Post-Pregnancy Skin Problems: Rashes, Itching & Hormonal Changes

Why does your skin change so much after giving birth?

Many mothers expect sleepless nights and exhaustion—but few are prepared for the rashes, itching, eczema flare-ups, skin irritation, and other unexpected changes that can appear after pregnancy.

In this episode of Healthy Beginnings, Dr. Edgar Kalimba explains why postpartum skin changes happen, what's considered normal, and when they may signal a deeper health issue.

From hormonal shifts and stress to breastfeeding-related skin irritation and C-section recovery, this episode provides practical, evidence-based guidance for mothers navigating life after childbirth.

In this episode we discuss:

• Why skin changes happen after pregnancy
 • Hormonal changes and postpartum recovery
 • How stress and lack of sleep affect the skin
 • Common postpartum rashes and itching
 • Eczema flare-ups after childbirth
 • Stretch-mark irritation and skin sensitivity
 • C-section skin irritation and healing
 • Breast and chest irritation during breastfeeding
 • When skin changes may indicate a more serious health problem

We also tackle common myths, including:

❌ "Post-pregnancy skin problems are just normal suffering"
 ❌ "Mothers shouldn't use skincare products while breastfeeding"
 ❌ "Skin changes after pregnancy mean poor hygiene"

Whether you've recently given birth or are preparing for motherhood, this episode will help you understand what's happening to your body—and when to seek help.

Healthy Beginnings offers clear and evidence-based conversations about children’s health, family wellbeing, and the systems that shape our lives. 

