Motherhood is often described as exhausting; but for many women, the fatigue doesn’t disappear once the newborn stage passes. Months or even years later, some mothers still feel deeply drained in a way that sleep alone doesn’t fix.
This experience is increasingly being recognised as postnatal depletion1: the physical, nutritional, and emotional toll that pregnancy, birth, and breastfeeding can have on the body. While society celebrates the glow of pregnancy and expects mothers to “bounce back,” the reality is that the biological demands of motherhood can continue long after the baby arrives.
Understanding what’s happening beneath the surface can help mothers recognise that their symptoms are not a personal failure, they’re often a sign that the body needs serious replenishment.
Below are five surprising truths about the biological demands of motherhood and why recovery matters:
1. Breastfeeding Can Demand More Energy Than Pregnancy
Many people assume pregnancy is the most physically demanding phase of motherhood. But metabolically speaking, breastfeeding can be even more demanding.
During pregnancy, a woman typically needs about 300 extra calories per day. In the first six months of exclusive breastfeeding, that number jumps to around 640 calories per day. This could be equivalent to another full meal, or two extra balanced snacks in your day, maybe morning tea plus an evening snack before bed (prepping for overnight feeds).
It’s essentially like running a daily endurance event while also caring for a newborn.
Yet cultural expectations often focus on rapid postpartum weight loss instead of adequate nourishment. When mothers are under-fueled during this stage, the body may operate in a constant energy deficit—leading to fatigue, brain fog, and slow recovery.
Breastfeeding isn’t just feeding a baby. It’s a high-performance metabolic process.
2. When Nutrition Falls Short, the Body “Self-Mines”
Your child’s brain relies on several key The maternal body is biologically programmed to prioritise the baby’s needs, even if it comes at the mother’s expense.
When nutrient intake isn’t sufficient, the body may begin drawing from its own reserves to maintain breast milk quality. Researchers sometimes describe this as the body “self-mining.”
This can include:
- Breaking down muscle tissue to supply protein
- Mobilising calcium from bones
- Using stored vitamins and minerals accumulated during pregnancy
Studies suggest that if protein intake is too low during lactation, the body may break down significant amounts of lean tissue to support milk production.
This biological sacrifice ensures the baby receives nutrient-rich milk, but it can leave mothers feeling physically depleted if those nutrients aren’t replaced.
The first year of breastfeeding is not the time to be trying to lose “baby weight”. Not eating enough whilst breastfeeding is a recipe for future depletion and dysfunction.
3. Postnatal Depletion Can Last for Years
“Baby brain” is often treated as a joke but for some mothers, the cognitive fog and exhaustion are much more persistent.
Postnatal depletion is a term used to describe a cluster of symptoms that can include:
- Chronic fatigue
- Brain fog and poor concentration
- Anxiety or emotional overwhelm
- Feeling “tired but wired”
- Difficulty recovering energy even with sleep
Some experts believe more than half of mothers experience some degree of postnatal depletion2, and symptoms may persist for years if nutritional and hormonal recovery isn’t supported.
Historically, and in many non-Western cultures still, mothers were supported by extended families and communities during the postpartum period. Today many women are expected to return to work, manage households, and care for children with minimal support, often after only 2-3 months.
Without time and resources for recovery, depletion can quietly linger.
4. Recovery May Protect Long-Term Health
Postpartum recovery isn’t only about feeling better day to day, it may also play a role in long-term health.
Some research has found an increased incidence of autoimmune conditions in the postpartum period, including rheumatoid arthritis, Graves’ disease, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, and pernicious anaemia.
One theory suggests that the combination of hormonal shifts, nutrient depletion, and increased stress may affect immune regulation and the “leakiness” of the gut lining during this time.
While more research is needed, this highlights the importance of restoring nutrient stores and supporting the immune system after pregnancy.
Replenishment isn’t a luxury, it’s preventative care.
5. Nutrient Balance Matters, Not Just Supplements
Many mothers continue taking prenatal vitamins after birth, which can be helpful. But nutrition is more complex than simply taking a supplement.
Some nutrients interact with each other in ways that affect absorption. For example:
> High doses of iron can interfere with the absorption of zinc3.
> Zinc requirements increase significantly during breastfeeding while iron needs drop back (unless there was significant blood loss during delivery – lesson: individual needs)
> This is particularly dangerous because the zinc RDA for lactating women is 4 to 13 times higher than the amount secreted in milk just to account for its naturally poor absorption.
