How To Fight The Exhaustion After Giving Birth

You carried your little one for nine maternity months. You’ve given birth to a beautiful baby. With a little luck, you’ll feel energetic within a few days and be able to return to your normal level of activity. Again, that’s if you’re lucky. It’s not uncommon for a lot new mothers to experience extreme fatigue and exhaustion after childbirth. In fact, over half of new moms report low energy levels during the first six to seven weeks. One in four feel fatigued for several months postpartum.

Given those numbers, there’s a good chance you’ll be feeling low energy levels immediately following the birth of your baby. Below, we’ll explore why exhaustion rears its ugly head. We’ll also provide a few tips for fighting the fatigue and getting back on your feet.

The Reason You’re Exhausted

In order to understand why you’re feeling exhausted, it’s worth exploring how your mind (and by extension, your body) rests while you slumber. Your mind goes through a sleep cycle that lasts approximately an hour and a half. As those ninety minutes pass, your brain goes further and deeper into slumber. The last stage is “deep sleep.” That’s when your immune system goes to work and helps your body to recover from the day. You’ll enter “REM sleep” once you have completed your cycle.

The problem is, childbirth is followed by higher-than-normal hormone levels. Those hormones make it far more difficult to sleep peacefully. Plus, your little one is going through odd sleeping patterns which are likely to awaken you. Each time you wake up, you’ll have to start your sleep pattern again – from the beginning.

How To Manage (And Regain!) Your Energy

So, if you’re battling your hormones postpartum, and your newborn is keeping you from reaching the coveted REM stage, how can you regain your energy? Fortunately, with a little planning and help from your partner, friends, and family, you can successfully fight off the exhaustion.

First, rely upon your partner. Brainstorm and write down a list of tasks you would like him to complete each day. Then, let him finish those tasks on his own schedule.

Second, try to rest when your little one takes a nap. Babies will often nap long enough that you can go through your entire sleep cycle and enjoy a little REM sleep. You may be surprised by how much 30 minutes of REM sleep can reinvigorate you.

Third, take a daily walk. Physical activity after giving birth will help you rest more peacefully in the evening.

Lastly, watch your diet. A lot of new moms neglect their diets because they’re too fatigued to maintain good habits. The guidelines you followed during your pregnancy are just as important postpartum. Stay away from processed, fatty foods. Make sure you’re eating fruits and vegetables. And remember to take your vitamins and supplements.

Feeling exhausted after giving birth is normal; most new mothers experience some level of fatigue. If you follow the four tips above, you’ll enjoy more success in fighting off the exhaustion and regaining your normal energy level.

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