd have all windows open with fresh air coming in just in case I get too hot?

If not, I'll stick to showers as I know this is a silly issue but I feel like I'm losing my self and becoming a baby making machine and can't even enjoy my basic stuff without worrying

Do any of you still get fairly hot baths?

Have your bath as long as u can get it in straight away then it's not too hot

Iv been having baths no problem and will continue to do so. I don't like it hot though.

I avoided hot, hot baths in the early weeks of my pregnancy (currently 20+3 with IVF twins) but have been having them again since around 11 weeks. Like you are saying, not hot enough to make my skin red but enough to relax my muscles and help me unwind. The main thing to be careful of is, when you’re getting out of the bath, ensure you don’t feel woozy from the heat as it can affect us more due to low blood pressure; if you feel fine and your BP has been ok there’s no reason you can’t have a nice relaxing bath.

I test water as if baby was getting in. I dip elbow in. Or put arm in if skin turns red it's too hot. Or get my OH to test water lol. I open windows so it not too steamy and really take care when getting up and out of bath.

I'm 33 weeks and just had a bath. I also avoided a lot in first 20 weeks and would time baths for 10 mins. Now the weather is warmer, I can have cooler baths and don't worry about time. They're one of the few things that ease my back aches. I also try to have baths where my bump is mostly out of the water, which is easy now as I'm huge!

I'm also pregnant (14+4) following IVF and also avoiding baths - haven't had one since the morning of my blastocyst transfer!
Tbh I like my baths so scalding hot that having a tepid one would just be shit.
I'll be sticking to showers for as long as possible.

I don't have a shower, so if baths weren't allowed I'd have been one very smelly pregnant woman

Just make sure it's not too hot, but you'll be fine. I loved a soak in the bath to ease my aches and pains.

Enjoy!

The research around baths is not to elevate your core temp above 38.9 C I believe. You'd be super uncomfortable if it got anywhere near there. I ran a hot bath last night (not scolding, but nice) and checked my temp with an oral thermometer after I'd been in it about 15 mins and it was 37.3 C. So no where near. Here's the article: www.google.co.uk/amp/s/uk.mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUKKBN1H43BX
Based on a paper from British Journal of Sport which is also online somewhere.