Postpartum Health and Wellness

Postpartum health is an area that I am very passionate about and an area of healthcare that is simply lacking in the conventional healthcare model. One quick “check up” at 6 weeks is all women get after carrying a baby for 9 months and giving birth. After my first baby, I found this a difficult transition with the sleep deprivation, anxiety and overwhelm and a medical system that is not set up to truly care for moms didn’t help. Being told many symptoms are a “normal” part of motherhood, when there really is so much that can be done about it is something I am here to change! 

During my postpartum quest for getting my health back, I came across the work of Dr. Oscacr Serrallach, who is an Australian physical and coined the term Postnatal Depletion Syndrome and later published a book with the same title. This is not a medical diagnosis but a constellation of symptoms that are common during the postpartum period (for up to YEARS postpartum if not addressed) but there are not normal and there is a lot that can be done to feel well again. 

Some common symptoms of Postnatal Depletion Syndrome include:

• • Fatigue
  • Brain Fog / “mommy brain”
  • Depression / anxiety
  • Easy bruising
  • Hair loss and brittle nails
  • Inflammation
  • Insomnia
  • Irritability
  • Joint aches and pains
  • Loss of self-confidence
  • Low libido
  • Weight gain or inability to lose weight
  • Headaches
  • Feeling ”tired but wired”

These symptoms can often be driven by nutrient insufficiencies and deficiencies that occur after growing a baby, birthing a baby and breastfeeding postpartum. Some of the most common nutrient deficiencies and insufficiencies we see in the postpartum period include:

• • Iron
  • Zinc
  • B Vitamins 
  • Vitamin D
  • Magnesium
  • Vitamin C
  • Essential Fatty Acids (Omega 3s)

The biggest rule of thumb is test, don’t guess. Everyone’s nutrient needs differ and while you want to aim for optimal levels you don’t want to over supplement because that can create its own problems so I recommend working with an experienced practitioner to get your own personalized lab testing to see what your unique needs are. For a deep dive into what symptoms these deficiencies can manifest as see my past blog on Postpartum Nutrient Needs HERE.

Going back to the foundations for postpartum health

While many people may think you need fancy protocols and tons of supplements to achieve optimal health, that is not always the case. As with most health issues, postnatal depletion requires that we go back to the basics and focus on the foundations of health:

• • Nutrition
  • Hydration
  • Sleep and relaxation
  • Exercise and movement
  • Stress management 
  • Support and Connection

Once these pillars have a solid foundation, moms tend to feel so much better without a lot of intervention. For more on how to work on these individual pillars read more HERE. Over the past 9 months in my practice, I have had the opportunity to work with many moms to help them prioritize their health needs and focus on optimizing their wellness and it has been amazing to see the transformations in their health. I truly believe that if moms are healthy, then the whole family (and the world) can thrive! 

If you are a new mom and looking to focus on postpartum health or maybe your kids are older but you’ve never felt that your health has been optimal since before your babies, I am here to help! Book a free 15 minute consultation to see how I can help to guide you in your postpartum journey to health!