29/01/2026
How Postpartum Hormones Affect Your Mood.
Your mood after birth can change fast.
One minute you feel fine. The next, you don’t recognize yourself.
This isn’t weakness. It’s hormones.
After childbirth, your body goes through one of the biggest hormone drops it will ever face. Estrogen and progesterone fall sharply within days. At the same time, sleep is broken, your body is healing, and responsibility hits all at once. That mix directly affects how you feel, think, and react.
You might feel tearful for no clear reason. Irritable. Anxious. Numb. Overwhelmed by small things. This is common in the first two weeks and is often called the “baby blues.” It does not mean you’re a bad mother or that something is wrong with you.
Here’s what helps :
1. Expect mood swings so they don’t scare you
2. Rest whenever possible sleep loss worsens emotions
3. Eat regularly; skipped meals make moods dip harder
4. Talk out loud about how you feel, even if it’s messy.
If sadness, fear, or anger feels heavy, lasts longer than two weeks, or makes daily life hard, that’s a sign to ask for help. Support is part of care not a failure.
©️ Nurse maraJane.