WASHINGTON (BusinessWire EON) July 18, 2007 -- With a heat wave overtaking much of the country, keeping cool is tough for everyone, but particularly for pregnant women. More babies are born in August and September than any other months of the year, so now more than ever, moms-to-be need simple ways to keep cool.

Revolution Health’s Senior Medical Director, Dr. Val Jones, has practical advice to help moms-to-be beat the summer heat:

1. Keep hydrated – Dehydration can cause preterm labor and other complications. Make sure to drink enough water throughout the day – at least six to eight eight-ounce glasses of water a day. Dry mouth and dark-colored urine are some signs of dehydration. You can prevent dehydration by drinking enough water throughout the day.

2. Color coordinate – Pay close attention to the meteorologist’s color-coded temperature maps to avoid heat exhaustion. Don’t go outside when the temperature reaches triple digits and take particular care when exercising. Signs of heat exhaustion include headache, dizziness, nausea, weakness, muscle cramps and cool, moist skin.

3. Sleep easy – Many women experience poor sleep during pregnancy, and the high heat and humidity can make this worse. Make sure that the air conditioning is set cool enough or the fan is high enough to keep you cool throughout the evenings.

4. Don’t flip flop – Slip into comfortable shoes, but avoid those cute flip-flops in your closet. Women need additional arch support during pregnancy because ligaments get soft and can permanently stretch. Since many women experience swelling in their feet, wearing slip-on shoes in a larger size will be more comfortable.

5. Cool your core – If you’re pregnant and rapidly overheating, put wet, cold towels on your stomach and chest. Water helps wick away heat that comes off your body, and cooling your core will cool you down faster.

6. Ice your drinks – Instead of hot herbal tea for example, make it iced tea. Adding mint or a touch of citrus often makes these drinks even more “cooling” and enhances their flavor, encouraging good hydration.

7. Time your chores carefully – If possible, schedule labor intensive chores for the early morning or evening hours when the temperature will be at its lowest.

8. Fan yourself – Not only are fans good things to have around the house, even with air conditioning, but pick up one of those battery operated mini-fans for the face, shoulders, chest and neck. Fanning manually uses up enough energy to create almost as much body heat as it dissipates, so it is not as effective a measure.

9. Wear loose fitting, light-colored clothes – These reflect the light and heat. The more porous the material, the more cool airflow you can achieve.

10. Shower up – If you are able, don't hesitate to take a cool shower in the middle of the day. This should include getting your hair wet as well. We lose a lot of body heat from our heads, and water evaporation is one way to help that process along.

“Heat and pregnancy can be an uncomfortable combination, but it doesn’t have to be unhealthy,” said Dr. Jones. “If you keep these health tips in mind and stay in tune with your body, you’ll be well on your way to being a cool mom.”

For more information on staying cool during your pregnancy, as well as all other health and medical information, visit: http://www.RevolutionHealth.com.

About Revolution Health

Revolution Health Group LLC was created by AOL Co-Founder Steve Case to create products and services that empower people by putting them at the center of the health system. The cornerstone of the company is RevolutionHealth.com, a free consumer health and medical web site that marries expert content and online tools with the power of social networking. Revolution Health also offers premium services that enable companies to provide health content and customized online tools to their employees, an insurance marketplace and CarePages (www.carepages.com), the leading service that enables communication among family and friends when someone is receiving care. For more information go to http://www.RevolutionHealth.com.

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