You’re not imagining it- you are hot. And not just smokin’ good looking either! During pregnancy, increased levels of the hormone progesterone cause your basal temperature to rise as much as 1.1 degree Fahrenheit. That might not sound like a lot, but for some people, that can make a big difference in how they feel. This starts in the second half of your menstrual cycle and, if you get pregnant that cycle, can last for as long as the first twenty weeks.
It is important that your baby doesn’t get cooked, because in reality, he or she is not a bun in the oven. Your body is adapting in order to improve your ability to get rid of excess heat and keep your little one comfortable. How does it do that?! Well, skin heat loss happens primarily through sweat. And the better you are at it, you guessed it- the more you sweat! During pregnancy, your body’s set point for ‘normal’ body temperature decreases at the same time as the set point for sweating. So the temperature that you start the waterworks at now when you’re pregnant is lower than it was before you were pregnant- and you’ll start sweating a lot sooner and a lot more in your workout.
Sweating is the part of this that I get the most client complaints about, but there is another bragging point to note on your now-super-efficient body. The hormones that your body released for pregnancy have increased blood vessel dilation so that it can hold more blood closer to the surface. It’s kind of like those super wide straws at MacDonald’s versus the skinny little ones at Taco Bell. More drink comes through the straw from MacDonald’s even if the straws are the same length. Get it? The closer that increased volume of blood is to your skin, the more heat can dissipate from it. For some women, this means the ‘pregnancy glow’ (which for me was more like a red-faced ruddy flush). Unfortunately it is that blood flow to the skin that makes you actually feel the heat. The sweating, although pesky, is not what makes you feel hot but what makes you cool down!
By this time, you’re saying “That’s great; I’m a super hero when it comes to heat efficiency- get the point about how I can stop looking like I ran through the sprinkler when I’m trying to look cute”. Well, the bad news is that you really can’t stop the sweating- nor should you. Your body is doing this to keep the baby happy and healthy!
While you shouldn’t expect to stop the sweating, there are a few things that you can do to feel more comfortable. Wear clothing that is loose and flowy (I lived in my gauncho pants, and I’m pretty sure it was well after they were trendy to wear). Your clothing should be made of natural fibers- think soft, light cotton and stay the heck away from synthetics like polyester. Take cooler showers (yes, you sweat in the shower and can increase dehydration risk) and avoid warm baths. You also might want to make sure you’re using cotton sheets for sleeping as opposed to synthetics or blends- it makes a big difference!
Some people are really embarrassed by this extra sweating and I hope understanding the ‘why’ can help them get through it- others who will read this are saying “Sweating? So WHAT?!” You have lots of things to worry about while you’re pregnant, and for many people, looking sweaty and red is the last thing on your mind. In a way, it’s like how the bright red coloring of a spider would warn off those who would bother it, and you hope that looking a little irritable might keep random people in Wal-Mart from rubbing your belly… but there are other considerations besides vanity to be aware of.
First, if you’re sweating, you are losing water! Your hydration status is one of the most important things to keep in mind throughout all stages of your pregnancy. Dehydration is SERIOUS and is a very common reason that women get hospitalized or need IV fluid therapy during pregnancy. Dehydration during pregnancy is linked to constipation, heat exhaustion, nausea and vomiting (which creates a cycle that makes dehydration even worse), dizziness, cramping, insufficient amounts of amniotic fluid in early pregnancy which can result in limb or other deformities in the growing baby (because the baby ends up pressing on the actual wall of the uterus), premature labor, and other risks. The best way to deal with this is to avoid it--- make sure that you are getting your daily WATER intake (not just fluid but actual water.)
Additionally, if you’re one of those pregnant women who is suffering from those awful leg cramps, your sweating may be to blame! These leg cramps can happen at any time but they seem a lot worse at night for most people, even waking you up out of a dead sleep. There may be a few causes to explore but one of the most common causes is that the increased sweating has caused you to lose salt and become dehydrated. If you’re having these, try to drink fluids with electrolytes, especially while working out.
Increased sweating is an unfortunate pile-on-the-others discomfort of pregnancy. I know that the last thing that you want to hear is that ‘it’s all worth it in the end’ blah blah blah- you know all that! What I will say is that there is a purpose to it in the meantime- it is part of keeping your baby happy & healthy… and it’s yet another sign that your body is amazing!
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