Everybody knows that pregnancy comes with it’s emotional ups and downs, but what about after you have a baby? Everything goes back to normal, right? Not so much. Besides the physical healing, your body goes through a whole new transformation while breastfeeding and it can leave you feeling like anything but normal.

I may have been a bit naive even after having my first baby boy. I thought that breastfeeding was so difficult because he just wouldn’t latch. He liked his bottle and I ended up exclusively pumping for 8 months, which was EXHAUSTING! It was such a hassle to lug my pump around everywhere and wash bottles and I hated missing moments with him because I always had to go somewhere to pump. It would just be so much easier if he nursed, right?

Turns out the grass isn’t always greener… Did anyone see that coming??

Regardless of your journey, breastfeeding, exclusively pumping, it’s all hard! It’s takes so much work worrying about feeding your baby and making sure they’re getting enough food, while worrying about yourself and maintaining your supply. It’s enough to drive you crazy!

And then you settle into your routine, and it gets easier, but you still don’t quite feel like yourself. That’s what happened to me with my second son. I seriously thought I was crazy. I knew I couldn’t wait to be done breastfeeding and I wanted to quit so bad, but why? He didn’t have any trouble latching, he was great at it and it wasn’t painful. Other than the fact that he was a slow eater and it took awhile to feed him, I didn’t really have any complaints.

But still, I didn’t feel like myself. I would get so emotional one second, and then frustrated so easily, followed by guilt and being annoyed. I’m sure all you new moms can relate. But I couldn’t figure out what was going on.

On the other hand, there’s the pregnancy weight. I had lost pretty much all of the weight I had gained, but I still wasn’t where I wanted to be and I couldn’t get any more weight to come off. I had the same experience while pumping for my first son. But breastfeeding is supposed to burn a crazy amount of calories daily, so if I’m breastfeeding and working out, I should be losing weight, right?! What is wrong?!!

Turns out those pesky little hormones that control your every action and emotion while you’re pregnant, still control your life even after baby.

Breastfeeding Hormones

So whenever you’re pregnant, your estrogen and progesterone levels are very high, working hard to help you grow and nourish baby. But after you have your baby, your estrogen and progesterone levels drop dramatically, making way for prolactin and oxytocin: the breastfeeding hormones.

Prolactin is the hormone responsible for helping you make milk and oxytocin is responsible for helping you to release milk.

SIDE NOTE: Fun Fact, oxytocin is also the hormone that is released when you fall in love. No wonder you’re head over heels for your little bundle of joy.

The reason that many women don’t feel like themselves is largely contributed to this hormone flip flop. Some people refer to these feelings as the “baby blues,” which can lead to postpartum depression. However, it can also just make you feel frustrated and annoyed and guilty about it all at the same time.

Prolactin also relaxes you, like “I just ate Thanksgiving dinner” kind of relaxation. If you’ve ever sat down to breastfeed your child and been wide awake one second and  fighting sleep the next, you know what I mean. That, on top of the sleepless nights and you’ve got yourself a mom-zombie!

If you think about it, those same hormones (estrogen and progesterone) are flipping again when women go through menopause. No wonder everyone thinks we’re crazy!

Breastfeeding and Weight Loss

So what about breastfeeding and weight loss?

Yes, breastfeeding burns tons of calories, about 20 calories per ounce of breastmilk, but some women still have trouble losing weight while nursing. As it turns out, prolactin also makes your body hold on to fat, because your body needs a certain amount of fat to be able to produce milk. Unfortunately, prolactin doesn’t care so much about your waistline, or your upcoming beach trip.

Furthermore, the hormones progesterone and testosterone are fat burning hormones and your body keeps them suppressed while you’re breastfeeding. So, not only are you fighting storing fat, your fighting burning it as well.

So What Can I Do?

Unfortunately, these hormones are largely just a part of pregnancy, and breastfeeding. It’s a stage of life that you just have to get through the best you can. But, even if you can’t change anything about being pregnant or breastfeeding, there are a few things that you can do to help lighten the load.

Manage Your Expectations

First and foremost, you have to remember that this is a stage in your life when your body has another purpose. Essentially, your body is not your own and it’s important to remember that it’s only for a time. Cut yourself some slack. You don’t have to be perfectly tight and toned. Find your new identity as a mom and find your purpose in your beautiful babies.

Eat Healthy

It’s amazing how much eating healthy can impact how you feel. You can also help balance your hormones by eating clean foods consisting of more protein and vegetables and less carbohydrates. This switch can also help you lose weight, even if you don’t have time to exercise.

Exercise

If you can sneak in a quick workout, exercise can really help you balance your hormones and your mood. In other words, exercise can help balance the side effects of your hormones and relieve stress.

Treat Yourself

While it doesn’t really have a direct effect on your hormones, treating yourself and getting out of the house can go a long way at making you feel better. And when you feel better about other things in your life, it can make your hormones and daily frustrations not feel like such a big deal. Spend time regularly doing something you love, and don’t feel guilty if it isn’t mommy-related.

Hopefully this post gives you some clarity about what’s going on and why you may not feel like yourself. Find comfort in the fact that you are not alone and it won’t last forever. Focus on your babies and find your joy and purpose there. If you have any tips for surviving the new mommy hormonal roller coaster, comment below!