Pregnant: Sauna – yes or no?
In general, there is nothing to stop you from sweating in the sauna during pregnancy. Women who already went to the sauna regularly before pregnancy may generally continue to do so as expectant mothers, from the beginning of pregnancy until shortly before the birth. Your body is trained, so to speak.
Sauna during pregnancy: benefits
The regular sweating cure promotes health. The fever-like temperatures inside the body activate its defense cells. The surface of the skin also warms up by a few degrees, causing blood vessels to dilate and muscles to relax. Fewer colds, a strengthened cardiovascular system, and fewer respiratory and joint complaints are just some of the benefits that can be observed with regular sauna use.
Pregnant women benefit in a special way. When sweating, the body loses fluid. This prevents water retention in the tissues (edema), from which pregnant women often suffer, and reduces existing edema.
In addition, the muscles loosened by sauna are good for the birth. Women who regularly go to the sauna before and during pregnancy apparently have an easier and shorter birth due to the relaxed muscles (pelvic muscles).
Sauna during pregnancy: risks
If you suffer from circulatory problems and have no sauna experience, a sweat cure is not advisable, especially in the first months of pregnancy. If you have a high-risk pregnancy, pregnancy complications or complaints such as high blood pressure, varicose veins and kidney problems, you should not take a sauna during pregnancy. A sauna session is also no longer recommended shortly before the due date. The high temperatures and also various aromatic additives in the infusion can then trigger contractions.
To be on the safe side, always ask your gynecologist first whether sauna sessions are advisable for you as a pregnant woman.
Sauna during pregnancy: tips
All pregnant women – whether trained or not – should not overdo it with sweating. However, if you keep the following points in mind, a wellness day in the sauna can be beneficial during pregnancy:
- Less is more: a maximum of one sauna visit per week and two sauna sessions per visit.
- Prepare properly: A warm foot bath before a sauna visit stimulates circulation and gently prepares the body for sweating.
- Shorter stays: Only five to ten minutes per sauna session; for those in training, generally never more than 15 minutes.
- Avoid circulatory collapse: Straighten up carefully just after lying down, move legs and stand up slowly.
- No plunge pool: Instead of cooling off in the plunge pool, it is better to take a cold shower with a hose, first the legs, then the arms and finally the back and stomach.
Incidentally, the child does not mind a slight rise in temperature. A short visit to the sauna (less than ten minutes) increases the body temperature by just one to two degrees. A body temperature of over 40 degrees Celsius becomes critical. If pregnant women are careful not to stay in the sauna cabin for too long, there are no health concerns.
After a day in the sauna, allow your body to rest and recover, and drink plenty of fluids to replenish those lost through sweating.
Steam bath or sauna?
During pregnancy, women find lower temperatures between 50 and 60°C more comfortable in the sauna. Even in the steam bath, temperatures are usually below 50°C. Despite the low temperatures, however, the steam bath is usually less tolerable for pregnant women. The reason for this is the humid heat, which puts more strain on the circulation. The dry heat of the sauna causes less discomfort.
Pregnancy: Listen to your body!
Pay attention to the signals of your body. If the heat of the sauna during pregnancy makes you uncomfortable, it is better not to sweat. However, if you find the heat of the sauna pleasant during pregnancy and your doctor does not veto it, there is nothing to stop this form of relaxation.
