During pregnancy, the body goes through a lot of changes, but the alterations don’t stop there. After the baby is born, you’ll notice a slew of new (and maybe odd) changes, such as postpartum chills or postpartum shivering, that can affect your whole body.
If you’ve found yourself bundling up and enveloping yourself in blankets on a regular basis after your baby was delivered, be assured that these chills will not persist forever.
What exactly is postpartum shivering?
Some women have chattering teeth and head-to-toe shivering within the first hour after birth (or perhaps even during delivery). These unexpected—and perhaps unsettling—total body shake-a-roos may occur after vaginal or c-section birth. Fortunately, these terrifying chills are typically entirely natural and only last a few minutes…or, at most, an hour.
What causes this to happen?
The reason for postpartum chills is unknown. However, it may be related to fluid or heat loss as well as hormonal changes in your body after giving a child.
It makes no difference whether you had a cesarean section or a vaginal delivery. And although it normally occurs within a few hours of having your baby, it may also happen at the end of labor.
Even if the atmosphere is wonderfully heated, you might suffer postpartum chills.
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What is the duration of postpartum shaking?
Most postpartum chills, including those caused by an epidural or a c-section, subside on their own within 20 to 30 minutes. It’s unusual for shaking and shivering to linger more than an hour during or after labor, regardless of how you delivered.
While there is no way to avoid postpartum chills, you may prepare by carrying warm clothes in your hospital bag to keep your body warm during the hours you’ll be in a cold environment.
If you’re having a c-section, your doctor may prescribe medicine to keep you from shivering during and after the procedure. If you have a planned c-section, try to be as comfortable and warm as possible before the surgery to avoid shivering and shaking afterward. The operating room team may lay a warm blanket over your shoulders and chest, away from the sterile area, prior to the commencement of operation.
Is postpartum shivering normal?
It is totally typical for new mothers to suffer postpartum chills both immediately after labor and delivery and in the weeks that follow. This may occur as a result of blood loss, fluid loss, or hormonal changes. It normally doesn’t matter what the room temperature is or how many warm blankets the nurses put on top of you in this scenario since it’s about the body’s response to what it just went through, not its temperature.
You need to Know that postpartum recovery may take many weeks or months, especially if you are caring for a baby at the same time.
The postpartum chills will subside as your hormones calm. Until then, the best you can do is stock up on a nice hoodie and comfy socks for any time you need to warm up.