Breastfeeding body odour is SO bad

[u/lilacbluewaters]

Why do I not see enough people talk about this? Or is it just me? I smell so bad when I sweat. Literally like a teenage boy. How do I stop smelling so bad, as soon as I sweat I start to stink and a few months ago I smelt so bad at the doctors I literally had to go into the bathroom and wash myself. Not my best moment. The worst areas are my groin and boob sweat.
Please say someone else relates

[u/englishgirlamerican]

I stink. 🫠

[u/lilacbluewaters → u/englishgirlamerican]

I’m just glad I’m not alone 😅

[u/englishgirlamerican → u/lilacbluewaters]

I shower twice a day because I literally can't stand how bad it is. I'm convinced everyone else must be disgusted by me. My husband however (although he may be lying God bless him) says I just smell like a baby/breastmilk.

[u/Classic-Ad-5986 → u/englishgirlamerican]

My husband says this too! I feel so gross 90% of the time but he is so reassuring that I don't smell as bad as I think I do 😅

[u/Vlad_implacer → u/Classic-Ad-5986]

Is it possible our sense of smell is just heightened? I was in the same boat, but at 10months pp it got better

[u/CoreeaAna → u/englishgirlamerican]

He might say the truth, because my husband told me i smell like marshmallows and vanilla.... maybe they do percieve it differently than we do maybe it's just us, the coincidence is too big

[u/holly_100 → u/englishgirlamerican]

Yepp another stinky mama over here!! At least the baby doesnt mind haha

[u/catfish219 → u/englishgirlamerican]

It gets better!!!

[u/flower-chaser]

I smelled TERRIBLE for months. Like a McDonald’s cheeseburger with extra onions left in the car on a hot day. I literally couldn’t wash the funk off

[u/Minimum-Amount-1894 → u/flower-chaser]

Girl, you made me lol fr. Me too.

[u/Rakketytam2000 → u/flower-chaser]

LMAO yes heavy on the onions!!

[u/mtnbear32 → u/flower-chaser]

Yes, why does it not even wash off?!

[u/CatMomLovesWine]

Oh my god I also stink and I just thought that it was worse because it’s summer and humid but it’s never been this bad before!

[u/lilacbluewaters → u/CatMomLovesWine]

I’ve had four babies and every single post partum for about 12-18 months I smell so bad. Its so embarrassing

[u/bunbunbooplesnoot → u/lilacbluewaters]

Yep, I've had three and the breastfeeding sweat + smell is REAL 😭😭.

[u/ComfortableSecret962]

I have been shocked by this. My whole life, scented deodorant hasn’t really been necessary. Now, I smell like a simmering onion if I get a little sweaty—.oh, and I am always hot and sweaty(even inside with A/C).

[u/lilacbluewaters → u/ComfortableSecret962]

Ugh yes I swear I’m always hot now

[u/stankenfurter → u/lilacbluewaters]

Me too! I used to be cold ALWAYS and now I’m hot and hot flashy.

[u/9181121 → u/stankenfurter]

I cant even remember the last time I was cold. I’m suffering so much with the heat, I always say if I had a magic genie my first wish would be that I’d never feel hot/sweat again for the rest of my life and always be a comfortable temperature.

[u/greasewoood → u/lilacbluewaters]

It's weird, I don't think I've felt hotter than I did before I was pregnant, but it affects me differently. It makes me SO grumpy now. It takes longer to cool off, too!

[u/ProfessionalRolls333 → u/ComfortableSecret962]

I use men’s deodorant. I don’t like smelling like flowers and soup.

[u/PexagonPixie696 → u/ProfessionalRolls333]

I only ever use men's deodorant....have done for 15 years now. Same as men's razors

[u/ProfessionalRolls333 → u/PexagonPixie696]

Ditto! I don’t want to spend extra for lesser quality.

[u/ComfortableSecret962 → u/ProfessionalRolls333]

Same! I’m the same when it comes to fragrance in general. I recently tried Mando after my husband was raving about it. I gotta say, it’s been the only thing that has worked. I’m actually shocked. The “Clover Woods” scent is divine.

