Learn why your postpartum perspiration may be off the charts—and what you can do if you're feeling hot and bothered.
If you wake up in the middle of the night, hot and drenched in sweat, you're not alone. Whether you delivered your baby vaginally or via C-section, postpartum night sweats are common in the first days and weeks after childbirth. At least 10% of new moms, and as many as one in three, experience postpartum hot flashes.1
These sweat-drenched moments are courtesy of your shifting hormonal levels. In the hours after giving birth, your body's estrogen and progesterone levels decrease dramatically.2 (If you're breastfeeding, estrogen levels will continue to stay low.) One of the side effects of this hormonal drop is an increase in body temperature, which causes night sweats. It's not far off from hot flashes in menopause, which are also caused by similar changes in hormone levels.
The good news is that, as with so many postpartum changes, night sweats will pass in time. As your hormone levels rebalance, the postpartum night sweats will fade and disappear—usually within a few weeks, but they may linger if you're breastfeeding.
Although you can't entirely prevent postpartum night sweats, you can adjust certain behaviors to minimize their intensity and inconvenience.
Postpartum night sweats are very common and typically nothing more than a temporary inconvenience. Still, you may want to mention night sweats at your postpartum checkup, simply to help your doctor get a better picture of your postpartum experience. Call your healthcare provider if your sweats coincide with a fever, breast pain, and/or other symptoms.
Postpartum sweating, especially at night, can be a nuisance—but aside from interrupted sleep and more laundry to do, it's a harmless and temporary one.
Looking for more info on how your postpartum body may change? Here are six things that can happen after you give birth.
As with most things, practice makes perfect—and rest assured, you’ll get plenty of diaper-changing practice those first couple of years. In no time you’ll be a pro and be able to tackle your baby’s diaper with confidence. For more tips and resources on all things baby, including nutrition and feeding, be sure to join Enfamil Family Beginnings®. Enjoy up to $400 in savings, plus exclusive rewards, support, and surprises.
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