Pregnancy & Postpartum

During pregnancy, your body undergoes a cascade of physiological changes that all point in the same direction: warmer.

Blood volume increases significantly. A pregnant woman's blood plasma volume increases by up to 40 percent compared to pre-pregnancy levels, and can rise to 60 percent or more by the end of the third trimester. To handle this surge, blood vessels dilate and allow blood to flow closer to the skin's surface, creating that constant sensation of warmth. Source: Healthline

Hormones shift your internal thermostat. Surges of estrogen and progesterone drive many of the physiological changes in pregnancy, and can also be experienced as hot flashes, similar in sensation to what women experience during menopause but caused by the opposite hormonal dynamic. Source: Cleveland Clinic

Two women interacting, one with her hand on the other's pregnant belly.

Metabolism accelerates to support your baby. During pregnancy, your metabolism speeds up to provide you and your developing baby with ample energy. Metabolic activity generates heat, so when your metabolism ramps up, your body temperature goes up with it.

Your baby generates heat too. The growing baby contributes its own body heat, and the added physical weight means even ordinary activities require more effort, more energy, and more heat production.

The result? Around one in three pregnant individuals experience hot flashes during pregnancy, with symptoms often intensifying in the second and third trimesters. Many report the worst episodes at night, concentrated around the head, neck, and chest.Source: Heloa

Woman breastfeeding a baby on a couch in a bright room

The postpartum period brings its own wave of temperature challenges. Many women experience intense sweating in the postpartum period as hormone levels shift rapidly back to pre-pregnancy states. The body is also shedding the excess fluid retained during pregnancy, which contributes to night sweats and general discomfort during those first weeks. Source: womenhealthdomain

If you breastfeed, you may be even more prone to night sweats in the postpartum period, as prolactin levels elevate and estrogen levels drop. For many new mothers, the hot, restless nights don't end at delivery. They just change form. Source: SingleCare

Postpartum recovery also brings physical discomfort, particularly for cesarean section recovery, perineal swelling, and breast engorgement. Cold therapy can be a valuable part of managing that discomfort, offering drug-free relief during a time when many new mothers are carefully managing what they put into their bodies.

Pregnant woman sitting on a couch in a cozy living room.

A Note on Safe Use During Pregnancy

Body cooling products are generally safe and comfortable to use during pregnancy, but as with any wellness product, we recommend consulting your OB or midwife before use if you have any specific medical concerns. Avoid prolonged exposure to intense cold on the abdomen, and follow the 20-minute on/off guidelines recommended for cold therapy use.

Our products are non-medicated, non-invasive, and designed to work with your body, not against it.

FSA/HSA eligible. Many of our cooling products qualify for purchase with flexible spending or health savings account funds. That means the relief you're looking for may cost less than you think.

"I cannot believe these are not on "must-have" lists for pregnant women. It seriously saved me from feeling like I was going to die of heat at least 3 times this week (despite the fact that it's the middle of winter)... Its best feature is its flexibility. It doesn't have to just go around your neck. Sometimes I wrap it around my head. Other times I put it under my breasts. Sometimes I just hold it... I can't imagine going through pregnancy without it."

Racheal