Using a hot water bottle during pregnancy: what you should know about it

A hot water bottle during pregnancy can provide relief for various ailments. But from a certain temperature, the hot water bottle can also harm your unborn baby.

Hot water bottle during pregnancy - is that possible?

A hot water bottle that is too hot can actually do more harm than good to you during pregnancy. You should therefore be careful about the temperature of the water in the hot water bottle.

• Since your unborn baby cannot regulate their own body temperature, the excessive warming of the hot water bottle can cause the baby to overheat. Especially in the last months of pregnancy, the heat passes directly to the unborn child when you put a hot water bottle on your stomach.
• This is less of a problem in early pregnancy because your baby and uterus are still hidden behind the abdominal wall and bladder. The amniotic fluid can also absorb the heat of the hot water bottle well in this phase.
• Use a hot water bottle only when the water temperature is less than 40 degrees. Do not place the hot water bottle on your stomach for more than ten minutes.
• As an alternative, you can use a cherry pillow, since you can measure the temperature directly with a thermometer.
• If, for example, the mother ligaments stretch and hurt, you can grab a smaller hot water bottle and place it directly in the groin area.

Warm baths as an alternative to the hot water bottle

Warm baths can also be used for complaints during pregnancy.

• Warm baths can loosen tense muscles and provide relief.
• Here, too, the water temperature should not exceed 40 degrees. A bath that is too hot during pregnancy can overwhelm your circulation. Therefore, get up slowly and carefully after a bath.
• If you were a regular sauna user before pregnancy and your pregnancy is uncomplicated, you can also go to the sauna. However, the sauna stay should be shorter than usual, i.e. not longer than eight minutes.
• Choose the sauna with the lowest temperature and then cool your body slowly.
• Never go to the sauna alone during pregnancy, so that in an emergency someone is on hand who can provide first aid.
• If you get dizzy, you should lie down straight away. You should put your legs up and fan yourself with air. Never go to the sauna thirsty or hungry so that your body is not overloaded.

To exercise physically during pregnancy, many women start yoga. We will explain what you should know about pregnancy yoga in our next practical tip.