Pregnancy wellbeing and summer self care
Pregnancy can make you feel warmer than usual, even before summer temperatures begin to rise. Discover practical ways to stay cool and comfortable, alongside gentle aromatherapy rituals that can complement, but never replace, appropriate medical advice and heat safety measures.
How can you stay cool during pregnancy?
Drink water regularly, avoid direct sunlight during the hottest part of the day, wear loose breathable clothing, keep indoor spaces cool and take a cool or comfortably lukewarm shower. Aromatherapy may support relaxation and comfort, but it cannot lower core body temperature, treat dehydration or prevent heat related illness.
Important: This article provides general wellbeing information and is not medical advice. Every pregnancy is different. Speak to your midwife, GP, obstetric team or another qualified medical professional before introducing aromatherapy products during pregnancy.
Why Does Pregnancy Make You Feel Hotter?
It is common to feel warmer and sweat more during pregnancy. According to the NHS, this is partly caused by hormonal changes and an increased blood supply to the skin.
Research has also identified associations between extreme heat exposure and several maternal, fetal and neonatal outcomes. This does not mean that an ordinary warm day will cause a complication. It does mean that pregnant women should take extreme heat seriously, listen to their bodies and seek medical advice when something does not feel right.
How Can Hot Weather Affect Pregnancy?
Feeling tired, dizzy or faint
Heat can increase sweating and fluid loss. Heat exhaustion may cause tiredness, dizziness, headaches, nausea, cramps, excessive sweating and intense thirst. Pregnancy can also make faintness more common, so move slowly when standing up. Sit or lie on your side if you begin to feel faint.
Increased swelling
Some gradual swelling of the feet, ankles, legs and fingers is common during pregnancy. It can become more noticeable during hot weather because fluid tends to gather in the lower parts of the body.
Resting with your feet raised, avoiding long periods of standing and completing gentle foot movements may help with ordinary pregnancy swelling. Sudden or rapidly increasing swelling is different and should not be treated as a normal response to summer heat.
Difficulty sleeping
A warm bedroom can make it harder to settle, particularly when pregnancy is already affecting your sleep position, comfort or need to use the bathroom. Cooling the room, choosing breathable bedding and introducing a consistent evening ritual may help create better conditions for rest.
How to Stay Cool During Pregnancy
1. Drink regularly throughout the day
Drink water regularly rather than waiting until you feel very thirsty. Your urine should generally remain a pale colour. Carry water when travelling and keep a glass or reusable bottle within easy reach at home.
If you have been advised to restrict fluids for a medical reason, follow the guidance provided by your medical team. Aromatherapy products should never replace water, oral rehydration products or medical treatment.
2. Avoid the hottest part of the day
Try to stay out of direct sunlight between 11am and 3pm. When you need to go outside, choose shaded routes, wear loose and breathable clothing and take regular breaks.
Consider moving gentle activity to the early morning or later evening when conditions are cooler. Follow any individual exercise advice provided by your midwife or medical team.
3. Take a cool shower
A cool or comfortably lukewarm shower can help you feel fresher and remove sweat from the skin. Avoid water that is uncomfortably cold or excessively hot. The aim is to cool yourself gradually and comfortably.
4. Keep your home cooler
Close curtains or blinds in rooms facing the sun during the day. Open windows later when the outdoor temperature has fallen, provided it is safe to do so. Fans may help circulate air and create a more comfortable environment.
5. Wear breathable fabrics
Loose clothing made from natural fibres can feel more comfortable because these fabrics tend to be more breathable and absorbent than many synthetic alternatives.
Can You Use Aromatherapy During Pregnancy?
Aromatherapy may support emotional wellbeing and help create a more intentional self care ritual during pregnancy. However, pregnancy can alter skin sensitivity, scent preferences and how you respond to individual ingredients.
Aromatherapy Associates advises speaking to your medical team before using any product during pregnancy because every pregnancy is different.
Aromatherapy Associates does not recommend its concentrated Bath and Shower Oils during pregnancy because of their essential oil concentration. Individual product instructions should always be checked, as some products have additional restrictions.
Do not ingest essential oils or apply undiluted Pure Essential Oil Blends directly to your skin.
A Gentle Aromatherapy Associates Summer Routine
Morning: Refresh the skin after a cool shower
After showering, gently pat the skin dry rather than rubbing it vigorously. The lightweight texture of Revive Body Gel can provide a refreshing and cooling sensation on the skin.
Apply it gently to suitable areas rather than massaging swollen or painful limbs. The cooling sensation is cosmetic. It does not reduce core body temperature or treat pregnancy swelling, dehydration or heat exhaustion. Use during pregnancy only after seeking advice from your medical team.
