Depression After Birth

Guest Post by Missy J:

My hormones went a bit crazy after my fourth birth. I struggled with depression.

My nutritionist had me purchase some yam lotion (or Yam based deodorant). It has a natural progesterone in it. If your emotions are a bit crazy because of your hormone level, then Yam lotion will really help you feel better. I have recently heard that Arbonne has a really good yam lotion with natural progesterone. I will try and find a link for those interested.


If you feel overwhelmed and unable to handle small stresses then it could be because you are nutritionally lacking.  A good Vitamin B and vitamin D, especially during the winter months, helps.  I have found that juicing really helps to quickly get the nutrients in your body. I always feel the best when I'm pregnant because I juice at least once a day. It sounds like a lot of trouble to do, but it really helps a lot. Beets are really rich in iron and vitamins, carrots and apples are also great. Your local library might have some good books on juicing. This combined with the vitamins will really help your body get to feeling healthier and better.

If you feel exhausted and lacking in energy then you might be low in iron. I am amazed at how low on iron I have been during or after pregnancy. I can't tolerate the  pregnancy vitamins from the doctor because they constipate me (I have also heard that they aren't easily digestible). I prefer vegetarian vitamins, which are much easier on my body. I also really like taking a small glass of water and mixing a tsp.or tbsp. (depending on need) of dark black strap molasses into the water (locally made- find in health food store). Then drink it. It really tastes horrible but I drink it down really fast. It is like taking coffee in a healthy way. The iron immediately absorbs. It is great!

Hire help and keep things routine.
When I have struggled with depression, it helped me to regularly have a homeschool teenager (their schedules are more flexible than other teens) come and regularly help with housework and/or play with the children. It really helps to just do this for the first couple of months to give you time to get to feeling better.
In addition, schedules and routines help to make things feel predictable for you and the children.

And lastly, make sure you and your husband regularly go out for a short bit.

Raise Serotonin Levels
5HTP supplement-This is not good for pregnancy, and I don't know about nursing. However, it excellent for raising saratonin levels. Get it online or from the health food stores. A friend's psychologist recommended it because her Lexapro just wasn't raising her numbers high enough. However, if you can't use it due to nursing, you can use Tart Cherry Juice Concentrate by Nature Blessed. It has something in it (I forget what) that causes your body to convert to serotonin. It is natural so your body takes what it needs and eliminates what it doesn't. That means it will raise your serotonin levels but not beyond what is familiar with your body would normally produced whereas prescriptions raise seratonin beyond the level your body might produced. 5HTP does that but in a more natural way with enzymes...(don't know all the details).



God bless you all!