Hot bath first trimester freaking out!!

[Ziek]

So I drew a hot bath for my wife to help her relax at about 5 weeks. We didn’t know at the time that heat stress at 3-7 weeks can cause neural tube defects. We’re 8-9 weeks now and everything is good so far, but they can’t really detect NTD until 15-20 weeks. I’ve been immersing myself in the medical journals so I’m pretty up on the science. The most recent meta-analysis suggests the fear is overblown because 20 min in 104F water doesn’t raise core temperature to the threshold level for defects. I’m running bathtub thermometer experiments to test the water temp and I estimate it was under 104 because 104 feels too painfully hot to stay in for more than 10 seconds for me, and my wife has more sensitive skin than me.

But I’m still absolutely freaking out that I boiled my sweet innocent baby. This is our first child. Looking for any reassuring stories from anyone here who took hot baths in the first trimester and had a healthy baby. Would also be interested to hear from anyone who had a bad outcome like spina bifida or NTD (if it’s not too sensitive for you to share). Thanks very much in advance!

I didn't know until just now when I read that that I wasn't meant to hand hot baths. I had one every evening with all 3 of my pregnancies and no issues at all with any of them. Knew you weren't allowed in saunas or jucuzzis but thought that was just an over heating riSk.

Hi,

I'm currently 18+1. Like you I did not know about hot baths. I only associated it with hot tubs and saunas. I have had hot baths throughout my first trimester I still do now. I've had all my check ups and everything seems normal.

I'm not advising to continuing having really hot baths just be more cautious. When your partner goes for her anomaly scan they check for any deformities etc... so you'll have your mind rest assured then. (I know it's tedious to say as you still have a while to wait.)

If you have any concerns speak to the midwife.

Hi, try not to stress. I had an unplanned pregnancy. The weekend before I found out I was pregnant I went away on a girly weekend. I drank copious amounts of alcohol and spent half of the weekend in a hot tub. I now have a healthy 6 year old!!

Please stop running experiments and googling things. It’s highly unlikely anything is wrong. You’ll know soon.

Your baby is going to be absolutely fine.

Whenever I got worried about stuff like this I'd search the Sun newspaper for stories on it.

There's no way it wouldn't be reported in sensationalist tabloid rags if people were accidentally boiling their babies in utro in the bath.

I know it doesn't feel like this now, but you're honestly going to laugh at this post in 18months time.

@3LittleMonkeyz

I didn't know until just now when I read that that I wasn't meant to hand hot baths. I had one every evening with all 3 of my pregnancies and no issues at all with any of them. Knew you weren't allowed in saunas or jucuzzis but thought that was just an over heating riSk.

Thanks so much for sharing this helps

@lozziiee8993

Hi,

I'm currently 18+1. Like you I did not know about hot baths. I only associated it with hot tubs and saunas. I have had hot baths throughout my first trimester I still do now. I've had all my check ups and everything seems normal.

I'm not advising to continuing having really hot baths just be more cautious. When your partner goes for her anomaly scan they check for any deformities etc... so you'll have your mind rest assured then. (I know it's tedious to say as you still have a while to wait.)

If you have any concerns speak to the midwife.

Thank you for sharing. It’s reassuring. Wishing you all the best in your pregnancy

Thank you! Very happy for you and your healthy child

Thank you. I’m trying to chill but I’m analytical by nature so I hafta go through my process first :)

Fingers crossed. Can’t wait. Thanks :)

'There's no way it wouldn't be reported in sensationalist tabloid rags if people were accidentally boiling their babies in utro in the bath.*'

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

A previous pregnancy of mine was a spina bifida. It wasn't due to anything I did, I was questioned a LOT to find some kind of reason. I don't even own a bath. Took all my vitamins. Sometimes it just happens. They discovered the creche sign at 13 weeks and saw the actual defect a week later.

@walkingchuckydoll

A previous pregnancy of mine was a spina bifida. It wasn't due to anything I did, I was questioned a LOT to find some kind of reason. I don't even own a bath. Took all my vitamins. Sometimes it just happens. They discovered the creche sign at 13 weeks and saw the actual defect a week later.

Thanks so much for sharing. I’m so sorry. I hope things have worked out as well as possible. What’s a crèche sign?

I worked at a carvery pub. My heat treated baby is now 9. He is fine.

@PJ04JCW

I worked at a carvery pub. My heat treated baby is now 9. He is fine.

Glad to hear it :)

so many things discovered that none of us knew when I was pregnant decades ago - I had hot baths every day when expecting - none of my dc had those kinds of problems

I didn't know with DC1 so enjoyed hot baths, went in jacuzzis. No neural tube defects.

Before I knew I was pregnant I went to a korean bathhouse, went in the hot baths, the steam room, and the sauna. Baby is completely fine

I think the hot baths these studies refer too are more the very very hot therapy baths you get in spas and things. I love baths. In both pregnancies.. Everything fine!

I thought the hot bath thing was a disproved old wives tale from the days of 'gin and scolding hot bath' to bring on a miscarriage.

I don't think any hot bath you'd have at home that wasn't actually painful would have any effect on the baby buried deep inside the uterus

Def don't worry!

I took hot baths all the time with my last pregnancy. Baby was perfect .

Thanks all, these messages help. The bath was pretty hot (she was uncomfortable in there until she added enough cold water), but like I said I estimate it was under 104F (40C)