Sun/Tanning While Pregnant

[cherrypie7788]

Obviously I have given up tanning beds. But I was wondering, is it okay to tan outside? I'm very dark as it is right now (darker than anyone I know) and I dont really want to lose any color.

Once I have my base tan, I never burn, ever. So I dont see the harm in getting an hour or two of sun as long as I don't get too hot or burn.

Ladies (or gents) what is your opinion on this? I haven't asked my doc. My naturally dark hair goes good with my skin so I think he might assume I'm naturally dark anyway and just picked up some "extra" color at the beach.

[Wicked Wanda]

*first strips herself naked and admires her own perfect, golden tan, especially her tan lines, the pale white, string- thin line around her waist, and a narrow strip of white skin in front, providing her with a delicate "framing" around her...* *ahem*

The easy answer? NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!!!!

Sweetie, your skin is probably NOT going to tan like it usually does!

The hormones change everything! First, your skin will be much more sensitive to sun. You will burn more easily and you can suffer can some really odd effects, almost like an allergic reaction, things like rashes with intense itching and raised wheals. Second, the chloasma, (for you men, it's the brown spoltchy patches on the face that we get during pregnancy) gets much worse with sun.
Then there is the change in your heart rate, vascular volume, and ability to deal with extra heat. You can get over -heated much more easily when pregnant. Heat is very bad for developing a developing fetus.

Last, UV radiation can break down folic acid. This lack of folic acid causes serious developmental problems with the fetus, most importantly it causes what are called "neural tube defects", a serious birth defect. If you have a good OB, she (sorry, gender bias) has already started you on supplements, but they will not make up for too much sun.

To everyone.

Some of you already know I was once pregnant (for about two weeks) and did not have any of these problems. I miscarried for mysterious reasons, like half of all pregnancies. I also have known pregnant women who did just fine in the NO heat. (I grew up there). But few of the pregnant women I knew ever went into the sun. Hats are very popular with women while pregnant, straw swingers especially. I had a collection of swingers, boaters and even one straw "western" style. Every maternity shop carried them. I know you can be pregnant in a hot, humid, sunny place, get a tan while pregnant, and have no problems at all. I also know the chances are I can bed a strange guy and not catch anything. But why take foolish chances?

Wanda dresses to hide her glorious tan, and heads for the beach. Her boobs need a little more work.

:boobs:

WW

[Loulabelle]

I agree WW....my gut instinct told me to stay out of the sun, and I followed it. To be honest, it's so bloody hot being pregnant anyway, that the last thing I wanted was to be basking in it.

It's worth remembering, however, that women who do not get ANY sun on their skin (such as Muslim women who wear veils) should be aware that it could affect the Vitamin D levels in their body, which can have a detrimental effect on their babies during breast feeding.

[wyndhy]

i agree you don't want to go basking in the sun for hours just to stay tan but i hardly think lounging in the sun to read a book for an hour would be all that bad. don't get over-heated and keep your doc appraised of any and all questions and concerns

[Wicked Wanda]

Sweetie, I am sticking to my original answer.

I am not an OB Nurse, but I have worked in the delivery room more than a little. I am also NO born and raised, and got my first all over tan there.

Basking in the La. heat for an hour while pregnant is not a good idea.

Period.


Besides, if all else is uncertain, ask your OB.


WW

[cherrypie7788]

I have been doing it so far. I'm 9 weeks this week. I never burn, ever. The only time I ever sunburn is if I have had no sun and I go outside ALL day long and even then it's a little pinkness. I'm 1/4 cherokee indian mixed with italian. I don't just tan, I blacken. I don't know if you've seen my pics or not.

An hour outside is enough to make me darker than most people get in half a day.

We go to the beach a lot, down further south from NO. I dont feel like I can just sit under an umbrella and watch people play in the sun and the surf all day. Of course, I am not going to "lay out" for five or six hours either like I used to or stay in the water all day.

I am an LPN (not currently working) and have started on becoming an RN, so I've got the medical knowledge as well but I just wanted to get some general opinions of women who have been pregnant and have done it since you can have all the medical knowledge in the world, but experience is usually best.

[Wicked Wanda]

...when people will go back and re-read her post, the part about how becoming pregnant CHANGES how you might respond to the sun...

oh well...

:sun:

*sees something else pretty and sparkling in the light and goes to investigate...*


Ohhhh, how pretty!

:rolleyes2

WW

[Lilith]

No medical background only personal experience, lived in Texas and Florida. Heat was a problem but not til I was significantly pregnant, carrying the extra weight towards the end. Sun was an issue in one pregnancy when I had severe facial rosacea, in the other pregnancy there was no problem.

[cherrypie7788]

...when people will go back and re-read her post, the part about how becoming pregnant CHANGES how you might respond to the sun...

oh well...

:sun:

*sees something else pretty and sparkling in the light and goes to investigate...*


Ohhhh, how pretty!

:rolleyes2

WW

Maybe you should go back and re-read mine. I said I have been doing it so far with no changes in how I respond to sun.

[cherrypie7788]

No medical background only personal experience, lived in Texas and Florida. Heat was a problem but not til I was significantly pregnant, carrying the extra weight towards the end. Sun was an issue in one pregnancy when I had severe facial rosacea, in the other pregnancy there was no problem.

I'm thinking that when I get in the 3rd trimester I'm not going to feel much like going outside anyway :( which is why I'm going to try to enjoy it now before it gets terribly hot and I'm terribly big.

How many kids do you have Lilith?