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#44 How to Prepare for Postpartum: Mood Swings, Oxytocin, Meal Ideas & Hormone Support
39 Plays13 days ago
The Bean Talk - Episode 44: How to Prepare for Postpartum: Mood Swings, Oxytocin, Meal Ideas & Mental Health Support
In this episode, Riannon and Jeremy dive into the fourth trimester and unpack what postpartum looks like (physically, emotionally, and hormonally). They explain why postpartum mood swings are common, what’s happening inside your body, and how to prepare for postpartum recovery.
They break down why so many women feel unlike themselves in those early weeks after birth and mourning the old version of yourself. You’ll also learn how to nourish your body after giving birth, simple postpartum meal ideas, supporting milk supply, and practical ways to protect your mental health and nervous system during this vulnerable season.
In this episode, we cover:
- How to prepare for postpartum physically and emotionally
- Postpartum hormones and why mood swings happen
- Oxytocin and bonding after birth
- Baby blues vs postpartum depression
- Postpartum anxiety symptoms
- Postpartum fatigue and recovery tips
- Postpartum nutrition and what to eat after giving birth
- Postpartum meal ideas to support healing
- Mental health support during the fourth trimester
- How to rebuild your body and nervous system after birth
If you’re pregnant, newly postpartum, or supporting someone who is, this episode will help you feel informed and empowered for the transition.
Connect with us on Instagram or TikTok @mungbean_health or visit mungbeanhealth.com for expert support.
If you want to book an appointment with one of our incredible naturopaths, visit our website: https://mungbeanhealth.com/
If you liked this episode, check out these previous episodes:
#18 - Baby Brain & Brain Fog –... - The Bean Talk - Apple Podcasts
#5 - Keeping Your Kids Healthy - The Bean Talk - Apple Podcasts
The information shared in this episode is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare practitioner before starting, changing, or stopping any supplements, medications, or health protocols to ensure they are appropriate for your individual needs.
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Transcript
Introduction to The Bean Talk and Hosts
00:00:00
Speaker
Welcome to The Bean Talk with me, Rhiannon, your fertility fairy godmother, joined by my trusted partner in life and in the mission of Mungbean Health, Jeremy.
Mission of Unlocking Fertility Secrets
00:00:10
Speaker
Here at Mungbean Health, we're on a mission to unlock the secrets of fertility and natural wellbeing one episode at a time.
Running a Business During Pregnancy
00:00:22
Speaker
Hi guys, and welcome back to The Bing Talk with Rhiannon and Jeremy. Great to have you back. We've had a big week, honestly. We have been grinding. Owning your own business is very stressful. To all the small businesses out there, you'll know exactly what we mean. Not only is it stressful because you're trying to keep everyone happy and supported and amazing, but it also takes a lot of sacrifice from your own
Social Media Updates and Pregnancy Series
00:00:48
Speaker
personal life. yeah And especially when you are pregnant or have a postpartum coming up, it doesn't always look like what you want it to look like. And often it will be...
00:00:59
Speaker
A sacrifice, dare I say. to make some choices. Yeah, it ain't for the faint heart. It ain't for the faint hearted. Anyway, we're here, we're back, and we're ready to chat things through. We've had a ah busy week in good ways as well. As we've spoken about before, we've gotten some really exciting things that
Postpartum Phase Exploration
00:01:20
Speaker
are coming up. And if you're not following our Instagram, mungbean underscore health, then we'll you wouldn't have seen our first teaser of what is to come so if you are following us amazing go and please give us all the love and if you aren't following us go and check us out or we've got some new stuff coming up exciting stuff in the pipes it's yeah it's really exciting and it's coming up quickly
00:01:41
Speaker
But we've obviously chatted about our beautiful this beautiful series about pregnancy. And we have talked about the different preconception and the different trimesters. And now we're going to be diving into a specific trimester, which is the fourth trimester. up It's amazing that we're at the beginning or the end, whichever way you want to look at it, of the new and wonderful journey that you and your baby are on. It's definitely a new journey because obviously they come out into the world and It's just a lovely time. It is definitely a journey though. yeah
00:02:14
Speaker
It's a big one. so We're going to cover the ins and outs of postpartum in today's episode from hormones, to stress, to diet, everything else in between. but I guess for us, we also have this coming up in like the next eight-ish weeks really, that we're going to be going into another postpartum, which is lovely. We'll actually be our fifth postpartum. postpartum. It's, yeah, and it's different each time, I suppose. The more that you have, obviously, the more comfortable you get. But it'll be good to hear a little bit about dad's perspective here as well when we go through. well absolutely, yeah.
