How to balance hormones postpartum: Tips for a smoother recovery
- Updated Jan 28, 2025
- Published
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Created with Hector Chapa, MD, FACOG, Clinical Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, USA
- Postpartum hormonal imbalance can cause various symptoms, including drastic mood changes, irritability, and anxiety. Extreme fatigue, cold intolerance, and hair loss may also occur. Women may experience trouble sleeping, brain fog, increased heartbeat, and constipation. Difficulty concentrating is another common symptom.
- Once you start observing symptoms of postpartum hormone imbalance consider talking to your healthcare professional for a personalized care plan.
- Simple ways to manage your postpartum hormones include following a balanced nutritional diet, adding regular physical activity, managing your stress, and having a regular sleep routine.
While pregnant, your body experiences significant changes, especially when it comes to your hormones. During pregnancy, your hormone levels substantially rise to accommodate the unique requirements necessary to sustain your pregnancy. This results in a significant hormone drop after birth. This dramatic shift in postpartum hormones causes both postpartum physical and emotional changes. While it may seem like a lot to deal with soon after delivery, your postpartum hormones balance themselves over the next few weeks, allowing you to recover to your pre-pregnancy self. In this article, we will look through the hormonal shifts you will experience after delivery along with simple ways to manage your postpartum hormonal changes.
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Understanding postpartum hormonal changes
Most of the symptoms you experience during postpartum hormone drop are from the decline in estrogen and progesterone specifically. However, the rise of other hormones during pregnancy and postpartum also impacts your recovery.
Estrogen and progesterone
Estrogen and progesterone are some of the first to decline following delivery. Progesterone favors the maintenance of your uterine lining providing nourishment for your baby throughout your pregnancy. Additionally, it helps sustain pregnancy by blocking uterine contractions. The significant hormone drop after birth can result in dramatic mood swings (baby blues), fatigue, hair loss, and vaginal dryness.
Oxytocin
Oxytocin stimulates uterine contractions which are a critical part of labor. Oxytocin is also important as a postpartum hormone. Its level slowly increases to favor lactation. Oxytocin has also been linked to the strong sense of bonding you experience with your infant, as well as the development of maternal behaviors.
👉Find out more: The 5-5-5 postpartum recovery: What it is and how it helps
Prolactin
Prolactin is among the postpartum hormones that stimulate milk production in your breast glands. As long as you are breastfeeding, more prolactin is being produced. A clinical review has also described a potential link between low lactogenic hormones such as prolactin and postpartum mood changes.
Thyroid
During pregnancy, your thyroid hormones can be elevated to facilitate the metabolic requirements of your pregnancy. A significant thyroid hormone drop after birth can result in hypothyroidism, which shows up as fatigue, cold intolerance, constipation, facial swelling, and sluggishness.
5-10% of pregnancies experience an autoimmune thyroid hyperactivity, thyroiditis. Symptoms to look out for include anxiety, feeling hot, irritability, palpitations, and insomnia.
Cortisol
Your stress hormone cortisol increases during pregnancy. Cortisol can remain elevated during your postpartum as well. Postpartum cortisol imbalance has been linked with depressive symptoms. Additionally, sustained cortisol elevations can contribute to changes in your breast milk composition.
How long does it take for hormones to balance after birth?
With the sudden hormone drop after birth, you may face significant challenges in the first couple of weeks postpartum. Your drastic mood changes once you deliver are indications of this postpartum hormone imbalance.
Most hormones begin to stabilize within six to eight weeks postpartum. Hormones such as prolactin and oxytocin continue to remain elevated as long as you are breastfeeding. Prolactin also prevents ovulation during the first few months postpartum. It is also why you may have a delay in your period for almost a year if you are continuously breastfeeding.
Return of your postpartum hormone balance of estrogen and progesterone can be noticed around six months after giving birth. You can assess this with the return of your periods, which can also indicate ovulatory cycles. If you choose not to breastfeed your baby, ovulation can return as early as 45 days after birth. So if you do not wish to conceive so soon after delivery, consider asking your healthcare provider for a contraceptive option suitable for you.