During the day: Nourish skin that feels dry
Heat, frequent showering and increased perspiration can leave some areas of the skin feeling dry. Aromatherapy Associates particularly recommends its Rose range to nourish and protect the skin of mothers to be.
Apply a small amount of Rose Indulgent Body Cream to dry areas after a cool shower or during your evening routine. Rose Indulgent Body Cream contains nuts and should not be used by anyone with a relevant nut allergy. Ask your medical team for guidance before use.
Evening: Create calmer conditions for sleep
Begin by making the bedroom as cool and comfortable as possible. Choose breathable bedding, reduce unnecessary lighting and move electronic devices that generate heat away from the bed.
Once practical cooling measures are in place, Deep Relax Sleep Mist can become part of a consistent bedtime ritual. Mist it over your pillow and bedding, allow the fabric to dry and settle into your preferred pregnancy sleep position.
The mist is intended to support a relaxing bedtime environment. It does not treat insomnia or medically significant sleep problems. Seek advice from your medical team before use.
At home: Introduce scent carefully
After receiving approval from a qualified medical practitioner, the Atomiser Connect can be used with Aromatherapy Associates Pure Essential Oil Blends in a well ventilated room on Standard Mode.
Use a lower run time and stop immediately if the scent causes nausea, headache, irritation or discomfort. Diffusion should create a pleasant atmosphere rather than fill the room with an overpowering scent.
Revive Body Gel
A lightweight body gel with a refreshing, cooling sensation for a post shower body care ritual.
Discover Revive Body Gel
Rose Indulgent Body Cream
A rich body cream designed to condition and hydrate dry feeling skin. Contains nuts.
Discover Rose Body Cream
Deep Relax Sleep Mist
A pillow and bedding mist for a calming evening ritual once practical cooling measures are in place.
Discover Deep Relax Sleep Mist
Atomiser Connect
A waterless diffuser for carefully controlled home fragrance using Aromatherapy Associates blends.
Discover Atomiser Connect
Pure Essential Oil Blends
Pure essential oil blends created for diffusion. Use only as directed and seek medical advice during pregnancy.
Explore Essential Oil BlendsWhen to Seek Medical Help
Contact your midwife, GP or labour ward immediately if you experience a sudden increase in swelling, particularly in your face, hands or feet. You should also seek medical advice if swelling is accompanied by a severe headache, changes to your vision, pain below your ribs, vomiting or feeling very unwell. These can be symptoms of preeclampsia and should not be dismissed as ordinary heat related discomfort.
Signs of heat exhaustion can include dizziness, headache, nausea, cramps, heavy sweating, intense thirst and a high temperature. Move to a cool place, remove unnecessary clothing, drink water and cool the skin.
Call 999 if someone remains unwell after 30 minutes of cooling and fluids, or develops confusion, very hot skin without sweating, fast breathing, seizures or loss of consciousness. Heatstroke is a medical emergency.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is hot weather dangerous during pregnancy?
Warm weather does not automatically mean that you or your baby are in danger. However, pregnancy can make you feel hotter, while extreme heat increases the risk of dehydration, heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Stay hydrated, avoid peak temperatures and contact your medical team if you feel unwell.
Why do pregnant women feel hotter?
Hormonal changes and increased blood flow to the skin can make pregnant women feel warmer and sweat more than usual.
How can I cool down while pregnant?
Drink water regularly, stay in the shade, avoid direct sunlight during the hottest part of the day, wear loose clothing, keep indoor spaces cool and take a cool shower.
Can I use essential oils during pregnancy?
Essential oil use during pregnancy should be discussed with your midwife, doctor or another qualified medical practitioner. Follow the instructions for the individual product and never ingest essential oils.
Which Aromatherapy Associates products should I avoid during pregnancy?
Aromatherapy Associates does not recommend its concentrated Bath and Shower Oils during pregnancy. Some individual products may have additional cautions, so always read the product instructions and consult your medical team.
Can aromatherapy prevent heat exhaustion?
No. Aromatherapy cannot prevent or treat heat exhaustion, heatstroke or dehydration. Cooling your environment, drinking fluids and following medical guidance are the essential actions. Aromatherapy may complement these measures by supporting a calmer and more comfortable wellbeing ritual.
A Cooler Summer Starts With Listening to Your Body
Pregnancy can make even an ordinary summer day feel more intense. Give yourself permission to slow down, move plans to cooler parts of the day and make rest a priority.
Begin with the essentials: hydration, shade, breathable clothing and a cool environment. Then introduce carefully selected aromatherapy rituals, with approval from your medical team, to bring moments of refreshment, nourishment and calm to your day.
Create Your Pregnancy Conscious Wellbeing Ritual
Explore carefully considered body care, mists and home fragrance products, and always follow the product instructions and guidance from your medical team.
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