Is Your Spa Treatment Safe During Pregnancy?

Being pregnant doesn’t mean you don’t deserve a bit of pampering. While you’re expecting, there are times when you and friends may want to escape for a spa break or long weekend. Although there are precautions to take, a number of treatments are safe for pregnant women.

Yes or no to spa treatments:

• Body Wraps – most body wrap treatments use heated towels and wraps on specific areas of the body to help melt away fat. Experts agree that the core temperature of a pregnant woman should not go above 39°C. Body wrapping is not safe during pregnancy because it may raise a mother's body to a temperature that is dangerous for the baby.
• Manicures and Pedicures – surely, sprucing up your nails is safe during pregnancy, right? Yes. Although nail varnish and other chemicals may release fumes, your exposure is unlikely to be dangerous. The products are not harmful to the baby either. As long as you are avoiding products with chemicals like dibutyl phthalate, go out to pamper those fingers and toes.
• Facials – basic skin facials are safe for your face. But there are treatments to avoid: chemical peels, many types of aromatherapy and electrical stimulation therapies should be avoided. If in doubt of the safety of a facial treatment, ask an expert.
• Massage – these treatments may be a perfect way to lower stress and anxiety. There are specific massage certifications for treating pregnant clients so verify your spa meets your needs. Massage can be a great way to bring relief to aching muscles and joints.
• Saunas and Steam Rooms – just like the heat of body wraps, it is best to avoid saunas and steam rooms when you're pregnant. It is important to avoid creating an abnormally high body temperature, a potential cause of birth defects and complications.
• Waxing – there is nothing wrong with smooth, silky skin when you’re expecting. Although pregnancy hormones may speed up hair growth, a waxing treatment at the spa is fine.

Special care should be taken when attending a spa in Yorkshire. When in doubt, speak with your GP, midwife or spa therapy professional. Find out more about the one night spa breaks in Yorkshire and the range of spa treatments we offer.

Image Credit: Tatiana Vdb (flickr.com)