The Postpartum Passage: A Journey of Body, Tradition & Soul

Kristy Byrnes
Sep 5
8 min read

"It can feel strange to look in the mirror and wonder where the ‘old you’ went."

The Rollercoaster of the Fourth Trimester

Imagine: you’ve just given birth, and while everyone celebrates the new baby, you feel exhausted, overwhelmed, and somehow invisible. The postpartum season is often painted in glowing pastels: the baby snuggles, the bliss, the soft light. But for many women, the lived reality is much more layered. It can feel like your body is unravelling, your moods swinging like a pendulum, your sense of self dissolving. You may catch yourself thinking, “I don’t feel like me anymore.”

Every shower feels like another handful of hair gone. Your centre of balance wobbles. The mirror reflects a body that feels both foreign and familiar. Nights blur into days, and sometimes the loneliness bites harder than the fatigue.

You are not broken. You are not alone. These changes are part of an ancient passage—an initiation into motherhood—that medicine, evolution, tradition, and spirit each interpret in different, but deeply connected, ways.

The Physiology: What’s Happening Inside

Immediately after birth (first 6–8 weeks):

Estrogen & Progesterone drop dramatically, triggering mood swings, hair loss, and changes in skin or nails.
Prolactin rises to support breastfeeding, keeping estrogen low.
Cortisol is elevated from sleep disruption and the physical demands of birth.
Thyroid changes: Some women experience postpartum thyroiditis, cycling through hyper- and hypo-thyroid phases.

Months 3–12:

Hair shedding peaks at 3–4 months as many hairs enter the resting and shedding phase (telogen effluvium).
Nutrient depletion—iron, zinc, B vitamins—can worsen fatigue, mood changes, and hair loss.
Menstrual cycles gradually return depending on breastfeeding, but hormones may remain unstable.

One to three years postpartum:

Hormonal recalibration may take years, especially after multiple pregnancies, chronic sleep deprivation, thyroid issues, or with perimenopause beginning.
Fatigue, mood fluctuations, hair loss, and body changes may linger longer than culturally expected—but these are part of the natural process.

The Evolutionary Lens: Why the Body Does This

From an evolutionary perspective, postpartum vulnerabilities served a purpose:

Energy and nutrients were prioritized for the survival of the baby.
Hair loss, fatigue, and mood swings were signals to the community that the mother needed care and support.

In traditional societies, the mother was rarely left alone. She was surrounded by family, food, warmth, and ritual while rebuilding her strength. Today, many women navigate postpartum largely on their own. Feeling exhausted, lonely, and emotionally raw is a natural signal that your body and psyche need restoration.

Traditional & Wise Woman Perspectives: Understanding Postpartum Transformation

Across cultures, the postpartum period has long been recognized as a time of profound transition—physically, emotionally, and socially. It was revered as sacred, not just because of the birth of a child, but because it marks a significant reshaping of a woman’s body, identity, and role in the community.

Rather than viewing hair loss, fatigue, mood swings, or body changes as “problems” to be fixed, these traditions frame them as natural signals of transformation—an essential phase where the woman’s body, mind, and social role are realigning. Hair thinning, emotional swings, and physical depletion are part of a process of redefinition: the mother archetype is emerging, reshaping priorities, and forging new strengths that will influence both her life and her child’s.

Why It Feels Harder Today

Modern women often begin pregnancy already depleted from stress, poor sleep, or nutrient gaps. Cultural expectations to “bounce back” quickly, without ritual or community support, make hair loss, fatigue, and mood swings feel isolating or abnormal.

Add to that:

Constant comparison on social media, amplifying body image concerns
The “supermom” expectation, creating guilt when asking for help
Fragmented support systems, leaving women without the extended “village” that historically helped postpartum recovery

Recognising these pressures helps contextualise why postpartum experiences can feel heavier today than they did for past generations.

Let’s walk through some of the most common (and unspoken) challenges of the postpartum journey, and look at them through many lenses.

Hair Loss

Physiological: In pregnancy, estrogen keeps hair in the growth phase. After birth, estrogen plummets, and suddenly hundreds of hairs shift into shedding mode.

Evolutionary: Once, this shedding may have signalled to the community that the mother was depleted and needed extra food and care. A visible flag that support was required.

