Being pregnant during the summer and heat: tips and risks

Being pregnant during the summer and hot days isn't always fun. You may suffer from discomfort, such as headache, fluid retention and dizziness.

Are you looking for lighting and do you want to know what the risks of the heat entail? I wrote this article for you.

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Contents:

• What happens in your body in the heat?
• What are the risks and inconveniences for you?
• What are the risks for your baby in your belly?
• Tips for being pregnant during the summer
• cautions
• Conclusion
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What happens in your body in the heat?

Logically, when the ambient temperature rises, your body temperature will also rise. But your body is smart, and it knows it needs to keep your body temperature around 37 degrees to function properly.

Excess heat is removed by sweating and evaporation. Sweating or evaporating is therefore a form of heat regulation, which cools your body down. The blood flow to your skin also increases and the blood vessels in your skin widen.

Vaporization occurs during exercise, such as movement, talking but also sitting. Here, you don't necessarily have to sweat to lose moisture.

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What are the risks and inconveniences for you?

Naming the risks for you and your baby (below) is not intended to scare you. I would like to help you prevent the risks and discomforts so that you feel comfortable and your baby stays healthy.

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• During sweating and evaporation, you lose moisture. This moisture also contains minerals. If you don't replenish the minerals and fluids enough, you run the risk of dehydration.
• When dehydration occurs, blood volume decreases. To still get enough blood to the organs, your heart beats faster.
• More blood will flow here through the dilated blood vessels, causing less blood (with oxygen and nutrients) to reach other organs.
• The reduced blood flow causes more discomfort and pregnancy problems.
• Headaches and dizziness are the first effects of fluid loss, dehydration and reduced blood levels in your body.

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What are the risks for your baby in your belly?

The heat and sun alone are not directly harmful to your baby. However, dehydration and an elevated body temperature can cause possible problems. I list these below, so that you have a complete picture.

The risks are not mentioned to scare you, but rather to further help you make the right choices for yourself and your baby.

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• Overheating during the first period of pregnancy can cause birth defects.
• Overheating can also cause miscarriages.
• Dehydration can sometimes cause less blood to reach the placenta, so that fewer nutrients are available for your baby.
• Dehydration can also cause insufficient amniotic fluid.
• Preterm birth is also a risk caused by dehydration.

Don't worry right now if warm days arrive or we're in a heatwave. You can do a lot yourself to prevent dehydration, cool yourself down and thus significantly reduce the risk of risks.

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Tips for being pregnant during the summer

1. Drink plenty of water

Drinking water is the best solution for dehydration. During the hot days, drinking water also provides cooling. Please note that you choose mineralized and filtered water, so that you drink clean water and also get the necessary minerals.

Are you thirsty? Then drink a large glass of mineral water. And then prevent yourself from getting thirsty again. After all, thirst is a signal from your body that there is a shortage of fluid coming in.

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2. Add lemon juice to your glass of water

Fresh lemon juice is full of vitamin C and minerals. It supports your immune system, helps with heartburn, can help with morning sickness, gives you a boost and improves bowel function.

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3. Avoid refined salt

Refined salt helps your body retain fluid. It's just sodium that you ingest, so it's also very one-sided when it comes to health.

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4. Don't eat fast sugars

Fast sugars (ice creams, fast food, factory bread, candy, cookies, (light) soft drinks) immediately ensure that your body retains fluid, sometimes up to 2 kilos! You just want to restore your moisture balance so that you don't get fat fingers, feet and ankles. Therefore, eat healthy and drink plenty of mineral water.

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