So the baby has been born and the elation of welcoming a new member to the family has faded and you’re left with the reality of a wee vulnerable human to care for. The type of birth will dictate the magnitude of healing that your body has to go through, but inevitably within a couple weeks (or months for a C-section) the majority of the healing has occurred. Now what?
The dopamine high of birth has worn off.
You’re sleep-deprived.
Your body looks and feels nothing like it once did.
Your independence and free time are gone.
Your hormones are rapidly shifting.
If breastfeeding, your breasts may be tender or sore.
The differences in parenting styles are starting to be discussed.
And yet, your heart is full of love and you keep reminding yourself this time is all worth it as a gift to the next generation.
Along with the above factors and huge adjustment that must take place in becoming a parent (whether to your first or fourth child), there are two key physiological effects that contribute to the postpartum state:
- Hormonal changes
- Methylation
So what happens hormonally once that little bundle of joy has emerged?
Right after birth, levels of estrogen and progesterone fall dramatically which can lead to anxiety, depression, mood swings, irritability and overwhelm. These levels do not return to pre-baby levels until around 3 months postpartum.
Meanwhile, oxytocin, the “bonding hormone” is ramped up which yields many of the mothering instincts, like closeness, intimacy and connection, but also increases the alertness to dangers that can threaten your baby, hence an increase in anxiety and vigilance. Progesterone is a natural anti-anxiety hormone, but this has fallen off and so the ability to calm this anxiety is handicapped.
Furthermore, as many as one in five women experience a surge in thyroid hormones postpartum, termed thyroiditis, which can lead to sweating, agitation, palpitations and anxiety.
You may think, why can’t we just realize that all this is happening and thereby somehow transcend its effects on us? If only it were that simple. Our mental emotional state is made up of a complex milieu of neurochemicals that have a dramatic hold on how we feel. The good news though, is that there are many ways of affecting these neurochemicals that can help us regain the balance postpartum.
As NDs we can help you navigate the complicated hormonal adjustments whether it be some gentle supplements to bolster the estrogen and progesterone, tips and tricks to help navigate the emotional ups and downs, support with breastfeeding, regulation of thyroid hormones and tools for achieving better sleep and neurotransmitter balance.
The postpartum timeframe can be a tough one. Yes, some women seem to sail through, while others don’t even realize the strain they’ve been under and still others grapple with the weight and gravity of it all. Let’s focus on an important aspect: methylation.
Meth-a-what?
Methylation is just a fancy name of a process that occurs in our cells. How is this relevant to pregnancy and postpartum? Well, we need our methylation systems to work optimally during this time for two important reasons.
First, methylation is needed every time we make a new cell. Pregnant women are making new cells at an exponential rate, in just nine months they convert two cells into 26 billion cells! That is a huge demand for methylation!
Second, methylation is needed to make our neurotransmitters, those all important chemicals that regulate our emotional state: serotonin, dopamine, SAMe, norepinephrine and epinephrine, to name a few.
Now this is where it gets interesting. About 50% of the population has genetic defects in their methylation cycles leading to reduced capacities in the body’s ability to methylate. This is a common reason for depression and anxiety even in non-pregnant or postpartum states! When we compound this with having just made 26 billion cells there is not much left over to make our vital neurochemicals.
The good news? We can improve the process of methylation with a few key nutrients, most important of which are methylcolbalamin (B12) and methyl folate (active B9). When we add in these nutrients we improve the methylation capabilities, which as a side note can decrease the chances of miscarriage via support of cell replication. During pregnancy and postpartum these nutrients are vital and make a dramatic difference to the postpartum state, not only physically but also emotionally and can even improve the health of the baby through both placental delivery and breastmilk delivery.
Targeted methylation support is offered by our naturopathic doctors and just might be the support you need postpartum. If you are struggling with this time, reach out! We are here to help.
Dr. Sarah Roth, ND
