Dietary and lifestyle Approaches to Managing Postnatal Depression: Mind, Body, and Soul

Woman with post natal depression

What is post-natal depression and how can nutrition and lifestyle changes help support this condition?

Post natal depression covers a vast spectrum of individual experience, which can affect some women in the weeks or months post giving birth. It falls somewhere between the ‘Baby blues’ which is a very common hormone related, low, teary mood, which typically arrives in the first couple of days after birth and often coincides with our milk coming in and 'Puerperal psychosis’ a very serious, rare form of post natal mood change, usually requires hospital care.

However, Post natal depression can take on many form and itself can be mild to very serious and can affect 1 in 10 women.

Common signs include:

• Irritability

• Anxiety

• Panic Attacks

• Sleep Problems

• Tiredness

• Concentration Issues

• Appetite issues

• Tearfulness

• Obsessive Behaviour

Some factors which can contribute to post natal depression development

• Birth Experience

• Biological Factors

• Changes in Lifestyle or poor diet

• Relationships

• Stressful Life Events

• Personal History of anxiety or depression

• Images of Motherhood, especially via social media

Doctors usually separate post part depression into two types ‘Melancholic’ and Non Melancholic’

• Non melancholic is more common and emerges slowly, around 4 weeks post birth. It can be more related to a stress reaction rather than a biochemical imbalance.

• Melancholic, is often more serious with a deeper depression.

Both these types can be diagnosed my a medical professional using something called ’the Edinburgh Post Natal Depression scale’ a ten question, questionnaire. if you score above 10, you will likely be monitored by the hospital and reviewed over a period of time. If you score over 13, you may be referred to a specialist. Common treatments for post natal depression Depending on the severity of your symptoms, you may be offered counselling, especially if you have had a traumatic birth experience, CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) antidepressant or anti-anxiety medications. Your doctor may feel you also require a short hospital stay to ensure you take some time to get well and be given support you need. Natural health support for post-natal depression

From a natural health perspective, diet and lifestyle can play an important supporting role, in not only helping to prevent the development of post natal depression, but also to help you heal if you are suffering with this condition. It is very natural to become depleted nutritionally when we are pregnant and breastfeeding. The actual state of pregnancy is also seen as one of ‘Inflammation’ which should correct itself once we give birth, however for some people this inflammation state persists and as research shows, depression has strong links to inflammation, both within the brain, as well as other areas of the body. This makes it even more important, that if possible, during pregnancy, we try to eat a healthy, balanced diet, which is low in processed foods, sugars and high in vitamins, minerals, healthy fats and antioxidants. Some important dietary factors which can be helpful in preventing, as well as helping support us physically and mentally during post natal depression and can be helpful to get into your daily diet are::

1) Healthy portion of protein A lot of women don’t eat anywhere near enough protein in our diets, but it can be an essential part of helping our bodies heal, as well as keeping our blood sugar levels balanced. Low blood sugar or the rollercoaster we can find ourselves on if we eat a lot of sugary carbs, can play havoc with our moods….ever heard of the term ‘Hangry’ well if your suffering with post natal depression, a blood sugar imbalance can add fuel to the fire, and contribute further to inflammation. Healthy sources of protein include Eggs, meat, fish, nuts and seeds, greek yoghurt, beans and legumes as well as Tofu

2) Avoiding high sugary and processed foods These foods are known as ultra processed and often include lots of added chemicals as well as well as too much salt and sugar. These types of foods which can include takeaway and ready meals, sugary cereals, cakes, biscuits, chocolate, fruit flavoured yoghurts and even some pasta jar sauces, if eaten in excess, can play a big role in keeping our moods low and increasing anxiety.

3) Essential fatty acids Western diets are relatively low in these healthy essential fats such as omega 3, however 20 % of our brain is made up of these fats and they are highly anti inflammatory. These fats get depleted during pregnancy and breastfeeding, as our baby has a high demand for them to help brain development. It's important to get good quantities of Omega 3 fats into our daily diet using sources such as oily fish, walnuts, flax and chia seed, edemame beans etc. It is also a good time during and after pregnancy, to supplement with this nutrient which comes in many different forms from liquid to capsules as well as vegan and non vegan sources. I like the brands Ingenues - Pharma peppa restore, as well as Bare biology

4) Lots of leafy, green veg Sources of dark green leafy veg, spinach, kale, seaweed, swiss chard are great sources of magnesium which is essential for nervous system health. Adding a large handful to two meals a day can help to support and protect our brain health.

5) Test and correct your iron levels Women are very susceptible to low iron levels and no more so than during and after pregnancy ,due to the huge demand for it to keep baby well. Its best to get this tested either through your GP or privately and the important marker to look out for is your Serum Ferritin which measures your storage of iron, which if very low can be a big contributor to depression, as well as our energy levels. Ideally we need to aim for a serum ferritin level of around 70 Ng/Ml. Again getting support from a qualified nutritional therapist to discuss the right type of supplementation and dosage is really key, as the ones prescribed typically tend to cause a lot of digestive discomfort which can prevent you taking regularly enough.