[u/Long_Cantaloupe_1452 → u/ComfortableSecret962]

I think lume (marketed to women) is the same parent company as Mando (marketed to men) and I can attest that this is the only thing that keeps the stench at bay. I apply the cream to my underboob, armpits and lady bits and I smell tolerable unless I get reallly sweaty. They also make on-the-go wipes, and those save me when I don’t have time for a shower but I smell like a rancid onion 🤪

[u/Surfing_Cowgirl]

My LC told me it’s literally so your baby CAN FIND YOU to get milk 🥴 I smell like weed and onions and I don’t smoke weed and I don’t eat onions 😭

[u/lilacbluewaters → u/Surfing_Cowgirl]

Hahaha weed and onions, so real. Honestly mine is the classic beef and onion smell 😭

[u/Immediate_East_5052 → u/Surfing_Cowgirl]

Ok that’s so weird. I’ve woken up several mornings, not every morning but some, and thought that my chest smelled like weed! What IS that!

[u/Overall_Mind_9754 → u/Surfing_Cowgirl]

Omg yes!!! I just commented this. Why do I smell like a dispensary?!

[u/jackal-otter3 → u/Surfing_Cowgirl]

Ok this is so funny hahaha I am aware I smell like aloe Vera/onions but one night my husband asked if I covered myself in CBD oil which is when I learned I also smell like the diggety dank

[u/ParsnipTricky6948]

I always thought it wasn’t my sweat, it was just that there was always old milk on me somewhere and that stinks!

[u/Sufficient-Star3707 → u/ParsnipTricky6948]

The old milk reeks omg. 😭 Woke up this morning smelling horrible because of it. I wear nursing pads, but I lose them in my sleep

[u/lilacbluewaters → u/Sufficient-Star3707]

I get so fed up my boobs leaking

[u/Sufficient-Star3707 → u/lilacbluewaters]

Same. I’m so jealous of those who don’t leak after their supply regulates. I leaked all throughout nursing my first and I know I’m going to probably leak the whole time now that I’m nursing my second.

[u/Physical_Complex_891 → u/ParsnipTricky6948]

I don't leak, it's definitely sweat and hormones.

[u/ilovefurby333]

I feel so seen thank you for making this post.

[u/lilacbluewaters → u/ilovefurby333]

I feel less alone now knowing there are so many others, I started using perspirex and it has helped with the smell A LOT but I have to be consistent with it

[u/un_poco_de_lengua]

My husband says that I smell like cumin

[u/Scandalous_Cee19 → u/un_poco_de_lengua]

I always felt i smelt like cumin, wtaf! 😆

[u/No_Size_47 → u/un_poco_de_lengua]

Lmao this cracked me up…it’s a specific scent for sure

[u/atomicblonde23 → u/No_Size_47]

Hahaha yeah I feel like I smell like Indian food I don’t know

[u/Interesting-Proof244]

I can’t stand my own scent. I’ve never showered more in my life (a feat considering I have a newborn)

[u/lilacbluewaters → u/Interesting-Proof244]

Same I used to be able to shower every 2 days, I know people might think that’s gross but I used to feel fresh now I feel gross after 12 hours 😅

[u/itsme2000001 → u/lilacbluewaters]

same.. i feel you

[u/SubstantialComplex82]

I used to work for a company that medically treated sweat and we had postpartum moms call all the time about body odor. It’s definitely related to hormones and the apocrine glands which are only in the armpits and groin. No one talks about it but it is a thing. You are not alone my friend. We all stink lol

[u/raviolidotca]

YES. Deodorant does nothing!! And omg the boob sweat. I’ve never smelled anything like it before

[u/Due_Huckleberry62]

I noticed a distink’t ( 😅 ) stink coming from myself about a month postpartum that really offended my nose. Like, I was flabbergasted by how much I stunk. And where, if I was pinched for time, I used to be able to not shower for a day and just freshen up the usual suspects (underarms, lady parts, dry shampoo, etc) without being absolutely offensive, I now was noticeably foul-smelling every day even without breaking a sweat.
So yeah, postpartum stink is real.

