Being a new Mum and feeling depleted
The postnatal period is generally defined as the 6-week period following childbirth.
It’s very common for Mothers to become rundown during this time as a result of lack of sleep and giving much of her nutrition to the baby throughout pregnancy and breastfeeding.
To give some perspective, a marathon depletes your body of magnesium so greatly that you need over a month just to replenish its stores alone. 4th trimester is very much like a marathon.
A new mother goes into a hormonal rollercoaster, sleep deprivation, high alert stress mode while establishing all the trials of working out why the baby is crying, poor attachment … the list goes on…
This, combined with the flooding of intense and deep loving feelings also adds to the ups and downs on the body and your emotions and depletion of nutrients. The struggle to breast feed, not knowing what advice to listen to, take on or throw out can be so over whelming.
Pregnancy is a heightened state for the immune system. Once the baby is born the immune system relies heavily on your microbiome, Vit D and zinc levels to rebalance. The hard part is all of these are under duress with the craziness of being a new parent and the need for Vit D and Zinc alone to support the hormone rollercoaster you’re on.
10 - 15% of women develop postnatal depression. Depression and anxiety may start during pregnancy, and if untreated, continue and perhaps get worse after the baby is born.
Postnatal depression is a serious condition that often goes undiagnosed, however can be effectively supported
3 main types of depression that may be experienced after childbirth:
1. Postnatal or Maternity blues: Very commonly, women may experience a transient period of feeling down and tearful in the week following childbirth, which passes within a few days.
2. Postnatal depression: Much more serious although very common, where the Mother becomes more seriously depressed in the first months following her baby’s birth.
3. Postnatal psychosis: A rare form of depression, which involves symptoms of psychosis (out of touch with reality), and strong mood swings from depression to extremely high mood. This form will generally develop within 2 weeks of childbirth.
If you’re experiencing any of the below, it’s a good idea to consult a Naturopath:
Persistent low, sad or depressed mood
Loss of interest and pleasure in usual activities
Irritable mood
Change in sleep patterns
Decreased energy, tiredness and fatigue
Physical slowing or agitation.
Thoughts of worthlessness or guilt
Difficulty thinking clearly
Anxiety symptoms
Excessive worry or fear
Panic attacks
When it all seems so hard, the tears are constantly there and you feel lost and confused give me a call. Acute Naturopathic care can reduce the constant mental chatter and reduce the worry in order to filter the thoughts, advice and ideas to create a step forward. Post natal anxiety is so very common and often forgotten and dismissed in fear of “not coping” reality is anxiety in learning new skills under sleep deprivation and physical demanding conditions is very normal. Its all about how you can work with it. This is where i can help.
Botanical Medicine, Aromatherapy, Counselling, Therapeutic Nutritional support designed to suit your personal picture and Naturopathic care can help with this tremendously challenging time.
Having a fresh set of blood work once the baby is born to establish your new baseline is vital. Keeping the focus on you for just 30 mins or even having a Home Consult to set you on the right track nutritionally can have a large bearing on your daily feelings.