When it comes to preparing for labor, pain management tends to be the main factor women focus on. However, there’s a few other parts of the birth you’ll want to get ready for and heat is one of them.
If you’re due to give birth in summer, it can be especially uncomfortable and sweaty. So, how can you ensure you keep cool during labor? Below you’ll discover some of the best tips and methods you can try to beat the heat.
Keeping The Hospital Room Cool
One thing you’ll notice when you’re giving birth in a hospital, is just how hot it is on the maternity ward. There’s actually a reason behind this and that is the fact that newborn babies cannot regulate their temperature. So, they typically need the room to be much hotter than usual. However, when you’re giving birth, there’s no reason you can’t make the room a little cooler until baby arrives.
Most hospitals will have air conditioning, so you could ask for this to be turned on to keep you super-comfortable. Or, if they don’t have air conditioning, they’ll likely have a fan that you could use. If there’s a window in your room, crank that open too. This tip alone can help to keep you significantly cooler during the birth.
Ensure You Have Plenty Of Drinks
Drinking plenty of fluids will help to keep you cool throughout the labor too. A great tip is to add ice cubes into a thermal flask so that you can use them to keep your drinks super-cool at the hospital. It’s also worth taking a straw as this can make it easier to drink when you’re giving birth.
You could even ask the hospital staff if you can take ice pops with you. That way, you can happily suck on the ice pops throughout the labor, keeping you continuously cool.
Have A Cool Water Bath Or Shower
If you’re in the early labor stages at home, taking a cool bath or shower can work wonders for cooling you down. It can also really help to ease the aches and pains associated with labor. It’s important to avoid an ice-cold shower as this can actually make you feel hotter once you’ve dried off. This is because the body works harder to regulate its temperature, causing you to become hotter than you were before you took the bath or shower.
Make Use Of Wet Flannels
Wet flannels will definitely become your friend as your labor progresses. Get your birthing partner to rub wet, cold flannels along your wrists, back of the neck and forehead. This will provide instant relief, if only temporary.
You can also use a spray bottle to instantly cool down. Again, your birthing partner can be in charge of this while you focus on the labor.
Keep Your Hair Tied Back
If you have long hair, it’s a good idea to keep it tied back during labor. If it’s draping down your neck and back, it’s going to make you feel a lot warmer than if it were tied up out of the way. You’ll also feel a lot more comfortable as the hair will become wet and sticky if you’re too hot.
Ensure You’re Wearing Cool Clothing
Finally, it goes without saying you should wear comfortable, light clothing. During the early stages of labor if you’re still at home, it could be worth going without clothing for a while to keep your cool. In the hospital, button-down, cotton nightdresses tend to be a fab option, not just for keeping cool and comfortable, but for breastfeeding too.
Conclusion
Overall, it can be tough keeping cool when you’re in labor. However, the tips above are sure to help. The cooler you can keep yourself, the more comfortable you’ll find labor to be.
Got any additional tips for keeping cool during labor? Let us know in the comments below.
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