3 nutritional deficiencies that can contribute to postpartum depression

Around 15-20% of women will experience postpartum depression at some stage. When we think about the risk factors linked to postpartum depression we often think about women who have a history of mental disorders, experience stressful life events, have a lack of support, have a history of abuse, experience a pregnancy loss or have a baby who is unwell and difficult to settle, but we almost never hear about how nutritional deficiencies can increase the risk of postpartum depression also. Studies show that there are 3 main nutritional deficiencies that can increase your risk of postpartum depression; they include omega 3 DHA and EPA, iron and vitamin D. 

Omega 3 DHA and EPA

There are many different types of omega 3, though specially omega 3 DHA and EPA are found in fish. Studies suggest that 95% of women of child bearing age and 100% of pregnant women fail to consume enough omega 3 EPA and DHA. Why is this an issue? 60% of our brains are made up of fat with ⅓ of that being specifically omega 3 DHA. During the third trimester and while breastfeeding a baby’s brain is growing rapidly which means that if a mother is not consuming enough omega 3 her body and her baby will start to draw it from her own stores, and where in our body is the most omega 3 DHA found? The brain. What happens when our brain loses nutrients? Well it can affect our ability to manage stress and anxiety, solve problems, contribute to brain fog and therefore increases the likelihood of developing postpartum depression. 

So what can you do? Try to ensure that you are eating oily fish at least 3-4 times a week otherwise a supplement is necessary. Supplements are critical if you are plant based, have had 2 pregnancies close together (less than 2 years), have more than 2 children or if you are pregnant with or breastfeeding multiple babies. When supplementing with fish oil quality is critical, most cheaper fish oils are heat treated which significantly affects the quality and quantity of the oil. The only plant based source of omega 3 DHA is deprived from marine algae, fish are actually rich in omega 3 DHA because they eat the algae. I recommend Rosita cod liver oil or Juice Plus omega supplement which actually also contains up to 5 omega fatty acids- 3,5,6,7, and 9. 

Iron

Iron deficiencies during pregnancy are extremely common, with it affecting around 80% of women, of these women about 49% of them will also have low iron postpartum. So how does low iron affect our mental health? Low iron can increase exhaustion levels, affect the immune system and is associated with low milk supply, all things which can contribute to postpartum depression. But if that isn't enough, it has been proven (study) that there is a very strong link between a mothers iron levels and her ability to manage stress, her ability to think clearly and her ability to manage negative thoughts leading to depression. 

How to increase your iron intake: Eat more animal liver, fish, pork, eggs, beef and chicken. Plant  based sources include lentils, quinoa, beans, tomato puree, spinach, chickpeas and asparagus. You can also check out my instagram post 5 ways to increase your absorption of iron.  Requirements for plant based mamas are almost 2 X higher, I recommend that you soak your nuts and seeds and focus on the tips for increasing your absorption of iron in the instagram post mentioned.  If you require supplementation I recommend staying away from ferrous fumarate and ferrous sulfate as these can cause gastrointestinal issues like constipation, nausea and heartburn. 

Vitamin D3

Around 50-84% of newborns are deficient in vitamin D because their stores are directly related to the mothers, meaning if a mother is deficient their baby will also be deficient. We are often led to believe that we get all of the vitamin D we need from the sun, which isn't wrong but we actually need a lot more sun exposure than most people realize. You need to be in the sun with the majority of your skin exposed long enough to get a tan. Now some people may be able to do this during summer but once the weather cools down and the pants and jumpers go on your sun exposure drops. We have also been conditioned to cover up and put sunscreen on all day everyday which significantly affects our vitamin D levels. And if we think about newly postpartum mamas and their babies there aren't very many who are laying out in the sun and getting a tan everyday, therefore the likelihood of mamas (and babies) being deficient is very high. Deficiencies in vitamin D for mothers have been shown to increase thyroid disorders (study) and postpartum depression (study) (study). Vitamin D is also directly linked to the immune system, and when mothers and babies are constantly sick and run down, this too can contribute to postpartum depression.. 

How to increase your vitamin D: During the postpartum period it is highly recommended that all mothers regardless of sun exposure supplement with 4000IU of vitamin D. Supplementation is relatively cheap and easy to take, I recommend Thorn.  When supplementing, the most important thing is that it is in a carrier oil or capsule, not a pressed pill or capsule because it is a fat soluble vitamin. 

Food sources high in vitamin D include: Salmon, sardines, other fatty fish, pasture- raised eggs, pork and beef liver. Though during the postpartum period these should not solely be relied on as a source of vitamin D, as mentioned supplementation for both mother and baby is highly recommended. 

If you are struggling with your nutrition or aren't sure I highly recommend that you seek out professional support, you can check out my services here.

If you are experiencing symptoms of anxiety, panic attacks, having scary thoughts, have lost interest in things that used to bring you joy or anything else that seems scary or different to your usual feelings or behaviours please seek professional support from your doctor.