Postpartum hormones: why you may feel overwhelmed

There is no “neutral” way to become a mother. Your body has just completed one of the most demanding tasks it can take on, and afterward a hormonal shift occurs that is anything but gentle. Many describe it as standing in the middle of an emotional storm: you may cry for no reason, get irritated by small things, feel both joyful and completely empty – sometimes within minutes.

If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Postpartum hormones are working at full speed. Here you’ll find a calm, grounded explanation of why you may feel overwhelmed, and how you can support your body gently through the process.

What happens to your hormones right after birth?

During pregnancy, levels of estrogen and progesterone are high. Right after birth these hormones drop dramatically – in a very short time. Meanwhile, other hormones such as prolactin (which supports milk production) and oxytocin (the bonding and love hormone) rise.

Your body shifts from one hormonal state to an entirely different one in just a few days. It’s no surprise that this affects your body, thoughts and emotions. Many find it reassuring simply to know that this isn’t a personality change – just part of your biological postpartum transition.

Baby blues: when the tears come easily

Around day 3–5 after birth, many experience a wave of emotions – also known as the “baby blues.” You may find yourself more tearful, vulnerable, restless or emotionally thin-skinned. This is normal, and closely tied to the sharp hormone drop, lack of sleep and the massive transition you’re going through.

Baby blues typically last less than two weeks and often fade gradually as your body finds a new rhythm. Still, it’s important to know the difference between these short-term mood swings and more persistent sadness. If you’d like to understand the emotional side of the postpartum period better, it may help to read about feelings and intimacy in your relationship, as your connection with your partner is often affected by the hormonal shift too.

Oxytocin: love, calm – and vulnerability

Oxytocin is often called “the love hormone.” It rises when you have skin-to-skin contact with your baby, when the baby breastfeeds, when you hug, or simply when you look at your baby and feel a rush of love. Oxytocin can bring calm and a deep sense of connection.

But there’s another side: when you’re open to bonding, you’re also more emotionally exposed. This can heighten the feeling of being overwhelmed. You just feel more – the light and the heavy.

Prolactin and milk production

If you’re breastfeeding, your prolactin levels rise to help stimulate milk production. It’s an extraordinary collaboration between baby and body: the more your baby nurses, the more milk is produced.

Feeding another human being requires energy, and it can be demanding both physically and emotionally. It helps to remember that your baby isn’t just “taking” – your baby is nourished through your body and your biological care system, first through pregnancy and later through milk or bottle-feeding.

Vitamin and mineral status – why it still matters postpartum

Even though pregnancy is over, your body continues to work intensely. It needs to heal, produce milk (if you’re breastfeeding), and help your hormones find a new balance. Here, nutrients play an important role.

Folate contributes to tissue growth in pregnant women, and many of those tissue processes continue after birth while your body is still in repair mode. Vitamin B6 contributes to the regulation of hormonal activity, which is especially relevant when the entire hormonal system is adjusting. Meanwhile, vitamin C, vitamin E, riboflavin, zinc and selenium contribute to protecting cells from oxidative stress – a strain that may increase during physical and emotional transitions.

These nutrients aren’t meant to “fix” your emotions, but they do provide an essential foundation for your body to work from.

Sleep – or lack of it – and your hormones

No stage of life is as marked by sleep deprivation as early motherhood. Night wakings, breastfeeding, restlessness, worries – it all counts. Lack of sleep can increase cortisol (the stress hormone), affect blood sugar and make your whole system more sensitive.

This doesn’t mean you need perfect sleep to be “a good mother.” But it’s worth creating small pockets of rest. Five quiet minutes on the sofa, a nap while someone else takes the stroller, or simply a moment without screens. These tiny pauses can be enough to let your hormonal system breathe.

Blood sugar, food and emotional swings

Unstable blood sugar can amplify irritability, sadness or anxiety. When you skip meals or rely mostly on quick snacks, your hormones must work harder to keep you going.

A gentle way to support yourself is to make nourishing choices easy. For example, a green smoothie can be a manageable option on busy days when your appetite feels unpredictable. Or a bowl of fruit and vegetables that’s ready in the fridge and can be eaten in small bites whenever you have your hands free.

Small steps, not perfection, make the difference.

Why you may feel “all wrong”

Postpartum hormones can intensify self-critical thoughts. You may feel you “should” be happy all the time, that you’re not doing enough, that you’re not bonding “properly,” or that you’re the only one who feels this way.

All of this is common. It doesn’t make it any easier, but it does mean you’re not abnormal. Many new mothers feel relief when they hear others speak honestly about their emotions – through friends, mother’s groups or podcast formats where people talk openly about body and desire, such as some of the intimate audio stories that put words to complex feelings.

When hormones affect libido and intimacy

After birth, your hormonal profile changes significantly, and this affects your desire for intimacy. Many experience reduced libido – due to fatigue, pain, breastfeeding hormones or mental overload. Others discover a new sense of bodily presence, with a need for slower, more loving connection.

It can help to view sexuality as a spectrum of touch, closeness and communication – not just intercourse. Some couples find their way back to each other through a gentler, more curious approach to intimacy and love-based sexuality, where the body isn’t expected to “perform” but simply be.

When is it “just” hormones – and when is it more?

It can be hard to tell the difference. But a few markers can help:

• Baby blues are usually short-lived, peaking around day 3–5 and improving within two weeks.
• If sadness or emptiness persists or worsens, it may be a sign of postpartum depression.
• If you have thoughts of self-harm, of disappearing, or feel completely disconnected from your baby, professional help is essential – and must be taken seriously.

This isn’t the time to think: “It will probably go away on its own.” Hormones still play a role, but that doesn’t mean you should face it alone.

Care for you, not just for baby

After birth, much of the care naturally goes to the baby. But your body and mind are also undergoing a major healing process – physically, hormonally and emotionally.

Offering yourself small moments of self-care can be an act of kindness: a quiet cup of tea, a walk without your phone, an uninterrupted shower, or food that nourishes you and actually feels good. Small choices signal to your body that it matters too.

The essence: why you may feel overwhelmed

• Hormone levels change dramatically after birth – especially estrogen, progesterone, prolactin and oxytocin.
• Baby blues are common and often connected to hormone drops and fatigue.
• Nutrients such as folate, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin E, riboflavin, zinc and selenium have well-documented roles in healing and regulatory processes.
• Sleep deprivation, unstable blood sugar and emotional pressure can intensify feelings of chaos.
• You are not doing anything wrong if you feel overwhelmed – you’re in the midst of a major biological and life transition.

You are allowed to feel mixed emotions. You can be joyful, exhausted, irritated, grateful and confused at the same time. It’s not a sign that you’re not good enough – it’s a sign that you’re human, in the middle of one of life’s biggest transformations.

Are you ready to take the next step toward a healthier lifestyle and better hormonal balance? At La Roar Life Science, we understand that your wellbeing is a journey through different phases of life. Our FertilityCare® with zinc, which contributes to normal fertility, and folate, which contributes to tissue growth during pregnancy, FertilityMan® with selenium, which contributes to normal sperm formation, and zinc, which contributes to normal fertility and reproduction, PregnancyCare® with folate, which contributes to tissue growth in pregnant women, MaternityCare® with fenugreek, which contributes to the healing process after birth and increases milk production, as well as HormonalCare® with vitamin B6, which contributes to the regulation of hormonal activity. See all our products and begin your journey toward a healthier and more harmonious lifestyle today.

Our team is ready to help you with personalised guidance on nutrition, lifestyle and fertility preparation.
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