Yes. Generally, taking Epsom salt baths to reduce inflammation and ease aches and pains is safe even when pregnant.
Epsom salts should not be confused with their table salt counterparts. Due to the anti-inflammatory properties of magnesium sulphate in Epsom salt, it is very popular among people suffering aches and pains.
What is Epsom salt? It's magnesium sulfate in crystalized form. But, is taking baths with Epsom salt safe during pregnancy? Since many expecting mothers experience pregnancy aches and pains, Epsom salt baths might be ideal for many pregnant women.
Epsom salt baths offer many benefits. And many pregnant women will find that taking Epson salt baths actually eases a lot of symptoms. However, you should avoid magnesium sulfate overdose or ingesting Epsom salt.
Are Epsom Salt Baths Safe During Pregnancy?
Enjoying Epsom salt baths during pregnancy has various benefits, like easing sore muscles and other pregnancy-related symptoms.
Some pregnant women find soaking a way to enjoy "me time", so why not pour in some Epsom salts?
What Are The Benefits Of Using Epsom Salt Baths While Pregnant?
Many women during pregnancy look to the many benefits of Epsom salt baths, such as relaxation, pain relief, and soothing of other complications such as vaginal irritation.
Below are the health benefits of putting Epsom salts into your bathtub filled with warm water.
Provide Extra Magnesium
It is a well-known fact that an increase in magnesium levels can relieve aches and cramps. Magnesium sulfate is also great for repairing body tissue and regulating blood sugar levels.
Pregnancy-related discomforts may include an irritable uterus. But it can be alleviated by added magnesium. However, some health conditions and drugs could interfere with magnesium absorption.
But thanks to the deep penetration power of Epsom salts, your body can easily absorb magnesium to increase its level in your body. Magnesium deficiency occurs frequently and can be treated naturally with Epsom salt baths.
Relief From Aches And Pains
The anti-inflammatory properties of magnesium sulfate are one of the main benefits of taking warm baths with Epsom salt during pregnancy. As your developing baby grows, your ligaments and muscles are under more pressure.
Whether you suffer from hemorrhoids or feel pain in your feet, hips, or back, you can take a warm bath with Epsom salts to ease the pain. Epsom salt can directly influence the pain receptors in the brain.
Reduces Swelling
Since mothers-to-be carry a lot more weight during pregnancy, it can lead to swelling of the feet. Epsom salt baths are beneficial because it can help you alleviate this discomfort.
When you absorb magnesium sulfate into your body through a soak in a bath with Epsom salts, it reduces pregnancy swelling or the build-up of fluid and increases blood circulation.
If you are missing magnesium in your diet, taking a bath with Epsom salts can help to replace some of what you are missing.
Improve And Soothe Skin
Magnesium is a natural and essential mineral that can help soothe the skin during pregnancy. As the baby grows, the mother's belly stretches. At this point, the skin might start feeling itchy and tight. The itchiness can vary in intensity.
A soak in a hot tub with Epsom salts can give you the much-needed relief you need. Peer-reviewed studies have shown that pregnant women feel relief from itchiness after a warm bath with Epsom salts.
You can also use the salts as a body scrub to help soften and exfoliate the skin. The magnesium sulfate can calm and soothe the overstretched feeling of tight skin.
Stress Reduction
There are times when you can relax and get relief from a stressful day by just soaking in hot tubs. Magnesium helps to reduce the effects of adrenaline and allows the body to produce more serotonin, a chemical responsible for controlling emotions and mood.
Low levels of serotonin could result in irritability and depression. Taking a bath with Epsom salts added can promote higher levels of serotonin, resulting in better sleep, better mood, and a more relaxed feeling.
Help With Digestion And Constipation
Epsom salts are a natural laxative able to regulate bowel movements. Adding Epsom salts to your bath water helps increase water in the intestine and clean all fecal matter there.
Bloating is a pretty common problem during pregnancy, and Epsom salt helps reduce this issue. It is unsafe to ingest Epsom salt during pregnancy, but since it readily passes through the skin, you can bathe in it.
Constipation is a condition that can be reduced by taking a soak in a hot tub filled with Epsom salts.
Help With Nausea Symptoms
Most times, pregnancy is accompanied by nausea and this can be discomforting. A natural way to relieve this condition is by taking a soak in your bathtub filled with warm water and Epsom salts.
Helps Treat Preeclampsia
Preeclampsia is a rare but life-threatening condition. Pregnant women suffering from this condition can reduce the associated risks by up to 15% simply by taking warm baths with Epsom salts.
Might Prevent Early Labor
Soaking in Epsom salt can help you avoid early contractions, which could lead to preterm labor. It does this by lowering the calcium level in the uterus muscles.
Haemorrhoid Help
When you bathe with Epsom salts, magnesium sulfate is absorbed by the body. Thanks to its anti-inflammatory benefits, it can help deal with toxins during pregnancy.
Epsom salt's effective detoxifying effect relaxes the anal area while removing toxins from the sphincter. This brings relief and makes most people feel happier.
Relief From Itching
If you wondering how you could limit the itching that comes with pregnancy, the answer is simply taking a bath with Epsom salts.
What Important Precautions To Take?
There are a few safety precautions to ensure that Epsom salt pregnancy bathing goes smoothly and without any problems.
-
Ensure you don't take a hot bath during pregnancy. Hot water could raise your core body temperature, which increases the risk of neural tube defects in babies. Always check the water temperature before you get in.
-
Do not drink or inject it into your body forcefully because there are cases where magnesium poisoning could happen, though it is rare.
-
Seek information from a doctor before regularly soaking in Epsom salt. This is because it could negatively impact pregnant women who have kidney or heart problems.
-
It is not advisable to add aromatic oil like lavender or eucalyptus to Epsom salt baths.
Are There Any Risks And Side Effects?
It is better to visit your doctor to know if there is any personal risk if you take a soak with Epsom salts. These are some common risks you might face with a regular Epsom salt bath during pregnancy.
-
With underlying health conditions such as kidney or heart problems, there is a higher likelihood Epsom salt could have a negative effect.
-
If there is a miscarriage history, Epsom salt could result in some pregnancy complications as it shifts water from the intestine to other parts of the body.
-
In rare cases, if Epsom salt is ingested, it could lead to poisoning.
How To Use Epsom Salt Baths During Pregnancy?
Depending on what you hope to achieve, you can either soak your feet in the water or add it to your bath water.
These are the steps to take to make sure you safely use Epsom salt baths during pregnancy:
-
Fill your bathtub with warm or lukewarm water (ensure it's not hot).
-
Then, put in two cups of Epsom salt.
-
When it has dissolved completely, go ahead and get into the tub and enjoy soaking for about 12-15 minutes.
How Much Epsom Salt In Bath While Pregnant
Epsom salt is safe, affordable, and provides relief for a lot of pregnancy issues. But it is important to know the quantity to use when you want to take a bath.
The ideal concentration for using Epsom salt baths is 2 cups. You also don't have to stay long in the tub, as 12-15 minutes is enough.
Conclusion
Epsom salt is made from two naturally occurring minerals: magnesium and sulfate. You can safely use bath salts during pregnancy as they are mostly a combination of dead sea salt, Epsom salt, and Pink Himalayan salt. It never contains sodium chloride, but it could contain essential oils.
An Epsom salt bath has a lot of health benefits for pregnant women as it is soothing and relaxing. You can get these salts from your local grocery stores or an online store.
