The thyroid is a gland in your neck that uses iodine in the body to create thyroid hormones. The thyroid’s main function in the body is to regulate hormone production, regulate metabolism, control cardiac and digestive function and ensure proper brain development.
During pregnancy the body goes through extreme changes. The body is not only physically changing, but the chemical makeup is changing as well. Hormones are shifting and balancing in different ways than before, and even the brain is being affected to properly prepare the mother for labor and birth. New mothers are too often told things like “of course you’re tired, you’re a new mom”, or “you just gave birth, the symptoms you are having are normal”. While there are ways that your body will have to transition, heal, and normalize after giving birth, your body is still speaking to you at this time. Passing off symptoms like fatigue, anxiety, brain fog and digestive changes as “normal” can increase the likelihood of missing what is truly going on in the body. Just because these symptoms are common for new mothers does not mean that they are normal.
With a rise in postpartum depression diagnoses for new moms, we have to ask the question, “What is the underlying cause?” If you are experiencing postpartum depression symptoms, it would be wise to have your thyroid levels checked. According to Dr. Jolene Brighten, due to the down regulation of Th1 immune response during pregnancy we often see autoimmune conditions appear postpartum once it is no longer suppressed. Th1 dominance is often associated with postpartum thyroiditis, and is often missed as a diagnosis to get mothers the help they need.
Remember, the body is dynamic, self-regulating and self-healing. When we have symptoms, it should cause us to pause and look deeper! In addition to having lab work done and working with a functional provider.
Here are a few ways you an support your thyroid:
- Adjustments: Keep the nervous system communicating so your body can heal and pursue homeostasis
- Vitamin D
- Selenium
- Continue prenatal vitamins
- Omega-3
- Probiotics
- Avoid gluten: Your body perceives the protein in gluten as the thyroid gland, so when your body tries to process gluten it can inadvertently attack the thyroid
- Avoid toxins
-Dr. Sophie Mills, Chiropractor