So the one thing that used to really bother me about being pregnant was not being able to take a hot bath. I also miss the sauna and hot tubs, but the hot bath part really upset me for a bit, cause there is nothing I like better than to soak for an hour in a ridiculously hot steaming tub of water.
but, like the loml says, "no cooking the baby!" So I have to settle for hot showers instead. So on a day like today, when its like a friggin' blizzard, I hopped into the shower for no good reason other than I was cold. and I turned the heat up up up! and then, I blocked the drain cause I figured I might as well let all that hot water warm up my feet instead of getting wasted down the pipes.
And after awhile, I started feeling great (really warm) and I started to wonder if I was anywhere near "cooking the baby". According to some reference (the internet, the midwife, a variety of pregnancy books I no longer bother to read), I'm not supposed to let my body temperature get above 102 degrees. So as I got out of the shower, I grabbed a thermometer and checked.
woo-hoo.. a whopping 98.2 degrees for me. What the hell?! I thought babies were supposed to be like little heaters strapped to your body. I'm not even at normal temp.
ugh.. and I should note that now is the time to get used to the idea that the baby will not be doing anything FOR me, now or probably for another 20 - 30 years... if ever.
Comments (3)
Beware of the BS!! I would do some serious research into what it would take to raise your body temperature to 102 degrees without having a fever. If it really is as easy as hopping into the shower or bath to raise your internal temp to 102 then you've struck a goldmine for kids everywhere who want to fake being sick.
Posted by Christian "olus" | February 11, 2010 4:39 PM
Posted on February 11, 2010 16:39
After avoiding hot baths for my first two pregnancies, I decided to be a rebel and give in to my hot (not scalding) bath cravings for this pregnancy. Mr. Baby likes them, as do I. I wouldn't jump in a hot tub for 30 minutes by any means, but a soak in the tub is fine by me!
I should note I am not the best cautious-pregnancy advice giver. :)
Posted by Mary | February 16, 2010 3:39 PM
Posted on February 16, 2010 15:39
- I too was utterly devastated by the fact that scorching my skin off with hot baths was looked down upon when pregnant....So began my research. My parents live in Germany where like everyone has a sauna in there house to cure sickness, increase circulation and just to warm up in cols ass winter time! While on vacation there I began doing some research, as their sauna culture is older than our country, I deemed Europeans experts enough for me. It began by talking to "locals" versed in the holistic arts. Generally speaking they suggest very specific times and temperatures. They act like this type of stuff is common knowledge to all people and I am an idiot.
The Swedish and Danish are really the experts in pregnancy Saunas and body temperature.
They first mention that a oral temp probe does not read internal body temp. That 10 minutes at 105 degrees is safe for the baby. All Euro peeps take a cold shower to cleanse the toxins from the body after a hot sauna sweat.
They also suggested that I monitor my skin tone and elasticity. flushed skin like you have been running or riding your bike hard is okay, very red skin is not, dimpling or pressing your finger in to legs and arms should also be monitored too, but the "results of these tests are somewhat inconclusive too....
Overall the Europeans believe Saunas and tanning to be good for pregnant women!!!!!!!!!! YES Tanning too, produces Vitamin D making baby happy for life. and increases your stores for the months of breastfeeding to come, they unfortunately do not suggest hot steam rooms and baths -
this is based on that basic thermo-bio-physics principle that you cool when you are sweating and it dries !!!!!!
HELLO BTw after sooo many years PS I love the POO blog too:)
-- author response ---
thanks for reading and its good to hear from you again! I knew some of this not taking hot bath stuff was fear-induced crap!
Posted by Daisy | March 4, 2010 2:27 PM
Posted on March 4, 2010 14:27