I wrote about postpartum thyroiditis before, and I had the intention of continuing the discussion. Many women are dealing with a thyroid issue or symptoms of one after having a child/children. My health really tanked in the summer of 2014. I was looking for a complicated diagnosis, and expecting a complicated healing protocol. The truth is, I was experiencing symptoms because of basic needs not being met in my overall health. I was experiencing postnatal depletion.
Postpartum Thyroiditis is a Siren
I’ve said this from the beginning, and I’ll say it again. As I ventured further into the journey of healing, I became more aware of the fact that my hypothyroidism was more of an alarm than anything else. Your body will speak to you when you’re doing something wrong, but you need to view it as a good friend. It’s like she’s saying, “Whoa girlfriend, what’s going on here? You’re really hurting me.”
The thyroid is involved in many processes in the body. It represents various facets of our health, which is why its dysfunction is such a popular “siren” for so many women. Our metabolism, body temperature, muscle tone, appetite, reproductive system, heart, kidneys, and brain are all connected to the health of the thyroid. Anxiety and depression go back to faulty function of the thyroid as well. But what does the health of the thyroid go back to? Where do we start to treat our thyroid and overall hormone health?
Postpartum thyroiditis happens often to women after having a baby, but the statistics don’t show the full story. According to many sources, roughly 5% of all women are diagnosed with postpartum thyroiditis. This includes a wrestle with both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism after having a baby or multiple children. My gut feeling, and the discussion amongst many professionals in women’s health is that there is a much greater number of women suffering from a faulty thyroid after having their child/children. Furthermore, the “thyroid siren” is sounding after pregnancy and childbirth because of something that’s not discussed as much as it should be: postnatal depletion.
Postnatal Depletion and the Importance of Healing Liquids and Supplements After Birth
Did you know that it generally takes years to fully recover from pregnancy and birth in this country? During my health coach training at IIN, I listened to Dr. Frank Lipman discuss the underestimated effects of pregnancy and birth on women’s bodies. There’s also the cultural factor in the United States. We are a nation who enforces short-lived maternity leave and minimal postnatal care for new moms. It really put things together for me in my own healing journey. I started to realize that the nutritional depletion and self-inflicted lack of support, after having my first child, were at the core of my thyroid issue.
The stress of balancing motherhood with the other facets of life is a pain point for many women, and that in itself is a major factor. Additionally, our modern environment and conventional food supply are in shambles. It’s no wonder that most women suffer for long periods of time after having babies. Taking quality vitamins, eating the right foods, and reducing stress are pillars of postpartum recovery, but how many of us are advised properly in this?
Additionally, if you have children, I don’t even need to get into the particulars of how difficult it is to not only eat healthy, but to just eat in general! This factor combined with the underestimated depletion of our bodies from pregnancy and birth creates the perfect storm. I can’t tell you how many attempts I’ve made in one meal of actually eating my food. How about how many times you warm up your tea or coffee because it sits and gets cold? It gets ridiculous.
But, I have a solution, and it’s even more critical if you’re breastfeeding. You need to rely on quality liquids and quality supplements to get your nutrition. It’s the easiest way for a new mom to build up her nutritional stores, stay hydrated, keep blood sugars steady, and feel as sane as possible while juggling a new baby and everything else.
Healing Drinks to Prevent Postpartum Thyroiditis
You can find recipes, guidance, videos, and more in my latest ebook on healing drinks. Use the code HEALING5 to save $5. Here’s some of my favorite healing drinks to mention.
Cold-Pressed Green Juice: Most likely, new moms are not always going to have the motivation or time to make their own juice, but if you want simple recipes and guidance, check out the ebook. If you don’t want to make your own, the best solution I have found is the 59 ounce bottle of cold-pressed Suja green juice. You can find this at most major grocery stores and retailers like Sam’s Club and Costco. Green juice gives your body a “shock and awe” of healing vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and plant-based energy.
Bone Broth: If you’re up for simmering some on a lazy Sunday, check out a recipe like this one. I have also found the benefits and convenience from something like this bone broth concentrate that’s easy to use. I just doctor it up with pink salt, a little lemon, and some garlic. It’s warm, nourishing, and a great source of protein. Bone broth helps create hormone balance due to the collagen, gelatin, and key minerals that are also critical for gut, joint, skin, hair, and brain health. You can catch a video I did on bone broth here.