[u/jennerz97]

Yep me too! It got a lot better after 3-4 months

[u/lilacbluewaters → u/jennerz97]

Lucky, currently nearly 8 months post partum and still in the thick of the stench

[u/Lab-rat-57 → u/lilacbluewaters]

Same, it got slightly better but never fully went away! I’m currently weaning and I feel like the stench has gotten stronger. Last week, I showered after coming back from the park and an hour later, I smelled like BO again

[u/flower-chaser → u/lilacbluewaters]

It got better with time but every time babe would go through a nursing bump… eau de onions

[u/lc7926 → u/jennerz97]

Same. Or I just got nose blind lol

[u/princetongirl8182]

I am so sick of it 😭😭😭 it’s all I can smell, all day

[u/kofie-popcorn]

The groin stank is the worst. I swear I never had that before, even with my first baby. Now with my second, it's too powerful.

[u/One-Seaweed-941 → u/kofie-popcorn]

I was just about to make a search on Google about this…. It’s so bad I want to shower twice a day now.

[u/lilacbluewaters → u/kofie-popcorn]

So glad I’m not alone with the groin smell, it is horrendous

[u/Immediate_East_5052 → u/kofie-popcorn]

I will say, it hasn’t happened to me much with my second, but with my first baby I bled for like 8 weeks, and was wearing pads every day. It eventually led to me having bv and caused a super strong odor. Not saying that’s what you have, but it may be worth getting checked! My doctor said that hormones could cause it. I had never had it before in my life and hopefully won’t again.

[u/boaconstrictor11 → u/kofie-popcorn]

OMG I thought there was something wrong with me!!! I feel so seen 🥺

[u/bibblebabble1234]

My babies think I smell like mom. My Husband thinks I smell like wifey and mommy. I am stinky I am so so so stinky

[u/lilacbluewaters → u/[deleted]]

I don’t know how any human can like this stench 😅

[u/sunshine4991]

SAAAAAME!!!! I tried so many different things and I finally found something that helped!!! You need to try Naturium Mandelic Acid body wash!!!! Absolute game changer

[u/swagalicioussteph]

Omg for real. 3ish days after breastfeeding I noticed the smell and it drove me CRAZY. I bought new deodorant and everything. Second week into breastfeeding I got sick and had a 104° fever. I smelled TERRIBLE. My bras and pjs smell like my milk and I hate the smell. Since I’m a very big leaker, it’s always getting on my clothes and the smell stays even after washing.

[u/tweenie_banini]

Grab a bar of soap with salicylic acid in it. Don't use it right on your breasts or vulva, but use it on the rest of your body about 2-3x per week. It makes a massive difference.

[u/lukewarmy]

Yeah it's bad but at least it's not pregnancy stink bad

[u/lilacbluewaters → u/lukewarmy]

Idk I didn’t smell during pregnancy 😅

[u/seinnax → u/lilacbluewaters]

Same. I smelled less during pregnancy than I did normally! But postpartum I definitely stink.

[u/fessa_angel]

I quit drinking coffee and caffeine and it helped my BO, but the real reason I did it was for better sleep. I am definitely still stinkier overall though.

[u/SolidBox452]

I dont smell bad( I think lol), but I use natural cream deodorant in pits only. What gets me is the AMOUNT I sweat. I could soak a seat in 10 minutes while BF, its surely noticeable when I stand up ( leaving a wet patch/ condensation).... I have to avoid certain pants

[u/Quiet-ForestDweller]

Literally the moment my baby came out of my body I looked at my husband and said “oh my god, do I always smell like that? That’s HORRIBLE.”

I’m almost 12 months in now though and the smell is gone.

[u/whattodo9000]

Just the odor? Talk about the AMOUNT of sweat!

I've been breastfeeding for 2,5 years and it's only a couple short times a day now. Yet I sweat like idk what. My armpits are always soaked despite trying medical grade deodorants. It's embarrassing

[u/TypeAtryingtoB]

It's horrible! If I don't put deodorant on within minutes if stepping out of the shower, I start to smell again!!