Traditional Wisdom:

Ayurveda: Hair loss is a sign of vata imbalance—fragility, dryness, depletion—treated with warm porridges, oils, and daily abhyanga (massage).
TCM: Hair is the “flower of the blood.” Loss reflects “blood deficiency,” supported by broths, black sesame, red dates, and iron-rich meals.
Wise Woman Herbalism: Hair loss is part of the initiation into motherhood. Mineral-rich herbs like nettle and oatstraw rebuild strength.

Spiritual/Metaphysical: Hair symbolises identity and vitality. Losing it can feel like losing oneself. But shedding is also sacred—across cultures, hair is cut or released during rites of passage. In this light, postpartum hair loss becomes a shedding of the maiden-self, clearing space for the mother to emerge.

Dizziness & Vertigo

Physiological: Hormone shifts, low iron, and blood pressure fluctuations contribute to postpartum dizziness. Sometimes, the vestibular system needs time to recalibrate after pregnancy and labour.

Evolutionary: Feeling off-balance may have been nature’s way of slowing mothers down, keeping them close to the nest during the fragile early weeks.

Traditional Wisdom:

Ayurveda: A deranged vata—air and space out of balance—requiring grounding foods (roots, sesame, warming spices) and rest.
TCM: Dizziness signals “empty Qi” or “blood not nourishing the head,” calling for restorative tonics and congee.
Wise Woman: Herbs like chamomile, skullcap, and motherwort help steady both body and spirit.

Spiritual/Metaphysical: The loss of balance is more than physical—it reflects a new centre of gravity. You are no longer only yourself, but a mother, tethered to another soul. The dizziness echoes this disorientation as you shift into a new orbit.

Mood Shifts & Emotional Waves

Joy one moment, tears the next—can leave you questioning your sanity. Anxiety, irritability, sadness, guilt, lows and highs

Physiological: Plummeting estrogen and progesterone, rising prolactin, and sleep deprivation can all affect mood. The “baby blues” are common in the first weeks, while deeper depression or anxiety may require support.

Evolutionary: Heightened sensitivity ensured mothers were attuned to their baby’s every cry or change. Emotional reactivity was protective, not pathological.

Traditional Wisdom:

Ayurveda: Emphasises warmth, routine, and digestive support to stabilise emotions.
TCM: Sees prolonged sadness as “Qi stagnation” or “blood deficiency.” Herbal tonics and acupuncture support flow and restoration.
Wise Woman: St. John’s wort, oatstraw, and lemon balm are gentle allies for a heavy or anxious heart.

Spiritual/Metaphysical: Emotional swings can feel like losing yourself. But they also mark a profound opening of the heart. The archetype of the Mother calls forth vulnerability and rawness as pathways to deeper love and presence.

Sleep Deprivation

Interrupted nights magnify emotional and cognitive fatigue. These experiences are relatable to nearly every new mother and underscore the need to view postpartum not as a quick “recovery” but a profound period of recalibration—physically, emotionally, and socially.

Physiological: Newborns wake frequently. Sleep fragmentation disrupts circadian rhythms, hormone production, and mental health.

Evolutionary: Night-waking babies were safer—alert mothers were more responsive to threats. The village once shared the load; today, mothers carry it alone.

Traditional Wisdom:

Ayurveda: Encourages daytime naps, grounding rituals, and warm spiced milk (dairy-free versions with nut milk).
TCM: Suggests rest whenever possible, nourishing yin with soups and gentle teas.
Wise Woman: Chamomile, lavender, and skullcap soothe the nervous system.

Spiritual/Metaphysical: Sleep loss is a raw teacher. It dismantles ego control, opening mothers to surrender, patience, and presence. It is not a weakness—it is part of the initiation.

Weight Shifts & Body Changes

Your body looks and feels unfamiliar. Clothes don’t fit, energy is low, and body image challenges arise.

Physiological: Postpartum fat stores fuel for breastfeeding. Hormones, stress, and sleep deprivation influence weight retention or loss.

Evolutionary: Extra weight was a survival strategy, protecting milk supply during times of scarcity.

Traditional Wisdom:

Ayurveda: Focuses on rekindling digestive fire with warm, spiced meals.
TCM: Supports metabolism with congee, ginger, and blood-building foods.
Wise Woman: Emphasises patience and nourishment rather than rapid loss.

