Wednesday 24 July 2019

PREGNANCY: How to Survive the Summer Heat when Pregnant

How to Survive the Summer Heat when Pregnant The summer. It is hot, sweaty and intense at times; some people love it, others aren't so sure. I'll admit I'm a 'not so sure' person; I'll spend the cooler/rainy days wishing for some sunshine, only for it to arrive then get all hot and bothered. This was me before pregnancy and is certainly me during pregnancy. It is the middle of July and I am 28 weeks pregnant, so my bump is getting bigger by the day and therefore my tolerance levels of heat are diminishing. Although I do have to say that I am feeling extremely grateful that so far this summer has been nothing compared to the incredibly intense heatwave we have in the UK last year. There have been quite a few things I've been doing to try and keep cool, calm and collected during the hotter days of summer, so I thought I'd share them in case you're also pregnant during those hot months.

When it comes to the temperature inside your home this can vary massively from house to house, so if you live in one that gets uncomfortably warm then take refuge in a friends/family members house that is much cooler. Generally older houses seem to be cooler and despite living in one the upstairs still gets very warm throughout the day. However, my Dad's house is always really cold, which makes getting up in the morning during the winter very tricky but is a welcomed retreat in the summer. On the hottest days I've been visiting my Dad to take advantage of his cooler house, which works wonders and keeps all of us happier.


However, if you don't know anyone with a cooler house then taking your mattress downstairs to sleep could be a cooler alternative. It's a well known fact that heat rises, so by sleeping downstairs you are in the coolest area of your house and therefore have a better chance of actually getting some sleep. After a bat flew into our bedroom during the night a couple of years ago (a truly terrifying experience!) I refuse to sleep with the window open, so this is really our only option. As an alternative placing damp towels around your bedroom is a really effective way of cooling down the environment around you or keeping a fan on.
Ice packs are usually used for sporting injuries, but are ideal for cooling you down on those blistering hot days. Keeping a stash in the freezer means you'll never be unprepared for a randomly hot day and the fact that they can be reused is good too.


This is probably a really obvious one, but stay in the shade. I have always been a sun dodger and I'm more than happy to be in the shade with the children, but when you're pregnant you are more vulnerable to burning so it really is important. Thinking of shaded days out in the summer can be tricky, as a lot of parks and gardens are open spaces, so visiting woods or airconditioned indoor activities are ideal for helping you keep cool. Even taking a walk down the freezer aisle at the supermarket can be a saviour when it all gets too much!


Keeping plans to a minimum will help keep your stress and heat levels down. I don't know about you, but whenever it is hot I am already more on edge but then if the girl's aren't listening to me or plans go wrong or I can't find the car keys etc. then the issue always seems to be so much worse. I've found that keeping our daily plans to a minimum (usually one activity for the morning, home for naps and then one shorter activity for the afternoon) has worked really well to stop us all getting too hot and bothered. When you're trying to rush around going from one thing to another issues are more likely to arise and it can all get a bit much.
Another perhaps obvious one, but wear loose clothing. When my bump started to appear I was desperate to wear all the bodycon clothing I could find, simply so that I could see my growing bump and lets be honest, it's the only time in my life I can wear such things and feel comfortable. However, the moment those warmer days hit I quickly found that the bodycon clothing just wasn't going to work for me and instead I needed all the floaty dresses in my life! Finding your own maternity summer style can be a challenge, but luckily in the past four years since having Isabella the shops have responded to the demand and maternity ranges have expanded. Some of my favourite places to buy maternity clothing are: Isabella Oliver, asos, Just Polly London, and New Look.  


My final tip for surviving the summer heat when pregnant is to treat yourself to some slip-on sandals. I have always had buckle up sandals and just the idea of having to lean down to get them done up seems like an impossible task these days. However, I picked up some slip-on sandals from F&F Clothing and they are just the best things ever. They are comfortable, easy to walk in and don't require any leaning down! They are also more forgiving when the inevitable water retention/swelling happens later in pregnancy, as there isn't anything around your ankles - an all round winner in my eyes.

Other quick ideas to keep cool are:
  • Place your feet in cool water.
  • Apply a wet flannel to your wrists and forehead.
  • Keep calm and try not to worry about it being hot. I know this is easier said than done, but I find if I let the heat 'get to me' then the whole day is spent getting too hot.
  • Place a pillow/pillowcase/blanket/flannel in the freezer for a couple hours before going to bed, as this will hopefully keep you cool for long enough to fall asleep.
  • Don't open your curtains upstairs, as this will help to keep the rooms cooler.
  • Don't open your windows until the outside temperature is cooler than the inside temperature of your house.


What are your top tips for surviving the summer heat?


Feel free to leave a comment - I love reading every single one :)


Helen x
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12 comments

  1. I honestly need all the help I can get and I’m not pregnant!

    We were up for hours last night thanks to the thunderstorm but we’d onky just gone off when it started.

    I live in an old, fairly cool house but once your hot, you’re hot.

    I’m thinking the mattress downstairs might be the way forward for us x

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  2. Great advice here. I can barely manage as a bloke in this heat so lord knows how bad it is when you are pregnant!

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  3. I can't imagine having to put up with this heat being pregnant. I have a friend due in 2 weeks so I really feel for her.

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  4. I remember getting into the fridge (literally) when I was pregnant with Kian in the summer heatwave of 2000 - was so uncomfortable

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  5. I had 2 August babies and the heat was unbearable both times. The second time I just got in the pool with my toddler all the time!

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  6. I had my son at the end of July and I was stuck in hospital for 2 weeks, it was SO hot and I was totally fed up. You've given some fab tips

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  7. I had both my boys in November, so the summers weren't too bad, but I had my second in Germany where it was super hot from about June to September so I suffered anyway.

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  8. Great tips. I have always loved the heat but my son was a July baby so I know what is like to be heavily pregnant in summer heat and it is probably the only time in my life I could say that it was too warm!

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  9. These were a very helpful tips for pregnant women. I can still remember the old days, where I just stayed in a front of our fridge the whole day.

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  10. These are some great tips. I had my daughter a long time ago but but I was pregnant in one of the hottest Summers in the UK

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  11. I do not envy you being pregnant in this weather! Both my babies are winter babies so I was only in the early stages in the summer but that was bad enough! These are great tips! I'm a sun Dodger like you haha!

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  12. Thanks for sharing the best information and suggestions, If you are looking for the best Pillow For Comfort, then visit Eliterest. Highly energetic blog, I’d love to find out some additional information.

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