Top 5 Tips for Balancing Hormones Postpartum
Estrogen excess related symptoms are common during the postpartum period. This is because throughout pregnancy, hormones estrogen and progesterone are at an all time high, which is essential to maintain a healthy pregnancy.
After birth, hormones drop quickly. Within the first week postpartum, hormones are back to pre-pregnancy baseline which understandably, can cause hormonal symptoms and sometimes, extreme emotional changes.
Post delivery is the single most drastic hormonal shift a women will experience in her lifetime. Breastfeeding welcomes more hormonal changes.
Keep in mind if you are breastfeeding, cycles may be irregular or nonexistent for a year or more, meaning, without ovulation, you aren’t producing progesterone, the calming hormone that opposes estrogen.
Stress management plays a huge role in hormone balance. Even the most prepared mothers struggle with sleep, anxiety surrounding new baby and familial role changes, stress related to going back to work, maintaining a household, etc.
Stress disrupts ovulation which again, impedes progesterone production and allows estrogen to creep higher and higher causing unwanted symptoms.
Signs and Symptoms of Estrogen Dominance
Weight gain
Bloating or water retention*
Irregular periods
Heavy, painful periods*
Fibrocystic breasts*
Uterine fibroids*
Fatigue
Loss of sex drive
Depression
Anxiety*
Mood swings
Hair loss
Headaches or migraines*
Infertility
*Most common symptoms we see at HHC+
Top 5 tips for Balancing Hormones Naturally Postpartum
Take a high-quality prenatal. It takes an incredible amount of nutritional resources to conceive, carry and deliver a baby. A prenatal is essential to ensure your body is getting all the micronutrients it needs well into the fourth trimester and beyond.
Do you struggle with gas, bloating, diarrhea or constipation? If so, you want to start here first. Estrogen is carried out through the bowel so regular bowel function is essential for estrogen clearance. Dysbiosis, or a microbial imbalance in the gut can contribute to hormone imbalance, so be sure to talk to your provider about how to correct underlying gut infections if you struggle with hormone related symptoms. Gut dysbiosis is more common than you think!
Practice a daily detox ritual to support liver function. Be sure you are eating enough protein, taking a high-quality B-complex vitamin, and eating cruciferous vegetables daily.
Balance your blood sugar at every meal and snack. Extreme highs and lows are stressful on your system. Remember, stress disrupts ovulation which prevents progesterone production. Focus on fiber, fat, protein and greens at each meal.
Lastly, stress management, which is ongoing for everyone. My highest recommendation is to say no. Stay in. Pass on plans to recover and prioritize your mental health. I also love to add magnesium at night in postpartum care plans.
OK, I lied. 6 tips. Ask for help! And if you aren’t getting the care you need from your provider, see or ask someone else!
#theperiodfix
This article was originally written in collaboration with Lynzy&Co.
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