00:02:46
Speaker
But let's start with your hormones in postpartum because what's actually going on there? it's a big It's a big change. It's a massive drop. It's essentially the biggest drop. So right after birth, estrogen and progesterone both plummet and they don't just dip, they fall off a cliff essentially. They actually drop to pre-puberty levels within 24 hours. And it's because of this sudden hormonal shift that many women feel irritable, teary, um the black baby blues, like they call it, weepy, emotional, anxious, foggy, disconnected from their usual sense of self. And it's a big change because obviously you can't just be like, okay, going to go lay down in bed and have a nice long sleep and wake up feeling refreshed. You've got a baby that's there that's going to be crying for you. A tiny human with a lot of demands. Yes. And you want to do everything right by them and treat them and love them and make sure they're happy because if they're crying, you feel horrible. Yeah. You want to make sure that they're feeling comfortable and, yeah, comfortable. But you can't forget about yourself. got to make sure you are replenished and take care of your own healing journey. It's so true because it's like taking care of the carer. Yeah. Like they always say, even in an emergency, you put on your oxygen mask first because what good are you if you're
00:04:09
Speaker
falling to pieces, right? Yeah. Yeah. um So it's definitely a wild time to say the least. And even though we've been through it many a times now, it's still going to be, it's still going to be big.
Hormonal Impact on Mood and Stress
00:04:20
Speaker
yeah It's still going to be big time. It's still going to be work. And this is why when I guess people say that they get those those day three baby blues or that sort of thing, that's usually what they're referring to. it It's because of this drop in hormones. So the biology behind this is due to different hormonal shifts that are happening. This is starting with our prolactin and oxytocin. So if you're breastfeeding, the prolactin hormone actually rises to help stimulate our milk production, but prolactin calms you. But it can also make you feel a bit flat, a bit foggy, or a little bit unmotivated as well, which is hard because, well, it's not like you're having to write an essay, but you still need to be motivated to wash yourself, wash your baby, get up, change their nappy, feed them again, settle them. And that's why it definitely does help to have a supportive partner, which I'm very thankful that I've got one. I know everyone doesn't have that luxury, which is so sad. And that definitely contributes. I see that in clinic all the time. Contributes to how bad those first week stays are because a lot of people like their mums might step in or or someone that's close to them, which is great because you just need some type of support.
00:05:31
Speaker
You're literally bleeding still, like whether you had a C-section or a vaginal birth. you might have had tearing episiotomy like you're healing even if you didn't have any tearing or anything it's still you're going to be sore um and like getting up and getting down if you've got other kids to look after it's a lot so you definitely need that helping hand even if it's like you sit down to breastfeed and then it's like oh i forgot my water nothing more annoying so at least i can be like hey jeremy can you please get me water whereas i know not everyone i suppose has that luxury there
00:06:03
Speaker
um Oxytocin, though, that's a bit more about prolactin, but oxytocin is the bonding hormone. It's our love hormone. It peaks when we breastfeed, when we cuddle, and when you smell your baby. It can feel really grounding, but it also makes you extra sensitive to stress and conflict. So in summary... Your heightened emotions do not mean that you are crazy, although you might feel that way. And it's not abnormal. This is just hormonal and biology. There are some beautiful things that we can do to actually support this to be a much nicer journey for you and setting you up for that postpartum. But if you do have these feelings, it does not mean that you are crazy or there's something wrong. Let's look at cortisol and stress.
00:06:49
Speaker
Cortisol is naturally higher postpartum. Yes. Especially with sleep disruption, you may feel. Wired at night, exhausted in the day, on edge, and you may also feel like a fuse is shorter. Your fuse can definitely feel shorter. You know, when you feel like that irritable feeling. Yeah. Yeah. And when you're tired and just everything feels so much harder. Yes, that is definitely that cortisol there. Yeah.
00:07:12
Speaker
ah remember yeah yeah Remember, your body is not flawed. It's protective mode. It's in its protective mode. Yeah. We're protecting it. And it's essentially that cortisol is high because it is a stressful situation. You're in a bit of stress there.
00:07:26
Speaker
Now, there is a lot that we can do to help you manage these symptoms and make it feel so much better. Anything that's associated with that normal hormonal shift, that high cortisol, essentially as naturopaths, we meet you where you're at and we support you from there because everyone's journey looks different.
