Lauren Ellis
Fire on. Fluffy jumpers on. Blankets and throws galore. You would think it is winter by just those three statements, but no, it's pregnancy. Many women experience extreme coldness during their pregnancy and we have the reasons why.
Why Do I Feel Cold During Pregnancy?
We are going to explain a few reasons as to why you may feel cold, not all of these will apply to your and your pregnancy but they can be helpful to know.
🌡️ Cooling Down OTT:
During pregnancy your metabolism is increased and this will produce heat, making you feel warm. Your overheating can often lead to you feeling cold, confusing right? As your body recognises your body is getting a temperature, it will begin the "cooling down process". Your body is clever and takes the relevant steps in order to cool the body down, including increasing the blood flow to your limbs. Even with the body being as clever as it is, in some situations, your body can go a little OTT on the cooling down process and end up over compensating, leaving you feeling cold.
🤮Dreaded Morning Sickness:
Whilst throwing up every last sip of water, your body will be lacking the nutrients it needs in order to regulate your temperature. Even keeping water down is difficult and this meaning your body may face being dehydrated. As your body is not taking in enough calories, your body will not have enough fuel or power to maintain it's temperature which can lead to you feeling chilly. Don't be alarmed, your baby will be still be warm and toasty as your body will prioritise keeping your internal temperature maintained.
🦠Infection:
If your body is under attack from an infection, you may flicker between feeling super hot and absolutely freezing. if you have any other symptoms of illness whilst being cold, you should be contacting your health care provider. There could be an underlying health problem that is resulting in you feeling cold.
💉Anaemia:
Between 15% and 20% of women are known to suffer with anaemia during their pregnancies and this will be confirmed (or ruled out) at your first prenatal appointment and will be continuously checked on throughout the pregnancy. You can increase your daily intake of iron naturally through your diet and this can help against anaemia.
🤒Basal Body Temperature:
If you have ever been the type of person to have a dedicated app to track your cycles then this term will be well known to you. Your basal body temperature can be increased during ovulation period. your basal body temperature refers to the lowest body temperature reached whilst you're rested. Your basal temperature being high can often make the air around you feel cooler, meaning you may still feel cold even when this has reduced.
Is Feeling Cold Normal During Pregnancy?
While it's not abnormal to feel cold during pregnancy, it's also not viewed as normal, looking at the majority of pregnant women. Although we have gone into a number of reasons why you may feel cold, this doesn't explain the consistent coldness. If you're feeling cold more often than not, it's probably a good idea to contact your healthcare provider. It is also a good idea to contact your GP or midwife if you suddenly feel cold or if you experience other symptoms such as;
- Fatigue,
- Shortness of breath,
- Easily bruised,
- Pain,
- Any symptoms of an infection.
How Can I Feel Stop Feeling Cold?
It may seem self explanatory, but when you're feeling cold all the time and nothing is helping, it can be a little more complicated than that. Here are some ideas;
🧣Layer Up:
Layering up can allow your body to have the heat trapped and when choosing which materials to wear, keep the best insulating fabrics in mind. Your first layer of clothing should always be a fast-drying fabric. Get your thermals out!
🛏️Blankets Galore:
When making your bed, choose to layer your bedding in style, keeping you nice and toasty in bed. Make sure to stick to flannel sheets, fluffy blankets and pile them up high.
🍪Gingerbread Men:
Ginger is known to "heat you up from the inside out", so why not make a sweet treat out of it and dress it up like a little snowman.
🌶️Stay Away From Chilli:
Eating and indulging in spicy food WILL NOT warm you up, it in fact, does the complete opposite. It will break you out into a sweat and actually play a part in your body trying to cool it's self down.
☕Cuppa Solves It All:
A warm, not hot, drink can give you the feeling of being warm. However, this is not a longterm fix. You will realise that you still feel the cold shortly after as the drink doesn't actually adjust your internal temperature.
