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Do you smell onions?
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my husband asked me one morning as I was lying in bed,breastfeedingour newborn baby.
He scrunched his nose, sniffed a few times, and looked around.
But thats not where the aroma of freshly-cut Vidalias was coming from.
It was meor rather, my armpitsand I was actually kind of relieved that he noticed it too.
A panicked text to a mom-friend plus a quick Google search confirmed I wasnt alone.
This is not considered abnormal, but many find it highly unpleasant.
These changes can trigger an increase in sweating.
But it isnt the sweat alone that smellsbody odor is the result ofsweatmixing with bacteria found on the skin.
Its no spritz of Gucci Bloom, but its not downright atrocious.
Many pregnant people have told me that their armpits smell like powerful, cut onions, says Dr. Gersh.
These analogies are clearly describing offensive smells that go above and beyond the normal post-workout stink.
In fact, I rarely have pregnant patients describe their aroma as having just worked out.
With breastfeeding difficulties occupying my mind and little-to-no sleep each night, I often found myself overwhelmed with worry.
And when you’re not sleeping and your body changes, your cortisol levels go up.
You’re happy that little Johnny is cooing and crawling and tummy-timing, but it doesn’t matter.
Postpartum body odor isnt just a result of these hormonal shifts.
(According to theCleveland Clinic, foul-smelling lochia could be a sign of an infection.)
The act of breastfeeding can also contribute toward a new scent.
This smell is sometimes described as mildly sour or soapy.
Youre probably not sleeping well or showering as often as you usually would.
These could be signs of an underlying medical condition that requires attention, she says.
How long postpartum body odor lasts varies.
It typically resolves on its own as the body adjusts to postpartum changes.
For years now, Ive usedaluminum-free deodorantsinstead of traditional antiperspirants.
Fellow moms in my internet sang a similar tune.
I swore there were a few heavily scented deodorants that were even making matters worse.
Let me tell yougourmand-scented deodorants didnotmesh well with my underarm odor.
After chatting with some experts, I learned that masking odor with fragrances can sometimes exacerbate the issue.
The moisture from the sweat can dilute the perfume and alter its fragrance.
In other words, they cant compete with antiperspirants.
Despite finding some natural deodorants that assisted the cause, I can’t give them all the credit.
As time went on, my new body odor slowly began to subside.
The creamy stick glides on easily and never leaves behind a wet, tacky feeling.
Its also free of baking soda, an ingredient that some (myself included) find irritating in deodorants.
Its made with moisturizers to condition and hydrate the delicate underarm region, but it’s still very lightweight.
It does feel a little wet immediately after tool, but it dries down quickly.
Since I have fairly reactive underarms, I appreciate that its free of alcohol and baking soda.
Read more about body odor:
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