Managing Postpartum Fatigue and Nutrition
00:07:44
Speaker
Okay, now let's talk about day-to-day life.
00:07:47
Speaker
Yes, and how different that looks. Starting with your new best friend or enemy fatigue. Yeah, bloody fatigue. People love to tell new mums, sleep when the babies sleep. But let's be real.
00:07:57
Speaker
Babies wake every two to four hours. Yeah. Your body is healing from a major physiological event. So true. Your hormones are shifting daily. Yep. There is constant sensory output.
00:08:09
Speaker
Input, I should say. Yeah, well, you have to put it out as well. You're learning something new every day. Especially with your first baby because it is such a – you don't know what you're doing. and doing it for the first time. Definitely with the babies that come after you, bit more comfortable. You're like, okay, i remember this, even though every baby can be different. yeah it's definitely that first baby like i remember with evie like we would check her temperature remember when we got a home and they're always like you have to be careful they can't regulate their own temperature butdadah-dada and then we had like that little thermometer thing and so whenever we were worried oh she's too hot she's too cold she's crying whatever we'd put the little thermometer under her and just check her out we probably did that like a lot in the first couple of days to like the first weeks ish And then like as the babies go along, you're like, oh, they feel quite hot. on Yeah. Check their temperature. off Or um take their beanie off or let's take their socks off or something. And even just putting them on you
00:09:03
Speaker
You can feel, yeah. And it regulates their little temperature as well. But yeah, it's so funny. It only comes with time yeah as you go through. yeah Postpartum fatigue is not just related to sleep.
00:09:15
Speaker
It can also be caused by nutrient depletion. yes Pregnancy, birth, and breastfeeding drain stores of iron, B12, folate, omega-3s, choline, and magnesium. Big time, because even if it's just throughout pregnancy, you're going to be using so many of these nutrients to give to your baby.
00:09:37
Speaker
and then also for postpartum with breastfeeding, if you're breastfeeding or when your body's just healing, like. you're just continuously losing you're not holding on to it obviously your but your body's going to give your baby the best it's going to give it everything it's got which you would have it no other way unfortunately though it doesn't leave you with with much so that's why it is so important to treat postpartum like your fourth trimester it doesn't just all stop once bub's here because you're literally helping the baby to grow just on the outside and supporting yourself. Remember, put your own oxygen mask on first. So continue to take your natal vitamins and prioritize that recovery and nutrition. I know it can be hard. but just try and get yourself into a bit of a pattern. Even
Mental Health and Identity Shifts Postpartum
00:10:20
Speaker
if you're just like, i'm going to focus on protein with each meal, that's such a big part and it supports our hormones so much. And obviously working with your naturopath to work out the specific supplements that are right for you and what you need. Because some women will be so depleted in iron, others not so much, just depends on the person and where they're at.
00:10:37
Speaker
No one person is the same. And we can also help you with dietary and lifestyle and and help you out with easy areas like, okay, you're really struggling with this, let's try this whatever. Why don't you try this? Because you're not ticking off the boxes here. um There's so many little tips and tricks we have up our sleeve, but we're obviously going to make sure that's individualized for you in your case. Let's dive into stress and nervous system support. Yes.
00:11:02
Speaker
Postpartum can feel like the most vulnerable mental health window of your life. That's so true. You might feel a sense of identity being shaken up. Yeah, you can definitely feel like a different person because you don't just birth a baby. You literally birth a new version of yourself. You change from the maiden to the mother and your priorities totally shift. Your relationship does change, even if it's for the better. And in many positive ways, it definitely does change. And you may grieve the old version of your old life while still loving the new one, depending on many reasons, whether you planned for the baby or you didn't, whether you did have like a really social life before and now it's changed. Whether you feel comfortable to take your baby out and about or you're a bit more nervous and want to stay at home, there's so many different angles that you can sort of there. And nothing's right or wrong either. Exactly. You're just going with it how you feel and yeah what's best for you and your baby. Exactly. So don't feel like you have to. Like, you know, they say, oh, you better get out there and make me in a mother's group and do this. Like, you might be the stage where you just, I just want to chill out and stay home with the baby. Yes. That's good for me at that stage of life. Exactly. It's so true. Yeah. There definitely is that very much like textbook approach where they're like, you have to go and like meet new mums and it's great to have moms that are around you that you can chat to so you can check, is this okay? Is this normal? Or, you know, i'm a bit worried about this. And definitely that social outing is great. But also if you don't feel like...
