UPDATED April 27, 2018
Responsible for some wonderful things like the instinct to nurture your child or the elation you feel when you share a skin-to-skin moment with your baby, your post-pregnancy hormones can also wreak havoc on your body and your psyche. Following the birth of your baby, you will have a couple of postpartum visits with your obstetrician, midwife or doula, during which they will ask you questions to determine how your hormones are resettling. Sometimes they will also check levels through blood work.
It is important to speak candidly to your health care practitioner, to ask questions and follow their advice. Hormonal fluctuations or imbalances are very common after pregnancy and it is crucial to get them back in check because, as Dr. Marcelle Pick says, “Your endocrine system is inextricably linked with your brain and nervous system. It is like an orchestra, that needs to have everything in balance or the overall effect is off.” From milk supply issues, to sex drive, acne, or postpartum depression (PPD), a hormonal imbalance may be the culprit. Here are some ways you can help restore your hormones after pregnancy.
