Are you experiencing postnatal depletion syndrome?

Postnatal depletion syndrome is a variety of symptoms caused by nutrient insufficiency, sleep deprivation, and the mother’s role change, that can occur after she gives birth.

Common symptoms include:

• Anxiety
• Baby brain
• Depression
• Easily Bruised
• Fatigue
• Hair loss and brittle nails
• Inflammation
• Insomnia
• Irritable
• Joint aches and pains
• Loss of self-confidence
• Low libido
• Overweight
• Sensitivity to light and sound
• Thinning and loose skin
• “Tired but wired”

Do any of these symptoms describe your fourth trimester experience? If so, you are not alone. Without appropriate support, these symptoms can last up to ten years. Many considerations need to be taken into account such as:

• Babies’ health status
• Breastfeeding
• Diet and nutrition
• Pregnancy related complications
• Social support system
• Sleep
• Stress management

However, with the right treatment, the severity, duration, and onset of these symptoms can be minimal or non-existent.

So let’s talk more about nutrition… Post natal nutrition is of paramount important in supporting a healthy recovery post birth and for sustaining energy demands that come with raising a new baby.

Common nutrients that can become depleted include:

• Iron
• Zinc
• Vitamin B12
• Vitamin D
• Copper
• B-Vitamins
• Magnesium
• Trace Elements
• Vitamin C
• Fat-Soluble Vitamins

For instance iron is well known to become easily depleted with pregnancy and can remain low during the postpartum period if not properly supplemented. However, did you know that inadequate Vitamin C, and B vitamin intake can impact the absorption of iron and red blood cell formation? Iron can be toxic in high doses, and therefore it may be crucial to analyze other nutrient needs to best support healthy blood quality before automatically upping the iron dose.

Most times with the help of your medical practitioner, after a thorough review of your current health state we can create a specific nutrient plan for you during these trying times. However, depending on the situation it may be beneficial to implement functional testing options to determine your true nutrient requirements. Metabolomix testing is just one of the tests I find useful in this situation to determine nutrient, antioxidant, heavy metal, omega 3’s, etc requirements.

If you are concerned with any symptoms post baby, please reach out! There is plenty we can do to support you during this life changing time in your life, so that you can enjoy your time with your littles.