12 Summertime Hacks for a Cool Pregnancy

You've finally done it. You're pregnant, hooray and all of that good stuff. The only catch, though, is that you find yourself in the thick of your pregnancy during one of the warmest summertime months. But being pregnant during the summer doesn't have to be awful, it can still be fun if you follow some of the more important summertime pregnancy hacks.

Of course in a perfect world, we would all spend the summer months submerged in cool, crystalline pools of water, relaxing until our fingers wrinkled from overexposure to water. But, as we all know well enough, that's just not possible. Especially when you're pregnant and nesting, and just not into sitting still when there's so much to be done to prepare for your new baby on the way.

Even if you don't plan on being pregnant during the summer, you don't have to dread the heat. Your pregnancy should be a time of fun and excitement and there's no reason to assume that it will be anything less, just because your pregnancy is taking place during the summer. With summertime pregnancy hacks to help you along the way, having a summer pregnancy can be just as enjoyable and exciting as it would during any other season.

12 Keep A Spray Bottle With You

Being able to give yourself little spritzes throughout the day can make a world of difference. When you're eight months pregnant and the outside temperature is creeping up on that 80 degree mark, that pocket-sized spray bottle of water will be your savior.

11 Get A Baby Pool (You'll Use It Again Next Summer Anyway)

Since not many of us are lucky enough to have in-ground pools to cool off in (or even access to them), the next best thing is to at least have a wading pool to be able to submerge yourself in. You might feel silly, without a little one to join you in a large round plastic pool or three-ring inflatable one, but you'll be able to relax outdoors comfortably, without all of that sweat you'll be facing for the summer.

10 Invest In A Handheld Fan

Just like the tiny bottle of water, having one of those small battery-operated fans will make the summer that much more bearable. It might not seem like much, but the extra breeze, however small, coming from that little fan in your hand, will feel like a gust of wind compared to the hot and sticky air around you.

9 Say Yes To Dresses

The freedom that dresses allow you to go beyond being able to move comfortably and get dressed with ease when you have a big old belly sticking out in front of you. Adopting dresses into your summer wardrobe also allows air to reach pretty much any part of your body on those hotter than hot summer days and nights. Because yes, the heat will not be limited to just sunlight hours.

8 Remember The Power Of Cold Water

A quick remedy to the summer heat is to run your wrists under cold water or dab some on your earlobes. Basically, wherever your pulse points are will be points to cool down with streams of cold water. These are your cool spots, if you will, and are the perfect points on your body to help you get a quick cool off fix.

7 Use Ice Packs At Night

Even if you have air conditioning, you may find yourself faced with the kind of heat at night that no pregnant women can endure. To beat it, having an ice pack handy to lay on your head, face, neck, or even chest. If that's a little too much cold for you to handle, though, even a cold rag will do the trick.

6 Stock Up On Fruit - In The Freezer

Obviously it's important to eat healthy while pregnant, in order to help little bean grow and develop properly. But instead of sucking on boring ice cubes, incorporate fruit in your cool off foods and freeze them. Fruits like raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries freeze well and can be sucked on to beat the heat and also serve as great snacks.

5 Save High Energy Activities For Nighttime

While the night hours may still find you sweating miserably, the least you can do is save any of your more strenuous activities for when the sun goes down. At the very least, you'll be dealing with less humidity and every degree less that it is outside (and in your home) makes a huge difference.

4 Make Swimming Your Go-To Exercise

Since you'll probably be wanting to get some sort of physical activity in while you're pregnant this summer, consider swimming as your primary source of exercise. You'll get to stay cooled off while still working your muscles and feeling like you're doing a little something extra for yourself.

3 Don't Be Afraid To Sleep In The Nude

As if you needed a reminder, right? Sleeping nude would be best for not only your overall comfort, but being able to let that new belly breathe. At the very least, sleeping in your underwear can still allow you to remove the heaviest layer of cloth standing between your body and the air.

2 Eat Less Salt

Since sodium causes water retention, too much salt can typically cause a pregnant woman's feet, hands, or ankles to swell up as the air gets warmer. And let's be honest here - the last thing you need on your long list of annoyances while being pregnant during the summer, is to have swollen ankles added to it.

1 Embrace The A/C

It's true enough that most of us like to wait a while before succumbing to the heat and finally switching on the air conditioning that will likely run our electric bills through the roof for the summer. But when you're pregnant and the box fan really isn't cutting it, just give in. Your sanity, body, and sweat-drenched clothes will all thank you soon enough.

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