11 tips for surviving the heat when pregnant

Article originally published June 16, 2022

Well, we won’t teach you anything, but he will hot, very hot. By the way, abnormally hot and these temperatures are not great, quite the opposite. Climate change is a reality and some people are even more sensitive to this intense heat, such as the elderly, children and pregnant women.

How do we, when we have a stomach like a balloon, to sustain the rises of the mercury? There are some simple steps to take, who can help you. Plus, it can also be useful for everyone, so take notes!

Heat wave and pregnancy: you need to protect yourself

Although pregnancy is not a disease, pregnant women need to protect themselves even more than others during the intense heat. During pregnancy the blood volume increases, the blood vessels dilate, the ankles can swell, you can sweat more, sleep less well … What a good party, eh, it’s too good to give birth (no).

Suddenly, there are some simple gestures to follow that can frankly relieves you and allow you to get through the next few days of heatwaves with a little less difficulty!

For example, you can:

• Do not expose yourself to the sun between 11am and 4pm (and always use very high index sunscreen as soon as you are outdoors)
• Protect your head with a wide-brimmed hat and use sunglasses
• Bet everything on light and comfortable outfits, in linen or cotton (if possible not synthetic, it warms you)
• Stay hydrated, but don’t drink ice water. If you can’t drink water (and you need at least 1.5 l per day) you can add lemon slices and mint leaves (not pepper), it gives flavor
• Eat light meals by dividing them so that they are not too heavy and difficult to digest, and bet everything on fruit and vegetables full of water such as melons, strawberries, raspberries, cucumbers, courgettes and tomatoes
• You can also drink hot or cold broths, to stay well hydrated
• Take a lukewarm shower several times a day, or swim in the pool if you have one, or in the sea if you are nearby
• Cool the wrist points (the inside of the wrists, chest, neck) with water or a wet glove that you put in the refrigerator
• To relieve heavy legs, be careful not to cross your legs, wash them in cold water from the ankle to the knees, not stand for too long, walk a little and raise your legs as soon as possible
• Also for heavy and swollen legs, you can also drink herbal tea made from red vine leaves (to boost your blood circulation)
• It’s not the coolest advice (because it’s a little painful to wear), but it’s really important: wear compression stockings if possible, it’s magical.

Speaking of compression stockings, Elise, a brilliant midwife on Instagram, whose account provides well-informed advice, gives us the details in a recent post:

In addition to all these little tips, try to keep your home cool by closing the shutters and windows during the day and ventilating everything at night and early in the morning. Don’t hesitate to hide in a fantastic cinema to lower your body temperature!

Bottom Line: Escape the sun, hydrate and take care of your legs.

Good luck everyone and I’m looking forward to autumn.

Photo credit image of one: isayildiz