Brains and Hormones

In my last blog we were helped by Bonnie Schiedel, who wrote an article in ‘Today’s Parent’ called, ‘17 mind-blowing ways your body changes after giving birth.’

Today we will begin with describing some of these ways.

I will continue with this series until we’ve covered all 17 ways. Some ways are straight up cool; others may take some getting used to. Remember what you have just done by literally bringing a new human life into the world. Be patient, and be encouraged and empowered in the new you!

Here’s Bonnie!

It’s no wonder you don’t feel like the old you—your life has changed drastically and so have your hormones, at least for a little while. “Some of your hormones go from the highest they ever will be to the lowest, just before delivery to just after,” says Ann Dunnewold, a Dallas psychologist and co-author of Life Will Never Be the Same: The Real Mom’s Postpartum Survival Guide. Right after giving birth, your estrogen and progesterone levels drop dramatically, which can contribute to the “baby blues” (mood swings, anxiety, sadness or irritability, which resolve within a week or so of birth) or postpartum depression (similar symptoms that are more intense, last longer and interfere with your daily life).

Meanwhile, oxytocin, which is called the “bonding hormone,” floods your system right after delivery. “It turns on mothering behaviour, and one aspect of that behaviour is being able to see danger in your child’s world,” says Dunnewold. “So when oxytocin goes up, so can anxiety.” These hormones influence one another in a complex dance and affect your energy and mood, she explains. Your body could use more progesterone, which is a natural anti-anxiety substance, but it’s low right after birth. “So you can see how that combination can lead to postpartum anxiety.” Dunnewold adds that for milder mood problems, it can be helpful to realize and accept, “Hey, my hormones are giving me a run for my money here,” rather than beating yourself up with “Why can’t I get it together?” It’s totally OK to feel all over the place with your mood for several months, as your hormones eventually level out. And if you’re struggling, be sure to talk to your midwife or doctor, or a counsellor to discuss ways to deal.

Thyroid hormones, which help regulate body temperature, metabolism and organ function, can be affected by giving birth, too. According to the American Thyroid Association, five to 10 percent of women have postpartum thyroiditis, an inflammation of the thyroid gland, and the exact cause isn’t known. Symptoms can include insomnia, anxiety, rapid heart rate, fatigue, weight loss and irritability (one to four months after birth) or fatigue, weight gain, constipation, dry skin and depression (four to eight months after birth). Your doctor can monitor your thyroid levels with blood tests and prescribe medication if necessary.

Hormones also do a number on your brain structure, and not necessarily how you’d expect. Check this out: In one small study in New Haven, Conn., researchers did MRI scans of women’s brains shortly after birth and again several months later. They found increases in the amount of grey matter (that is, extra brain cells and nerves—take that, “baby brain”!). The various brain areas affected are responsible for helping to both activate your mama instincts of fierce love, protection and worry, and to fine-tune your response to your baby’s cries and expressions. (Seriously, how cool is this?) Because the research is so new, it’s not clear whether those changes are short or long term.

And it’s not just your mental state that’s altered—hormonal changes affect your bones and joints, too. During pregnancy, your body makes a hormone called relaxin, which makes all of your joints looser. It can take up to five months for joints to return to their earlier stability, so stick to lower-impact exercise if your joints are sore. Feel like your shoes don’t fit right anymore? Relaxin combined with weight gain during pregnancy may make your feet slightly bigger and your arches a bit flatter, sometimes permanently. Your hips may stay wider, too.