Natural Postpartum Recovery Tips
Carrie Johnson has warned new mums to take care of themselves after being admitted to hospital for dehydration.
It doesn’t bode well for the rest of us if even the wife of a former Prime Minister needs hospital care in the postpartum period due to lack of self-care.
Reading Carrie’s words brought back memories of my own experience. I managed to drag myself through postpartum, but by the time I returned to work after maternity leave, I was burnt out and hanging on by a thread.
They say never to Google your own symptoms, but on the train ride home during my second week back in the office, that advice flew out the window. My anxiety had taken over, and I was desperately searching for answers to the digestion issues, nighttime pins and needles, and racing heart I was experiencing.
This time, though, Google led me down a more helpful path, one that focused on wellness, healing through food, and something I’d never heard of before…
…Ayurveda…
The age-old healing system from India and the sister science of yoga.
Here’s what I learned (and now practise) that helped restore my health after the postpartum period:
Magnesium Baths
Transdermal magnesium helped me relax and feel noticeably better. Magnesium is essential for over 300 enzyme functions in the body, everything from restless legs to heart health. It also helps with vitamin D absorption.
In my case, magnesium even cleared up lifelong eczema in a matter of weeks. Most oral magnesium supplements are only 50% absorbable, but the body absorbs it very well through the skin. I now take twice-weekly baths with at least 200g of magnesium chloride flakes, it’s amazing for overall relaxation.
Milk Thistle: My Favourite Supportive Herb
Milk thistle is a well-researched herb that supports liver detoxification and is widely used in Ayurveda. It can be taken in capsule form and has also been shown to help breastfeeding mums with milk supply.
As with any herbs or supplements, always consult your doctor first.
Beef Liver Capsules
Many women in their menstruating years struggle with low iron and B12. Beef liver is rich in both and easily absorbed — but if, like me, you can’t stand the taste, capsules are a great alternative.
I use high-quality, organic, grass-fed beef liver capsules from my local health food shop, and I’ve seen energy levels bounce back quickly, in myself and in clients.
A Few Small Tweaks, Big Impact
These small lifestyle tweaks, along with reducing inflammatory foods, turned my health around without synthetic medication.
They also sparked a passion in me for food-as-medicine. A few years on, I’m now a part-time lawyer and a full-time wellness enthusiast, helping other women feel better through simple, powerful shifts.
Whether you’ve just had a baby like Carrie Johnson or you’re in a stressful season of life, it’s all too easy to put your own wellbeing on the back burner.
But with a bit of attention & a few gentle shifts, your health can transform from the inside out.
Main – Photo by Lily T
