We all know that pregnancy changes our body inside out. The changes are not limited to physical changes. Pregnancy changes your hormonal levels, which in turn impact your sensory functions and emotions. Pregnancy is just not about stroking your bulging belly and that pregnancy glow. Body odor during pregnancy is not a rare occurrence.
Some changes in your pregnant body can be embarrassing and body odor is one such recurring change during pregnancy. We are so used to smelling good all the time that body odor can be a big dent in our mood and can make us conscious and irritable. Unfortunately, body odor is very common during pregnancy. For answers, read on.
In This Article
- Body Odor During Pregnancy
- Why Do You Have A Bad Body Odor During Pregnancy?
- How To Get Rid Of Body Odor During Pregnancy?
Body Odor During Pregnancy
As a result of a particular hormone, known as estradiol, whose concentration increases in the body during pregnancy, pregnant women have a heightened sense of smell. And this, in turn, leads to the women being put off by a lot of smells that they otherwise did not have a problem with. Loved your husband’s cologne before?
You might find it a total turn-off now. Never noticed your husband has a particular smell? You would now notice it and more likely than not, hate that smell. While odors coming from outside can be managed, how would you deal with your own body odor that you cannot seem to stand? Continue reading to know more.
Why Do You Have A Bad Body Odor During Pregnancy?
While there are few reasons for body odor during pregnancy, most often, only you can smell this odor because of your heightened sense of smell. So you do not have to worry about other people’s reactions.
Now, the following are a few reasons why you have a body odor:
Increased Sweating
One common cause of body odor for anyone is sweat. And pregnant women, whose body temperature is higher than others, tend to sweat a lot, increasing their body odor
Bad Breath
There are multiple reasons for bad breath. Some pregnant women get a chronically stuffed nose during pregnancy, called pregnancy rhinitis. As a result, they tend to breathe through their mouth. This, in turn, dries up the saliva in the mouth, which results in the accumulation of stinky bacteria. Even if you do not have pregnancy rhinitis, pregnancy hormones can result in smelly gastric juices rising up to your throat, leaving your mouth smelling bad often
Vaginal Smell
Pregnancy can lead to increased blood supply which changes the pH level of a pregnant women’s vagina. This change in pH often leads to a distinct odor in the vaginal area. This is normal, however, see a doctor is the smell is accompanied by itching, burning, or an abnormal discharge
Increased Blood Supply
During pregnancy, your basal metabolic rate (BMR) changes, which increases the blood supply in your body, especially to areas such as the armpits. This increases the smell.
How To Get Rid Of Body Odor During Pregnancy?
Fortunately, there are many ways that help you minimize your body odor. Drink a lot of water to stay hydrated. Also, focus on clean eating by avoiding food with a pungent smell, such as onion and garlic. Eat more vegetables and fruits. Other tips to get rid of body odor during pregnancy are:
Relax
As we said before, like pregnant women, you are now hypersensitive to smell. So the first thing to remember is you do not smell as bad or strong as you think. Do not let this make you anxious. Do not, literally, sweat on it
Bath
Take a good relaxing shower twice a day. Use a mild antibacterial soap, which helps reduce body odor. Also, make sure you dry yourself fully with a clean towel before putting on your clothes. Also, apply talcum powder or a mild-smelling deodorant to smell good for a long time. Be wary of the deodorant you pick. If it has a strong odor, that also might put you off
Trim the Hair
And we are not talking about the ones on your head. Shave or trim the hair on your armpits and vagina. This will ensure that the smelly bacteria do not get trapped in these areas. It also makes cleaning easy
Maintain Vaginal Hygiene
Wash your private parts with slightly warm water and any cleanser made especially for the vagina. This will help restore the pH of the area
Use Right Clothes
Wear fabric that can breathe. Do not repeat clothes after bath. Choose cotton and linen fabric. To make sure the clothes you wash remain odor-free, just before the final wash add a quarter cup of white vinegar to the water. You can use a more concentrated mix of vinegar and water for your undergarments and socks which are more prone to bad odor
All the above-mentioned points will not only help you to tackle the problem of bad body odor during pregnancy, but also are safe and will not harm you or your unborn baby. But even after taking care of your personal hygiene properly, if you experience bad body odor, then it is advisable that you consult your doctor. He will suggest some medicated soap to tackle this problem. He may also change some medicines that you are taking that can be one of the reasons behind bad body odor during pregnancy.
We hope this article answered all your questions related to bad body odor during pregnancy. Did you face this problem while you were pregnant? What did you do to tackle bad body odor during pregnancy? Do share your experience in the comments section below.
