Pregnancy Heat

Hot and sunny day are what summer dreams are made of…  Except, if you are pregnant! The summer dreams turn into nightmares. That’s right, pregnant women literally sweat  for two. Yesterday, I almost sat on top of my air conditioner to stop sweating.   This often results in a really irritable pregnant woman!  Sorry, husbands 🙁

On a more serious note, heat can cause:

• fainting
• painful cramps, often in your legs;
• heat exhaustion (including thirst, weakness, blurred vision, irritability, and confusion); and
• heat stroke (a life-threatening emergency where the body cannot cool itself sufficiently)

Obviously, none of these thing are good for your unborn child. Here a few tips for pregnant women during the summer:

1. Keep Hydrated: Always carry LOTS of water! It is super easy for a pregnant woman to get dehydrated. This can lead to fainting and heat exhaustion.Drinking plenty of liquids not only helps your body stay cool, but it will reduce the amount of swelling in hands and feet that normally occur during the last few months of pregnancy.

2. Reevaluate Wardrobe: Stay away from spandex and nylon. These materials may stretch with your body, but provide little ventilation.  Stay away from dark colors like black and navy and opt for summer lights. Try wearing loose dresses!

3.  Stay Out of the Heat:  Limit outdoor activities to cooler times of the day. For example, take walks later in the day.

4.  Air Conditioning Is Your Friend!: Stay in Air-conditioned places.  The perfect place is the mall 😉