Everything You *Need* To Know About Using Bath Bombs During Pregnancy

With pregnancy comes a new understanding of small luxuries, like pedicures, belly balm, and a comfy body pillow to snuggle up with each night. There's also nothing like slipping into a warm bath to help ease back pain, sore feet, and everything that hurts. It's also just plain old relaxing. But what about the products you use in your bath? Like anything in pregnancy, you might wonder about whether or not they are safe to use. And, OMG, what about those amazing bath bombs from LUSH? Can you use bath bombs while you're pregnant?

According to the LUSH website, if used as intended, most of their products — including their popular bath bombs — are totally safe to use during pregnancy. The company stated that they follow a set of guidelines created by the International Fragrance Association to "ensure our perfume materials are well within safety levels for cosmetic use, even while pregnant." Other companies that make bath bombs include Victoria's Secret PINK, Fragrant Jewels, and plenty of personal shops on Etsy. There are even DIY tutorials for making your own colorful bath bombs.

Experts say that one thing that you should keep in mind, however, is that whether you are using a bath bomb or squirt of shampoo, you'll want to be careful of the water temperature when indulging in a bath. "Extreme hot temperatures can be a problem during pregnancy," Dr. Sherry Ross, OB-GYN and women's health expert at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California, tells Romper. "Temperature above 102 Fahrenheit (38.9 Celsius), especially during the first six weeks of pregnancy, can cause defects to the baby’s brain and spinal cord and increase the chance of miscarriages."

Ross says it’s also best to avoid a hot tub if you are trying to get pregnant or during the first trimester to make sure you are not putting the baby at risk for serious abnormalities. "The general rule is not to spend more than 10 minutes in a hot tub that is set at 102 degrees beyond the first trimester," she says. "I generally tell my patients to avoid public hot tubs or use them sparingly. If they have their own personal hot tub, it can be set to a warm bath temperature (under 100 degrees) and be used without any concerns."

According to Fit Pregnancy, it's perfectly safe to slip into the tub and add your favorite bubble bath or oil to the water. Just be careful with oils because they can make the tub slippery. Fit Pregnancy noted that you should also avoid bath salts because they have a high mineral content and can heat up the water, leading to an increased heart rate. It also doesn't hurt to give all of your personal care products a once over to check for harmful ingredients that shouldn't be used when you are growing a tiny human, and even when breastfeeding.

"We encourage all of our mothers-to-be to check the ingredient list of all cosmetics and topical substances they are using," Dr. Idries Abdul-Rahman, who hosts Twin Doctors TV with his brother Jamil, tells Romper in an email interview. Some ingredients he recommends pregnant women avoid include: benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid (found in many acne creams and washes), hydroquinone (found in many skin lighteners), parabens (a preservative found in many cosmetics), aluminum chloride (found in antiperspirants), toluene (found in nail polish), phthalates (found in fragrances and nail polish), and oxybenzone and avobenzone (found in chemical sunscreens).

Dr. Elizabeth Trattner, a Florida-based licensed acupuncturist and women's health specialist, tells Romper in an email interview that it is also important for women to clean the tub before bathing, making sure to use non-toxic cleaners "since delicate vaginal tissues during pregnancy can be inflamed by toxic cleaning products. The tub should be rinsed and wiped down before bathing also to reduce and eliminate possible bacteria entering the vagina, which can cause an infection."

After you've done a bit of investigating, go ahead and take some time for your bath. Your body will thank you and you'll have something to reflect upon in those early days of motherhood when a clean shirt, let alone showering, is but a dream.

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