There is a rumor that has circulated for years, concerning bathing during pregnancy: many believe that bathing during pregnancy is harmful for your unborn child. The most common believe is that germs and dirt from bath water could make it’s way up into the uterus and infect the fetus.

Turns out, this belief is in fact an old wives’ tale, and there is no reason why you shouldn’t bathe while pregnant. In fact, bathing during pregnancy is one of the best things you can do to nurture yourself. Baths are not only wonderful as a source of relaxation, they do wonders for aches and pains associated with pregnancy.

When you take your baths, be sure to keep the water very warm but not too hot - scalding water (at a temperature similar to a hot tub) is too hot and could harm the baby, particularly in the first trimester. 98.6 degrees is about as hot as you want to go, and that’s a nice temperature that will relax and soothe you perfectly.

Taking frequent baths - even two per day - is a wonderful way to treat yourself during this often challenging time. Here are some reasons why bathing during pregnancy is a good idea:

Relaxation: Pregnancy carries many rewards and is a beautiful process for many of us. But hormonal fluctuations, physical changes in our bodies, and the actual task of raising a child can all make us feel stressed out from time to time. Bathing helps decrease blood pressure and elevate mood, leaving us feeling relaxed and uplifted.

Aches and Pains: Many women experience backaches and other aches and pains associated with being pregnant. Bathing soothes tired, achy muscles and relaxes us from the inside out. In fact, bathing is one of the most popular - and one of the safest - treatments for muscle soreness.

Skin Care: Your friends and family have all noticed your new “glow”, thanks to the little one growing inside you! But despite your newfound dewy radiance, there may be some other changes to your skin that aren’t so favorable. Thanks to hormone fluctuations and stress, you may be breaking out and your skin acting up a bit more than usual. Bathing in sea salts - particularly Dead Sea salts - is a great way to clean and detoxify your skin, leaving it soft, supple, and clear. Now you can show off that glow, without anything else getting in the way!

To get the most out of your pregnancy baths, be sure to use high quality bath salts. Bath salts are made using real sea salts from around the world, and there are many varieties to address your specific needs.

Next week, we’ll explore the best salts for you as you go through this important phase in  your life. Until then, take a look at our site and familiarize yourself with the many bath salts we offer. Happy bathing!

You go to bed early one evening – around 10 pm. You have a long day ahead of you and want to make sure you get at least 8 hours of rest. You hit the pillow, close your eyes, and thoughts of the impending workday fill your mind. Then, your thoughts drift to your mother. Then, to the errands you have to run. You feel uncomfortable. What can you do with your left arm so it’s not directly underneath you? You shift to your stomach. 

You open your eyes and it’s 12:00 am and you’re still wide awake. You close your eyes and turn on your side again. Not comfortable. Turn to the other side. Nope, not comfortable. You open your eyes again – it’s 2:00 am. Finally, around 3:30, you fall asleep, only to wake at 6:00 with puffy eyes and a bad attitude. 

Sound familiar? You’re probably suffering from insomnia, a common sleep disorder.  Don’t worry, it’s not just you – 25% of us have it regularly. There are many causes for insomnia, including hormonal changes, certain medications, and depression. The most common cause, and the one that almost all of us experience, is stress. 

Your friends all offer advice- they tell you to stop thinking, to meditate, to exercise, to take sleeping pills or drink a nice glass of brandy before heading to bed. All of these can help, of course. But, one of the best cures for insomnia also happens to be a fantastic way to pamper yourself – go take a bath! 

Studies show that baths lower stress, alleviate tension, and leave you feeling restful and peaceful. When combined with aromatherapy, the results are simply amazing. Lavender, for instance, is known to relax and to soothe. Used in combination with nice, warm water and you’ll feel your blood pressure drop and the tension in your body seem to wash away.

Here’s what to do: 
Prepare your environment! Light some candles around your tub, place some fresh flowers on the side of the tub, dim the lights – make the space as tranquil as possible. Sure, it takes time, but you deserve it. 

Add a big handful of  bath salts of your choice to a tub full of hot water. Try our Lavender Bath Salts, or our Sleep Bath Soak. Swirl and mix the bath salts in the water, lean back, and breathe in the wonderful aromas. As the water begins to cool, chances are you won’t want to get out yet. Just add a little more hot water, add some fresh salts, and spend a little more time.

When you get out, put on your warmest, softest pajamas and slippers, hide under the covers with a good book, and before you know it, you’ll wake up the next day, ready for anything.

At Groom, 330 E. St. Paul Ave., the shelves are filled with products for men's hair and skin, and male customers chatter above the gentle hum of so many female-held clippers.                                                                

But if you're a reporter asking the guys if they ever think about taking a long bath rather than a shower, they tend to clam up.

Men seem to be shy about admitting they pamper themselves with a nice, warm bath. One man went on and on about the therapeutic benefits of his daily bath, the proper mix of bath salts and how 30 minutes was the perfect amount of time for a good soak. Then he decided he preferred that his co-workers didn't know about it.

Others just dismiss the idea out of hand.

"The only reason why I would (take a bath) is we have a whirlpool, so I would fill it up with hot water after a day of physical activity," said Ron Pipkorn, 42, of Milwaukee. Pipkorn prefers the convenience of a shower because he can shave, shampoo and condition and, boom, he's done...................

And then we found Lee Golden, 41, of Milwaukee, who enjoys his time luxuriating in the tub and admits it.

"I love baths," said Golden, who recently purchased a big, new bathtub and uses it three times a week. He likes the Aramus line of bath salts because they soothe aching muscles.

"It's very masculine and it foams a little," Golden said.

He hasn't given up on showers. It's just that he prefers a good soak.

"A bath is not a special occasion for me," he said

Article by By KATHY FLANIGAN from Journalsentinel

It makes sense that we are drawn to water when experiencing stress of anxiety. We know that nothing feels better than soaking in a tub full of warm water at the end of a long workday. What many people don’t know, however, is there are scientific reasons behind our natural inclination towards water as a healing agent.

Water makes up 70% of the human body and performs valuable functions, including flushing toxins from our cells, softening our skin, hydrating and lubricating our organs and systems so they function smoothly. Humans have been enjoying the benefits of bathing since the Middle Ages, when bathing was not only recognized as a social and stress-relieving past-time, but as a powerful therapy for a full range of illnesses and conditions.

Freshwater, also known as tap water, carries many benefits when we soak in its luxurious waves – but seawater is turning the heads of many scientists and medical specialists, for its vast health benefits and therapeutic properties. Seawater so closely approximates the water naturally residing in our bodies that our own white blood cells have been proven to survive in it!

Seawater is rich in trace minerals that aren’t found in our water at home, including iodine, magnesium, sodium, potassium, fluoride, sulfur and carbonates. These minerals are essential to our bodies’ functions and readily absorbed through the skin, which makes a seawater bath an important tool for our overall health.

All you have to do is add some of our sea salts to your bath. Hot water opens up our pores and creates “room” for the minerals to enter through our skin, thereby delivering powerful benefits to every part of us. These minerals are known to strengthen our immune system, eliminate harmful toxins, promote gland health and function, heal wounds and skin injuries, and reduce stress.

There are many creative ways to get the most out of your bath. Aromatherapy, for instance, does a lot more than make you and your bathroom smell good – combining different essential oils and scents to your bath can do wonders for a variety of issues, including stress, aches and pains, mood, and much more.

Browse our website to learn more and purchase what you need for your perfect, custom-made bath. And most importantly, have fun!