Apparently I am fertile in the late summer or fall. My kids have all born in a little window of late spring to now mid-summer. You can make a case for a difficult pregnancy at ANY time of year, but there is a special something about being pregnant in hot summer months. Here are some of those summer pregnancy symptoms: fatigue (more than normal), sweating (more than normal), swollen feet (edema), and more sweating. Oh, and you might also smell worse.
{Let me take a moment to say that I am SO grateful that we can have kids. I always want my complaints to be read in light of the fact that I know it’s a joy. Yes, I’m super thankful. And now that I’ve said that, back to the complaints.}
One of my most intense pregnancy symptoms is edema.
That’s a fancy word for swelling up like the Violet Beaureguard in Willy Wonka.
My feet and legs and pretty much everything else swells up. To the point that I can’t wear shoes and my pants get tight and the bottoms of my feet swell and it’s hard to walk. Having had two babies in hot May and now one due next month in sweltering July, I thought I’d share some summer pregnancy hacks with you. They won’t fix you, but they MIGHT make your life a little bit easier.
Note: Some of the links in the post are affiliate links! This means that at no extra cost to you, I may receive a commission if you buy a product.
Cool Down with Peppermint
I’ve found a few great uses for Peppermint Essential Oil to help me keep cool(er). You can apply a few drops directly to the back of your neck and wrists for a tingly feeling that can help you feel cooler for a few hours. I tried this recently when Sawyer and I went to Gator Country (a mostly outside park) and while I was still sweating and hot, I definitely lasted longer outside than I would have otherwise.
A second option is to get a small glass spray bottle, add around 20 drops of Peppermint Oil to water and use it as a foot spray. This has really been a lifesaver for me and my swollen feet.
No matter what I do (elevate feet, drink water, minimize salt) my feet swell during hot weather in pregnancy. Period. But I have noticed a difference in how they feel and how swollen they are since using this spray. When they begin to feel tight and swollen, I’ll spray the bottoms of my feet and ankles with the spray—it’s a true relief!
My kids also like this as well and it has a little less of a zing than putting the oil right on your skin. Whether you are pregnant or not, this is a great tip for cooling down! This pic was from one of my other pregnancies, but the same thing happens every time. (Just one more reason pregnancy doesn’t always feel beautiful!)
While oils are available in some grocery stores, they aren’t all created equal! The strength of what you’ll find on a store shelf nowhere near compares to that of a therapeutic grade oil. The cost is more, but you will be getting a product made without a bunch of filler or added chemicals that actually WORKS for different purposes other than just smelling minty. I use Young Living.
Ease Chafing with Coconut Oil
As I learned in Disney World, sweat + thighs = OUCH. Some of you may never have had issues with thigh chafing because your inner thighs don’t touch. Give your thighs a high five!
I believe this is mostly genetic, as at my skinniest (and I was skinny) and most in shape, my inner thighs still touched. They are besties. They like to hang out together.
During pregnancy with my swelling, this is especially an issue. I thought that if I wore pants rather than a skirt, I could avoid this, but after time in the sun, no matter what you’re wearing, you could have chafing issues.
Coconut Oil
The best kind of Coconut Oil
Other tips: wear loose-fitting pajamas most of the day, sleep in the nude, take cold showers, drink water constantly, stay close to a bathroom since you’re drinking water constantly, open the freezer door and insert face periodically, eat watermelon (not a joke! high water content), cucumber for your eyes and a cut-up cucumber puree for your feet, ice cream by the gallon, get pregnant in the summer so you’ll have a baby BEFORE summer.
These tips might help ease pregnancy symptoms in summer, but also just help cool you down if you’re NOT pregnant! Do you have any tips or tricks for getting through hot summer months while pregnant?
You might also like these posts!
All Things Coconut Oil
Post Pregnancy Tips
