Pregnancy can take its toll on the female figure. As your uterus expands it pushes all internal organs upward making room for your beautiful bundle. As you eat, nutrients cross the placenta feeding your unborn baby, and as you breathe you share your oxygen intake through the blood carried around your body. It sounds like something of magic right? Any mom-to-be will say how being pregnant can be hard work at times doing small physical activities can become difficult but what about if it’s not necessarily physical? Which brings us to the question Can pregnant woman blow up balloons?
Can Pregnant Woman Blow Up Balloons? Safe or Not?
To answer in short, a pregnant woman with a normal health condition can blow up balloons without any issues. During pregnancy, a woman’s lungs are shifted lessening their capacity leaving many moms-to-be feeling out of breath quicker after short bursts of physical activity. The good news is if you are in normal health, there is no significant harm to note. So if you have ever wondered, can pregnant woman blow up balloons? Then providing the amount is within reason there should be no harm in it at all.
However, to avoid any risks, although it might be very minimal, if you have an alternative option (have someone do it for you/ have an inflator), do that. If you have an allergy problem or a sensitive health, it would be ideal to avoid blowing it up yourself.
How to Safely Blow up a Balloon Without Risking Your Pregnancy
One, two, or just a few won’t be any problem, tbh. But let’s keep in mind that our health during pregnancy gets really sensitive. So I’d do the alternative options if I have the scope to do so.
1. Have someone else do it for you
I still remember when I was planning the 2nd birthday of my daughter, I was surrounded by my loved ones. They didn’t let me touch the 2nd balloon after I did the first one myself (and felt completely fine). They didn’t want to leave even the 1% risk on me.
2. Use a hand pump or electric balloon inflator to blow up the balloons instead of your own breath
The best way to do it, especially when you are doing an event. They are cheap & safe. Because blowing up a balloon with your own breath may cause you to inhale the balloon’s latex material by mistake. And inhaling latex can cause problems such as irritation and an allergic reaction.
Recommended Inflators:
★ Qualatex Hand-Held Balloon Pump
★ AGPTEK Electric Air Balloon Pump
3. Keep the inflated balloons away from open flames and sharp objects
When inflated, it is important to keep balloons away from open flames and sharp objects. This is because balloons can be a fire hazard if they come into contact with an open flame, and they can also cause injuries if they are popped or slashed with a sharp object. It is especially important to keep balloons away from toddlers and young children, who may not be aware of the dangers posed by these objects.
Is Blowing Up Balloons Safe While Pregnant? – What Would Mom Do?
Pregnancy is perceived as magical. When you actually consider we women grow another human being, ensuring it has all it needs to make a tiny healthy person.
It is not surprising that nearly every mom out there has asked for advice on what they can and cannot do. You almost feel fragile in the early stages as it could be a secret that no one knows.
But as you progress through your pregnancy you feel a little more robust, ready to push your body a little bit. You may be asking yourself the question, ‘Can I blow up balloons while pregnant?’
A poll undertaken in 2015 by BabyCentre has discovered that around 70% of moms or pregnant women deem it safe to blow up balloons whilst being pregnant, with a shy 4% opting for it being an unsafe activity and a further 26% still unsure!
Now this poll, by no means has any scientific value but it is always interesting to seek how other moms feel and get real-life examples from those who have either blown up balloons or have found reasons as to why it could be harmful.
Safety First
Further to this poll, it is important that you and your baby are safe during your pregnancy and it is clear you feel the same way otherwise, well, you just wouldn’t be here!
If you are thinking blowing up balloons when pregnant poses no significant danger to you or your baby then it is important to consider being safe.
It is probably common sense to think that blowing up over 50 balloons could take its toll on your body after all it is already doing so much but if you have no option then be sure that you:
- Take regular breaks -you don’t have to blow them up all in one go, do a few then rest to help maintain a steady breathing rate.
- Stop if you feel dizzy – blowing up balloons can make you feel light-headed when your body isn’t sharing its oxygen with another human. But if you feel dizzy or light-headed then you are clearly doing a bit too much.
- Get help – if you are looking at a mountain of inflated balloons then rope everyone in to help or get a manual pump. There is no shame in asking friends and family to give you a hand.
