Changes are constant during pregnancy. From your growing baby bump through to your body temperature, it seems nothing stays the same in this time of flux. Your relationship may be changing during this crazy time, or you may find you are experiencing all sorts of new things like new hair growth or a dry mouth.
While many expectant mothers find they feel much hotter than normal as body metabolism speeds up and more heat is kicked out by the system, others can feel unusually cold.
We’ll take a brief look today at why you might be feeling cold since becoming pregnant and what you can do to mitigate this.
Is It Normal To Feel Cold During Pregnancy?
While it’s far more common to feel warmer during pregnancy due to hormone levels in freefall, it’s not exactly uncommon to feel cold either.
There are several reasons you might feel this way, with most of them prompting no cause for concern whatsoever.
As with everything related to your pregnancy, if you’re in any element of doubt, you should always speak with your doctor to set your mind at rest.
We’ll outline the primary reasons you might feel this way, so you can assess your situation and take further action, if necessary, beyond putting on another layer of clothing.
7 Common Reasons You Feel Cold Since Becoming Pregnant
- Changing Hormones
- Morning Sickness
- Anemia
- Thyroid Problems
- High Basal Body Temperature
- Infection
- Dietary Issues
1) Changing Hormones
Hormone levels are spiking, this is by far the most common culprit for wild fluctuations in body temperature during pregnancy.
If this is the case, there’s really very little you can do except ride it out, pop on another sweater, and crank the heating up.
2) Morning Sickness
Nausea and sickness that so often accompanies pregnancies can also bring about a lowered body temperature.
A common side effect of morning sickness beyond nausea and vomiting are chills that can leave you feeling decidedly cold.
Focus on your nutrition, even if you don’t feel like eating much.
One way to combat morning sickness, if you’re not feeling like as much food as normal, is to adjust the frequency of your meals. Rather than three large meals a day, dial back on the portion size and eat more often.
Another solution is to pick blander foods that won’t induce that familiar feeling of nausea in the pit of your stomach.
3) Anemia
Anemia is caused by a deficiency of iron, a common issue in pregnant women. With this condition, your blood doesn’t have enough red blood cells, and this impacts circulation. In turn, this can make you feel cold.
If you feel tired as well as cold, this could mean you’re anemic but, let’s face it, you are likely to feel bone-tired anyway.
As with anything like this during pregnancy, the best approach is to speak with your doctor and describe your symptoms accurately so he can determine whether you might benefit from an iron supplement.
4) Thyroid Problems
Untreated thyroid issues can also make you feel colder than normal.
If you have any reason to believe this might be the case, it’s crucial you get some tests run, as this can bring about a shower of health issues far beyond feeling chilly.
5) High Base Body Temperature
As you begin your pregnancy, your base body temperature is at elevated levels for the first few weeks. Your body will believe the ambient temperature is lower than it really is since you’ll be feeling hotter than normal.
As a result of this fluctuation, you can experience chills leaving you feeling cold for extended periods. This might feel somewhat like the flu.
Luckily, as with many adverse feelings you’ll have while pregnant, this will soon pass and is absolutely nothing to worry about.
6) Infection
Any form of infection, from a UTI to a kidney infection, can bring about feelings of coldness.
You should become aware of other symptoms that point to infection so take action and get it sorted out then the cold feeling should subside.
7) Dietary Issues
Pregnancy is hard enough without having to think about eating enough or having the right foods. You also need to consider supplementation, like getting enough iron. Take a close look at your diet if you’re feeling cold on a regular basis.
Most of the underlying reasons for feeling cold while pregnant are no cause for alarm. It’s always worth speaking to your doctor, though. Don’t leave anything to chance at this beautiful stage of life.
