Does your baby sweat too much while breastfeeding? Is it ringing bells in your mind of a possible medical problem? Relax, if you are a first-time mom without any prior experience in baby care. Remember sweating while breastfeeding is completely normal.
But it could be a symptom of a serious ailment as well. If you are clueless and want to find out some of the probable reasons for your baby sweating while breastfeeding, continue reading!
In This Article
- Why Does Your Baby Sweat While Breastfeeding?
- Why Does Your Baby’s Head Sweat More?
- Does it Indicate a Health Issue?
- When Should You Seek Medical Attention?
- How To Reduce Baby Sweating While Breastfeeding?
- FAQ’s
Why Does Your Baby Sweat While Breastfeeding?
It is quite natural for the baby to sweat while breastfeeding. Here we have listed a few reasons, why your baby may sweat while breastfeeding:
- You and your baby come in close contact while breastfeeding. This skin-to-skin contact increases their body temperature. To make your baby manage the rise in the temperature, their body activates the natural way of cooling by starting to sweat.
- The baby has to put in a lot of energy for suckling, this makes the baby sweat while breastfeeding. When we exercise a little and move our muscles, we tend to sweat, so in the same way, when the baby moves their jaw while suckling, it is the baby’s form of exercise and this makes them sweat.
- While breastfeeding, most mothers tend to keep the baby in the same position as long as they are getting fed. The mother’s palm gives warmth to the tender head of the baby, and this can also result in the head of your baby sweating while breastfeeding.
- Also, babies sweat while breastfeeding if they are nursed in an extremely warm environment or if they are wearing too many layers of clothes in a hot environment.
Why Does Your Baby’s Head Sweat More?
Are you concerned that your baby’s head sweats a lot while breastfeeding? Have you ever noticed that your baby’s body never sweats? This is because the baby’s head has active sweat glands. So if your baby’s head is breaking into a sweat while breastfeeding, it just means he is feeling hot. Also, remember the temperature of the baby’s head is always more than the other body parts. But if you feel that your baby’s head sweats excessively, you should clarify it with your doctor.
Does it Indicate a Health Issue?
Though sweating is not something to be worried about, excessive baby sweating while breastfeeding can be a sign of some underlying health issues in your baby. Excessive sweating while breastfeeding is a sign of this condition :
1. Pulmonary Atresia
It is a type of congenital heart disease. Here, the pulmonary valve, which regulates the flow of blood from the heart to the lungs fails to open due to the malformation. This ends up blocking the flow of blood from the heart to the lungs. This results in oxygen deficiency in your baby. Excessive sweating while breastfeeding is an important sign of this condition.
2. Hyperthyroidism
Malfunctioning of the thyroid gland, i.e. an overactive thyroid gland or hyperthyroidism can be a cause of excessive sweating in babies while breastfeeding.
3. Fever
Fever or some infection can cause the baby to sweat during breastfeeding.
4. SIDS
Babies with an increased risk of SIDS experience excessive sweating. Even though the connection is yet to be proved, most of the mothers who lost their babies because of SIDS reported that their babies used to sweat a lot.
5. Congestive Heart Failure
This condition happens when the baby’s heart fails to pump enough blood to different parts of the body. This can be either due to some structural issues, or, as a result of weakened cardiac muscle. Excessive sweating is an important sign of this condition.
When Should You Seek Medical Attention?
Watch for the following signs. If you feel any of these symptoms are applicable to your baby sweating while breastfeeding, never hesitate to take your baby to his doctor immediately.
- If you notice a bluish tint to the baby’s skin while breastfeeding, take immediate medical attention. This indicates the low oxygen level that could be related to heart issues.
- If the baby experiences shortness of breath or labored breathing or if he breathes faster and gasps while breastfeeding, it needs immediate attention.
- If the baby gets tired easily and refuses to suckle soon after the nursing starts.
- If the baby becomes weak and tends to fall asleep as soon as the feeding starts. This could be a sign of congestive heart failure.
- Insignificant weight gain along with excessive sweating needs to be brought to your doctor’s notice.
How to Reduce Baby Sweating While Breastfeeding?
Try out these tips to make your baby comfortable and reduce their chances of sweating while breastfeeding:
- Feed your baby in a well-ventilated room. Maintain moderate room temperature. Make sure the room is not too cold or hot for your baby.
- Make sure to wear soft cotton clothes while breastfeeding your baby in summer as the baby is in close contact with you while being fed and light clothes will keep them cool in hot months. Even during winter, while breastfeeding, avoid wearing thick woolen clothes as this may increase the baby’s body temperature and make them sweat or cause skin irritation.
- Make sure your baby wears only cotton clothes during summers and soft woolen clothes during winters. Do not cover your baby’s head with a cap while breastfeeding. The bare head will prevent the body temperature from rising and help in keeping your baby cool.
- Do not cover the head and body of your baby while you are breastfeeding him in the comfort of your home. However, while breastfeeding a baby in public use only a cotton nursing cloak.
- Avoid polyester clothing for both you and your baby as it will make them very uncomfortable.
- Try changing your baby’s position frequently by changing breasts while feeding them. This way, overheating of the head can be avoided. Click here to know more about different breastfeeding positions.
- Never make your baby wear tight clothes.
If you feel that your baby is still sweating profusely while breastfeeding despite taking the above measures, make sure you speak to your doctor about it.
FAQ’s
1. Can my Baby’s Excessive Sweating be Genetic?
Yes, it can. If you, your partner, or your grandparents have very active sweat glands, you could’ve passed it down. This could be one reason for them to sweat while breastfeeding.
2. Is Body Contact During Breastfeeding Advised to Reduce Sweating?
No, the advice is not for that issue. Body contact while breastfeeding improves the mother-baby connection. Skin-to-skin contact can improve milk supply.
3. Can I Remove my Baby’s Clothes While Breastfeeding, to Reduce the Sweating?
Yes, you can. It can reduce sweating as well as promote skin-to-skin contact. They will feel closer to you and your milk production can increase.
4. What AC Temperature is Recommended for a Baby Who Sweats a Lot?
The AC is not good for our bodies, especially a small baby. Natural ventilation is always recommended. However, if you need to use an AC, ensure the temperature is around 25 – 27 degrees and not lesser.
