While there is so much joy in motherhood, the early postpartum days can be hard and can cause stress. As a Holistic Nutrition Consultant and Mother of four, below I will share about naturally treating postpartum adrenal fatigue.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If you purchase an Amazon item from the links below, I earn a small commission at no cost to you. Read more about my T&C’s here.
If you are a new mother for the first time or a new mother for the fourth time, you are adjusting to a whole new way of life. If you are a first time mother, the difference from having no one but yourself to look after to now having the responsibility of a tiny human life is a mammoth adjustment.
If you are a mother adjusting to an additional baby, you are now learning how to take care of one extra child and that can be a daunting experience.
No doubt there are many stressors we face daily as mothers.
The laundry pile that just keeps growing.
The children who need our devotion and attention for 90% of the day.
The dishes that can’t wash themselves (even the dishwasher doesn’t always do a good enough job!).
The loud squeals. The tantrums. The baby who won’t nap longer than 20 minutes. Your own tired, hungry body that needs some TLC.
The list goes on.
In various different cultures across the world, new mothers are treated like delicate Queens. They are well nourished, their newborn is taken care of, they are bathed, their housework is attended to and their needs are met in the most loving and attentive way.
This to me is how all postpartum mothers should be treated. Yet, our western culture does not prioritise and even recognise the importance of postpartum healing and rest as it should.
No wonder so many mothers are stressed out of their socks! We need to begin prioritising postpartum mothers’ wellbeing in our rushed, fast-paced society.
If you are a new mother and feeling stressed to the point of fatigue, then keep reading for some natural ways to treat adrenal fatigue.
What I will cover in this post
- What is adrenal fatigue?
- How maternal cortisol impacts babies
- Naturally treating postpartum adrenal fatigue
- Adaptogens safe to use for postpartum health (with product links)
What is adrenal fatigue?
First of all, our adrenal glands are located on top of the kidneys and are responsible for releasing hormones, such as cortisol and epinephrine (adrenaline) in response to both mental and physical stress. Adrenal glands need to be functioning properly in order for us to adapt to stress and maintain good health.
When stress continues for a long period of time, the adrenal glands produce excess cortisol. When high levels of cortisol are produced, the adrenal glands will slowly stop responding as usual. This can lead to adrenal fatigue, which affects mental, physical and emotional health.
You may have adrenal fatigue if you are experiencing symptoms like:
- Wired but tired
- Overwhelmed
- Edgy
- Quick to snap
- Jumpy/easily startled by loud noises
How maternal cortisol impacts babies
This only really applies to breastfed babies, as studies have shown a synchronicity of cortisol levels between mother and breastfed babies over bottle-fed babies (study). This is mainly due to cortisol levels being passed through breast milk.
If you wish to get your adrenal levels tested, a saliva adrenal test or saliva stress test can be done to see how well your adrenals are working.
Naturally treating postpartum adrenal fatigue
I’m going to share some ways you can naturally treat postpartum adrenal fatigue:
- Eat a nutritious diet: Maintaining steady blood sugar levels (eating balanced meals regularly) will keep cortisol levels at bay, limiting caffeine intake will help to lower cortisol production and including probiotic-rich foods will support the gut-brain axis.
- Sleep: Although many new mothers are not getting enough sleep anyway, it is important to do what is in your control to create a good wind down routine and limit caffeine consumption where possible to encourage good sleep habits.
- Daily exercise: Trust me, it is possible to do SOME exercise each day. Whether it is gentle weights, a walk or a jog, then this will not only reduce cortisol levels but boost endorphins, too.
- Communication: Sometimes it is as simple as sharing with your spouse or loved ones what they can do to help ease your load.
- Breath work/meditation: Sometimes you just need five minutes to pray, do some effective breath work or simply close your eyes and focus on your breathing, in order to feel more calm and relaxed.
Adaptogens safe for postpartum health (with product links)
Adaptogens are effective nerve tonics used to uplift mood, reduce anxiety and stress, lower blood cortisol, improve memory and cognition, enhance immune function when under stress and improves sleep quality.
It is advised to wait until six weeks postpartum to consume adaptogens. This allows time for hormones to be established to see if adaptogens are needed.
Be wary that adaptogens should only be used temporarily, as needed.
Let’s explore some adaptogens that you could consider using for adrenal fatigue:
- Ashwagandha: adaptogenic root and berries used for calming nerves when under stress (study).(Purchase Ashwagandha extract root here).
- Holy basil (tulsi): adaptogenic leaves from an aromatic shrub used for improving symptoms of general stress (study). (Purchase organic tulsi here).
- Rhodiola rosea: adaptogenic root used for temporary relief of mental fatigue and physical weakness during stressful situations (study). (Purchase Rhodiola rosea here).
- Astragalus: adaptogenic root also known as Huang qi. Used to enhance immune function when under stress (study). (Purchase Astragalus Extract here).
- Cordyceps: adaptogenic mushroom used to reduce fatigue, enhance energy and modulate immune function under stress (study). (Purchase cordyceps mushroom capsules).
While studies have not been conducted regarding the safety of using adaptogens while breastfeeding, many adaptogens have a long use of safe traditional use in various cultures and are often promoted even while breastfeeding.
However, there are some adaptogens that are not safe to use while breastfeeding, which are: Panex Ginseng (Asian or Korean ginseng), dong quai, schisandra and licorice root.
Please consult a doctor or certified Herbalist if you have any concerns.
Leave a Reply