The Postpartum Hormone Crash: Understanding the Emotional Rollercoaster
You brought life into the world—and yet, you feel nothing like yourself.
Mood swings, anxiety, fatigue, irritability... they all sneak in when you least expect them.
And while some will say “It’s just hormones,” they don’t tell you what’s really happening, or why it feels so intense.
Let’s break it down.
1. Estrogen & Progesterone: The Postpartum Drop
✔️ After birth, estrogen levels drop by 90% in the first few days.
✔️ Progesterone, your calming hormone, also plummets.
✔️ These hormones regulate mood, sleep, and emotional resilience.
✔️ When they crash, you may feel weepy, anxious, restless, and unable to cope.
🡪 Why it matters: This hormonal nosedive is the single biggest shift your body has ever gone through. And it doesn’t just bounce back in a few weeks—especially without support.
2. Cortisol & The Stress Response
✔️ Cortisol, your stress hormone, often spikes postpartum due to sleep deprivation, healing, and caring for a newborn.
✔️ Too much cortisol makes you feel anxious, edgy, and unable to relax.
✔️ Too little cortisol (burnout) makes you feel flat, numb, and depleted.
🡪 Why it matters: If you’re stuck in survival mode, your nervous system can’t regulate. That’s not your fault. It’s physiology.
3. Serotonin & Dopamine: Mood & Motivation
✔️ 90% of serotonin is produced in your gut. Postpartum digestion often slows, gut flora shifts, and nutrient depletion reduces serotonin levels.
✔️ Low serotonin = low mood, intrusive thoughts, and emotional reactivity.
✔️ Low dopamine = lack of motivation, joy, and brain fog.
🡪 Why it matters: Postpartum depletion directly affects these mood-regulating chemicals.
4. The Nervous System Reset
✔️ Your autonomic nervous system is on high alert postpartum.
✔️ Without intentional downregulation (rest, mindfulness, nourishment), you stay in fight-or-flight, leaving you jumpy, irritable, and overstimulated.
Final Thought:
You are not "crazy," weak, or failing.
You are experiencing real biochemical shifts that deserve to be understood and supported.
If you need additional support, I offer 1:1 packages to gently guide you in restoring balance —both physically and mentally.
