Hormones have a significant role in determining a person’s emotional states, and if you are a mother who just gave birth, you are in for a commotion. In this article, you will get to know what hormones are, how hormones change during pregnancy, and postpartum hormonal imbalance. Finally, there are strategies and tips to deal with the imbalance hormones.
Hormones during pregnancy, childbirth, and post-delivery can leave your body all muddled up and confused. After delivery, you will be so overwhelmed by the emotional roller coaster that even the slightest trigger, like the sight of a cute puppy, can tear you up. However, sometimes, you can feel overburdened and incompetent. You will continue to swing between exuberant to depressive emotions. But, there is no need to worry.
Here is all you need to know about this roller coaster. The first thing you should know is that this is normal. Every mother has to go through a wide array of emotions because of our body chemicals’ waywardness, also known as hormones.
What are hormones?
Hormones are chemical messengers of our body that travel to different tissues and organs in our body. These are secreted by different glands cells located in the brain and other organs, i.e., the kidney. These are responsible for various body functions, including metabolism, growth, fight or flight response, and emotions like happiness, sadness, anxiety, and fear.
There are numerous hormones in our body, and different hormones have different tasks. For example, adrenaline, also known as the stress hormone, prepares the body for fight or flight response, and insulin is responsible for moving sugar in the bloodstream.
Hormones during the journey of motherhood: from pregnancy to birth and postpartum
Various research studies and scientific literature has analyzed the hormonal changes and imbalance during and after pregnancy (Schiller, Meltzer-Brody, & Rubinow, 2015; Trifu, Vladuti, & Popescu, 2019). It is demonstrated that pregnancy and the postpartum period entails hormonal fluctuations.
Hormonal changes during pregnancy
Hormonal changes in the body start as the pregnancy starts. Among various hormones, the following are the hormones that play a significant role in pregnancy.
- Human chorionic gonadotropin hormones (hCG): hCG secretes exclusively during pregnancy and is responsible for nausea and vomiting.
- Human placental lactogen (hPL): hPL is also made by the placenta, gives nutrition to the fetus, and prepares glands for breastfeeding.
- Estrogen: Estrogen customarily developed by the ovaries and then by the placenta during pregnancy. It is responsible for a healthy pregnancy and all the mood swings.
- Progesterone: The ovaries and placenta secrete progesterone during pregnancy. It is responsible for the thickening of the uterine lining. It is responsible for gastrointestinal discomfort and also leads to the loosening of joints and cartilage.
Estrogen and progesterone play a significant role explicitly during pregnancy. These two hormones are also responsible for the secretion of dopamine and serotonin. These two neurotransmitters are responsible for happy and calm emotions. That’s why women often feel joyous and cheerful during pregnancy.
Hormonal imbalance after giving birth
However, after birth, there is a rapid shift in your hormones and significant changes in your body.
- Progesterone usually plummets immediately after delivering the placenta as the placenta was responsible for the excessive production of this hormone during pregnancy. The increased level of prolactin follows it. This hormone will not be secreted by your ovaries until the next menstrual cycle, creating an imbalance in your body. If you are breastfeeding, it causes your menstrual cycles to be absent or highly irregular, thus compromising progesterone’s only source. It makes you feel less resilient and doubtful about your capacities and intentions.
- Prolactin increased afterbirth significantly as it is responsible for milk production in the breasts. It is also known to have an impact on dopamine, the happy hormone.
- The estrogen levels also decrease to before pregnancy levels. In the case of breastfeeding, estrogen secretion can be reduced further because it interferes with milk production. It can lead to decreased libido, hot flashes, night sweats, and vaginal dryness, along with mood disturbances.
- Oxytocin surges immediately after a drop in progesterone and estrogen. It is responsible for positively joyous feelings and strong motherly instinct, thus also called bonding hormone. Oxytocin also causes anxiety, hence leads to all the worry and apprehensions. Once it drops to its pre-pregnancy levels, the baby blues or postpartum depression can ensue.
- High prolactin, no progesterone, decreased dopamine, and other pregnancy hormones lead to moodiness, low energy, and slowed metabolism.
- The postpartum imbalance hormones can also lead to thyroid hormone imbalance, leading to anxiety, irritability, fatigue, weight loss, and insomnia. It can also cause depression and warrants medication for improvement.
Common symptoms of postpartum hormonal imbalance
Below mentioned are some symptoms that a new mother can experience as a result of hormone imbalance.
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Increase in weight
- Chronic fatigue
- Cysts or fibroids
These are the main changes that a new mommy must go through after being pregnant and after the baby’s birth. These changes in your body also affect your mental health, making you emotionally vulnerable and prone to postpartum diseases, including depression, anxiety, and psychosis. The susceptibility to psychological problems because of imbalance hormones can be aggravated by the lack of social support, lack of sleep, nutritious diet, fun activity, and sunlight exposure.
What can be done to cope with postpartum hormonal changes and related symptoms?
The imbalance hormones after birth and the associated symptoms usually resolve gradually with time. However, you can take specific steps to make this process a little more comfortable, and this transition a little smoother. Below mentioned are some general suggestions from my personal experience as well as my readings and knowledge.
- Do not try to suppress your emotions. If you feel like crying, feeling anxious, or feeling overwhelmed, then let it be. Cry it out if you want. Pent up emotions make you vulnerable to severe psychological issues. Experience your feelings and let them go.
- Seek emotional and social support without guilt and shame. If you feel overwhelmed with the responsibility of motherhood, call your family or friends for help. If not available, you can always hire a babysitter for a few hours to catch your breath. Welcome the advice and suggestions from fellow mothers but don’t take it too seriously. If things are concerning you too much, you can always consult your doctor for an authentic opinion.
- Initially, you won’t find time for yourself, and if someone offers help, don’t hesitate to accept—catch up on your sleep and self-care. Self-care is highly significant for positive mental health and well-being. Once in a while, indulge in a luxurious bath, dinner in your favorite restaurant, visit your best friend or family, and do whatever makes you feel relaxed, sane, and yourself.
- Exposure to sunlight is also essential. Being in a room with your baby is stressful and during the early days of motherhood, go to your yard or porch if you can’t go to the nearest park. Exposure to sunlight increases vitamin D that can be a deficit in breastfeeding mothers. It also decreases the risk of postpartum depression, as proven by various research studies.
- Try to do some exercise and workout with the consultation of your doctor. It also helps in maintaining mood and improves mental health.
Pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum phase, yes, it is an adrenaline rush, but at the same time, it is also tricky. We can prepare all we want, but motherhood will be overwhelming and not only for you or me but for every mother. Give it some time, and you will begin to get hold of the things, things will get better, and you will get habituated. Either way, it is a challenging yet incredible journey. Among all this chaos, don’t forget to enjoy every phase of being a mother.