Waking up soaked in the weeks after birth is very common, and it’s usually your body doing exactly what it should. Here’s why postpartum night sweats happen, how long they last, what helps, and how to tell normal sweats and chills from a sign of infection.
Postpartum night sweats are heavy sweating, mostly at night, in the weeks after giving birth. They happen because estrogen drops sharply after birth, and because your body is getting rid of the extra fluid it held during pregnancy, through sweat as well as urine. They’re usually worst in the first one to two weeks and settle for most women by about six weeks, though they can last longer while breastfeeding. Night sweats on their own are normal. Sweats or chills with a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, or that go on for months with weight loss or a racing heart, need a check.
Why postpartum night sweats happen
- Falling hormones: estrogen and progesterone drop quickly after the placenta is delivered, which affects how your body controls its temperature, much like hot flashes.
- Shedding extra fluid: pregnancy adds a lot of fluid to your body. After birth, you lose it through sweating and frequent urination, which is also why swelling in the feet and legs goes down over the same weeks.
- Breastfeeding: estrogen stays lower while you breastfeed, so sweats can continue longer.
- Other causes: less often, an infection or a thyroid problem after pregnancy can cause sweating. These usually come with other signs, listed below.
How long do postpartum night sweats last?
Night sweats usually start in the first few days after birth and are heaviest in the first week or two. For most women they ease by about six weeks. If you’re breastfeeding, milder sweats can come and go for a few months, and sometimes return around weaning as hormones shift again. Sweats that are still heavy after about three months, or that come back after stopping, are worth mentioning to your clinician.
What helps
- Keep your bedroom cool and use a fan if it helps.
- Wear light, breathable sleepwear and keep a spare set by the bed.
- Put a towel over your pillow and sheet so you can change it quickly at night.
- Drink plenty of water, especially if you’re breastfeeding, to replace what you lose.
- Shower or wash in the morning to stay comfortable and protect your skin.
- Skip extra blankets and very hot drinks right before bed.
Postpartum chills
Chills after birth come in two very different kinds:
- Shaking right after delivery. Many women shiver hard for a few minutes up to an hour right after giving birth. It’s common, often linked to hormone shifts and sometimes an epidural, and passes on its own.
- Chills days or weeks later. New chills a week or more after birth, especially with a fever, can be a sign of infection, such as in the uterus, a C-section incision, the breast (mastitis) or the bladder. Take your temperature and call your clinician.
Some women also notice simply feeling cold after giving birth, even without a fever. It’s often from tiredness, broken sleep and fluid shifts, but low iron after blood loss and an underactive thyroid can also cause it, so mention it at your checkup if it doesn’t improve.
When to get medical help
Call your clinician the same day for:
- A fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, or chills that come with feeling unwell
- Foul-smelling discharge, worsening belly pain, or a red, painful incision
- A hot, red, painful area on the breast with flu-like symptoms
- Burning when you pee, or needing to go much more often with pain
Mention at your next visit, or sooner if it’s bothering you: sweats lasting beyond about three months; sweats with weight loss, a racing or pounding heart, shakiness or feeling very anxious, which can be signs of a thyroid problem after pregnancy; or low mood lasting more than two weeks. For other warning signs, see Postpartum Recovery: What to Expect in the First 6 Weeks.
The traditional Chinese medicine view
Traditional Chinese Medicine sees the weeks after birth as a time when qi and blood are depleted and the body is open and sensitive to cold. Sweating after birth is traditionally linked to that depletion, and catching a chill while sweaty is something the tradition takes seriously. That’s why the custom of “sitting the month” stresses staying out of drafts and cold water, keeping covered, drying off promptly after sweating, and eating warm, nourishing food. These are traditional descriptions, not a diagnosis, and a fever always needs a medical check.
Where Postpartum Recovery fits
The Postpartum Recovery herbal pouch is a sealed external pouch with nothing to swallow, for mothers exploring complementary care in the weeks after birth. It isn’t a treatment for night sweats, chills, infection or any medical condition. Confirm the current placement instructions with us, and have your obstetric clinician approve the timing and site, never over a healing incision or tear. Breastfeeding safety studies haven’t been done, so review the ingredients with your clinician and keep pouches away from your baby.
Quick answers
Are night sweats normal after giving birth?
Yes. They’re very common and come from falling hormones and your body shedding the extra fluid of pregnancy.
When do postpartum night sweats stop?
For most women, by about six weeks. They can last longer while breastfeeding.
Are postpartum night sweats and chills together normal?
Sweating can leave you feeling chilly. But chills with a fever, or chills that start a week or more after birth, can mean infection and need a call.
Why do I have chills one week postpartum?
Take your temperature. If it’s 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, or you feel unwell, call your clinician to check for infection.
Reviewed October 2026. Author: Qingcai Wang, MD, PhD, developer of the Five Essences external herbal-pouch formulations, with a commercial interest in their sale. General education only; continue your medical care.
Sources: ACOG, Postpartum care; NHS, Your post-pregnancy body; CDC, Urgent maternal warning signs.