Matrescence - The Birth of a Mother

The first few months postpartum are beautiful and gruelling all at the same time. This transformative phase in a woman's life is referred to as Matrescence or the fourth trimester. 

Not only has a new baby been born, but so have you the new mother. 

The expectations of the modern mother are often overwhelming, we are expected to get back to ‘normal’ as fast as possible, to cook, clean, entertain guests, breastfeed, attend coffee groups, get back in shape and return to work as soon as possible. All while navigating the new role of motherhood, healing postpartum, bonding with our beautiful new baby all while making time for the other relationships in our life. This often leaves new mothers exhausted and at times feeling like they are failing. 

Many traditional cultures approach this postpartum period in a vastly different way. It is a time when the new mother stays home and is cared for, she is given the time and space to rest, recuperate, heal, nourish and bond with her new baby. The new mother is fed warming and nourishing meals such as soups and tea which assist in healing and establishing a healthy milk supply, this often continues for at least the first forty days postpartum. 

Being a mother of four myself and living away from our families, the early postpartum phase was at times really hard and lonely. As much as I would have loved to have 40 days of being cared for, it just wasn't realistic or possible. I thought about this a lot, knowing this is the same for many of the mothers I work with.    

With this in mind I considered ways I could nurture myself and my new baby. Good nutrition is so important for healing post-birth and to support the radical shift in hormones, sleep deprivation and subsequent exhaustion. As a pregnant woman, it is common to stay well-nourished during pregnancy when you are growing a baby, yet incredibly common for a new mother to start dieting soon after birth to get her body back. One thing I always like to remind new mothers who are breastfeeding is that you are still nourishing a baby, they are just outside of your womb now. Nutrient intake is still just as important in the postpartum phase as it was during pregnancy, a mother's nutrient status directly affects milk quality and quantity and her own wellbeing. This highlights the importance of not restricting food intake but instead focusing on a diet rich in nutritious whole and unprocessed foods.

If you were deficient in nutrients such as iron during pregnancy it is important to recheck these postpartum as they often are not checked again and play an important role in health & wellbeing. Other biomarkers I encourage my new mums to have checked is B12, Folate, vitamin D and thyroid. Using good-quality practitioner-grade supplement can help top up nutrients alongside good nutrition.

Meal preparation is a lifesaver in those early months to ensure you are adequately fuelled. Take family and friends up on the offers of meals, babysitting older children and housework. You do not need to do it all, I found personally, that some of the most unrealistic expectations were the ones I placed on myself. 

During those early months focus on warming slow-cooked meals, such as casseroles, stews, broths and soups, these are nutrient-packed and easy on the digestive system. The early postpartum weeks are a nutritionally expensive time when you are recovering from pregnancy, labour and birth, which is comparable to running a marathon, and also possibly healing from a caesarean or episiotomy. Your nutrient and calorie requirements are actually higher now than they were during pregnancy.

This is also an important time to stay adequately hydrated, as a rule, I made sure that every time I breastfed my baby I would have a glass of water or breastfeeding tea (I love Artemis breastfeeding tea) then once a day would have a lactation smoothie and warm cup of bone broth (the Nutra Organics powder is so convenient). Incorporating all of these different things means you get the added benefits of nutrients and fluid to help you stay hydrated and nourished. 

You will probably be told countless times to sleep when your baby sleeps. This can be really hard when you can think of a million other things to do - hello warm shower and hot cup of coffee! But it really is important to get in as much rest as possible because the prolonged sleep deprivation does catch up on you eventually. If you find you really struggle to nap you could try a short guided meditation to relax and take some time to simply breathe, the Headspace app is great for this and offers short 3-5 minute guided meditations. 

From one mother to another don’t forget just how important it is to care for yourself as you do your baby. As the saying goes you can’t pour from an empty cup. If you are interested in a deeper look into the importance of this postpartum phase I highly recommend the book ‘The First Forty Days: The Essential Art of Nourishing the New Mother’ it is also packed with lots of nutrient-rich yummy recipes.

Kylie x

You are also welcome to work one-on-one with me in clinic in Papamoa or virtually for comprehensive nutritional and health support during pregnancy & postpartum.

My Tips For Building a Sustainable Approach To Nutrition

Fad Diets have been promoted as the solution to achieving weight loss, you just have to look at the health section in bookstores and the multitude of ads we are constantly bombarded with on social media. How many of us can say we have tried almost every ‘diet’ under the sun but rarely see long-term results? 

The human body is a complex biological system that has evolved over millions of years to adapt to changes in food availability. When we decide to go on a diet that often involves significant calorie restriction and removal of entire food groups from a biological perspective we are wired to perceive this as a threat to survival and our protective mechanism is to downregulate our metabolism to conserve energy and upregulate things like hunger hormones which makes sticking to a diet almost impossible.  

Cue the never ending cycle of restricting food with diets, punishing ourselves at the gym then feeling like you've failed when it all comes crashing down. We know this is a broken concept yet the often unethical billion-dollar diet industry repackages the same old mentality in smart new packaging and we think this will be the winning diet this time, yet it rarely is. 

So with all of that in mind, how do we actually start to build sustainable nutrition and health habits that help improve our health and as a byproduct our body composition? My top four tips are: 

Shift your mindset

This isn't always easy which is why working with a nutritionist or health coach can be really beneficial. We need to shift beyond seeing our bodies as something that needs to ‘be fixed’  and move towards nurturing ourselves for better health and longevity. We need a combination of motivation, opportunity and ability to make health habits stick. Focusing entirely on numbers on a scale is very unmotivating when that slows or stops. This is why exploring the deeper motivators to make changes is key.

