Expecting Your First Baby Soon & Nesting? Check Your Home's Water Quality & Temperature

Home & Garden Blog

If you are pregnant with your first baby and you're due in the next few weeks, you may be experiencing what is called nesting. Nesting in pregnancy is when you have an immediate and sudden urge to clean your home and organize it to prepare for your little one's arrival. While cleaning and organizing are definitely beneficial at this point, it's also important to take the time to make sure your home's water is safe and also ready for your baby's arrival. Here's why and what you can do. 

Water Quality 

The water in your home may contain pollutants or contaminants that can affect your baby's health and skin. In fact, one thing that can be harmful to babies is nitrates in the water. Nitrates would make it difficult for your baby's tiny body to carry oxygen to their brain and vital organs. Another thing that may be in your water is lead. If so, your body may be passing the lead onto your baby through the placenta, which can cause hypertension, premature birth, and low birth weight at this stage in your pregnancy. 

Lead exposure in babies and young children can cause developmental delays, irritability, and gastrointestinal problems such as belly pain, constipation, and vomiting. Therefore, it's crucial to have your water tested and preventive measures taken as soon as possible. Speak with a plumbing contractor and ask them to test your water. If the water is harmful, you may need to have a whole-house water filter installed or your plumbing replaced, depending on the results of the water quality tests. 

Water Temperature 

It's also important to check your water heater temperature and change the temperature of the water that the heater produces so it doesn't harm your baby. According to the Mayo Clinic, water heater thermostats should be set below 120 degrees Fahrenheit to protect your baby's sensitive and delicate skin from burns. Bath water should be around 100 degrees Fahrenheit, so you'll want to have a good thermometer readily available when you bathe your baby. 

It's also a good idea to ask your plumber to check the water heater and its thermostat to make sure the water temperature is accurate based on the thermostat's setting. If the water heater is an older model and not in good condition, you may want to consider replacing the water heater now instead of later. Ask your plumber for other ways they can help you protect your baby through their services. 

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10 August 2018

Creating A Gorgeous Home

After struggling for years, I finally scored my dream job and started to focus on redecorating my home. At first, I wasn't sure how much of an impact I was going to be able to make, but after sitting down and really focusing on the different areas of my house, it was clear to me that the main living spaces were where I needed to focus. I started working room by room to renovate the space, and it was absolutely amazing to see what we were able to accomplish. This blog is all about creating a gorgeous home--even if you are on a tight budget.