Summer Pregnancy Tips from a fair skinned Floridian

I am currently 9 months pregnant at the peak of summer in Florida. This has been my nightmare since I met the father of my children (before he knew he’d be the father of my children lol). In fact, I’ve despised summer as far back as I can remember. It comes with the territory: Floridians know summer is the worst.

But first, the severity of my fair-skinnedness:

My skin color can be described as “translucent” With the exception of my sunspotted arms and freckled chest. 🥴

I am almost out of the woods and home with a baby and this nightmare of mine hasn’t been nearly as bad as I feared. Heat-wise, it’s been no worse than any summer before this, and maybe even better since I get to pull the pregnancy card this time and work from home in quarantine.

Here are my tips for surviving pregnancy during a Florida summer.

POPSICLES

living for ‘em.

good old fashioned popsicles. The kind you can buy 500 of for like $2. Omg they give me life.

I might eat 2 (or 5) in one sitting, but it is a nice alternative to straight water after all these months and it’s still practically water, right?

I get a sweet fix and ice cold hydration in one fell swoop.

STAY IN THE SHADE

The sun will literally kill you. And I’m not just being dramatic over here. We light-skinned Floridians do not joke about the sun.

Not only is skin cancer a thing, but heatstroke happens too. It is seriously hot y’all. Everywhere I go, I am always scanning for the shady spots. It is still crazy hot in the shade, but any protection from full blown RAYS makes a Big difference.

I’m even a big hat wearer in the summertime, because that little duck bill of coverage has saved me from collapsing more times than I can recall. Seriously.

and yes, I have and fully expect to collapse in excess heat. Consider this a warning!

Here I am pretending I didn’t know my husband was taking pictures and getting him some Instagram-husband practice in the shade.

AVOID ACTIVITIES BETWEEN 11-7

It’s sounding more and more dramatic over here, but these are survival tips for a V emotional time, ok?!

Having said that, the heat peaks during these 8 hours of everyday. So just…. stay inside.

If you absolutely have to be out and about during that time, make sure there is easy access to the aforementioned: popsicles (or some variety of near freezing water) and SHADE.

This is not the time to go to Disney World or have a picnic. Even entertaining my daughter at the park had to be nixed. Sorry babe!

DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR ACCOMMODATIONS

Umbrellas, ice water, seats with backs, popsicles lol. Pregnancy is so temporary, and I’m afraid so many of us don’t fully adjust to our needs until it’s too late.

My husband would disagree with me here but I’m generally not a very demanding person. Independent woman. Don’t need no man. Incredibly capable of everything. 😜

So it can be a little out of character for me to ask for help or request special treatment. But anytime we were offered or required to be somewhere that didn’t fit into those previous rules (at the hottest times or in the sun), I flat out prepared them with my needs of shade, seating, and a steady flow of water/bathroom access ha!

If that was too much, it was a hard pass from me. Gotta take care of you, boo!

FORGET ABOUT THE BEACH

Unless it’s sunrise or sunset or you’re just there for a walk (which will quickly feel like a punishment).

The water stops being refreshing and starts to feel like a bathtub. Seriously, it’s an issue. There are two windows of perfect beach weather and they are end around Memorial Day and open after Labor Day.

Summer doesn’t really end until November (if we’re lucky) so there is plenty of time to enjoy nature’s wonders, but for the summer you are best served poolside. Close proximity to the indoors is essential.

and I have to say, my least favorite part of a beach trip is leaving in a hot car. Oof it is brutal because chances are your car was sunbathed too and for some reasons they don’t have any covered parking at the best spots. It’s crazy town and a huge missed opportunity for solar panel placement (hint hint!!).

GET A REAL GOOD PAIR OF LEGGINGS

I am so lucky to have accidentally not skipped a month of my Fabletics subscription. I hardly buy myself any new clothes (I prefer to spend my money on wood or furniture), but I had a credit and used it on some of their maternity leggings. Worth every penny.

They aren’t too tight, which is a real concern for all things pregnant, and they aren’t too HOT. They are the most breathable, stretchy, comfy things I’ve ever worn and I’m never letting them go.

This was one of my last big outings! We had to go check out our new Pier (7 years in the making). I got reservations for 7pm, obviously, and notice it’s still super sunny. I wore my hat and gave leggings and somehow did not go into labor. The sun doesn’t set until after 8 in the summer so we still have plenty of daylight without the harsh sun.

Florida Summer Pregnancy Essentials

There are my ridiculous rules, but really they are just tips to prevent you from overheating or brining on an early labor. But before I wrap this up, I want to include my favorite goodies that got me through my last pregnancy during the hottest days of the year!