| We’re talking a lot this summer about extreme heat and heat-related illness. We also know that, for many reasons, extreme heat doesn’t affect everyone equally.
Pregnant people are one group who are more at risk for heat-related illness and dehydration during hot days. Our bodies do lots of hard work to cool us down when we get too hot, and pregnant people need their bodies to work twice as hard to cool themselves and their fetus.
Public Health Nurse Joane Bradshaw works with RHHD’s Maternity Navigation, where she frequently sees pregnant folks and new parents. She says that pregnant people, especially in their second and third trimesters, will feel hot more quickly. She encourages these folks to remain indoors if possible on major or extreme heat risk days. If they do have to run errands or get outside, she recommends using the early morning and evening hours when it’s cooler.
For Joane, one of the biggest tools for a healthy pregnancy is hydration. She suggests a few strategies for keeping yourself and your growing baby hydrated, especially during the summer months:
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Make friends with your water bottle. Guzzling water during short periods is harder for pregnant people with growing stomachs. “I advise my clients to always have a bottle of water with them through the day and to take sips at regular intervals.”
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Check that pee. “Light yellow or clear urine is usually an indication that you’re getting enough fluids. And again, you’re drinking for two. The mom’s kidneys are working double for herself and her baby.”
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DIY flavored water. Staying away from drinks with a lot of caffeine, sugar, or chemicals. Joane adds fresh ingredients to water as a way to increase flavor naturally. Her go to’s are fresh pineapple or cucumber, which infuse in a chilled water pitcher in the fridge.
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Keep hydrating during breastfeeding. Once your baby arrives, hydration is still important. “I would highly recommend that every time you feed the baby, you also have a glass of water,” Joane says. “While the baby’s drinking, you drink too. It’s a reminder that you do need additional fluids, regardless of the weather. Breastfeeding involves fluid leaving your body, so you need to replenish it.”
Joane’s tips are for informational purposes only. It’s important to talk with your care provider to determine the medical plan that’s best for you throughout your pregnancy. RHHD’s Maternity Navigation Team can help you locate a provider and other health resources; learn how to get connected at their website!
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