Connected Families – The Complete Series: Is It Safe To Use An Electric Blanket During Pregnancy

If you fall pregnant during winter and you live in a cold climate, chances are you’re wondering if you’re still ok to use your beloved electric blanket? Well, generally speaking, they are ok to use, but there are a few things you may want to think about before you do?

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While we know that overheating and raised body temperatures can pose risks to your baby’s growth and development and increase the chances of miscarriage (especially in the first trimester) whether or not an electric blanket would raise your body temperature enough to do this hasn’t been sufficiently tested to make a conclusion either way.

While electric blankets don’t tend to heat you up, but rather keep you warm, so making sure you keep it on the lowest setting, or just use it to warm the bed and then turn it off when you are in it might be a good idea.

What about the electromagnetic field?

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Electric blankets use an electromagnetic field to generate heat, again there isn’t enough research to show how this may affect you and your baby during pregnancy, so again it might be best to avoid sleeping with it on.

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Tips for using electric blankets during pregnancy

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• Use the blanket on the lowest setting to avoid overheating in your sleep
• Only use the blanket to warm the bed and then turn it off before getting in
• Drink plenty of water to ensure your body doesn’t become dehydrated
• Avoid having electric blankets in the bed later in pregnancy in case your waters break while you are in it

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Alternative things to use to keep warm

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While many women feel a surge in body temperature during pregnancy (thanks to all that oestrogen!) if you are one of the ones who still manages to feel the cold but don’t want to use an electric blanket, there are plenty of other safe things you can still do to keep warm:

Hot water bottle or heat pack – these don’t stay hot but gradually lose their heat over time, preventing you from overheating. They are also great on sore backs and achy muscles

• Warm milk or a cup of tea (just make sure it’s decaf) before bed to warm you from the inside out
• A warm bath before bed
• A little loving or snuggle between the sheets with your partner to share body heat

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