Can Pregnant Girls Use a Heating Pad?

Achy muscle tissue and joints are frequent throughout being pregnant—in spite of everything, you’re housing a bit human! In the event you’ve ever used a heating pad earlier than, you know the way useful it’s for soothing sore spots, and could also be questioning if it is OK to make use of throughout your being pregnant. Not solely do heating pads present rapid reduction, however they’ll additionally act as a supply of consolation throughout a bodily uncomfortable time.

In a nutshell, the reply is sure. It’s typically thought-about protected to make use of a heating pad throughout being pregnant, however there are some mandatory precautions it is best to take. Two OBGYNs weigh in on this matter and delve additional into the provisions and advantages.

Utilizing a Heating Pad Whereas Pregnant

Warmth remedy is used to deal with basic again ache, muscle soreness, and joint stiffness. Whether or not it is within the type of an electrical heating pad, a heated gel pack, or a warmth wrap, utilized warmth is thought to enhance circulation and blood stream to the focused space and subsequently helps restore broken tissue.

Fortuitously, these advantages apply throughout being pregnant, too. As your child grows, you could expertise added pressure in your muscle tissue and ligaments, particularly in your again and hips. One instance of that is referred to as spherical ligament ache, a pointy ache within the stomach or hips, which is frequent throughout the second trimester. In response to the Cleveland Clinic, making use of warmth to the realm of discomfort may also help mitigate ache and soothe signs.

Is It Protected for Child?

Once you discover out you are pregnant, you begin second-guessing your standard routines and contemplate whether or not they could possibly be dangerous to your child. Fortunately, should you’ve been an avid heating pad consumer, you’ll be able to proceed to take action all through your being pregnant.

In response to Andrea Chisholm, MD, an OBGYN and member of the Verywell Household medical assessment board, utilizing a heating pad whereas pregnant is protected in your unborn child, however there are precautions to take, resembling temperature regulation and pad placement.

Advantages of Utilizing a Heating Pad Throughout Being pregnant

The principle good thing about utilizing a heating pad whereas pregnant is assuaging physique aches and pains, significantly decrease again ache. “Among the frequent musculoskeletal aches and pains of being pregnant like low again, hip ache, and sciatica, reply effectively to utilized warmth,” explains Dr. Chisholm.

In response to Tara Shirazian, MD, OBGYN and founding father of Mommy Issues, the load of the growing being pregnant shifts the middle of gravity which causes pregnant people to make use of their low again muscle tissue extra typically to remain upright. “A heating pad is a good way to alleviate this low again and neck pressure and is protected to make use of,” Dr. Shirazian provides.

Security Precautions

In the event you select to get pleasure from the benefits of utilized warmth whilst you’re pregnant, it’s suggested to pay attention to the right precautions. Most significantly, be sure that the heating pad is just not too scorching as that may trigger burns, Dr. Shirazian says.

You additionally need to guarantee you do not use the heating pad for a protracted time period, like in a single day. Dr. Chisholm explains that people who find themselves pregnant need to keep away from elevating their core physique temperature as a result of it might be dangerous to the newborn if sustained over time. A pregnant particular person mustn’t enable their core physique temperature to extend to 102 levels for greater than 20 minutes, provides Dr. Chisholm. Fortunately, she stresses that it is unlikely utilizing a heating pad for a brief period will increase core physique temperature, so you’ll be able to breathe a deep sigh of reduction.

It is also suggested to keep away from putting the heating pad instantly on the uterus or stomach, says Dr. Shirazian. Strive putting the pad in your hips, decrease again (when you’ve got one that can strap on), and different affected muscle tissue. In case you are experiencing belly ache, it is best to inform your healthcare supplier to verify all is effectively.

Being pregnant Protected Options

Although utilizing a heating pad has been deemed typically protected to make use of throughout being pregnant, you should still be on the lookout for another choices to mitigate being pregnant pains.

Train

One different to contemplate is train. Analysis exhibits that common each day train can ease physique aches by strengthening the muscle tissue that assist the again and legs and by selling good posture. Strive going out for a each day stroll or swimming as typically as you’ll be able to. Each strolling and swimming are nice low-impact exercises which might be protected to do whereas pregnant.

Therapeutic massage

Prenatal therapeutic massage can relieve muscle and joint pains which might be typically introduced on by the bodily and hormonal modifications throughout being pregnant. Prenatal therapeutic massage helps cut back swelling by stimulating tender tissue in swollen joints. It could actually additionally assist with nerve pains, resembling sciatic nerve ache, by focusing on close by muscle tissue and lowering stress round infected nerves.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture for ache administration continues to be a scorching matter. If practiced along side good posture, acupuncture has been proven to efficiently cut back again and pelvic ache. In case you are not acquainted, acupuncture includes inserting small needles into areas on the physique and stimulating particular factors. Although more moderen analysis has discovered acupuncture to be protected throughout being pregnant, it is best to nonetheless speak to your healthcare supplier about whether or not or not it’s the most suitable choice for you.

A Phrase From Verywell

Utilizing a heating pad whereas pregnant is usually thought-about protected, so long as the right precautions are taken. In the event you love your heating pad or are fascinating in attempting one, it is best to completely reap all its therapeutic and soothing advantages—consider it as a type of mandatory self-care. Nonetheless, it is all the time a good suggestion to test along with your healthcare supplier earlier than attempting something pertaining to your physique throughout being pregnant.