Spiritual/Metaphysical: The body as you knew it has shifted. The invitation is to embrace embodiment, not chase an old self. This is a rebirth into a new relationship with your body’s power.

Loss of Identity & Loneliness

“Who am I anymore, beyond being ‘mum’?”

Even in a full house, it’s easy to feel unseen.

Physiological: Neurological rewiring prioritises baby’s needs, often at the cost of personal autonomy.

Evolutionary: Once, identity was shared with the tribe. No woman mothered alone—loss of identity was softened by belonging.

Traditional Wisdom:

Ayurveda and TCM: Stress the importance of community care, nourishing food delivered by others, and daily rituals.
Wise Woman: Encourages mother circles and storytelling to honour the passage.

Spiritual/Metaphysical: The ego dissolves to make space for the archetype of the Mother. This loss is also a rebirth—an opening to redefine yourself not just as “mother,” but as woman, soul, creator, and beyond.

Pelvic Changes & Libido

Physiological: Hormones, birth trauma, and breastfeeding can affect lubrication, pelvic tone, and sexual desire.

Evolutionary: Reduced libido in early months protected against rapid successive pregnancies, allowing recovery.

Traditional Wisdom:

Ayurveda: Uses warming oils, restorative tonics, and gentle yoga for pelvic health.
TCM: Tonifies kidney energy and blood, supporting vitality.
Wise Woman: Raspberry leaf, motherwort, and pelvic steaming are traditional allies.

Spiritual/Metaphysical: The pelvic bowl is the seat of creativity and life force. Postpartum changes invite women to re-root into this space, honouring its power not only for sexuality, but for creation in all forms.

Postpartum is not only about repair—it’s an opportunity to step into a renewed sense of self, the mother archetype, and beyond.

Holistic Wellness for Postpartum Care

While your body recalibrates, the simplest supports are often the most powerful:

Nourishing Foods

Blood building restorative foods: broths, black sesame, red dates, beetroot, and iron-rich meals.
Warming nourishing food: slow cooked meals, soups, stews, broths, warm tea, congees
Protein at each meal: eggs, fish, poultry, meat, beans, nuts, seeds
Mineral support: magnesium (nuts, seeds, dark leafy greens), zinc (pumpkin seeds, animal protein, legumes), iodine (seaweed, eggs), iron (animal protein, liver, legumes, blackstrap mollasses, nettle tea)
Omega-3s: salmon, sardines, chia, flax

Herbs & Food as Medicine:

Nettle & oatstraw teas for hair, nails, and energy
Raspberry leaf for gentle uterine support
Chamomile for calming and soothing the nervous system

Lifestyle & Self-Care:

Sleep whenever possible—even short naps
Gentle movement: walking, stretching, or postpartum yoga
Warm baths, massage, and self-care rituals
Softening expectations and honoring the body’s work
Rediscover joy in small moments and daily rituals
Warm baths, massage, or self-care rituals
Time in nature for restoration

Mindset & Emotional Support:

Asking for help without guilt—this is strength, not failure
Social Support - Connect with friends, family, or mother’s groups
Embrace this as a season of transformation
Rediscover joy in small moments and daily rituals

When to Reach Out for Extra Support

Most postpartum changes are normal.

Check in with a healthcare provider if you notice:

Exhaustion that doesn’t improve with rest
Hair loss lasting beyond 12 months
Ongoing low mood or anxiety
Significant unexplained weight changes
Severe cold intolerance, palpitations, or thyroid symptoms

These are gentle signals, not reasons for fear, that extra care or testing may help you thrive.

Small, consistent steps can make a big difference in supporting your body and spirit as you transition into motherhood.

To every mother reading this: I want you to know that you are seen. The hair loss, the tears, the dizziness, the loneliness, the nights without sleep—they are not signs that you are broken, but signs that you are in transition.

Across physiology, evolution, traditional medicine, and spiritual wisdom, your experience makes sense. You are not weak, not failing, not alone—you are walking an ancient path that countless women have walked before you.

I wish for you nourishment, rest, community, and compassion. May you honour your body, soften expectations, rediscover joy, and know it is okay to reach for help.

Most of all, I hope these perspectives remind you: you are not disappearing. You are becoming.

With love and support,

Kristy 🌿The Wholesome Effect