Remember even though you’re having a problem-free pregnancy there is no harm in opting out of balloon blowing, whether it is for a party or an activity saying no to these types of activities is perfectly understandable.
Is Blowing Balloons Bad When Pregnant?
Now we have looked at the science stuff and it is clear that moms are some form of baby-growing superheroes!
I wish to turn our attention back to balloons. There are many old wives’ tales that could suggest blowing balloons when pregnant in the first and second trimester is a job that is best left alone.
The theory behind this is that blowing up balloons creates a force on your abdomen which in turn could theoretically stimulate labor.
This is not scientifically proven and could be a complete coincidence if it happened to you but I think rather than run the risk I would stay clear of all balloon blowing until nearing the end of my pregnancy. On the other hand, you could find yourself 9 months pregnant feeling very overwhelmed, out of breath, and surrounded by birthday balloons.
Breathing During Pregnancy
During pregnancy, you will find your breathing alters. In the early stages, your body produces a hormone called Progesterone which makes you take more breaths than before. Your lungs have actually gotten bigger so you can take in more oxygen to share with your growing bub. It is not uncommon whilst finding this rhythm for you to feel out of breath.
Throughout the second trimester, your baby is getting bigger which also allows for spells of shortness of breath. From the 30th week in pregnancy, your growing bub will begin to move into any free space. This includes squashing up against your diaphragm. This is the flat muscle that allows room for the lungs to expand. As you may have guessed if the diaphragm cannot contract then the lungs will be prevented from expanding fully.
As you near the finishing line and head toward labor, you should feel that your lung capacity has returned making breathing a little easier. This is because your baby is now making its way into your pelvis ready to be born. Although moms can still feel out of breath in this stage which is no cause for concern and could be purely down to carrying the extra weight.
Respiratory Changes
To touch upon the scientific stuff again it is important to understand how breathing in pregnancy can become exhausting.
Your respiratory system is made up of several organs that are responsible for taking in Oxygen when we inhale and converting it to Carbon Dioxide when we exhale.
The organs responsible for this are the Nose, Pharynx, Larynx, Trachea, Bronchi, and Lungs. As you breathe in through your nose it travels through each organ whilst it oxygenated the blood.
When you become pregnant your system becomes pressured thanks to your growing baby bump. You may notice that your breathing alters and some of these organs can react to the extra pressure.
According to Stanford Medical common changes can include:
- Stuffy or runny noses
- Nose bleeds
- Diaphragm moves upwards in to the lungs
- Increased breathing
- Lung capacity reduced
- Need for more oxygen
All of these things point to the causes of why we feel out of breath when pregnant. After reading all this I think blowing up balloons could be a harder task than you once thought!
Trouble Breathing
If you feel like you have severe issues when breathing then you must seek medical attention immediately. After looking at what our body goes through during different stages a little breathlessness is to be expected but if you have any concerns then only experts in this field will have the answers.
To help you with all these body changes we have compiled a few tips for you to consider to help make the task of breathing a little easier.
- Posture perfect – we all slouch now and again but slouching when pregnant can actually reduce our lung capacity further. As we already have a reduced capacity when pregnant keep in mind that your posture can help. Sitting with a few pillows in the small of your back will ensure a straight spine.
- Sleep elevated – I basically spent my whole nine months raised in bed. It felt much more comfortable and now I’m thinking is this the reason why? Sleeping with a few extra pillows can help lessen the pressure on the lungs and maintain clear airways if suffering from excess mucus. This is also a winning position if you are suffering from heartburn.
- Listen to your body – your body will tell you when you are doing too much. Little tasks can now become difficult so it is important to recognize that tasks will take longer or should be avoided altogether.
Wrapping Up
To round up all we have learned in this article I think it is safe to answer the question Can pregnant woman blow up balloons? With a simple answer.
Yes
There is no known scientific evidence to suggest that blowing up balloons can cause any major negative effect on your pregnancy. However, as this is such a grey area regarding the old wives’ tale of Inducing labor you may wish to avoid it and rope in family and friends. If preparing for a party there are plenty of other tasks you can do …. Like the buffet sample taster for one!!
If you do experience any issues with breathing whilst pregnant be sure to seek immediate medical attention. If you are finding slight discomfort then please take it easy and try out some of the handy tips mentioned above.
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