Very very hot bath when 17 weeks pregnant, now worried...!

[mllx9aw5]

Hi all,

I'm currently 19+3 p/g and only just found out very hot baths are to be avoided in pregnancy!

Since I find out I was pregnant at around 4 weeks, I've suffered with weekly cluster headaches. I read that a hot bath can open the blood vessels in the neck to help alleviate headaches. So I thought i'd give this a go at 17 weeks p/g, instead of taking tablets.

In hindsight, the bath was silly hot, but I thought the 'hotter the better' for my headache. It was just about bearable to lie in and I had to ease myself in slowly. It made my skin slightly pink but didn't blister it or anything. I was in there for around 10 minutes when I started to feel a tight chest and was lightheaded when I got out.

I've since read that rising your core body temp to above 39 degrees is dangerous for the baby and slightly rises the risks of neural tube birth defects? Is that a risk at 17 weeks?

Ironically, it didn't even help my headache and now i'm fearful i've done more damage than I would have done by taking two tablets in the first place..!

Has anyone had a similar experience or advice to ease my worrying please?

Thank you in advance :)

Don't worry at all, one bath won't have done any harm. The risk is more to you (fainting) than your baby.

One bath? People are going through pregnancy and giving birth in war zones. You'll be fine.

The risk of a hot bath is you're more likely to have a drop in blood pressure and faint. it won't do the baby any harm.

I had the same worry (also around 17 weeks!) as I had a very hot bath because of a sinus infection. Firstly I think it's the first trimester there is a slight risk from fever which is where the cautiousness about baths came from, but even then I found a paper that tested the effect of sauna, high intensity exercise for 30 mins and baths on core body temp in first second and third trimester and no one had their core body temp raised :) hope that eases your mind!

Try the migraine cool strips they helped take the edge off for me xx

I’ve had hot baths all the way through with two pregnancies. As others have said, risks are to you (fainting) not the baby x

The risk is in first trimester so no need to worry!
I had Covid at 7 weeks pregnant and had a fever. I was worried but the baby seems ok (6 months old now). Doesn't sleep much but don't think that's connected!
Hope the rest of your pregnancy goes well. If anxiety is a problem, you can self refer for CBT. I had a very very anxious pregnancy with my first son and it's horrible, so if things are getting out of hand, do reach out for help

Your are deff right about it being risky in first trimester as I found out in 2007 i was 18 the time and didn't tell anyone I was pregnant and I have hot baths and wasn't aware risk with pregnancy, I was sweating in the bath dripping on my face and then when got out felt dizzy and faint and either the next day or a few days later I had a MC at 6/7 weeks, I'm now 6+4 and avoiding baths for the first trimester as I'm just so scared since as wasn't till I become older and found out it was a risk with hot baths.

@mllx9aw5 Hope everything is ok for you though as people seem to be saying you should be ok as further along, I would suggest if you do want baths again but scared about water maybe getting a temp thing for the water?
Im also struggling with bad headaches aswell but trying to avoid tablets if I can

@UnicornPrincessSarah oh gosh sorry to hear of your previous miscarriage. Congratulations on this pregnancy though!
To be honest the miscarriage might not be related to the hot baths you had. There have been studies to say saunas are safe to use in pregnancy.
I think it's normal to look for a cause when a miscarriage happens but it may have not been related to the hot bath.
Back in 2020, I was pregnant for the first time ever. I had my flu jab and then the next day started bleeding. I continued to bleed heavily and concluded that it must be a miscarriage (5+4 days). For a period of time, I was completely convinced that the flu jab had caused the miscarriage. I'm a scientist and very pro vaccine so this was quite a big deal for me to get my head around. However, a couple of weeks later, I was still getting positive pregnancy tests and had cramping. Long story short, it was a self-resolving ectopic pregnancy. The flu jab had nothing to do with it. It wouldn't have been viable anyway.
Just thought it was important to say for anyone worrying about hot baths in their first trimester!
My point was just that any perceived risk (re neural tube defects) is first trimester, but it's probably fine in any case.
Hope the rest of your pregnancy goes well!

Please try not to worry. I had swine flu when I was pregnant with my youngest and I had a 40 degree temperature for days and days. I joke she was my boil in the bag baby. She was absolutely fine.

@neverwakeasleepingbaby Thank you and sorry to hear about your story as well, we always look at ourselves or something to try and see what may have caused a MC

I actually ended up going to the hospital where they did a scan baby was in the right place but was already too late

The main point for not having hot baths is to prevent your body temperature from rising for an extended period of time. Having a one off hot bath is definitely ok, especially if it’s only for 10 minutes. Having daily HOT baths (where you are sweating or feeling hot) for more than 10 minutes is not likely to be ok in the long run. Hot tubs and saunas etc are not recommended mainly because their temperature stays consistently at that level and doesn’t gradually cool down like a bath would…plus, you’re more likely to spend 45 minutes in a hot tub whereas you may not spend that much time in the bath. It’s the same principle as not having too much caffeine during pregnancy, having one or two days where you go over 200mg will be fine as long as you’re not doing that every day. I fancy a bath now!

Thank so much you all for your reassuring replies, it has eased my worrying so much!

@neverwakeasleepingbaby @UnicornPrincessSarah so sorry to hear about both of your miscarriages and congratulations on your subsequent healthy pregnancies!

I had hot baths all the way through 2 pregnancies with no issues. Usually at least 3 times a week. Sometimes I didn't have them as hot as I normally wld as my body temp is already higher being pregnant. Other times I wouldn't sit in it as long. Just be careful.