A Guest Post by Beth Rush.
Recovering from pregnancy is unique for every woman’s body, but you might have a more complicated experience if you deal with lingering fatigue. While your uterus shrinks and hormone levels adjust, you may struggle to get your energy back. Many women feel the same way. Learning how to get rid of postpartum fatigue with an antioxidant-rich diet could help you feel more like yourself without complicating your routine.
What Is Postpartum Fatigue?
Postpartum fatigue is a condition that affects your mental and physical activity after your pregnancy ends. You likely expect sleeplessness to become part of your daily life if you bring a baby home, but fatigue can stick around even if you get more rest. If your mind and body don’t feel like they used to, postpartum fatigue could be affecting your quality of life.
Symptoms You May Experience
Fatigue doesn’t only make you feel tired — the condition can also leave you with continual oxidative stress. If you’re not getting enough rest, your body can’t repair itself as well. Sleep deprivation may cause lingering oxidative stress that affects your vital functions.
When your body remains inflamed, you could become more susceptible to viruses because your immune system weakens. No one should feel sick, mentally exhausted and physically fatigued, especially while caring for an infant. Postpartum fatigue can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to stick around.
How to Get Rid of Postpartum Fatigue Through Your Diet
You can overcome your postpartum exhaustion by adding delicious, antioxidant-rich foods to your daily diet. They can even be one-handed meals and snacks, making things easier while caring for a newborn. Consider these delicious options.
1. Hydrate With Nutrient-Boosted Beverages
Hydration is crucial after experiencing a pregnancy. Your body may need the extra water to maintain milk production or heal. Get a big container and infuse your water with fruits and veggies. Staying hydrated by drinking liquid full of vitamins and nutrients could improve your energy levels by fueling your brain with extra water.
Antioxidant-rich foods may also reduce the cellular inflammation caused by oxidative stress. Choose options like strawberries or citrus fruits to enjoy delicious water that fortifies your health whenever you feel thirsty.
2. Make Legumes Regularly
Legumes contain essential bioactive compounds that can ease chronic inflammation if you get enough of them in your diet. Use fresh or canned beans, peas or lentils to help yourself overcome the oxidative stress resulting from postpartum fatigue. You could add them to burritos or make warm bowls that are easy to eat with one hand.
If your fatigue lingers even with diet changes, it may indicate that you have postpartum depression. The condition can happen after giving birth or losing a baby. You’re not alone if you’re grieving your pregnancy. Organizations like Untold Stories connect people struggling with infant loss to help everyone navigate their grief through a sense of community.
3. Enjoy More Eggs
Protein could also fight your fatigue if some of it comes from eggs. Egg whites contain branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), which have anti-fatigue effects in muscles after exercise. Dining on eggs could restore your physical energy. People can also make eggs over 100 different ways, so think of your diet updates as an opportunity to get creative.
4. Regulate Your Gut With Probiotics
People who improve their gut health sometimes deal with less exhaustion because their bodies don’t spend as much energy on the digestive process. Some sources of probiotics, like kombucha, also add antioxidants to daily diets because they come from plants.
Enjoy a kombucha drink while you’re caring for your infant or yourself. If you’re feeling more than fatigue, experts are here to help. Reach out to certified therapists, like those at Nurtured Well, to heal through therapy sessions, educational workshops and relaxing retreats. Learning how to get rid of postpartum fatigue sometimes requires a helping hand. You’re not alone in your recovery process, regardless of your pregnancy experience.
5. Prep Blueberry Snacks
Grab a carton of fresh or frozen blueberries while you’re at the grocery store. These tiny fruits are full of polyphenols, which supply the body with antioxidants in every bite. Power your brain and vital functions by enjoying this sweet snack regularly. Add them to muffin batter or blend them into smoothies so they become one-handed dietary additions that soothe your cells.
Take Care of Your Health With One-Handed Foods
Women learning how to get rid of postpartum fatigue can try numerous resources to improve their quality of life. Adjust your diet to get more antioxidants to reduce the inflammation that is making your exhaustion worse. You can also build a support system by reaching out to people who know what you’re going through. Health-boosting foods and a caring community could be exactly what you need to feel like yourself again after your pregnancy.
About the author: Beth Rush is the mindfulness editor at Body+Mind. She writes about mental health during pregnancy and beyond. She also shares tips for coping with c-PTSD, PCOS, and climate anxiety. Subscribe to the Body+Mind Newsletter for more posts by Beth.
About Nurtured Well: We are a boutique women’s mental health practice serving Towson in person and all of Maryland on-line. Get the help you need now.