Many people enjoy the softness and comfort of a waterbed. The water-filled mattress shapes itself to the body, and pregnant women may find this support comfortable. For most pregnant women, sleeping in a waterbed presents no danger to themselves or their unborn baby, provided they observe a few precautions. If your waterbed helps you sleep more comfortably during your pregnancy, you don't have to give it up.
Temperature and Birth Defects
A 2004 study by the Texas Department of Health showed a link between overheating in mothers and neural tube defects in newborns. This led to advice that pregnant women avoid situations that would raise their body temperature, such as sitting in hot tubs or using electric blankets. Waterbeds have heaters that keep the water in the bed at a comfortable temperature, but these rarely increase the temperature of the water beyond normal body temperature. Keep the temperature of your waterbed heater no higher than body temperature, or 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, and you don't have anything to worry about.
Electrical Currents and Miscarriage
Other research has raised concerns that electrical currents, such as those associated with living near power lines, or sleeping in a bed heated by electricity, could contribute to miscarriages. When Yale University researchers looked at the use of heated waterbeds and electric blankets among pregnant women, they found that sleeping in a heated waterbed presented no increased risk of miscarriage to women, while using electric blankets presented only a slight risk.
Support
Since waterbed mattresses conform to the shape of your body, some pregnant women find them more comfortable for sleeping. The only concern you may have is getting out of the bed, especially as your pregnancy advances. Make sure the sides of your waterbed are low enough for you to safely roll out of it, or have someone available to help you out of bed in the morning. Otherwise, you might become stuck in the bed, since the water-filled mattress offers little resistance for you to lever yourself out of bed.
Considerations
If you have concerns about sleeping in a waterbed during your pregnancy, consult your doctor. If you find a waterbed comfortable, and you keep the heater on the bed turned down and you have no other health problems, the waterbed itself shouldn't cause any problems with your pregnancy. Getting adequate rest will make your pregnancy less draining, and if a waterbed helps you get that rest, this advantage alone may outweigh any slight disadvantages, such as trouble getting out of the bed.
References
- Epidemiology: Spontaneous Abortion and Exposure to Electric Blankets and Heated Water Beds
- Birth Defects Research: The Effect of Fever, Febrile Illnesses and Heat Exposure on the Risk of Neural Tube Defects in a Texas-Mexico Border Population
- Women's Health: Veronica Southard
- BabyCenter: Is It Safe to Sleep on a Waterbed During Pregnancy?
