Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Pregnancy

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

Flip

Original poster

30 weeks pregnant - are hot baths ok?

15 replies

Gangle · 03/02/2008 21:17

Find them so relaxing but sure I've read somewhere that they are not recommended because they can bring on labour. Does anyone know if that's true?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

FrannyandZooey · 03/02/2008 21:23

this is my secret vice when pg and you are right, they are not recommended because they do not know the effect of the heat on the foetus. Warm to hot baths are ok but the sort where you have to sink in slowly are not recommended

you have probably heard of gin and a hot bath being used to try to bring on an abortion?

however (guilty secret) I was in pain with my back during my 1st pg and hot baths did relieve it. I had quite a few - no ill effects for ds that I know of. Sample of 1 a bit risky though - probably best avoided

Original poster

Gangle · 03/02/2008 21:37

Thanks Franny. Have had a couple in the last week and before that nothing until first trimester when I had loads - do you think it's done any harm? Did worry at the time that I was "cooking" the baby but was so nice. Will only have warm baths or showers in future. Are hot showers ok or only warm?

OP posts:

FrannyandZooey · 03/02/2008 22:11

No I don't think you have done any harm. I think it will be fine. But make them warm in future rather than really hot (I like it STEAMING hot )

I would guess a hot shower is fine - as long as you are not in there for ages. Ask your midwife and see what she says?

LadyVictorianSqualor · 03/02/2008 22:25

I was wondering this the other day, I need my bath to be ran with all the hot water from the tank, left for about half hour whilst the tank refills and then get in it, adding extra water as it cools.
I have to have the window open though or I get faint, knew it wasnt rec'd for pregnancy but didnt know why.

scorpio1 · 03/02/2008 22:26

its becuase it raises your core body temp, including the temp of baby and surroundings. try to have it slighly cooler, its also not recommened because it makes you faint and risks you falling over from faintness iyswim.

i am 30 weeks and also a hot bath lover!

Habbibu · 03/02/2008 22:28

I think that in early pregnancy they can be linked to an increased risk of neural tube defects. Most of the research seems to be linked to very hot things like saunas, hot tubs etc.

LadyVictorianSqualor · 03/02/2008 22:29

Doesnt it feel weird saying 30weeks scorpio? I feel like I'm nearing the end when people post pg threads!

Habbibu · 03/02/2008 22:29

Not that that's relevant to 30 weeks!

scorpio1 · 03/02/2008 22:35

i know VS so so weird! i was saying to DH i have never been 40 weeks ...have done single, then teen, then 20 weeks....eek 30!!

Original poster

Gangle · 09/02/2008 23:37

Oh dear - I had many many hot baths in first trimester as we were in our old flat which didn't have a shower. My downs risk came back as 1 in 10,000 so hopefully it hasn't done any harm.

OP posts:

Sarahjct · 10/02/2008 03:28

I justified them due to the fact that I was so fat, I could lie in the hot bath and the bump was sticking out higher than the rim of the bath and therefore nowhere near the water!

babylove21 · 11/02/2008 09:33

I read a little info about it too.
If your bathing in very hot water and your temp rises you can not sweat like you would if you were out of the water so your inner temp rises too including the water surrounding your baby.
I have to own up to having quite hot baths too though otherwise they are cold after being in for 5 mins.

catsypug · 11/02/2008 09:44

God I have a very warm (not red hot) bath every night. I am a hot bath lover and especially in cold weather like this I need a hot bath at the end of the day to relax.

I'm always careful now to have a lovely really warm/hot bath that doesn't change my skin to red. That's the key apparantly. If you go red and start sweating then it's too hot. And although I'm a hot bath lover, I wouldn't love sitting in a bath that hot.

Try not to get too paranoid.

lailasmum · 11/02/2008 09:51

I hadn't realised this at all. I have had a very hot bath nearly every day to combat back pain. I am 39 weeks. I expect that if it was so hot you felt uncomfortable then that would be the time to cool it down but otherwise I wouldn't worry. Have had the odd bath I couldn't stay in because they made me sweat and feel too hot so I got out.

Oblomov · 11/02/2008 09:56

I didn't "arrive" at mumsnet , until ds was a few months old, so I never saw the wealth of info.
I had very very hot baths all through my pregnancy. I am not recommending it, I am just saying that I did it, not knowing any better.

Flip