5 Tips to Survive Pregnancy during the Arizona Summer
As we are ending a particularly warm weekend here in the Valley, many pregnant women maybe looking for some ways to cool off.
Although staying in air conditioning and binge watching Netflix with your feet up sounds very tempting, some of you may be getting a little cabin fever. If you would like to spend some time outdoors this season, here are some pointers to help keep you cool.
Get some pool time: Swimming is a great way for pregnant women to cool off in the summer heat. Being in the water is a nice way for women, especially in the later trimesters, to feel a sense of weightlessness. Swimming can also relive stress on joints and ligaments.
However, if you have not had any exercise during your pregnancy, be careful to not start anything high impact right now. Another word of caution: avoid high traffic, heavily chlorinated pools with low ventilation or using a pool right after it has been shocked. There is some concern that higher levels of chlorine which mixed with body matter, such as sweat, skin cells and urine, can produce a compound that could potentially be dangerous to mom’s reproductive system. However, because swimming can be such a benefit and relief to pregnant mom’s, as long as you enjoy pools where the chlorine is moderated or salt water pools, the benefits outweigh the risks.
Remember to hydrate: Especially if you are in the pool, sometimes it might be hard to remember to drink plenty of fluids. For every hour that you are outdoors, you should be drinking an additional 8 oz glass of water per day. Some other ideas to help cool you down from the inside are infusing your water with some hydrating fruits or vegetables such as cucumbers and watermelon, iced peppermint teas, fruit smoothies and replacing your electrolytes in your water (opt for the dye free versions).
Spray bottles and mini fans: Opt to do any errands early in the evening or in the evenings, however if you do have to be out in the Arizona mid-day sun, be prepared. Bring a portable mini-fan and a spray water bottle with you wherever you go. For a nice cooling down treat, put a few drops of peppermint essential oil in the water bottle and spray for nice cooling mist.
Make some frozen rags: Wet some paper towels or rags and place them in the freezer until frozen. When you need to be outdoors, take them out and place them on the back of your neck or wherever you need some cooling off. Stand in front of a fan for more of an impact.
Dress for the season: Where light fitting, loose clothing to prevent build of sweat and discomfort. Invest in cute floppy hat to wear outdoors to protect you from the sun. Skin during pregnancy is more sensitive to sun damage and eruptions, so make sure to cover up when outdoors. If you are outdoors for too long, check out our Facebook posts on the safest sunscreens to wear this summer.
