8 Tips to Enjoy a Beach Vacation While You’re Pregnant.
The surf, the sand, the sun… oh, the sun! You’re all about the waves and
can’t wait for your seaside vacation. Go ahead and toss that itsy-bitsy
bikini in your bag, grab a summer beach towel, and head out to your perfect beach destination.
Wait, you’re pregnant — scratch the bikini? Maybe not! Growing another
human being inside of you changes a lot, which means some tweaks to your
coastal trip. Check out what you need to know before you go!
1. Embrace your bump. You’re
glowing, you’re showing… and you kind of feel like a beached whale.
Don’t stress! There’s absolutely no shame in showing off your
“with-baby” body. Don’t let anyone make you feel otherwise: Your body is beautiful, no matter its shape or size. Put on your bikini, take off the tent-like cover-up, and show off your beautiful self.
2. Always use sunscreen. There are more new cases of skin cancer reported every year than prostate, breast, colon, and lung cancers combined, according to
the Skin Cancer Foundation. So, yes, sunscreen is always important.
Along with protecting your skin from serious long-term damage, getting a
burn is never fun. This is extra true when you’re already uncomfortable
during your pregnancy. Itching, peeling, and stinging on top of the
stretching your skin is already feeling just won’t do. But before you
slather up, check the ingredients list (and check with your doc).
Sunscreens containing the chemical oxybenzone have been linked to having
low-birth-weight babies.
3. Enjoy the water. Provided you
watch out for sharp objects such as jagged rocks (and, of course, shark
teeth), the water may actually be your friend. It will cool you off on a
hot day and take some of the pressure off of your body. Even though
you’re not totally weightless in the water, you’ll be light enough to
feel less of the aches and pains that pregnancy brings on. Just don’t
forget that sunscreen, because while you’ll be feeling more cool and
comfortable, the reflection off the water ups your chance of a sunburn.
4. Take breaks. Staying out in the
sun for too long may make you feel not-so-great. Couple that with the
sweat that’s now pouring down your body, and you’ll want to take breaks
somewhere shady or air-conditioned. Find a nearby spot (perhaps your
hotel or a café) that you can duck into for a virgin colada or a quick
snack. Limiting your beach time can also limit your sun exposure. Not
only is that healthier for your skin, but it may also reduce the risk of
discoloration. Between the increased melanin production that’s going on
in your pregnant body and the sun’s shiny rays, you have an increased
chance of developing melasma. Known as “the mask of pregnancy,”
melasma looks like brownish spots or patches on your face.
5. Stay hydrated. Attention to
hydration is essential during pregnancy. Too little water and you’ll
shrivel into something resembling a raisin. Okay, not really, but
pregnant women really do need more water than the average girl.
Dehydration can have some serious side effects that include low amniotic
fluid, premature labor, or reduced breast milk production. When the
summer sun is hot and you’re parked on the sand, keep a water bottle
handy — and filled!
6. Eat early. With all of the sun
and fun, your exhaustion level will peak early on. But that doesn’t mean
you should skip dinner and snooze instead. The senior special probably
starts sometime around 4pm. Join Grandma and Grandpa for a
super-early-bird dinner during your beach vacation. Eat earlier, and
then get your sleep time in.
7. Get in some light exercise. Just
because you’re spending 98 percent of your beach vacation lounging on a
comfy towel with the ocean breeze gently washing over you doesn’t mean
you can’t get in a workout. Before you start asking where the hotel gym
is, take a look around you. The beach is the perfect place to exercise
without overdoing it. Take a stroll through the sand, getting your feet
wet in the ocean as you go along.
8. Pack extra outfits. The game
plan is to spend the morning seaside, grab lunch, nap, and then hit the
beach again. So you pop into the ocean early on and then — well, then
you’re spending the entire day in a damp suit. Yuck. You’re sandy,
you’re uncomfortable, and you just want to feel dry again. Make sure to
pack an extra bathing suit and a change of clothes. You’ll thank
yourself later.
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