00:12:28
Speaker
going to a traditional mums group, then you can do this in other ways. Yeah, of course. Obviously working with your naturopath, like we've seen it all before, and we can definitely help you as well through that. But there's always support out there if you need it. If you need it, don't be like, oh, don't want to bother anybody. yes I'm sure there is so many people around you that would love to help in any situation. Always.
00:12:47
Speaker
Yes. To make you more comfortable. Yes, you can always check in with like even your doctor around like a mental health plan if you're wanting to see like a psychologist because it's more of a mental aspect. Obviously your naturopath can help you with nutrients and dietary and lifestyle and we can help you. Like if it is anxiety that you've got, we can help that. We've got herbs and amazing nutrients that can really switch that off for you. And sometimes it's a bit of a co-lab approach there. And then sometimes it is if you are feeling a bit isolated or alone, it is finding people that are your in your group, which could be a mother's group for you. But it looks different for everyone. And you just want to reach out for that first stage of help if you are feeling a little bit lost, yeah essentially. And just know that these are like normal feelings to go through. And yeah, there's always hope and help out there.
00:13:34
Speaker
So the postpartum anxiety is a big one we see. We do definitely see postpartum depression as well, but not everyone gets postpartum depression or anxiety. But I feel like postpartum anxiety is more common. And that's because probably because you are naturally a bit more anxious, the stress hormones higher, and you might worry a little bit more about what you're doing. Like for us with Evie's temperature, it's like naturally without feeling super anxious or panic attacky. It's just like, oh gosh, okay, is she...
00:14:03
Speaker
You feel uncomfortable, right? yeah It's just like naturally having that. But there are some other signs, things like intrusive thoughts, which is a very weird experience to have. Feeling constantly alert because you're always just waiting for that next cry or that next like, oh, how are they waking up? Oh, okay. Are they okay? Yeah. you know, that sort of thing, worrying that something bad will happen, that impending doom feeling. And then also struggling to relax even when the baby's asleep because you're just waiting for something to happen or those nighttime scaries. I find a lot of women will get, they'll start to feel a bit worried at that like 5pm mark when they know, oh I'm so tired and I've still got all night.
00:14:40
Speaker
The baby hasn't been sleeping and this is where we can help and also you can definitely get help. So you might have already felt this way throughout pregnancy as well,
Building a Postpartum Support Network
00:14:50
Speaker
but now postpartum is just a whole other ballpark because it's not just your body taking care of the baby inside. You actually have to essentially keep the baby alive yourself on the outside. so it's good to remind yourself and tell yourself out loud that these are symptoms of my nervous system being in overdrive, not a personal failing. Remember, you're not meant to do postpartum alone. We are meant to have a village, although...
00:15:14
Speaker
everyone says, where is this village? But definitely lean in on your partner, your family, your friends, and allow them the ability to show up for you. I know it can be so hard when you want to do it yourself, but it's nice even if it's just like, hey, I need...
00:15:30
Speaker
to have a nap. Like, can you come over? Oh, the washing is just taking over the laundry. Could you just help me with a bit of the washing or the folding? Like personally, hands up, hand on heart, absolutely hate folding. I think it's the most annoying job in the world. But um if you have something like that as well, whether it's washing or washing up or whatever, if your partner's happy to do it or your mother, your mother-in-law, your father, your stepfather, whatever, whoever's happy to help, your friends, whatever, It's definitely going to be supportive and allow them to help you. Sometimes the worst thing you can do for others is not give them the space to show up for you because they really want to help. So you're just allowing them to, whatever that looks like.
00:16:12
Speaker
And then outside of your support network, there are also therapy, many different forms of that. Postpartum doulas, your support groups, or simply asking family for practical help. Could be meals, cleaning. You could hold the baby while you have a shower.
00:16:27
Speaker
And that can absolutely completely change your experience as well. What helps to reduce stress? Lowering stimulation like dark rooms, soft lights, noise reduction. because sometimes all that overstimulation can just be too much. Slow, deep breaths, getting outside, asking for help, nourishing meals, short, slow walks. Yes. Skin to skin for both mum and bum. Yep.
00:16:53
Speaker
Nutritional support. Get your pathology checked at six weeks to ensure you are being supported. Which we do with all of our clients. Herbal supports. We use incredible postpartum herbs for adrenal and adaptogenic.