Common symptoms of postpartum hormonal imbalance
Symptoms of postpartum hormone imbalance can include:
- Drastic mood changes
- Irritability
- Anxiousness
- Extreme fatigue
- Cold intolerance
- Hair loss and changes in skin texture
- Trouble sleeping
- Brain fog
- Increased heartbeat or palpitations
- Constipation
- Easy loss of concentration
You may experience some or all of the symptoms listed above. Most of these postpartum hormone changes balance themselves over a few weeks. However, if you find it difficult to cope with any of your symptoms, talk to your doctor for a personalized care routine.
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Tips to balance postpartum hormones naturally
Following a simple lifestyle routine should suffice for managing postpartum hormone changes. Ideally, you should allow yourself some rest for the first few weeks postpartum. This can be done by simply following the 5-5-5 postpartum rule.
We will look at some more ways you can regulate your postpartum hormone drop.
Nutrition
At the top of the list is nourishing your body with adequate nutrients favoring postpartum healing. From delivery to breastfeeding, along with recovery from your long pregnancy, your body will require minerals, vitamins, and sufficient hydration to fuel these processes.
A diet rich in protein, carbohydrates, and essential fatty acids can help with the postpartum hormone balance. Lean meat, leafy greens, fruits, whole grains, and healthy fats – the essentials of a Mediterranean diet, work best. This type of diet has also been linked to lower depressive symptoms postpartum.
Physical activity
After a few weeks of complete rest, you can slowly start including some physical activity, such as walking and light yoga. Regular physical activity was observed to balance out circulating sex hormone levels. This can help benefit postpartum hormone imbalance along with favoring a return in ovulation and regular periods. Additionally, adding some physical activity daily can also prevent depressive symptoms postpartum. The aim is to start slow and listen to your body on what you know feels comfortable for you. Once you think you are ready to partake in more strenuous physical activity, talk to your doctor about whether you are ready to do so and what precautions you may need to take.
👉Find out more: A complete guide to postpartum sex: What to expect and how to prepare
Sleep and rest
While it can be difficult to find the perfect sleep routine with a newborn, it is crucial to make some time to rest. Inadequate sleep heightens your fatigue. It also increases the stress you put on your body, increasing hormones such as cortisol, and worsening postpartum hormone imbalance. Insufficient sleep early in postpartum can put you more at risk for becoming ill. Sleep helps your body to recover, along with regulating crucial hormones such as cortisol and melatonin. Soon after delivery, aim to sleep when your baby sleeps. Increase night-time sleeping hours to encourage a more natural postpartum hormone balance.
Stress management
Consistent elevations in stress result in persistent cortisol elevations. Elevated cortisol levels can impact normal sex hormone production and circulation. It can also suppress adrenal function. This suppression of normal organ function can contribute to the exacerbation of baby blues and postpartum depression symptoms.
While it may not be the easiest thing to do, especially with a newborn, incorporate some simple stress reduction practices. This can include taking some time for yourself every day. For daily relief, you might consider taking a warm bath in Epsom salt or perhaps daily aromatherapy. Adding yoga and mindful breathing exercises to your routine can favor natural postpartum hormone balance over time. Another great thing to do is to join a postpartum support group, where you will meet many other new mothers and you can help one another in your postpartum journey.
Breastfeeding impact
Breastfeeding increases hormones such as prolactin and oxytocin. On the plus side, these postpartum hormones help you bond with your baby. However, conversely, they also result in an imbalance of your sex hormones, estrogen and progesterone. So as you continue to breastfeed, you may notice it may take time for your periods to return. Breastfeeding may also contribute to a decrease in your sex drive, vaginal dryness, fatigue, and mood changes. If your symptoms are troubling you, consider checking in with your doctor. Rest assured, if you follow a healthy lifestyle most of your postpartum hormonal changes reset themselves within a few months.
When to seek professional help
Most of the physical and emotional changes you experience as a consequence of your hormone drop after birth should subside on their own in a few weeks. Fatigue, breast tenderness, and sleep pattern changes can last a while longer–especially if you are regularly breastfeeding your baby.
