When I was pregnant with my first child, it was through a blazing hot summer.
I remember spending many hours under the one ceiling fan in the house,
sucking on 7-Up ice cubes (one of my cravings during that pregnancy),
and trying in vain to feel cooler. Recently, I was out running errands and came
across at least five pregnant women...VERY pregnant women. Gosh, my
heart went out to them! It's hard enough to keep cool when you're not
pregnant, much less when you're walking around feeling like you really are cooking a little bun in an oven!
Right
now you're body is working very hard at creating that beautiful new
life inside of you, so the massive amounts of energy that it takes to
cool your body, too (and keep it that way), can easily leave you feeling
sluggish, irritable, and even the victim of heat exhaustion. Even
worse, when you are feeling the extreme effects of the heat, so
is your baby. That's why, when it's so hot outside AND you're pregnant,
it's especially important to find ways to keep cool.
So, what can you do to keep cool? Well, first thing's first. Stay hydrated! Yes, you already feel like you have to pee every 40 minutes and the thought of consuming more
liquids is a bit terrifying; but, believe me, it's the right thing to
do. First, because your body needs it to replace the fluids that you're
losing from sweating. Second, because it's just plain good for you;
and, third, dehydration actually increases the body's core body
temperature.
The next thing you can do to stay cool is to actually try to not do anything. Be still;
try to be active as little as possible during the hottest parts of the
day. Do your errands early in the day. Wait until night to do that
load of laundry. And, during the afternoon, take a rest near a fan lie
down and watch a movie, or catch up on your journaling. Just promise
yourself to do so guilt-free! Remember, by taking it easy in the heat,
you're actually doing the right thing for your body and your baby.
Third, lower your core body temperature
by taking a cool shower or bath. No time for that? Try placing a cold
washcloth on the back of your neck. You can even use paper towels if
you're away from home and need a quick cool down. Another easy trick
that was, and still is, one of my favorites is to sit with your feet in a
tub of cool water. You see, our bodies are curious things. When we're
cold, the body's reaction is to conserve heat in our core by reducing
circulation to our extremities. That's the reason our hands and feet
are usually the first to feel the effects of the cold. When we're hot
and the body is trying to cool itself, the opposite happens with those
extremities. Think about how great it feels to go wading in a cool pond
or stream on a hot day. Soaking your feet in a tub of cool water will
give you the same feeling. It's amazing how much cooler you'll feel all
over if you focus some of that cooling on the right places.
Finally,
if you think you may be suffering from heat exhaustion - signs may
include headache, nausea, dizziness, confusion, and a faint or rapid pulse - contact your health care provider immediately.
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