Smoothies: This is one of my favorite things to do for breakfast. Get an easy-to-use bullet-style blender that can also be used to later puree food for the baby. This one is affordable and does the trick. One of my favorite smoothies is taking some frozen banana, almond milk, greens, frozen berries, and adding some dulse flakes. Dulse flakes are a great source of iodine, which is critical for your thyroid and breast health. You can also add a few tablespoons of a plant-based protein like this one that contains hemp protein. Hemp protein is incredibly nourishing, and contains all 9 of the essential amino acids our bodies need from an outside source! These amino acids are critical in our healing from pregnancy and birth.
Herbal Teas: One of my favorite teas for postpartum recovery and assistance with breastfeeding is this one. Tea was my well when I had my daughter. For energy, you can try this tea. It’s mildly stimulating and great for digestion.
Herbal Coffee: After I had both my kids, I dove into the coffee pot for a bit. To read more about my recommendations on coffee, check out this post. I don’t do well on caffeine, so after that initial love affair in the midst of sleep deprivation, I go back to my usual herbal coffee. It tastes amazing, provides energy from nutrients, and the inulin from the chicory root supports healthy bacteria in the belly.
Sleeping and Saying “Who Cares”
There’s two things I’ve struggled with: resting when I should and saying “Who cares” when there’s balls of cat hair flying, my living room looks like the aftermath of an earthquake, and I have tons of dishes and laundry. I got better about it the second time around with my daughter, but with three children now, it still gets hard to just let it go. The thing is, being stressed and not getting enough rest inhibits our bodies from recovering. Our digestion gets thrown off, our stress hormones steal building materials from the good hormones (thyroid and sex hormones), and we suffer overall.
Something that helped me was putting a Post-it note on my mirror or fridge, or changing my wallpaper on my phone to say, “This is a season, so enjoy it while it’s here.” I need visuals to keep me in check. When I look at that, it helps me keep a steady mindset with the day and be more present. The reminder that this is a season combats the urge to worry about minor things. My body, mind, and spirit thirst for the calm in the craziness of raising my kids. As women, we need to support one another in protecting ourselves during such a fragile time in our lives.
Delegate and Speak Up
Men just usually need more instruction. Grandparents are usually happy to help. Other people are more willing to help you than you think. My coaching practice and website is HeartSpeak Health. My slogan is “Speak your heart. Heal your life.” Women don’t always speak up for what they need, and this is a major factor in poor health and unhappiness. This is especially true for thyroid health, as the fifth chakra is located in the thyroid region. This chakra represents clear communication and speaking our truth.
Let’s break down delegation and communication to preserve your thyroid and hormones.
Men: Tell them what you need, and explain how them helping you will make you a much happier and healthier woman during the challenging postpartum period. They need direction, and as along as they have it, they’ll help. If they are resistant to helping you, then I’d seek assistance in rectifying that. Your partner needs to understand that postpartum recovery is serious. Their help is critical in order to balance out after having babies.
Parents: Most of our parents want to see their grandchildren regularly. If your parents are looking for entertainment as opposed to helping you, then you need to talk to them. They need to remember that although it’s an exciting time, it’s an exhausting and trying time. There should be a balance of your parents receiving joy and your parents giving joy back. If it’s one-sided, then it’s time to talk.
The Village: Is family far away, or does your husband works crazy hours? Ask for help from your neighbors, friends, or others you know. If you’re unable to keep up with certain tasks at home, hiring help is life-changing. Again, this is a season of your life. Whatever can be alleviated to ensure your health and happiness needs to be done.
The Simple Things
These are the everyday actions that I am taking in the recuperation from having my second baby. I really believe that if I would have done these things when I had my first child, then my health would not have crashed the way it did.
If you want more guidance at your own pace, check out my latest thyroid and hormone-balancing course. In addition to the 15 lessons you can do online at your own pace, you’ll receive a coaching session with me and a supportive community.
From my heart,
Lindsay
*Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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