Originally Posted by
PabloM
Been fascinating to read through this, but really surprised no mention of Finland. It's probably even more "nude" than Germany when it comes to Sauna. A Finn would laugh at you if you had clothes on in Sauna, whether same sex or co-Ed.
They are actually quite hygienic - in fact, in Finland women used to give birth in the Sauna because it was the cleanest place in the house. (Think heating the sauna to over 100deg c.
Post # 8 was made to cover Finland.
I was aware of the sauna-birth practice from yesteryears, but there must have been reasons that hospital maternity wards in this region don't consider that ideal any more. The saunas were used for bathing purposes -- more than for birthing purposes -- in a cold world where melted snow/ice and cold water were more available than running hot water.