Can Women Use Portable Saunas While Pregnant?

Do you want to know if using a portable sauna during pregnancy is safe for you and your unborn child? Many expectant mothers wonder about this, and with good cause. Expectant mothers should be enthusiastic and careful since their choices throughout pregnancy can have lasting effects on their health and the health of their unborn child. In this brief but detailed introduction, we'll explore this important question and provide the insight you need to make a wise decision.

Finding a happy medium between relaxation and safety will reveal whether or not pregnant women can use portable saunas. There are benefits to using a sauna during pregnancy, such as relieving aches and tension, but there are also hazards to be aware of. In the following sections, we'll discuss the dos and don'ts, benefits, and potential issues related to this topic in order to provide more context. If you're expecting and thinking about some hot, sensual R&R, keep reading to ensure you and your baby are safe.

Before we get into the specifics, though, it's important to point out that we consulted with a prominent obstetrician and gynecologist to help us figure out how to use portable saunas during pregnancy safely. If you ask someone with experience in women's health and pregnancy-related issues, you can rest assured that they will provide you with the most reliable information possible. Let's start this journey together to ensure your pregnancy is as easy and risk-free as possible.

Infrared Saunas Safe During Pregnancy?

Using a sauna while pregnant is unsafe, especially in the early stages. It is strongly discouraged by medical professionals. Extreme heat exposure during pregnancy is not advised due to the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, or brain/spinal cord injury.

If your doctor gives you the go-light to use a sauna while you're expecting, try to keep sessions to 15 minutes or fewer. Saunas are generally safe for pregnant women, but some experts advise against using them. Your baby could have problems even if you only spent briefly in the sauna. If sauna use causes you to feel dizzy or queasy, stop immediately. A possible indication of internal warming.

What Are The Risks Of Sauna Use During Pregnancy?

There are risks to both the mother and the unborn child from using a sauna while pregnant. Because every pregnant woman's situation is unique, getting their doctor's approval is crucial before utilising a sauna. Some such dangers include:

Overheating

A sauna session can raise core body temperature by several degrees. Hormonal shifts increase the likelihood of rapid overheating in pregnant women. It is possible that miscarriage or birth defects could be brought on by a fever during pregnancy, especially in the first trimester.

Fainting or Dizziness

Pregnant women, who may already be experiencing fluctuations in their blood pressure, are especially vulnerable to the effects of the sauna's high temperatures, which can cause dizziness and fainting.

Dehydration

Using a sauna has been linked to significant fluid loss due to perspiration. Low blood pressure, brought on by dehydration, can be dangerous for the mother and the unborn child.

Decreased Blood Flow

Exposure to high temperatures in a sauna for an extended period can cause a decrease in blood flow to the uterus, which could deprive the foetus of oxygen and nutrients.

Birth Defects

Few studies have been conducted on the topic, but those have found an association between elevated maternal body temperature during the first trimester of pregnancy and birth abnormalities.

Preterm Labor

Pregnant women who regularly use saunas may be at a higher risk for having babies that are born prematurely or are born with low birth weight, according to some research. Sauna use during the first trimester is risky.

Fetal Distress

Foetal discomfort, which can be damaging to the baby, can be caused by the heat stress experienced in a sauna.

Pregnant women should avoid saunas generally, particularly during the first trimester, when the foetus is most susceptible to temperature-related disorders and birth abnormalities. Do the following if you're pregnant and plan on using a sauna anyway:

1. Before making any changes to your treatment plan, talk to your doctor.
2. Sauna time should be short (no more than 10–15 minutes).
3. Hydrate before, during, and after sauna sessions to avoid dehydration.
4. Listen carefully to how your body is telling you it feels. You should leave immediately if you feel lightheaded, hot, or ill while in the sauna.
5. You can lessen your risk of overheating by going to a sauna that isn't too hot and is, instead, well-ventilated.
6. Don't use the sauna by yourself if you require help.

Alternative And Complementary Therapies For Pregnancy

Alternative or "complementary" treatments are those that go beyond what is typically prescribed by a doctor. Acupuncture, massage, and chiropractic care are just a few examples of the various alternative treatments available. Alternative medical practices are sometimes known as integrative medicine.

Some women seek alternative treatments during pregnancy to alleviate discomforts like morning sickness and backache. It's possible that some expectant mothers will use these treatments to ease into labour and have fewer complications. Since sauna use is discouraged during pregnancy, you could try one of these other therapies instead:

Acupressure

You may be unknowingly employing acupressure techniques right now. When you get a headache, do you ever massage your temples? Acupressure involves applying pressure with the thumbs or fingers to certain spots on the body. Instead of using needles, acupressure practitioners apply pressure to the same acupuncture locations. Morning sickness (in the form of sea bands or relief bands worn around the wrists) and back pain are only two of the many pregnancy problems that can be helped with acupressure. It may also ease the discomfort of labour contractions.

