Sunbathing While Pregnant: 7 Precautions You Should Take

Pregnancy comes with a lot of guidelines on programming and updating your body. There are a lot of things that may have been casual but stand as risky while you are expecting. There are greater chances of hurting your baby in the womb while doing unusual things that may have been normal otherwise.

What do you do when you plan a beach vacation while pregnant?

Sunscreen is Mandatory
Avoid midday sun
Wear light clothes
Stay Hydrated
Avoid getting too heated
Spend time in the water
Eat cold treats

Following the same scenario, it is often debatable if it is safe for pregnant women to go sunbathing or not. It is dangerous to overheat your body while pregnant, particularly in the first three months.

Sunbathing while Pregnant

Sunbathing has great health benefits but how does that apply to a pregnant lady?

Double the sunscreen

Sunscreen becomes very important while sunbathing and especially during pregnancy you have no chance to skimp. Pregnancy already brings color changes in your body with a dark nipple, linea nigra, dark spots on your face, so sunscreen becomes mandatory.

Always opt for a sunscreen that blocks both UVB and UVA rays which has zinc and titanium oxide in it, and helps you to physically block the harmful rays of the sun.

Stay Hydrated

Your body should get enough water while you are out in the sun, especially when you are pregnant. Pregnancy automatically demands more water as it is only through fluids that the nutrients reach the fetus.

The amniotic fluid balance can be maintained with regular water intake, so when you are sunbathing, your body might face dehydration. If you have trouble drinking water throughout the day, then try out different fruit juices and hot chocolate. Ensure that you know about all the things to do when pregnant.

Wear comfortable clothes

There are few accessories that are green ticks during pregnancy while sunbathing. Hats, a pair of sunglasses, umbrellas are big-time protection when you have a protruding belly. Wear clothes which are light in color to avoid overheating yourself.

Avoid Peak Hours

The time between 10 am to 3 pm should be avoided as the UV rays are extremely strong during these hours and it may cause overheating of your body.

Risk for Melasma

Hyperpigmentation leads to melasma or dark patches in the skin, especially on your face due to the growing female hormones in your body. Your body is prone to a lot of skin problems during pregnancy.

Apply lotions that suit the texture of your skin before exposing yourself to the sun. Pregnancy masks get a clear approval when you sit out in the sun, so it is rather good to safely find a shade and relax.

Vitamin D supplementation

Talk to your midwife and take a supplement for vitamin D rather than exposing yourself to the sun while pregnant. It might cause a serious threat to the baby growing inside you if your body gets overheated. You already know about all discomforts of pregnancy, do not do anything to further elevate it.

Folic acid intake

Increasing solar radiation decreases the effectiveness of folic acid supplementation. During pregnancy, folic acid becomes essential for the growth of the baby. You need to religiously take prenatal vitamins to avoid any kind of misfortune. Folic acid is essential for the baby’s development of the spinal column and brain.

The only way out is to make sunbathing and pregnancy compatible is to remain in the sun for 10 minutes workout forgetting to take your folic acid supplement.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about taking sunbathing in Pregnancy

1. How does overheating the body cause risk to the unborn child?

Overheating in the first trimester causes neural tube defects and miscarriage and in the third trimester, it leads to dehydration.

2. Is it necessary to protect our breasts while sunbathing?

The heat could dilate the capillaries and the ducts through which the mill will pass, favoring the risk of congestion in a very delicate area.

3. How to follow self-tanning and have a bronze look even while pregnant?

Though sunbathing is a natural way to get tanned, but there are innumerable sources like tanning lotions that are safe to use even during pregnancy.

Verdict

Whether you are pregnant or not, the sun should be enjoyed in moderation to avoid the deadly sun rays. Staying away from the sun is not an option while pregnant, just make sure you don’t get too hot. Stay for a while, hydrate yourself and keep taking cold sips to enjoy the natural goodness of sun.