It’s approaching summer in Australia, and if you’re pregnant you’ll probably be feeling the heat more than the rest of us.

Entrepreneur and mum-of-four Bec Judd was once in this position – in fact, she was pregnant over summer during all three of her pregnancies – and she feels your pain.

The TV presenter told Hello Bump: The Pointy End co-host Monique Bowley that she spent plenty of time outside during the warm weather – and it’s something she regrets to this day.

Listen to Rebecca Judd offer a word of warning about why hot weather and pregnancy don’t mix. (Post continues after audio…)

“When I was pregnant with Billie was the summer of 2014 there was a run of 40-degree days,” she said.

“And what was I doing, foolishly? Lying outside trying to get a tan by the pool.

“I tell you now, in hindsight, that was one of the worst things I ever did.”

The 34-year-old said sun baking was a mistake, not only because we should all be staying sun smart, but because there’s an extra reason mums-to-be might want to keep their stomachs covered up as the sun beats down: The melanin in your skin isveryhypersensitive to the sun while pregnant. Hormonal changes can also trigger melasma – something Snezana Markoski knows all about.

In Bec’s experience, tanning her belly also darkened her linea nigra – the line from your pubic bone to your belly button.

A post shared by Rebecca Judd (@becjudd) on

Apr 20, 2016 at 1:55pm PDT

“It doesn’t go away for a very long time. It’s like a permanent stain. So after I delivered Billie the rest of my body went back to a normal colour, but my belly stayed so dark and didn’t match the other parts of my body,” the TV presenter said.

“Post-twins I’ve still got that line. I’ve still got it. I’ve got this snail trail.”

While staying sun smart may not completely eliminate your chances of developing a dark linea nigra, experts do recommend covering up and using a broad spectrum sunscreen to minimise darkened spots on your skin during pregnancy.

The more you know, right?

Listen to the full episode of Hello Bump: The Pointy End here or download from Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.