Is It Safe to Take a Bath During the First Trimester of Pregnancy?

For many newly pregnant moms, the first trimester may come with a lot of second-guessing the activities they once took for granted. Now that you’ve got a baby on board, is it safe for a pregnant woman to keep up your weightlifting routine? Eat a turkey sandwich? How about your bi-weekly ritual of a good, long soak in a hot tub?

Concerning the latter, the answer is yes: Taking a warm bath during first trimester can be a perfectly safe—and even beneficial—practice to maintain. However, there are several guidelines to follow to help ensure your baby’s safety while doing it.

If you’re dizzy with questions about how to practice self-care safely during pregnancy, we cover the ins and outs of bathing for pregnant women (plus a few other scrumptious first-trimester ideas) below.

Rules for Safely Bathing During Pregnancy

Hot bath lovers, take note: Spending some time in the tub can be a perfectly safe practice for pregnant women in their first, second, and third trimesters. A warm bath during first trimester may even offer several benefits for the unique occasion of pregnancy, including:

• Stress relief – Coping with stress during pregnancy is an important part of caring for your body and your baby, as high levels of anxiety are linked with preterm birth and low birth weight. Bathing is an age-old method of calming the nerves and soothing the mind—and newer research suggests it may even help to rebalance serotonin levels, assisting with lowering levels of anxiety and depression.
• Soothing sore muscles – While aches and pains typically only arise in the second and third trimesters, baths, can be an excellent way of tending to sore muscles during pregnancy.
• Keeping a consistent routine – If baths were a staple of your self-care repertoire before you were expecting, keeping up with them can help you feel cared for even while you’re going through a big life change.

All in all, baths can be an effective way of caring for yourself during pregnancy—but there are a few important guidelines to follow to ensure you’re doing it safely.

#1 Don’t Bathe In Water Over 100º Degrees Fahrenheit

The most significant potential health hazard when it comes to bathing during pregnancy comes down to temperature. Before pregnancy, you may have looked forward to cranking the water faucet all the way to “Hot” to unwind after a long day—but with precious cargo in tow, bathwater should never exceed 98.6ºF to 100ºF (around 37ºC).

There are several reasons why reproductive health experts caution against taking hot baths for the sake of both baby and mama. These include:

• Risk of maternal hyperthermia – Maternal hyperthermia is a condition where a pregnant woman’s core body temperature exceeds levels that are safe for the baby in-utero (beyond 102ºF or 39ºC). Whether the result of hot baths or vigorous exercise, hyperthermia can lead to heat stress and endanger fetal health.
• Risk of preterm birth – Research suggests that during the first 7 weeks of pregnancy, exposure to extreme temperatures—whether hot or cold—is associated with a higher likelihood of preterm birth. Experts believe this risk not only applies to the first trimester but to all 9 months of pregnancy.

The most foolproof way to avoid heat stress during a hot bath is to check the temperature of your bathwater before getting in the tub. However, your body will also provide cues if you’ve gone overboard with the hot water, including:

• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• Impaired vision
• Thirst or dehydration
• Queasiness

All of these are signs that may indicate you’re putting too much stress on your body and your baby. If you experience any of them, try to remain calm—sometimes, taking a quick cold rinse or even exiting the bathroom can help reduce your internal body temperature to a safe, healthy level.

#2 Limit Use of Personal “Home Spa” Products

If you’re a self-care queen, you may have a treasure trove of bubble bombs, bath salts, essential oils, and other products to make your bathroom rival your local spa. Unfortunately, pregnancy is not the optimal time to use your bath bomb and epsom salt selections.

Personal care products, particularly those with strong fragrances, could disrupt your vaginal pH balance, thereby augmenting your risk of developing a yeast infection. While yeast infections are treatable during pregnancy, the antifungal medications commonly used to treat them can be hazardous to your baby’s health.

If you do wind up developing a yeast infection during pregnancy, be sure to consult with your healthcare provider. They can help you choose a baby-safe alternative medication, such as:

• Clotrimazole
• Miconazole
• Terconazole

4 Surprising Things to Avoid in Your First Trimester

Apart from the well-known pregnancy no-nos—like smoking tobacco—there are several other practices and substances to steer clear of, some of which may not be as obvious. These include:

1. Hot tubs and saunas – Given the hazards of maternal hyperthermia, hot tubs, saunas, and ultra-hot water bottles should be kept off-limits while you’re pregnant.
2. Cleaning the litter box – Cuddling up with your kitten can be another sweet way to unwind while you’re pregnant. But if you live with a partner, pal, or family member, see if they can take care of the litter box. Cat excrement may contain parasites that can pose a danger to your baby in-utero. Exposure to these parasites may heighten the risk of:
   • Miscarriage
   • Seizures
   • Developmental disabilities
3. E-cigarettes and vapes – Just like cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and vapes are simply not safe to use while you’re pregnant, as nicotine can impair fetal brain development.
4. Certain types of massage – As a general rule, it’s best to stick with prenatal massage (administered by a trained, seasoned massage therapist) during your pregnancy. Enjoying the benefits of prenatal massage and deep tissue massages are generally inadvisable during the first trimester of pregnancy. Additionally, massage work or positions that put pressure on the abdomen should be avoided.

