Saunas & steam baths can have benefits to regular users. But are they safe to be used by pregnant women? From what stage of pregnancy shall the use be restricted? Or does it pose any dangers to the baby or not? Are saunas worth risking the life of your unborn baby? Are all kinds of heat therapies dangerous for you and your baby? If you have these concerns, you can find your answers here.
Can pregnant women go for Sauna in their first trimester?
When you visit a sauna, you may notice the warning sign telling you to check with the doctor if you are pregnant. In the first trimester, women shall be susceptible to overheating. The spine of a baby gets almost fully developed within 6 weeks of pregnancy. When the mother is exposed to high levels of heat, it can obstruct nutrition and oxygen flow required by the baby. This can lead to complications, birth defects, neural tube damage and risk of developing hyperthermia (abnormal changes in heat levels) in women. Therefore doctors usually advise to steer absolutely clear or very limited use of sauna or very hot baths. You don’t need to completely eliminate the use of sauna or steam baths. Take shorter interval sessions but do consult a doctor.
Should Sauna be used in the third trimester of pregnancy?
As women advance to third trimester, it can get more uncomfortable. An expecting woman usually feels hotter than non-expecting women. The increased weight and hot flashes can press the need to go in for these baths for some comfort. You can go in for sauna baths for relief provided you do it in moderation. The core temperature of pregnant women must not go above 101 degrees Fahrenheit i.e. 39 degree Celsius. When you are exposed to high heat, vessels around that heated surface dilate. There is excessive water loss because of sweating. Thus heart rate increase. However, heart has to provide oxygen pump to the baby to develop. This may lead to unconsciousness. If you suffer from heart problems, this can be even more fatal. Hence you may sit in sauna or hot tub for not over 10 minutes. You must consult a doctor to monitor your body heat levels and baby’s health. Stay hydrated.
Breastfeeding after Sauna session
It can take several weeks for you to resume your sauna routine after your delivery. Therefore, you must not rush to get back in there. It is advised to not go for a sauna bath 24 hours before breastfeeding your baby. Particularly, infrared saunas hold peril to your infant’s well-being. However, you can enjoy hot showers or hot tub baths.
Alternatives to Sauna
Expecting mothers especially in their first trimester must opt safer alternatives to saunas or hot showers or baths. It is recommended to engage in physical exercise not over 30 minutes for expecting women. You can do prenatal yoga or massages. These have been proved to be very relaxing. You can go in for specialized massaging programs for pregnant women. Stretching exercises throughout pregnancy can help a lot in overall health of the mother as well as the child. It’s best to talk to your obstetrician first.
What to do if you can absolutely not resist Sauna?
If you can’t skip your sauna sessions, you must probably consult with your doctor and take necessary precautionary measures. Some of the measures are listed below:
- Limit your time to 10 minutes per session or lesser.
- Don’t allow your temperature to increase 100 degrees. Hence keep it up to 96 to 99 degrees.
- Whenever you feel uncomfortable or giddy, slowly get up and come out of the bath or hot tub. No matter how gentle the activity is, it’s a sign that you must stop immediately.
- Drink 2-3 glasses of water and carry a water bottle in case you need to.
- Stay away from the jet where the water is hotter.
There have been studies that prove that pregnant women can exercise in warm weather without fatal increase in body temperature. In Finland however, women don’t refrain from sauna bath even during pregnancy. It’s true that it’s not very good idea to use saunas and steam baths during pregnancy. There are much heightened risks of dehydration, dizziness and overheating.
Do leave a comment about how you feel about this.