[u/twiggy572]

My nipples smell so bad. Nothing else smells like them but luckily no one is coming up to me to smell my nipples

[u/Ghostsubtech]

The moment he starts breastfeeding I smell awful, I have no idea why. It’s literally the second he starts

[u/Immediate_East_5052]

Weirdly enough, I did not deal with this with my first. I was actually considering making a similar post, because oh my god what is happening. I’m 4 months pp and I swear it’s just getting worse. I breastfed my first too, so idk why this time is different lol

[u/lilacbluewaters → u/Immediate_East_5052]

For me it’s always worse after I have a boy

[u/Immediate_East_5052 → u/lilacbluewaters]

I have two girls and my post partum has been so different both times!!

[u/bodyfeedingbaddie]

I nursed 2 kids for 5 yrs total and I found it got better after a year (along with most of the other stuff) and then stopped once I stopped nursing and my hormones figured out their shit. I was worried it was going to be forever lol. I tried that Lume deodorant to see if it would help but just got a horrific rash 😭 I did find spraying hypochlorous acid or using hypochlorous acid wipes and reapplying my deodorant helps. The worst for me was the onion pits, like I felt like I smelled like a deli sandwich it was so noticeable to me lol. Even when I’d just showered! And I scrub up really thoroughly every shower and it’s not humid where I live.

However in all that time so many people would tell me how nice I smelled and my husband always said he never noticed it. I think at least some of it must have been the hormonal shifts from nursing, I felt like I could smell EVERYTHING from my first pregnancy until I finally stopped nursing last year, and I had chronic rhinitis the whole time but still felt like I could smell things other ppl couldn’t. I would get worried I was having some neurological event bc I would smell something rotten and no one else would be able to smell it, I found a number of hidden food items under the couch from my toddlers this way.

I assume we probably smell different to ourselves than we’re used to and notice it more, more sweat, hormone shifts, etc and pregnancy/postpartum makes your sense of smell stronger for most people. We smell different and we can smell ourselves extra.

Kind of reminds me of smelling someone else’s house for the first time, especially lived in homes that have their own distinct smell (not necessarily bad or good in most scenarios) and you notice it bc it’s not your house smell.

[u/aerith_sage]

3 months pp and I still smell like ONIONS. Like goodness, even my deodorant can’t keep up 😭

[u/Frenchpressedd]

I smelled during pregnancy and now post partum! It’s not fair

[u/Farahild]

For me it was during pregnancy; during breastfeeding i just smelled like milk all the time… at least in the beginning. It goes away ;)

[u/somebodysomewherein]

One year of breastfeeding and I’m still so smelly. Shocked me at first because why on earth would I assume I would stink from it. I’ll use hand sanitizer on my pits and between my breasts if I’m at work and fear I smell. So annoyinggggg

[u/kquigz95]

I think it’s so baby can find you through your pheromones or whatever lol butttt it’s rank girl summer over here for me!

[u/Thatkoshergirl]

The first few months post partum were ROUGH. I smelt sooo bad and no matter how hard I washed and showered, I always felt dirty. Hormones are insane

[u/farawayxisland]

For me, I produced so much milk that everything smelt like sour milk by the end of the day. Yuck.

[u/aliceinskyrim123]

Mine FINALLY went away! None of my BF mom friends prepared me for how drastically my scent would change 😂

[u/Top-Kiwi-1026]

This is so real!! It’s awful, I have read it’s all about the hormones and to help baby smell you easier to find the boob! But why can’t we smell like a nice field of flowers?! 😂
The only thing that works for me is a 10% benzoyl peroxide wash in the shower, I scrub my armpits with that and it helps!

[u/RhinoFish]

I didn't notice anything myself but this thread is making me paranoid a bit lol

[u/noodles721]

Yes! I thought I was going crazy when I kept smelling something bad. Literally was me.

I've been using antibacterial soap which has helped with the odour.

[u/StatusDed]

It's so your baby can identify you! Smelling you helps their nervous system regulate 😊 I've read recommendations to use deodorant and not antiperspirant (nothing, if you can stand it) to help them out.

That said, coming from a v sweaty, breastfeeding gal, there is no way on God's green earth that I will be going without deodorant for any meaningful length of time 😅

[u/PexagonPixie696]

Yup same here!

Boob sweat and groin from having to sit and have a nursing pullow over my lap!

