How to survive summer when pregnant.

As many of us hope for lovely summer weather ahead, those who are pregnant may find the summer months a trying time.

We asked our founder Joanna Whynn a highly respected Maternity Nurse in her own right what support and advice she might give to pregnant women who could be susceptible to a range of experiences brought on by heat.

As she explained to us, some of the advice is pure common sense, like trying to keep out of the sun from 11 am and 3 pm. Other pieces of guidance come from her extensive experience working as a Maternity Nurse with some of the world's most affluent and influential families.

Shower, bath and swim.

When showering it's tempting in the heat to have a cold shower, but the best advice if you want to keep cool while pregnant is to make sure the temperature is somewhere lower than you would normally have it set, but not cold.

It's important not to have the shower too cold as it could lower your core temperature.

Your core is how we as humans retain most of our heat and if that's cold then the beautiful warm environment you create for your baby might be cooler than your baby would like.

When you get out of the water, remember if you dry yourself vigorously with a towel then you will build body heat from the effort. Letting the water evaporate naturally from your skin will do what sweat is designed to do, cool the skin naturally. the advice I give is to just gently dab off most of the water.

If the heat is bothering you during the day, finding a way to make your hands and feet cool can have the effect of cooling your whole body.

Leave your feet in the pool, put some ice in a towel for your forehead and even hold a cold compress on your wrists. Swimming is a great way to cool down and get some exercise.

Find shade and stay cool.

It sounds obvious but keeping your environment shielded from the sun can help drop room temperature. It is fair to say that most of Discretion Staffing's clients have air conditioning installed in their homes. However, for those less lucky drawing curtains and shitting blinds can help keep the sun's heat manageable. Opening windows when the sun isn't beaming down on them can also allow a fresh breeze to work its way through the house keeping you a little cooler.

What to take and what to drop.

being careful with the amount of sun you get is important in pregnancy but it is more of a consideration in the later stages. In the last trimester, skin can become stretched and sensitive and the sun can be harsh to your skin at this time. Do what many European countries do, take a siesta. If you’re working then perhaps you can explore what opportunities might be available for flextime so you can move your breaks to suit the time of day when the sun is at its strongest.

Your body repairs when it's sleeping, giving you the chance to repair and refresh. Loose clothes, light colours, hats and sunglasses can all help make the heat less of a burden.

Watch for swelling.

If you are going through a hot summer in the later stages of pregnancy, you should take care to watch for swelling.

Swelling is usually caused by the body holding onto water.

Wear comfy shoes or sandals, and elevate your feet when you can. Doing simple foot exercises and taking time to complete regular sets of foot circles and bend and stretch your ankles many times a day will not only help you keep the swelling down but it will also help with circulation and go someway to keeping your calves and legs toned.

We hope this small guide goes some way to make your summer more comfortable as you carry the next generation. If you need to, hire a nanny, hire a maternity nurse or any member of your household staff, then talk to the experts on household staff at Discretion Staffing.