It’s 7am on a Wednesday morning and I’ve woken up to a thick frost. As I head to the bathroom for a shower, I can see ice on the roofs outside. Last night was one of the coldest nights of the year, with temperatures dipping well below zero.

I turn the cold tap on and wait for a minute before stepping in. With a sharp intake of breath, I begin to count to 30. No, I’m not training for an extreme event. And I don’t subscribe to the Wim Hof method. I’m just a new mum trying to get through the fourth trimester – and a daily cold shower has become a non-negotiable.  

It’s fairly common to know someone these days who is into cold water swimming. The Outdoor Swimming Society estimates that around 7.5 million people have tried it in the UK, with 94% of those surveyed saying they felt happier and less stressed afterwards. Despite that promise, cold water has never really been my ‘thing’. I’ll take running laps around the park or going to the gym any day over a freezing shower.

My love for running continued after I found out I was pregnant in January last year. A bit like a race, I looked forward to giving birth in many ways. I couldn’t wait to meet our baby and felt strong and ready for it. Sadly, when the time came in September, it wasn’t straightforward. I don’t find it helpful to re-live the details, but we saw every part of the hospital. A relatively simple start turned into an emergency caesarian section and a four-day stay. My daughter’s first night was spent in and out of special care. 

While she thankfully recovered, birth had a profound impact on me. I felt weak and worried that I didn’t have the overwhelming bond or rush of love some people talk about. Mainly, I was exhausted, dosed up on pain relief and blood thinners.

There were some very low points in those first three weeks. I wasn’t able to care for my daughter in the way I thought I would be able to. I watched a lot of it happen from the sidelines, weirdly removed from something so personal. The huge hormonal and chemical changes that many women experience after birth made me uncontrollably emotional and apathetic.

In the depths of those weeks, I remembered a conversation I had overheard years before between two new mums about how they were convinced cold showers helped them through postnatal depression. At the time, I paid no real attention. But I was reminded of it one morning while crying over the fact I hadn’t remembered to put a wash on. I decided to turn the tap cold.

It was so exhilarating I immediately forgot what I had been worried about. I got out of the shower that day feeling like I’d hit the reset button. I did the same the next day, and then again and again and again.  

Slowly, as the weeks passed, I felt more like myself. Things began to click into place and I began to enjoy motherhood. There is no doubt now about the bond with our daughter, who brings indescribable love and joy into our lives every day. And while the support of family and friends was of course invaluable, that daily cold rush of endorphins also played its part. 

I’m not the first person to discover the postpartum power of an icy blast. Hollie Grant is a pilates teacher, founder of The Bump Plan and a ZONE3 ambassador who also enjoyed cold water after having her two children. She describes swimming as a “game-changer” that can help to “balance out the demands of life as a parent”.

“Becoming a mother has changed me in so many ways – it’s impossible to be the same version of you pre-kids,” she says. “Yet, at times, there’s a deep sense of longing for the ‘old me’, and not wanting to now be ‘just mum’.

“Cold water swimming has given me something that is tough and challenging, but that makes me feel alive and powerful. It’s really helped me feel like I am still me.

“As my swim friend Maggie says: ‘If I can do this (swimming in 7°C water) I can do anything’. It gives me a moment of complete peace, where the children and my phone can’t demand my attention and gives me a hobby that is away from the marital home.” 

There can be physical benefits too. Previous studies asked volunteers to finish their morning showers with cold water, with one reporting that it led to 29% fewer sick days. “Exposure to cold water can boost circulation, improve immune function and even reduce inflammation,” Grant adds. “This can be particularly helpful for postpartum recovery, as it encourages blood flow and can ease muscular tension or aches caused by feeding positions, fatigue or the motherhood load.”  

If you want to give cold water a go, it’s important to do it safely. Grant recommends easing in gradually and listening to your body. For postnatal women, it’s also important to speak to a healthcare professional first (that might be your midwife or GP). “Begin with 10 to 20 seconds of cold water at the end of your shower and gradually increase the time as your body adjusts,” she says.

That gradual approach applies whatever kind of cold water you’re thinking of trying. Grant’s four key tips include:

1. Acclimatise slowly: Enter the shower, sea or river slowly, focusing on steady, calm breathing. Your breath is your best tool for managing the cold.
2. Time it right: Limit your initial cold blasts to 20 seconds, then build. If you’re giving swimming a go, don’t stay in for more than two minutes initially.
3. Stay warm after: Have a hot towel or dressing gown ready post-shower. If swimming, have a hot drink, hat and warm clothes ready to put on immediately afterwards. It’s vital to warm up slowly and avoid taking hot showers immediately, as this can cause your body temperature to drop further.
4. Choosing the right conditions: If swimming, it’s important to find a safe location such as a supervised swimming spot, and avoid going alone. If you’re new to it, colder seasons aren’t necessarily the best time to dive in – start when the water is less extreme to build your confidence.

As we head further into 2025, I no longer need a cold shower every day, but they remain an important part of postpartum life. As Grant says, “when done mindfully, [cold water] can be a truly empowering and life-changing experience”. I’m just grateful I found it at the right time.  

Images: Lydia Willgress