New episodes every Monday 

Have a question? Email: healthybeginningspodcast@gmail.com

Produced by LF Media

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Pregnancy and childbirth are extraordinary experiences. And while much attention is given to the baby, mothers also undergo remarkable physical changes, many of which actually continue long after delivery. And one area that often surprises women is their skin, where many mothers notice you know new types of rashes, or they observe that their skin is unusually dry or itchy. There's issues around stretch marks. There's obviously a lot of pressure and changes around the breasts. And then skin changes also related to the cesarean section if a mother has given birth through caesarean section. And again, flare-ups of eczema and allergies. So today I want us to have a brief discussion on why all these changes happen after birth and the common postpartum skin conditions and what might signal a deeper health issue and some practical self-care strategies. So, in reality, even though most people expect their bodies to return to normal soon after delivery, it actually takes time. Recovery does take time. And during pregnancy, the body experiences quite major changes, understandably, whether it's with regard to hormones, the blood flow, immune function, body weight, and fluid balance. You know, often some mothers get really swollen and the feet are swollen, the skin is swollen, the face is swollen. So there's some fluid balance changes that happen frequently during pregnancy. And understandably, after birth, these systems begin adjusting again. And it's very, very common that this adjustment period affects the skin. Some changes improve quickly, while others may take months. So it is important for mothers to understand that uh postpartum period is really a time of healing and recovery. So something that happens uh uh physiologically is that during pregnancy, the two major hormones uh in the mother, estrogen and progesterone, are very, very high. The levels go very, very high because of the pregnancy. And after delivery, these hormone levels drop quite dramatically. And as such, these hormonal shifts can affect oil production, skin hydration, pigmentation, and inflammation. And this is why some women actually develop dry skin or get acne, some form of acne. They might get increased skin sensitivity or even manifest new rashes. So these changes are often temporary. But we should also be honest: uh, the fact that most mothers uh after giving birth, they are quite exhausted physically, and that is often aggravated by the fact that they are sleep-deprived, uh, the whole process of physical recovery and emotional stress and a lot of anxiety about caring for this new human being, this new this new baby. So all these stress-related components and associated hormones definitely affect the skin. And this is why some women notice increased itching, eczema flare-ups if they have a history of eczema and allergies, acne breakouts, or even slower healing. So, this is one reminder that skin health is closely linked to overall well-being. And uh often a good community thing that we have in this part of the world in Africa is that there's always a lot of support around a mother who's just given birth. The only issue is that the way it's managed sometimes doesn't help uh optimally. And I often encourage mothers to uh be intentional in terms of resting. If you have help, somebody who can take care of your baby, try to get some sleep as much as you can, because um sleep, hydration, you know, all those components of physical and emotional recovery are extremely important, and they don't just affect the skin, but they affect your overall health. So eczema flare-ups are quite common. And as I said, mothers with a history of eczema often notice worsening symptoms after delivery, and we know very well that uh stress, lack of sleep, hormonal changes, and dry skin are actually triggers of uh eczema. And you know, the same pattern you see it on your on your flexures, the arms, the face, the neck. Um, and this is quite a common scenario. The other common scenario is stretch mark irritation, and stretch marks are very common during and after pregnancy, understandably. And sometimes they become red, itchy, and sensitive. And although they can be frustrating, stretch marks usually fade gradually over time. Not always, but usually with most mothers, they do fade to a large extent. And then, of course, you know, the whole journey and process of delivery and recovery. Um, it's not uncommon for a mother to be exposed to new medication, dressing, skin products, you know, you're breastfeeding your baby. So, understandably, like things like breast buds, laundry detergents, so there's a lot of things that tend to change around that time that can also trigger somebody who already had an underlying allergic skin problem. Um, just a note on uh breast and chest skin changes during breastfeeding. Breastfeeding really places very unique demands on the skin, and on the breast particular, mothers may experience nipple irritation and dryness and cracking. And this is very common because the baby understandably is sucking very frequently, and when the latch is not good, when the baby does not latch very well and only takes the nipple into their mouth, it often causes a lot of irritation, it's painful, it causes dryness and cracking. So it's very important that breastfeeding mothers pay attention to the latch, how your baby actually latches, and they should take in a big portion, not just the nipple. Uh, that often helps. And um the other things are redness around the breast, irritation from breast buds, and so on and so forth. And of course, often there is leakage of milk and there's moisture, and all those things can actually cause skin irritation around that area. So, some helpful strategies, apart from making sure that your baby latches on very well. And if you have a lot of let down, you should not hesitate to express to pump and reduce the leakage of the milk. And it's important to keep the area dry using uh breathable breast pads if you need to, and then seeking help early if pain really gets worse or things don't get better. Because again, painful breastfeeding should not simply be accepted as normal. So, what about cesarean section sky irritation? Women who have delivered by C-section also go through a period of intense itchiness around the scar, redness, sensitivity, feeling uh like the sky is very tight, that feeling of tightness. Um, and mild itchiness, if the symptoms are mild and transitory, that is fine. It's common, it's part of healing. However, if it's progressively getting very painful or there is a discharge, things like pass, or you have a fever, or an open wound worsening redness, this may indicate that you're dealing with uh an infection on the cesarean section scar area, and that warrants further review for your doctor to review and advise appropriately. So, in a nutshell, most postpartum skin changes are harmless. However, some symptoms deserve medical evaluation. And it's important to seek medical attention if there is a severe itch without a visible rush, because this can, for example, indicate that there's a liver-related concern. If your body, your entire body is very, very itchy and you can't see a visible rush, this is something that you should not ignore. The second thing obviously is if you have a fever, if you have a rush accompanied by a fever. The third is if you have significant hair loss associated with fatigue that is really, really unusual, that could suggest a hormonal issue. So, for example, thyroid function or dysfunction for that matter. If you have a new rush on the face that is associated with significant joint pains, this could also mean that uh something is happening with your immune system, what we call autoimmune conditions. And autoimmune conditions are really when your immune system dysfunctions and starts to attack parts of your body. Um, that's why we call it autoimmune. And then there's other things that like skin infections. So if there's a rush that is painful, that there's redness, there's swelling or discharge, uh, those kinds of rushes definitely need uh medical attention. And again, the skin and what happens to your skin sometimes provides clues about what is happening elsewhere in the body. So new mothers often focus entirely on the baby, which is not a bad thing, but you need attention as well, you need to pay attention to yourself. Uh, if your health is not good, you're not going to be able to take care of your baby's health, understandably. And that's why simple measures are important, you know, to pay attention to hydration, making sure that you hydrate sufficiently to take care of your skin, moisturizing regularly. I spoke already about rest, making sure that you prioritize it as much as you can, and maintaining a healthy diet. And then, of course, seeking help when symptoms persist. So, a couple of myths. One, um, some mothers would say that post-pregnancy skin problems are just normal suffering. And the truth is that some changes are common, but mothers should not suffer in silence. You should not suffer in silence because many skin problems can be treated safely and effectively. The other common thing is to say mothers shouldn't use skincare products while breastfeeding. And the truth is many moisturizers or cleansers and mild, gentle skin products are very, very safe during breastfeeding. The key really here is making sure that you are choosing appropriate products and seeking advice when you're not sure. The other thing is that some people will say skin changes mean that you have poor hygiene. And the truth is most postpartum skin changes are driven by hormones, driven by recovery process, driven by the immune changes, or driven by stress, stress levels. So it's not a given that uh these skin rashes, skin problems are a sign of uh poor hygiene. Then obviously, some people will say everything will disappear immediately after delivery. And again, the truth is recovery really continues for weeks and even months after birth. So you need to be patient and give your body sufficient time to heal. So before I respond to some of the questions that were sent to us, uh just to again remind you that postpartum skin changes are very common, uh, often associated with hormonal shifts, recovery, stress, breastfeeding, and all these factors can affect your skin. Most rushes and skin changes are temporary and manageable, but you should not ignore symptoms that are severe, that are persistent, or associated with other health concerns. And again, taking care of yourself is equally important, is as important as taking care of your baby. So before we close our conversation today, I would like to respond to some questions that were sent to us from uh the listeners.

SPEAKER_00 15:07

We have our first question from Grace36 from Uganda. In our family, herbal remedies are commonly given to babies for stomach issues, coughs, or sleep problems. Are traditional remedies always safe for infants?