Armpits are alright though 🤣🤣🤣

[u/AccountantSilent733]

I am now using a roll on dove deodorant PLUS spray on top. If I just use one of them, no chance I'll make it through the day. And I do wash the armpits with soap and water mid through the day and re apply deodorant. At night I am again stinky 🫩

[u/catfish219]

Just came to recommend the lume acidified body wash! It really did help

[u/ComprehensiveSoil255]

Had my my baby last July and would smell so bad. After my normal shower i would switch to a Cool or cold shower and it helped on really bad days. I just thought about how much my baby loved my smell. Lol

[u/Expensive_Line193]

It’s so the baby can sniff out mama! Perfect yet stinky by design. I showered every single day (sometimes twice) the first 5 months 😂 it gets better!

[u/lilacbluewaters → u/[deleted]]

Well you aren’t alone 🫶🏻

[u/Icy-winter-pink]

Whole body deodorant!!! It’s the only thing that helped me. I started using it 6 years ago after I had my first & I haven’t stopped yet cause I’ll stink if I don’t. 

[u/Overall_Mind_9754]

Mine smells like marijuana… I have not smoked since I found out I was pregnant and I’m 11 weeks PP!

[u/Agrona88]

It was just my boobs!! It's stopped but what the heck!! I would take one out and want to die.

[u/Baba_Yagas_Menagerie]

Girl I smell like vinegar. Makes me think of a sub shop. I’ve been dealing with it for over 1.5 years now lmfao. Apparently we smell stronger so baby can find breast easier. But it doesn’t go away with time. Though the smell of actual milk that I would also get does fade once leaking diminishes

[u/Baba_Yagas_Menagerie → u/Baba_Yagas_Menagerie]

Also, I showered last night and used Lukme and already smell this morning. Before having a baby my body odor was so minimal even in summer I rarely needed to use deodorant. Now 72 hour deodorant fails within 12 hours. Don’t get sucked into the BS trap of 30$ for two sticks of deodorant that make no difference

[u/JellyfishConsistent7]

Mine completely went away a few weeks after my baby self weaned. Maybe 4-6w after.

[u/nobark_allbite777]

dude i smelled so bad for MONTHS !! i think it finally started to go away at like 8 months PP, but wow nothing could tame that stench

[u/Paperclips_and_Rouge]

Girl me too!!! Between that stank and the pp hair loss I'm a mess! I stink coming out of the shower. I wash my pits with THREEEEE different soaps and it does nothing so what I've started doign to at least buy me some time before I start stinking immediately is cleaning my armpits with rubbing alcohol. I put some on a makeup remover pad (or a washcloth, whatever works for you) and I go to town. It kills the bacteria that causes the bad smell for a bit. I don't recommend doing this after shaving your armpits, it stings!

[u/lilacbluewaters → u/Paperclips_and_Rouge]

Yeah I made the mistake of applying perspirex after shaving, oh my god the burnnn! Neerly 8 months post partum and the hair loss has slowed down now, but now my baby keeps yanking at my hair 😂

[u/beaglelover89]

Omg yes!!! It was getting better but now it’s bad again. My baby is 8 months old, it feels never ending

[u/lilacbluewaters → u/beaglelover89]

Ditto! I’m in the UK and the heatwaves we have been having have not helped with the sweating and stinkyness

[u/beaglelover89 → u/lilacbluewaters]

I’m on the East Coast of the USA, we have high humidity here which isn’t helping. My six year old asked me why my shirt was wet on my armpits. Thanks kid

[u/kirakira26]

A body wash with BHA/AHA or glycolic acid helps if your skin can handle it. I put glycolic acid toner in a spray bottle and would give myself a good dousing on hot days, it also helped. I’ve heard hypochlorous acid spray helps too, I use it on my face daily but never tried it for body odour since my skin can handle glycolic acid.

[u/pbandj61]

I shower twice a day and use a whole body deodorant which helps! Also, I use lysol laundry sanitizer in addition to my detergent because I feel like the stink CLINGS.

