By Elizabeth Wellington, MA, LPC, P-MHC - Psychotherapist + Co-Founder, Moms’ Feelin’ Themselves @momsfeelinthemselves
Postpartum depletion is one of the most common and least talked about experiences of early motherhood. As a perinatal psychotherapist, I am very aware of how in the interplay among perinatal nutrition, the realities of having a new baby, and the challenges of postpartum recovery can profoundly exacerbate exhaustion, mood changes, and emotional overwhelm during a time when mothers are expected to keep going at all costs, often feeling disconnected from themselves, and lacking the support necessary to heal optimally.
I also know this firsthand.
From Pregnancy Nutrition to Postpartum Whiplash
During pregnancy, I treated my body like a temple. I researched the best foods to support a growing fetus, carefully avoided anything questionable, and felt the immense responsibility of caring for my body in order to care for the tiny human I was about to bring into the world.
And then came postpartum.
Almost overnight, I forgot I even had a body (with the exception of the second-degree tear I was learning how to cope with), let alone a body with needs. I was consumed with learning how to be a mom for the first time, sleeping very little, and trying to decode the meaning of every cry. There was almost no space left to attend to myself, despite the fact that my body had just endured an incredibly difficult birth.
Supplying myself with the basics of foundational well-being, like sleep, food, and rest, suddenly felt irrelevant in the context of modern motherhood. And even with a background in wellness, nutrition, and as a clinical psychotherapist, I was unprepared for how hard it would be to meet my most basic needs while caring for a newborn.
What Is Postpartum Depletion?
Over time, I felt more fatigued, more emotionally unstable, with irritability, sadness, and overwhelm becoming my norm. As I voraciously researched if the feelings I experienced were “normal” and tried to decipher if I was suffering with a Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorder (aka “PMAD”), I came across a term that I had never heard of, but felt critical. Postpartum depletion refers to the cumulative physical, emotional, and nutritional exhaustion many mothers experience after birth. It often shows up as symptoms that resemble postpartum anxiety, depression, or burnout, especially in a culture where mothers are expected to give endlessly, often alone, without adequate support.
For most of human history, mothers recovered in community. Today, many are recovering in isolation, while profoundly undernourished.
How Pregnancy, Birth, and Breastfeeding Deplete Nutrients
The science helps explain why so many mothers today suffer with postpartum depletion:
-
Pregnancy, birth, and breastfeeding significantly deplete maternal nutrient stores.
Levels of iron, B vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, choline, and magnesium commonly decline across the perinatal period, nutrients directly tied to energy, nervous system regulation, and mood.¹ ² -
Birth itself contributes to nutrient loss. Blood loss during delivery, even uncomplicated births, can significantly lower iron levels, while the physical stress of labor increases overall nutrient demand, leaving many mothers depleted before postpartum recovery even begins.³
-
Iron deficiency is common postpartum and linked to mood and cognition.
Postpartum iron deficiency has been associated with fatigue, low mood, irritability, and cognitive fog, and restoring iron levels has been shown to improve both energy and emotional wellbeing.⁴
Why Postpartum Recovery Takes Longer Than We’re Told
Postpartum recovery is often framed as a six-to-eight-week process. In reality, physical, emotional, and nutritional recovery frequently takes months or years, especially when nutrient depletion and chronic sleep disruption are not addressed.² ⁵
When recovery is not adequately attended to, depletion compounds, and many mothers internalize their feelings of fatigue, overwhelm, and distress as a personal failure rather than an expected outcome of the lack of care and support that mothers receive to recover well.
Why Nutrition Matters for Maternal Mental Health
In my clinical work with mothers, I now treat nutrition as foundational to maternal mental health. Addressing postpartum mood disorders without addressing nourishment is, in my view, incomplete care.
Food is not just fuel, it’s essential energy for the body and mind that supports emotional regulation, cognitive clarity, and the sustained energy caregiving requires.
The challenge, of course, is practicality. Feeding yourself well takes time, planning, and effort, all things already in short supply for mothers carrying the mental load of modern parenting.
Real Food for Motherhood Isn’t a Luxury — It’s Essential
That’s why Nunona’s approach to real food for motherhood resonates so deeply with me. Making organic, nutrient-dense food accessible, real food that mothers can actually easily grab and eat without contributing to the already immense invisible labor of the household, removes a major barrier to postpartum recovery and emotional wellness during this vulnerable period.
For mothers navigating postpartum depletion, meaningful nourishment isn’t indulgent or extra.
It’s essential for physical recovery, emotional balance, and the long road of caring for others while learning to care for and connect with yourself again.
If you’re interested in learning more about perinatal wellness and mothering in community, join the Moms Feelin’ Themselves movement, dedicated to creative evidence-based, innovative wellness experiences for modern mothers that support connection with self and others.
References
-
Kominiarek MA, Rajan P. Nutrition recommendations in pregnancy and lactation. Med Clin North Am. 2016;100(6):1199–1215. doi:10.1016/j.mcna.2016.06.004
- Gila-Díaz A, Arribas SM, Algara A, et al. Maternal nutrition during pregnancy and lactation and its impact on maternal and infant health. Nutrients. 2023;15(2):404. doi:10.3390/nu15020404
- Milman N. Postpartum anemia I: definition, prevalence, causes, and consequences. Ann Hematol. 2011;90(11):1247–1253. doi:10.1007/s00277-011-1279-z
- Beard JL, Hendricks MK, Perez EM, et al. Maternal iron deficiency anemia affects postpartum emotions and cognition. J Nutr. 2005;135(2):267–272. doi:10.1093/jn/135.2.267
- World Health Organization. WHO recommendations on postnatal care of the mother and newborn. World Health Organization; 2013.
