sunbathing on BOTH SIDES when you have a bump

[lou19]

Any suggestions for this? I am 21 wks tomorrow and am finding it uncomfortable to lye on my tummy, but I don't want to get a bidimensional tan!I know I'm not supposed to overdo it in the sun anyway, but it'd be nice if I could indulge a little bit...

er...lie on each side?

I'd say don't sunbathe at all. After many moles removed and constant worry about other moles, it's not worth it

I read somewhere (can't remember where) that it's actually good for your bump to get direct vitamin D in the third trimester...

on my honeymoon i rolled a towel up and put it round bump like a doughnut. comfy enough to fall asleep on the sunlounger!!

I can't believe you actually want to be in the sun! When I was pg I couldn't even step out of the shade without instantly overheating. Having said that, it was in 2003 when we had that 100 degree August.....

i was okay in majorca, cause it was quite breezy and not stupidly hot, just nice.

here and now, i am a walking puddle!! esp having to go to WORK! blegh!!

Go to the beach, dig a hole, cover with a towel and insert bump. Worked for me

You only need 10-20 minutes sun exposure a day to get sufficient Vitamin D; it's not a free pass for all day sunbathing.

It's really not a good idea to get your bump too hot; in pregnancy you're also much more susceptible to heatstroke. Can't you just put up with a fake tan this summer?

on the beach i dug a hole in the sand for my bump i must say it was very comfy.

Hahaha. I'm loving the hole diggers what a great idea! I'll remember that if I jet off anywhere when I have a big bump.

You get get a funny lilo with a hole in it - I think JoJo do them.

Fwiw, many people can't get enough vitamin D from the sun alone as you have to be out there without sun block or shade or clothes and many fair skinned people would burn before they got enough vitamin D. It's recommended that all pregnant women take a vitamin D supplement.

Does anyone know if sunlight is good for stretchmarks ? If so I might give my bump a blast of sun later on in the privacy of my garden (got to make the most of my first day of maternity leave, am trying not to make everyone I know jealous with Facebook updates).

Are they still red or silvery? If they're red, I find having darker skin makes them less obvious, but if they're silvery, a tan can make them more obvious. Careful not to burn though as the skin is stretched out and damaged already.

I agree with vmcd28, don't sunbathe at all. Having just had a 2 inch slice of skin removed following a melanoma diagnosis I can honestly say it really is not worth it (and I'm not a sun worshipper). Stick to the fake tan, it won't harm you or your baby but too much sun might in the long run

Japhrimel, that's not quite right.

Getting a bit of sunlight is good for you, and good for bumps and babies. But sunbathing is not recommended. From the NHS website:

"While some news sources suggest that pregnant women may even consider sunbathing, the risks of exposing skin to high levels of UV light are well established. Most people can get adequate sunlight exposure to produce vitamin D through normal amounts of time spent outdoors without needing to sunbathe."

In evolutionary terms, the very reason Northern Europeans have such fair skin is so that they can absorb enough vitamin D on very little sunlight. They don't have to burn before they get enough!!!

The "at risk" groups for not getting enough vitamin D from sunlight are people of Asian/African descent who live in the North of England or Scotland.

Thanks for all your suggestions ladies, am loving the idea of digging a hole and might get my hubby to work on the beach and try it out :-) also, I guess, lying on the side with a rolled up towel under bump is a good idea. For those of you who worry about the side effects on sunbathing when pregnant, I am not planning to be out there all day from 9am till 7pm, most of the time I will be in the shade, but it would be nice to get a LITTLE colour before facing the dreary London winter...

Japhrimel they are red and angry as they're new and fresh (new ones appearing every day, help!) so I guess it's probably not an idea to risk them getting burnt. ouch! I know sunlight always clears up my winter ecsema (sp?) and dry skin but I guess stretchmarks aren't quite the same.

lou Hope you enjoy the sun - I'm sure if you are sensible it should be fine.

I personally don't recommend sunbathing when pregnant, but I know some people seem to be fine with it and don't burn or get too hot (unlike me!).

On the vitamin D issue, here is some info from the NHS website:

"Current UK guidance from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) states that it is important to maintain adequate vitamin D during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and that women may choose to take up to 10 micrograms of vitamin D a day during these periods, particularly if they have specific risk factors for vitamin D deficiency."

Also...

"Most people should therefore be able to gain all the vitamin D that they need without taking supplements. Exceptions to this include pregnant women, the elderly or people who cover up their skin or rarely go outdoors. These people are advised to take 10 micrograms (0.01mg) a day."

www.nhs.uk/news/2008/06june/pages/vitamindinpregnancy.aspx
www.nhs.uk/news/2010/03march/pages/vitamin-d-supplements-and-flu.aspx

You don't need to be non-white to get a vitamin D deficiency in the UK. I've had it and I live in the south. Vitamin D deficiency is far far more common than most people realise.