Depregnant: restore hormones after giving birth

Nine months on - nine months off, right? After pregnancy begins the postpartum recovery: the phase in which your body looks for a new balance. Your pregnancy is over and the hormones in your body are causing all kinds of changes again. Read on and find out everything about postpartum recovery.

Your baby has just been born and at this moment everything revolves around your little one. It is understandable that as a new mother you have little time and energy to reflect on your own body. Yet it is important to take good care of yourself after childbirth, especially when it comes to restoring your hormones.

The process of hormone recovery after childbirth is also called 'postpartum recovery'. In this article we will discuss what postpartum recovery exactly entails, which hormones are involved and what steps you can take to bring your hormones back into balance.

Postpartum recovery is the process in which your body, after childbirth, returns to the state it was in before you became pregnant. During pregnancy and childbirth, your body undergoes various changes, including hormonal fluctuations, weight gain and physical transformations such as the growth of the uterus.

After childbirth, the postpartum recovery process begins, in which the body gradually reverses these changes. You return to the state you were in before you became pregnant. This process can take several weeks to several months and is accompanied by various symptoms. 

Hormones play an important role in postpartum recovery. The amount of progesterone and estrogen in your body decreases rapidly. Hormones immediately initiate processes after your pregnancy, such as the onset of breastfeeding and the contraction of the uterus. The changes in your hormones can also be accompanied by discomfort.

After childbirth, you experience various symptoms that are part of postpartum recovery. Some common symptoms are:

In the first days after childbirth, you may experience postpartum contractions. These are contractions of the uterus, just like labor contractions, but after your baby has been born. These contractions can sometimes be quite painful and are often described as severe menstrual cramps. Postpartum contractions help the uterus return to its original size.

After childbirth, the hormone prolactin ensures the onset of breastfeeding. Especially in the postpartum week, this often also causes considerable breast engorgement. The breasts then feel very full and tense. This can sometimes be quite painful and also makes it difficult for the baby to feed, because latching becomes harder. Pumping can help relieve the worst pressure.

After childbirth, you experience bleeding. It is comparable to a heavy period. Besides blood, you can also lose clots and, moreover, the bleeding lasts much longer than a normal period. Bleeding after childbirth can continue for up to six weeks.

Having a baby is both physically and emotionally exhausting. It is important to rest and sleep when possible. Also seek support from family and friends, so that you have time to rest for an hour now and then.

Hormones make your pelvis more flexible during pregnancy, so that childbirth is possible. And during childbirth itself, the pelvis is considerably stretched. This can cause discomfort. For example, it can give a feeling of pressure on your vulva, and in some women this also causes urinary incontinence.

Your abdominal muscles also stretch considerably during pregnancy, to make room for the growing belly. They even pull apart a little, as a result of the hormone relaxin.

After childbirth, pelvic floor and abdominal muscle complaints can fortunately usually recover again under the influence of hormones and with the right exercises.

Some women experience excessive sweating after childbirth. It is a way for your body to get rid of the extra fluid you retain during pregnancy. Moreover, the drop in the hormone estrogen plays a role. This can also lead to sweating and hot flashes.

Do you sweat a lot? Then make sure you drink enough to replenish fluids. If sweating is accompanied by other symptoms such as fever, it is important to contact your GP, because this can indicate an infection or other medical complication.

You may feel different and suffer from crying spells and mood swings shortly after giving birth. That is also part of it. You are dealing with hormonal fluctuations as a result of childbirth in combination with the rising amount of stress hormones and a significant sleep deficit. That sounds like a recipe for mood swings.

Usually, women suffer from 'postpartum blues' or the 'baby blues' somewhere between day 3 and day 5 after giving birth. Crying spells can catch you by surprise. And sometimes you don't even know why you have to cry. The sleep deficit and hormonal fluctuations take their toll.

The sudden drop in estrogen after childbirth causes many of the hair follicles from which your hair grows to enter the resting phase. As a result, a lot of hair falls out for 2 to 3 months after childbirth. This is normal and will stabilize again on its own. For support, you can use a supplement such as HairFormula. This supplement contains 9 real hair nutrients that support normal hair growth. 

Your body needs plenty of time to fully recover and to let all the hormones work together in balance again. It also takes time to get your body used to this new situation again. And we are not just talking about all the physical changes. But also about the change that the birth of your child has brought about: the new family situation and the not always so good nights.

In general, it is said: 9 months pregnant, that also means 9 months of postpartum recovery. But for one woman the process takes a little shorter and for another a little longer. You can take the time you need to find your footing and your rhythm in this new chapter of your life.

There are a number of things you can do to bring your hormones back into balance after childbirth.

Healthy eating: Eat healthy and varied. Choose food that is rich in nutrients that contribute to the hormone balance, such as magnesium, vitamin D and essential fatty acids. If necessary, you can supplement your healthy diet with postpartum vitamins to support the hormonal balance.

Stress and relaxation: Preventing or reducing stress is also important to maintain your hormonal balance. Now that is quite a task as a new mother, of course. Yet it is really important to take good care of yourself too. Try, for example, to take a moment every day for yoga or meditation to lower your stress level. For example during a nap of your baby.

Exercise: Regular physical exercise also has a positive effect on your hormonal balance. It regulates stress hormones and as a result of exercise, the happiness hormone endorphin is released.

Read more about hormones and your hormone cycle? The hormone cycle explained >>