6) Consider your gut health I see many pregnant women now with constant thrush, bacterial and vaginal infections during pregnancy, which can if left unchecked lead to early birth. The health of our gut is super essential to brain health due to the Gut/brain axis. Our gut bacteria and microbes can actually communicate with our brain back and forth and they play a role in our production of neurotransmitters. its no coincidence that 70% of our serotonin resides in our gut, so focusing on feeding our gut microbes lots of healthy fibre in the form of plant based proteins like beans, legumes, nuts and seeds as well as lots of fresh fruit and veg can seriously protect our brain health, by reducing inflammation and helping keep healthy production of neurotransmitters. I also advise any pregnant or post natal woman to consider taking a probiotic, not just to help protect your own health but help populate our babies gut with lots of healthy bacteria, which can prevent a whole host of conditions common in infancy and childhood such as allergies, digestive disorders and even conditions such as autism and ADHD and obesity.

7) Vitamin D Many of us in the northern hemisphere don’t get the vitamin D from sun exposure that we really need, especially during our longer dark winters. Shortfalls in vitamin D are exacerbated by the nutritional demands of pregnancy and lactation and low levels can leave us susceptible to infection and inflammation. It acts on the immune system by stimulating antimicrobial responses, that suppress inflammation, potentially leading to postpartum depression. This is an easy vitamin to get tested either through your GP or private testing, however it can be really helpful to discuss your results with a qualified nutritional therapist, as they can ensure you get the right levels of supplementation to correct your levels accordingly. A final note on lifestyle related factors. keeping active by doing exercise that feels right for the stage you are in, as well as that you enjoy is very important when it comes to managing anxiety and depression. It helps to manage our stress levels, contributes to our social needs as humans and helps reduce inflammation. Stress within our personal and work lives can be so detrimental to our moods and mental health overall, that we must find ways to nurture and protect ourselves from the effects.

A final element is the importance of community. We are often very isolated as a pregnant and new mother, especially if we have moved to a new area and don't know many people. Getting out, joining local groups, taking a chance on meeting new people, can often be the elixer to boosting our levels of serotonin too, as well as trying to surround ourselves with friends and family who are happy to help in the ways that we need can be very powerful.

FAQ's

Will Post-natal depression go away? Yes you can heal from post natal depression with the support of qualified professionals, as well as being kind to yourself and allowing yourself time to heal. As with most cases of depression, there is no timeframe for recovery, taking little steps each day, is a good approach . It's crucial that you reach out for help and don't suffer alone. There are many avenues of support available from your GP, post natal midwife care team, health and wellbeing practioner's such as nutritional therapists, local mums and baby groups and exercise classes as well as family and friends

Is post- natal depression genetic? There may be cases whereby your mother, sisters or grandmothers may have also suffered post natal depression and this can be related to your shared reproductive genetics including your sensitivity to changing hormones levels. However, this is not every case, there are many other factors involved such as birth experience, nutritional status, previous history of mental health conditions and personal life stress.

Can post-natal depression come back? There are cases where some mothers experience post natal depression after every birth, however for some this can be a one off occurrence. If left untreated, post natal depression can worsen or return, so it's important to seek the right support to ensure you have a good care plan for recovery.

Can men get post natal depression too? It is entirely possible that men can also experience depression both during and after the birth of their child. This is unrelated to hormone levels changing as it does for women, however the huge change in life that having a baby can bring, along with sharing a traumatic birth of their child, struggling to bond with their baby, poor self care including diet and lifestyle choices, sleepless nights, as well as the inability to share their feelings & worries with friends or family can all play a huge role in men developing depression during these periods.

Can post natal depression start before the baby is born? Women can experience depression whilst pregnant and this is called 'Prenatal depression' it's often less talked about, but can be a very real, debilitating experience. Similar factors can contribute, including nutritional deficiencies, previous history of depression and anxiety, pregnancy worries and changing hormone levels. Interestingly, just because you suffer from pre- natal depression or anxiety it doesn't mean you will also experience post natal depression. For some the reduction in hormones post birth can relieve depression and anxiety.

If you are currently struggling with low mood and anxiety and are pregnant or post natal, please do reach out to your GP and midwives immediately. your healthcare team are there to support you through this challenging time. As a empathetic, qualified nutritional therapist I am also trained in supporting women through these huge transitional periods of our lives and I know from experience how hard it can be to juggle pregnancy, new motherhood along with all the extra demands life makes on us as women now.

Please do book in for a free 30 minute health review now by clicking the button below and we can discuss your current health symptoms and long term health goals so that you can get back to enjoying this wonderful new phase of life and feel like the best version of yourself with my 1:1, personalised nutrition and lifestyle therapy

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