Help me cope with this heat :(

[Restrainedrabbit]

I'm 25 weeks pregnant with DC3 and suffering with his heat, what works for you?

I'm so grumpy and irritable, I can't sleep and I can't get cool.

I sympathise. I gave birth to dd exactly a year ago, in the middle of a heatwave. It was hell.

The only solution I found was to sit next to a desk fan all day and drink lots of iced water.

I'm 39 weeks and struggling now. Keeping the bedroom as cool as possible is my priority. I guess I could buy a fan, but at the moment I'm keeping the windows and curtains closed in the day, then come 6pm when it's cooler, opening both. Drinking lots of water, staying in the shade, and have spent the afternoon with my feet in the paddling pool.

I'm just hoping it's cooled down before I go into labour, the maternity wards must be boiling at the moment.

I had DS1 in August 2006 which was silly hot too. I was so desperate I ended up soaking my sheet in cold water and sleeping under it with a fan on too. It dried in about an hour and I had to do it a few times a night but it was the only thing that kept me alive.

I had a baby mid July - you need water - washing up bowls to put your feet in. Wet cloths soaked in icy water to wang on your forehead and cold water run over wrists.

Also cotton sheets (100% cotton) one above, one below is actually cooler than just naked. Finally, put socks in cold water, then in the freezer for half an hour, then put them on (or get someone else to if you can't reach).

Magicool spray helping loads at the minute. 38 weeks pg and really struggling too. I feel your pain!!

Can you get some magicool spray?

In bedrooms - windows open as far as possible (obviously make sure they are still safe for small children - e.g. I can only use the "night vent" settings at the moment). In the day close the curtains so as not to let the sun in and at night open them to let more of a breeze through.

Bowl of ice under a fan makes an air conditioner.

I can handle the heat

It's the not getting into a remotely comfortable sleeping position that I can't handle (am 35w)

TBH, the heat simply gives me aqn even greater excuse to do sweet FA

Im 25 weeks and struggling too, but also got my drunk mother and 14 yr old brother calling me a dog all day thinking they are being funny, i wouldnt be surprised if i punch one of them if it carries on!

Loving the frozen socks idea I may have a cool shower before bed tonight. Will hunt out cotton sheets.

What would help is evicting DH from the bedroom so I can sprawl and not have his hairy, sweaty, male body making me overly hot

Frozen socks is great idea (might go the whole hog and try frozen jims jams...)

I've resorted to sleeping under a sheet with 2 of those 'ice packs' you get to put in insulated picnic bags in with me. They're reusable blue oblong things, supermarkets tend to sell them at this time of year.

One under the feet, one round the back of the knees somewhere - they tend to slither all over the place over the night, but are still cool in the morning, and they do help.

I'm 37 weeks and roasting.

There's a 'cooling breath' my yoga teacher taught us which I've found quite helpful - basically you purse your lips and breath in through your mouth for about 6 counts, then change your lip position to close your mouth and breath out through your nose for 6 counts. Repeat about 8-12 times.

She also said drinking really cold drinks is a bit counter-productive as your stomach has to work so hard to warm them up that you end up hotter than you were before.

Ugh, I haven't dared look at a forecast... how long is this weather going on for???

*Magicool spray is a must.I keep one in the fridge for the daytime and one on my bedside table!

*Feet in a bowl of cool water, if you get really hot run your wrists under the cold tap for at least 5 minutes.

• Drink plenty.

• Stay in the shade as much as possible.

Also suffering , it was 22c in my lounge at 5am this morning....by UK standards that is HOT!

30+4

Get a portable air conditioning unit

I've found the best thing that helps is having a quick 5 minute shower on a cool setting (not cold). It helps your body cool down and gets rid of that horrid sticky feeling. You stay cool for quite a while after that too.

Overall best plan of action is:

• Cool shower
• Feet in cold/ ice water or frozen socks
• Curtains closed
• Fan on highest setting
• Magicool spray

I'd just like to join in with a moan.
Booked in for a cs on wednesday and am huge. My ankles finally disappeared yesterday and my feet have really puffed up. The heat and subsequent swelling has brought on my carpal tunnel - have been ok all through this pregnancy. DS (2.4 years) has decided to start wheezing again and we am debating on whether to take him to a&e. He's had three hospital admitances during my pregnancy due to 'viral induced wheeze' already.
AAArgh!!!

as well as blinds closed in the day and lots of water, my main way of coping has to do as little as possible, especially during the middle of the day. I realise some activities aren't avoidable, but if you can change when you do them or do them more slowly then that at least helps.

running wrists under cold water from time to time when I'm at work also seems to help a lot.

Go to the cinema -- nice air conditioning :-)

Swimming is good, and a nice activity to do with DCs.

Cool showers and baths (it's only hot baths that are bad for the baby).

And windows on both sides of the house open to allow a breeze through -- it's more effective than closing the curtains in humid heat (I grew up in Australia FWIW).

Buy an electric fan.

Sleep naked (unless your DCs are old enough to be embarrassed by this!)

Any tips for work in this heat?Going back on Friday & my office is a heat trap.saw on meeting minutes that they had measured 90 with the crappy air con on

Ho ho ho. DC number 4 was born July 16th in Greece where every day after May 15th is a heatwave, so I feel qualified to advise. Um, dunno really. Lots of cold water did it for me, although a friend said tepid water is better, because your body then works to cool you down, whereas if you lower your body temp with cold water, it tries to heat itself back up. Or something like that.

Try rinsing a clean flannel or tea-towel in cold water, wringing it out and then putting it on your bump while you sit on the sofa or lie in bed. I'm finding that I get really uncomfortable as the bump gets warm.

nymphadora - Btw, if you're working in an office that's too hot, that's a risk when pregnant that you shouldn't have to deal with. Your work have to provide you with a workplace safe to work in and heat-stroke has serious consequences when pregnant. Your boss needs to get the AC sorted or provide enough fans, etc to bring the temp down significantly...or let you work from home. They can't get around this as the legislation is so much tighter on health & safety in the workplace for pregnant women (plus what may be uncomfortable for everyone is a major health risk for you).

That's my concern. Air con & fans are as many as we can fit in a room. Last summer I was sat next to them as didnt feel it.

I'm only going back on office work so won't have the escape of being in & out. Can't really work from home.alternative I think would be to work from the other office which is another 45 mins further on. Meeting on Friday to discuss my return so any suggestions welcome!

I posted this on another thread but it works for this one too.

We do the following as we used to live in a hot climate without air con, etc:

1. If you have a fan then get a tea towel and wet it. Put it over the fan's grills (make sure it cant get caught).

This will circulate cool air with some moisture which reduces dehydration.

1. Keep all the blinds/curtins shut as the light heats up the house/flat.

1. Create your own ice lollies. You can buy molds but an alternative would be putting cordial and water in a mug and sticking it in the freezer. The kids can then dig out the frozen drink with a teaspoon.

Be careful not to knock these over in the freezer.

1. Have a cold(ish) bath just before bed (or anytime you are hot).

1. Put a glass of ice next to your bed. When you wake it'll be melted and cool - ready to drink.

1. (If you have space)buy some plastic from the hardware store. put water on it and a little soap (for slippiness) and you instantly have a cheap version of a water slide. The soap means you use less water as well.

Hope this helps.