Safe, Soothing Self-Care Ideas for Your First Trimester

Many of us have heard that taking care of yourself is a way of taking care of others—and if there’s any phase of life where this adage becomes literal, it’s pregnancy. Establishing a self-care ritual is a way of tending to your own needs, as well as your growing baby’s.

That said, deep self-care rituals like bathing or prenatal massage may not always be attainable when life gets in the way. If you’re stumped on easy, accessible ways to incorporate self-care into your routine, let these activities be your inspiration:

• Take an online prenatal yoga class – If you’re looking for a more dynamic way of soothing and stretching your body, try a pre-recorded prenatal yoga class. Prenatal yoga has been shown to help support sleep and relaxation, and you may also walk away with accessible tools to help you navigate those first few months of motherhood, like deep breathing exercises.
• Tune into a pregnancy podcast – Listening to a podcast about fierce mamas around the world is an excellent way to stay informed and inspired about the journey you’ve embarked on. A few of our favorites include:
  • Big Fat Positive, a laugh-out-loud show that follows two new moms from pregnancy to parenthood.
  • Common Sense Pregnancy, a pregnancy podcast for moms who want science-backed, real-world advice on pregnancy topics that don’t get talked about enough.
  • The Birth Hour, a podcast that covers extraordinary birth stories and the incredible and challenging moments of early motherhood.
• Try prenatal bonding exercises – There are countless ways to connect to your future little bundle before you’ve even met them. You can try reading aloud to your growing bump, creating a pregnancy scrapbook, or cooing lullabies to them at bedtime. Not only can these exercises help you bond with your baby-to-be, but you may find they also have soothing effects on you, too.

Stay Calm and Informed with SneakPeek

From the first trimester to the third, you deserve to soak in as much self-care as you can before it’s time to break out the rubber ducks. For more science-backed ways to stay centered and informed during pregnancy, check out SneakPeek Test.

Our Early Gender DNA Test lets you discover the sex of your baby just 6 weeks into your pregnancy with over 99% accurate¹, DNA-based gender blood test results. That’s a full 6 weeks sooner than your first ultrasound! You can also easily take the test from the relaxing comfort of your own home. Then, send it to our lab, and we’ll review your results on the same day we receive your sample. When they’re ready, we’ll email your results to you or a trusted friend so that you can experience your gender reveal exactly how you want to.

SneakPeek is OBGYN’s #1 recommended early gender test, with the trust of 1 million moms behind us. Discover more on what you can learn about your baby-to-be by checking us out today.

This post has been reviewed for accuracy by the following medical professional:

Dr. Heather Soper, Certified Nurse Midwife

Dr. Heather Soper brings over 15 years of experience in women's health and obstetrics to her role as the owner of The Genesis Resort for Birth. Complementing her clinical practice, she serves as an Assistant Professor of Nursing at James Madison University, where she educates nursing students with a focus on compassionate, patient-centered care. Her advanced training and dedication to midwifery are evident in her contribution to both academia and the wellness of expectant mothers.

Sources:

1. Harvard Health Publishing. How can you manage anxiety during pregnancy? https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/how-can-you-manage-anxiety-during-pregnancy-202106252512
2. Cleveland Clinic. Taking the Plunge: 5 Reasons Baths Are Good for You. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/reasons-to-take-a-bath/
3. Healthline. Are Baths Safe During Pregnancy? https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/pregnancy-bathtub#bath-safety
4. British Journal of Sports Medicine. Heat stress and fetal risk: Environmental limits for exercise and passive heat stress during pregnancy: a systematic review with best evidence synthesis. https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/53/13/799
5. National Institutes of Health. Extreme temperatures could increase preterm birth risk. https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/extreme-temperatures-could-increase-preterm-birth-risk
6. Mayo Clinic. What’s the best way to treat a yeast infection during pregnancy? https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/vaginitis/expert-answers/yeast-infection-during-pregnancy/faq-20058355
7. RMC Health System. What to Do When Your Water Breaks. https://rmccares.org/2019/03/12/what-to-do-when-your-water-breaks/
8. National Library of Medicine. Birth, Bath, and Beyond: The Science and Safety of Water Immersion During Labor and Birth. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4210671/
9. Sanford Health. Do’s and don’t during the first trimester of pregnancy. https://news.sanfordhealth.org/womens/dos-and-donts-during-first-trimester-pregnancy/
10. Mayo Clinic. Is vaping during pregnancy OK? https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/expert-answers/vaping-during-pregnancy/faq-20462062
11. VeryWell Family. Can I Get a Massage While Pregnant? https://www.verywellfamily.com/pregnancy-massage-what-you-need-to-know-89742
12. Alo Yoga Youtube. 60-Minute Prenatal Yoga Flow with Andrea Bogart. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuZ6kukTJOc
13. Mayo Clinic. Women’s Wellness: What you need to know about prenatal yoga. https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/womens-wellness-what-you-need-to-know-about-prenatal-yoga/
14. Big Fat Positive. Big Fat Positive: A Pregnancy and Parenting Journey Podcast. https://bigfatpositivepodcast.com/
15. Jeanne Faulkner. Become a mama without the drama. https://www.jeannefaulkner.com/common-sense-pregnancy
16. The Birth Hour. The Birth Hour. https://thebirthhour.com/