Aromatherapy

Ingestion of essential oils is not recommended during pregnancy or under any other circumstances. Instead, they are breathed or mixed with a carrier liquid for topical use like a lotion or bath soak. Aromatherapy is growing in popularity among expectant mothers to alleviate nausea, calm aches and pains, promote restful sleep, and many other symptoms associated with pregnancy that cannot be treated with conventional medicine.

Doing your homework before using essential oils is important, as some of them are harmful to pregnant women.

Chiropractic Medicine

Joints and the spine are realigned through physical manipulation by chiropractors. Back and sciatica pain are two common pregnancy complaints that chiropractic adjustments might help. It's important to see a chiropractor specialising in caring for pregnant patients.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture involves the use of disposable, hair-thin needles to stimulate a variety of acupoints around the body (each of which is considered to correspond to a different organ). Acupuncture, like acupressure, can help the body reestablish its natural equilibrium and cure itself. Acupuncture is safe and effective for treating many pregnancy-related symptoms, including nausea and vomiting, constipation, back pain, haemorrhoids, breech presentation, labour discomfort, and low milk supply after delivery.

Exercise

Prenatal exercise has been linked to fewer health problems, improved mental health, lower blood pressure, less back and pelvic discomfort, better sleep, less exhaustion, and fewer instances of constipation and fatigue.

Massage Therapy

Massaging the appropriate way during pregnancy can help reduce numerous pregnancy symptoms, including heartburn, headaches, backache, and sciatica, whether the massage is performed by your partner's inexperienced hand or by a professional masseuse trained in prenatal massage. Labour pain can also be greatly reduced by receiving a massage. Give your back a counter-pressure massage when you're working hard and need some relief.

Meditation

Deep relaxation techniques, meditation, and visualisation can mitigate pregnancy's physical and emotional strains. The stress, blood pressure, and mental well-being benefits of learning to relax and concentrate with these methods are manifold.

Hydrotherapy

Do you like a nice, lengthy bath to unwind while pregnant? Have you ever considered taking a bath to ease the pain of labour? Hydrotherapy is using warm (not hot) water for therapeutic purposes to alleviate the discomfort associated with pregnancy. You shouldn't use a sauna if you're expecting, but a warm bath is fine. There is medical consensus that pregnant women shouldn't swim in water hotter than 95 degrees Fahrenheit for more than 10 minutes.

Reflexology

Applying pressure to specific points on the feet, hands, and ears during pregnancy might help alleviate a variety of uncomfortable symptoms, including nausea, constipation, exhaustion, and backache. Performing reflexology on specific regions of the feet can also promote labour contractions, which is beneficial if you're overdue but potentially dangerous if you're not close to your due date. So, when you go into labour, ensure your reflexologist knows to avoid those sensitive spots on your feet.

Safety First—Pregnancy Precautions

A woman's health and that of her developing child are paramount during pregnancy. Saunas and hot baths are a great way to unwind, but they pose serious health risks to expecting women. This post will discuss some important safety considerations before using a sauna while pregnant.

Consultation

Before considering using a sauna while pregnant, it is crucial to check with your doctor. This point must be emphasised repeatedly. Your doctor or midwife may give you individualised advice based on your health and pregnancy circumstances because every pregnancy is different. They can advise you on whether or not you should use a sauna and, if so, how often.

Sauna Types

It's possible that some saunas are safer for pregnant women to use than others. An overview of the various sauna varieties follows.

Traditional Saunas

High-temperature, dry saunas fall under this category. This is especially true in the first trimester when the baby's organs are still developing because they can increase body temperature.

Infrared Saunas

The infrared heaters used in infrared saunas produce radiant heat, which is sometimes more gentle than the dry heat of regular saunas. While these may be more comfortable for some expectant mothers, keeping a close eye on your temperature is still important.

Steam Rooms

Even while steam rooms are cooler than traditional saunas, it is still possible to overheat due to the high humidity.

Hydration and Monitoring

Pregnant women already need to take extra precautions to avoid dehydration, but being in a sauna makes this much more important. Sauna use is not recommended during pregnancy because of the risk of dehydration. Be sure to hydrate well before entering the sauna, while in it, and after you've finished. In addition, pay special attention to your internal cues. Immediately exit the sauna if any of the following symptoms develop:

• Shortness of breath
• Rapid heartbeat
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Feeling excessively hot

Temperature and Duration

It is crucial to be careful about temperature and time when using a sauna during pregnancy.

1. Temperature: Keep the temperature of your sauna below 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8 degrees Celsius) if you're expecting. Hyperthermia, brought on by extremely high temperatures, can be dangerous to a pregnant woman and her unborn child.
2. Duration: Sauna time should be kept to no more than 15 to 20 minutes at a time, and prolonged use should be avoided. If you feel faint, disoriented, or overheated, it's time to leave the sauna.