Summer brings to mind images of joy: golden beaches with sizzling barbeques, ice-cream under the sun and children laughing while running through sprinklers. Summer is supposed to be a time of fun, lightness and outdoor activities.
You’re not pregnant, unless you are.
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Summer is then less sun and swimsuits, and more swampy suffering and swollen feet. You’re sweating in every crevice. It’s breathless even in the shade. And it’s an ongoing battle with your maternity suit. It’s a beautiful and amazing experience to create life, but gestating during a heatwave… well, let’s say it is not ideal.
While I’m writing this, I have my feet soaking in cold water in a bucket while the air conditioner is running at full speed. I wonder if it would be socially acceptable for me to spend the rest of the summer wearing only my bra and fan. The temperature has already been rising, even though I have only 16 weeks left. I know I am not the only person who wonders if summer pregnancy should be a sport of Olympic-level endurance.
For all those other sticky-bellied, overheated and sleep-deprived mamas, this one is for you. Here are ten brutally honest reasons pregnant women hate summer.
Here are the 10 Reasons All Pregnant Women Hate Summer:
1. Swimwear Struggles
The pool does sound refreshing. Swimming is good for you during pregnancy, according to your doctor. Yes, maternity swimming suits have come a very long way. It’s not cardio to wear a swimsuit when pregnant.
It’s a feat of balance and flexibility to try to bend your belly over to fit a foot into a hole. Next, slowly roll the fabric over your hips, thighs and bump. Do not forget your boobs, which are suddenly huge and stubborn. They refuse to fit into any shelf bra. You’re already sweating by the time you have tucked in everything.
When is it time to remove that clingy, wet Lycra? This is a full-blown wrestling match with yourself. It’s not even swimwear. It’s an emotional war disguised as fashion.
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2. Keeping Clothed Is a Sacrifice
Dressing cute during summer pregnancy is a cruel prank. Pinterest has a lot of beautiful women wearing breezy sundresses and cradling bumps in flower-filled fields. But is that reality? The question is: “Do I have to wear pants today?”
If you are radiating heat, wearing anything more than a simple tank top can feel like punishment. Once flattering maternity clothing is now just a fabric trap designed to collect moisture in the wrong places. Most breathable clothing doesn’t fit your bump, your boobs or your bloated toes.
In July, the line between maternity style and desperation is very thin. World, let the belly be free. We are doing our best to just put on underwear.
3. Fashion is pushed aside by foot fatigue
Heels? Ha! Even the concept of structured footwear seems ridiculous. You have only a few options for summer shoes: Birkenstocks or flip-flops. Or, you can choose the most stretchy, most accommodating slip-ons.
Pregnancy foot rules are non-existent. Even if you wake up to normal-looking feet, by the afternoon, they have transformed into marshmallow-like stumps. They will not fit in any of your shoes. Even flip-flops can disappear into this swollen abyss.
Forget about style. Can they be put on without me crying?
4. Sweat. Sweat.
Pregnancy sweat takes it to the next level. Prepare yourself for a damp reality if you’ve never been a person who sweats before. You’re working overtime to keep your body cool, grow a child, and maintain extra weight, all while the sun is trying to make you look like a Thanksgiving Turkey.
We’re not talking about standard sweat. This is full-body, no-holds-barred, where-is-all-this-moisture-even-coming-from kind of sweat. Underboob sweat. Side-of-the-belly sweat. Thigh folds. Neck folds. Back of the knees. Your shins could be involved. It’s like a sport to regulate your body temperature by sitting down.
Showers are the highlight of every day. Not because they’re hygienic, but simply to experience something cold and clean on your skin for a few blessed minutes.
5. Heat and Insomnia Don’t Mix
Even sleeping while pregnant can be difficult. Restful sleep has become a distant dream between the frequent bathroom trips, weird dreams, and your bump telling you which positions to take.
If you add summer heat to the equation, you may as well just give up.
It can be difficult to feel comfortable, even with the AC on full blast, two fans, and cold water bottles. Your pillow is a heat-sponge, the bed feels like an uncomfortable prison, and you can’t get comfortable.
In desperate times, desperate measures are necessary. For example, you can sleep on a towel or move to the couch. Or, you can create a makeshift mattress under the air conditioner in the kitchen.
6. The Curse of the Cankle
You don’t know what swollen cankles are until you have experienced cankles at 34 degrees Celsius.
This isn’t your average puffiness. This is socks-leave-dents, feet-look-like-loaves-of-bread, ca n’t-see-your-ankle-bone-anymore kind of swelling. It hurts. It becomes painful to walk. Even lying down won’t help, unless you elevate your feet like on a medieval rack.
If you can stand to wear them in the heat, compression socks are a great help. (Spoiler alert: you probably won’t.
7. You Can’t Breathe
In summer, everything is harder–even breathing. The baby is pushing against your diaphragm, and the blood volume has increased by 40-50%. You also have to breathe in hotter air. Walking to the mailbox is like running through molasses.
Even before you start doing anything productive, you pant, puff and gasp. Even speaking too passionately can make you gasp. Heaven help you if there is a toddler or stairs you need to climb.
8. Chafing Is a Torture
Do you think sweating is bad for your health? Chafing is the unsung villain in summer pregnancy. You’re probably more friends with your thighs than ever before, but now they are rubbing and sticking and fighting each other every time you walk.
It’s not only the thighs. Anywhere that skin touches skin, whether it’s underarms, underneath the belly folds, or even on the back of your head, is a battleground. You may start the day feeling refreshed, but come home with red rashes and a deep desire for baby powder and cold compresses.
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Tip: Take your baby’s diaper rash cream before it runs out. You’ll be needing it.
9. Heat Rashes with No Treatment
Heat rashes during pregnancy are different from the usual summertime irritation. Heat rashes are uncomfortable and can spread quickly when your sweat glands are working overtime.
It’s also important to note that many over-the-counter treatments, such as antihistamines or steroid creams, are not recommended during pregnancy. You’re blotchy and itchy, with few options to relieve the symptoms.
When the rash persists, oatmeal baths and cold compresses can help. But when it’s stubborn and persistent, you have to wait until fall.
10. The Worst Bump-Touchers Are Those Who Do It in Heat
We get it. The bump is adorable. It’s miraculous. It’s a miracle. Please, for the sake of your personal space and iced lattes– don’t touch when it is 35 °C out.
You don’t want someone’s hands to warm your belly when you’re sweaty and overheating. Even the most loving and well-meaning family members must understand that touching the belly of a pregnant woman does not feel magical. It feels… sticky.
On a crisp, spring-like day, bump touching may be acceptable. In the summer heat, is it okay to bump touch? You’re on your way to the death stare.
Final Thoughts – It’s not all bad, but it’s pretty close
Summer is a great time. Fresh fruit. Cold drinks, Air-conditioned malls. The heat can be unbearable for anyone, but if you are pregnant, it is even worse. You are already exhausted, hormonal and carrying another person. Sunburns, sweat and cankles are all part of the misery.
We salute all pregnant warriors who are battling the heat in the scorching sun. Remember to keep hydrated, turn up the fans, and don’t forget that it will come to an end. What is your reward? Your reward?
Next time, maybe… think about a due date in winter