> Certain nutrient deficiencies can impact both mother and baby – such as DHA, choline, vitamin D
Focusing on a nutrient-dense diet during lactation can help improve absorption and recovery. In fact, going back to how you used to eat before kids is not going to cut it anymore. The focus should be on easily absorbed (think soups, stews, casseroles, not daily salads), nourishing (not empty carbs), and warming (think gentle spices, ginger, hot tea).
In many cases, a personalised approach to postpartum nutrition is more effective than relying on a one-size-fits-all supplement.
Final word: Replenishing the Mother
Pregnancy and breastfeeding are extraordinary biological achievements—but recovery is just as important.
The body doesn’t instantly replenish the nutrients lost during pregnancy, birth, and lactation. In fact, rebuilding those stores can take months or even years.
Supporting mothers through the postpartum period means shifting our mindset from “bouncing back” to rebuilding and restoring. The long-term health of both mother and child hinges on the interpregnancy interval4; the window of time dedicated to replenishing the source before attempting to conceive again. And this will vary for women depending on factors such as pre-pregnancy nutrient repletion/deficiencies, chronic diseases, length of time breastfeeding, constitutional resiliency, support network, mental health, and more!
If there’s one thing you take away from this, it’s this: Motherhood isn’t just about creating life. It’s also about caring for the life that created it.
“When we nourish the mother, we support not only her health but the wellbeing of her entire family.”
Kerrie-Anne Crosby
KA Naturopath BHSc (Nat), 2026
FEEL LIKE YOU ARE STRUGGLING AFTER CHILDBIRTH? GET IN TOUCH
You are not alone.
References:
Andersson, M., & Braegger, C. P. (2022). The role of iodine for thyroid function in lactating women and infants. Endocrine Reviews, 43(3), 469–506.
Apostolidou, I., Baloukas, M., & Tsamesidis, I. (2025). Relationship between vitamin D deficiency and postpartum depression. Journal of Personalized Medicine, 15(7), 290.
Ellsworth-Bowers, E. R., & Corwin, E. J. (2012). Nutrition and the psychoneuroimmunology of postpartum depression. Nutrition Research Reviews, 25(1), 180–192.
Francisco de Souza, H. (2026, February 4). Maternal diet after childbirth and its role in postpartum recovery. News-Medical.
Harth, Y. (2025, October 19). Best supplements for women with postpartum hair loss. MDhair.
Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Nutritional Status During Pregnancy and Lactation. (1991). Meeting maternal nutrient needs during lactation. In Nutrition during lactation. National Academies Press (US).
Jouanne, M., Oddoux, S., Noël, A., & Voisin-Chiret, A. S. (2021). Nutrient requirements during pregnancy and lactation. Nutrients, 13(2), 692.
Li, S.-C., Chen, Y.-L., Chen, C.-M., Tsai, L.-Y., & Mu, S.-C. (2026). Nutritional status of iron and vitamin D in postpartum women in northern Taiwan. Frontiers in Nutrition, 12, 1701550.
Postpartum Care USA. (2025, February 1). Postnatal depletion syndrome: Will you ever feel normal again postpartum?
Voros, C., Sapantzoglou, I., Athanasiou, D., Mavrogianni, D., Bananis, K., Athanasiou, A., Athanasiou, A., Papadimas, G., Tsimpoukelis, C., Gkirgkinoudis, A., Papapanagiotou, I., Vaitsis, D., Koulakmanidis, A.-M., Ivanidou, S., Stepanyan, A. J., Daskalaki, M. A., Thomakos, N., Theodora, M., Antsaklis, P., . . . Daskalakis, G. (2025). Invisible links: Associations between micronutrient deficiencies and postpartum depression—A systematic review. Life, 15(10), 1566. [MDPI Version].
Footnotes:
- Serrallach, O. (n.d.). What is postnatal depletion, and do I have it? https://www.droscarserrallach.com/what-is-postnatal-depletion ↩︎
- Serrallach, O. (n.d.). What is postnatal depletion, and do I have it? https://www.droscarserrallach.com/what-is-postnatal-depletion ↩︎
- Perichart-Perera, O. (2025). Nutrition for optimal lactation. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, 81(Suppl. 3), 33–44. ↩︎
- Adams, K. P., Adu‐Afarwuah, S., Mridha, M. K., Oaks, B. M., Matias, S. L., Arnold, C. D., Kumordzie, S. M., Okronipa, H., Ocansey, M. E., & Dewey, K. G. (2020). The impact of maternal supplementation during pregnancy and the first 6 months postpartum on the growth status of the next child born after the intervention period: Follow‐up results from Bangladesh and Ghana. Maternal & Child Nutrition, 16(2), e12927. ↩︎
