Very often pregnant women find themselves feeling unbearably hot and wonder how to cope with this issue. During the 9 months of pregnancy, you will have to cope with heat at some stage. Heat and humidity spell discomfort for almost everyone, and more so for pregnant women.
In this article we will discuss about the cause of overheating, symptoms of overheating, does it affect the fetal growth and finally some tips to cope with the heat during pregnancy.
In This Article
- Why Does My Body Feel Heated Up During Pregnancy?
- Hot Flashes During Pregnancy
- Symptoms of Overheating During Pregnancy
- How Does Overheating Affect the Fetal Growth?
- Top 8 Tips to Cope With Heat During Pregnancy
Why Does My Body Feel Heated Up During Pregnancy?
You need to be aware that conception normally gives a hike to your body temperature and moms-to-be find they need to exhaust a lot of energy moving around with a huge tummy making them feel all the more hot. Pregnant women feel like they have a personal heating unit inside their system as you require around 40% of extra blood pumping to deal with the requirements of the life growing inside them.
Even your heart becomes slightly enlarged during conception and shifts a little more to the side due to the expansion of the uterus and all this heats up your body all the more. Hence, with all the heat in the body, outside heat can be quite an uncomfortable situation during pregnancy.
Hot Flashes During Pregnancy
One of the early pregnancy symptoms which a lot of women experience are hot flashes. Every woman experiences this at different levels for varying durations, levels and intensities according to her constitution. These flashes last anywhere from half a minute to even five minutes. However, you need not panic as your body temperature automatically rises during pregnancy as mentioned earlier and at the time you do experience such symptoms.
Symptoms of Overheating During Pregnancy
Here are some of signs and symptoms of overheating during pregnancy:
- You find yourself sweating more than usual.
- This overheating makes you extremely tired and dizzy if you do not take adequate care.
- Feeling nauseous and light headed.
- As pregnant women also have difficulty as far as fluid retention is concerned, they get dehydrated very easily.
- Extreme cases can even cause heat stroke which you need to be very careful about.
- Heat cramps can also be caused due to overheating further leading to heat exhaustion which can be life threatening and needs immediate medical attention.
[Read : Sweating During Pregnancy]
How Does Overheating Affect the Fetal Growth?
Overheating during pregnancy can be risky for both the mother and the baby. Fetal risks due to overheating can cause birth defects , particularly neural tube defects such as spina bfida in the developing baby. Other side effects associated with overheating during pregnancy includes premature delivery and even miscarriage.
For these very reasons, pregnant women are advised not to take spas, saunas and hot showers during the gestation period.
Relax and smile as here we have some wonderful tips which are a sure shot to help your body cool down and feel better instantly.
[Read : Hot Showers and Hot Tubs During Pregnancy]
Top 8 Tips to Cope With Heat During Pregnancy
Here are 8 simple tips to cope up with heat during pregnancy:
1. Lower Your Spice Intake
Eating very spicy food can cause your body to heat up more than necessary and this is why pregnant women need to steer clear of eating spicy food. Instead you need to focus on soothing foods like water melons, cucumbers, berries and grapefruits. Yogurts, cold soups made from veggies and ice lollies made from fresh juices are also an excellent choice.
2. Increase Your Fluid Intake
Once you find yourself pregnant, it is highly advisable to increase your fluid intake considerably. Apart from ensuring you drink adequate quantities of water, also make sure you consume lots of fresh juices too.
3. Stay Away From Caffeine
Caffeine is one item which pregnant women need to stay away from. Caffeine not only hikes up your blood pressure but is also known to increase your body temperature too. So avoid caffeine as much as possible during your pregnancy.
4. Choose Loose Fitting Clothes
It is best to always wear materials which are breathable and made from natural fabrics like cotton. Also refrain from wearing tight fitting clothes which will ad to your misery and make you feel all the more uncomfortable and hot. Also keep to wearing breathable footwear like sandals.
5. Make Your Bedroom a Cool Refuge
It is important to ensure your bedroom where you spend most of your time sleeping or relaxing needs to be free of clutter and super cool. This can be ensured by taking care to keep your curtains closed at all times and keeping your AC or fan at a level which you find most comfortable in.
[Read : Air Conditioner Safe During Pregnancy]
6. Always Travel Light
Avoid using heavy handbags and other paraphernalia that can are not really important. It is best to carry small bags which will not stress you and make you feel all the more hot and stuffy.
7. Engage in Swimming
Swimming is one of the best prenatal exercises which will not only help to keep your body in tip top condition but also ensure your body does not overheat too. This regime cools your body wonderfully averting any chances of overheating.
8. Practice Deep Breathing
Always keep breathing slowly and deeply just like the way you were taught in the antenatal sessions. Do not rush while walking or doing anything for that matter. Keep cool and do things in a relaxed manner which will surely help to maintain a balanced body temperature.
All the above mentioned tips are sure to help to keep your body considerably cool through out your pregnancy making you relaxed and comfortable till you deliver your baby.
Read Also: 8 Cool Ways To Handle A Summer Pregnancy