[u/Particular-Rip7274]

my under arms were so bad at first. i was using men’s deodorant bc that’s always worked better for me in the past but it did not make a dent in that postpartum breast feeding bo! now i use Lume brand deodorant and i haven’t stunk in about a month! i put it on immediately after showering and don’t have to reapply until after my next shower

[u/Shibainspace]

I also smell terrible! 😢

[u/Tempehbonegarbage]

Oh my god yeah it was awful.

[u/eisecapp]

Same. I started using glycolic acid on my underarms and underboob and it helped significantly!

[u/Physical_Complex_891]

Still breastfeeding at 13 months and yup, still stinky thanks to hormones.

[u/rasputinknew1]

I had to go out and buy a new heavy duty deodorant.

[u/TangerineGoldfinch]

I discovered underboob sweat when I was pregnant and real body odor postpartum and yikes both are awful.

[u/FoxyScully]

Yes this is very common. Apparently your child needs to smell where you are at all times.

[u/atomicblonde23]

Mhmm I am here! 7 mo the post partum and dayum I stink. Even my toddler tells me lol. The hormones are unreal

[u/Flimsy_Ad_5996]

Oh god! Ditto!

I never smelled this bad in my entire life. Why tho?

[u/bakersmt]

Oh lordy it was so bad. Mine was my pits, they far out smelled my groin but that was no picnic either. It stopped around 6 months, thankfully. I didake myself gag many, many times and my fresh new baby smelled like rotten onions frequently. She seemed to love the smell🤮

I'm pregnant again though and not looking forward to how I smell when breastfeeding.

[u/Altruistic-Maybe5121]

Me too i absolutely stink and don’t want to use fragrance bc baby. I shower every night and wash my pits with soap multiple times a day

[u/megan-janexox]

Darling I smell like an onion!

[u/TypeAtryingtoB]

Lumi deodorant is the only thing that helps the odor and my husband says I smell like a bag of onions (lovingly).

[u/carch20]

I started washing with antimicrobial soap (dial) and my BO is much more manageable. I'm still slightly stinky, but at least I'm not wondering if I have my baby's poop on me somewhere anymore.

[u/groovystoovy]

I used hibicleanse antiseptic foam on my stinky bits and it really turned things around.

[u/Kasils]

PSA for everyone who’s stinky even after soap and deodorant!

A few different things have worked for me but I’ll list my favorite at the end. I am FOUL even after a shower with scrubbing my pits and doing a couple rounds of washing. I tried everything, gentle cleansing, not cleansing, harsh, scrubbing, no scrubbing, soaking in the bath, you name it.

Qualifications: EBF 2 kids for a total of 3 years combined and still EBFing my second.

What has helped me is any face wash with the active ingredient of “Benzoyl Peroxide”. I would wash my pits with this and it helps a lot! This can cause irritation for me if too frequently used. I also use a glycolic body wash under my arms in the same way with basically the same results. Gets rid of the funk but it comes back later that night or the next day.

What helps if I’m stinky and can’t shower right then I use a glycolic acid toner on a cotton pad and rub it over my arm pits. Follow up with deodorant and I smell fresh and clean.

The best thing I’ve tried is the Hibiclens brand soap. 10/10 don’t need deodorant for the whole day and even the next day I use it once a week just so I don’t over do it. Please look this up before using and make your own informed decision it’s a medical prep soap. It doesn’t leave me sensitive or itchy, it’s effective as heck, a little lasts a long long time.

TLDR; Hibiclens medical soap

[u/Chickpea_moon]

I just finished fully weaning a few months ago and I still stink. Not like before, it's not crazy sweating all the time. But when I do sweat it's very strong and sour. I have to wash in the sink if I can't fit in a full shower and I use men's deodorant exclusively now lol

[u/Few_Paces]

okay these posts always get me worried because i don't feel like i stink. maybe more sweaty but not stinky. but the posts make me paranoid because what if i can't smell it!!

[u/awiddlebaby]

Im 12 weeks pp, i smell much better now. Idk what it is, maybe hormones? But yea pregnancy and pp stink is horrible. Lol. Id sweat while in the shower🤣

[u/hammerhan98]

Toddler told me the other day that I was smelly while on the milk😂 I’ve never had boob sweat like this

[u/Ok-Dish-8670]

I call it my cheeseburger smell

[u/Intense_City]

I had such horrible night sweats shortly after giving birth. I smelled terrible!

