Postpartum Depletion: Why New Mums Feel So Exhausted (beyond the obvious)
There’s a strange thing that happens after you have a baby where everyone fully expects you to be exhausted, but nobody really talks about why postpartum can feel so physically draining.
Yes, there’s the sleep deprivation. Obviously. But there’s also the fact that your body has just spent the better part of a year growing a baby, giving birth, losing blood, recovering from birth, regulating huge hormonal shifts, and potentially producing breastmilk around the clock — all while most women are surviving on cold coffee and whatever they can grab one-handed.
Postpartum recovery is one of the most nutritionally demanding periods of a woman’s life, and yet mums are often the least looked-after person in the room. The baby is fed constantly. Mum is lucky if she remembers to reheat her lunch.
A lot of women come into postpartum already depleted from pregnancy, then continue burning through nutrients while recovering and caring for a newborn. And because feeling awful is so normalised after birth, many women assume feeling completely flattened is just part of the deal.
Sometimes it is simply sleep deprivation, and oftentimes it’s depletion too.
Iron: The Big One Postpartum
Iron depletion after birth is incredibly common, especially if there was significant blood loss during delivery or iron levels were already low during pregnancy.
Low iron can contribute to:
- extreme fatigue
- dizziness
- headaches
- weakness
- shortness of breath
- hair shedding
- poor concentration
The difficult thing is that these symptoms overlap heavily with “normal” postpartum experiences, which means iron depletion can go unnoticed for a long time.
Iron-rich foods include:
- red meat
- sardines
- lentils
- beans
- pumpkin seeds
- spinach
- eggs
One thing worth knowing: the tannins in coffee and tea can reduce how well your body absorbs iron — particularly from plant sources like lentils, spinach, and seeds. You absolutely don't need to give up caffeine (nobody is suggesting that to a new mum), but leaving a small gap of around an hour between your coffee and an iron-rich meal where you can is a simple way to get more out of what you're eating.
Pairing iron-rich foods with vitamin C — think berries, citrus, kiwi, or peppers — remains one of the best ways to boost absorption.
Omega-3s Matter More Than Most Women Realise
During pregnancy and breastfeeding, babies draw heavily on mum’s omega-3 stores, particularly DHA, which is important for brain and nervous system development.
At the same time, omega-3s are also supportive for maternal mood, brain health, inflammation balance, and overall recovery.
The problem is that postpartum eating often becomes about convenience rather than nourishment. Most new mums aren’t sitting down to beautifully balanced meals with oily fish a few times a week while cluster feeding a newborn.
Foods rich in omega-3s include:
- salmon
- sardines
- mackerel
- trout
- walnuts
- chia seeds
- flaxseed
For vegetarian or vegan mums, algae-based DHA supplements can be a really useful option.
Magnesium Is One Of The Most Overlooked Nutrients
Magnesium is involved in hundreds of processes in the body and can become depleted during periods of stress, poor sleep, and high physical demand — which is essentially the entire postpartum experience.
Low magnesium may contribute to:
- muscle tension
- headaches
- constipation
- anxiety
- poor sleep
- feeling “wired but tired”
Foods containing magnesium include:
- oats
- pumpkin seeds
- almonds
- dark chocolate
- avocado
- black beans
- leafy greens
This is one reason postpartum snacks that combine carbohydrates, fats, and minerals can actually be genuinely supportive, rather than something women should feel guilty about.
Protein Is Essential For Recovery
Protein is one of the biggest things postpartum women under eat.
Your body is repairing tissue, recovering from birth, stabilising blood sugar, producing hormones, and potentially making breastmilk around the clock. Recovery requires energy and raw materials.
But realistically, a lot of women are getting through the day on toast crusts, toddler leftovers, and caffeine because they don’t have the time or capacity to properly feed themselves.
Easy protein sources postpartum can include:
- Greek yogurt
- eggs
- cottage cheese
- chicken
- beans and lentils
- smoothies
- nut butters
- chia pudding
The goal postpartum shouldn’t be eating “perfectly”. It should be eating enough, consistently, and making nourishment as easy and accessible as possible.
If You're Breastfeeding, Your Needs Are Even Higher
Breastfeeding is one of the most nutritionally demanding things a body can do.
Producing breastmilk requires additional calories — roughly 300 to 500 more per day — on top of everything your body is already doing to heal and recover. Many mums who are struggling with supply, energy, or both are simply not eating or drinking enough to meet that demand. Not through lack of trying. Just because nobody told them how much their body actually needs right now.
Hydration can absolutely impact how you feel physically while breastfeeding, and significant dehydration may affect milk production for some women. A useful habit is keeping a large water bottle nearby every time you sit down to feed — it becomes a natural prompt to drink.
Postpartum Nutrition Shouldn’t Be About “Bouncing Back”
One of the hardest things about postpartum culture is that women are often expected to recover quickly while receiving very little practical support.
There’s enormous pressure to “feel like yourself again”, while simultaneously functioning on broken sleep, healing physically, and caring for a completely dependent human.
Nutrition can’t solve the realities of postpartum exhaustion, but being properly nourished absolutely matters.
Not in a restrictive “get your body back” way. In a “your body has done something massive and deserves support” way.
At Milk it, that’s what we care about most. Nourishing mums properly in the middle of a season that asks a huge amount from them. Not perfectly. Not performatively. Just realistically, warmly, and with foods that actually make life feel a little easier.
We make cookies designed for this season, with supportive ingredients like oats, flaxseed, coconut oil, grass-fed butter, eggs, dark chocolate and nuts (depending on the flavours you select). Perfect for nourishing your body and soul.
Written by Mel Brittner: doula and postpartum nutrition consultant
