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Ann McLeod Taylor
Daughter, Wife, Mother, Mother-In-Law and Grandmother.
RN, Midwife, C.B.E., L.C. Hypnotherapist. Nat Therapist and occ. Doula.

We forget that adults can have a problem with the heat and often need to be reminded to look after themselves. The most vulnerable of those will be the elderly, weak, infirm and pregnant mother’s-to-be, who not only have to consider themselves but also their unborn child.

The body needs a good amount of fluids and salts to function properly. Sweating, fever, over heating, diarrhea and vomiting, exertion, insufficient fluids, diuretic fluids (caffeinated) or even breathing with a open mouth can lead to fluid loss. If these fluids are not replaced regularly signs of dehydration will occur.

Pregnancy

Ask any pregnant mother and she will tell you of how uncomfortable it can be with her internal heater cranked up and growing her baby. Winter seemed very mild, but now that summer has suddenly hit she will notice the heat more acutely. It is most important that the new mother-to be stays cool for the wellbeing of her baby and herself, as overheating or hyperthermia is thought to lead to many complications in pregnancy. Many mothers can inadvertently overheat without realising it. During pregnancy the body is already doing a cardio-vascular workout without the mother doing any physical exertion. The added strain of working out, walking the dog or working in the garden especially on hot days or in poorly cooled areas, without good hydration, puts an added strain on the body. This does not mean to say that pregnant women should not exercise. Elite athletes also become pregnant and the International Olympic committee has safety guidelines for their training regimen. A copy of these can be seen at http://pregnancytoday.com/reference/articles/ACOG.htm

There are ways to be careful, train hard and be the very best you can be, and it certainly benefits the new mother-to-be to be generally fit and flexible prior to the physical work of labour.

The first trimester is considered a critical period for the development of baby’s major body systems, such as the spinal cord. As baby’s temperature is 1 degree higher than mothers, and babies are unable to sweat in the uterus to cool down, overheating can causes heat stress, which has been linked to certain birth defects, including heart problems, abdominal wall defects and development of the nervous system.

When a pregnant woman becomes overheated, she has an increased risk of dehydration, heat exhaustion and has the added discomfort of increased swelling of the extremities. When the body is deprived of the fluids it needs, it becomes dehydrated which causes blood volume to decreases, that increases blood concentration, which in turn increases the amount of available Oxytocin, the hormone responsible for contractions. This can cause premature labour and all the problems associated with having a premature baby.

Symptoms of Dehydration and Hyperthermia include.

• Dizziness or light-headedness or fainting.
• Nausea or vomiting.
• Headaches.
• Mental confusion and/or anxiety.
• Hyperventilation or difficulty breathing.
• Muscular cramps or contractions.
• Reduced and concentrated urinary output.
• Increase in body temperature, without signs if sickness.

Treatment

• Get into a cool environment. Air-conditioning or shaded pool.
• Rest by sitting or lying down in a cool shaded area.
• Loosen clothing.
• Apply cool wet washers or ice packs on forehead and back of the neck.
• Drink cool fluids and ice blocks.

See your Doctor or Hospital immediately if:

• Any of the above mentioned symptoms continue after additional rest and fluids.
• Contractions or abdominal cramps greater than 5 or 6 in an hour over a couple of hours.
• Low dull backache.
• Intense pelvic pressure.
• Any vaginal bleeding or loss.
• Swelling or puffiness of face or hands.
• Any unexplained unwellness.

Keeping cool

• Using a pool, is a cool way to exercise, keep fit and have the benefit of weightlessness and relaxation.
• Use of a bath or shower on a regular basis (not just to wash.).
• Drink plenty of fluids, (not alcohol)
• At least 8 glasses of water a day, more is better.
• Reduce the amount of caffeine consumed, (acts as a diuretic.)
• Wear loose non-restrictive garments made from natural fibres in light colours.
• Avoid going out in the midday sun unnecessarily.
• Wear a hat or use an umbrella and sun block.
• Carry a spray bottle to spritz with when feeling warm.

If we become stressed and overwhelmed, or full of anxiety, it does not help us to keep cool. Therefore the more we can manage our worries and anxieties the more smoothly we can make our way through the common yet occasionally challenging hiccups that come with pregnancy. A more relaxed state will defiantly assist in keeping us physically cooler.

