Always Cold During Pregnancy

Updated on December 07, 2011
C.E. asks from Provo, UT
13 answers

Is it normal to be cold all the time during pregnancy? I was so hot during my first two pregnancies, even going without socks in the winter. But this time I'm always so cold. I take medicine for hypothyroidism and the blood test in February showed good thyroid levels, so I don't think it could be that. Any ideas?

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So What Happened?

I tried some of your suggestions. The ginger tea didn't help and I couldn't stomach the ginger snaps. I don't know how much ginger is really in ginger ale, but that I could handle. I don't think it did much for my temperature, though. I also changed to a different water filter system. We'd been using a Pur faucet filter and switched to a Britta pitcher (by the way I like the taste better but hate the function of the pitcher). Shortly afterward, the Pur filter broke, so it's possible that it had not been working properly and perhaps something in the water was affecting my temperature. I did find out the baby is a girl, so maybe that has something to do with it. Sometime last month my temperature began to return to normal and now I just have warm feet all the time, which is fine with me. I recently had my thyroid levels tested again and they are off. The T4 is low and the T3 (which is the one my medicine is supposed to help with) is high. (This also explains why my throat has been hurting or feeling swollen. I thought it was just allergies.) So we'll see what happens to my temperature with the new thyroid med change. I wish I'd gotten my thyroid levels checked earlier because I've been so tired for months. But every time I tried, the doctors and nurses kept saying it could be postponed. They didn't take it seriously and I was too tired to fight for it.
So basically I have no idea what was causing the coldness or what changed it, but I really appreciate all your help and encouragement during my investigation! I think that the things I changed were good changes for me (except for maybe the ginger ale, but it was a small splurge in junk food), whether they were the thing that changed my temp or not. Thanks!

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W.N.

answers from Denver on

As a doula, I see both ends of the spectrum and neither is usually anything to worry about. Most women have one spot on their bodies (feet, hands, head, chest, etc.) that is more sensitive to heat and cold and I usually recommend focusing on keeping that area comfortable and the rest usually follows.
Let me know if you need any more help or have any more questions!

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M.M.

answers from Colorado Springs on

I would request that they do another thyroid panel if its been a month (maybe every two weeks). Due to the weight gain during pregnancy, and weight loss after, thyroid levels sometimes seem to vary. Pregnancies also vary and one just might not be the same as the other. Another possibility is that the baby is a girl, if the others are boys and you were always hot for both, or maybe this baby takes all your heat and prefers to be warmer than the other. There are may articles and sites about pregnancy and hypothyroidism that are very useful, I too was severly hypothyriod during mine.

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C.K.

answers from Portland on

i do not have an answer but a response. i am having my first child, a boy. i was constantly freezing pre pregnancy. to a point where i got lab work. i am now in my thris trimester, and my body is back to constant coldness. i live in oregon, so it doesnt get cold here. my diet is normal, teas dont work, blankets dont work, and nor does turning the heater on. i have no circulation issues, or health hazards in my family. as of now, i still dont know why my body is constantly cold. like, ice to the touch.

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M.O.

answers from Denver on

During my oregnancy I had this problem. My accupuncturist really helped. I was in for just a few treatments and I was a lot better. If you are not comfortable with accupuncture my accupuncturist also had me warming my internal temperature with lots of ginger and no cold liquids. All liquids need to be at least room temp (if not warmer), even water and juice. Also drink ginger tea, eat gingersnaps, candy, cook with ginger. That can help your body heat up since all it's energy is focusing on the baby right now.

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J.K.

answers from Denver on

I was hot during pregnancy with my son and freezing with my daughter.

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L.W.

answers from Denver on

I wasn't cold during my pregnancy, but have had times in life where I go through "cold spells". I drink ginger tea - it really heats me up fast and is just stemed ginger, nothing funky. You can get it at the grocery store.

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N.W.

answers from Salt Lake City on

When pregnant, I get cold when I'm hungry and just after I eat. I figure all the blood is rushing to my tummy to refill on nutrients. It usually goes away at night when I'm way too hot.

S.A.

answers from Salt Lake City on

Hi Carrie! I was ALWAYS freezing when I was pregnant with my first child. Everyone kept telling me that I'll start getting hot, but I never did. My DR. told me that everything was normal, but that your hormones do wierd things to you when you're pregnant. I am currently pregnant and I'm always cold this time too. I just figured that it was my body's way of handling things. I wouldn't worry about it too much. If your DR. checked you out and everything is fine, then you should be ok. Just blame it on those darn hormones. Good Luck!

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G.L.

answers from Salt Lake City on

Could be something, but could also be normal. I froze through both of my pregnancies. My doc checked me out thoroughly, and baby and I were both fine. To quote my doctor, "You're fine, just a little weird." Evidently, for some of us, pregnancy hormones turn the internal thermostat the other way.

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S.M.

answers from Denver on

Carrie,

Make sure they check you thyroid often. Mine changed frequently while I was pregnant. Went from hypo to hyper back to hypo. Meds for thyroid don't act immediately like others, it takes few weeks. If this is new, I would have your levels checked again. While I was pregnant, it was checked about every 6-7 weeks or so.

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S.G.

answers from Salt Lake City on

Stop drinking fluoridated water...it can cause thyroid problems...sounds as tho' you may have a circulation problem..
butchers' broom...cayenne pepper...horsechestnut are some good
herbs to take. Also, I suggest massage therapy....as well as
chiropractic adjustments. Go to a health store and get some
good information from some of the good counselors in the
supplement area...get a good health book that will give you
solutions to the ills that we suffer. A good one would be "YOU
CAN HEAL YOUR LIFE' BY LINDA PAGE.

success to you.....sent with love.

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A.G.

answers from Norfolk on

I'm always cold during pregnancy until the last few weeks and even then I don't usually get hot. It's probably hormones more than anything else, but then I've always been quite skinny so it might just be the body's way of keeping the baby nice and warm.

I wouldn't worry about it.

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L.S.

answers from Missoula on

this is not science based fact at all, but in my discussions with other Mom friends, it seems we noticed, in general, that those of us with boys were always hot during pregnancy ( myself included and it was very remarkable considering normally i am cold all the time - and almost immediately after having him, i went straight back to having cold feet all the time!) and those of us who had girls complained of being cold! i have no idea if this is really the case, i've never followed up to find out if this is fact based or not! Good luck!

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