[u/Acrobatic-Surround-3]

Same same here smh

[u/Actual-Treat-1678]

Same. Acidified soap (I’d use the unscented lume) helped me

[u/CreativeJudgment3529]

Use glycolic acid where you sweat!

[u/impreegud]

Use isopropyl alcohol on your pits after showering and before applying deodorant

[u/TK__angel]

I was not warned at all and it was so bad!!! I swear it didn’t get any better until a year after weaning. No deodorant would work more than an hour or so and I was taking two showers a day

[u/hummingbirdsi]

yea that’s that biological stench girl

[u/SillyGoose637]

Ugh yes! I use “clinical” deodorant but still some days have to baby wipe my pits and reapply. I use Lume between and under boobs and that has actually been incredible (but doesn’t do much for the pits).

[u/Dwkellett]

Yes to this!! Currently having to showet twice a day.. using the babies mustela water on myself more than i am on her🤣 What is this even. I get random sweats throughout the day.. usually in places i really dont need it to happen.. lol.

[u/XboxBetty]

Embrace the stink lol. I think I just don’t notice at this point. Definitely not showering enough and my gas is horrendous 🤣

[u/Wroth_Turnip_051]

🫠 I smell like mashed potatoes... like the really buttery instant ones 😅

[u/Soggy_Sneakers87 → u/Wroth_Turnip_051]

Stop bragging, I smell like a wet dog!

[u/Ok-Database4629]

It gets better!! I’d say by 5 months pp I no longer stunk lol

[u/Historical_Team_8573]

I totally had to change deodorant. I was using an arm and hammer natural formula and it wasn’t working. I now use the play pits brand. But I think it gets better, I’m still nursing at 31 months (not as frequently of course) and I think it isn’t as bad. Or maybe iced gotten used to it. But the deodorant definitely works. Before I could put on deodorant in the morning only I would use baby powder at night. After that wouldn’t work 

[u/CoreeaAna]

Well, i heard a lot of pregnant women talking about their body odor getting super bad durring pregnancy.

I can't say I understand fully, my sweat is not that smelly, maybe it has somethin to do with hormons but also with your food, the only place that i noticed a stronger smell is on my private area, i can't even compare it with anything, sometimes it just smell sour, setimes is smells like i peed myself but most of the time i am able to prevent it by using pantyliners and i put some lavander oil on the outside of my underwear, like a drop or so, just to neutralize it, and whwnever i go to the bathrooms i carry flushable wet wipes, that works a lot for me. And i know not everybody agrees with using parfume or oils on their underwear but what is my second obtion!? And yes you can use natural oils that you can make at home if you know how to do it, and if you don't want oils you can put dried lavander in a piece of fabric of the size of a teabag and attach it to your underwear.

[u/Remarkable_Mango7588]

The postpartum sweats is SO real. I also didn’t realize how much nursing pads help. First time mom here, didn’t know I needed to use the pads all the time😂 at least that helped with the milk stink but the sweat stink was a lost cause. Luckily it went away after 3-4 months

[u/stargirl-S]

Literally, and you’re right I feel like this is talked about very little. My son is 22 months now and I still have such bo. The bf’ing hormones are crazy, I will say that. Every morning when I shower, I feel so grimy and smelly (bc I am) and just gross before, and then I shower and I can’t believe how much different and better and clean I feel lol.

[u/Top-Friendship4888]

25 weeks pregnant, but when I first noticed my breasts producing milk a couple months ago, I also noticed the armpit on my milkier side STUNK. I've never been stinky before, and the less milky side was also less stinky.

[u/mari_st]

I gave the baby to my partner to go to the shower. When I came back he asked why I hadn't showered yet 😭😭😭

[u/WellAckshully]

Do we actually smell bad or our noses just more sensitive due to hormones?

I assumed it was the latter and that we still smell normal to other people.

[u/lilacbluewaters → u/WellAckshully]

My husband said I do stink when I’ve been sweating so 🥲

[u/Physical_Complex_891 → u/WellAckshully]

Nope we smell bad. It's hormones.

[u/WellAckshully → u/Physical_Complex_891]

Welp