Air-con, ceiling fan, floor fan, shopping centre, swimming pool, shower, bath, bucket, car air-con, fridge, freezer are all cooling devices. Your body temperature already is higher while pregnant. Couple that with hot weather and you'll be one hot, bloated pregnant demon lady. Stick those sore, bloated feet in a cool bucket of water, have many cold showers, stick your head in the freezer or head down to the shopping centre to bask in their glorious air-con.
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| Lufflump keeping cool |
I don't like plain water unless it's extremely cold and I'm dehydrated. I need fizz. Soda drinks, especially with caffeine, dehydrate rather than hydrate so try and steer clear of them. If you just can't (some days I just HAVE to have Coke) dilute them cold water or soda water and ice. Otherwise for the fizz factor try mineral water or soda water. For flavour add some fresh fruit or cordial. Add ice to every drink, it not only keeps it cold but adds extra water.
No brainer really - warm weather = less clothes, cool weather = more clothes. I can usually be found just wearing a singlet and undies at home (unexpected visitors are not welcome). It's hot, my shorts are shrinking and bras cause boob sweat. When leaving the house wear loose clothes preferably of natural, light material. Elastic waistbands or wrap arounds are awesome as are kaftans and loose maxi dresses.
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| Light clothes |
Another no brainer but seriously the sun can burn very quickly. You can get burnt away from water too so don't just leave the sunscreen for the pool or beach. Last thing a pregnant woman needs is to feel uncomfy and the last thing their family needs is more reasons for them to whinge.
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| Pregnant and burnt |
It's no secret that I love sleeping. I always have and no doubt always will. Summer heat can be exhausting especially when pregnant. Also, I seem to sleep badly at night if it's hot and humid (joys of not having air-con) so need a nap during the day. Nap whenever and wherever you can for however long you can. Don't feel guilty about napping either, in my book it's a requirement.
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| Napping |
I carried my oldest daughter through the heat (she was born in May). One thing I did to keep cool was wet a towel and laid on it or sometimes just drapped it over my tummy.
ReplyDeleteAlso would have a cold shower then when I finished in the shower I wouldn't towel myself I would just leave the water on my body.
Love your tips.
(((( Hugs )))) XXXX Kisses XXXX
Almost there Ames, almost there. A-M xx
ReplyDeleteI have two January babies - it's killer. Water and moving air were my best friends! Having said that, I preferred being pregnant to having newborns in the heat.
ReplyDeleteIt also helps to sleep with a wet tea towel or towel over your head... Or hang out in places with air con.
Hope it's not too long now...
My son was due in November - thought I'd done pretty good to just miss summer!! Until we had our first ever November heatwave. While I was 10 days overdue. HELL! Aircon and DVDs for 2 weeks straight.
ReplyDeleteExcellent tips! Summer pregnancy is not fun.
ReplyDeleteSkye was born late November so I missed the worst of it but 5 days before she was born it hit 46 degrees, I still think that's why she came a week early and trying to keep HER cool during summer was pretty tough too.
Sending icy hugs x
Great tips! And I'm with you on sleeping, pregnant or not haha. A good rest is so important And precious! Hope the weather is kind over there for the next few wks :)
ReplyDeleteAi @ Sakura Haruka
I have a late Jan baby and a February baby (who was born just after Adelaide's record heat wave, 47 degree days, in 2009). I get where you are coming from. Sending you cool vibes :)
ReplyDeletexx Sannah
I planned my babies to be born in the dry Season; I absolutely refused to be hugely pregnant at this time of year.
ReplyDeleteEven not pregnant, I don't do heat well. Our aircon is on ALOT. But its been a hotter than average wet too, so I think I can justify it :)
Is that a huge bump on luff lumps head in the first pic?
I was pregnant during winter in Scotland, but I think I still would have been comfortable if it had been summer! Back here in Australia though I refused to be pregnant during summer. I remember saying to CH, we either get pregnant this week, or next year!
ReplyDeleteGood luck getting through the heat Ames.
All four of my babies have birthdays within 4 weeks of each other... in the middle of winter! But my sister is pregnant and really struggling with the heat - I'll give her these pointers. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteGreat tips Ames. The finish line is insight, but I just seen thr weather forecast. Do you have a trip to the shops planned for tomorrow?? I'd reccomend one ;)
ReplyDeleteYou are bringing back memories since I carried both of mine during summer, born in March. First time round I had no aircon and I pretty much employed all your tips above, excluding the sunburn. I guzzled soda water like there was no tomorrow, showered excessively in cold water and wore bugger all. Thankfully, it was so much easier second time round because we finally installed an aircon. Bliss!
ReplyDeleteFlynn was born in late December but the year he was born we had a 2 week run in late November where everyday was over 40C - and it sucked balls! I was still at work so i had to wear my long pants and sticky nylon work shirt and come " this close " to wearing thongs to the office because my feet had swollen so much in the heat they were the only shoes i could comfortably in! I advocate drinking lots of water, and lying underneath a fan or air-con with your bump out is good too. Oh, and next time aim for a winter baby!
ReplyDeleteAmes, all of those tips are bloody fabulous!!! The summer Roo was born was extremely hot extremely early! In November, at 33 weeks I got shoved on bed rest, and lived on my bed, under my fan and evaporative air cooling (yes, both) for 2.5 weeks until they shoved me in hospital, where I insisted Pal move my bed sideways so that it was under the vent. God love small maternity wards - they let me because I was in for the long haul! Ouch, that burn looks awful!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm feeling it! Today's Brisbane heat and expanding 29 week girth sees me donning a sundress and hiding in the bedroom air con pumping. Relief!
ReplyDeleteI'm not pregnant, but the heat is not my friend. I was trying to find a decent cooling gel mat online today. No luck yet, but I'm so looking forward to sleeping with one of those under me at night time since I get really hot, very quickly.
ReplyDeleteThat burn - ouch!
Great tips Ames. When I was pregnant with the twins, if i didn't have an afternoon nap, I would literally just fall down at about 4pm!!
ReplyDeleteAnd, I gave you a bloggy award this morning. Cos you're so cute.
whoops, here's the link http://tessiedesigncompany.blogspot.com/2012/01/so-universe-is-like-totally-awesome-and.html
ReplyDeleteI am glad you shared these tips Ames. Summer is about to end and I booked a summer ending vacation. I bought some baby products specifically for this.
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