no one told me about: postpartum sweating
the first few weeks at home with my first, I remember waking up to feed and needing to change my pajamas. multiple. times. why? because I was drenched in sweat. I asked my doctor about it, and after learning it was normal, I added this to the pile of things I was confused that no one told me about. so here’s the lowdown on postpartum night sweats.
what causes postpartum sweating?
postpartum sweating, aka night sweats, happens for three reasons.
this is a way of your body ridding itself of all of the extra fluids from pregnancy and labor. if you were really bloated during your pregnancy (so…everyone,) the sweating could last longer. medication or IV liquid can also affect how long the sweating lasts.
during pregnancy, your body is making much more estrogen and progesterone, but postpartum, those hormone levels plummet. your body responds by mimicking menopause and sweating, like hot flashes, occur.
body feeding can make night sweats go for even longer (sometimes up to six months.) to make milk, your body uses prolactin, which lowers estrogen because your body is trying to delay your period, mimicking menopause again.
what should you do?
drink lots and lots of water or other fluids. if body feeding, you will need to do this anyway #thirsty
put a towel or pad down. you might want to ask a partner, friend/ family member, or doula to prepare extras in case you need to change them out during the night.
wear loose, natural fibers. I wore the same pair of cotton, button-up pajamas after my kids were born. I have multiple pairs of them. loose, natural fibers like cotton, bamboo, or linen will keep you cooler.
some people have success with monitoring their diet and learning what makes their night sweats worse. do an investigation and see how caffeine, alcohol, dairy, and spicy foods affect you.
check for a fever or other symptoms, and call your doctor if you’re worried.
I hope this post helps you feel informed and just a little more prepared for the fourth trimester. now, get yourself a comfortable pair of postpartum pajamas. then, instead of telling other pregnant women how they’ll never sleep, inform them of weird things like night sweats. #passiton
if you want to learn more about postpartum physiological symptoms, you can book a prenatal session with me #fierceinthefourthtrimester
Hi there! I’m Gigi and am a postpartum doula in Orange County + beyond. I have three kiddos (including twins) and a high-school sweetheart-turned-husband. I’ve always been a teacher but realized I was meant to teach parents and help them through the fourth trimester. I love forcing my friends and family to listen to me talk about zero waste, reading YA novels, and watching terrible reality shows.
Want to chat (especially about Sarah J. Maas novels or DIY cleaning products or babies?) Connect with me through e-mail or on Instagram!
