Demystifying information on pregnancy, fertility,
and all the things about our ladyparrts


About me


Contact me

Postpartum

Postpartum + Night sweats + Hot flashes. Sorry.

Screen Shot 2018-05-15 at 9.57.02 AM

Night sweats and hot flashes. We’re talking drenched PJs, sheets, the whole works.

I’m not talking about menopause, although we have that to look forward to as well. I’m talking postpartum. About 30% of women will experience this joy (*sarcasm*). The symptoms will peak, on average, at 2 weeks postpartum and decline after, with about 10% of women continuing to have hot flashes at 1 month postpartum. This is the same percent of women that will experience hot flashes during pregnancy, too, although it’s not necessarily the same women who will suffer.

 Why oh why?

Hot flashes occur with any marked hormonal fluctuation. This fluctuation occurs during menopause (sometime gloomily referred to as “the transition”), but also pregnancy and postpartum. The physiology and cause of hot flashes isn’t exactly clear, but it’s theorized that our thermoregulatory processes get out of whack in response to the extreme hormonal changes. Postpartum, our bodies undergo a dramatic decrease in progesterone and estrogen (both hormones are produced in excess during pregnancy). With breastfeeding, the low hormone levels persist.

Why do hot flashes matter?

Studies have shown that hot flashes can drastically reduce the quality of a woman’s life. They are extremely uncomfortable, embarrassing, and impossible to predict or control.

There may also be a link between severity of hot flashes and increased risk for postpartum depression. The theories: one, perhaps the most extreme hormonal changes or neuroendocrine alterations cause the worst hot flashes and also contribute to postpartum depression; and two, perhaps the toll that hot flashes take on a woman’s quality of life predispose the postpartum woman to depression, especially sleep disturbances in a time when sleep is rare and precious but remains an absolute necessity.

Anecdotally I’ve seen women with more water retention and swelling during pregnancy also have more hot flashes and night sweats, as another mechanism to get rid of that extra fluid.

Tips to get you through it!  

  • Stay hydrated.
  • Keep a change of clothes next to your bed.
  • Change your sheets often.
  • Keep your hair up.
  • Have a fan nearby.
  • And hang in there. It won’t last long.

ADD A COMMENT

May 15, 2018

Original post published: 

* Content reviewed annually for accuracy 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

HANDOUT:
BIGGEST
MYTHS ABOUT OVULATION
MONITORING

email it to me!
(enter contact info below)

ABOUT US

Farm-to-table jianbing kickstarter, mixtape taxidermy actually scenester. Asymmetrical tattooed locavore meggings YOLO organic pabst forage.

More About Us

postpartum

fertility

pregnancy

Preconception

Read by Topic

Female anatomy

Contraception

periods

PCOS

sexually transmitted infections

Supplements. Potions. lotions

Submit Form

Want to chat more? Email me directly or fill out the form below! I cannot respond to emails requesting medical advice
Want to see me as a patient? Please don't contact me here.
Call my office #: (310) 423-1224

Sara Twogood, MD

contact

Sara.Twogood@cshs.org

meanwhile

Your message has been sent. We'll contact you shortly.

Thank You

Design by TONIC 
back to top