Babies

Hot weather, especially when it hits suddenly, can be tiring for the whole family and can affect behaviour, making us less energetic and sometimes more irritable. A wise move is to conserve energy by adopting a more relaxed lifestyle postponing non-essential activities and concentrating on keeping cool.

Many parents worry about breastfeeding, dehydration and their baby during the summer heat. As a general rule, provided there are no adverse medical conditions and the baby has free access to the breast and feeding well, this should not happen.

Breastmilk has a prefect ratio of food and water to meet your babies nutritional needs. When breastfeeding, the breasts work on supply and demand with changing qualities of milk to meet your babies demands. For example when your baby first attaches to the breast they get a rush of bluish watery looking milk, this fore milk helps quench their thirst and as baby suckles, let downs occurs and the hind milk helps to satisfy baby’s hunger. In hot weather babies feeding habits can change so that they may feed more frequently for shorter periods of time to get the benefit of the thirst quenching fore milk, interspersed with longer feeds to satisfy hunger. Allow baby to initiate the feeding programme. However some reassurance can come from knowing babies urinary output, if baby has plenty of pale thoroughly wet nappies they are usually having plenty of fluids. Rough rule of thumb:-in a 24 hour period, 6-8 clear saturated cloth nappies or 4-6 clear, heavily wet disposable nappies means you are probably on the right track

Babies love body contact but during the hot summer weather they can become overheated unsettled and fussy at the breast, cranky and/or sleepy. We need to help them and ourselves, to be more comfortable and relaxed while feeding and resting.

• Feed in the coolest room of the house.
• Utilise good ventilation, with open windows, fan or air-conditioning.
• Wet sheets hung over chairs or clothes horses in front of breezy windows or doors or fans act like an evaporative cooler. Just keep the sheets wet.
• Place a light sheet between baby and your skin, even a damp sheet can be helpful.
• Have a cool washer at hand or spritz bottle to lightly spray you both.
• If using a pillow to keep baby at the right level for a feed, consider covering it with a lambskin for baby to lie on.
• Cool you both down with a shower or bath just before feed time.
• Lying in a cool bath while feeding can also be very comfortable.
• Sleep baby on a lambskin which allows airflow around baby for coolness and sweat absorption.
• If mother has to be away from baby, extra fluid in the form of expressed breast milk or cooled boiled water may be necessary.

Breast refusal.

Is baby uncomfortably hot? Cool you both down before attempting to feed.

Have you neglected your own thirst?

Is your baby ill or unwell? Teething, sore throat or an ear infection or an fever can cause problems which may need medical assistance.

More breastfeeding information can be found from the Australian Breastfeeding Association on (07) 3844 6488 or ABA web site www.breastfeeding.asn.au

Signs of dehydration in a baby can include:-

• Decrease in feeding patterns.
• Dry mouth and tongue and skin.
• Few or no tears when crying.
• Dull sunken eyes, sunken fontanelles or cheeks, poor skin tone.
• Irritability, lethargy or unusual sleepiness.
• Rapid breathing, fast and weak pulse.
• None or only small amounts of concentrated or dark urine which smells of ammonia in the nappies.
• High fever.

*******TAKE BABY TO A DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY.********

Keeping Babies and older children cool on outings

• Good ventilation or air-conditioner in the car.
• Car window sunshades.
• Lie baby on a lambskin in car seat, bassinette or pram.
• Have a bouncer seat, cooling change from car seat, bassinette, pram or rug.
• Dress baby in light, loose natural fibre clothing, which is good for keeping the sun off baby and makes it easier for nappy changes.
• Sun hat.
• Hypoallergenic sun block.
• Beach umbrella or gazebo tent.
• Cooler bag with ice blocks to keep wet cloths, extra clothing and nappies cool.
• If using sling or pouch to carry baby wear cotton clothing between you both, miss going out in the mid-day sun, frequent cool shopping centres.
• Feed baby frequently, you may need to wake baby for feeds especially if they have dry nappies for longer than normal.
• Once a baby is on the move or an older child letting them play supervised in the shade, near a garden sprinkler, it is great fun and very cooling for all concerned.

We live in a tropical climate, and should make the weather our friend by being sensible and using the resources available to us. We may not be able to afford to air-condition our whole house, but even one room could be helpful. Many are unable to have even such a luxury as an evaporative cooler, but wet cloth hung over hangers make an old fashioned but excellent alternative. We have to remember that our ancestors survived very well without all our modern appliances and modern medical knowledge by trusting their bodies to give them the information they needed for survival and working with their environment.