Pregnant? Top 10 Ways To Survive The Heat

It’s a sizzler out there.

Pregnancy hormones are well known for boosting your body temperature so what else can you do to stay cool (and sane)?

I’m not going to insult you by suggesting you wear something light and breathable - I haven’t seen a pregnant woman in a duffle coat since January 🤣

Instead here are my top 10 ways to help you feel better, keep swelling down, and get the rest you deserve:

1) hot water bottle in the fridge

Fill a couple of hot water bottles with COLD water and put them in the fridge. When you go to bed at night put them in the bed (not on your bump) and allow them to absorb the heat. It’s so good! When you wake up in the morning guaranteed these bottles are warm to touch, and you, a whole lot cooler and better rested than before! No hot water bottle? Be resourceful: fill a two litre water bottle and do the same (making sure lid is v secure).

2) Run cold water over your wrist pulse points

You’re probably at the loo plenty as it is so every time you go run cold water over your wrist pulse points. This will instantly help drop your temperature.

3) Put facecloth or small towel in freezer

Wet your facecloth or a small towel. Put them in the freezer (bag them if you don’t want icy bits) then after a couple of hours apply to chest, neck, forehead. If you’re really roasting make sure you put others into the freezer whilst you’re using one set, otherwise the frozen peas are next in line.

4) use a little spritzer spray bottle

A quick spritz can instantly help refresh your face and neck when you’re out and about. Add a couple of drops of your fave pregnancy safe oils (check out suitability of mandarin and neroli) for an instant calming effect.

5) Soak your feet

Cool basin of water, dunk your feet. Simple and effective. Add your essential oil or fave foot soak for added relaxation. Put your feet up for a while to help send blood flow back to the heart, and wherever possible recruit your significant other for a little light foot and lower leg massage (always stroking back towards the heart).

6) Time hop

In your mind imagine yourself somewhere cool and refreshing. Perhaps you can sense a cool breeze gently blowing over you, the taste of an ice cold drink, the feel of cold tiles underneath your feet… use your mind to take yourself to a cooler location and imagine the comfort, all the feel good feelings, and know that while you’re doing this you’re also building up your imagination skills which you can use to create confidence and an easier, more comfortable birth.

7) Enjoy cool snacks

Avocado, yoghurt, ice lollies most definitely count! Icy cold coconut water soooo refreshing. Enjoy watermelon and cucumber. Yes you’ll be off to the loo more but at least you’ll know you’re not dehydrated! Add a couple of slices of cucumber to your drinking water, or, if you’re in the mood pop some strawberries, raspberries or blueberries into the freezer, then when ready let them bob about in your drinking water later (be sure to wash them before freezing). You’ve just made fruit infused water. You can also pop a blueberry or piece of strawberry into an ice cube tray and add water to make fruit ice cubes.

8) use your breath

Imagine breathing in cool air, and any heat leaving your body. If you’re lucky enough to be able to roll your tongue you can use yoga pranayama, sitali breath.

a) Form a gentle O shape with your lips

b) Roll your tongue and stick it out a little

c) Inhale the air through your tongue (instantly cooling) and into the mouth as though you are drinking through a straw.

d) Take tongue back in, close your mouth, breathe the warm air back out through your nose.

e) Repeat for a few minutes. Feel the coolness of the air in your diaphragm.

Sitkari breath

If, like me, you can’t roll your tongue you can softly part your lips, lightly touch upper and lower teeth together, and breathe in through slightly open mouth (like pulling air through the gaps in your teeth). Close mouth and breathe out through your nose.

These breathing techniques cool the body, add moisture to your system and build vitality. Win-win!

9) Cut yourself some slack

There’s a reason why we say someone is hot under the collar. When we overheat we get tetchy, irritable, frustrated, angry, tearful. You name it, we boil over. Be kind to yourself. Sit by a fan whenever possible (even put a bottle of cold water in front of it for an instant home made air conditioning system).

10) Pop your moisturiser in the fridge

There is nothing quite like applying some coooling lotion at the end of a hot day, whether that’s after sun or your daily moisturiser this can feel oh so good. Oh but if it’s a super expensive one just check that you’re not denaturing all the goodness in it. There’ll be some small print (refer back to #9 if this makes you annoyed).

PS - Wearing a sun hat and light coloured clothes do help. I know how much we love to wear black when we’re pregnant but light colours help deflect heat.

Big love - hope you feel the cooooool air all around you now! Awww, that’s better!

Sophia xx

PPS - If you want to get your head and your heart in the best possible place for birth check out the birth preparation programme or drop me an email sophia@highlandhypnobirthing.co.uk