SPEAKER_01 15:20

So when we talk about infants, this really means the smaller babies, the first year of life. And my answer to this question is that this is a big, big no. You should not explore herbal remedies with small babies, with small infants, with young children in general, because often nobody can really tell you what is the composition or the components or the active ingredients in these herbal remedies, and really how much to give. So, for example, a common, very common stomach issue in newborns is uh infant colic, when babies around the first month of life, the first couple of months of life, have a lot of gas, they have a lot of discomfort, they cry excessively at night. And uh parents can be desperate and they want to give anything and everything. And obviously, families will come up with all kinds of traditional remedies and ideas. And the fact is that infant colic does not affect your baby uh health-wise. It's the discomfort that the crying that is transitory, and often they are still able to feed very well, they are passing stool, they are growing well, they are gaining weight, and this is transitory. So I would strongly discourage and advise against exploring with traditional remedies in infants.

SPEAKER_00 17:00

We have our second question from Chantal 29 from Kigali. My baby has been very irritable lately, crying more, drooling constantly, chewing on everything, and waking up at night. Everyone keeps saying it's teething, but now she also has a mild fever and diarrhea. How do parents know what symptoms are actually caused by teething versus signs that the baby might be sick?

SPEAKER_01 17:22

Very good question. Um one that I get quite frequently, actually, understandably. So you didn't say how old your baby is, but um I assume that your baby might be around the age of teething, since you are uh suspecting that the symptoms could be from teething. And one thing that happens around the time of teething is that there's some changes in the immune system uh that happen. There's an inflammatory process, we call it, that really underlies the process of teeth growing and erupting and coming out. So it's not uncommon, it's not surprising for babies to show a lot of discomfort. And it varies from baby to baby. Some babies will just cruise through the season without much complaint, and some other babies will find it a bit difficult. They will feed less, they'll be irritable, they'll struggle to sleep, and all the other symptoms that you described: drooling, biting, and chewing on things. Um, and then of course, that could be associated with um some digestive system changes, a bit of a runitami. I wouldn't say they get fever, fever per se, but with teething, you can get uh uh uh a bit warmer than usual. So very, very mild fever, and all these symptoms should be transitory. If, for example, your baby has a temperature of uh 39 degrees or really anything above 38 degrees, that should not be taken as tithing because tithing is not supposed to give you a significant fever. So if a fever is high, get your baby checked. Could be something viral, could be something else that's underlying.

SPEAKER_00 19:29

Last question from Brenda 35, also from Kigali. What are some early signs that a child is developing emotional security and healthy attachment?

SPEAKER_01 19:39

So this could be a whole conversation because emotional security and healthy attachment really it depends. First of all, it depends how old your child is. For example, uh the way babies in the first year of life express emotional uh stability and normal emotional development and attachment is different from toddlers between one year and three years, who are now have a wider scope, they interact with more people, they are mobile, they are working independently. Also, different from, let's say, three to five years old children in preschool, where their world has opened up even more, they have classmates, they go to preschool or play school, maybe a couple of hours a week. And so uh it really depends how old your child is. So I'll just give a few, few, very few pointers. Um, if your uh your infant, for example, uh makes eye contact and enjoys interaction with people that the baby knows from home. So looks at the caregiver's face, smiles responsively, enjoys back and forth interactions, and really shows interest in social engagement, um, those are signs that your baby uh is growing normally in terms of emotional and attachment. And again, at a certain age when they start to crawl and explore, if a baby feels secure enough to crawl and explore, returns to check in with the caregiver, and uses the caregiver as a secure base, this is all normal. And of course, there is transitions of strange anxiety where a nine-month-old, a one-year-old will not be comfortable to be picked up by a stranger. They'll probably cry and want to go back to a familiar face. So all of this is normal. So there's many ways to tell that your baby has a healthy emotional attachment and is growing and adapting very well. So in everyday life in general, you know, a child who is secure will smile easily around trusted adults. They'll feel comfortable asking questions, especially when they are uh older toddlers or preschoolers. They show affection really freely. Um they demonstrate a level of independence and recover relatively well after a stressful moment. So these are some of the pointers that will tell you that your baby or your child, depending on how old they are, that they're actually growing emotionally and they have proper age, appropriate emotional security and attachment. Of course, it should not be misunderstood, you know, that uh an emotionally healthy child never cries or is never anxious or is always happy because that is not realistic. Even securely attached children are allowed to have difficult days. I think that's that's very clear. So I hope that gives you some pointers, and again, I hope that um you got some answers from today's conversation. The goal is really to empower mothers and parents as you raise your children to be healthy and well adapted. Thank you very much. Looking forward to our next conversation. Thank you for listening to Healthy Beginnings. If you have any questions you'd like answered in the next episode, you can submit them to our email, healthybeginningspodcast at gmail.com. You can also follow us on all social media platforms. You can find us on YouTube as well as the audio platforms of your choice. See you next week.

SPEAKER_00 24:05

This podcast is for general informational and educational purposes only. Do not make health decisions without consulting your doctor. This podcast is brought to you by LF Media, home of great African podcasts.