Balancing Hormones Postpartum
Pregnant mamas get a lot of attention and even praise during the entire 9 months that she is growing her baby/babies. Everyone is concerned about how you are feeling both mentally and physically but why does that all stop once the baby is born?
When women birth a baby, they literally birth another version of themselves and this (along with all of the postpartum physical recovery) can be a really tough transition. This transition requires adequate support, rest, nourishment, and self-compassion which many women are not getting. If anything, women are expected to "bounce back” physically in no time while simultaneously becoming a super-mom who does it all for her children, partner, home, work, and everything else in between. Nobody asks her how she is feeling emotionally, how well she is eating, or if she’s getting any time for herself to do the things that fill up her own cup. This is a sure-fire way to burn out and develop hormonal imbalances and all the symptoms that come with it.
We know that supporting hormonal balance requires all of your basic needs to be met including rest, hydration, nutrition, connection, and restorative movement which are things that are often lacking postpartum or even for years after having children. I regularly hear from clients that they just never felt like themselves again after having children and that symptoms like fatigue, hair loss, weight loss resistance, intense cravings for carbs and coffee, mood issues, and low libido just kept getting worse. Babies and children are little miracles but having them also usually means that stress levels go up. Our Adrenal glands secrete hormones that help us to handle stressors as they come up but if the sleepless nights, lack of nutrition, lack of support, chronic overexertion both physically and mentally are constant they can become overworked and that’s when we start to experience all of the common symptoms of hormone dysregulation. Adrenals and Thyroid are also very closely connected which is why so many moms develop underactive thyroid after children and are often put on thyroid medications.
If you are currently pregnant, my best advice would be to set up your support system before giving birth. This could be grandparents, your spouse, a good friend, a neighbor, a coach, a physical therapist of any kind, a daycare, or anyone else that you think could be helpful to you once the baby is born. Can someone make you a few meals? come over to watch the baby while you shower? watch older children so they can play while you’re busy taking care of baby?
Whether you’re a new mom or have older children, the solutions below can help you to support balanced hormones which equal more energy, better sleep, less PMS, better periods, healthy metabolism, better moods, and more!
5 ways to support your hormones postpartum
Stop putting so much pressure on yourself! Perfection is an impossible standard. Make a list of things that fill up your cup and make you feel good and then make sure to include at least one of those things every single day. If including the 20-minute outdoor walk, Epsom salt bath, or coffee with a friend means laundry needs to wait until tomorrow, so be it!
Focus on nourishing your body. Having a baby can be really depleting to our nutrient stores which is why jumping into restrictive dieting after birth is never a good idea. Women with multiple young children who are close in age need some extra support in this area. Stress also uses up a ton of nutrients so it’s important to make sure that you are fueling your body appropriately. This means rejecting diet culture ideas like strict fasting and diets low in carbs, fats, and calories. This usually means unfollowing many of the social media accounts that make you feel shitty about your body or food choices.
Don’t overdo it in the gym. Exercise is a physical stressor that can rev up stress hormones. When stress hormones are chronically elevated it causes fat storage and muscle wasting which is most likely the opposite of what you’re trying to accomplish. Focus on low impact movement that makes you feel good and doesn’t leave you feeling exhausted for the rest of the day. Outdoor walks, gentle hiking, low-impact strength training, yoga, pilates, and barre are all great options. Learning how to incorporate different forms of movement based on where you are in your cycle is also important and something I teach my clients.
Don’t be shy or feel shame for asking for help when you need it! People generally want to be helpful to new moms but often just don’t know how and the last thing you will want is to be tired and taking care of a new baby while also hosting a bunch of guests. Finding support is also essential for women who don’t have a newborn but are just juggling way too much.
Support your adrenal glands and counter stress hormones with supportive nutritional supplements like Magnesium, B-complex, Vitamin C, and Adaptogenic herbs like ashwagandha or Rhodiola. Seek support from a practitioner who can help guide you in this area.