Improve Sleep 

We need good quality and quantity of sleep for health & longevity. Have you ever noticed when you don't sleep well you are hungrier, grumpier and more likely to skip exercise? There is a cascade of hormonal implications when we don't get 7+ hours of good sleep. Sleep is fundamental to optimising health.  

Nutrient Replete Approach

Build a diet full of mostly whole and unprocessed foods. Good quality proteins, plenty of dark leafy greens, brightly coloured vegetables, some fruits and healthy fats. Many of us have nutrient deficiencies so increasing nutrient intake helps to improve our nutrient status. 

Optimising protein intake can be really beneficial from a health perspective but it also is incredibly satiating, improves autoregulation and helps to support both building and maintaining lean body mass - our metabolic currency! 

It is also important to include some foods in your nutritional approach that you really love that you may not consider ‘healthy’. Constant Restriction of the foods you love often drives binge cycles - we don't want that! The best approach is the one you can maintain long-term. 

Hydrate adequately! Replenish fluid lost overnight with two glasses of water on rising then another 2 litres throughout the day. If you are highly active or use a sauna you will likely need to add in more water. 

Move your body in ways you enjoy!

Explore different approaches to moving your body such as yoga, reformer pilates, lift weights, walk, jog, run, hike in nature, and swimming. Find something you love that isn't a chore so you can build consistency and start to challenge yourself. Step out of your comfort zone, you might discover something you had no idea you would love. 

As you can see there is far more to sustainable nutrition than just the food we eat, it's about our environment, habits and behaviour. If you would like to learn more about this in greater detail make sure you register for my Sustainable Nutrition Workshop at Redefined in Papamoa.

Kylie Stowe 

Registered Sports Nutritionist, Health Coach & Naturopath 

(SNA, HCANZA) 

Perimenopause a crucial window in preventitive health

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Perimenopause or better described as ‘second puberty’ is the transitional phase leading up to menopause, characterised by hormonal fluctuations and changes, Perimenopause is a phase that lasts anywhere from two to ten years before your final period. 

Symptoms include:

• Heavy and/or longer periods (New onset)

• Menstrual cycles lasting less than 26 days 

• Tender, lumpy or swollen breasts

• Sleep disturbance  (New or worsening)

• Menstrual cramps   (New or worsening)

• Premenstrual night sweats  (New onset)

• Migraine Headaches (New or worsening)

• Premenstrual mood swings  (New or worsening)

• Weight gain with no changes to diet & exercise 

This is different from menopause which is the life phase that begins one year after your final period. Symptoms of both perimenopause and menopause are not universal with many women experiencing these transitional phases in vastly different ways. Symptoms if they do occur are generally during perimenopause and are temporary. 

When can you expect to reach menopause? The range for the final period can vary from 45 - 55 years of age. The normal age range for perimenopause is up to 10 years prior so can be as young as 35. Perimenopause can occur at a relatively young age which is why it is less about ageing and is an important adjustment of the hormonal system that is unavoidable for women.

 In modern society we tend to pathologise menopause, due to this and the associated stigma of both menopause and ageing, the majority of women are fearful of this transitional phase in life. This is why opening up conversations around perimenopause and menopause is so important. Connection and understanding itself is an important aspect of this transitional season of life. 

While menopause itself is a universal occurrence in a woman's life, it is not a universal experience, some women breeze through while others have a much harder time. Certain cultures view menopause in a very different way for example in Japan the word for menopause ‘konenki’ translates to the renewal years/energy, Anthropologist Yewoubdar Beyene described the Yucatan women in Mexico reported feeling young & free with menopause. 

How can we infuse some of this into our busy modern lives? Two differences between traditional cultures and western society are our modern diet, and chronic stress. There are many aspects of health we can support to help with a smoother transition such as our nervous system. 

Many women voice being unable to cope as well with stress. One of the mechanisms behind this is the decrease in progesterone which unbalances our HPA axis aka the Stress response system. During perimenopause, progesterone drops before oestrogen, this change is why perimenopause is associated with an increased occurrence of Insomnia, depression & anxiety. 

How can we support our nervous system? Take time to slow down and nurture yourself through this phase, it won't last forever and taking time for yourself will be beneficial. Improving the vagal tone and activating the parasympathetic nervous system is beneficial as it allows for ‘rest & digest’. 

We can achieve this by:

Spending more time in nature is associated with reduced stress, the exposure to natural light can also positively affect sleep and circadian rhythm. 

Spending time with loved ones and animals promotes the release of oxytocin and activates the parasympathetic nervous system.

Practising yoga poses that raise the hands above the head as it stimulates blood pressure sensors that improve vagal tone.

Pranayama the breath focus of yoga is also very beneficial as it extends the exhalation activating the vagus nerve. 

Establishing a daily meditation practice to improve stress management and build resilience. 

From a nutritional perspective, a diet predominantly focused on whole and unprocessed foods rich in nutrients supports every aspect of health including gut health. A healthy microbiome plays an important role in the release of GABA, an important neurotransmitter that plays a role in activating the vagus nerve. 

Nutritional approaches in perimenopause and menopause can also be key to mitigating common concerns such as weight gain, insulin resistance and digestive issues. 

While a food-first and nutrient-replete approach is always important, additional support from targeted practitioner supplementation or specific nutrition interventions can help manage some of the less desirable impacts of perimenopause.  These include sleep disturbance and Impaired oestrogen metabolism which is associated with heavy periods, sore breasts, PMS and suppressed thyroid function.

If you would like to explore how to mindfully support yourself through perimenopause and menopause please get in touch. I can provide basic support via my express consultations and comprehensive support via standard consultations.