No Air conditioning in office...?

Question

Hi! I'm 17 wks pregnant and for the past few days in my office we have been having electrical failure and now no air conditioning and the temperatures are reaching somewhere into the early 90's lately as summer blooms. I am feeling extremely uncomfortable, slightly light headed and getting a bad headache from the heat. I am drinking as much water as possible. Is this just a straight up bad situation to be in while pregnant, or should i just bear it until the problem is solved? Anyone?

Answer 1

That is not good for you to be lightheaded.

Bring a spritzer bottle with you. You can find them cheap at department stores. Fill it with cold water and spray your legs and arms when you get to warm. Even putting a cold towel around your neck would help tremendously. It will get your clothes wet, but they will dry.

Answer 2

It's a perfectly safe temperature to be in while pregnant, BUT because your body isn't adjusted to that temperature yet (and because you use A/C at home it won't adjust, probably), you're not going to get all that much work done.

An option would be a battery powered fan, but your boss probably won't pay for one that works well enough (big batteries are expensive). What kind of work do you do anyway that you can still do without electricity?

Don't drink water that's too cold. 60F water is probably about the best temperature. If the water is too cold you'll just confuse your body... your body will sense ice cold on the inside and try to heat that up, making you even hotter. So bring a gallon of water from your fridge and just let it warm up during the day while you drink it.

I think the best recommendation would be to try to work at home for a couple of days if possible. It shouldn't take that long to fix an electrical problem...

Answer 3

The same thing happened to me when I was pregnant. It was the hottest summer of my life (or so it seemed)! I worked in a delicatessen and it gets pretty hot when you're using the fryers. The fans we used broke down. The rest of the store was ACed but the deli was a separate little section and it was hot. When I felt overheated, I excused myself for a little bit and went someplace cool for a couple minutes (the other employees were very understanding about it, some of the older ladies were actually being motherly and telling me to sit and pretty much not to do anything! : ) ) Or I would stand in the freezer for a while with a friend of mine who worked there and was pregnant at the same time I was.
Get a fan and set it up somewhere where its going to keep you cool. Normally, heat shouldnt be a problem, but if you're feeling lightheaded you need to cool off. If a fan doesnt work, ask your manager if there are any other options for you (such as a paid leave if you really need it).

Answer 4

No offense intended, but A/C is a relatively new invention. We have survived millenia without.

I myself am OK during the day without it. But must admit it can be a blessing at night. I'm also not carrying a child, which contributes to the strain.

You should be OK, but see about one of those personal fans that run by battery if you can't get a regular fan with those electrical problems you described.

(Also, older buildings built before A/C had more and better windows. Modern offices often aren't designed to not have A/C so that can be an exception to bearing the heat.)

Answer 5

You aren't harming your baby or yourself. Lots of people don't have A/C. It's just a luxury we've become accustomed to. As long as you're staying hydrated, you should be alright. Bring a fan to work of possible. Keep some frozen peas in the freezer and slap those bad boys on the back of your neck to cool off. Wear loose clothing, breathable fabrics, etc. Best of luck. Hopefully the a/c will be fixed soon.

Answer 6

You should be fine, make sure you are eating enough and drinking LOTS of water. When I was pregnant I had the same problem with getting light headed and my OB said it was due to low blood sugar. I found that eating a piece of fruit or having an eight ounce glass of 100% fruit juice helped me feel much better. Also eating three complete meals with a few snacks in between kept me feeling great throughout my pregnancy! Kashi TLC crackers are awesome to keep at work and munch on when you feel week. They are loaded with whole grains and taste great.

Hope that helps and I hope you feel better.

Answer 7

I would say, work as much as you can but don't feel guilty about going home or leaving the office to go somewhere cooler. Is this a job you can still work from home? Having a headache is totally normal but you don't want to be in conditions that create it! I agree with the other answers, take some sick time right now, its okay! And again, if you can work it out where you can work from home or somewhere cooler, I would hope that your boss would agree to that so that you don't have to take sick time.

Answer 8

If it's that hot and you're in a sweltering office, you need to find an alternate work site if possible or just stay home until the situation is resolved. You being dizzy is never good and if you're also getting dehydrated from perspiring, it won't be good for the baby either. If you need a note from your dr. to take some sick time, I'm sure they would be happy to provide one, given your situation.

Answer 9

If putting in a fan and drinking ice water doesn't help you, go home. Of course, you might call your doctor or nurse-hospital health line for a more definitive and perhaps better opinion than you might get from me, who am an EMT and emergency services dispatcher, but not a qualified nurse or doctor.

Answer 10

I was in the same situation last year. YOU HAVE to take care of yourself! It's not good for you or your baby. If you are able to get a small desk fan get one.

It's the heat that's affecting you. If it's possible, ask your boss to work from home. If not, they have to do something in order to accomodate your needs, it's dangerous for you to be in such heat (you could have a heat stroke).