Why Am I Shaking?!

Labor can be a wild journey and that includes times when you may shake and shiver uncontrollably. Even if you are T-Swift’s biggest fan, you really can’t just shake it off. Read on to find out common moments when you might shake during labor and a few tips to help.

Active Labor and Transition

Once you get into active labor, you get a surge in your hormones. So much is happening that your nervous system goes into overdrive and compensates by having you shake uncontrollably. Yay, sounds fun. If you don’t shake during active labor you may start shaking a bit during transition…this is the period of time when your body is transitioning from active labor into getting ready to push.

Getting An Epidural

Sometimes people shake after getting an epidural placed. This may typically be a response from your nervous system. Suddenly, your brain registers that you are somewhat numb now from the waist down and it cues the shaking as a reponse to see if you are still OK. It is also common to shake with anasthesia used during a C-section.

Immediate Postpartum

Once your baby is here, your body has a huge hormone change. This, combined with loss of some fluids, causes your body to shake. Usually, this shaking subsides during the first hour after you give birth.

While it is common for shaking to happen during labor, it can definitely be annoying-especially if you are trying to rest after getting an epidural or if you are trying to enjoy some sweet skin to skin time with your brand-new baby. The good news is that there are a couple of things you can do to try to decrease the shaking. One thing that seems to work is if you stick your tongue out. No, we swear we aren’t punking you…it actually works! We think it is just enough distraction for your brain to help it calm down a bit. Another thing that can help is if your nurse can put 1 or 2 large blankets from the warmer on top of you. While you aren’t shaking because you are cold, the weight of the blanket can sometimes help stop the shaking. Plus, who doesn’t like feeling like they are being hugged by an angel?! That warmth feels amazing!

While it is normal to shake during labor and for a bit in the immediate postpartum, you should not continue to shake in the days and weeks after you give birth. If you continue to experience shaking, call your care provider so they can rule out any infection or other medical issues.