00:17:05
Speaker
Adaptogenic, yep. Supports. This helps build our
Postpartum Nutrition and Deficiencies
00:17:10
Speaker
clients' resilience to stress. which is so amazing. The herbs are so, so amazing. But lastly, let's have a quick look at diet and what does the postpartum body need? This is where society fails mums the most. We don't provide women with the time or space to heal. We live in such a go, go, go world, whereas in some cultures, it is their foundation to prioritize postpartum healing. If you haven't ever looked into it, we recommend having a look at postpartum confinement practices. Now we know this is not realistic for everyone, but it's more so the foundations they focus on, which is rest, recovery,
00:17:50
Speaker
replenishment, um but there's also some things that you can easily prioritize to support your postpartum recovery. So warm and easy to digest foods, think of soups and stews, broths, slow cooked meats, root veggies, and warm porridges. And there's many different meal services you can get as well. High protein, as I'd mentioned before, nourishment is really good. So aiming for 20 to 30 grams of protein per meal to stabilize our mood, support our blood sugar, support milk supply and recovery.
00:18:22
Speaker
We've also got replenishing minerals that are lost in childbirth, so magnesium. This one gets bonus points as it supports sleep and nervous system as well. Sodium, potassium, iron, and zinc, also electrolytes. They can help with energy, hydration, and milk supply as well. We know we probably sound like a bit of a broken record, but Hydra Mama is truly the best out there and tastes amazing and will be your new bestie postpartum as well. You can actually find that on our website, which is www.mungbeanhealth.com.
00:18:53
Speaker
But be fast because we always sell out. And then you've also got your healthy fats, absolutely critical for your hormones, brain health and milk composition as well. And the most important diet tip of them all is make sure you are eating enough.
00:19:08
Speaker
postpartum is not the time to restrict yourself. Your body needs energy, needs help for your
Summary and Invitation for Support
00:19:14
Speaker
hormones. They need calories and your mental health needs nourishment. It's another thing there too. Like um a lot of women are like, oh, I've had the baby now time to like get back in shape or do this.
00:19:24
Speaker
Don't put that stress on you. Recover properly so you can have the energy later to do that. Exactly. Exactly. And it's like your body's just healing and naturally it will all fall into place.
00:19:35
Speaker
So just as a quick summary for you, postpartum is a beautiful time of your life, but it does come with a lot of change. So we really want to prioritize rest, warm foods, hydration, support where we can, reassurance, space to adjust to this new life, healing and time to heal,
00:19:58
Speaker
Grace for the messy moments that are to come and do not do it alone, whether that's a friend or a family member. And know that we're always here for you and your baby's needs as well. So you can always reach out to us, whether that's a DM or a message on our website. We would love to support you.
00:20:18
Speaker
i just want to also mention in case you didn't know that Mungbin offers actual mom and bub consultations for our moms that are on their breastfeeding journey with babies under six months old.
Conclusion and Upcoming Episodes
00:20:30
Speaker
This is because obviously there is this beautiful holistic time when we can support both you and baby at the same time. So reach out if you want to book in and we would love to tell you more and support you there.
00:20:40
Speaker
But thank you so much for listening. Be sure to check out our next episode where we're going into covering more about breastfeeding and how to support this incredible journey. But you can also check out our other episodes that you might like if you like this one, number 18, Baby Brain and Brain Fog. And then we've also got number five, which is Keeping Your Kids Healthy.
00:21:01
Speaker
Sounds good. Yeah, thanks for checking in again with us. And we forgot to do our little bean and big bean. Oh, yes. Yeah, our little bean. Well, mine would be just being consistent with my supplements. Yes. I'm in regime now where I'm just like taking them every day and feeling the benefits. Yes, little bean, big bean.
00:21:18
Speaker
That would be both my big bean and little bean, really. Yes. Oh, and getting up earlier. Oh, yes. We're definitely in a better sleeping routine for waking up earlier at the moment. kids tate's in preschool evie's at big school i know which we've actually got to go yeah so thank you so much thank you see you later yeah follow us www.mungbeanhealth.com and um instagram is at mungbean underscore health yeah bye yeah bye
00:21:52
Speaker
And that's a wrap on today's dose of wellness. I'm Rhiannon, your fertility fairy godmother. Thank you for joining us. Stay connected with us on Instagram at mungbin underscore health.