Some symptoms that warrant a health check-up with your physician include:
- Severe mood swings, which disrupt your daily life
- Heightened anxiety or irritability
- Physical symptoms such as tremors, palpitations, or fever
- Symptoms of thyroid dysfunction (weight gain, swelling, cold intolerance)
- Absence of periods beyond six months postpartum, especially if you are not breastfeeding
Questions from the Femia community
Does postpartum hormone imbalance cause hair loss?
Estrogen hormone drop after birth is responsible for your hair loss. The increase in pregnancy hormones results in your thick lustrous hair throughout pregnancy. So losing hair after delivery is a normal phenomenon. Hair loss will also subside on its own in a few months.
Can diet alone balance postpartum hormones?
A balanced diet plays a key role in postpartum hormone balance. However, for optimum results, you should include some physical activity, stress management techniques, and an adequate amount of sleep every night among your lifestyle changes.
Can breastfeeding delay my postpartum hormone balance?
Regular breastfeeding increases the production of the lactogenic hormone prolactin. In turn, other hormones, such as FSH, LH, and GnRH, which are all responsible for normal estrogen release, are reduced. So, it is possible to notice a delay in your periods for up to six months to a year if you are regularly breastfeeding.
Can postpartum hormonal change affect weight loss?
Yes, postpartum hormonal change can delay postpartum weight loss. Postpartum hormonal imbalance, especially increases in hormones such as cortisol, can negatively impact your efforts to lose weight. However, by adopting a healthier lifestyle, in time, you will slowly notice the stubborn weight coming off. Consider checking in with your doctor if you have significant postpartum weight gain.
The bottom line
Postpartum hormones take some time to rebalance themselves. The changes you experience after your postpartum hormone drop are completely normal. Knowing simple ways to cope with these hormonal changes can help with smoother recovery.
You must start by assessing your daily routine, including your diet, sleep routine, amount of physical activity, and your daily stressors. Consider adding more practical ways to manage deficiencies in your lifestyle. Ask for help whenever possible. If you feel your postpartum hormonal change is significantly impacting your life, consider talking to a healthcare provider for individualized care.
References
- Thul, Taylor A., et al. “Oxytocin and Postpartum Depression: A Systematic Review.” Psychoneuroendocrinology, vol. 120, July 2020, p. 104793. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104793.
- Georgescu, Teodora, et al. “The Prolactin Family of Hormones as Regulators of Maternal Mood and Behavior.” Frontiers in Global Women’s Health, vol. 2, Dec. 2021, https://doi.org/10.3389/fgwh.2021.767467.
- Edlow, Andrea G., and Errol R. Norwitz. “Endocrine Diseases of Pregnancy.” Elsevier eBooks, 2019, pp. 662-708.e17. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-323-47912-7.00027-5.
- Seth, Sunaina, et al. “Perinatal Maternal Depression and Cortisol Function in Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period: A Systematic Literature Review.” BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, vol. 16, no. 1, May 2016, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-016-0915-y.
- Linderborg, Kaisa M., et al. “Interactions Between Cortisol and Lipids in Human Milk.” International Breastfeeding Journal, vol. 15, no. 1, July 2020, https://doi.org/10.1186/s13006-020-00307-7.
- Flor-Alemany, Marta, et al. “Exercise, Mediterranean Diet Adherence or Both During Pregnancy to Prevent Postpartum Depression—GESTAFIT Trial Secondary Analyses.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 19, no. 21, Nov. 2022, p. 14450. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192114450.
- Ennour-Idrissi, Kaoutar, et al. “Effect of Physical Activity on Sex Hormones in Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.” Breast Cancer Research, vol. 17, no. 1, Nov. 2015, https://doi.org/10.1186/s13058-015-0647-3.
- Fotso, Monique N., et al. “Association of Physical Activity With the Prevention and Treatment of Depression During the Postpartum Period: A Narrative Review.” Cureus, Aug. 2023, https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.44453.
- Carroll, Judith E., et al. “Postpartum Sleep Loss and Accelerated Epigenetic Aging.” Sleep Health, vol. 7, no. 3, Apr. 2021, pp. 362–67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleh.2021.02.002.
- Hendrick, Victoria, et al. “Hormonal Changes in the Postpartum and Implications for Postpartum Depression.” Psychosomatics, vol. 39, no. 2, Mar. 1998, pp. 93–101. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0033-3182(98)71355-6.
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