A very commonly asked question is whether or not pregnant women should be using a hot tub. Although hot tubs provide a range of benefits to improve one’s overall health and wellness, specific aspects are not the safest for pregnant women. Below, we’ll provide you with what you need to know about spending time in the water if you or a loved one are pregnant.
Hot Tub Safety
Hot tubs truly provide the perfect environment for healing; however, they are not always suitable for pregnant women. This has everything to do with the elevated temperatures of a hot tub more than the actual hot tub itself. High temperatures can pose safety risks for both mom and baby during pregnancy, particularly during the beginning stages. Hot temperatures, in general, are not suitable for a baby’s development. Because a woman’s body would be submerged within the water, it wouldn’t have any opportunity to regulate its temperature properly. Therefore, it is at an increased risk of overheating rather quickly.
In many cases, however, taking a warm or hot shower won’t pose the same risks, purely because they allow a woman’s body to still regulate. The main issues or concern comes from sitting in very hot temperatures. Although it’s important to be cautious regardless of how you’re spending time in hotter temperatures, the extreme heat that comes with a hot tub isn’t ideal.
With that said, there are certain ways to still enjoy the benefits of a hot tub. For example, if you’re pregnant and would like a quick massage to relieve any aches or pains, we recommend turning the temperature right down to somewhere in the low 90’s or high 80’s. You can safely spend up to 10 minutes at a time in a hot tub if the temperature is not at an unsafe level. However, this is specific to each individual, and if you’d like to feel more comfortable, we suggest taking breaks every so often to allow your body the chance to cool down.
If you’d prefer not using a hot tub at all during pregnancy, but would still like to enjoy all of the benefits of being in the water, here are some alternative options.
Hot Tub Alternatives For Pregnant Women
There are truly endless benefits to spending time in the water, especially when pregnant. Alternative options would include using either a swimming pool or a swim spa set to a very low temperature. Keeping both of these options somewhere in the 80’s, they can provide you with the perfect space to walk around, do some aquatic exercises, and more. In addition, because being in the water provides a weightless feeling, this can be incredibly beneficial for pregnant women to help relieve any pressure, strain or tension they might be experiencing.
It’s recommended during pregnancy to ensure you’re caring for your mental and physical health the best that you can, and walking is an excellent means of doing so. However, walking on the hard pavement isn’t always ideal. This is where walking in water comes into play and can significantly improve one’s overall state. It’s important to ensure that the pool or swim spa is a healthy temperature for you and your baby first and foremost. However, once this is ensured, endless benefits are ready for you to receive.
From relieving nausea, swelling, discomfort and more, being in the water can help significantly through pregnancy. In addition, many women benefit from walking laps around a pool or even partaking in some aquatic exercises. Whether you’d like to stay active or simply allow yourself to feel weightless in the water as you float around, spending time in a pool or swim spa is an excellent alternative to using a hot tub when pregnant. And once your child is born and your doctor says it’s safe to use a hot tub, then you can continue enjoying all of the benefits these spas have to offer, once again.
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