Probably the most stupid 2ww question you'll ever hear!

[Waitingforourmiracle]

I'm actually embarrassed to be asking this but in my defence I had a mmc last time so I'm being more careful this time.

So here goes, bear with me! I like hot showers and I know that's a no no so I switched the shower on to a heat lower than I'd usually have it and put the plug in the bath and then popped my bath and room thermometer in. It floated about as the bath filled a little and throughout my shower it ranged from 33-35 degrees but mostly stayed at 33/34. So as body temperature is 37.5 and we are ok up to that temperature I knew it was safe to get in. I showered in 12 minutes and it was a warm enough temperature for me considering I like really hot showers. But when I finished I reached down to pull the plug out with the shower still running and the water that had collected in the bath (that the thermometer was measuring) felt a lot cooler than when it hit me from the shower head 😱😱

Does that mean the water would have been hotter than 35 degrees when it came out of the shower or is it just that it feels colder in the bath as it's all collected rather than spray??

I'm so worried I've messed this up and had a shower that was too hot! I was only in there for 12 minutes so if it was hotter than 35 degrees as I was only in there for a short amount of time could it have affected our embryo? I'm currently 3dp5dt so implantation should have started today.

Sorry if this is totally ridiculous and ott but I've done everything right this time and now I'm worried

[Frenchie2017]

Hello, I don't really have an answer... but I haven't changed my shower temperature at all. I've not been having baths, but I haven't really been too worried about showers - i think baths are worse because they raise your overall body temp? Whereas in the shower your whole body isn't always getting all the heat - if that makes sense?! After my transfer my doctor said to carry on life as normal, so I don't know if that helps? I'm sure it will be fine - i keep thinking that most women don't even know they are pregnant at our stage and carry on as normal - taking baths, drinking alcohol etc... It's so hard to not worry about everything though! Best of luck with your 2ww - my OTD is this Sunday! It seems a lifetime away xx

[Oakey80]

Hiya I didn't change my shower temperature at all. Was just told not to take hot baths (still had a couple of luke warm ones though...which weren't great!) Xx

[Franco81]

Ah I can understand why you're worrying after all you've been through, it really is a minefield isn't it, with all the do's and don't's! But it sounds like you are absolutely fine.

My clinic told me no baths but showers are fine as the water isn't covering your body so to carry on as normal. I haven't altered the temperature of my showers at all.

I'm in the 2WW as well and trying so hard to just be as relaxed as possible (which isn't very!).

Good luck xx

[Fredaflintstone]

Don’t worry at all. I did turn my shower down to warm instead of hot but clinic said just no baths xx

[Waitingforourmiracle]

Yeah this definitely was warm rather than hot - my skin didn't go red or anything - I'm just confused by why it felt colder in the bottom of the bath ☹️

[emmab178 in reply to Waitingforourmiracle]

Boring engineering response alert.

Because it's had time to cool down as it has a greater surface area for the outside air to cool it down. Also the bath itself would have taken some of the heat out of the water. An enamel bath would take more heat than a plastic one.

For example same thing if you had a cup of tea but spilt half of it on the counter top, the spilt half would cool down quicker than the tea still in the cup. After wiping up the spilt tea the counter would be a little warmer where the tea had gone.

I stayed away from baths but did not turn the shower down and i like them really roasty. Justified it by remembering im not in there for a long time.

[Lilli79]

Don't worry I had lots of much more stupid questions than this during my 2ww (you should check out my Google history!!). I wouldn't worry too much, I don't think this will affect it. I thought the point of not having baths was due to potential infection that could harm implantation? But anyway, I think if you're thinking about it you're probably taking all necessary precautions, I was never told to avoid hot showers. Good luck for your OTD xx

[Sprinkles86]

Aw don’t worry I think it’s perfectly understandable you will be worrying after what you have been through! I think that temp sounds absolutely fine, as long as you’re not having roasting hot showers to the point where you feel hot you will be fine. I think Frenchie is right... with a bath there’s not a lot of space for the heat to escape your body as you’re almost fully submerged whereas with a shower you’re just getting sprinkled with it. Hope the 2ww passes quickly for you xxxx

[Waitingforourmiracle]

Thank you ladies - I'm so worried since someone has told me that shower water cools really quickly so the actual temp would have been higher. I really appreciate all your replies as it is reassuring me but hoping Diane might pop by to totally put my mind at ease xxx

[Lizzielizzielizzie]

I was told the no baths rule is to do with infection possibilities after youve had the needle through your ovaries for egg collection, nothing to do with the heat at all. Interested to know if there is a scientific reason to avoid hot baths. Hope Diane might be able to help!

[Tugsgirl]

Hi. I don’t think there’s an issue with showering. The issue is in bathing after ET as the water can cause infection. We were told that during transfer they take away a protective layer on your cervix which is why bathing can cause infection. As for the heat, a hot shower should not increase your core body temperature, for example, like a hot tub would, which is why pregnant women are told not to use hot tubs. So showers are fine. And so is a warm bath after your tww. Xx

[Waitingforourmiracle]

Bumping for Diane's reassurance

[Spongy]

I can totally understand this feeling, I was 100% the same and it's so hard not to obsess about everything. I was reassured though when people reminded me that most people wouldn't even know they were pregnant at this stage and would be lounging about in boiling hot baths!!!

It would have to be really hot for a long time to have any ill effect in my opinion so please try not to worry!!

[Waitingforourmiracle in reply to Spongy]

That's very true! Isn't it crazy that we'd probably be giving advice to others about a worry but when it's our own worry all rational thought goes out the window

[Hormomalmess]

I am no expert but I would say a slightly hot shower is fine, I am the same as you and like my showers quite hot and didn't change how I showered during my 2ww and I am 19 weeks pregnant now. The concern about hot baths is that they raise your core body temperature which is not good but I very much doubt a hot 12 minute shower would do that to you.

Good luck for test day xxx

[DianeArnold Partner Nurse Fertility Network UK]

Hi Waitingforourmiracle. The water in the bath that had collected would be going cooler due to the surface area exposed. The water coming out of the shower would stay at the temperature you set it. You haven't caused any harm, so try not to worry. Diane

[Waitingforourmiracle in reply to DianeArnold]

We don't actually have a temperature setting on our shower it's just arrows saying hot and cold so as the collected water was about 33/34 then the water coming out would have been hotter. Hopefully not hot enough to have caused any harm

[DianeArnold Partner Nurse Fertility Network UK in reply to Waitingforourmiracle]

Hi. No, I'm sure all will be OK. If it feels comfortable, then it's OK. Try not to worry. Diane

[Waitingforourmiracle in reply to DianeArnold]

Thank you - will relax now and keep that shower temperature right down

[DianeArnold Partner Nurse Fertility Network UK in reply to Waitingforourmiracle]

xx