*I wrote this post while 8 months pregnant and totally forgot to post it! So before we jump in, this was my experience floating while very pregnant 🙂
I love a good wellness craze as much as the next person, so when I saw multiple float shops popping up around town I figured it was something I needed to check out. I visited The Float Shoppe in Portland, OR for my first float experience and here’s how it went.
What is Floating & What are the Benefits?
To put it simply, you’re in a float tank (which come in a variety of styles and sizes) that’s filled with extremely salty water. You get in the tank and become totally weightless and you float there. Floating is said to be beneficial in alleviating aches and pains, though the relief is typically temporary. It also is said to alleviate tension and brings a sense of calm and relaxation. I think of it as an amplified version of meditation.
Floating FAQs
I had a lot of questions about floating before I started, here are the main things I asked and what I learned:
- What should you wear? Nothing! You could wear a bathing suit but you’ll be more comfortable without one.
- How long should you float for? The Float Shoppe’s main offering is a 90 minute float. This is not the case for all places though. If it were up to me, I’d suggest starting with something shorter to see how you like it and then work your way up to 90 minutes if that’s something you’re into.
- Can you float while pregnant? Yes, it’s safe to float while pregnant (I asked both the owner of The Float Shoppe and my midwife).
- What if you feel claustrophobic? This is certainly a possibility. I chose a tank that could be left open and I kept very faint lighting in the room. Some people like to close the tank and have total sensory deprivation but that didn’t seem like the right fit for me.
- Can you listen to music? This depends on where you do your float. The Float Shoppe has you floating in complete silence while other shops allow you to play music or even podcasts.
- What’s the water temperature? The water is approximately the same as your body temperature so expect to feel comfortable with the water temp immediately.
My Floating Experience
If you’re curious about the process, here is how my experience went from start to finish. Every shop will be slightly different, this one is based on my visit to The Float Shoppe.
Upon arrival I had a few minutes to hang in the lobby. The Float Shoppe offers a warm foot soak while you wait. When it was my appointment time I got the rundown on floating best practices and went into my float tank room. Each tank is housed in it’s own room where you’ll have a shower (with soap, shampoo, conditioner), a towel and a robe.
First I took off all my jewelry (over time salt can ruin it) and took a quick rinse in the shower and put in provided ear plugs (to keep the salt water out of your ears). You’re given a small hand towel to have next to the tank should any water get in your face or eyes. You’re also provided with a little head rest float accessory, which is optional but provides a bit of support if you are unnecessarily straining your neck during the float. I placed these accessories within arms reach of my tank. I also placed my Fitbit on the edge of the tank. I didn’t need to keep track of my time in the tank but I wanted it available in case I was feeling antsy and wanted to check the time.
Then it was time to hop in the tank. The room is completely private so there is no worry about being naked during your float 🙂 Once I was in the tank it took me a while to get into the groove. I don’t meditate but I imagine if you do, you’d really enjoy this experience. For me, I definitely struggled to relax. 90 minutes is a really long time and I had trouble letting go. I turned out the lights in the room but kept on some star lights on the top of the tank. I kept the tank open the whole time, closing it felt really constricting to me.
Throughout the 90 minutes I had moments of relaxation and also moments of, will this ever end?? Personally I’d love a 30 minute float, but can see why a 90 minute float is great for other people. During the 90 minutes I’ll admit I checked my Fitbit a few times to see how much time had passed. I even sat up in the tank a few times because I feeling a bit uneasy in the laying down position (more on that in the section below).
When the 90 minutes are up, faint music starts playing and the lights slowly come on and you know your time is up. Then you have some time to shower and clean up before exiting the float room. I left feeling relaxed, slightly light headed and also very hungry (again, 90 minutes is long!). I had a little snack (an RX nut butter) as I made my way back to my car.
Before my float I wasn’t feeling any specific aches and pains, just general heaviness from pregnancy. The tank helped my body feel light and alleviated of the extra pounds I’ve been carrying around.
Floating While Pregnant
I appreciated the experience of floating and though I’m not sure it will be a regular activity for me, I’m glad I tried it. I think doing it during pregnancy made it less enjoyable for me though. While it is safe during pregnancy, I couldn’t turn off my mind, worrying that maybe I was in a bad position for the baby. You’re not supposed to lay on your back during pregnancy so it felt counterintuitive to be in this floating position. I think I would have been able to disconnect better if I tried floating (especially for the first time) not during pregnancy.
On the positive side, I did like feeling the lightness of my body and it did feel good to lie on my back since it has been many months since I’d been in that position. It was fun to feel the baby move around during our float.
If you are floating while pregnant, be very careful getting into and out of the tank. Since I felt tense from the get-g0, I realized that I was engaging my core to keep myself afloat (you will automatically float, but its a weird sensation so it’s normal to fight it at first). I saw coning in my core, something you want to avoid during pregnancy, so I had to force myself to relax my core and and all my muscles. This happened getting in and out of the tank, so just be aware if you’re doing this while pregnant.
My pregnant friend also tried floating. She had been experiencing bad back pains and said it alleviated those pains (temporarily) and was very relaxing. I think if you have a ton of aches and pains, this would be great experience.
Will I Float Again?
TBD on this one! I’d love to try a shorter float and think that might be more my speed. It’s definitely an interesting experience and if you’re curious, I recommend you give it a try. While floating I was thinking about how great it would probably feel on exhausted legs during race training. If I were to train for another marathon (which I hope to eventually do), I could see this being a really amazing experience the day after a long run.
The Float Shoppe offered me a free float in exchange for this story and all opinions are my own. Thank you for partnering on this piece, The Float Shoppe!
Have you tried floating? What did you think of your experience?
