Postpartum Night Sweats: Causes and Treatment

Don’t sweat it if you experience postpartum night sweats after pregnancy, it is completely normal in the months postpartum!

If you’ve ever woken up in the middle of the night drenched in water as if you’ve just run a marathon, you’re most likely experiencing postpartum night sweats and chills.

According to some peer-reviewed studies and academic research institutions, approximately 30% of mothers suffer from postpartum sweating or postpartum night sweats.

The most common symptoms of postpartum night sweats are:

• Strong body odor
• Waking up frequently
• Feeling soaked or drenched
• Irritability
• Tiredness

What causes postpartum sweating?

During pregnancy and in the postpartum period, your body goes through plenty of drastic changes.

Many patients experience mood swings, but the most noticeable are hormonal changes and fluctuations and excess water retention – postpartum swelling.

In the postpartum period, these two factors influence postpartum night sweats and hot flashes the most.

The two key hormones that are released during pregnancy are progesterone and estrogen.

These pregnancy hormones are produced in very large amounts, and after giving birth, your body needs time to adjust and balance out your body temperature and hormone levels.

Specifically, the low estrogen triggers excessive sweating and hot flashes, therefore causing postpartum night sweats.

Since quite a bit of fluid is held within the body while you’re pregnant, after birth, sweating and urine help release the remainder of unnecessary water.

How long do postpartum night sweats last?

In most cases, after you are not pregnant anymore, it takes a few weeks for your body to rebalance the hormones and for the postpartum night sweats to stop completely.

Typically postpartum sweating will be at its worst during the first two weeks.

The postpartum night sweats last until the 6-week mark.

Although some may continue for much longer.

The longer you continue to breastfeed, the more time it may extend these sweats.

Keep in mind that not all women experience postpartum night sweats, especially those who choose to formula-feed their babies (as their periods could return within the first couple of months after delivery).

Despite the fact that estrogen levels will continue to be lower than usual while you’re breastfeeding, postpartum night sweats and chills shouldn’t last for the entirety of it.

What to do about Postpartum Night Sweats?

Postpartum night sweats can be very uncomfortable, even more so when you have to get up several times during the night to take care of your baby.

You can’t avoid sweating or stop postpartum night sweats, but you can do several things to minimize the hassle of night sweats after pregnancy.

1. Stay Hydrated
   Your body is working extra hard after pregnancy and during the postpartum period. Sweating and breastfeeding can leave you dehydrated if you’re not drinking enough cold water. Aim to drink at least a few glasses of cold water as soon as you wake up. Drinking water will also help curb cravings, helping with your weight loss, especially with extra water weight.
2. Wear Proper Pyjamas
   Try to wear breathable fabric such as cotton and other natural fibers. Make sure your pajamas are loose and thin so you don’t feel uncomfortable while you are sleeping. Also, try to keep fresh pajamas by your bedside if it gets to a point where you need to change.
3. Prep the Bedroom
   Try to keep the room you’re sleeping in as cool as possible. Keep the window open or turn up the air conditioning, this will help lower your body temperature. Under the bedding, new moms might want to consider placing a mattress protector, a rubber sheet, or a towel. You can also keep a towel on your bed stand if you need to wipe yourself during the night.
4. Watch your Postpartum Diet after Giving Birth
   For many women, avoiding foods that can stimulate higher body temperatures and hot flashes is the best bet, especially before going to bed. Rest assured that a proper postpartum diet can help you feel better and reduce sweating.

The list of most common triggers that causes postpartum night sweats includes:

• spicy foods
• caffeine
• alcohol night sweats
• hot foods or liquids

When to see a doctor?

In most cases, excessive sweating caused by postpartum night sweats and chills end up going away on their own.

If you are experiencing night sweats that are accompanied by these symptoms you may want to speak to your doctor to provide medical advice.

A doctor or a different healthcare provider will be able to help with women’s health and provide prospective evaluation and medical advice regarding your night sweats postpartum.

Postpartum sweats could be a sign of an infection or an underlying condition, such as a thyroid condition.

If you experience the following symptoms, visit your doctor as soon as possible:

• chest pain
• never-ending headache
• unusual discharge
• trouble breathing, dizziness, or fainting
• warm or red area on your breasts
• fever with a temperature above 100.4°F (38°C)
• loss of appetite

Conclusion

If after giving birth you start to wake up in the middle of the night soaked, you’re most likely going through postpartum night sweats.

Night sweats are a condition that approximately 30% of new mothers go through for up to 6 weeks postpartum, more or less.

The most common causes of night sweats are hormones and excess water.

Unfortunately, the night sweat cannot be stopped entirely but there are measures you can take to better manage postpartum sweating and uncomfortable night sweats.

Such as drinking plenty of water and staying cool.

The night sweats usually go away by themselves after a few weeks.

However, night sweats can also be a sign of another health condition so it is important to keep an eye out for other symptoms and consult a doctor.