Postpartum Hormones: What’s Happening and 7 Ways to Heal Naturally
Wondering how long you can take these symptoms you’re experiencing?
Dryness, joint pain, milk mind, and anxiety - could all be due to your hormones.
In this post, we'll discuss what happens to your hormones after childbirth and the seven steps you can begin to take to balance them naturally.
Let’s take two moms as an example.
#1 The first momma is breastfeeding, so:
Prolactin (the hormone responsible for lactation) and Oxytocin (the hormone that helps the uterus contract) are higher in the mom who has weaned her child.
And, this hormone SUPPRESSES dopamine {your happy hormone} and estrogen {your juicy, feminine hormone}- leaving you with low estrogen symptoms like postpartum hot flashes, pelvic floor dysfunction, vaginal dryness, and low libido
Mom #2, who has weaned her child, and/or her cycle has returned.
Her estrogen and progesterone levels are trying to increase.
Estrogen will remain low until you start cycling again.
And, her hormones should return to your pre-baby hormone levels - but may not due to estrogen dominance.
The majority of your postpartum symptoms are due to:
Thyroid; you could have hyperthyroid or hypothyroid within the first six months after childbirth.
Low estrogen and/or Low progesterone {read more below}
As your hormones fluctuate up and down…
You may notice...
extreme highs and lows in your mood
Insomnia - everyone else is sleeping except you
hot and cold feelings
rapid heartbeats
anxiety (not really panic attacks, just feelings of extreme overwhelm at times)
frequent illness (always sick...the kids are petri dishes!)
Tired at 3 pm (or even noon)
Waking up tired
Needing caffeine throughout the day
Hormone imbalance 1 year after childbirth
After one year, you may still be struggling with these symptoms due to estrogen dominance, poor liver health, blood sugar dysregulation, or from living in fight or flight for so long, especially due to sleep deprivation.
How long do postpartum hormones take to balance?
““It could take up to two years for a woman’s progesterone to normalize after each pregnancy.” ”
Balancing Hormones Through Diet
A few key basic diet concerns are
a. not enough protein - amino acids are the building blocks of protein and amino acids help break down food, build strength, aid digestion, grow and repair body tissue
b. drinking alcohol - this is not a great postpartum plan; drinking alcohol increases estradiol levels and disrupts your sleep, causing exhaustion the next day.
One method we use in The Present Momma is to follow the protein + fat + fiber formula.
You can read more diet tips here to avoid depression and anxiety naturally
I’ve also discovered the So Fresh, So Greens website, and she has amazing information on balancing hormones with your diet. Read more here.
Additional tips:
#1 Skip the soda- Women who drink soda have been found to have 15% higher estradiol concentration
#2 Skip the wine. Elevated estradiol levels have been found in those who consume alcohol. Drinking alcohol depletes you of B vitamins, selenium, and zinc. It’s also a depressant and reduces melatonin production by 20,% affecting your sleep!
#3 Skip the coffee: Most moms are drinking coffee for energy… this can lower your estrogen and cause adrenal depletion. Try to consume just one cup before noon each day, or if you can- skip it all altogether!
1. Blood Sugar Regulation
Eating a balanced diet filled with fruits, vegetables, proteins, soaked whole grains, and healthy fats can help balance your blood sugar, reduce inflammation, and support your hormones.
Look into the Blood Type Diet, Mediterranean Diet, and Hormone Intelligence by Dr. Aviva Romm
Additionally, we need to STOP drinking coffee on an empty stomach! Not being hungry indicates increased cortisol, blood sugar dysregulation, and a sluggish liver.
Diet to boost serotonin levels
Millet, Sourdough bread, quinoa, nut butter, yogurt, nuts, and seeds
2. Fill nutrient gaps
Many women struggle with low Vitamin D, Vitamin C, Zinc, Omega-3s, and poor gut health after childbirth.
Supplements can help fill the nutrient gaps and improve progesterone levels sooner.
MTHFR and Postpartum Depression
If you have the MTHFR gene
You’ll need methyl folate, NOT folic acid, during pregnancy and postpartum
Read more here: https://www.taragregorio.com/blog/postpartum-recovery-how-the-mthfr-gene-affects-your-health
3. Sleep
Sleep is crucial for hormone regulation, and usually, it’s the first thing to go when having children.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help! If you’re not sleeping, you’re not healing.
Add in Magnesium Glycinate at night to help restore your sleep. Additionally, there are many botanicals you can use, even if you’re breastfeeding, to help restore your sleep.
4. Stress
Deep breathing, yoga, or mindfulness can help reduce your stress.
In my online course, The Present Momma, we use the adaptogens + nervine combination to help restore your sleep.
5. Sweat/Exercise
I stopped sweating after I had twins.
Sweating is important for healing your body, reducing toxins, and releasing cortisol.
Take the kids outside daily dose of Vitamin D and Fresh air!
Make walking a sport.
Join a gym and lift weights.
Seek out a sauna to start sweating again. Your mental health is important! And exercising can boost those feel-good hormones to make motherhood easier.
Read my story on using Higher Dose to heal>>https://www.taragregorio.com/blog/honest-review-of-higher-dose
6. Herbal Remedies
Depending on your unique symptoms and if you’re breastfeeding or not, you can add in botanicals to help reduce anxiety and depression, enhance sleep, and even reduce your anger!
Begin tracking your cycle to see where your symptoms begin.
7. Stop drinking alcohol
Quitting drinking is the fastest way to improve your sleep and your gut health.
Your liver is working overtime right now, processing all the hormones.
Alcohol affects our liver health and makes us angry. This is the first thing to remove if you’re still drinking.
Can postpartum hormones cause heart palpitations?
Absolutely.
Your cortisol may be higher, blood sugar spiking, and progesterone low; all of this - along with no sleep and stress, can cause spikes in your heart rate.
Postpartum Hormone Testing
Moms feel more confident when they know what’s going on in their body, but there is so much hormone fluctuation for years- you may want to wait until you are 1-2 years postpartum.
Always start with your diet, supplements, and herbal remedies to stay calm and nourished while you heal.
Some tests you can explore would be
Dutch Hormone Test to measure your hormones and cortisol levels.
The Thorne Gut Health, Sleep, or Stress Test can provide information on cortisol levels and gut microbiome:https://www.thorne.com/at-home-tests
The Strategene test by Seeking Health can tell you if you have the MTHFR SNPs creating health concerns for you.
Conclusion
The imbalance of your hormones after birth is an example of what you may have been experiencing before. For example, if you’ve always been estrogen-dominant, this may continue after birth with symptoms of low progesterone.
Diet is always first, then supplements, then herbal remedies, and gut healing can help you feel balanced again.
My clients find the testing helps them understand their hormone and stress levels so they can take the next steps.
xo,
Tara
P.S. What do you think? Have you tried to test your hormones before? What did you discover? Let me know in the comment areas below.
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