Is it safe to use a hot tub while pregnant? This is a common question that many people have to ask, and rightfully so. While hot tubs provide endless benefits for many individuals, here’s what you need to know about them if you’re pregnant.
Pregnancy and Hot Tub Use: What You Need to Know
While hot tubs have many healing and relaxing properties, and this might seem like an ideal environment for those that are pregnant, it is actually recommended to limit the use of a hot tub if you are expecting. Experts recommend spending no more than 10 minutes in a hot tub if you’re pregnant, especially within early weeks. This has less to do with the hot tubs themselves and more to do with the hot temperatures. If you decide to spend even a few minutes in a hot tub while pregnant, it should never exceed 100 degrees. We would also recommend taking frequent breaks by sitting outside of the hot tub to allow your body’s temperature to cool down if need be. Because high temperatures can make it dangerous for developing babies, it’s best to keep those temperatures way down if you’d like to still benefit from the jet features of a spa. The same is to be said for saunas or steam rooms, as these can actually raise your body temperature even more so than a hot tub and should be avoided altogether.
So, you might be asking yourself, can I take hot showers then if I’m pregnant? And the answer is, yes, you can! The main difference between a warm shower and the previously mentioned options is that your skin can continuously release heat as you are not submerged in the water with a shower. This means you are not risking potentially overheating as your body has a way of regulating your temperature back to a healthy state for you and your baby.
However, if you’d rather not take any unnecessary risks at all with the higher temperatures of a hot tub, even if only for a few minutes, then here are some alternatives.
How You Can Still Enjoy the Water While Pregnant
Although spending time in a hot tub isn’t the safest for pregnant women, being in water still presents many benefits. So, how can you enjoy the water safely while pregnant? One alternative would be to simply spend some time in a swimming pool or swim spa instead. Because walking or even exercising in water allows you to feel a sense of weightlessness, it is incredibly beneficial to help relieve any pain, pressure or extra weight you might be feeling during pregnancy. Walking around in a pool can allow you to still get the relief you’re looking for, without any worry about the health and safety of your baby. Some other benefits of swimming during pregnancy include: nausea relief, improved blood circulation, relief of swelling or discomfort of lower limbs, and much more. Using a Hydropool swim spa or pool to walk, swim, or even do aquatic exercises are all great options if you’re pregnant. They allow you to remain active while also taking pressure off your joints and allow you to move around freely without feeling the extra weight.
While using a hot tub during pregnancy might not be safe to do, there are actually endless benefits to using a swim spa or pool instead. So, there’s no need to worry if you are pregnant or planning on getting pregnant soon but enjoy relaxing and unwinding in water at the end of the day. By using a pool or swim spa, you can continue to benefit from aquatic therapy while ensuring everyone stays safe. To learn about the variety of swim spas and pools we carry, download our free guide today.