What is post-natal depletion? The term postnatal depletion was first coined by Dr. Oscar Serrallach in his popular book, The Postnatal Depletion Cure.
My own interpretation of it to be ‘the mental and physical deterioration of a mother’s health caused by the accumulation of long-term deficiencies and emptying of her cup; as of a result of pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding and the stress of parenting.’
And while pregnancy and the postpartum period have always been nutritionally demanding on mothers, Dr. Serrallach suspects that our busy modern lifestyles have a lot to do with the rise in the condition.
In western culture, the rising average age of new mothers means that women are taking longer to recover from pregnancy and birth while increasing pressure on mothers to 'do it all' sees many women juggling an overwhelming amount of responsibilities with a distinct lack of postnatal support. Throw in there a medical industry that is more concerned with babies than mothers, well mothers are finding themselves in a more depleted state than ever before.
What the female body goes through to create a human life is nothing less than extraordinary, and her body gives an immeasurable amount of nutrients to her baby, tapping into her own stores and emptying them out. This can lead to postpartum depletion, which can present as either physical symptoms or mental health concerns, or usually both. You feel exhausted to your bones, overwhelmed, mood swings, immune system is low, stress response seems unmanageable, you may feel on edge, anxious, tired when waking, loss of libido, difficulty concentrating, brain fog – the list goes on.
The hormonal journey after having a baby is the most profound and intense hormonal roller-coaster a woman can go through. Think seven years of puberty but propelled into a period of less than a year. You need support during this time!
Join me and you’ll learn
- What are the unique biological changes that occur for mothers and the implications on their long term health – including physical, and emotional health.
- how to proactively set yourself up to avoid postpartum depletion
- naturopathic treatments of postpartum depletion
- blood tests to to assess nutritional status, what the optimal levels are and what it means if you aren’t at the optimal level
- the common nutrients, vitamins and minerals we see most commonly lacking in the postpartum period.
- ways to nourish yourself through your diet, what foods to focus on having
- ways to ease your stress response and cortisol levels
- supplements to consider
- Role of nutritional status on mental & emotional health
What I really wish all new mothers knew, is that the period of time after having your baby, your postpartum period, is as equally about you and your health, as it is your baby’s. You’ve grown an entire human, birthed it, and possibly are breastfeeding. The toll this takes is immense, but you can be supported through this.
Length: 1 hour
