“I woke up early in the morning all drenched in sweat.
Not just my body, even the clothes and the sheets were moist.When all elderly women in my family kept pestering us to start a family soon, they just showed me the sunny side of pregnancy. As if the mood swings, acne, bleeding gums were not enough; the profuse sweating left me restless and uncomfortable.”
It’s the hormones to blame! Sweating in pregnancy is pretty normal and some women feel hotter than others.
Sweating in pregnancy is a natural process where the sweat glands perspire to regulate the body temperature. The first trimester could be messy as the body is getting accustomed to the growing fetus.
Come 3rd trimester and the sweating is back to its peak as the hormones become super active, preparing the body for childbirth. Since this is a natural process, we can’t prevent it totally. But yes, there are ways to deal with excessive sweating.
How to Combat the Excessive Sweating in Pregnancy
I offer you some handy tips that will aid in reducing your perspiration woes:
1) Drink plenty of water
We lose large quantities of body fluids and energy in perspiration. Especially in the first trimester, you could be sweating profusely. Hence keep your body hydrated by supplementing it with water, juices and fruits. Prepare yourself some tasty mocktails and give the authentic recipes a twist by adding your choice of flavours, herbs, and salts. Coconut water is extremely replenishing and substitutes the lost electrolytes of the body effectively. Juices made from fresh fruits and veggies like Orange, beetroot, apple, peach, orange, watermelon are great for the body.
Note- Avoid artificially sweetened drinks, sodas, and pineapple juice.
2) Refreshing shower
If you feel very hot and sweaty, take a cool shower. The cool water will not only get rid of dirt, allergies and scum, it will leave your body cool and refreshed. Use a nice to give yourself a nice wash.
3) Sleep on a towel
Sleeping on a towel at night soaks up all the excessive moisture of the body. You will not feel soaked and wet in the morning and will manage to get some good sleep.
4) Wear light-colored cotton clothes
We all like to wear comfortable clothes during pregnancy. Heavy fabrics cling to the body and trap heat, leading to extra perspiration.
- Cotton is my foremost choice as the fabric is soft on the skin, and absorbs all the excessive perspiration.
- Wear nice cool cotton underwear. Light-colored clothes reflect light, keeping the body cool, so head to your favourite brand outlet and shop for nice cool and comfy clothes, and enjoy this phase of womanhood.
5) Eat right
Though you might have developed a fetish for spicy foods in pregnancy, try and limit the intake. Spicy and hot foods generate extra heat in the body, leading to sweating.
Concentrate more on fruits and liquid diets.
Salads and stir-fries have large amounts of retained moisture so you can savour their taste without worrying about extra calories. Eat a bowl of watermelon sprinkled with some rock salt, to do away with the summer heat!
6) Stay in the shade
If excessive perspiration is troubling you, it is best to avoid the sun. Stay indoors and adjust the temperatures of your air-conditioning to keep you cool.
Make optimum use of fans and coolers to ward away the heat. No pleasure is greater than the joy of holding the tiny bundle in your arms, sweating is just a minor problem in pregnancy, and when I look back at those nine months, I have so many things to cherish that the memory of these petty woes has become bleak. Also check out Six Life Saving Beauty Hacks For New Moms.